GST: bad for all, worse for women

By Bea Brear

SYDNEY — On February 14, a small but vibrant rally was held outside the Liberal Party headquarters in Sydney to protest against the GST. The action, organised by the Cross-Campus Women's Network, aimed to highlight the disproportionate affect of the GST on women.

The focus of the rally was the GST's application to tampons, sanitary pads and dams, but the rally organisers also condemned the impact of the new tax on society as a whole. Placards, banners and chants declared: "Not on tampons! Not on anything!".

Alison Gerard from the CCWN said, "This GST will cause turmoil for the unemployed, for single mothers, for the poor, and will overwhelmingly disadvantage women, because this is a tax system that gives breaks to the rich, while the working poor shoulder the burden".

The protesters pledged to continue targeting the Liberal government. Another anti-GST rally is being organised for February 25, noon at Sydney Town Hall.

From GLW issue 394