Wednesday 16 July 2025
Interview on 3AW BREAKFAST: 'Pick up the phone': Shadow minister's message for
Treasurer amid fears RBA proposal may hit small businesses hard
Topics: Jim Chalmers, Merchant fees, Small business


EO&E……………………………………………………………………………………………………………


HOST 1: Shadow Minister for Small Business of Australia, we've got Tim on the line
because the Reserve Bank's proposal to ban credit and debit card surcharges could
translate to higher prices. Good morning Tim.


TIM WILSON: Good morning!


HOST 1: Is this a good thing or will it all get passed down the line and would some jobs
be at jeopardy?


TIM WILSON: Well there's a big risk for small business that if we simply get rid of
surcharges that small business is going to pass on cost to customers. No customer
wants to pay surcharges, so this is where the government's got to turn around and put
pressure on the banks, to make sure that small business going to be protected.


HOST 2: So how can we look after the business owner in this particular situation Tim?


TIM WILSON: Well, it's important to take care of the customer and the small business
owner, and it's to put downward pressure on banks. Banks have what's called least cost
routing, which is a very technical way of saying, that they're supposed to have built into
their systems the lowest cost, is supposed to be passed on to the consumer and to the
small businesses for doing things like paying electronically. But the government's got to
drive the agenda and put pressure on the banks to make sure that that's the system
they're using, and it's not always the one they are, because of course it's the way that
they make money, so the government's got to put that pressure on.


HOST 1: So Tim, just quickly, what's the solution here? What's the obvious solution that
can be actioned?


TIM WILSON: It's for Jim Chalmers to pick up the phone to the CEOs, the banks, make
sure that that's happening and then to make sure small business are protected and
customers are protected.


HOST 1: We appreciate your time Tim, Tim Wilson, Shadow Minister for Small Business
of Australia.


HOST 2: He makes a lot of sense Tim Wilson every time I've listened to him on the radio
or TV he knows what he's doing.


ENDS