Claims extracted
16
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
0%
0 of 16 hedged
("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
withheld
no quote in the article backed the model's score
Publisher signals
67/100
ABC News (AU)'s corrections and
hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
2
Politics
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Assistant Treasurer Daniel Mulino has conceded the government knew the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) was considering banning credit card payments in July, months before the decision was made public.
asserted
decision → concede → July
The ATO's decision in late September to stop accepting credit card payments from December 1 sparked backlash from the business community, which eventually forced an intervention from the prime minister and the treasurer to underwrite the costs and allow credit cards to be accepted by the tax office until mid-2027.
asserted
cards → stop → mid-2027
Mr Mulino today said he and Treasurer Jim Chalmers were first made aware of the ATO's intentions months ago.
asserted
he → say → intentions
"In July, the government became aware that the ATO was looking at options and that at that point their preference was to not accept credit cards," Mr Mulino told ABC's Insiders.
asserted
Mulino → become → Insiders
"The indication we gave to the ATO was that they should continue to engage with the credit card companies, and that there should be a transition period."
The admission comes after the Australian Financial Review yesterday revealed the ATO had privately informed the government about its credit card ban and presented the government with options.
asserted
ATO → give → options
The ATO's decision followed changes from the Reserve Bank of Australia to scrap card surcharges from October 1, which the bank has said was "in the public interest" and was costing consumers about $1.6 billion a year.
asserted
bank → follow → billion
Mr Mulino was asked why the government did not push for the ATO to continue accepting credit card payments from small businesses back in July.
asserted
ATO → ask → July
"So, accepting credit card payments going on indefinitely, would have very serious fiscal ramifications for the budget, and that's why we always said that there should be a transition period," he said.
asserted
he → accept → budget
He said the government intervened "very quickly" after the negative fallout and insisted the government was listening.
asserted
government → say → fallout
"We stepped in very quickly once the feedback came to us," he said.
asserted
he → step → us
Small businesses were informed of the ATO's decision on September 30, a day before it was made public, and given a two-month grace period.
"But the transition period, as it turned out, from stakeholder feedback, wasn't enough.
asserted
it → inform → feedback
And so that's where the government stepped in," Mr Mulino said.
asserted
Mulino → step → ?
Earlier this month, Mr Chalmers said he was aware the ATO was "grappling" with the decision before it finalised the decision in late September, but he was not aware of the specific timeline.
asserted
he → say → timeline
Mr Mulino said he engaged with government agencies shortly after the RBA's announcement in March saying they were expected to comply with the removal of surcharges.
asserted
they → say → surcharges
The ATO initially defended its decision, saying it was not tenable for the agency to absorb the $200 million cost and that it would result in less revenue being collected and therefore less funding for government services.
asserted
it → defend → services
Taxation commissioner Rob Heferen said the ATO "would have preferred to continue accepting credit cards" but that credit card companies did not offer a low enough rate.
asserted
companies → say → rate
The Aporia
