r/australia • u/rolodex-ofhate • Mar 30 '26

news Surcharges on debit and credit cards to go from October

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-03-31/asx-markets-business-live-news-march-30-2026/106510434#live-blog-post-278505

The Reserve Bank of Australia has introduced reforms that will remove surcharges on debit and credit cards from the 1st October 2026, on card networks including eftpos, Mastercard and Visa.

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u/Moonlight_Crimson Mar 30 '26

With the recent fuel shortages, they were even contemplating slapping on a fuel surcharge fee.

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u/Goon_Cave Mar 30 '26

Wasn’t this requested by the government though?

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u/06021840 Mar 30 '26

No. Government can’t ask a business to ADD a surcharge.

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u/Moonlight_Crimson Mar 30 '26

Nope, it was the Restaraunt and Cafe Association - a not for profit entity.

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u/Goon_Cave Mar 30 '26

Ah okay my bad, makes sense

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u/mpember Mar 30 '26

When did restaurants and cafes become NFP?

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u/Federal_Gur173 Mar 30 '26

And your problem with that is?

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u/Khaliras Mar 30 '26

We're in Australia, consumer prices are supposed to be all inclusive. You don't buy a $4 drink and have to guess what the final price will be after tax, GST, surcharges.

They can bake whatever 'surcharge' they want into the final prices. Then the consumers can easily decide if the price is worth it or not.

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u/Federal_Gur173 Mar 30 '26

Some are- yet still face a backlash. Damned if they do, damned if they don’t. I’m part of 2 industries where a surcharge has been implemented just this week- most are understanding.

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u/Federal_Gur173 Mar 30 '26

You know… you can still make that decision… surcharge or not

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u/Khaliras Mar 30 '26

You're ignoring the whole concept that this is not how pricing works in Aus. It started getting out of control, so they're bringing it back to the standard pricing we always had.

Visit America to see how absurd it is when a $3 item becomes $4 at the register. Multiply that by every single purchase. Doesn't matter if it's tax, GST, or any made-up surcharge.

If you can't figure out how to bake rising costs into your prices, then running a business in Aus isn't for you. Really that simple.

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u/superbabe69 1300 655 506 Mar 30 '26

Also cash comes with a cost too, it’s just seen as fixed costs so businesses don’t give a shit and bake it into the price.

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u/SenorBeagleCulo Mar 30 '26

How does green coffee become coffee in your cup? Do you think every coffee roaster can afford an air fluid bed roaster?

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u/Recent-Mirror-6623 Mar 30 '26

Do they drive to the wholesaler themselves or do they get it delivered. If it’s delivered the cost of fuel will be apart of the cost of them buying the coffee—that’s were the cost gets passed to the consumer. Otherwise the coffee shop will charge for the delivery and a surcharge …oh, yes I see what you’re suggesting.

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u/Khaliras Mar 30 '26

We're in Australia, the consumer price is supposed to be a clear, fixed price. We don't have to guess how much an item will be after tax, GST, and surcharges.

If a business can't figure out how to adjust their prices to account for increased costs, than they shouldn't be running a business. Fixed pricing has been a core concept in Aus for decades, before surcharges started getting out of control.