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Daily Mail
· collected 2026-10-09 · by Caitlin Powell, Jacob Shteyman
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has delayed the ban on credit card payments to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) from November 30 until June 30, 2027, after facing criticism from small businesses. The ATO originally planned to stop accepting credit cards due to high merchant fees, which would have cost them nearly $200 million annually. Chalmers announced additional funding for the ATO to help manage this transition period and engage more with businesses, acknowledging their importance to the economy.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-09,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has delayed its controversial ban on credit card payments for tax bills, originally set to take effect by November 30, after facing heavy criticism from small businesses and opposition parties. Treasurer Jim Chalmers announced additional funding for a year-long transition period during which the ATO will continue to accept credit card payments via third-party providers as well as other free or low-fee methods like debit cards and bank transfers until at least June 2024. The ATO had initially justified the ban by estimating it would cost taxpayers about $200 million annually to cover merchant fees, but this decision caused significant concern among small businesses relying on credit card payments for cash flow management. Chalmers emphasized that the government is committed to supporting small businesses, which are crucial to Australia's economy.
Written for “ATO Credit Card Ban Delayed” on 2026-10-09,
grounded in this article and the 4 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it -0.35, but all 2 of its quote(s) are attributed speech - words the article quotes from someone, not the article's own narration, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 67384: attributed speech only · logged 2026-10-09
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has confirmed a planned ban on credit card payments to the Australian Taxation Office will be delayed following backlash from small businesses.
asserted
ban → confirm → businesses
The Albanese government announced extra funding for the Australian Taxation Office on Friday to push back the deadline from its initial date of November 30.
asserted
government → announce → November
The tax office surprised businesses by dropping the news that it would no longer accept the payment method on October 1, the day that a ban on card surcharges came into effect.
asserted
ban → surprise → effect
Chalmers said the funding would give the tax office 'more time' to speak to businesses and 'get it right'.
asserted
it → say → businesses
'Australian small businesses have said the ATO's announced time frame was inadequate and we have taken these concerns seriously and acted on them,' he said.
asserted
he → say → them
'Labor will always back small businesses because we know how important they are to our economy.'
At the time, ATO commissioner Rob Heferen said merchant fees were expected to cost the tax office almost $200million annually, which it could not absorb as it would result in less funds available for government services.
uncertain
it → back → services
'Meeting the cost of surcharges through additional public funding for the ATO would have the same ultimate outcome,' he said.
asserted
he → meet → outcome
Treasurer Jim Chalmers has confirmed a planned ban on credit card payments to the Australian Taxation Office will be delayed following backlash from small businesses
But
asserted
ban → confirm → businesses
Chalmers bowed to pressure and handed the tax office extra funding to delay the credit card ban until June 30, 2027.
asserted
Chalmers → bow → June
The cost of the funding boost will be finalised in the mid-year budget update in December.
asserted
cost → finalise → December
He blamed credit card companies for not offering low enough fees to allow the ATO to keep accepting card payments.
asserted
ATO → blame → payments
'The ATO will continue to engage with card companies on this matter,' he said.
asserted
he → continue → matter
Chalmers said that, after June 30, the ATO will continue to accept credit card payments via third parties as well as debit cards and bank transfers.
asserted
ATO → say → parties
Before Chalmers' intervention, the head of Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Andrew McKellar had also called for a "clear message from government" in support of small business.
asserted
head → call → business
Shadow Treasurer Tim Wilson said Labor was at fault for the ATO decision because they triggered the surcharge ban.
'
asserted
they → say → ban
They didn't think through the consequences of it, and there's a massive double standard,' he told News24.
asserted
he → think → News24
The Prime Minister (Anthony Albanese), clearly he likes to humiliate his treasurer, but the Prime Minister has clearly forced Jim Chalmer's hand again because he wouldn't listen to the community and the consequences of decisions.
asserted
he → like → decisions
Before Chalmers' intervention, Independent MP Kate Chaney had called on the ATO to reconsider or grant businesses a longer grace period to adjust on Thursday.
asserted
Chaney → call → Thursday
'Credit cards are one way businesses manage cash flow when a tax bill lands.
asserted
bill → manage → flow
Removing that option with around eight weeks' notice makes things harder,' she said.
asserted
she → remove → notice
The tax office said only five per cent of small businesses used credit cards to pay tax in 2024-25.
asserted
cent → say → 2024
The Reserve Bank of Australia, which oversaw the reforms, said 85 per cent of small merchants did not impose surcharges before the ban was put in place and would not be impacted by the change.
asserted
ban → oversee → change
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