{"id":"a-2023-22","name":"Period Products and Facilities (Access) Act 2023","slug":"period-products-and-facilities-access-act-2023","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"act","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":"22 of 2023","makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":24066,"registerId":"act-a-2023-22-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-01","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Period Products and Facilities (Access) Act 2023","content":"Authorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\nAustralian Capital Territory\nPeriod Products and Facilities (Access)\nAct 2023\nA2023-22\nRepublication No 2\nEffective: 26 November 2025\nRepublication date: 26 November 2025\nLast amendment made by A2025-29\n\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\nAbout this republication\nThe republished law\nThis is a republication of the Period Products and Facilities (Access) Act 2023 (including any\namendment made under the Legislation Act 2001, part 11.3 (Editorial changes)) as in force on\n26 November 2025. It also includes any commencement, amendment, repeal or expiry affecting\nthis republished law to 26 November 2025.\nThe legislation history and amendment history of the republished law are set out in endnotes 3\nand 4.\nKinds of republications\nThe Parliamentary Counsel’s Office prepares 2 kinds of republications of ACT laws (see the ACT\nlegislation register at www.legislation.act.gov.au):\n• authorised republications to which the Legislation Act 2001 applies\n• unauthorised republications.\nThe status of this republication appears on the bottom of each page.\nEditorial changes\nThe Legislation Act 2001, part 11.3 authorises the Parliamentary Counsel to make editorial\namendments and other changes of a formal nature when preparing a law for republication.\nEditorial changes do not change the effect of the law, but have effect as if they had been made by\nan Act commencing on the republication date (see Legislation Act 2001, s 115 and s 117). The\nchanges are made if the Parliamentary Counsel considers they are desirable to bring the law into\nline, or more closely into line, with current legislative drafting practice.\nThis republication does not include amendments made under part 11.3 (see endnote 1).\nUncommenced provisions and amendments\nIf a provision of the republished law has not commenced, the symbol U appears immediately\nbefore the provision heading. Any uncommenced amendments that affect this republished law\nare accessible on the ACT legislation register (www.legislation.act.gov.au). For more\ninformation, see the home page for this law on the register.\nModifications\nIf a provision of the republished law is affected by a current modification, the\nsymbol M appears immediately before the provision heading. The text of the modifying\nprovision appears in the endnotes. For the legal status of modifications, see the Legislation\nAct 2001, section 95.\nPenalties\nAt the republication date, the value of a penalty unit for an offence against this law is $160 for an\nindividual and $810 for a corporation (see Legislation Act 2001, s 133).\n\nR2\n26/11/25\nPeriod Products and Facilities (Access) Act 2023\nEffective: 26/11/25\ncontents 1\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\nAustralian Capital Territory\nPeriod Products and Facilities (Access)\nAct 2023\nContents\nPage\nPart 1 Preliminary\n1 Name of Act 2\n3 Dictionary 2\n4 Notes 2\n5 Object of Act 3\n6 Principles of dignity 3\n7 Meaning of period poverty 4\nPart 2 Access to period products\nDivision 2.1 Access in the community\n8 Suitable places for accessing period products 5\n9 Access to period products at suitable places 5\n10 Access arrangements—suitable places 6\n\nContents\nPage\ncontents 2 Period Products and Facilities (Access) Act 2023\nEffective: 26/11/25\nR2\n26/11/25\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\n11 Approved suitable places 6\n12 Approval guidelines 7\nDivision 2.2 Access for students\n13 Access to period products on education provider premises 8\n14 Access arrangements—government schools 8\n15 Access arrangements—other education provider premises 9\nDivision 2.3 Access for patients and visitors\n16 Meaning of hospital—div 2.3 9\n17 Access to period products on hospital premises 10\n18 Access arrangements—hospitals 10\nPart 3 Workplace access to facilities\n19 Definitions—pt 3 11\n20 Workplace access to facilities 11\nPart 4 Information and guidelines\n21 Information about menstruation 12\n22 Access guidelines 12\nPart 5 Miscellaneous\n23 Report on operation of Act 14\n24 Review of operation of Act 14\n25 Regulation-making power 14\nDictionary 15\nEndnotes\n1 About the endnotes 18\n2 Abbreviation key 18\n3 Legislation history 19\n4 Amendment history 19\n5 Earlier republications 20\n\nR2\n26/11/25\nPeriod Products and Facilities (Access) Act 2023\nEffective: 26/11/25\npage 1\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\nAustralian Capital Territory\nPeriod Products and Facilities (Access)\nAct 2023\nAn Act to provide free access to period products, facilities and information about\nmenstruation, and for other purposes\n\nPart 1 Preliminary\nSection 1\npage 2 Period Products and Facilities (Access) Act 2023\nEffective: 26/11/25\nR2\n26/11/25\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\nPart 1 Preliminary\n1 Name of Act\nThis Act is the Period Products and Facilities (Access) Act 2023.