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Australia will eliminate a tax that divides buffers after state governments have complied with concerted pressure from Canberra and women's rights groups.
Australian state treasurers agreed on Wednesday to cancel a 10% Goods and Services Tax (GST) on tampons and other feminine hygiene products as of January 2019, reports ABC News. The move followed a nearly two-decade campaign by women's rights activists who said the tax was discriminatory.
"We are very pleased that everyone joins us in eliminating this unfair tax," said Australia's Minister of Women Kelly O'Dwyer. "Millions of women across the country will be very grateful for that."
"Common sense has prevailed," added federal treasurer Josh Frydenberg, calling the repeal "long-awaited delay."
Pads, sanitary napkins and other feminine hygiene products were previously classified as non-essential items and had been subject to the GST since 2000. But activists argued that the classification was sexist, pointing out that items such as condoms , lubricants and male enhancement drugs were exempt.
Both sides of Australian national policy opposed the tariff this year. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison pledged to abolish the tax in August when he was federal treasurer. The Labor Party of the opposition called for its overthrow in March.
However, Australian states and federal territories have opposed the removal of the tax, which amounts to about $ 30 million ($ 21 million) in annual revenue, according to the BBC. In 2015, states and territories voted to maintain the tax.
Read more: Stamp tax ends in states after "year of the period"
This announcement comes as other countries have also dropped "buffer taxes". India has recently abolished its 12% levy in July.
Nine US states have exempted female hygienic toiletries from sales tax, and similar legislation is pending in seven others, according to NPR. But repeated efforts to abolish the tax in California have failed, most recently in January of this year.
