Tuesday, 12 August 2025

 Melina BATH (Eastern Victoria) (17:46): (1806) My adjournment matter this evening is for the Minister for Women, and it relates to cost-of-living and period poverty relief in Gippsland. The minister has recently announced a period poverty for Victoria initiative, and she spruiks access to free pads and tampons in vending machines across 20 different major venues and others. All of these venues are in Melbourne. The action I seek is for the minister to consider my Eastern Victoria electorate and deliver the service that is extended to metropolitan women. A search of the government’s online map shows that only 5 per cent of these vending machines are located in Gippsland, and not one of them is east of Rosedale or on Phillip Island. Gippsland has approximately 20 per cent of Victoria’s landmass, roughly the size of Switzerland, and only 5 per cent of the cost relief measures that the government is spruiking occur in this area – only 13 period poverty vending machines to provide a coverage, as I said, across 390 towns.

So why again is the Allan Labor government being so citycentric? Clearly we have got difficulties and cost-of-living issues. Gippsland’s unemployment rate sits at 8 per cent, almost double that of the state’s; Morwell’s is a staggering 15.4 per cent, and youth unemployment in Gippsland is in double figures. If the government is serious about supporting people in vulnerable areas and at risk, then this should be more of a priority. Where are some of these venues for sanitary products? They are at the MCG, AAMI Park, John Cain Arena, Rod Laver Arena, Margaret Court, GMHBA arena et cetera. Most of the people who go to these sorts of venues will be able to afford them. Instead, the government – and I will give the government some suggestions; it could occur – could use Foodbank and community pantries, neighbourhood houses, Aboriginal corporations, the Orange Door, regional train stations and bus interchanges, bush nursing centres or community health centres. Minister, will you actually commit to doing something for disadvantaged women in my electorate?