YARRIAMBIACK Shire Council residents will soon have 24-hour access to contraception.
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Condom vending machines will be placed at three public toilets around the shire to encourage safe sex practices.
At the council’s July meeting on Wednesday, a motion was carried to approve the installation of six vending machines for a trial period.
Machines will be placed in the male and female public toilets on Scott Street, Warracknabeal; Yarrack Lane, Hopetoun; and Wimmera Highway, Murtoa.
In his report to the council, Infrastructure Services manager Bernie Naylor said the decision was made following discussions at previous council forums.
“Concerns (have been) raised by councillors and members of the community regarding the state of sexual and reproductive health in our shire, especially in young people, and the desire to reduce the spread Sexually Transmitted Infections and the number of unplanned and teenage pregnancies,” he said.
“The installation of easily accessible condom vending machines that will provide the community, particularly young people, with better support and more options to access a product that helps protect sexual and reproductive health.”
Mr Naylor said Centre for Excellence in Rural Sexual Health research showed that encouraging safer sexual practices was the most successful public health strategy to prevent transmission of STIs.
“These three locations all have secondary schools nearby and were decided as ideal trial sites for that reason. If the trial is successful, we hope that it will be extended to more sites in the future,” he said.
The cost to council for the supply, installation and servicing of the six vending machines every six weeks is approximately $3000 per year.
Councillor Kylie Zanker moved the motion and was deeply grateful for Mr Naylor’s investigations into the need for the machines.
“This is something that I’ve been trying to get for 10 years,” she said.
“It has always been a worry for me that people in our shire, and especially young people, don’t have access to contraception. We know that sexual health in the shire isn’t as good as we’d like it to be.
“I am delighted to have these trial sites to give our population access to safe reproduction items to improve health practices.”
Cr Jean Wise agreed with Cr Zanker.
“We need to look to the future and we know that this is an issue that will only get worse,” she said.
The following year, condom vending machines were installed in the male and female public toilets behind Dimboola’s library, in Nhill’s Goldsworthy Park, in Jeparit’s Menzies Square and Rainbow’s Mecca Town Hall for a trial period of two years.