\n3 Dictionary\nThe dictionary at the end of this Act is part of this Act.\nNote 1 The dictionary at the end of this Act defines certain terms used in this\nAct, and includes references (signpost definitions) to other terms defined\nelsewhere.\nFor example, the signpost definition ‘territory-funded work, for part 3\n(Workplace access to facilities)—see the Government Procurement\nAct 2001, section 22F.’ means that the term ‘territory-funded work’ is\ndefined in that Act and the definition applies to this Act for part 3.\nNote 2 A definition in the dictionary applies to the entire Act unless the\ndefinition, or another provision of the Act, provides otherwise or the\ncontrary intention otherwise appears (see Legislation Act, s 155 and\ns 156 (1)).\n4 Notes\nA note included in this Act is explanatory and is not part of this Act.\nNote See the Legislation Act, s 127 (1), (4) and (5) for the legal status of notes.\n\nPreliminary Part 1\nSection 5\nR2\n26/11/25\nPeriod Products and Facilities (Access) Act 2023\nEffective: 26/11/25\npage 3\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\n5 Object of Act\n(1) The main object of this Act is to reduce and prevent period poverty\nin the ACT.\n(2) This Act aims to achieve its object by—\n(a) providing free access to period products for people experiencing\nperiod poverty in the ACT; and\n(b) improving access to toilets, handwashing facilities and sanitary\nwaste facilities; and\n(c) providing public information about menstruation and menstrual\nhygiene.\n6 Principles of dignity\nIn exercising a function under this Act, the following principles\n(the principles of dignity) must be taken into account:\n(a) a person may experience period poverty as a result of either or\nboth of the following, which, if experienced in combination,\nmay worsen period poverty:\n(i) economic disadvantage;\n(ii) different aspects of the person’s identity, for example, their\nsexual orientation, gender identity, mental health,\nnationality, religion or ability;\n(b) not every person who menstruates identifies as a woman;\n(c) a person accessing period products should—\n(i) be given a reasonable amount of privacy; and\n(ii) have their personal information protected in a way that\ncomplies with the Information Privacy Act 2014; and\n\nPart 1 Preliminary\nSection 7\npage 4 Period Products and Facilities (Access) Act 2023\nEffective: 26/11/25\nR2\n26/11/25\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\n(iii) as far as reasonably practicable, be given the same access\nto period products as anyone else seeking access to the\nproducts, regardless of their identity; and\n(iv) be able to access period products in a way that avoids\nhumiliation and enables age appropriate participation in\ndecision-making.\n7 Meaning of period poverty\nFor this Act, a person experiences period poverty if the person is in\nfinancial, social, cultural or physical circumstances that prevent the\nperson from accessing, when needed, any of the following:\n(a) period products;\n(b) menstrual hygiene information;\n(c) toilets;\n(d) handwashing facilities;\n(e) sanitary waste facilities.\n\nAccess to period products Part 2\nAccess in the community Division 2.1\nSection 8\nR2\n26/11/25\nPeriod Products and Facilities (Access) Act 2023\nEffective: 26/11/25\npage 5\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\nPart 2 Access to period products\nDivision 2.1 Access in the community\n8 Suitable places for accessing period products\n(1) The Minister must maintain a list of places at which period products\nare to be made available for use by people experiencing period\npoverty (the suitable places list).\n(2) The suitable places list must include the following:\n(a) public places in a range of geographical locations in the ACT to\nensure reasonable access for people experiencing period\npoverty;\n(b) any approved suitable place.\nExamples—suitable places\n• community facility\n• health centre\n• library\n(3) The suitable places list is a notifiable instrument.\n9 Access to period products at suitable places\n(1) The director-general must ensure period products are made available\nat each place on the suitable places list, free of charge, for use by\npeople experiencing period poverty.\n(2) In making period products available at a public place on the suitable\nplaces list, the director-general must comply with the access\narrangements for the place.\n(3) In making period products available at an approved suitable place, the\nresponsible entity for the place must comply with the access\narrangements for the place.\n\nPart 2 Access to period products\nDivision 2.1 Access in the community\nSection 10\npage 6 Period Products and Facilities (Access) Act 2023\nEffective: 26/11/25\nR2\n26/11/25\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\n10 Access arrangements—suitable places\n(1) The director-general with administrative responsibility for a public\nplace on the suitable places list must make arrangements, in writing,\nfor access to period products at the place.\n(2) The director-general must make arrangements, in writing, for access\nto period products at approved suitable places.