MENSTRUATING every month, for most, is part and parcel of being a woman.
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Regardless of how a woman chooses to manage her period, the debate about whether sanitary items used during monthly menstruation should incur the goods and services tax in Australia.
Each month women buy tampons, pads or cups – essential items during a period one would expect – but many are at a loss as to why they must pay GST when non-essential items like nicotine patches, condoms and lubricants are exempt.
On June 18, the Senate passed the Treasury Laws Amendment (Axe the Tampon Tax) Bill 2018 which will now go to the House of Representatives for a vote.
Port Macquarie woman, Ashley Hendry, said her and her friends are beyond annoyed that tampons are considered ‘non-essential’.
”It is bloody disgusting that we have to pay GST on sanitary items – they are essential for women and certainly in no way a luxury item,” Ms Hendry said.
“Think about it logically, women can’t help having a period and for more than half a woman’s life they have to go through the monthly discomfort a period brings.
“But then to say that the products used to assist when we have a period are non-essential is quite frankly disgusting.
“I don’t think anyone would want to sit in blood all day."
Student, Montanah Terry, said to call nicotine patches essential but sanitary items not, is simply wrong.
“People chose to take up smoking but I am pretty sure you just can’t turn to every female in the world and say stop bleeding every month,” Ms Terry said.
“It is just so frustrating to think that something as non-negotiable as periods are being used for revenue raising.
“Surely people who voluntarily shove cigarettes down their throats should be made to pay tax on their non-essential nicotine patches.”
Greens Senator Janet Rice from Victoria introduced the bill on May 9, 2018.
In parliament she called on politicians to vote to remove the GST.
“Sanitary products are defined in this bill as tampons, pads, liners, cups, sponges and other products used in connection with menstruation,” Senator Rice said.
“Since the goods and services tax came into operation in the year 2000, people who menstruate have been paying tax on these essential products.
“That's 18 years of products that are essential to millions of Australians being 10 per cent more expensive than they should be.
“These are products that are essential to maintain health and hygiene while people menstruate. It's frankly ridiculous that, while items like sunscreen, folic acid, toothpaste, lubricants, condoms and even Viagra are exempt from GST, sanitary products are not.”
The Federal Government argues it can only change the GST if state and territory governments agree.