No GST On Sanitary Products
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Prime Minister John Howard and Health Minister Dr Michael Wooldridge
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Dear Mr Howard and Dr Wooldridge, it is now 2006 and the Goods and Services Tax is STILL placed on women's sanitary products including tampons and pads/liners. And despite catcalls (usually from men) saying "It's only a few dollars more", the simple fact it that a tax on sanitary products - which are NOT a luxury or cosmetic/beauty product - is a tax on women.
As pointed out by the Women's Electoral Lobby, "As half of the Australian population experience menstruation for 30-40 years of their life through no choice of their own, these products have a good argument to be included in the GST-free list. According to A C Nielsen data 1999, $202.1 million was spent on women's menstrual products for that year. Based on this figure, the GST will raise $20.21 million a year because women menstruate. It goes without saying that menstruation without any sanitary protection at all is in fact a disability during its duration."
If we believe supporters of the GST/Howard Government, such as Professor Judith Whitworth, "They're a personal hygiene product rather than a product used to treat an illness or a disease or a disability." (Quoted from http://www.abc.net.au/am/stories/s94813.htm) True, in all except the most extreme cases, menstruation could not be considered a "disease or disability", but using tampons and pads/napkins is certainly NOT a matter of (cosmetic) choice, unless Mr Howard and his followers expect women who don't want to pay GST on these products to simply let the blood run free.
In short, it is a worryingly archaic Government that thinks women's sanitary products are not a necessity - Mr Howard and Dr Wooldridge, stop taxing Australia's women!
As pointed out by the Women's Electoral Lobby, "As half of the Australian population experience menstruation for 30-40 years of their life through no choice of their own, these products have a good argument to be included in the GST-free list. According to A C Nielsen data 1999, $202.1 million was spent on women's menstrual products for that year. Based on this figure, the GST will raise $20.21 million a year because women menstruate. It goes without saying that menstruation without any sanitary protection at all is in fact a disability during its duration."
If we believe supporters of the GST/Howard Government, such as Professor Judith Whitworth, "They're a personal hygiene product rather than a product used to treat an illness or a disease or a disability." (Quoted from http://www.abc.net.au/am/stories/s94813.htm) True, in all except the most extreme cases, menstruation could not be considered a "disease or disability", but using tampons and pads/napkins is certainly NOT a matter of (cosmetic) choice, unless Mr Howard and his followers expect women who don't want to pay GST on these products to simply let the blood run free.
In short, it is a worryingly archaic Government that thinks women's sanitary products are not a necessity - Mr Howard and Dr Wooldridge, stop taxing Australia's women!
411 Signatures
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Clementine Bastow
- Comments
- Just another reason to get pissed off every month - the "pads and tampons" bill!
- City/State
- Carlton, VIC
- Postcode
- 3079
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Emma
- Comments
- В
- City/State
- VIC
- Postcode
- 3940
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L. Creed
- Comments
- If it was blood pouring out of the men of Australia's penises every 30 days, maybe you'd understand how bad it is.
- City/State
- VIC
- Postcode
- 3000
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Julia
- City/State
- Melbourne
- Postcode
- 3078
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Ed T.
- Comments
- It is ridiculous to charge GST in the first place
- City/State
- Victoria
- Postcode
- 3152
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Stephanie Giannetto
- Comments
- Shame on you Mr Howard
- City/State
- Sydney NSW
- Postcode
- 2047
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Laura.C
- City/State
- Vic
- Postcode
- 3018
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Danielle O'Donohue
- City/State
- Melbourne
- Postcode
- 3000
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Ellouise Davis
- City/State
- Sydney, NSW
- Postcode
- 2011
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Krystal Burt
- Comments
- This is a disgrace. Wake Up Australia!
- City/State
- Sydney/NSW
- Postcode
- 2121
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Lee Sandwith
- City/State
- Victoria
- Postcode
- 3065
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Symonne
- City/State
- Brisbane
- Postcode
- 4109
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Charissa
- Comments
- В
- City/State
- Vic
- Postcode
- 3000
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carly whittaker
- Comments
- В
- City/State
- adelaide, south australia
- Postcode
- 5165
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jess ong
- Comments
- В
- City/State
- brisbane
- Postcode
- 4068
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Sarah Hillman-Stolz
- City/State
- Melbourne
- Postcode
- 3121
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Halley Cohen
- Comments
- This form of discrimination is unacceptable!
- City/State
- Carlton/VIC
- Postcode
- 3053
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Carly Griffen
- City/State
- Ormond
- Postcode
- 3204
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Louisa Bailey
- City/State
- Melbourne, Australia
- Postcode
- 3121
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Annika Ludvigsen
- City/State
- Melbourne/Victoria
- Postcode
- 3065
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Sahra Stolz
- Comments
- В
- City/State
- Melbourne Victoria
- Postcode
- 3056
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Marcus Jarrett
- Comments
- You don't tax fruit & veg; you shouldn't tax tampons
- City/State
- South Australia
- Postcode
- 5068
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Lauren Egan
- Comments
- В
- City/State
- Northcote, Vic
- Postcode
- 3070
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Anna M
- Comments
- В
- City/State
- Melbourne
- Postcode
- 3126
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Emily
- City/State
- Gold Coast, QLD
- Postcode
- 4213
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Katherine Kominiarski
- City/State
- VIC
- Postcode
- 3107
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Alice Lairn
- Comments
- shall I bleed on the tram next?
- City/State
- victoria
- Postcode
- 3182
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Cathryn
- City/State
- Adelaide
- Postcode
- 5025
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Susan Hillman Stolz
- Comments
- В
- City/State
- Ocean Grove Vic
- Postcode
- 3226
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Kirralee
- City/State
- Vic
- Postcode
- 3134
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Jane Doornbusch
- Comments
- Disgrace. If men had periods this wouldn't be an issue.
- City/State
- Melbourne
- Postcode
- 3031
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Bianca
- Comments
- В
- City/State
- Victoria
- Postcode
- 3000
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Sally Reiffel
- City/State
- Melbourne, Vic
- Postcode
- 3067
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Maryam Khalid
- City/State
- NSW
- Postcode
- 2125
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Amanda Pearson
- City/State
- Melbourne
- Postcode
- 3085
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Ryan Nelson
- Comments
- В
- City/State
- Melbourne
- Postcode
- 3053
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Angie Caithness
- City/State
- Melbourne, Victoria
- Postcode
- 3000
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Suzy Robinson
- City/State
- Victoria
- Postcode
- 3143
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Kathryn Chalmers
- Comments
- В
- City/State
- Melbourne
- Postcode
- 3150
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Lucy Keogh
- Comments
- This is ridiculous - this shouldn't happen
- City/State
- MELBOURNE
- Postcode
- 3188
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Vanora
- Comments
- get your tax off my Carefree
- City/State
- nsw
- Postcode
- 2015
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Donna
- Comments
- What do we want no tax on pads when do we want it - NOW!!!
- City/State
- VIC
- Postcode
- 3186
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Mary
- Comments
- lets take the tax out of tampax!!!! then its just amp!
- City/State
- sydney
- Postcode
- 2000
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Clare Bowditch
- City/State
- Melbourne
- Postcode
- 3191
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Elizabeth Wright
- City/State
- Melbourne
- Postcode
- 3070
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Catherine
- City/State
- Melbourne
- Postcode
- 3065
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Virginia Kay
- City/State
- Victoria
- Postcode
- 3121
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Libby
- City/State
- Vic
- Postcode
- 3070
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Nicky
- City/State
- Victoria
- Postcode
- 3150
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Chantel Thomson
- City/State
- St Leonards
- Postcode
- 2065
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411
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