Women protest against tax on tampons
By Kim Bullimore
CANBERRA — One hundred protesters attended a rally here as part of a national day of action against the GST on sanitary products. Participants at the rally, which was held in Garema Place, carried placards stating: "I bleed and I vote" and "GST: Grossly Sexist Tax".
ANU students' association women's officer Tara Muntz told the crowd, "Women are facing a further increase in costs solely because they are women, as a result of the GST".
A letter was read out from Australian Democrats deputy leader Natasha Stott Despoja, who says she opposes the GST on tampons. However, as ACT Greens MLA Kerry Tucker told the rally, if it wasn't for the Democrats passing the GST in the first place, there would be no GST on tampons.
Other speakers included local ALP parliamentarians Annette Ellis and John Hargrave, and Erica Lewis from the Women's Electoral Lobby.
In Brisbane, Robyn Marshall and Elena Garcia report, 200 people rallied at King George Square on February 25 to voice their opposition. Marching on Waterfront Place, the headquarters of the Queensland Liberal Party, participants chanted "No GST on tampons, no GST on anything" and "Tax the rich instead".
A giant walking tampon made of hoops and a white sheet and a giant sanitary pad led the march, causing much amusement. A large contingent of nervous police accompanied the protesters, but the rumours that bloodied tampons would be hurled during the demonstration proved unfounded.