Women’s Health West has called on Brimbank council to follow the lead of another metropolitan council and spend up to $26,000 installing condom vending machines in its public toilets.
In a submission to the council’s draft budget, Women’s Health West (WHW) health promotion manager Annarella Hardiman said the council should put machines in all 13 existing and future toilets.
“The initial outlay for the purchase of condom vending machines is $1500 to $2000 per unit,” she said. “A pilot project in the Hume region found the revenue raised by these machines recouped the cost in less than 18 months,” she said.
“We strongly recommend that once the costs of the machines are recouped the revenue raised be reinvested in sexual and reproductive health programs in the municipality.”
WHW also called on the council to fund one full-time youth worker to partner with WHW to implement the Girls Talk, Guys Talk program – supporting respectful relationships and sex education – at two secondary schools over the coming year.
“This program and its delivery has been shown to promote gender- equitable, respectful relationships, improve sexual health, reduce homophobia and bullying and promote positive self-esteem, among other facets of optimal mental health and well-being,” she said.
It has also lobbied the council to ensure it continues to fund its gender equity project, which is set to expire this year.
“We recommend the council ensure the financial security of programs to prevent violence against women,” Ms Hardiman said.
“Brimbank’s proposed 2014-15 budget does not indicate whether the council has committed any new funds to existing initiatives or to its forthcoming
Gender Equity Strategy: A Plan to Prevent Violence Against Women 2014-2018.
“In comparison, Moreland council committed $125,000 to primary prevention projects.”
WHW commended the council on its $7.53 million commitment to community planning and development, including strategies to prevent violence against women.
The council’s director of community well-being, Neil Whiteside, said the council would consider WHW’s submission.
“Council has worked in the past in partnership with Women’s Health West to deliver the Girls Talk, Guys Talk program at Taylors Lakes Secondary College over a 12-month period,” he said.
“Council has also just commenced an innovative partnership with Women’s Health West and CoHealth to deliver Girls Talk, Guys Talk at the Jackson School in St Albans throughout the 2014-15 financial year.”
