this post was submitted on 31 Mar 2026
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51
RBA to remove surcharges on debit, credit cards, card networks including eftpos, Mastercard and Visa (www.abc.net.au)
submitted 2 weeks ago by regularbum@aussie.zone to c/australia@aussie.zone
13 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

From summary:

In short:

The RBA will remove surcharges on debit and credit cards, saving consumers and businesses about $1.8 billion each year.

The package of reforms also includes lowering the caps on interchange fees paid by Australian businesses, with a focus on small businesses currently paying the highest fees.

What's next?

Most of the reforms are due to take effect from October this year.

top 13 comments
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[–] fizzle@quokk.au 18 points 2 weeks ago

Importantly, [removing surcharges] also represent a structural shift in the market towards greater transparency and stronger competition, creating an environment that plays to Tyro's unique strengths.

LOL what? This is some a-grade bullshit.

In the before times, there were no "surcharges". If the price on the menu was $10 then the charge on your card was $10.

Then Tyro appeared and said to cafes and restaurants, we can add our fees on top of the charge. So the price is $10 but the customer pays $10.15.

IMO, Tyro instigated the practice of surcharging.

[–] regularbum@aussie.zone 10 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

I feel like this will just hide to regular folk how much we are just giving away to visa and Mastercard and lessen the popularity for a public payment network (similar to the one Europe is building).

[–] Fetus@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

From your article:

The final part of the reforms is to increase transparency and competition over fees, with eftpos, Mastercard and Visa to publish the fees they charge.

[–] regularbum@aussie.zone 6 points 2 weeks ago

I’m talking about the part where fees are essentially hidden to consumers (but not to businesses). This separate change you mentioned will still be good, but doesn’t negate that fees are now hidden.

[–] Salvo@aussie.zone 2 points 2 weeks ago

EFTPOS and OSKO are semi-public payment methods (sponsored by the banks).

I have now configured ApplePay to use EFTPOS rather than VISA on my debit card, where possible.

I already pay my masseuse with OSKO because she prefers it to cash, and there are no fees.

I will still use Credit Cards for online purchases because; Online stores only accept VISA/MasterCard (and sometimes AMEX) and the Consumer Protections provided by the Scumsuckers are actually quite good.

[–] shirro@aussie.zone 6 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Why can't we make card payments without Visa in Australia? We need to ditch these foreign companies and develop our own or co-operate with peer countries. I ditched Paypal and Amazon but I still have to donate to Visa every time I buy a pie.

[–] Salvo@aussie.zone 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

EFTPOS and OSKO. The problem is that some modern payment processors don’t accept them.

[–] shirro@aussie.zone 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I pay my internet with PayiID. Also use BPay. Osko. A lot of ecommerce is restricted to US platforms. I would prefer to make NFC payments with EFTPOS but haven't worked out a way to do it. Might have to research.

[–] Salvo@aussie.zone 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Apple Wallet lets me choose VISA or EFTPOS on one of my debit cards. It works with my watch and also my phone. I assume GooglePay would also has this feature.

My other debit cards don’t have this option.

[–] shirro@aussie.zone 2 points 2 weeks ago

I do not want to buy American phones, particularly Apple. I want to go back to card over phone. It isn't really any less convenient to carry a sliver of plastic. My end game for mobile is degoogled android or Linux where I won't have access to banking.

I think least cost routing is supposed to be available for traders or they can set their terminals to prefer EFTPOS. I think I read that some banks let you set a preference on the card but mine does not have anything in the app. I might need to contact them.

[–] mthomson@forum.macaque.social 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Surely all they'll do is increase the price of goods and hide the surcharge in there?

[–] Dimand@aussie.zone 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Yes, just like how the price of most things is an amalgamation of factors from profit, materials, labour transport, the cost of handling cash, rent, etc.

But you pay the price that is on the box. That's a core tenant of this country as far as I'm concerned.

[–] Salvo@aussie.zone 3 points 2 weeks ago

Same with Tipping.

Service staff must be paid a living wage. If they get a little bit of extra cash on the side because they provide excellent service, that is nobody else’s business.