Brimbank Council wants female pedestrian symbols

THE little green man faces the axe under a western suburbs council’s plan to make pedestrian crossings more female friendly. But critics say the move is “tokenistic” and a waste of time. HAVE YOUR SAY

THE little green man could be squashed under a western suburbs council’s plan to make pedestrian crossings more female friendly.

But critics have slammed the move as “tokenistic” and a waste of time.

Brimbank Council has demanded female “walk and don’t walk” figures in traffic lights at crossings in a bid to “improve gender equity”.

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Female traffic lights were introduced in Melbourne’s CBD last year. Picture: Jason Edwards

Mayor Margaret Giudice said the change would “show women and girls that they are important and valued in our community”.

“We know that improving gender equity leads to very positive outcomes for organisations and for our community ... research shows societies with greater gender equity have lower rates of violence towards women and children,” she said.

“This council is committed to a community where men and women, and boys and girls, are treated equally.”

But Evan Mulholland, from the free market think tank the Institute of Public Affairs, rubbished the move.

“This is yet another example of political correctness gone mad from local councils that should be focused on collecting rubbish and fixing local roads,” he said.

“Victorians have had a gutful of virtue signalling councils who spend time on this nonsense while rates keep going up.”

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Brimbank has nominated Perth Ave and Ballarat Rd, Albion as the first crossing to get the new lights.

The council will write to VicRoads to request the change this week.

Brimbank’s push follows the installation of 10 female pedestrian lights last year in the CBD, supported by the not-for-profit Committee for Melbourne.

The $8400 trial prompted a backlash with more than 93 per cent of respondents voting against the change in a poll of 16,000 people.

Ratepayers Victoria vice president Frank Sullivan said the change was “beyond belief” and that the council was “out of touch”.

“Councillors have got to realise what they are elected to do ... they are completely out of touch and they’re moving into things that don’t concern them,” he said.

Mr Sullivan said Brimbank, which has the second highest unemployment rate in the state, should stick to bread and butter issues.

“Ratepayers elect them to do their jobs, not make irresponsible decisions like this,” he said.

University of Melbourne architecture researcher Simona Castricum criticised the idea as “tokenistic”.

“The purpose of traffic signals is to let people cross the road safely, I don’t know if we need our gender to come into that,” she said.

“Putting a dress on it isn’t going to address structural misogyny and violence against women.”

“And the idea that a woman wears a dress (is a) really outdated idea of what represents gender.”

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