A government proposal to remove the GST from female sanitary products will be a helpful, but ultimately insufficient, solution for Kiwi women making desperate consumer choices while on their period.
Dr Sue Bagshaw says there are two solutions, after the issue was made prominent that many woman on their period are forced to make a decision between sanitary products, and essentials such as food and accommodation.
"It makes you wonder who's running the world, doesn't it. We could look at subsidising sanitary products, that would be one way of doing it," Dr Bagshaw said.
"Or we could look at a living wage that people actually can afford sanitary products and don't have to make those difficult choices about how they spend their income."
Finance Minister Grant Robinson's suggestion the 15 per cent GST could be removed from sanitary products "would help" says Dr Bagshaw, but the magnitude of poverty in New Zealand makes this no final solution.
"Many of the young people we see are living on $10 a week for everything, outside of power and accommodation," Dr Bagshaw said.
The former Maori Party –co leader had some stern words for the fact female sanitary products are unsubsidised in NZ.
The overarching problem, Dr Bagshaw says is the casulasiation of labour in New Zealand.
"You may be working but the working poor are the ones who are looking for food grants now, in all the food banks that I come across, and it's not just people on the benefit.
"It's the working poor because of the casualistaion of labour, because of infrequent hours. You can't have guaranteed income.
"It's all very well for employers to say you can't get project through but we need workers who can actually live in a decent lifestyle."
Dr Bagshaw says subsidising female sanitary products would also have wider ranging benefits for society.
"Yes we need to do projects but we have to invest in the people who are going to complete those tasks," Ms Bagshaw said.
"And when people are happy and they've got enough money to live, then actually they're more productive."
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