Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey has agreed to lobby the states and territories to make sanitary products exempt from the Goods and Services Tax.

University student Subeta Vimalarajah started an online petition earlier this month asking the Government to stop taxing a "bodily function" and remove the tax on pads and tampons.

"On the other hand, condoms, lubricants, sunscreen and nicotine patches are all tax-free because they are classed as important health goods," the petition says.

"But isn't the reproductive health and hygiene of 10 million Australians important too?"

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-05-25/joe-hockey-says-he-will-put-tampon-tax-question-to-states/6496512

See also: is make-believe democratic...?

Less than 24 hours after Treasurer Joe Hockey agreed the GST "probably should" be removed from tampons, Prime Minister Tony Abbott has moved to kill off any federal push for the idea.

Mr Hockey last night vowed on the ABC's Q&A program to consult with the states and territories about making womens' sanitary goods GST-free, saying they were "essential products".

However, Mr Abbott has distanced himself from the Treasurer's remarks.

"I understand there's long been a push to take the GST off goods, which are one way or another regarded as health products," he said.

"It's certainly not something that this Government has a plan to do."

Taking the GST off tampons and sanitary napkins would cost states about $30 million a year in GST funding, according to budget watchers Deloitte Access Economics.

But Queensland Deputy Premier Jackie Trad said her Government would "of course" support moves to lift the GST.

read more: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-05-26/tampon-tax-tony-abbottsays-no-federal-push-removing-gst/6498230

The treasurer, Joe Hockey, has asked his department to work out the cost of removing the goods and services tax (GST) from tampons and sanitary pads.

The move could pave the way for a decision on exempting such products from the 10% tax, even as Tony Abbott distanced himself from Hockey’s cautious support for changes.

“It’s certainly not something that this government has a plan to do,” the prime minister said during a press conference on Tuesday.

http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/may/26/push-to-drop-gst-on-tampons-and-sanitary-pads-gets-labors-support

It looks like Joe is getting PMS... Prime Minister Spite... and remember when:

http://www.yourdemocracy.net.au/drupal/node/27688

"Tampon tax" to stay: Despite a colourful and sustained media campaign that drew international notice, a 100,000 strong petition, and a commitment from Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey, GST reform on tampons has been rejected by NSW and WA. Michelle Pini reports.

A MUCH reported anti "tampon tax" campaign, which managed to highlight the ridiculous inequity of a tax on essential hygiene items, and capture worldwide attention, has failed to impress the NSW and WA State treasurers.

When Sydney University student Subeta Vimalarajah started a petition to stop the GST being applied to feminine sanitary products, she highlighted a little-known fiscal reality that affects 10 million Australians every month. She also exposed the underlying patriarchal systems that allow the inequity to continue, pointing to institutionalised discrimination.

https://independentaustralia.net/life/life-display/a-taxing-bodily-function,8099

See toon at top...

An Aboriginal woman has been fined $500 for stealing a $6.75 box of tampons under a system of on-the-spot infringement notices introduced in Western Australia to free up police time.

The 20-year-old woman received the infringement notice on Tuesday after allegedly stealing the tampons from a service station in Coolgardie, 558km east of Perth.

Const Brian Evans, from Coolgardie police, said the theft was caught on a security camera and, because police recognised the woman, “it was pretty clear to us”.

“Her excuse was she was stealing it for someone else who was too ashamed to buy it, which is probably true,” Evans told Guardian Australia.

http://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/oct/15/aboriginal-woman-in-wa-fined-500-for-stealing-675-box-of-tampons

Tell this to Turdball... and see toon at top...

French MPs have voted against an amendment which would have cut VAT paid on sanitary products from 20% to 5.5%.

Socialist MPs had introduced the amendment to the budget for 2016, saying that as "basic needs," tampons, towels and menstrual cups should be taxed at the lower rate.

But the proposal was rejected in the early hours of Thursday morning.

The government opposed the change, saying it would reduce tax receipts in 2016 by 55m euros (£40m, $63m).

The feminist collective behind the proposal, Georgette Sand, said it "saw red" at the outcome.

read more: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-34538672

See toon at top...

Joe Hockey looks to be cutting the final ties to his political career in Canberra after putting his house in the nation’s capital on the market.

The three-bedroom home in the prestigious inner-south suburb of Forrest would have offered the perfect commute to work for Hockey – about a 20-minute stroll to Parliament House.

