Finance | SmartCompany https://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/ Business news, business advice and information for Australian SMEs, startups and entrepreneurs Fri, 02 Oct 2026 02:16:28 +0000 en-AU hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.10 https://assets.smartcompany.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2022/01/cropped-android-chrome-512x512-1.png?quality=70&w=32 Finance | SmartCompany https://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/ 32 32 202088525 “Unfair”: Opposition calls on government to reverse ATO credit payment ban https://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/unfair-opposition-calls-to-reverse-ato-credit-payment-ban/ https://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/unfair-opposition-calls-to-reverse-ato-credit-payment-ban/#respond Fri, 02 Oct 2026 02:16:21 +0000 https://www.smartcompany.com.au/?p=345865 The ATO plan to stop accepting credit card payments after November 30 has critics in Canberra, but finding an alternative may prove difficult.

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]]> https://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/unfair-opposition-calls-to-reverse-ato-credit-payment-ban/feed/ 0 345865 Today’s the day: Card surcharges are officially over https://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/todays-the-day-card-surcharges-are-officially-over/ https://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/todays-the-day-card-surcharges-are-officially-over/#respond Wed, 30 Sep 2026 21:00:00 +0000 https://www.smartcompany.com.au/?p=345698 Australia's ban on card surcharges kicks in today. Here's everything you need to know.

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]]> https://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/todays-the-day-card-surcharges-are-officially-over/feed/ 0 345698 RBA lifts interest rates to 4.6% in 15-year-high https://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/rate-hike-announcement-september-2026/ https://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/rate-hike-announcement-september-2026/#respond Tue, 29 Sep 2026 04:39:12 +0000 https://www.smartcompany.com.au/?p=345575 The Reserve Bank of Australia has lifted interest rates by 25 basis points to the highest level since 2011.

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]]> https://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/rate-hike-announcement-september-2026/feed/ 0 345575 Cash only, or grin and bear it: Businesses brace for the surcharge ban https://www.smartcompany.com.au/hospitality/cash-only-or-grin-and-bear-it-businesses-brace-for-surcharge-ban/ https://www.smartcompany.com.au/hospitality/cash-only-or-grin-and-bear-it-businesses-brace-for-surcharge-ban/#respond Tue, 29 Sep 2026 02:25:38 +0000 https://www.smartcompany.com.au/?p=345521 The long-awaited reform is now rattling the small business sector, which typically pay the highest merchant fees of any business type.

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]]> https://www.smartcompany.com.au/hospitality/cash-only-or-grin-and-bear-it-businesses-brace-for-surcharge-ban/feed/ 0 345521 The surcharge ban kicks in on October 1, but do we even need card payments anymore? https://www.smartcompany.com.au/opinion/surcharge-ban-october-1-do-we-need-card-payments-anymore/ https://www.smartcompany.com.au/opinion/surcharge-ban-october-1-do-we-need-card-payments-anymore/#respond Tue, 29 Sep 2026 02:07:32 +0000 https://www.smartcompany.com.au/?p=345546 The debate no longer needs to be only about cash or cards, as new payment methods give businesses more options.

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]]> https://www.smartcompany.com.au/opinion/surcharge-ban-october-1-do-we-need-card-payments-anymore/feed/ 0 345546 Tapped out: Albanese social media post celebrating surcharge ban stokes backlash https://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/albanese-card-surcharge-ban-angry-posts/ https://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/albanese-card-surcharge-ban-angry-posts/#respond Tue, 29 Sep 2026 01:05:03 +0000 https://www.smartcompany.com.au/?p=345505 Prime Minister Anthony Albanese took to Facebook to declare the October 1 surcharge ban a win for consumers. Not everyone agrees.

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]]> https://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/albanese-card-surcharge-ban-angry-posts/feed/ 0 345505 Westpac cuts merchant fees in the race to October 1 surcharge ban https://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/westpac-cuts-merchant-fees-in-race-to-october-1-surcharge-ban/ https://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/westpac-cuts-merchant-fees-in-race-to-october-1-surcharge-ban/#respond Thu, 24 Sep 2026 00:18:18 +0000 https://www.smartcompany.com.au/?p=345338 Westpac has announced its flat transaction rate will fall from 1.20% to 0.79% for payments made via its point-of-sale terminals.

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]]> https://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/westpac-cuts-merchant-fees-in-race-to-october-1-surcharge-ban/feed/ 0 345338 NAB online banking, mobile app hit by unexpected outage https://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/nab-outage-online-mobile-banking-payments/ https://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/nab-outage-online-mobile-banking-payments/#respond Wed, 23 Sep 2026 05:45:40 +0000 https://www.smartcompany.com.au/?p=345311 Disruptions began mid-afternoon on Wednesday, affecting NAB's core online banking platform and mobile app among other NAB systems.

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]]> https://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/nab-outage-online-mobile-banking-payments/feed/ 0 345311 How business credit card points will change after October 1 surcharge ban https://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/how-business-credit-card-points-will-change-after-october-1-surcharge-ban/ https://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/how-business-credit-card-points-will-change-after-october-1-surcharge-ban/#respond Wed, 16 Sep 2026 23:53:23 +0000 https://www.smartcompany.com.au/?p=344945 A new analysis of commercial credit cards suggests rewards for business spending will change as the RBA clamps down on surcharging.

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]]> https://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/how-business-credit-card-points-will-change-after-october-1-surcharge-ban/feed/ 0 344945 How the credit card surcharge ban will affect your loyalty points and perks https://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/how-the-credit-card-surcharge-ban-will-affect-loyalty-points-and-perks/ https://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/how-the-credit-card-surcharge-ban-will-affect-loyalty-points-and-perks/#respond Tue, 08 Sep 2026 04:31:13 +0000 https://www.smartcompany.com.au/?p=344502 The upcoming surcharge ban looks like an obvious win for consumers but there's a catch.

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]]> https://www.smartcompany.com.au/finance/how-the-credit-card-surcharge-ban-will-affect-loyalty-points-and-perks/feed/ 0 344502