1 00:00:01,240 --> 00:00:03,560 Speaker 1: My name is Lily Maddon and I'm a proud Arunda 2 00:00:03,800 --> 00:00:08,600 Speaker 1: Bungelung Calcottin woman from Gadigl Country. The Daily oz acknowledges 3 00:00:08,680 --> 00:00:10,840 Speaker 1: that this podcast is recorded on the lands of the 4 00:00:10,880 --> 00:00:14,400 Speaker 1: Gadighl people and pays respect to all Aboriginal and Torres 5 00:00:14,440 --> 00:00:17,360 Speaker 1: Strait Island and nations. We pay our respects to the 6 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:20,120 Speaker 1: first peoples of these countries, both past and present. 7 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:28,200 Speaker 2: Good morning and welcome to the Daily os It's Wednesday, 8 00:00:28,200 --> 00:00:31,400 Speaker 2: the seventh of June. I'm zara, i'm Nina. A survey 9 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:34,839 Speaker 2: by a period justice charity called Share the Dignity has 10 00:00:34,880 --> 00:00:37,440 Speaker 2: found that fifteen percent of those who menstruate in the 11 00:00:37,479 --> 00:00:41,240 Speaker 2: Act have experienced period poverty at some point. 12 00:00:41,240 --> 00:00:44,360 Speaker 3: Having to live in tampons for far too long, or 13 00:00:44,479 --> 00:00:47,159 Speaker 3: using a pad and cutting it into three so that 14 00:00:47,200 --> 00:00:50,360 Speaker 3: they get longevity out of a pad Like this is 15 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:52,159 Speaker 3: in Australia, the lucky country. 16 00:00:53,159 --> 00:00:55,960 Speaker 2: To address this very issue of period poverty in the Act, 17 00:00:56,560 --> 00:00:59,160 Speaker 2: a bill is set to pass Parliament today making free 18 00:00:59,200 --> 00:01:02,640 Speaker 2: products available for those who need them. So how does 19 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:05,560 Speaker 2: this compare to other states and territories. We're going to 20 00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:08,480 Speaker 2: discuss that in the Deep Dive. But first Nina more 21 00:01:08,600 --> 00:01:14,080 Speaker 2: interest rate rises. That's right, Zara. 22 00:01:14,160 --> 00:01:17,120 Speaker 4: The Reserve Bank of Australia has raised the cash rate 23 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:20,560 Speaker 4: from three point eighty five percent to four point one percent. 24 00:01:20,880 --> 00:01:23,600 Speaker 4: It's the twelfth rate rise since May of last year, 25 00:01:23,800 --> 00:01:27,000 Speaker 4: and the second in a row. RBA Governor Philip Lowe 26 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:30,120 Speaker 4: says inflation has passed its peak but is still too 27 00:01:30,200 --> 00:01:33,080 Speaker 4: high and that it'll be some time yet before it's 28 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:34,880 Speaker 4: back down to desirable levels. 29 00:01:37,400 --> 00:01:40,800 Speaker 2: Federal Environment Minister Tanya Plebersec will be taken to court 30 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:44,240 Speaker 2: by a local climate group in central Queensland. The group 31 00:01:44,240 --> 00:01:47,000 Speaker 2: has said that plibisec failed to act on potential climate 32 00:01:47,080 --> 00:01:50,279 Speaker 2: change impacts on new coal projects granted under her watch. 33 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:55,240 Speaker 4: Mike Pence is set to run for US president at 34 00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:59,040 Speaker 4: the next election. Pence served as Donald Trump's vice president 35 00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:02,600 Speaker 4: from twenty seven teen to twenty twenty one. Trump and 36 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:05,760 Speaker 4: Florida Governor Ronda Santis are seen as the favorites to 37 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:09,480 Speaker 4: run as the presidential candidate for the Republican Party next year. 38 00:02:12,080 --> 00:02:14,880 Speaker 2: And the good News. A butterfly species believed to have 39 00:02:14,919 --> 00:02:17,760 Speaker 2: been extinct in the UK for almost one hundred years 40 00:02:17,800 --> 00:02:21,240 Speaker 2: has reappeared on the edges of London. The black veiled 41 00:02:21,240 --> 00:02:24,160 Speaker 2: white butterfly has been spotted after being declared back in 42 00:02:24,240 --> 00:02:28,360 Speaker 2: nineteen twenty five. The UK charity Butterfly Conservation said that 43 00:02:28,480 --> 00:02:31,640 Speaker 2: sightings come from an unofficial release, but did suggest it 44 00:02:31,720 --> 00:02:34,640 Speaker 2: may not result in an immediate regrowth of the population. 