At the September Council meeting, Greens Councillors on Northern Beaches Council have secured a report into options for trialling provision of free menstrual products in Council bathrooms such as aquatic centres, libraries and sporting facilities.
If such a trial was to be implemented, NBC would join other Councils such as Inner West Council, and NSW Department of Education, in making such products available.
The motion initially passed at the 21 July 2026 meeting, but was subject to a rescission motion which was not dealt with until 22 September 2026. A report will now be prepared by staff on the feasibility of implementing a trial.
Survey data from the NGO Share the Dignity suggests that due to the costs and inconvenience of availability of menstrual products, on average 63% of girls miss school and 68% miss out on sport, with data from this area suggesting even higher numbers in local suburbs:
- Up to 57% of women in Curl Curl miss work due to their period
- Up to 70% of girls in Avalon miss school due to their period
- Up to 85% of women and girls in Avalon miss sport due to their period
The motion seeking a report was supported by Ethan Hrnjak (GRN) Kristyn Glanville (GRN) Bonnie Harvey (GRN) Miranda Korzy (GRN) Joeline Hackman (Your Northern Beaches) Ruth Robins (Your Northern Beaches) Jody Williams (Your Northern Beaches) Sarah Grattan (Your Northern Beaches) and Nicholas Beaugeard (Your Northern Beaches).
In the lead up to September's debate, the Greens sought public opinion through a social experiment leaving a trial of free products in a Council bathroom at Curl Curl with a whiteboard for community members to leave feedback. The feedback was universally positive, with community members leaving comments such as "gamechanger" and strong support for this being available in all local council public toilets. They also had conversations with community members in the area, including one older male community member who expressed genuine surprise that such products were not already available in public bathrooms.
The motion follows a community campaign and petition by local high schooler Kitty Taylor calling for an end to period poverty on the peninsula through her Free2Bleed NB campaign, see: www.instagram.com/free2bleednb
Kitty explains in one post:
''My idea to bring Free2bleednb first came last year, when I attended Mater Maria Catholic College. I campaigned for free products in the bathrooms for months, collected 300+ signatures (on paper) and data on how the students felt.
''I had that saying ringing in my ear “leave each place you go a little better than how you found it” and I’d like to say I accomplished that. It took a while for everything to be approved and delivered, so I was delighted to learn that today my friends at school were met with the free products. It may be small, but it really makes a difference in every day life, so I [then] aimed to bring that to the whole northern beaches. Please, sign the petition.''
The motion had letters of support from a range of local community organisations and NGOs including Share the Dignity, Women's Health Road, Women and Children First, Northern Beaches Women's Shelter, Zonta Northern Beaches, and Manly Warringah Wolves AFC.
"Period poverty is a serious issue in our community, with women and girls missing out on participating in community activities and sport because they cannot afford menstrual products. Nor is the need for these products just down to bad planning, as we have heard from local medical providers of the real medical challenges faced by women with heavy menstrual bleeding and other gynaecological issues. Making these products available in Council bathrooms would provide all women with dignity, no matter their financial or medical situation." Cr. Ethan Hrnjak said
"We don't expect people to bring their own to toilet paper. Why are sanitary items any different? Why are some bodily functions privileged over others? It's hard to see that the apprehension from some in chamber to support the provision of basic sanitary items in our bathrooms is anything but sexist." Cr. Bonnie Harvey stated
"Why are uteruses considered luxury organs rather than this reflecting a basic human need? This is a measure that council could investigate that would materially improve the lives of girls and women.
From all the letters and speeches, we've heard from the community and from a number of organizations that this doesn't come down to bad planning. But there's many reasons why a woman or girl might find themselves in need through poverty, cost of living issues, medical issues, and unexpected issues that arise. This is a way that council could help facilitate them having dignity to participate in the community and remove one more barrier from women and girls missing out on things like participating in sport." Cr. Kristyn Glanville stated
"We had Councillors saying this would blow out the budget, which aside from being untrue, goes to show how little they prioritise women's issues and bodies in making budget decisions. They're quite happy spending millions on their own white elephant projects that wouldn't address an important cost of living and hygiene issue." Ms Glanville said
A vending machine provided by Share the Dignity was installed in a Mount Isa high school in 2020.
In 2024 vending machines offering free pads and tampons began operating at the State Library of Victoria, Melbourne Museum and the Royal Exhibition Building, as well as hospitals, libraries and TAFEs, as part of an Australian-first government initiative aimed at ending period poverty.
Free menstrual product vending machines are increasingly available across New South Wales in public facilities, local libraries, and community centres.
The NSW Department of Education Menstrual Hygiene Program provides period products to primary and secondary schools throughout NSW. These products are available to students at no cost. Your school can give students info about accessing products in a safe, respectful and private way at school.
Pads and tampons are available for FREE via dispensers in school toilets. Please ask if your school does not have dispensers in the toilets, they may be located elsewhere. FREE period underwear is also available for students. Please speak to school staff to place an order.
Image: NSW Department of Education.
A battery operated pads and tampons vending machine. These machines also include braille plates. Photo: Victorian Government