\n(3) Access arrangements for a place must—\n(a) be consistent with the principles of dignity; and\n(b) provide for—\n(i) how a person accesses a period product at the place in a\nway that respects the person’s dignity; and\n(ii) a reasonable range of period products to be available at the\nplace.\n11 Approved suitable places\n(1) An entity may apply to the Minister to have a place included on the\nsuitable places list if the entity—\n(a) provides services to people who are, or are likely to be,\nexperiencing period poverty; and\n(b) provides the services from the place; and\n(c) satisfies any other eligibility criteria under the approval\nguidelines.\n(2) The director-general may approve the place to be an approved\nsuitable place if satisfied that—\n(a) the application complies with any requirements for the\napplication under the approval guidelines; and\n(b) the inclusion of the place on the list is likely to improve access\nto period products for people experiencing period poverty.\n\nAccess to period products Part 2\nAccess in the community Division 2.1\nSection 12\nR2\n26/11/25\nPeriod Products and Facilities (Access) Act 2023\nEffective: 26/11/25\npage 7\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\n(3) An approval may be subject to conditions.\n(4) The responsible entity for an approved suitable place must report to\nthe director-general on the entity’s compliance with the access\narrangements for the place each year, or as otherwise requested in\nwriting by the director-general.\n(5) The director-general may remove an approved suitable place from the\nsuitable places list if not satisfied the responsible entity for the place\nis complying with—\n(a) the access arrangements for the place; or\n(b) any condition on the approval.\n12 Approval guidelines\n(1) The director-general must make guidelines (the approval guidelines)\nfor applying for and approving a place to be included on the suitable\nplaces list under section 11.\n(2) Without limiting subsection (1), the approval guidelines may provide\nfor the following:\n(a) any other eligibility criteria for an entity to apply for approval;\n(b) the process for applying for approval or reapproval, including\nthe form and content of applications;\n(c) any other criteria for deciding applications;\n(d) the length of an approval.\n(3) An approval guideline is a notifiable instrument.\n\nPart 2 Access to period products\nDivision 2.2 Access for students\nSection 13\npage 8 Period Products and Facilities (Access) Act 2023\nEffective: 26/11/25\nR2\n26/11/25\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\nDivision 2.2 Access for students\n13 Access to period products on education provider\npremises\n(1) An education provider must ensure period products are made\navailable on the provider’s premises, free of charge, for use by\nstudents of the provider experiencing period poverty.\n(2) In making period products available on an education provider’s\npremises, the provider must comply with the access arrangements for\nthe premises.\n14 Access arrangements—government schools\n(1) The director-general responsible for administering the Education\nAct 2004 must make arrangements, in writing, for access by students\nof government schools to period products on government school\npremises.\n(2) Access arrangements for government school premises must—\n(a) be consistent with the principles of dignity; and\n(b) provide for—\n(i) how a student accesses a period product on the premises in\na way that respects the student’s dignity; and\n(ii) a reasonable range of period products to be available on the\nschool premises.\n(3) The director-general responsible for administering the Education\nAct 2004 must give public notice of access arrangements for a\ngovernment school.\n\nAccess to period products Part 2\nAccess for patients and visitors Division 2.3\nSection 15\nR2\n26/11/25\nPeriod Products and Facilities (Access) Act 2023\nEffective: 26/11/25\npage 9\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\n15 Access arrangements—other education provider\npremises\n(1) This section applies to an education provider other than a government\nschool.\n(2) The education provider must make arrangements, in writing, for\naccess by students of the provider to period products on the provider’s\npremises.\n(3) Access arrangements for an education provider’s premises must—\n(a) be consistent with the principles of dignity; and\n(b) provide for—\n(i) how a student accesses a period product on the premises in\na way that respects the student’s dignity; and\n(ii) a reasonable range of period products to be available on the\npremises.\n(4) An education provider must make access arrangements available to\nstudents of the provider.\nDivision 2.3 Access for patients and visitors\n16 Meaning of hospital—div 2.3\n(1) In this division:\nhospital—\n(a) means a public hospital or a public day hospital; and\n(b) includes a health facility prescribed by regulation.\n(2) In this section:\napproved mental health facility—see the Mental Health Act 2015,\ndictionary.\n\nPart 2 Access to period products\nDivision 2.3 Access for patients and visitors\nSection 17\npage 10 Period Products and Facilities (Access) Act 2023\nEffective: 26/11/25\nR2\n26/11/25\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\nday hospital means a facility where a person is admitted for surgical\nor medical treatment and discharged on the same day.\nhealth facility—see the Health Act 1993, section 6.