2015/11: Should GST be removed from sanitary products?





Introduction to the media issue

Video clip at right:
On May 25, 2015, the ABC’s current affairs discussion program Q&A showed Australia’s federal treasurer, Joe Hockey, responding to a question from a member of the audience as to whether sanitary products should be taxed via the GST. If you cannot see this clip, it will be because video is blocked by your network. To view the clip, access from home or from a public library, or from another network which allows viewing of video clips.


What they said...
'Well, it probably should, yes. The answer is yes'
Treasurer Joe Hockey, on the ABC's Q&A in answer to a question on whether the GST should be removed from sanitary products

'I understand there's long been a push to take the GST off goods, which are one way or another regarded as health products. It's certainly not something that this Government has a plan to do'
Prime Minster Tony Abbott

The issue at a glance
On May 26, 2015, university student, Subeta Vimalarajah, confronted Treasurer Joe Hockey on the ABC's Q&A program regarding a Change.Org petition she had started calling for the government to repeal the GST on feminine hygiene products.
In answer to her question as to whether the Treasurer considered sanity products to be essential for women's health, Mr Hockey replied that he thought so and agreed that the GST should not be applied to these products. He then promised to raise the issue with state governments in July.
Less than twenty-four hours after the Treasurer's announcement on Q&A, Prime Minister Tony Abbot responded to the issue by saying that repealing the GST on sanitary products was an issue for state governments and not something that the federal government had any plans to do, despite the Treasurer's call for costings of the revenue that would be lost were the tax to be repealed.