Debate over the tampon tax has spilled out onto the lawns of Parliament House, where protesters have gathered to lobby politicians to remove the Goods and Services Tax (GST).
Treasurer Joe Hockey pledged to both cost and lobby states about removing the tax from women’s sanitary products, following questions on the topic during a television appearance on Monday.
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His undertaking has since sparked a national debate on the issue, prompting calls from Labor for Prime Minister Tony Abbott to make a captain’s call.
Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said the government had a “rare opportunity” to act, due to an increase in GST revenue from adding digital products like Netflix to the taxable items.
Labor has been criticised over not acting on the issue while in power, but Mr Shorten said it was now time for change.
““The states can still have growing revenue through the new Netflix and downloads GST,” he said.
“When Tony Abbott just simply handballs the issues to the States, most of the States have said yes. They would support this.”
Mr Abbott said stated that changes to the GST is a matter for the states, while Liberal Senator Arthur Sinodinos has instead called for the GST base to be broadened.
The former assistant treasurer told Sky News that making small changes to the GST would not be useful.
"The challenge for us today is not to be reducing the GST base,” he said.
“It's about how we can expand the base and use that to potentially help fund other tax reform. I think the base should be broadened."
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Approximately 50 people, including five women dressed as tampons, gathered outside Parliament House on Thursday to pressure major parties on the issue.
Campaigner Subeta Vimalarajah – the woman who initially debated the issue with Mr Hockey on Monday’s Q&A program – told SBS that her fellow protesters were yet to engage personally with any politicians.
Ms Vimalarajah said she had not spoken with the Treasurer or his office since Monday, but remained hopeful.
“I actually invited Mr Hockey and Mr Abbott to the picnic this morning,” she said.
“But they both have busy schedules”.
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Ms Vimalarajah conceded her campaign, which has garnered almost 100,000 supporters online, was far from the first.
A similar push was launched in 2013 by University of Western Australian student Sophie Lilley.
The campaign called for an end to the “bleeding disgrace” and attracted more than 45,000 supporters.
Ms Vimalarajah said campaigns such as Ms Lilley’s had been vital to her cause.
“It has been in the public consciousness for the past decade,” she said.
“I see this campaign as the tipping point.”
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