45 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 2: A bill is set to pass Parliament in the Act 46 00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:44,720 Speaker 2: today that's going to make free period products available to 47 00:02:44,760 --> 00:02:48,400 Speaker 2: those who need them. That includes providing free period products 48 00:02:48,440 --> 00:02:51,760 Speaker 2: in schools and providing proper facilities for hand washing and 49 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:55,680 Speaker 2: sanitary waste in the Act Public Service. So just to 50 00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:59,480 Speaker 2: be clear, there are already free menstruation products in public 51 00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:03,160 Speaker 2: schools in every certain territory in this country, though they're 52 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:06,560 Speaker 2: only in high schools in Wa. But the Act government 53 00:03:06,600 --> 00:03:09,520 Speaker 2: says this legislation will be the first time that these 54 00:03:09,520 --> 00:03:13,239 Speaker 2: policies are now formalized in law. To help us understand 55 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:17,079 Speaker 2: the significance of this legislation, I spoke to Rachelle Courtney, 56 00:03:17,160 --> 00:03:21,960 Speaker 2: who's the founder of period justice advocacy charity Share the Dignity. Rochelle, 57 00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:24,840 Speaker 2: thanks so much for joining us today on the pod. 58 00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:27,440 Speaker 2: Before we talk about the news out of the Act, 59 00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:30,200 Speaker 2: can you just share a little bit about what it 60 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:32,400 Speaker 2: is that Share the Dignity does on a day to 61 00:03:32,480 --> 00:03:33,119 Speaker 2: day basis. 62 00:03:33,440 --> 00:03:37,160 Speaker 3: Yeah, share, the dignity is here to ensure that those 63 00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:39,400 Speaker 3: that meant strate do not go without the very basic 64 00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:41,880 Speaker 3: essentials and are not having to use socks, what it 65 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:45,160 Speaker 3: up toilet paper and newspaper to do with their period. 66 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:48,440 Speaker 2: And so there you're talking about the effects of period poverty. 67 00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:50,600 Speaker 2: Can you just go into a bit about what we 68 00:03:50,720 --> 00:03:55,360 Speaker 2: understand about, you know, people who are menstruating, how difficult 69 00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:58,360 Speaker 2: it can be for them to access these sorts of items. Yeah. 70 00:03:58,440 --> 00:04:02,240 Speaker 3: Look, with some homelessness on the rise as we speak, 71 00:04:02,360 --> 00:04:05,480 Speaker 3: we are seeing more and more people unable to afford 72 00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:08,200 Speaker 3: the very basic of essentials, even people who are working 73 00:04:08,480 --> 00:04:13,760 Speaker 3: who cannot afford food, electricity, fuel and childcare, turning up 74 00:04:13,800 --> 00:04:16,400 Speaker 3: to work and having to live in tampons for far 75 00:04:16,440 --> 00:04:20,080 Speaker 3: too long, or using a pad and cutting it into 76 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:23,640 Speaker 3: three so that they get a longevity out of a 77 00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:26,919 Speaker 3: pad like this is in Australia, the lucky country. So 78 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:30,320 Speaker 3: you know, our job, actually the dignity is to advocate 79 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:32,440 Speaker 3: to ensure that this does not happen in Australia. 