Women in Australia are taxed every time they purchase tampons and pads because they are considered a non-essential luxury product. Men already earn more than women, but there is no tax on male personal products like condoms or lubricants. For too long, successive Australian governments have been happy to let this sexist tax persist, a tax on biology that financially penalises women for simply existing.
For years, Labor and Liberal governments have pointed to revenue loss as the reason for not removing the tax.
Now, the right-of-centre Turnbull government plans to introduce a Goods and Service Tax (GST) on items purchased online for under AUD 1,000, and the opposition Greens will use the opportunity to move amendments in the Senate to abolish the tampon tax.
The government’s plan to tax online goods would raise an extra AUD 300 million for States and Territories. Abolishing the tampon tax will cost AUD 115 million, meaning States and Territories would still be $185 million ahead.
Revenue loss has never been a credible excuse for refusing to axe the tampon tax. It’s time for it to go. The Greens are calling for public support for their move to axe this sexist tax.