{"id":"F2008B00364","name":"Payment Systems (Regulation) Act 1998 - Access Regime for the MasterCard Credit Card System","slug":"payment-systems-regulation-act-1998-access-regime-for-the-mastercard-credit-card-system","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":73257,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2008B00364-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-02","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Payment Systems (Regulation) Act 1998 - Access Regime for the MasterCard Credit Card System","content":"![Commonwealth Coat of Arms](image.001.png)\n\nAccess Regime for the MasterCard Credit Card System\n\nas amended\n\nmade under section 12 of the\n\nPayment Systems (Regulation) Act 1998\n\nCompilation start date: 1 January 2015\n\nIncludes amendments up to: Variation to the Access Regimes for MasterCard and Visa Credit Card Systems, F2014L01760.\n\nAbout this compilation\n\nThis compilation\n\nThis is a compilation of the Access Regime for the MasterCard credit card system as in force on 1 January 2015. It includes any commenced amendment affecting the legislation to that date.\n\nThis compilation was prepared on 1 January 2015.\n\nThe notes at the end of this compilation (the endnotes) include information about amending laws and the amendment history of each amended provision.\n\nUncommenced amendments\n\nThe effect of uncommenced amendments is not reflected in the text of the compiled law but the text of the amendments is included in the endnotes.\n\nApplication, saving and transitional provisions for provisions and amendments\n\nIf the operation of a provision or amendment is affected by an application, saving or transitional provision that is not included in this compilation, details are included in the endnotes.\n\nModifications\n\nIf a provision of the compiled law is affected by a modification that is in force, details are included in the endnotes.\n\nProvisions ceasing to have effect\n\nIf a provision of the compiled law has expired or otherwise ceased to have effect in accordance with a provision of the law, details are included in the endnotes.\n\nAccess Regime\n\nAccess Regime for the MasterCard Credit Card System\n\nObjective\n\nThe objective of this Access Regime is to promote efficiency and competition in the Australian payments system, having regard to:\n\n(i) the interests of current participants;\n\n(ii) the interests of people who, in the future, may want access to the system;\n\n(iii) the public interest; and\n\n(iv) the financial stability of the designated credit card system.\n\nApplication\n\n1. This Access Regime is imposed under section 12 of the Payment Systems (Regulation) Act 1998.\n\n2. This Access Regime applies to the credit card system operated within Australia known as the MasterCard system or the MasterCard network card system designated on 12 April 2001 by the Reserve Bank of Australia under section 11 of the Payment Systems (Regulation) Act 1998, which is referred to in this Access Regime as “the Scheme”.\n\n3. In this Access Regime:\n\nan “acquirer” is a participant in the Scheme in Australia that provides services to a merchant to allow the merchant to accept a credit card;\n\nan acquirer is a “self acquirer” if it acquires transactions for which it or a related body corporate (as that term is defined in the Corporations Act 2001) is the merchant;\n\n“authorised deposit-taking institution” has the same meaning given to that term in section 5(1) of the Banking Act 1959;\n\n“credit card” means a card issued under the rules of the Scheme that can be used for purchasing goods or services on credit, or any other article issued under the rules of the Scheme and commonly known as a credit card;\n\na “former specialist credit card institution” is an entity which, as at 31 December 2014, was an authorised deposit-taking institution that engaged in credit card issuing, credit card acquiring or both (within the meaning of Regulation 4 of the Banking Regulations 1966) and which did not otherwise conduct banking business within the meaning of section 5 of the Banking Act 1959;\n\nan “issuer” is a participant in the Scheme in Australia that issues credit cards to the issuer’s customers;\n\n“merchant” means a merchant in Australia that accepts a credit card for payment for goods or services;\n\n“rules of the Scheme” mean the constitution, rules, by-laws, procedures and instruments of the Scheme as applied in Australia, and any other arrangement relating to the Scheme by which participants in the Scheme in Australia consider themselves bound;\n\na “specialist credit card institution” is:\n\n    (a) an authorised deposit-taking institution that engages in, or proposes to engage in, credit card issuing, credit card acquiring or both (within the meaning of Regulation 4 of the Banking Regulations 1966) and does not otherwise conduct banking business within the meaning of section 5 of the Banking Act 1959; or\n    (b) a former specialist credit card institution;\n\nterms defined or having a meaning in the Payment Systems (Regulation) Act 1998 have the same meaning in this Access Regime.\n\n4\\. Each participant in the Scheme must do all things necessary on its part to ensure compliance with this Access Regime.\n\n5\\. If any part of this Access Regime is invalid, it is ineffective only to the extent of such part without invalidating the remaining parts of this Access Regime.