Inner West Council rolls out free sanitary product vending machines to fight period poverty in NSW first
One Sydney council has decided to fight period poverty head on, installing 10 sanitary product vending machines across the area. The price? It’ll be totally free.
Inner West
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A Sydney council has installed 10 sanitary product vending machines across the area.
The machines will allow people to access pads and tampons for free.
On Wednesday, the Inner West Council unveiled the first of the 10 cutting edge machines at Ashfield Aquatic Centre.
In a bid to fight period poverty, and given the spiralling cost of living, the machines will hold 36 pads and 50 tampons, with a variety of choices for those who need them.
They will be installed, over the next few weeks, at libraries, youth centres and council-run swimming pools in the local government area.
The move, a NSW first, was lauded by Deputy Mayor Philippa Scott, who brought the motion to council 10 months ago.
“Our council has taken this progressive step which women have demanded for years,” she said.
“These products are not luxury items, they are everyday necessities which ought to be free to our community.”
Ses Salmond, general manager of the Leichhardt Women’s Community Health Centre, applauded the initiative.
Ms Salmond said some clients were forced to forgo sanitary products to make ends meet, especially given the high cost of living crisis.
“We have some clients who survive on $20 for a fortnight and if they get their period they can’t afford tampons or pads,” she said.
“It’s not a luxury item and a lot of women find it difficult to access, so this move couldn’t have come at a better time, there’s no hurdles or barriers, it’s a totally free product.”
Councillor Kobi Shetty said the machines and free products would support women and girls across the LGA.
“In a country as wealthy as Australia, nobody should be prevented from participating in everyday activities because they can’t afford period products, or the embarrassment or shame of having to improvise,” she said.
Free tampons and sanitary pads launched in the â¦@IWCouncilâ©, via state of the art vending machines, in a NSW first 👠â¦@CrPhilippaScottâ© pictured here showing how it works! 👇 🎥 pic.twitter.com/AiggxYtN8M
— Alexi Demetriadi (@ADemetriadi) December 14, 2022
Cr Scott said the machines would help normalise women’s period.
“Half the population has a period every month, there is nothing we can do about it and it’s nothing that we should be ashamed of,” she said.
“By installing these machines I do hope it becomes normalised across the state.”
Councillor Liz Atkins applauded the move, and said accessible and inclusive public loos should also be a focus.
“They are an essential public service and should have everything everyone needs to satisfy basic hygiene – I’m looking forward to new public loos, like those in Camperdown Memorial Rest Park, being designed with this in mind,” Cr Atkins said.
Enviro-LCS, which designed the machines, has been in operation for 35 years, with the touch-sensor tampon vendors heir latest venture.
Nine machines will be installed at locations across the LGA early next year and will be maintained and stocked by the company.
Machines will be restocked every two weeks.
They will be placed at Ashfield Library, Marrickville Library, Marrickville Youth Resource Centre, Leichhardt Park Aquatic Centre, Balmain Library, Ashfield Service Centre and the Annette Kellerman Aquatic Centre.
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