Small Business Minister Anne Aly has revealed she only found out at the same time as the public about the Australian Taxation Office’s ban on credit card payments.
The ATO planned to stop accepting credit card payments from November 30 for tax bills, arguing the move would prevent merchant fees being passed on to taxpayers.
It was revealed on the same day the Reserve Bank’s ban on credit card surcharges took effect, which was supposed to rid Australian shoppers of fees which made the checkout prices differ from listed menu prices.
Australia’s largest business network slammed the move as “hypocritical” and “entrenches a double standard” as small business was “asked to cop the surcharge ban, while the ATO refuses to do the same”.
Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry boss Andrew McKellar said the Government had set a clear expectation that its surcharge ban would reduce the cost of living, with an assurance that “people shouldn’t be punished for using a credit or debit card”.
“Small businesses are now being punished for using a credit card by the ATO’s own policy,” Mr McKellar said.
“It also looks like the ATO’s decision to ban credit cards was hidden from the Australian community until the day the surcharge ban took effect.”
After public pressure, however, Treasurer Jim Chalmers announced across the weekend that the ATO’s ban would be delayed until June 2027.
The Coalition seized on Question Time on Monday to question the Small Business Minister on her involvement, facing heat across the frontbenchers from Angie Bell, Tim Wilson and Kevin Hogan.
Dr Aly eventually admitted she was late to find out but only after a fiery back-and-forward in the House requiring multiple interventions — including expulsions — from Speaker Milton Dick.
Mr Hogan probed if she had been informed ahead of time like Dr Chalmers, who claimed to have found out from the ATO “in the lead up to the decision”.
“The RBA announced their plan to ban surcharges on March 31 this year, stating that surcharges will be banned from October 1,” she said.
“It was a decision that was made by the RBA. I became aware of it — as did everyone else — when the RBA made that decision and made it public.
“On October 1, the ATO announced their decision that they would not be accepting credit cards. That’s when I found out.”
Opposition leader Angus Taylor faced his own share of political pressure on Monday as Labor seized on rumours of a comeback from former treasurer Josh Frydenberg.
It came after the former Liberal MP for Kooyong flirted with the idea of a return during a media blitz for the launch of his memoir.
In an interview with Nine’s 60 Minutes, Mr Frydenberg said he felt “things have to change” after Liberal polling fell to an all-time low and proposed a string of policies including expanding the GST and introducing a mandatory system of “civic service” for school leavers.
Mr Albanese referenced Mr Frydenberg’s public comments in the House, insisting he was “campaigning openly against the front bench”.
Dr Chalmers issued a warning to Mr Taylor that the top job he wrestled Sussan Ley for in February was now being “stalked” from inside and out.
“The leader of the Opposition is being stalked from the inside by the member for Canning (and) is being stalked from the outside by the failed former member for Kooyong,” Dr Chalmers told Parliament.