\n\n6\\. This Access Regime is to be interpreted:\n\n(a) in accordance with its objective; and\n\n(b) by looking beyond form to substance.\n\n7\\. This Access Regime originally came into force on 23 February 2004. This Access Regime as amended comes into force on 1 January 2015.\n\nEligibility to apply to participate in the Scheme\n\n8\\. Any authorised deposit-taking institution or former specialist credit card institution is eligible to apply to participate in the Scheme in Australia.\n\n9. The administrator of the Scheme may establish (through the rules of the Scheme or otherwise) any criteria for eligibility to apply to participate in the Scheme in Australia in respect of entities other than authorised deposit-taking institutions and former specialist credit card institutions (“eligibility criteria”), provided these eligibility criteria are reasonably related to the risks to the Scheme or its participants, merchants or cardholders that are likely to arise from the participation. If eligibility criteria are established they must be applied by the administrator of the Scheme in accordance with their terms.\n\n10. Any entity, other than an authorised deposit-taking institution or former specialist credit card institution, is eligible to apply to participate in the Scheme in Australia, provided the entity meets any eligibility criteria.\n\nAssessment of applications to participate in the Scheme and terms of participation\n\n11. Subject to paragraphs 12 and 13, the administrator of the Scheme must establish (through the rules of the Scheme or otherwise) and apply criteria for assessing applications for participation in the Scheme in Australia by eligible applicants (“assessment criteria”).\n\n12\\. Neither the rules of the Scheme, nor the administrator of or any participant in the Scheme, shall discriminate between specialist credit card institutions as a class and authorised deposit-taking institutions other than specialist credit card institutions as a class in establishing or applying assessment criteria or in relation to the rights and obligations of participants in the Scheme in Australia, except to the extent reasonably required to assess and address the risks to the Scheme or its participants, merchants or cardholders arising, or likely to arise, from the participation of the class of entity in the Scheme in Australia.\n\n13. Without limiting paragraph 12, neither the rules of the Scheme, nor the administrator of or any participant in the Scheme, shall discriminate against an entity (or class of entity) in establishing or applying assessment criteria or in relation to the rights and obligations of participants in the Scheme in Australia, except to the extent reasonably required to assess and address the risks to the Scheme or its participants, merchants or cardholders arising, or likely to arise, from the participation of the entity (or class of entity) in the Scheme in Australia.\n\n14\\. Neither the rules of the Scheme nor any participant in the Scheme shall prevent a participant in the Scheme in Australia from being:\n\n(a) an issuer only; or\n\n(b) an acquirer only; or\n\n(c) both an issuer and an acquirer.\n\n15\\. Neither the rules of the Scheme nor any participant in the Scheme shall impose on a participant in the Scheme in Australia any fee, charge, loading or any form of penalty as a consequence of, or which is related in any way to, that participant’s activity as an acquirer relative to its activity as an issuer in the Scheme.\n\n16\\. Neither the rules of the Scheme nor any participant in the Scheme shall prohibit a participant in the Scheme in Australia from being a self acquirer if the participant can reasonably establish in accordance with the rules of the Scheme that, as a self acquirer, it has the capacity to meet the obligations of an acquirer.\n\nTransparency and assessment of applications\n\n17\\. The administrator of the Scheme must continuously publish on the Scheme’s website:\n\n(a) any eligibility criteria and the risks that the eligibility criteria seek to address;\n\n(b) the assessment criteria and the risks that the assessment criteria seek to address; and\n\n(c) the maximum time it will take to assess any application to participate in the Scheme in Australia before terms of participation will be proposed to the applicant or a decision on the application will be made.\n\n18\\. The administrator of the Scheme must provide to an entity that has applied to participate in the Scheme in Australia an estimate of the time it will take to assess the application before terms of participation will be proposed to the applicant or a decision on the application will be made.\n\n19. The administrator of the Scheme must assess applications in a timely manner without undue delay.\n\n20\\. The administrator of the Scheme must provide to an entity that has applied to participate in the Scheme in Australia reasons in writing if the application is rejected, within one month after such rejection.