\npublic hospital includes an approved mental health facility that\nprovides mental health services for inpatients only.\n17 Access to period products on hospital premises\n(1) The director-general responsible for administering the Health\nAct 1993 must ensure period products are made available on hospital\npremises, free of charge, for use by patients and visitors at the hospital\nwho are experiencing period poverty.\n(2) In making period products available on hospital premises, the\ndirector-general must comply with access arrangements for the\npremises.\n18 Access arrangements—hospitals\n(1) The director-general responsible for administering the Health\nAct 1993 must make arrangements, in writing, for access by patients\nand visitors at hospitals to period products on hospital premises.\n(2) Access arrangements for hospital premises must—\n(a) be consistent with the principles of dignity; and\n(b) provide for—\n(i) how a patient or visitor accesses a period product on the\npremises in a way that respects the patient’s or visitor’s\ndignity; and\n(ii) a reasonable range of period products to be available on the\npremises.\n(3) The director-general responsible for administering the Health\nAct 1993 must give public notice of access arrangements for a\nhospital.\n\nWorkplace access to facilities Part 3\nSection 19\nR2\n26/11/25\nPeriod Products and Facilities (Access) Act 2023\nEffective: 26/11/25\npage 11\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\nPart 3 Workplace access to facilities\n19 Definitions—pt 3\nIn this part:\nterritory-funded work—see the Government Procurement Act 2001,\nsection 22F.\nworkplace does not include the home of a territory worker even if the\nterritory worker performs some or all of their work from home.\n20 Workplace access to facilities\n(1) This section applies to a person who—\n(a) works in territory-funded work; or\n(b) is a public employee.\n(2) The person must have access at their workplace to toilets,\nhandwashing facilities and sanitary waste facilities in a way that—\n(a) is consistent with—\n(i) the object of this Act; and\n(ii) the principles of dignity; and\n(iii) any guidelines under section 22 (Access guidelines); and\n(b) respects the dignity of the person accessing the facilities.\n\nPart 4 Information and guidelines\nSection 21\npage 12 Period Products and Facilities (Access) Act 2023\nEffective: 26/11/25\nR2\n26/11/25\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\nPart 4 Information and guidelines\n21 Information about menstruation\n(1) The director-general must ensure that information about menstruation\nis available for use in the community, including by—\n(a) publishing the information on an ACT government website; and\n(b) making hard copies of the information available at various\nlocations, without charge, during ordinary business hours.\nExamples—information about menstruation\n1 information about menstrual hygiene\n2 information about where a person can access healthcare or advice about\nmenstruation\n3 information about whether a person is entitled to leave for reasons related to\nmenstruation\n4 information about menstruation for people who do not menstruate\n(2) The director-general must take reasonable steps to ensure that the\ninformation in subsection (1)—\n(a) is published in languages, other than English, that are in use by\npeople at risk of experiencing period poverty in the ACT; and\n(b) includes age appropriate information for a range of different age\ngroups.\n22 Access guidelines\n(1) The director-general may make guidelines (the access guidelines)\nabout how to comply with an obligation under this Act to respect the\ndignity of a person seeking access to period products, toilets,\nhandwashing facilities and sanitary waste facilities.\n(2) The access guidelines must be consistent with the principles of\ndignity.\n\nInformation and guidelines Part 4\nSection 22\nR2\n26/11/25\nPeriod Products and Facilities (Access) Act 2023\nEffective: 26/11/25\npage 13\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\n(3) Without limiting subsection (1), the access guidelines may—\n(a) apply to a particular industry or sector; and\n(b) state procedures for providing a reasonable amount of privacy\nfor a person seeking access; and\n(c) state procedures for protecting the personal information of a\nperson seeking access.\n(4) An access guideline is a notifiable instrument.\n\nPart 5 Miscellaneous\nSection 23\npage 14 Period Products and Facilities (Access) Act 2023\nEffective: 26/11/25\nR2\n26/11/25\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\nPart 5 Miscellaneous\n23 Report on operation of Act\nThe director-general must include a statement about the operation of\nthis Act in the directorate’s annual report under the Annual Reports\n(Government Agencies) Act 2004.\n24 Review of operation of Act\n(1) The Minister must review the operation of this Act as soon as\npracticable after the end of every 3rd year of its operation.\n(2) The Minister must present a report of the review to the Legislative\nAssembly at a time decided in consultation with the Speaker.\n25 Regulation-making power\nThe Executive may make regulations for this Act.\n\nDictionary\nR2\n26/11/25\nPeriod Products and Facilities (Access) Act 2023\nEffective: 26/11/25\npage 15\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\nDictionary\n(see s 3)\nNote The Legislation Act contains definitions relevant to this Act.