80 00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:35,000 Speaker 2: Do you have any stats about period poverty? 81 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:38,840 Speaker 3: We have the bloody Big Survey which tells us that 82 00:04:38,960 --> 00:04:42,799 Speaker 3: twenty four percent of Australians have been through period poverty. 83 00:04:42,880 --> 00:04:46,480 Speaker 2: That is a very high percentage. And so you're doing 84 00:04:46,600 --> 00:04:48,839 Speaker 2: a lot of that advocacy in lots of different areas 85 00:04:48,880 --> 00:04:51,840 Speaker 2: across the country. But today we're chatting because there is 86 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:54,279 Speaker 2: a bill that is about to pass Parliament in the Act. 87 00:04:54,800 --> 00:04:55,960 Speaker 2: Can you tell me a bit about it? 88 00:04:56,440 --> 00:04:59,039 Speaker 3: Yeah, Look, we're so excited that this bill is about 89 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:03,000 Speaker 3: to pass Parliament. To it is monumental. It means that 90 00:05:03,160 --> 00:05:07,000 Speaker 3: it is a law for Act to provide access to 91 00:05:07,040 --> 00:05:09,479 Speaker 3: sanitary products to those who need them. 92 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:12,760 Speaker 2: And is there any law like this across the country? 93 00:05:13,200 --> 00:05:15,640 Speaker 3: No, this will be the first of its kind. We've 94 00:05:15,680 --> 00:05:18,680 Speaker 3: been working with the Act for about two years to 95 00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:21,120 Speaker 3: make this come to fruition and we hope that this 96 00:05:21,320 --> 00:05:24,400 Speaker 3: is the first. So we hope that this will get 97 00:05:24,440 --> 00:05:27,960 Speaker 3: replicated across the other states and territories within the next 98 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:28,839 Speaker 3: five years. 99 00:05:29,120 --> 00:05:31,359 Speaker 2: And is there any chatter that that's the case? Have 100 00:05:31,839 --> 00:05:34,720 Speaker 2: governments been receptive to this sort of advocacy in other 101 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:36,520 Speaker 2: states and territories across the country. 102 00:05:36,720 --> 00:05:39,640 Speaker 3: Look, we started with gals not being able to have 103 00:05:39,720 --> 00:05:43,000 Speaker 3: access to sanitary items and missing days of school. We've 104 00:05:43,040 --> 00:05:46,960 Speaker 3: now advocated to make sure that every state and territory 105 00:05:47,520 --> 00:05:50,560 Speaker 3: provides access to sanitary items, albeit that there are a 106 00:05:50,600 --> 00:05:53,160 Speaker 3: few that still need to tweak what they're working. So 107 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:56,720 Speaker 3: we're working on that. We've advocated to make sure that 108 00:05:56,800 --> 00:06:01,040 Speaker 3: every hospital in Australia provides sanitary so we are getting 109 00:06:01,240 --> 00:06:03,680 Speaker 3: a little bit step further. I think it'll be a 110 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:07,960 Speaker 3: really interesting to watch the expenditure and the trials that 111 00:06:08,040 --> 00:06:11,360 Speaker 3: happen in the Act before it rolls out to any 112 00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:14,120 Speaker 3: of the other big states. But I mean with Victoria, 113 00:06:14,480 --> 00:06:17,320 Speaker 3: we're looking like what's going to be happening there, which 114 00:06:17,320 --> 00:06:20,880 Speaker 3: is policy bound, will be a step in the right direction. 