Today in Parliament, Abigail gave notice of a motion calling on the NSW Government to fund the My Monthly Matters initiative, which proposes installing vending machines stocked with free pads, tampons and underwear in every public hospital addressing a systemic failure that is currently leaving too many patients, including survivors of sexual violence, without access to basic sanitary products.

Abigail said:

I give notice that on the next sitting day I will move:

(1)     That this House notes that:

• the ‘My Monthly Matters’ initiative is a campaign led by Samantha Bruce, a victim-survivor, advocate and the Founder and CEO of Haven Hub Co, to deliver free, trauma-informed access to pads, tampons and underwear for those in need at every public hospital in NSW through the provision of accessible vending machines that dispense these products;
• the campaign identifies a systemic gap in our health system that is currently seeing too many patients in NSW hospitals, including many victim-survivors of sexual violence, denied access to basic, essential sanitary products with dignity and autonomy;
• according to Share the Dignity’s 2024 Big Bloody Survey which heard from almost 43,000 people in NSW, 13 percent of people said they were not able to get period products when they asked for them in hospitals;
• despite a 2022 NSW Health bulletin explicitly directing hospitals to provide free sanitary products on request, a significant number of women are reporting being denied pads, tampons and underwear in NSW hospitals, often forced to use gauze, surgical dressings or toilet paper as makeshift alternatives to period products, or left without underwear entirely;
• there has been inadequate oversight and no additional funding allocated by the NSW Government to support the provision of free period products across every public health facility, and there is no explicit requirement for hospitals to provide new underwear for patients which is a concerning gap particularly for victim-survivors of sexual violence who present to emergency departments and require new underwear;
• the burden of this systemic failure too often falls on frontline staff who are already under-resourced and doing their very best in an over-stretched public health system, with some nurses and health staff reporting purchasing period products and underwear for patients using their own money;
• the My Monthly Matters initiative proposes to roll out at least one accessible vending machine across the state in every public hospital, which could be located in a suitable space within bathrooms or on wards to give patients privacy, autonomy and dignity;
• these vending machines would guarantee immediate, trauma-informed and ongoing access to clean, new underwear for women whose clothing has been removed (which is especially vital for victim-survivors of sexual violence), as well as consistent access to essential menstrual products including tampons and pads;
• according to indicative costing analysis by The Australian Institute:
  • providing readily available and accessible pads, tampons and underwear for patients in NSW public hospitals is feasible and affordable;
  • delivering these products through the provision of vending machines is a practical and inexpensive way to do this that does not require the attention of clinical staff; and
  • even using higher‑cost machines across every public hospital in the state, implementing the proposal would require up‑front costs under $1.5 million, with only modest ongoing stocking costs;
• as part of its analysis, The Australia Institute found 75 percent of respondents supported free pads, tampons and underwear in NSW hospitals;
• Samantha Bruce presented the My Monthly Matters proposal, alongside economic costings prepared by The Australia Institute, to NSW Health in September 2025;
• NSW Health Minister Ryan Park indicated in the media in December 2025 that he would consider the proposal, however the government has since made no further comment; and
• the My Monthly Matters initiative has been formally supported by organisations including:
  • the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP);
  • the Australian Society for Psychological Medicine;
  • the Illawarra Women’s Trauma Recovery Centre;
  • Share the Dignity;
  • the Australia Institute;
  • the Peaceful Birth Partnership;
  • Supported Accommodation and Homelessness Services Shoalhaven Illawarra (SAHSSI); and
  • Greens NSW Spokesperson for Gendered Violence and Abuse Abigail Boyd MLC and Spokesperson for Health Dr Amanda Cohn MLC, who wrote to Health Minister Ryan Park on 8 April 2025 calling on the NSW government to provide the funding required to deliver at least one vending machine in every NSW public hospital.

(2)     That this House:

• commends the advocacy of Samantha Bruce and all those involved in the My Monthly Matters campaign;
• affirms that every patient who needs period products and underwear should be able to freely, and with dignity and autonomy, access these products in all public hospitals; and
• calls on the Minister for Health to commit to providing funding for the My Monthly Matters initiative to roll out at least one accessible vending machine across the state in every public hospital, to guarantee immediate access to clean, new underwear for people whose clothing has been removed, as well as free and consistent access to essential menstrual products including tampons and pads.

2 June 2026