Minister Kristy McBain says Reserve Bank could stop merchant fees
Owners say rent, wages and utility bills rose before the ban, and bank fees have not gone away.
A new ad says bank fees still hit small businesses after the national card surcharge ban. Mortgage broker Joseph Daoud and accountant Belinda Raso are behind the ad, which features dozens of owners.
Owners in the ad say rent, wages and utility bills rose before the surcharge ban. Tash O'Dwyer, founder of Gold Coast business The Vinyl and Thread Bar, says bank fees have not gone anywhere.
Merchant fees are what banks charge businesses when they accept card payments. Daoud says the government could ban those fees at the source to end the surcharge.
Emergency Management Minister Kristy McBain said the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) could step in to stop merchant fees altogether. Daoud called the minister's position a backflip, asking why the step was not taken at the start.
Daoud, a Liberal Party member, says the self-funded campaign has no official party backing.
Why it mattersSmall businesses that take card payments may still pay bank fees, which squeeze already thin profits.
AustraliaAustralian businesses that take card payments could see merchant fees stop if the Reserve Bank steps in.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 1 h ago
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