Apple Pay may have recently launched in Australia, but so far none of the country's banks have decided to support it. Now a member of the country's Labor party has accused the banking industry of deliberately freezing out support for Apple Pay in favor of their own systems.
At the moment, only American Express supports Apple Pay in Australia. The Sydney Morning Herald reports that Labor's spokesman on digital innovation, Ed Husic, has contacted the Australian Bankers' Association and the Reserve Bank of Australia to voice his concerns on Apple Pay's use in the country.
Mr Husic, who has been a vocal critic of Apple's pricing in the past, has written to RBA governor Glenn Stevens, expressing dismay at claims retail banks have "effectively boycotted" the new payment system. "Australian consumers should not be denied the ability to make payment choices that are openly available to consumers globally," Mr Husic wrote. "No doubt some will argue this move by the banks is anti-competitive – I am certainly concerned that it denies consumer access to a secure, efficient payment platform."
A spokesperson for the Australian Bankers' Association said it was aware of Husic's comments but does not comment on how individual banks make their decisions:
"Australian consumers already enjoy a diverse range of world-leading apps from their financial institutions – many of which were developed in Australia," he said. "Banks are always looking to improve their products and services. Innovation in banking will continue to evolve hand in hand with technology."
Source: Sydney Morning Herald