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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/aug/04/scott-morrison-pledges-to-scrap-tampon-tax-at-next-meeting-with-state-treasurers
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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Scott Morrison pledges to scrap tampon tax at next meeting with state treasurers | Scott Morrison pledges to scrap tampon tax at next meeting with state treasurers |
| (about 2 months later) | |
| Scrapping the tax on tampons and sanitary pads is in the Coalition’s sights after the treasurer, Scott Morrison, pledged to exempt the items from the GST. | Scrapping the tax on tampons and sanitary pads is in the Coalition’s sights after the treasurer, Scott Morrison, pledged to exempt the items from the GST. |
| The Courier-Mail reported on Saturday that Morrison would seek to move female sanitary items to the essential health items exempted from the GST at his next meeting with state treasurers. | The Courier-Mail reported on Saturday that Morrison would seek to move female sanitary items to the essential health items exempted from the GST at his next meeting with state treasurers. |
| “I can see it is a source of frustration and angst,” Morrison said. | “I can see it is a source of frustration and angst,” Morrison said. |
| “I think it’s an anomaly that has been built into the system for a long time and the states have decided to hold on to the money instead of getting rid of it.” | “I think it’s an anomaly that has been built into the system for a long time and the states have decided to hold on to the money instead of getting rid of it.” |
| The move comes after years of lobbying for change from advocates who point to the unfairness in items such as condoms and lubricants already being exempt. | The move comes after years of lobbying for change from advocates who point to the unfairness in items such as condoms and lubricants already being exempt. |
| Labor vows to axe tampon tax if it wins federal election | Labor vows to axe tampon tax if it wins federal election |
| But the exemption requires the sign-off of states and territories to come into effect. | But the exemption requires the sign-off of states and territories to come into effect. |
| A 2015 push to axe the tax by the then treasurer Joe Hockey was knocked back by state treasurers reluctant to sacrifice the $30m in revenue it produced. | A 2015 push to axe the tax by the then treasurer Joe Hockey was knocked back by state treasurers reluctant to sacrifice the $30m in revenue it produced. |
| Morrison said the the 10% tax should never have been levied on tampons and sanitary pads in the first place. | Morrison said the the 10% tax should never have been levied on tampons and sanitary pads in the first place. |
| “I’m happy to see this remedied and it shouldn’t be consuming an enormous amount of time, it’s a fairly straightforward decision to make,” he said. | “I’m happy to see this remedied and it shouldn’t be consuming an enormous amount of time, it’s a fairly straightforward decision to make,” he said. |
| “There’s no great gender conspiracy here or any of that nonsense,” Morrison said in a Facebook post on Saturday. | “There’s no great gender conspiracy here or any of that nonsense,” Morrison said in a Facebook post on Saturday. |
| “It’s just a tax anomaly that we have already tried to fix once, and will now give it another try.” | “It’s just a tax anomaly that we have already tried to fix once, and will now give it another try.” |
| His decision comes three months after the opposition made a similar pledge. | His decision comes three months after the opposition made a similar pledge. |
| “This is effectively a tax on women,” the deputy leader of the opposition, Tanya Plibersek, had said this year. | “This is effectively a tax on women,” the deputy leader of the opposition, Tanya Plibersek, had said this year. |
| The 'tampon tax' is not a marginal issue - it's the force of structural sexism at work | Gabrielle Jackson | The 'tampon tax' is not a marginal issue - it's the force of structural sexism at work | Gabrielle Jackson |
| “Taxing periods is taxing women in a way that men never experience.” | “Taxing periods is taxing women in a way that men never experience.” |
| “Australia levies GST on tampons but we don’t apply it to Viagra,” she had told the National Press Club in March. “Only a bunch of blokes sitting around a table would come to the conclusion that sanitary pads are anything other than an essential good. | “Australia levies GST on tampons but we don’t apply it to Viagra,” she had told the National Press Club in March. “Only a bunch of blokes sitting around a table would come to the conclusion that sanitary pads are anything other than an essential good. |
| “This was a dumb decision when it was made in 1999.” | “This was a dumb decision when it was made in 1999.” |
| The former prime minister Tony Abbott had told 2GB Radio that Plibersek’s position – and that of his Hockey – were both wrong. “Once you start having these sorts of exemptions – where does it end?” | The former prime minister Tony Abbott had told 2GB Radio that Plibersek’s position – and that of his Hockey – were both wrong. “Once you start having these sorts of exemptions – where does it end?” |
| At the time, Morrison had described Labor’s announcement as “cynical exercises”. | At the time, Morrison had described Labor’s announcement as “cynical exercises”. |
| While welcoming the government’s move, Labor warned that it risked failure if there was no plan to replace the lost revenue in order to win over the states. | While welcoming the government’s move, Labor warned that it risked failure if there was no plan to replace the lost revenue in order to win over the states. |
| Labor leaders in every state and territory have signed up to the opposition’s plan, seeking to offset lost revenue by applying the GST to 12 natural therapies. | Labor leaders in every state and territory have signed up to the opposition’s plan, seeking to offset lost revenue by applying the GST to 12 natural therapies. |
| But the government claims the states will receive an extra $6.5bn in revenue as a result of changes already made to the GST. | But the government claims the states will receive an extra $6.5bn in revenue as a result of changes already made to the GST. |
| “So agreeing to this modest change is achievable from a financial point of view,” Morrison said. | “So agreeing to this modest change is achievable from a financial point of view,” Morrison said. |
| The minister for women, Kelly O’Dwyer, called for the states and territories to get on board. | The minister for women, Kelly O’Dwyer, called for the states and territories to get on board. |
| “Millions of Australian women will benefit,” she told reporters in Sydney. | “Millions of Australian women will benefit,” she told reporters in Sydney. |
| “It will mean a little bit of extra money in their pocket but ultimately it’s the right and fair thing to do.” | “It will mean a little bit of extra money in their pocket but ultimately it’s the right and fair thing to do.” |
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| Labor party | Labor party |
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