Government says debit card transaction surcharges should be stopped

The Australian government plans to ban surcharges for debit and credit card transactions.

A stock image showing credit card payment at a cafe in Brisbane, Wednesday, May 15, 2019. Wednesday's data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) showed the wage price index rose 0.5% in the three months ended March, unchanged from the December quarter. (AAP Image/Dan Peled) NO ARCHIVING Credit: DAN PELED/AAPIMAGE

For Australians who pay for their coffee with a debit card, the small surcharge they have to pay can end up being a large sum.

The Central Bank estimates that Australians spend an extra billion dollars a year just to use debit cards instead of cash.

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