Liberal had concerns about surcharge bill

Liberal MP Craig Kelly says he had difficulty supporting the government's bill to ban excessive surcharges at "first blush" and "second blush".

Liberal Member for Hughes Craig Kelly. (AAP) Source: AAP

A Liberal MP admits he had concerns about the government's plans to ban excessive credit card surcharges, saying politicians shouldn't interfere with a free market economy.

Craig Kelly believes all pricing decisions should be up to businesses, pointing to the "socialist utopia of Venezuela" which has run out of toilet paper due to government regulation.

"At first blush I had some difficulty in supporting it, and at second blush I also had some difficulty in supporting it," Mr Kelly told parliament on Monday, before adding he was now convinced it could be justified.