115 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:23,360 Speaker 3: And I can tell you that I hope that they 116 00:06:23,360 --> 00:06:26,000 Speaker 3: are next to bring in the bill. 117 00:06:26,120 --> 00:06:29,479 Speaker 2: And so for you, in a perfect world, what does 118 00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:34,120 Speaker 2: full accessibility for period products look like in Australia, what 119 00:06:34,200 --> 00:06:36,280 Speaker 2: do you want to see here in this country? 120 00:06:36,640 --> 00:06:39,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, we would love share. The dignity to become redundant, 121 00:06:39,200 --> 00:06:39,800 Speaker 3: right share. 122 00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:40,800 Speaker 2: The dignity only. 123 00:06:40,640 --> 00:06:43,960 Speaker 3: Exists because the government weren't paying any attention to those 124 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:47,880 Speaker 3: that were menstruating. So we're really looking forward to in 125 00:06:47,920 --> 00:06:50,040 Speaker 3: the next five years for this to be happening all 126 00:06:50,040 --> 00:06:53,719 Speaker 3: over Australia and we will simply look at how do 127 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:55,320 Speaker 3: we make sure that we get it's in the bag 128 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:56,600 Speaker 3: donations to those that. 129 00:06:56,560 --> 00:06:59,679 Speaker 2: Need them, and once in the bag, donations for anyone 130 00:06:59,760 --> 00:07:01,680 Speaker 2: that might not know what you're talking about there. 131 00:07:01,960 --> 00:07:04,320 Speaker 3: Yeah, so It's in the bag is where we ask 132 00:07:04,400 --> 00:07:07,400 Speaker 3: every day Australians to fill a bag with life's essential 133 00:07:07,440 --> 00:07:10,960 Speaker 3: things like shampoo, conditioner, toothbrush, toothpastey, go to it so 134 00:07:11,160 --> 00:07:14,280 Speaker 3: and sanitary items and then pop them in a bag 135 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:16,880 Speaker 3: and drop them into Bunnings. The last two weeks of November, 136 00:07:16,920 --> 00:07:20,120 Speaker 3: we again then get them out to every woman spending 137 00:07:20,160 --> 00:07:24,160 Speaker 3: Christmas in a domestic violence shelter or experiencing homelessness or poverty. 138 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:27,960 Speaker 3: So we will continue on that mission. But I've got 139 00:07:28,000 --> 00:07:30,960 Speaker 3: I hope that we have accomplished dimensional equity here in 140 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:31,840 Speaker 3: Australia by them. 141 00:07:32,720 --> 00:07:34,680 Speaker 2: I mean, if we take a step back, and I 142 00:07:34,680 --> 00:07:36,520 Speaker 2: suspect I know the answer to this, but I'm going 143 00:07:36,560 --> 00:07:38,880 Speaker 2: to ask it anyway, why do you think that this 144 00:07:39,080 --> 00:07:42,440 Speaker 2: is still such an issue in their country like Australia. 145 00:07:42,480 --> 00:07:44,920 Speaker 2: Why do you think that we're still hearing the stories 146 00:07:44,920 --> 00:07:48,720 Speaker 2: that you hear and seeing the stats that your organization 147 00:07:48,840 --> 00:07:52,840 Speaker 2: is researching. Why is this still such an inequity in Australia. 148 00:07:53,040 --> 00:07:57,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, look, we've never educated boys around mens durations, So 149 00:07:57,520 --> 00:07:59,920 Speaker 3: how do we expect men to be empathetic with us 150 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:04,480 Speaker 3: if they have no understanding about menstruation. So our biggest 151 00:08:04,520 --> 00:08:07,640 Speaker 3: piece of advocacy right now is also about making sure 152 00:08:07,640 --> 00:08:10,720 Speaker 3: that while we can give products to those at school, 153 00:08:10,720 --> 00:08:13,520 Speaker 3: we need to be educating boys and girls because those 154 00:08:13,520 --> 00:08:16,480 Speaker 3: little boys who don't get educated end up being somebody's boss, 155 00:08:16,760 --> 00:08:19,320 Speaker 3: ends up being our prime minister, ends up being somebody's 156 00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:23,360 Speaker 3: husband and father, and have