\nFor example:\n• director-general (see s 163)\n• entity\n• Executive\n• Minister (see s 162)\n• public employee\n• public notice\n• Speaker.\naccess arrangements, in relation to a place, mean—\n(a) for a place on the suitable places list—the arrangements made\nfor the place under section 10; and\n(b) for government school premises—the arrangements made for\nthe premises under section 14; and\n(c) for the premises of an education provider other than a\ngovernment school—the arrangements made for the premises\nunder section 15; and\n(d) for hospital premises—the arrangements made for the premises\nunder section 17.\naccess guidelines—see section 22 (1).\napproval guidelines—see section 12 (1).\napproved suitable place means a place approved to be included on\nthe suitable places list under section 11.\n\nDictionary\npage 16 Period Products and Facilities (Access) Act 2023\nEffective: 26/11/25\nR2\n26/11/25\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\neducation provider means—\n(a) a government school; or\n(b) a registered training organisation under the National Vocational\nEducation and Training Regulator Act 2011 (Cwlth), section 3;\nor\n(c) a registered higher education provider under the Tertiary\nEducation Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (Cwlth),\nsection 5; or\n(d) an entity prescribed by regulation.\ngovernment school means—\n(a) a school established under the Education Act 2004,\nsection 20 (1); or\n(b) a school-related institution established under the Education\nAct 2004, section 20 (3).\nhospital, for division 2.3 (Access for patients and visitors)—see\nsection 15 (1).\nperiod poverty—see section 7.\nperiod product means a manufactured item designed to absorb or\ncollect menstrual flow.\nExamples\n• menstrual cup\n• period underwear\n• sanitary pad\n• tampon\nprinciples of dignity—see section 6.\nresponsible entity, for an approved suitable place, means the entity\nwho applied for the place to be included on the suitable places list\nunder section 11.\n\nDictionary\nR2\n26/11/25\nPeriod Products and Facilities (Access) Act 2023\nEffective: 26/11/25\npage 17\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\nsanitary waste facility means a facility for the hygienic disposal of\nwaste period products.\nstudent means a person who is enrolled, or regularly attends classes,\nwith an education provider.\nsuitable places list—see section 8 (1).\nterritory-funded work, for part 3 (Workplace access to facilities)—\nsee the Government Procurement Act 2001, section 22F.\nworkplace, for part 3 (Workplace access to facilities)—see\nsection 19.\n\nEndnotes\n1 About the endnotes\npage 18 Period Products and Facilities (Access) Act 2023\nEffective: 26/11/25\nR2\n26/11/25\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\nEndnotes\n1 About the endnotes\nAmending and modifying laws are annotated in the legislation history and the\namendment history. Current modifications are not included in the republished law\nbut are set out in the endnotes.\nNot all editorial amendments made under the Legislation Act 2001, part 11.3 are\nannotated in the amendment history. Full details of any amendments can be\nobtained from the Parliamentary Counsel’s Office.\nUncommenced amending laws are not included in the republished law. The details\nof these laws are underlined in the legislation history. Uncommenced expiries are\nunderlined in the legislation history and amendment history.\nIf all the provisions of the law have been renumbered, a table of renumbered\nprovisions gives details of previous and current numbering.\nThe endnotes also include a table of earlier republications.\n2 Abbreviation key\nA = Act NI = Notifiable instrument\nAF = Approved form o = order\nam = amended om = omitted/repealed\namdt = amendment ord = ordinance\nAR = Assembly resolution orig = original\nch = chapter par = paragraph/subparagraph\nCN = Commencement notice pres = present\ndef = definition prev = previous\nDI = Disallowable instrument (prev...) = previously\ndict = dictionary pt = part\ndisallowed = disallowed by the Legislative r = rule/subrule\nAssembly reloc = relocated\ndiv = division renum = renumbered\nexp = expires/expired R[X] = Republication No\nGaz = gazette RI = reissue\nhdg = heading s = section/subsection\nIA = Interpretation Act 1967 sch = schedule\nins = inserted/added sdiv = subdivision\nLA = Legislation Act 2001 SL = Subordinate law\nLR = legislation register sub = substituted\nLRA = Legislation (Republication) Act 1996 underlining = whole or part not commenced\nmod = modified/modification or to be expired\n\nEndnotes\nLegislation history 3\nR2\n26/11/25\nPeriod Products and Facilities (Access) Act 2023\nEffective: 26/11/25\npage 19\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\n3 Legislation history\nPeriod Products and Facilities (Access) Act 2023 A2023-22\nnotified LR 23 June 2023\ns 1, s 2 commenced 23 June 2023 (LA s 75 (1))\nremainder commenced 23 December 2023 (s 2 and LA s 79)\nas amended by\nStatute Law Amendment Act 2025 A2025-29 sch 3 pt 3.66\nnotified LR 6 November 2025\ns 1, s 2 commenced 6 November 2025 (LA s 75 (1))\nsch 3 pt 3.66 commenced 26 November 2025 (s 2 (3))\n4 Amendment history\nCommencement\ns 2 om LA s 89 (4)\nDictionary\ndict am A2025-29 amdt 3.223\n\nEndnotes\n5 Earlier republications\npage 20 Period Products and Facilities (Access) Act 2023\nEffective: 26/11/25\nR2\n26/11/25\nAuthorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au\n5 Earlier republications\nSome earlier republications were not numbered. The number in column 1 refers to\nthe publication order.