\n\nCertification and reporting\n\n21. The administrator of the Scheme must provide to the Reserve Bank on or before 31 July each year a certificate:\n\n(a) certifying, in respect of the twelve-month period ending on 30 June of that same year (the “reporting period”), that:\n\n(i) at all times during the reporting period the eligibility criteria and the assessment criteria were in compliance with this Access Regime;\n\n(ii) any applicant admitted to the Scheme during the reporting period met, at the time of admission, all risk-related eligibility and assessment criteria; and\n\n(iii) at all times during the reporting period it has otherwise complied with this Access Regime; and\n\n(b) listing all entities whose application to participate in the Scheme in Australia was either made during the reporting period or outstanding at the commencement of the reporting period and details for each entity (as applicable) of:\n\n(i) the date on which the application was made;\n\n(ii) the outcome of the application;\n\n(iii) the date(s) on which any proposal of terms of participation or conditional approval was communicated by the administrator of the Scheme to the applicant, the date on which the final decision on the application was communicated to the applicant and, if the final decision was to admit the applicant to the Scheme, the date on which the applicant was admitted to the Scheme; and\n\n(iv) where the application was rejected, the reasons the application was rejected; and\n\n(c) listing all entities who ceased to be participants in the Scheme in Australia during the reporting period and providing details of the reasons these entities ceased to be participants to the extent known by the administrator of the Scheme.\n\n> Note: Endnotes\n\n> Note: Endnote 1—About the endnotes\n\nThe endnotes provide details of the history of this legislation and its provisions. The following endnotes are included in each compilation:\n\nEndnote 1—About the endnotes\n\nEndnote 2—Abbreviation key\n\nEndnote 3—Legislation history\n\nEndnote 4—Amendment history\n\nEndnote 5—Uncommenced amendments\n\nEndnote 6—Modifications\n\nEndnote 7—Misdescribed amendments\n\nEndnote 8—Miscellaneous\n\nIf there is no information under a particular endnote, the word “none” will appear in square brackets after the endnote heading.\n\nAbbreviation key—Endnote 2\n\nThe abbreviation key in this endnote sets out abbreviations that may be used in the endnotes.\n\nLegislation history and amendment history—Endnotes 3 and 4\n\nAmending laws are annotated in the legislation history and amendment history.\n\nThe legislation history in endnote 3 provides information about each law that has amended the compiled law. The information includes commencement information for amending laws and details of application, saving or transitional provisions that are not included in this compilation.\n\nThe amendment history in endnote 4 provides information about amendments at the provision level. It also includes information about any provisions that have expired or otherwise ceased to have effect in accordance with a provision of the compiled law.\n\nUncommenced amendments—Endnote 5\n\nThe effect of uncommenced amendments is not reflected in the text of the compiled law, but the text of the amendments is included in endnote 5.\n\nModifications—Endnote 6\n\nIf the compiled law is affected by a modification that is in force, details of the modification are included in endnote 6.\n\nMisdescribed amendments—Endnote 7\n\nAn amendment is a misdescribed amendment if the effect of the amendment cannot be incorporated into the text of the compilation. Any misdescribed amendment is included in endnote 7.\n\nMiscellaneous—Endnote 8\n\nEndnote 8 includes any additional information that may be helpful for a reader of the compilation.\n\n> Note: Endnote 2—Abbreviation key\n\n| ad = added or inserted                 | pres = present                      |\n| -------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------- |\n| am = amended                           | prev = previous                     |\n| c = clause(s)                          | (prev) = previously                 |\n| Ch = Chapter(s)                        | Pt = Part(s)                        |\n| def = definition(s)                    | r = regulation(s)/rule(s)           |\n| Dict = Dictionary                      | Reg = Regulation/Regulations        |\n| disallowed = disallowed by Parliament  | reloc = relocated                   |\n| Div = Division(s)                      | renum = renumbered                  |\n| exp = expired or ceased to have effect | rep = repealed                      |\n| hdg = heading(s)                       | rs = repealed and substituted       |\n| LI = legislative instrument            | s = section(s)                      |\n| LIA = Legislative Instruments Act 2003 | Sch = Schedule(s)                   |\n| mod = modified/modification            | Sdiv = Subdivision(s)               |\n| No = Number(s)                         | SLI = Select Legislative Instrument |\n| o = order(s)                           | SR = Statutory Rules                |\n| Ord = Ordinance                        | Sub-Ch = Sub-Chapter(s)             |\n| orig = original                        | SubPt = Subpart(s)                  |\n| par = paragraph(s)/subparagraph(s)     |                                     |\n| /sub-subparagraph(s)                   |                                     |\n\n> Note: Endnote 3—Legislation history\n\n| Name                                                                        | FRLI registration or gazettal     | Commencement     | Application, saving and transitional provisions |\n| --------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------- | ---------------- | ----------------------------------------------- |\n| Access Regime for the MasterCard Credit Card System                         | 23 February 2004(see F2008B00364) | 