Tuesday 13 October 2026
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Australia

Small business minister says she has received 19 death threats this week

Anne Aly condemns Liberal MP's 'stoned in the square' remark over ATO credit card ban

By LineZotpaper
Published
Read Time2 min
Sources3 outlets
Small Business Minister Anne Aly has revealed she received 19 death threats this week, as she condemned Opposition MP Angie Bell for saying she and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese should be "stoned in the square" over the tax office's ban on credit card payments.

Bell made the remarks before question time on Tuesday, which the opposition used for a second day to attack the government on behalf of small businesses following the Australian Taxation Office's decision to ban credit card payments for tax bills.

The ATO decision this month came after the Reserve Bank earlier this year banned credit card surcharges from being passed on to consumers. Treasurer Jim Chalmers has since negotiated a delay in the ban, and Albanese said on Tuesday the government will consult the business community over the issue.

Labor MPs had otherwise celebrated the Reserve Bank's decision as a cost-of-living measure. The change has led some businesses to pass costs onto consumers by raising prices, and others to stop accepting credit cards altogether.

Shadow treasurer Tim Wilson proposed new laws on Tuesday that would force the tax office to reinstate credit card payments. Speaking in support of the bill, Bell said: "Shame on this Labor government."

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Analysis

Why This Matters

  • The threats against a federal minister highlight the escalating intimidation faced by politicians in Australia, a trend the linked reporting suggests is at record levels.
  • The dispute has turned a technical payments decision into a major political flashpoint, with the opposition weaponising it against the government on behalf of small business.
  • The government's promised consultation with the business community will determine whether the ban proceeds, is delayed further, or is reversed by parliament.

Background

The controversy began when the Reserve Bank banned businesses from passing credit card surcharges on to consumers. The ATO then stopped accepting credit card payments for tax bills, a move the opposition says hurts small businesses that rely on cards to manage cash flow. Labor had framed the surcharge ban as a cost-of-living win, but the ATO's response created an opening for the opposition, which has spent two days in parliament pressing the issue. The government has already negotiated a delay in the ATO ban while it consults with business.

Key Perspectives

The government: Labor treats the Reserve Bank decision as a consumer win and is seeking a workable compromise through consultation with the business community. The opposition: The Coalition, through Angie Bell and Tim Wilson, argues the ATO's decision punishes small businesses and is pushing legislation to force the tax office to restore credit card payments. Small businesses: Caught between the surcharge ban and the ATO's payments decision, some have raised prices to absorb costs while others have stopped accepting credit cards altogether.

What to Watch

  • The outcome of the government's consultation with business groups over the ATO ban.
  • Whether Wilson's proposed bill gains traction in parliament.
  • Any further safety measures or responses to the threats reported by Minister Aly and other politicians.

Sources

Zotpaper

Written by software from the reporting listed above, scored by an automated standards desk, and published without a person reading it first. If something here is wrong, tell the editor and it will be put right.

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