\nSince 12 September 2001 every authorised republication has been published in\nelectronic pdf format on the ACT legislation register. A selection of authorised\nrepublications have also been published in printed format. These republications are\nmarked with an asterisk (*) in column 1. Electronic and printed versions of an\nauthorised republication are identical.\nRepublication\nNo and date\nEffective Last\namendment\nmade by\nRepublication\nfor\nR1\n23 Dec 2023\n23 Dec 2023–\n25 Nov 2025\nnot amended new Act\n© Australian Capital Territory 2025","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[{"type":"impossible_compliance","section":"Dictionary definition of “access arrangements” paragraph (d), read with sections 17(2) and 18","severity":"high","reasoning":"Section 3 makes the dictionary part of the Act. Dictionary paragraph (d) identifies hospital access arrangements as those “made ... under section 17”. Section 17 only requires products to be available and compliance with access arrangements. Section 18(1) requires the arrangements to be made. Section 17(2) therefore refers to defined arrangements that cannot be made under the specified provision.","confidence":0.98,"description":"For hospital premises, “access arrangements” are defined as arrangements made under section 17, but section 17 contains no arrangement-making power or duty. Section 18(1) instead requires those written arrangements to be made.","source_quotes":["(d) for hospital premises—the arrangements made for the premises\nunder section 17.","(2) In making period products available on hospital premises, the\ndirector-general must comply with access arrangements for the\npremises.","(1) The director-general responsible for administering the Health\nAct 1993 must make arrangements, in writing, for access by patients\nand visitors at hospitals to period products on hospital premises."]}],"contradictions":[]},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The Act’s core object (reduce and prevent period poverty by providing free products, improving facilities and supplying information) remains the same as originally enacted. The 2025 amendment history shows technical and dictionary updates rather than an expansion of substantive duties. The Act already provided for a broad set of locations (public places, approved suitable places, schools and hospitals) and for workplace facility access via reference to \"territory-funded work\"; those structural features remain. No later provision in the republished text materially broadens the intended policy scope beyond the original purpose."},"complexity_factors":["Relatively short Act (25 sections plus dictionary) but multiple operational Parts (community access, students, patients/visitors, workplaces, information).","About 16 defined terms in the dictionary plus several signpost definitions that reference other Acts (Government Procurement Act 2001, Education Act 2004, Health Act 1993, Mental Health Act 2015, Legislation Act 2001).","Multiple categories of locations and actors (public places, approved suitable places, government schools, other education providers, hospitals, workplaces, public employees, territory-funded work) creating branching compliance paths (ss 8–20).","Administrative discretion for the Minister and director-general to maintain lists, approve places and make guidelines; several instruments are notifiable, adding delegated instruments to implementation (ss 8, 11–12, 22).","Several procedural requirements: written access arrangements, public notices for some arrangements, annual compliance reporting by approved places, and a triennial Ministerial review (ss 10–12, 14, 18, 23–24).","Cross-references to other legislation create interpretive complexity for workplace obligations and some definitions (dictionary and s 19)."],"plain_english_summary":"**What this law does (mechanics)\n\n- Establishes a legal framework requiring the ACT Government and certain other bodies to provide free access to period products (items like sanitary pads, tampons, menstrual cups and period underwear), appropriate facilities, and information about menstruation. (See sections 5, 7, dictionary entry for \"period product\".)\n\n- Requires a maintained \"suitable places list\" of public locations where period products must be available (Minister keeps the list; director-general implements provisioning). (ss 8–9)\n\n- Allows non-government entities that serve people likely to experience period poverty to apply to be approved suitable places and be included on that list, subject to approval guidelines and possible conditions. Approved places must follow written access arrangements and report compliance annually. (ss 11–12)\n\n- Obligates education providers to make period products available, free to students who experience period poverty. Government schools’ arrangements are set by the director-general responsible under the Education Act and must be publicly notified; other education providers must make written arrangements and make them available to students. (ss 13–15)\n\n- Requires hospital premises (public hospitals, public