Women pay GST on Tampons and Sanitary Pads, despite these not being a "luxury" item, while men do not pay GST on similar items such as shaving products or condoms for example.
It is time for this farce to end. In the spirit of Warren Buffett, as a male who enjoys the privilege of no GST on hygiene items I use, I am demanding the Government start charging GST on mens shaving products and on condoms, as long as women are forced to pay GST on tampons & pads.
If Women have to pay GST on hygiene items they NEED, then Men should have to as well. Or remove GST on tampons and pads as they should have been exempt all along, that would also be acceptable.
Why is this important?
Today (19th June) Labor & the LNP voted against all the minor parties and independents in the Senate to remove GST from Tampons and Sanitary Pads, based on a motion put forward by the Greens. The vote was 33-15 against.
The tax on sanitary items has become almost an annual debate since the products were deemed a non-essential, or luxury item, as part of the Howard government negotiations with the Democrats to get the GST passed.
It's estimated women spend about $300 million on the non-essential items every year, contributing about $30 million to the GST's bottom line.
In the USA, in response to rich people paying their fair share of tax, billionare Warren Buffett proposed the Buffett rule: That rich people, like himself, should pay a higher minimum tax rate [being in the highest income bracket], to ensure that they do not pay a lower percentage of income in taxes than less-affluent Americans. I take my inspiration with this petition from Buffett.
If Women have to pay GST on hygiene items they NEED, then Men should have to as well. Or we should acknowledge neither is a luxury product and neither subject to GST. Time for some common sense (laughable but not a joke) on this long standing issue.
Please sign & share the petition if you support gender equity and agree with this sentiment!
How it will be delivered
In person at Parliament House with media present, to either LNP member, Labor member, or Greens member, in that order of preference, whoever will accept it.
