Anthony Albanese said one text message from a business lobbyist was all it took. By the next morning, the government had an announcement.
The prime minister confirmed he personally intervened before the tax office decided to delay a ban on credit card payments. Last week, the government said it would give the Australian Taxation Office extra funding to keep accepting credit card payments until July next year.
A Text, Then a Policy Reversal
At an Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry event, Albanese described how quickly the decision came together. Andrew McKellar, the chamber’s chief executive, texted him the previous Thursday morning. “My door is always open. Andrew did text me last Thursday morning and by Friday morning we had an announcement,” Albanese said. He added: “That was an example of a relationship that takes time develop as well, that trust.”
McKellar responded graciously. He praised the prime minister for moving quickly to “provide vital breathing space” for small businesses affected by the ATO’s decision. “Prime minister, to your credit, your door was open, you engaged, you listened,” McKellar said. “We welcome that response and we will use the additional time to work with the tax office now to find a sustainable, long-term solution.”
Small businesses got relief. The episode raises a plain question about process. The tax office put a decision on hold, and extra public funding will keep the status quo going until July next year. By McKellar’s own account, the long-term fix still needs to be found.
Parliament’s Agenda
The ABC live blog, written by political reporter Courtney Gould, said the government planned to introduce its proposed crackdown on discretionary trusts and a national gas reservation scheme in Parliament that day. Resources Minister Madeleine King was due to speak at the National Press Club later that day.
Both measures touch how private capital and energy producers operate. A trusts crackdown affects the structures families and businesses use to manage their affairs. A gas reservation scheme would shape how producers handle supply. The live blog didn’t include details. What matters now is what the legislation actually says.
The Cost of Pacific Diplomacy
On the Coalition side, Liberal senator Andrew McLachlan broke with colleagues over an Australian-led pre-COP event. Opposition Leader Angus Taylor and other Coalition backbenchers had called the event a failure. McLachlan said it cost taxpayers roughly $20 million, but defended the spending, arguing such events matter if Australia wants to position itself as a Pacific leader.
“I think they’re very worthwhile,” he said. “You can’t be a Pacific nation and contribute to the life of the Pacific and turn your back on initiatives that seek to solve those issues.” He added: “I’m a strong supporter of the COP process and of the government’s initiatives.” Asked about Taylor’s “pre-COP flop” remark, McLachlan said: “I think denigration of acts of good faith in the Pacific are petty.”
The blog directed readers to analysis by foreign affairs reporter Stephen Dziedzic.
Coalition Wrestles With One Nation
McLachlan also warned his party against borrowing language from One Nation, including “mass migration” and “breathing space.” Taylor used those terms when he launched the Coalition’s migration proposal on October 6. One Nation had unveiled its own migration policy in mid-September, promising to cut “mass migration” and provide “breathing space.”
“I don’t think it’s a good idea in any way, shape or form to adopt any language that One Nation is using,” McLachlan said. He described “mass migration” as a term used in extreme circumstances. His own lived experience in South Australia, he said, was that it caused concern among communities that had recently arrived in Australia and settled. He urged colleagues not to outsource “policy development to One Nation,” adding: “We should lead out with our own sense of self-confidence... with all our policies underpinned by solving Australian’s problems, with a thread of compassion.”
Labor Eyes the Populist Surge
Labor’s senior figures sounded confident, though they acknowledged what’s drawing voters toward the populist right. Albanese said Labor’s challenges hadn’t “spooked” him and denied trying to calm MPs worried about a mid-term slump. Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the federal government couldn’t simply hope the far right “goes away or implodes.” He urged progressives not to “mock” or “talk down” to voters attracted to One Nation’s message.
The treasurer calls the problem economic frustration. That thread ran through the day’s news.
Why This Matters:
The ATO episode shows how access can drive a policy pivot. A well-connected lobby group secured a reversal in about a day, backed by extra funding for the tax office. Small businesses benefit, but taxpayers bear the cost, and the underlying problem remains unsolved until July next year. Meanwhile, the $20 million pre-COP event has split the Coalition over what diplomacy is worth. Labor’s treasurer also acknowledges that economic frustration is feeding One Nation’s rise. Voters will judge whether new rules on trusts and gas supply ease cost-of-living pressure or add to it. Predictable, rules-based government tends to serve businesses better than deals struck by text message.