day hospitals and prescribed health facilities) to provide free period products to patients and visitors who experience period poverty, under written access arrangements that must be publicly notified. (ss 16–18)\n\n- Requires workplaces where people perform territory-funded work and workplaces of public employees to provide access to toilets, handwashing and sanitary waste facilities in a way consistent with the Act’s object and dignity principles. \"Territory-funded work\" is defined by reference to the Government Procurement Act. Home offices are excluded. (ss 19–20)\n\n- Requires the director-general to publish and make available information about menstruation (online and hard copy), including translated materials and age-appropriate content. (s 21)\n\n- Enables the director-general to publish access guidelines about how to respect dignity and privacy when providing products and facilities; and requires reporting on the Act’s operation in annual reports and a Ministerial review every 3 years. (ss 22–24)\n\n- Gives the Executive power to make regulations and makes several instruments notifiable (the suitable places list, approval and access guidelines). (s 25; ss 8(3), 12(3), 22(4))\n\n\nWho is directly affected\n\n- ACT Government directorates: must maintain the suitable places list, make and implement written access arrangements for public places, schools and hospitals, publish information and guidelines, and report on operations. (ss 8–10, 14, 17, 21–24)\n\n- Approved suitable places (non-government bodies that successfully apply): must provide free products in accordance with approved written access arrangements, report compliance annually and may be removed from the list if they fail to comply. (ss 11–12)\n\n- Education providers (government and non-government): must make free period products available to students experiencing period poverty and have written access arrangements; government-school arrangements must be publicly notified. (ss 13–15)\n\n- Public hospitals and prescribed health facilities: must provide free products to patients and visitors under publicly notified access arrangements. (ss 16–18)\n\n- Public employees and people working on territory-funded contracts: have a statutory right to access toilets, handwashing and sanitary waste facilities at their workplaces; employers running territory-funded work must ensure such access. (ss 19–20)\n\n- People experiencing \"period poverty\" (defined to include financial, social, cultural or physical barriers to access): are the intended beneficiaries and may access free products, facilities and information. (s 7)\n\n\nWhy it matters (stated purpose, then practical trade-offs)\n\n- Stated purpose: the Act’s object is to reduce and prevent period poverty in the ACT by providing free access to period products, improving access to toilets/handwashing/sanitary waste facilities, and providing public information about menstruation. (s 5)\n\n- Practical implications and costs:\n  - Who pays: the immediate cost burden falls on the ACT Government for public places, hospitals and government schools (director-general responsibilities), and on the responsible entities of approved suitable places and on non-government education providers who must supply free products on their premises. The Act does not itself appropriate funds — implementation requires budgeting decisions by directorates and affected entities. (ss 8–18)\n  - Administrative burden: directorates and other entities must prepare written access arrangements, follow approval and access guidelines, keep a notifiable list, give public notices for school and hospital arrangements, and file compliance reports (annual or on request). That creates recurring operational tasks (ss 10–12, 14, 18, 23).\n  - Procurement and contract effects: the workplace provision extends to \"territory-funded work\" (see the Government Procurement Act reference). That can impose facility-access obligations on contractors or government-funded service providers, creating compliance obligations in procurement and possibly affecting contract costs and bids. (ss 19–20 and dictionary note referencing Government Procurement Act)\n  - Implementation logistics: practical commitments include stocking and restocking products, locating dispensers to protect privacy, providing sanitary waste disposal and maintaining handwashing facilities. These have direct supply-chain and facilities costs and ongoing maintenance implications (ss 6, 10, 14, 18, dictionary definition of \"sanitary waste facility\").\n  - Information and accessibility requirements: the director-general must publish materials online and in hard copy, translate into community languages and provide age-appropriate content, which requires design, translation and distribution resources. (s 21)\n\n- Discretion and decision-making: the Act gives administrative discretion to the Minister and director-general to (a) maintain and publicise the suitable places list, (b) set approval and access guidelines as notifiable instruments, and (c) approve or remove approved suitable places and set conditions on approvals. That concentrates decision-making power in officials while subjecting some elements to public-notification rules (ss 8, 11–12, 22). The law creates opportunities for bodies that serve affected populations to seek inclusion on the list, but final approval is administrative. (ss 11–12)\n\n- Behavioural effects and incentives:\n  - Government directorates and public-service employers will need to allocate budget and operational effort to comply (stocking, facilities upgrades, staffing for restocking and privacy-safe distribution).