20 February 2004 | —                                               |\n| Variation to the Access Regimes for MasterCard and Visa Credit Card Systems | 19 December 2014(see F2014L01760) | 1 January 2015   | —                                               |\n\n> Note: Endnote 4—Amendment history\n\n| Provision affected                               | How affected                      |\n| ------------------------------------------------ | --------------------------------- |\n| Heading entitled “Access Regime”                 | am F2014L01760                    |\n| Paragraph 2                                      | am F2014L01760                    |\n| Paragraph 3                                      | am F2014L01760                    |\n| Paragraph 6                                      | am F2014L01760                    |\n| Paragraph 7                                      | am F2014L01760                    |\n| Heading entitled “Eligibility for participation” | am F2014L01760                    |\n| Paragraph 8                                      | am F2014L01760                    |\n| Paragraphs 9, 10 and 11                          | ad F2014L01760                    |\n| Paragraph 9                                      | renum F2014L01760; am F2014L01760 |\n| Heading entitled “Terms of participation”        | am F2014L01760                    |\n| Paragraph 10                                     | renum F2014L01760                 |\n| Paragraphs 11 and 12                             | renum F2014L01760                 |\n| Heading entitled “Transparency”                  | am F2014L01760                    |\n| Paragraph 13                                     | renum F2014L01760; am F2014L01760 |\n| Paragraph 14                                     | renum F2014L01760; am F2014L01760 |\n| Paragraph 15                                     | renum F2014L01760; am F2014L01760 |\n| Paragraph 21                                     | ad F2014L01760                    |\n\n> Note: Endnote 5—Uncommenced amendments\n\n\\[none\\]\n\n> Note: Endnote 6—Modifications\n\n\\[none\\]\n\n> Note: Endnote 7—Misdescribed amendments\n\n\\[none\\]\n\n> Note: Endnote 8—Miscellaneous\n\n\\[none\\]","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation maintains its original scope as an access regime for the MasterCard credit card system. The 2014 amendments (reflected in this 2015 compilation) refined eligibility criteria and added reporting requirements but did not expand the regime beyond its original purpose of regulating access to the MasterCard payment system. The core objective—promoting efficiency and competition in the Australian payments system—remains unchanged from the 2004 original."},"complexity_factors":["Moderate length (21 operative paragraphs plus definitions)","8 defined terms in the interpretation section, some referencing external legislation (Banking Act 1959, Corporations Act 2001, Banking Regulations 1966)","Cross-references to the Payment Systems (Regulation) Act 1998 (the enabling legislation)","Conditional logic in anti-discrimination provisions (paragraphs 12-13) requiring assessment of 'reasonable' risk-based distinctions between entity classes","Nested definitions: 'specialist credit card institution' includes 'former specialist credit card institutions', which itself references Regulation 4 of the Banking Regulations 1966","Subjective standards: terms like 'reasonably related to the risks', 'reasonably required', 'timely manner', 'undue delay' require interpretive judgment","Dual structure: regime applies differently to ADIs/specialist institutions (automatic eligibility) versus other entities (criteria-based eligibility)"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this legislation does:**\n\nThis is an **Access Regime** — a set of rules that governs who can join the MasterCard credit card network in Australia and on what terms. Think of it as the \"membership rules\" for banks and financial institutions wanting to offer MasterCard credit cards or process MasterCard payments.\n\n**Who it affects:**\n\n- **Banks and financial institutions** (called \"authorised deposit-taking institutions\" or ADIs) — they can apply to join the MasterCard system\n- **Specialist credit card institutions** — smaller players that only do credit card business, not full banking\n- **MasterCard itself** (the \"administrator of the Scheme\") — it must run the application process fairly and transparently\n- **Merchants and consumers** — indirectly, because more competition between banks should mean better services and prices\n\n**Key rules:**\n\n- **Open access:** Any proper bank or specialist credit card institution can apply to join. MasterCard can't just pick favourites.\n- **No discrimination:** MasterCard can't treat specialist credit card institutions worse than big banks unless there's a genuine risk reason (like financial stability concerns).\n- **Freedom to choose roles:** A bank can choose to only issue cards, only process merchant payments (acquiring), or do both. MasterCard can't force them to do one to do the other, or punish them for their choice.\n- **Self-acquiring allowed:** Big retailers or banks can process their own card transactions without going through a third party, if they can handle the obligations.\n- **Transparency:** MasterCard must publish the criteria for joining, how long applications take, and give reasons if they reject someone.