Found yourself caught short of sanitary products? Free vending machine for tampons dispense 20,000 packs
Like almost every woman in Victoria – or half the state’s population – kiosk technician Gabrielle Seils-Owen knows first-hand what it’s like to be away from home but suddenly be in need of a pad or tampon.
She has found herself spending up to $10 at service stations for a pack of sanitary products when the same item is closer to $5 at the typical chemist or supermarket.
Free pad and tampon kiosk technician Gabrielle Seils-Owen says one of the joys of her job is seeing women’s faces “light up” when they learn about the initiative. Credit: Justin McManus
That’s why the 25-year-old Melburnian, who is studying a certificate IV in community services, finds her casual job so rewarding. For two days a week, Seils-Owen can be found criss-crossing the city in a van restocking Victoria’s newly installed free pad and tampon dispensers.
She tops up the vending machines, which can be found in women’s and disability accessible bathrooms at libraries, hospitals and art galleries, and is also trained to replace coils, motors and shelves. Sometimes, she runs software updates given the machines operate via touchscreen.
“My drive is to help people,” Seils-Owen says. “Often, people will stand there and look at what I’m doing and see if it’s actually a free thing or a paid machine. I welcome people who are curious and give them a sample.
“To see people light up a little bit, when they learn it’s free, it’s very nice. These things do get expensive over time.”
Seils-Owen’s favourite kiosks to restock are at the State Library, which also happens to be one of the most popular distribution sites so far. Credit: Justin McManus
The Labor government promised to make tampons free at train stations and other public places shortly before the November 2022 state election, and in its first phase has installed 50 vending machines at 30 trial sites, at a cost of $23 million.
The commitment built on an earlier initiative that saw Victoria become the first state in Australia to make pads and tampons available for free in public schools.
The ACT government has rolled out a similar program, which it expanded this year to include health centres and hospitals. Meanwhile, increasing numbers of employers are providing free sanitary products in their office toilets for employees.
Victoria has now distributed more than 20,000 sanitary packs in the first few months of the free pads and tampons program, which represents savings of more than $120,000 for women who have made use of the items.
Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays are typically the most in-demand days for the touchscreen kiosks. About 200 sanitary packs are distributed per day during the middle of the week.
The fact that Mondays and Fridays are less busy – days when office workers are more likely to work from home – suggests full-time workers are taking advantage of the free program.
Sunday is typically the quietist day for the kiosks when just 95 or so packs are dispensed across the city.
The biggest demand so far has been from vending machines at the State Library of Victoria, the Royal Women’s Hospital and Broadmeadows Hospital, according to Department of Health data.
Seils-Owen says she isn’t surprised that the State Library is so popular.
“After work or after school, they can get depleted quite quickly.
“That’s probably where people are more curious. There’s always someone in there. Sometimes there will be families [seeing me go in before or after them with my trolley] and they’ll have a bit of a chitchat about it. It’s a conversation starter.”
Minister for Women Natalie Hutchins is expected to unveil hundreds of more dispensation sites in coming months. The government has committed to providing free vending machines at 700 sites across the state.
The Coalition has called on the minister to ensure there will be an acceptable number of sites in regional Victoria.
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