Rally against GST on tampons

Rally against GST on tampons

By Nikki Ulasowski

HOBART — The Tasmanian branch of the National Union of Students (NUS) organised a rally at the University of Tasmania here on March 3 to protest against the imposition of the GST on tampons and other sanitary products. Thirty people attended.

Speakers included NUS acting state president Rachel Thompson, NUS women's officer Felicity Winch, academic Margaret Lindley and International Women's Day collective member Kamala Emanuel.

Lindley explained how the GST will affect all working people throughout Australia and that women will be hit the hardest. She said the federal government did not have a mandate to implement the GST because parties opposed to the tax gained the most votes at the last federal election.

Emanuel listed women's health items that will be taxed under the GST. These include dams, breast pumps, diaphragms and IUDs. She said the GST was absurd and sexist. Emanuel urged those present to campaign against all aspects of the GST. She cited an example of the anti-poll tax campaign organised in Britain in the late 1980s which defeated the Thatcher government's tax legislation after it had been enacted.

From GLW issue 396