Surcharge Leaves the Table
By Jack Kirkwood Back at the beginning of the 21st century, cash was still king and the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) wanted to keep it this way. Cash was – and still technically is – the most efficient way for a consumer to complete a payment. Unlike cash sales, merchants must pay a small transaction fee to complete the purchase made every time you tap a card. This fee was the initial issue when card payments first entered the mainstream because retailers simply increased
Oct 23 min read
Hey! Buy now, pay later! Yes, you!
By Shreya Nidumolu These days, businesses and marketers use the allure of exciting experiences, small joys, and an inescapable FOMO for all things glamorous to their advantage. Young adults in particular are willing to splurge on fun , an escape that is otherwise infrequent between job-hunting, gruelling education, and limited financial freedom amid uncertain economic times. While homeownership seems largely impossible, the instant gratification of tickets to popular experien
Oct 22 min read
The Socioeconomics of Transit
By Aidan Luther In the lead-up to the 2024 Queensland state election, the incumbent Queensland Labour Party promised a 6-month trial of a bewilderingly simply new fare scheme for public transport: a $0.50 ticket available to all passengers on every public bus, train, tram and ferry route throughout the state at all times (the 50c Policy). The policy was so attractive that the Liberal National Party (LNP) of Queensland matched Labor’s promise for a 6-month trial, won the elect
Oct 25 min read