In promising news to anyone who menstruates, all Victorians will soon be able to access free period products. The nation-leading reform aims to acknowledge that period care is a human right, not a luxury, helping the many people who can't afford to buy pads and tampons while facing the current cost of living pressures.
The government plans to install smart vending machines in 700 public places across the state, providing $23 million in funding to make it happen. The smart vending machines will be situated in venues like libraries, courts, hospitals, train stations and TAFEs, dispensing pads and tampons in the women's, accessible and all-gender bathrooms.
The first phase of the free period products roll-out will install 50 machines across 30 venues, including the State Library, the Kangan Institute in Broadmeadows, Northern Health Broadmeadows, Lalor Library, Coburg Library, Diamond Valley Library, Arts Centre Melbourne, Immigration Museum, Melbourne Museum and Royal Exhibition Building.
The smart vending machines will be supplied by Affinity Outdoor, a women-led tech company, and will allow people to get enough products to last them several days. Plus, they'll be able to automatically detect when they need to be restocked.
Free period products were previously available in Melbourne through a council-run pilot program, but it ended in June 2023. The state government already supplies pads and tampons to public schools, with this next initiative a major step in making period care products accessible to all Victorians.
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