Tampon tax likely to stay put

The GST is likely to remain on sanitary products, such as tampons, despite a push by the Labor states.

A meeting of the nation's treasurers in Canberra on Friday will discuss two GST anomalies, but only removal of the $1000 threshold on online purchases from overseas is likely to get the nod.

Federal assistant treasurer Josh Frydenberg told ABC radio on Thursday opposition from NSW made it unlikely that there would be the necessary universal agreement to remove the 10 per cent impost on sanitary products.

Retailers are hopeful that treasurers can agree on the threshold which has been in place since the tax was introduced in 2000 and prior to the explosion in online shopping.

Australian Retailers Association boss Russell Zimmerman said the issue was about levelling the playing field for Australian-based business.

"Extension of GST to international online purchases is crucial to the survival and growth of Australian retailers and the retail industry as a whole," he said in a statement.