\n  - Non-government education providers and approved community organisations may experience increased operating costs if they are required to supply products, unless funded or otherwise supported by the ACT Government. (ss 11–15)\n  - Entities bidding for territory-funded contracts may factor facility-upgrade or compliance costs into proposals if those contracts give rise to workplace obligations under the Act. (ss 19–20)\n\n\nTrade-offs, risks and implementation points to watch\n\n- Concentrated benefits vs diffuse costs: benefits go to people who cannot otherwise access period products; costs are concentrated on government directorates and any non-government providers required to supply items and meet facility standards (ss 5, 11–15, 17–18).\n\n- Compliance and monitoring: the Act requires reporting and creates grounds for removal of approvals, but effective compliance depends on resourcing for inspections, reporting review and enforcement (ss 11(4)–(5), 23).\n\n- Procurement linkage: the cross-reference to territory-funded work brings private-sector contractors into scope for workplace facility obligations and could affect procurement pricing and contract terms (s 19 and dictionary note).\n\n- Implementation complexity around privacy and information: access arrangements must respect the Act’s \"principles of dignity\", protect personal information in line with the Information Privacy Act 2014, and avoid humiliation — these are normative standards that will require operational guidance and potentially training. The director-general can make access guidelines to help standardise practice. (s 6; s 22)\n\n\nWhat the Act requires officials to decide or publish (quick list)\n\n- Maintain and publish a suitable places list (Minister/director-general). (s 8)\n- Create approval guidelines and access arrangements as written instruments. (ss 10–12)\n- Approve, condition or remove approved suitable places. (s 11)\n- Publish access arrangements for government schools and hospitals. (ss 14, 18)\n- Publish information resources (including translated and age-appropriate materials). (s 21)\n- Make access guidelines about dignity, privacy and data protection procedures. (s 22)\n- Review the Act every 3 years and include operation statements in annual reports. (ss 23–24)\n\n\nPrimary legal effects in one sentence\n\nThe Act creates statutory obligations on the ACT Government, hospitals, schools and certain non-government entities to provide free access to period products, related facilities and information for people experiencing period poverty, and it establishes administrative mechanisms (lists, approvals, written arrangements and guidelines) to implement and monitor those obligations (see ss 5–22)."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The legislation remains tightly focused on its original purpose of addressing period poverty through product access, facility provision, and public education. The 2025 amendment (A2025-29) appears to be a minor technical/statute law amendment (amendment 3.223 to the Dictionary) rather than a substantive expansion of scope. The Act has not grown beyond its initial remit of community, educational, healthcare and workplace access."},"complexity_factors":["Short statute: approximately 25 sections plus dictionary, spanning 20 pages","Minimal cross-referencing: only references to Education Act 2004, Health Act 1993, Government Procurement Act 2001, Mental Health Act 2015, and Commonwealth education legislation for definitions","Straightforward structure: 5 Parts with clear thematic divisions (community access, students, hospitals, workplace facilities, information)","Limited conditional logic: obligations are generally direct ('must ensure') rather than nested exceptions","16 defined terms in the Dictionary, most being simple signpost definitions or descriptive terms","No penalty provisions or offence provisions — the Act relies on administrative compliance and reporting rather than criminal enforcement","Guidelines-based approach leaves operational detail to subordinate instruments rather than primary legislation"],"plain_english_summary":"This Act makes the ACT the first Australian jurisdiction to guarantee free access to period products and proper bathroom facilities for people who menstruate, including those who don’t identify as women. It requires products and dignity-respecting facilities in schools, hospitals, public/community sites and workplaces, and mandates public information — creating a legal entitlement to end period poverty."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/period-products-and-facilities-access-act-2023","history":"/api/acts/period-products-and-facilities-access-act-2023/history","analysis":"/api/acts/period-products-and-facilities-access-act-2023/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/period-products-and-facilities-access-act-2023/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/period-products-and-facilities-access-act-2023/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/period-products-and-facilities-access-act-2023/documents"}}