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Inflation fuel: RBA gifts banks and US card schemes a big win on cards fees and surcharges

Editor
1 Apr, 2026
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Warwick Ponder
Editor
1 Apr, 2026
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Yesterday’s glossy, spin-doctored RBA announcement felt more like a corporate launch than a regulatory decision, complete with case studies, vox pops and puffed up stats to back in the central bank’s long-awaited decision. But while the banks, the ACCC and US card schemes were celebrating their lobbying efforts on interchange relief and surcharging bans, small businesses were considering how much they will need to lift prices to deal with the thousands of dollars in extra fees they will need to pay come October.
Inflation fuel: RBA gifts banks and US card schemes a big win on cards fees and surcharges
RBA’s Michele BullockCommentary

Yesterday’s glossy, spin-doctored RBA announcement felt more like a corporate launch than a regulatory decision, complete with case studies, vox pops and puffed up stats to back in the central bank’s long-awaited decision. But while the banks, the ACCC and US card schemes were celebrating their lobbying efforts on interchange relief and surcharging bans, small…

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