Jim Chalmers denies Anthony Albanese rolled him over credit card payments for tax bills
Summary
Treasurer Jim Chalmers said that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese did not go over his head when stopping the tax office from banning credit card payments for tax bills. Both men agreed it was necessary to allow more time for the tax office to manage the change after complaints from small businesses.Key Facts
- The tax office planned to stop credit card payments for tax bills starting December 1.
- This plan was because accepting credit card payments would cost the tax office about $200 million a year, costs which cannot be passed on to taxpayers.
- Small businesses use credit cards to manage cash flow, with about 5% relying on card payments for taxes.
- After complaints, the government provided more funding to the tax office to keep card payments available until the end of the financial year.
- Prime Minister Albanese personally acted after talking with business leaders from the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
- Treasurer Jim Chalmers said both he and the Prime Minister agreed on the decision before informing other ministers.
- The tax office operates independently and the government cannot directly control its decisions.
- Some opposition politicians criticized the Prime Minister for overruling Chalmers publicly.
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