Card Payment Surcharges Banned in Australia from 2026

[esseeeayeenn]

This article conforms to the typical ABC school of journalism structure.
It offers a slew of contradicting opinions which lead nowhere.
The only firm conclusion I can draw from it is that economics is not a real science.
But I knew that already.

 

[AuSammy]

When I was a student I worked in restaurants.
For the last couple of years I was the manager some nights.
So I am speaking from that experience, not as a customer, no matter how frequent.
It was quite usual to fit in 3 sittings on busy nights - and even to do 4 on a few tables.

Yes common at some Asian restaurants I have frequented. Manager gets angsy if you linger too long after your meal.

 

[OATEK]

From The Australian today, two extracts relating to impact on travel:

"Helloworld Travel Limited, which specialises in travel for people aged over 55, pointed to the “massive” impact of the ban on companies that regularly took payments of $20,000 or more.

“The impact of merchant fee on $15,000 to $20,000 is a lot more that on that cup coffee,” Helloworld executive director Cinzia Burnes said."

"Travel Agents Choice managing director Christian Hunter said a “coffee shop mentality has been applied to every business and industry”, leading to unexpected consequences that spanned from tourism to education, as schools across the country announced credit cards would no longer be accepted to pay tuition.

“This erodes very thin margins in our sector – we’re talking tens of thousands of dollars in extra costs,” he said."

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/credit-card-surcharge-ban-will-clip-travellers-wings/news-story/7ee7f0da3d41a0df13b87d2a8fb5ae7e

 

[transpactraveller]

I had the displeasure of being forced to listen to one of those AM talkback radio stations while waiting to pick up my car from a service his morning. The host launched into a tirade about "Albo's surcharge ban" destroying small business and how Albo's determined to ruin the economy by causing "the world's highest interest rates" from all the domestic inflation this is apparently going to cause!

Guess he didn't know the rest of the world don't have surcharges either, or that it was the RBA and not the PM's decision.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

I had the displeasure of being forced to listen to one of those AM talkback radio stations while waiting to pick up my car from a service his morning. The host launched into a tirade about "Albo's surcharge ban" destroying small business and how Albo's determined to ruin the economy by causing "the world's highest interest rates" from all the domestic inflation this is apparently going to cause!

Guess he didn't know the rest of the world don't have surcharges either, or that it was the RBA and not the PM's decision.

But it's the PM flogging it as his own though

 

[HMcM]

Guess he didn't know the rest of the world don't have surcharges either, or that it was the RBA and not the PM's decision.

So the ALP are wrongfully taking credit on their own website?

In late 2024, the Albanese Labor Government announced that we were prepared to ban debit card surcharges to help with the cost of living, subject to further work by the Reserve Bank and safeguards to ensure both small businesses and consumers can benefit.

In response to this, the Reserve Bank will today take steps to end credit and debit card surcharging from 1 October.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

But in classic Albo style he will probably tell us next week he never promoted it and had nothing to do with it, like he never fell off the stage that day.