According to the Australian Financial Review, Hockey and his wife Melissa Babbage bought the home back in March 1997 for just $320,000.

http://www.domain.com.au/news/joe-hockeys-house-in-one-of-canberras-most-expensive-suburbs-on-the-market-20160314-gni9wc/

---------------

All this is well but Joe Hockey when minister for money disasters and black holed budgets, used to get cash allowances from the commonwealth to pay for "living in his wife's house". So is this house his wife's or his? Or being married, did they sign a pre-nup to make sure they did not "share" their assets as say two people on the dole would get docked for "sharing" housing expenses, especially rent?

I think there is a case for the Commonwealth to ask Joe to repay — from the sale of the house — all the "allowance" freebies he got from the government, as allowances to live in a "house he owns", obviously.

See toon at top and also: 

http://www.yourdemocracy.net.au/drupal/node/8735

http://yourdemocracy.net.au/drupal/node/29895

http://www.yourdemocracy.net.au/drupal/node/27688

smoking-joe discovers economics...

not an economist...

Chicago has removed its tax on sanitary items and the UK Government says its tampon tax could be scrapped "within days", but Australia is likely to lag a long way behind, according to one activist.

Chicago City Council this week removed a city sales tax on tampons and sanitary napkins, according to Associated Press, with the items now being characterised as medical necessities.

Sanitary items were taxed 10.25 per cent in the city, and the action will remove Chicago's portion of the tax, or 1.25 per cent.

Across the Atlantic, the European Union said it would give its 28 member states the option of completely removing a tax on tampons which feminists had denounced as unfair.

read more: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-03-18/tampon-tax-changes-in-chicago-uk-australia-will-lag-activist/7257146

see toon at top... On YD we keep a long tab on what's important in this changing world since 2005 (or 2003 as a private wiki member site). We record the true history of Australia and the world, without malice nor satirical distortions beyond the truth - verbatim exploration of our looniness as required by balanced analysis of historical facts.

"We do love the house," Ms Williams said. "It's a beautiful old Canberra home, lots of history. So we're looking forward to living in it."

The couple negotiated the final price [$1.5 million] just 10 minutes after the three-bedroom house passed in at auction. About 70 people turned up to watch, but Mr Williams was one of only two bidders.

The final price means a hefty profit for Mr Hockey and Ms Babbage, who paid just $320,000 for the home in the salubrious suburb of Forrest. Not bad, particularly considering they could have paid off a large chunk of the mortgage with the taxpayer-funded $270-a-night travel allowance he claimed whenever in Canberra.

Australia's ambassador to the United States Joe Hockey has criticised the US for reneging on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, touting the benefits of free trade, at the launch of a new report in Washington.

"You can't turn free trade on and off like a tap," he said.

"You can never win a game of football if you keep changing the rules during the game, that's the bottom line, and it ends up being a really ugly game to watch."

In a speech to diplomats and trade experts, Mr Hockey expressed disappointment with the Trump administration's decision to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement.

REad more:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-08/joe-hockey-criticises-us-for-reneg...

read also: "free" trade is neither free nor fair...

TO mark this year's International Women's Day, Newtown's Alfalfa House will permanently remove all profit from its menstrual products, making both reusable and disposable options as affordable as possible.
As people grow more aware and concerned about their personal waste, reusable menstruation products are more popular than ever but require a larger upfront cost than disposables. 
By reducing the cost of all period products (Reusable: Lunette Cups and Juju Organic Cloth Pads and disposable organic tampons and pads), Alfalfa House is working to empower its community to move towards more environmentally responsible options.

Read more:

http://www.localnewsplus.com.au/story

Read from top...

Despite repeated calls to scrap the GST on tampons, the tax remains in place nearly 18 years after it was introduced.

During that time, politicians from both sides have claimed that no change to the GST on tampons can be made without the agreement of all state and territory governments.

Most recently Foreign Minister Julie Bishop repeated this claim on Channel Nine.

Asked whether the Government would scrap the tax as Labor is currently promising to do, Ms Bishop said: "Any change to the GST must be agreed by each state and territory government, and there is no agreement from the states and territories on this issue."

Fact Check has already tested similar claims and found them to be misleading.

Ultimately, despite the existence of an agreement that requires unanimous support for a change from state and territory governments, the only factor preventing the Government from removing the GST on tampons is a potential political backlash, not a legal roadblock.

Read more:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-03/fact-check-zombie-tampon-tax/9715648

Meanwhile dildoes travel free...

Federal Treasurer Scott Morrison has vowed to remove the GST on tampons, describing it as an "anomaly" and a source of frustration for women.

