Tuesday, 20 June 2023

 Natalie HUTCHINS (Sydenham – Minister for Education, Minister for Women) (14:34): I rise to update the house on this government’s commitment to free pads and tampons in public places. The Andrews Labor government believes that all Victorians should get the support they need when they need it. As Minister for Women, I am focused on women’s needs, unlike those opposite, who do not really know what women need. I know what women need. We know what women need. We know what all women need. For far too long, periods have been stigmatised, causing discomfort and embarrassment for women and girls when they get stuck without the products that they need. Since 2019 students have had access to free and accessible pads and tampons in their school environments. That was an Australian first. This initiative has been so successful that we have invested a further $15.5 million to continue to roll out that initiative across our schools, to make sure government schools continue to be stocked with free sanitary items, just like toilet paper. Building on this highly successful initiative, this year’s budget also invested $23 million to deliver free pads and tampons across 700 public sites here in Victoria. This includes places like public hospitals, TAFEs, courts, train stations and major cultural institutions right across the state. Investing in the health and wellbeing of women and girls is essential to our nation-leading reforms to destigmatise periods, to stamp out period poverty and to ensure women and girls have the basic dignity that they deserve wherever they go. This is on top of this year’s budget’s focus on women’s health – $497 million to improve access to women-specific health services. What a great investment.