I have just written to Joe Hockey directly asking him to meet with me so that I can put to him the views of all who have backed my petitions. I think it's time he meets to discuss banning credit card surcharges – and hears your 200,000 signatures and comments about this rip-off. Can you share this post & open letter to him on Facebook & Twitter tagging Joe Hockey to get his attention? Click TWEET on this update now to tag him. #bansurchargeshockey Or forward the letter to his email: J.Hockey.MP@aph.gov.au Thanks – Klaus. ------------------ Dear Mr Hockey As you may be aware, I began a change.org petition back in 2013 after being slugged with what I considered an unfair surcharge by Jetstar. I observed that these charges were being increasingly adopted by Australian business at diverse percentages, often disguised as “booking or service fees” that only apply when a credit card is used for payment. I believe surcharges should be banned and 200,000 people agree with me, having supported the petition since it began. They have no place in our economy. The majority of the western world agrees it has no place in theirs either. It’s simple profiteering by companies. Just some of the concerns raised through the petition include: The advertised price of a product and services no longer reflects the price at the time of payment, which is tantamount to misleading consumers. Surcharges harm consumers - adding to the overall cost of living pressures. Regulation is out of kilter with current government policy – we need less not more. The benefits businesses receive from using credit cards are often ignored, as are the costs of cash transactions. Why should consumers pay for these benefits? As the Reserve Bank of Australia is about to make its decision on surcharging regulation, it’s important we meet to discuss the government’s response to the views of those that have signed this petition that want to see surcharges banned. By allowing the RBA to expand existing regulation around Credit Card Surcharges you would be effectively allowing a government sanctioned cost of living increase on all consumers! The petition is receiving growing media interest and as such it would be good to meet this week. I appreciate your consideration of my request for a meeting and look forward to hearing from you shortly. Yours sincerely,