UPDATE 20/9/18: Prime Minister Scott Morrison has delayed the next Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting until mid-December. The removal of GST on tampons and other sanitary products will now hinge on the next COAG meeting, but it’s still imperative to make your voice heard and drive momentum for removal of the tax once and for good. Sign the petition now, if you haven’t already.
UPDATE 04/08/18: Treasurer Scott Morrison announced today that the Federal Government now supports removing the GST on tampons and other sanitary products. Calling it “a source of frustration and angst,” he went on to suggest the “anomaly” be removed. However, this needs to agreed by all states and territories before it comes into effect.
Last year, Carrie Bickmore made headlines for her impassioned take down of the tampon tax live on The Project. Thirteen months after she labelled the tax “ridiculous” and urged the federal government to remove it, little has changed.
Ever since GST was introduced 18 years ago, Australian women have been charged a 10 per cent ‘luxury’ levy on tampons and sanitary pads. By contrast, there’s no such tax on other health-related items like sunscreen, nicotine patches or Viagra. GST is, in fact, only added to 47 per cent of Australian products and services — yet sanitary products, purchased exclusively by one gender, are not exempt, prompting us to question whether GST in fact stands for Gender Selective Tax?
The Australian Women’s Weekly, along with ELLE, Harper’s BAZAAR, Cosmopolitan, Woman’s Day, Good Health and The Quick Flick are joining forces to launch the No Gender Selective Tax campaign and demand the removal of GST on sanitary products once and for all.
The Weekly has been campaigning for change on issues that affect Australian women for more than 80 years — and this is arguably a big, yet often-accepted injustice. But, let’s be clear, this isn’t just about women, it’s about equality and fairness.
If you agree, sign the petition and make your voice heard. Sign it for yourself, your sisters, your daughters, your friends, your future female family members. And share it too. Every single name will send a clear message that removing the GST on tampons and pads is another step towards gender equality.
After all, getting your period shouldn’t be considered a luxury. And you shouldn’t be taxed because of it.
Ever since the introduction of GST, women have been paying tax on sanitary products. Now Australia’s leading magazine brands have united behind the push to end what is essentially a tax on being a woman. Sign the petition below if you agree the Gender Selective Tax should be removed.
Bauer Media would like to acknowledge transgender, intersex or non-binary individuals who are also in need of sanitary products. Our use of pronouns and terminology is in no way meant to exclude these individuals.
