Briefs: Senate cards inquiry expanded, Teachers Mutual Bank and Unicredit merger 26 June 2015 4:03PM Banking Day staff Briefs, The plastic market will come under "intense scrutiny" via a Senate economics references committee inquiry into how and when interest is applied to credit cards and how minimum monthly payments levels are set. The inquiry was originally set to look at "sky-high" credit card fees, before accepting that ATM charges should also be added to the mix of fees investigated. The Senate committee will also look into credit card loyalty programs, consumer protection measures and transaction costs, and is due to report by November 24. The West Australian credit union Unicredit and the more geographically diverse Teachers Mutual Bank are considering a merger. Both are member-owned institutions, providing services to the education sector, giving rise to "many core values in common", according to a Unicredit announcement. Teachers Mutual Bank is one of the largest mutual banks in Australia, with 163,000 members and close to a national presence. It opened an office in Perth in 2008, so a deal would allow Unicredit and TMB to both expand into each other's home territories, and to strengthen their respective balance sheets.