‘Stop taxing my period’ set for Senate
More than 100,000 Australians have signed the ‘Stop Taxing My Period’ petition, which the Greens will table in the Senate on Thursday.
The petition comes ahead of a meeting of state and federal governments on Friday, at which the GST is expected to be one of the main discussion points.
• This is the cost of removing the tampon tax
• Why we should continue taxing tampons
• It’s time for the tampon tax to go
Greens deputy leader and spokesperson for women, Larissa Waters, said Australian women are counting on treasurers to “finally end this sexist tax”.
“It’s discriminatory to exempt condoms or sunscreen from GST but charge women GST for essential items,” she said.
“Tampons and pads should have never been taxed in the first place. It screams of policy created without enough women in the room.
However, it is almost certain that the campaign will fail, as NSW Treasurer Gladys Berejiklian has already ruled out removing the tampon tax.
Any change would need unanimous support from the states.
“I urge Treasurer Berejiklian to reconsider, especially as the young woman who started the Stop Taxing my Period petition, Subeta Vimalarajah, is one of her own constituents in NSW,” said Ms Waters.