\n- **Annual reporting:** MasterCard must certify to the Reserve Bank each year that it's following these rules.\n\n**Why it matters:**\n\nBefore these rules, MasterCard could block competitors from joining or force banks into unfavourable deals. This regime promotes **competition** in the payments system — meaning more banks can offer MasterCard services, which should lead to lower fees for shops and potentially better deals for consumers. The Reserve Bank of Australia oversees this to ensure the financial system stays stable while remaining competitive.\n\n**In short:** It's the rulebook that stops MasterCard from acting like an exclusive club and forces them to let qualified competitors play on a level field."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":5,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"This compilation includes amendments made in 2014 (effective 1 January 2015) that expanded and clarified the regime compared with the 2004 version. Notable scope changes in this version include: (1) explicit provision for non-ADIs to be eligible to apply subject to published, risk-related eligibility criteria (paras 9–10); (2) added detailed transparency and timeliness obligations for the Scheme administrator to publish criteria and assessment timeframes and to give applicants estimates and written reasons for rejection (paras 17–20); and (3) a new annual certification and reporting duty to the Reserve Bank setting out compliance and application outcomes (para 21). These additions broaden the administrative and reporting obligations on the Scheme administrator and introduce clearer public-facing entry rules, which are material expansions beyond a minimal access rule set."},"complexity_factors":["Short instrument but with multiple defined terms in paragraph 3 (approx. 9–11 definitions).","Cross-references to other statutes (Banking Act 1959, Corporations Act 2001) in definitions (para 3).","Standards using open-textured qualifiers — “reasonably related”, “reasonably required”, “reasonably establish” — create discretionary assessment points (paras 9, 12–13, 16).","Nested non-discrimination exceptions (paras 12–13) — base rule plus conditional carve-outs.","Several operational duties and timelines (publication, estimates, timeliness, one-month reasons) that create procedural obligations (paras 17–20).","Annual certification and detailed reporting obligation to the Reserve Bank (para 21).","Interpretation direction to read in light of objective and to look beyond form to substance (para 6) which can broaden application in practice."],"plain_english_summary":"**What this instrument does (plain terms)**\n\n- Sets rules for who can apply to join and how the MasterCard credit card system (the “Scheme”) must treat applicants and participants in Australia. (This is an Access Regime made under the Payment Systems (Regulation) Act 1998.)\n\n**Who this affects**\n\n- The Scheme’s administrator and all current participants in the MasterCard credit card system in Australia (para 2, para 4).\n- Authorised deposit-taking institutions (ADIs), certain former specialist credit card institutions, and other entities that may seek to join the Scheme if they meet published eligibility criteria (paras 3, 8–10).\n- Merchants and cardholders indirectly, because the rules shape who may issue cards or acquire transactions in Australia (paras 3, 14–16).\n\n**Why it matters (mechanically)**\n\n- It requires the Scheme administrator to accept applications from ADIs and certain former specialist credit card institutions (para 8) and allows non-ADIs to apply only if they meet eligibility criteria the administrator publicly sets and relates to risk (paras 9–10).\n- It requires the administrator to have and apply assessment criteria when considering applications (para 11) but forbids discriminatory treatment between classes of participants (ADIs vs specialist credit card institutions) except where a difference is reasonably required to address risks (paras 12–13).\n- Participants cannot be forced to be both issuer and acquirer; they may be issuer-only, acquirer-only, or both (para 14). The rules or participants cannot charge fees or penalties that relate to the balance of a participant’s issuer vs acquirer activity (para 15).\n- A participant may act as its own acquirer (self acquirer) if it can reasonably demonstrate capacity to meet acquirer obligations (para 16).\n- The administrator must publish, continuously on the Scheme website, the eligibility and assessment criteria and the risks those criteria address, and the maximum assessment time (para 17). Applicants must receive an estimated assessment time (para 18), prompt assessment (para 19) and written reasons within one month if rejected (para 20).\n- Annually the administrator must certify to the Reserve Bank that criteria complied with the Access Regime, that admitted applicants met the criteria, and provide detailed lists and dates for applications and exits (para 21).\n- The Access Regime includes definitions of key terms (para 3), requires all Scheme participants to ensure compliance (para 4), and directs interpretation in line with the stated objective and by looking to substance over form (para 6). The objective explicitly prioritises efficiency, competition, the interests of current and potential participants, the public interest and financial stability.