QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator WONG (South Australia—Minister for Foreign Affairs and Leader of the Government in the Senate) (14:00): I'll make a few points. The first point is a point about transparency. We as a government do think that it's important that the charges that people are paying are transparent and predictable, and that was not the case.

I would also make the point Australians were paying around $1.6 billion a year in surcharges. I would also make the point that, as part of these reforms, there are lower fees now charged to process transactions, and the saving from that to business will be about $910 million. We're very conscious of the challenges that small business faces.

I would make the point that 84 per cent of businesses did not surcharge before these changes. Obviously, those businesses are benefiting from lower fees charged to process transactions. And the major banks have already announced reductions in merchant fees.

Westpac has cut fees by 41 basis points, and other major banks have also cut— Senator WONG: I'm just wondering if Senator Ruston is ever going to draw breath. She keeps interjecting on her own leader's question. Opposition senators interjecting— Senator WONG: A bit of tension!

In relation to the ATO, as we said, we do think that a transition period and engagement with small business is necessary. The government has stepped in to ensure that that transition is longer, to allow businesses time to adjust, and we look forward to those discussions continuing in the transition period, which we have extended.