Greens senator Janet Rice will introduce a bill to federal parliament on Wednesday to repeal the controversial 10% goods and services (GST) tax on tampons and feminine hygiene products.
“After 18 years, it’s time to finally axe this unfair tax, so I’m introducing a bill this week to get the job done,” Greens senator Janet Rice told BuzzFeed News.
"For too long, successive governments have been happy to let this sexist tax persist," she said. "People who menstruate continue to be taxed unfairly every time they go to the chemist or supermarket to buy essential sanitary items.”
The bill will propose amendments to the GST and change the classification of tampons, sanitary pads and liners – which are currently listed as non-essential "luxury" items – to heath products.
The most recent modelling, published by BuzzFeed News, found that removing the tax on feminine hygiene products would cost states and territories about $40 million per year.
Minister for women Kelly O'Dwyer has refused to push for any change to the GST, saying it's a decision for the states and territories.
This is the second time the Greens have proposed to scrap the tampon tax.
A bill introduced by former Greens senator Larissa Waters was rejected by the Senate when Labor and the Coalition teamed up to vote against it. Centre Alliance (formerly the Nick Xenophon Team) senators, as well as Derryn Hinch, David Leyonhjelm and former independent Lucy Gichuhi voted in favour.
But things have changed.
Last month, Labor announced plans to scrap the tampon tax if it wins the next federal election because they're not "luxury" items and are necessary for reproductive health.
Tampons and sanitary products would move into the GST-free essential health items category alongside condoms and lubricant, and the party would apply the GST to natural therapies like herbalism and naturopathy.
But Rice isn't convinced Labor will follow through.
“Labor had a chance to remove the tax when they were last in government, but they didn’t act," Rice said.
“The fact is we don’t have to wait until the next election and we should be taking leadership at the federal level to bring the states and territories with us," she said. "The tax was introduced by the federal parliament and it can be removed by the federal parliament.
“I urge Labor, the Coalition and the crossbench to support my bill, so that we can finally axe this unfair tax this year.”
Rice is currently in talks with Labor and the crossbench to secure support for the amendment. Liberal Democrat Leyonhjelm has previously expressed his support for scrapping the tax.
A motion by Leyonhjelm to scrap the tax was voted down in March. The libertarian senator has asked Treasury whether menstruation can be classed as a disability as section 38.45 of the GST Act makes medical aides and devices GST-free provided that they're widely used by people with an illness or a disability.