no understanding. That's how we 157 00:08:23,400 --> 00:08:27,800 Speaker 3: will change Australia to be better. When we know better, 158 00:08:27,840 --> 00:08:29,400 Speaker 3: we can do better and so can men. 159 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:32,440 Speaker 2: And how is that education happening? Like, how do you 160 00:08:32,559 --> 00:08:36,760 Speaker 2: start with school aged children to educate them? Are you 161 00:08:36,800 --> 00:08:39,160 Speaker 2: going into schools? Are you trying to equip teachers? What 162 00:08:39,200 --> 00:08:40,200 Speaker 2: does that actually look like? 163 00:08:40,360 --> 00:08:43,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, so about five years ago we funded a program 164 00:08:43,720 --> 00:08:47,560 Speaker 3: called Period Talk. So that's these six sassed kids delivering 165 00:08:47,600 --> 00:08:50,760 Speaker 3: period education. Two of them are boys, which is remarkable, 166 00:08:50,800 --> 00:08:54,080 Speaker 3: and it talks about everything from what's a menstruc cup? 167 00:08:54,200 --> 00:08:57,280 Speaker 3: How much blood do I lose? What is a normal 168 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:00,640 Speaker 3: amount of pain for a period. One in ten of 169 00:09:00,679 --> 00:09:03,600 Speaker 3: women in Australia stuff from endometriosis, and it takes eight 170 00:09:03,679 --> 00:09:06,400 Speaker 3: years to get diagnosed, and most of that time we 171 00:09:06,480 --> 00:09:08,839 Speaker 3: don't even know that that period pain is abnormal because 172 00:09:08,840 --> 00:09:12,360 Speaker 3: we don't talk about periods. But if I digress back 173 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:16,000 Speaker 3: to those that education platform is being rolled out in 174 00:09:16,120 --> 00:09:19,680 Speaker 3: every school in Queensland, about two in South Australia as well, 175 00:09:19,679 --> 00:09:21,760 Speaker 3: we hope, But I'm going to give you the example 176 00:09:21,800 --> 00:09:26,080 Speaker 3: of Victoria. In Victoria, they rolled out access to sanitary items. 177 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:28,800 Speaker 3: Yet the very next year, my niece was sitting in 178 00:09:28,840 --> 00:09:31,679 Speaker 3: a classroom at the age in grade five and they 179 00:09:31,679 --> 00:09:34,040 Speaker 3: were about to go on their first school camp, and 180 00:09:34,120 --> 00:09:36,720 Speaker 3: she was sitting there and the teacher asked the boys 181 00:09:36,760 --> 00:09:38,480 Speaker 3: to leave, and then the teacher sat there and said, 182 00:09:38,480 --> 00:09:41,320 Speaker 3: now we're going to have a talk about periods. A 183 00:09:41,880 --> 00:09:44,240 Speaker 3: you know, my niece just sat there and said, well, 184 00:09:44,280 --> 00:09:47,040 Speaker 3: why are my friends outside? Why are they not listening 185 00:09:47,040 --> 00:09:50,520 Speaker 3: to that? So that's where that shame and stigma already starts. 186 00:09:50,520 --> 00:09:52,720 Speaker 3: And why are those boys not learning what their friends 187 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:53,360 Speaker 3: are going through. 188 00:09:53,400 --> 00:09:56,600 Speaker 2: It's a very good question. It doesn't just affect some 189 00:09:56,640 --> 00:09:58,160 Speaker 2: of us, it affects all of us. 190 00:09:58,440 --> 00:10:00,480 Speaker 3: Absolutely. If you don't get your period, you come from 191 00:10:00,520 --> 00:10:03,319 Speaker 3: somebody who did right, so it affects all of us. 192 00:10:03,920 --> 00:10:05,559 Speaker 2: Rochelle, thank you so much for your time. 193 00:10:06,320 --> 00:10:06,880 Speaker 3: Thank you. 194 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:12,680 Speaker 2: Thanks for listening to The Daily OS. 195 00:10:12,920 --> 00:10:15,760 Speaker 4: If you learned something from today's podcast, I'd love it 196 00:10:15,840 --> 00:10:18,200 Speaker 4: if you could give us a rating and review on 197 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:21,200 Speaker 4: whatever app you're using right now. It really helps us 198 00:10:21,240 --> 00:10:34,160 Speaker 4: to get the word out there and have a great day.