\n\n**Who pays, who decides, and what behaviour changes**\n\n- The Scheme administrator runs the decision process, sets and publishes criteria, and decides on admission terms (paras 9–11, 17). That creates an administrative gatekeeper role.\n- Applicants (ADIs, former specialist institutions, and approved non-ADIs) bear the compliance and demonstration costs to satisfy eligibility and assessment criteria. Participants must follow the regime and the Scheme’s published rules (para 4).\n- Participants are prevented from imposing differential fees or penalties tied to issuer versus acquirer activity, and are required to allow single-role participation (paras 14–15). This constrains contracting and pricing choices among participants and between participants and merchants.\n\n**Costs, incentives, trade-offs and implementation notes (concrete mechanisms)**\n\n- Compliance burden: the administrator must publish and apply criteria and report annually to the Reserve Bank; applicants must prepare evidence to meet risk-related criteria (paras 9–11, 17, 21).\n- Discretion and judgment calls: phrases such as “reasonably related to the risks” and “reasonably required” (paras 9, 12–13, 16) leave substantive judgment to the administrator and to participants’ evidentiary showings. That creates day-to-day discretion about who may join and on what terms.\n- Competition effect: by mandating non-discrimination (subject to risk-based exceptions) and allowing single-role participation, the regime mechanically lowers formal barriers to entry for entities that meet the criteria (paras 12–15). The net competitive effect depends on how tightly the administrator sets eligibility and assessment criteria.\n- Information transparency: continuous publication of criteria and the obligation to give applicants timelines and reasons for rejection are designed to reduce informational asymmetry and delay (paras 17–20). Those duties increase administrative costs but lower uncertainty for applicants.\n- Reporting and regulatory oversight: the annual certificate to the Reserve Bank (para 21) creates an external review loop; administrators must maintain application records and justify admissions and rejections.\n- Potential for concentrated benefits and diffuse costs: admitted participants (and the Scheme administrator) gain market access or control over entry terms; costs of administering the regime and responding to criteria fall on applicants and the administrator. The text itself creates these mechanical transfers (paras 9–11, 17, 21).\n- Limited effects on merchant pricing and cardholder terms are implicit rather than explicit: the Access Regime constrains who can be a participant and some participant pricing choices (para 15), but it does not directly regulate interchange fees, merchant surcharging, or cardholder contracts.\n\n**Key legal mechanics to watch in implementation**\n\n- How the administrator defines and publishes eligibility/assessment criteria and the evidentiary standard required to show risks are addressed (paras 9–11, 17).\n- How the administrator applies the “reasonably required” exception when it treats different classes of applicants differently (paras 12–13).\n- Whether the reporting certificate to the Reserve Bank contains adequate detail and whether the Reserve Bank scrutinises compliance (para 21).\n\n(References in parentheses are to the numbered paragraphs in the Access Regime.)"},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This summary describes the Access Regime for the MasterCard Credit Card System as amended and in force on 1 January 2015. It does not include any uncommenced amendments."},"complexity_factors":["Relies on detailed statutory definitions (including 'authorised deposit-taking institution', 'specialist credit card institution' and 'former specialist credit card institution') that cross-reference the Banking Act 1959 and the Corporations Act 2001.","Sets out specific anti-discrimination protections between classes of institutions, with exceptions tied to risk assessment.","Imposes ongoing transparency and annual certification and reporting obligations on the scheme administrator."],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument sets a fair, transparent, risk‑based access regime for joining the MasterCard credit card scheme in Australia, promoting competition and efficiency. It gives ADIs and former specialist card institutions automatic application rights, lets the administrator apply risk‑related eligibility and assessment criteria to others, and requires published rules, timelines, written reasons for refusals, and annual certification to the Reserve Bank. It guarantees you minimum procedural rights if you seek MasterCard membership."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/payment-systems-regulation-act-1998-access-regime-for-the-mastercard-credit-card-system","history":"/api/acts/payment-systems-regulation-act-1998-access-regime-for-the-mastercard-credit-card-system/history","analysis":"/api/acts/payment-systems-regulation-act-1998-access-regime-for-the-mastercard-credit-card-system/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/payment-systems-regulation-act-1998-access-regime-for-the-mastercard-credit-card-system/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/payment-systems-regulation-act-1998-access-regime-for-the-mastercard-credit-card-system/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/payment-systems-regulation-act-1998-access-regime-for-the-mastercard-credit-card-system/documents"}}