Page 2419 - Week 07 - Thursday, 4 August 2022
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Looking at the Scottish example, obviously, our legislative and administrative systems are different from those in Scotland, but the basic premise of the bill was inspired by Scotland’s model. My bill, the Period Products and Facilities (Access) Bill 2022, has five parts, which I will now explain.
Part 1 of the bill includes the standard items for a bill, plus the meaning of period poverty. The act is to commence on a day fixed by the minister, no later than six months from the notification date. The object of the act is to reduce and prevent period poverty in the ACT by the provision of free access to period products, improvement of access to facilities, and provision of information about menstruation and menstrual hygiene to different sections of the community.
Period poverty is defined as being prevented from accessing period products, menstrual hygiene information, toilets, handwashing facilities or sanitary waste facilities because of different circumstances, including financial, social, cultural or physical circumstances.
Part 2 of the bill sets out ways that period products are to be provided and where they are to be provided. It can be broken down into three sections: suitable public places; approved suitable non-government sector places, such as an NGO who provides homelessness services, for example; and education settings.
The bill sets out a requirement for the minister to maintain a list of public places which are suitable for distribution of period products for those who need them. The list must include a range of geographical locations which will allow for reasonable access for those experiencing period poverty. Non-government entities which have been approved through an approval process to receive and distribute period products will also be included on this list.
The bill sets out that it will then be the director-general’s responsibility to ensure that this provision is undertaken according to access arrangements to be written for each suitable place. It will be the responsibility of each non-government entity approved to distribute products to comply with their own access arrangements.
Access arrangements must be made by the director-general responsible for administration of the suitable place in writing for each of the suitable places. For example, access arrangements for libraries would be the responsibility of the Director-General of Transport Canberra and City Services. The access arrangements must provide for access in a way that respects the dignity of the person accessing the product and for a reasonable range of products being available.
Private entities can apply to be on the suitable places list and be permitted to distribute period products if they provide services to people who are likely to be experiencing period poverty and if they meet any additional requirements of approval guidelines. The responsible entity for an approved suitable place must report to the director-general regarding their compliance each year. The director-general can remove an approved entity from the list for failure to comply. The approval guidelines must be made by the director-general. An education provider must ensure period products are made available on the provider’s premises free of charge for students of the provider experiencing period poverty.
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