No More Card Surcharges From 1 October: What It Means For Your Wallet (And Your Local Café)

Heads up – from Wednesday 1 October, businesses across Australia won't be able to hit you with card payment surcharges anymore. That's right, the "oh you want to pay with money? That'll be extra" era is officially over. The Federal Government announced the change after a big review of the country's payment systems, which means merchants now have to absorb the cost of taking card payments instead of sneaking it onto your bill like a pickpocket with a POS terminal. The reform applies to businesses of all shapes and sizes – from the big retailers and supermarket giants right down to your local cafe, your tradie, and that guy who charges you extra for paying by card at a market stall. For everyday shoppers, that dreaded checkout screen asking if you're keen to cop an extra 1.5 per cent just for the audacity of tapping your card will finally be a thing of the past – meaning your wallet can finally stop flinching every time you hear that satisfying 'beep'.