Monday 19 October 2026

Federal Member for Mallee Dr Anne Webster MP says revelations the Albanese Labor Government knew months earlier about the Australian Taxation Office’s intention to stop accepting credit card payments shows why governments need people with small business experience and must listen to small business – as she will continue to do at forums, including on Tuesday night 20 October.

Assistant Treasurer Daniel Mulino admits the Albanese Government knew in July that the ATO was considering discontinuing credit-card payments, months before businesses were suddenly informed of a 30 November cutoff.

Dr Webster said the admission and Labor’s botched handling of a ban on credit card surcharges from 1 October was wrecking the viability of small businesses and underscored why discussions with small businesses are invaluable.

“I was talking with a cafe owner on Sunday about Labor’s surcharge ban and the owner had decided that they would just have to put up prices. He said they've worked out it's $60,000 a year just for the surcharge – that is one waitstaff they can no longer employ, and shows the kind of disconnect that Labor ministers and Treasurer Chalmers have with the real world,” Dr Webster said

“Small businesses were given precious little notice of the ATO payments ban, yet we now know the Albanese Government knew for months the ATO was withdrawing an important cash-flow tool.

“Labor expects small businesses to absorb card-payment costs because surcharging has been banned, yet somehow it’s okay for the ATO to stop accepting credit cards altogether.”

Dr Webster is hosting online conversations with small business owners, including on Tuesday 20 October from 5:30pm, which Mallee small businesses are welcome to attend by reaching out on email to anne.webster.mp@aph.gov.au. As Dr Webster returns to Canberra from Monday 26 October, further small business discussions will be set up in the coming weeks.

Dr Webster said regional businesses operating on tight margins have little to no capacity to absorb Government costs and charges, so are forced to raise their prices.  

Financial Counselling Australia reports that their Small Business Debt Helpline 1800 413 828 has seen record demand, with 22 per cent more business – 7,237 businesses overall – seeking help last financial year.  66 per cent of Helpline cases involve debts with the ATO – which had, under Labor, intended to cease credit card payments from 30 November.  The Treasurer has since intervened – despite the government saying it couldn’t – using taxpayer money to help the ATO keep taking credit card payments until 30 June.

“One Mildura business owner has already told me she relies on paying her ATO payment plan by credit card simply to keep enough cash in her business to operate. These are the real-world consequences Canberra needs to understand,” Dr Webster said.

“Once again, we have evidence that this Albanese Labor government could not organise themselves out of a paper bag. The tax system is now a shambles thanks to their gross incompetence.”

The Coalition funded a  dedicated mental health service for small businesses in 2021, BeyondBlue’s NewAccess for Small Business Owners (NASBO) 03 9250 8305 mental health coaching service. NASBO reported in December it was seeing an ‘exceptionally high volume of enquiries’ with potential delays of months before receiving a full assessment.

NASBO’s last full report indicates 76 per cent of small business callers experienced improved anxiety or depression symptoms, over 91 per cent felt more productive and better equipped to face future business challenges, and almost 96 per cent felt better able to manage mental health challenges.

Commonwealth funding for NASBO was extended in February to 30 June 2027.

Dr Webster raised the growing pressures facing small businesses in Parliament last week, citing pressures imposed by the Albanese Labor Government including higher operating costs, falling profitability and the cumulative burden of taxes, regulation and compliance.

‍