Why are pads and tampons considered a non-essential item? Ask any woman or girl who has to purchase these items and they would not be able to live without them. Try and think how your life as a woman would be affected without having pads or tampons, I don’t want to even think about this terrible idea.
Clem Bastow wrote in her article, “Why we should be angry about periods” that the government considers these sanitary products non-essential and they require us to pay the GST. I for one think this is just ludicrous and stupid. Women don’t choose to have their periods it just happens; it is not like you can stop it at will.
You have to wonder if this wisdom or decision was created by a man. If women were involved, why wouldn’t they have said, what a silly decision it was and is. Purchasing tampons and pads is expensive and apparently could be cheaper.
Below is a quote from Ms Bastow’s article that sums up the position of the tax on sanitary products:
“The Howard government introduced the GST on July 1st, 2000, and included in the items that would carry the new tax were pads and tampons – “non-essential” products, according to the stellar minds at Howard HQ. Flash forward to 2012, and pads and tampons are still being taxed as a non-essential item. (There is no GST on frangers, in case you were wondering.) I harangued both the Howard and Rudd governments about this nonsense tax and received witless replies from both; I haven’t bothered contacting the Gillard government because I assume the response will be the same. But when a supermarket chain uses removing the “period tax” as an advertising angle – and even that was four years ago – that was also shrugged off by the government; you know something’s still rotten in the state of tampons. Anyone for a bleed-in at Parliament House?”
Should we as women complain in numbers to parliament or local members to have this changed? I think so. Why is it that an essential item is considered non-essential? Is it to make more money off us? Do men or others see purchasing these products as a choice, you get it or you don’t? Well I hate to break it to the decision makers, having periods every month is not a choice it is nature and sanitary products are essential and should not be taxed. Send in your comments.
