Labor under fire after admitting it knew about ATO’s plan to ban credit cards

Key points

• The federal government has admitted it knew months earlier that the Australian Taxation Office was considering stopping credit card payments. Assistant Treasurer Daniel Mulino said the government learned in July that the tax office preferred not to accept them.
• Treasurer Jim Chalmers had previously said he learned of the decision in late September. The tax office later announced a two-month transition period, which the government then extended.
• Opposition figures accused Labor of covering up when it knew and of mishandling the issue for small businesses.