Mr Morrison admitted the 10 per cent tax should never have been applied to sanitary products in the first place and said it was time the issue was "remediated".

"I can see it is a source of frustration and angst. Here's a straightforward practical opportunity to deal with it once and for all," he told News Corp.

"I think it's an anomaly that has been built into the system for a long time and the states have decided to hold onto the money instead of getting rid of it."

Removing the tax would cost the Government about $30 million a year in revenue which goes to the states and territories.

Read more:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-08-04/scott-morrison-vows-to-scrap-tampo...

Watch it... This is very commendable. But I have the uneeeaaasy feeeeeliiiiing that our esteemed beancruncher is going to add this into his dreadful company tax package to make us swallow the bitter pill as it were... and he will say we're a bunch of wowsers for rejecting his lovely tampon wedge...

Read from top.

After an 18-year campaign, the 10 per cent tax on tampons and pads will be removed after states and territories agreed to make sanitary products exempt from the GST.

• Public push to make sanitary products exempt started when GST was introduced in 2000
• States and territories have agreed to the Federal Government's proposal to remove the tax, which will cost them about $30 million a year in GST revenue
• Tampons, pads, menstrual cups, maternity pads and leak-proof underwear expected to be included in exemption list

Treasurers met this morning to discuss the matter and have unanimously agreed to pass the Federal Government's proposal.

Read more:

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-10-03/tampon-tax-to-go-states-and-territ...

Read from top.

Big business and reaction win out once again. 

That, in a nutshell, is the role of neoliberal parliaments and governments — to push through the wishes of the ruling class and try to convince the rest of us how the supposed "reforms" will be good for we hoi polloi. In a period of low-class struggle – as has been the case in Australia since the mid-1980s – the ideas of the ruling class, by and large, go unchallenged and their orthodoxy becomes our norm. Low strike levels mean not only low wages but also low-class consciousness.

In such a conservative climate, even victories for "the people" are not quite victories but superficial retreats by the elite to reinforce the status quo. The recent decision by the Morrison Government to remove the goods and services tax (GST) on female sanitary products, known as the tampon tax, is a case in point.

As I wrote recently, Scott Morrison is the removalist, removing as many obstacles as possible to his re-election next year. But he is much more than that, as his machinations around removing the tampon tax – which should never have been there – shows. He is a superficialist and in the current climate dominated by the powerful, he could well win back support for his Government on the basis of a few more three-card tricks such as this.

Why is it a three-card trick? For the cost of just $30 million in reduced GST revenue, the misogynist Morrison Government has been able to paint itself as the champion of women. The patriarchy has wrapped itself in the clothing of the matriarchy — all the better to continue the oppression of women.

Read more:

https://independentaustralia.net/politics/politics-display/the-morrison-...

Read from top.

Tampons and other feminine hygiene items are considered "luxury goods" by German tax officials. A group of feminists want to change that with a petition to the German parliament.

German magazine Neon and einhorn, a German start-up, are calling on people to sign a petition by the end of May to make German lawmakers discuss lowering the value-added tax on women's hygiene goods.

Tampons and other hygiene items are taxed at the standard value-added rate of 19%, also known as the rate for "luxury" goods.

Neon and einhorn want the government to tax them at the reduced rate of 7%, which applies mainly to food items considered necessary for basic living requirements.

Read more: India scraps controversial tax on sanitary pads

The current system "systematically discriminates against women of all social classes and financial backgrounds," the organizers said.

Read more:

https://www.dw.com/en/german-feminists-call-for-end-to-luxury-tax-for-ta...

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The 5% rate of VAT on sanitary products - referred to as the "tampon tax" - will be abolished in the UK from 1 January.

EU law required members to tax tampons and sanitary towels at 5%, treating period products as non-essential.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak committed to scrapping the tax in his March Budget.

Campaigners welcomed the end to what they called a "sexist tax" with activist Laura Coryton saying it was "about ending a symptom of sexism".

The UK was able to get rid of the tax now because it is no longer subject to European Union rules on sanitary products.

The EU is itself in the process of abolishing the tampon tax. In 2018 the European Commission published proposals to change the VAT rules, which would give countries the right to stop taxing tampons and other period products, but the move has not yet been agreed by all members. The Republic of Ireland has zero VAT on sanitary products as the rate was in place prior to EU legislation imposing the 5% minimum VAT rate on EU members.

Read more:

https://www.bbc.com/news/business-55502252

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