Card Payment Surcharges Banned in Australia from 2026

[AuSammy]

I never carry cash domestically except for my $15 haircuts where they don’t accept anything else.

I have noticed some people paying cash when they could or do have a credit card. Seems they use cash as a method of budget control. They draw out a set amount each week or fortnight. Every time they are about to make a spir of the moment purchase they look in their wallet and make a decision “this is what is left for x days, can I afford it”.

With a credit card the balance is opaque and they tend to overspend and sometimes get into trouble with their budgeting.

 

[serfty]

With a credit card the balance is opaque and they tend to overspend ...

Back around the turn of the century I was told that restauranters loved credit cards for exactly that reason. This was before surcharging was permitted.

 

[serfty]

I saw this on the website of a place we are thinking of going to shortly. If we do, it will be via an ATM ...

 

[transpactraveller]

So they'll give you a 10% discount so they can avoid a <2% card fee?

Are they doing that out of spite, or trying to invite a GST compliance audit?

Seems like they can quite easily afford to absorb the card fees into their prices if they can offer 10% off!

Unless they increased their prices by 10% and this is just another ColesWorth style fake discount.

 

[serfty]

So they'll give you a 10% discount so they can avoid a <2% card fee?

Are they doing that out of spite, or trying to invite a GST compliance audit?

Seems like they can quite easily afford to absorb the card fees into their prices if they can offer 10% off!

Unless they increased their prices by 10% and this is just another ColesWorth style fake discount.

I know the place well. Their prices have not increased by 10%.

 

[HMcM]

Credit card surcharges is component pricing. No doubt at all.

Credit card surcharges are optional additional pricing more than component pricing.

Do you charge a customer for your rent costs? Electricity costs? Payroll?

No, because I can't get my service without the rent, electricity and payroll being involved, I could have gotten my service without the business incurring a credit card fee.