Australian here -
Points systems are only really worth it in Aus if you're collecting frequent flyer related ones. There are not as many cash-back rewards as the US. We have had a universal fee free bill payment system called Bpay for 20+ years, and paying via cc usually incurs a minor fee. So most households will direct Bpay household bills rather than via credit card.
I don't fly much, so I dont feel the need to harvest points. I dont want my purchasing data picked up by any more companies than necessary (my bank & the vendor), and all the various chargeback and refund facilities offered by credit card companies are a bit less critical as Australia already has stronger consumer protection law around goods fit for purpose & refunds. Credit scores are not really a thing in Australia either, you are assessed on your current ability to service a loan rather your history. Defaults still show up & count against you, but 'building good credit' is again an American concept.
Credit cards are a product designed largely for the American market.
Australia put a cap on interchange fees in 2017 that caused a drop in card rewards. Merchants argued that the lower interchange costs would be passed on to consumers. However, it appears to only significantly affected the consumer rewards.
I don't fly much, so I dont feel the need to harvest points. I dont want my purchasing data picked up by any more companies than necessary (my bank & the vendor), and all the various chargeback and refund facilities offered by credit card companies are a bit less critical as Australia already has stronger consumer protection law around goods fit for purpose & refunds. Credit scores are not really a thing in Australia either, you are assessed on your current ability to service a loan rather your history. Defaults still show up & count against you, but 'building good credit' is again an American concept.
Credit cards are a product designed largely for the American market.