Editing Debit card (section)

===Australia===
{{Main|EFTPOS#Australia}}
Debit cards in [[Australia]] are called different names depending on the issuing bank: [[Commonwealth Bank|Commonwealth Bank of Australia]]: Keycard; [[Westpac|Westpac Banking Corporation]]: Handycard; [[National Australia Bank]]: FlexiCard; [[ANZ Bank]]: Access card; [[Bendigo Bank]]: Easy Money card.

A payment in Australia using a debit card can be processed by the local proprietary interbank network called [[EFTPOS]], which is very popular and has been operating there since the 1980s, or it could be processed via an international [[Card scheme]] network (ie Visa, Mastercard). Debit cards that were solely EFTPOS-enabled can only be used domestically within Australia and would not be accepted internationally due to the absence of other scheme networks.

EFTPOS cards can also be used to deposit and withdraw cash over the counter at [[Australia Post]] outlets participating in Giro Post and withdrawals without purchase from certain major retailers, just as if the transaction was conducted at a bank branch, even if the bank branch is closed. Electronic transactions in Australia are generally processed via the [[Telstra Argent]] and [[Optus Transact Plus]] network—which has recently superseded the old [[Telstra Transcend|Transcend]] network in the last few years. Most early keycards were only usable for EFTPOS and at ATM or bank branches, whilst the new debit card system works in the same way as a credit card, except it will only use funds in the specified bank account. This means that, among other advantages, the new system is suitable for electronic purchases without a delay of two to four days for bank-to-bank money transfers.

Australia operates both electronic credit card transaction authorization and traditional EFTPOS debit card authorization systems, the difference between the two being that EFTPOS transactions are authorized by a personal identification number (PIN) while credit card transactions can additionally be authorized using a [[contactless payment]] mechanism (requiring a PIN for purchases over $200). If the user fails to enter the correct pin three times, the consequences range from the card being locked out for a minimum 24-hour period, a phone call or trip to the branch to reactivate with a new PIN, the card being cut up by the merchant, or in the case of an ATM, being kept inside the machine, both of which require a new card to be ordered.

Generally credit card transaction costs are borne by the merchant with no fee applied to the end user (although a direct consumer surcharge of 0.5–3% is not uncommon) while EFTPOS transactions cost the consumer an applicable withdrawal fee charged by their bank.

The introduction of Visa and MasterCard debit cards along with regulation in the settlement fees charged by the operators of both EFTPOS and credit cards by the Reserve Bank has seen a continuation in the increasing ubiquity of credit card use among Australians and a general decline in the profile of EFTPOS. However, the regulation of settlement fees also removed the ability of banks, who typically provide merchant services to retailers on behalf of Visa or MasterCard, from stopping those retailers charging extra fees to take payment by credit card instead of cash or EFTPOS.