The 18-year campaign against the “tampon tax” has finally come to an end.
A proposal by Federal Treasurer, Josh Frydenberg, to scrap the 10 per cent GST on women’s sanitary products from January 1 next year, was unanimously passed by state and territory treasurers on Wednesday (October 3).
Products set to be exempt include tampons, pads, menstrual cups, maternity pads and leak-proof underwear. Tampons and other sanitary products have been subject to the luxury items levy since 1999. One online petition, which attracted almost 75,000 signatures, described the tax as a “bleeding disgrace”.
Condoms and lubricants on the other hand have never been subjected to any form of GST.
Hearing “tampon tax is unpopular with women” on .@BreakfastNews. Viagra to treat erectile dysfunction is exempt from GST. Condoms are exempt from GST. Sanitary products are essential for women but have been treated as some kind of ‘luxury’ item. This is main objection. #auspol
— Jenny “Au Pear” Frecklington-Jones (@Triplejay58) October 2, 2018
do y’all know that the only reason why we had the tampon tax was because they were deemed a luxury item i mean what kind of idiot thinks that bleeding once a month is a luxury!!!
— Emily (@signofconfusion) October 3, 2018
Minister for Women, Kelly O’Dwyer, tweeted that the axing of the tax was “good news for millions of Australian women.”
Voters interviewed soon after the Treasurers’ decision came through, clearly agreed.
— Photo, video and story by Kate Buxton, Penny Burfitt and Zoe Delaney Grech