The Daily Aus Why everything is about to be 20c cheaper
Mar 31, 2026
A rundown of recent cost-of-living moves that could shave small amounts off everyday bills. Deep dive into a ban on card surcharges and how payment fees affect consumers and businesses. Explanation of a temporary fuel excise cut and why global shipping disruptions have pushed prices up. Discussion of the trade-offs between short-term relief and longer-term economic effects.
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TDA Partnerships Pitch And How To Support The Podcast
- Skye, a partnerships manager, explains TDA relies partly on ad revenue and asks listeners to follow and leave five-star reviews.
- The hosts use this to remind young listeners how to support independent journalism.
Ban On Card Surcharges Cuts Hidden Fees
- The RBA will ban card surcharges from October to stop consumers paying 1–2% extra on tap-and-go payments.
- RBA modelling says surcharges cost consumers about $1.2 billion a year and create cross-subsidisation between debit and credit users.
Debit Users Subsidise Credit Card Rewards
- Debit cards cost less to process but merchants charge a blended fee, so debit users effectively subsidise credit card rewards.
- The hosts explain that blended fees cause cross-subsidisation benefiting credit card points collectors.