Period politics: City of Sydney argues over free menstrual products

By LAUREN FROST

City of Sydney Council has struggled to come to an agreement on how best to tackle period poverty in the local community at a council meeting earlier this week.

Although the Council unanimously agreed on the need to address period poverty, the motion underwent several significant variations and amendments, resulting in a watered-down commitment from Council.

City Hub spoke to Cr Sylvie Ellsmore on her proposed motion, explaining the significance of the council to properly approach period poverty effectively and efficiently.

Motion to provide sanitary products

“While Monday’s decision is a good step in the right direction, I am disappointed with the slow and cautious approach,” says Cr Sylvie Ellsmore.

“Research shows one in five people have had to ‘improvise’ on period products due the cost – and the cost of living crisis is making access to basic sanitary products even more difficult.”

Initial versions of the motion proposed by Cr Ellsmore and seconded by Councillor Linda Scott outlined an unambiguous commitment from City of Sydney Council to end period poverty. It specified an initiative to roll out free period care in a minimum of 10 council locations commence September 2023.

However, further amendments to the motion instead called on the Council CEO to “assess the need for and costs associated with a pilot or program providing free or subsidised period care products” with no deadline specified.

“Council would not commit to a trial of free products in public toilets and Council buildings. There is no reason we couldn’t have worked with a community to pick the locations and start a trial, straight away,” says Cr Ellsmore.

“Also, despite the Council acknowledging that we want people to move to reusable, more environmentally friendly options, the commitment to consider a Council rebate scheme was also deleted.”

Both Clr Scott and Clr Ellsmore voted against the final amendments alongside Clr Weldon, however, it was successfully carried.

Although the final motion acknowledged the impact of period poverty, outlining the harsh reality that large proportions of people were finding it increasingly difficult to afford period products, it was far less proactive than the initial motion proposed.

Supporting city communities

Clr Scott expressed the gravitas of the situation to City Hub, saying “City communities, like so much of Australia, are facing a cost-of-living crisis.”

“We know that with a pre-existing gender pay gap and a gap in superannuation, women often experience cost of living pressures more than men.”

Notably all forms of the motion acknowledged that period poverty disproportionately affects LGBTQIA+ and First Nations people.

“It’s important to acknowledge that the City of Sydney is a diverse place full of highly successful professionals alongside residents struggling with everyday cost of living pressures,” Clr Scott said.

Furthermore, Cr Ellsmore noted that these sorts of initiatives are entirely plausible and have been successful in other areas.

“Free products in toilets and a rebate scheme are initiatives which other, less wealthy councils have trialled, with strong success,” Cr Ellsmore said.

“And it’s not expensive either. The City of Melbourne held a trial of free period products in six public toilets and council buildings last year, at a cost of only $5,000 in total.”

Clr Scott was also quick to note that The City of Sydney itself had aided in the cost of sanitary products in the past.

“During the pandemic, the council found it was fundamental to subsidise food and sanitary products and a range of other measures that we have not provided support for before,” she told City Hub.

“This was due to the dramatic social health and economic upheavals that our community’s facing.”

“With skyrocketing inflation and cost of living pressures, our communities are again facing unusual upheaval,” Clr Scott continued.

“It’s absolutely the responsibility of the socially aware local government to support our communities by providing period products in this way.”

Unfortunately for City of Sydney residents, however, the council’s lack of urgency on the matter means that many people will continue to struggle to afford basic necessities.

“Shame around having your period, and not having enough money to afford period products, is part of what we need to address,” Clr Ellsmore said.

“The benefit of providing free products in toilets is that its quick and easy. It acknowledges period products are a basic thing everyone should have access to.”

“Just like toilet paper, sanitary products basics that should be provided in public toilets,” she continued.

“I remain hopefully we’ll get a trial in the future, following assessment and consultation by the Council.”