Terms of Reference

The economic effect of matters including the difference between cash rates and credit card interest rates, with particular reference to:

  1. the Reserve Bank of Australia‘s cash rate announcement and associated changes in credit card interest rates;
  2. the costs to banks, credit providers, and payments systems, including those related to:
    1. borrowings,
    2. credit risk and default rates, and credit risk pricing,
    3. various credit card loyalty programs, and
    4. consumer protection measures, including reforms introduced following the global financial crisis,
  3. transaction costs, including interchange fees, on the payments industry;
  4. the costs to consumers, including those related to:
    1. how and when interest is applied,
    2. minimum monthly payment levels,
    3. various credit card loyalty programs of other users, and
    4. card fees, including ATM and POS fees;
  5. what impact competition and price signals have on the credit card market;
  6. how the enforcement of responsible lending laws and the national consumer credit regime affect consumer costs;
  7. how consumer choice of credit card products can be improved, with reference to practices in other jurisdictions; and
  8. any other related matters.

Committee Secretariat contact:

Senate Standing Committees on Economics
PO Box 6100
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

Phone: +61 2 6277 3540
economics.sen@aph.gov.au

About this inquiry

An inquiry into the economic effect of matters including the difference between cash rates and credit card interest rates.



Past Public Hearings

09 Nov 2015: Canberra
16 Oct 2015: Sydney
22 Sep 2015: Canberra

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Inquiry Status

Submissions Closed

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