Petition against change to facilities lodged with shire

THE Surf Coast Shire is hearing some community opposition against its proposal to change local laws about access to toilets, showers and changerooms.

At their meeting on Tuesday this week, councillors received a 174-signature petition urging the shire to “leave the local law on men’s and women’s facilities alone”.

The petition states the undersigned “want the prohibition on men using women’s change rooms and toilets, and vice versa, to continue”, but has no further details.

It follows one of the shire’s proposed amendments to the Community Amenity Local Law 2021 after a review, resolved at the council’s May meeting.

The amendment would delete a clause in the Principal Local Law (Behaviour in Municipal Buildings) in its entirety to remove the prohibition for people over six years old to enter a shire facility intended for use by persons of the opposite gender.

In their report to councillors in May, officers stated the change was recommended by the Gender and Equity Impact Assessment in the review, and would improve accessibility not only for families and carers but also for gender-diverse community members.

At the time, Cr Libby Stapleton said the change to toilet access was legally required so the shire was compliant with the federal Sex Discrimination Act 1984 and Victoria’s Gender Equality Act 2020.

Speaking at Tuesday’s meeting, Cr Rose Hodge thanked petitioners for their feedback, and said she had already suggested some community members read a list of frequently asked questions (FAQ) about the change on the shire’s website.

In response to why the shire does not instead add a unisex option to all its facilities, the FAQ states doing so “would require significant funding and take time”.

“Any new builds or redevelopments will include more inclusive options”.

Councillors unanimously referred the petition to the shire’s general manager of strategy and effectiveness for consideration, and the council will receive a report on it at a future council meeting.

Other changes proposed in the amendments to the Local Law 2021 include incorporating the shire’s reviewed Residential Nature Strip Guidelines into the Local Law, so the guidelines would be enforceable and infringements could be issued for non-compliance; and giving the word “smoke” the same definition as that within the Tobacco Act 1987, so the use of e-cigarettes/vapes would be prohibited under the relevant clauses.

To read the FAQ, head to surfcoast.vic.gov.au/About-us/Your-Say/Community-Amenity-Local-Law-Amendment-2023