Authorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au
Australian Capital Territory
Period Products and Facilities (Access)
Act 2023
A2023-22
Republication No 2
Effective: 26 November 2025
Republication date: 26 November 2025
Last amendment made by A2025-29
Authorised by the ACT Parliamentary Counsel—also accessible at www.legislation.act.gov.au
About this republication
The republished law
This is a republication of the Period Products and Facilities (Access) Act 2023 (including any
amendment made under the Legislation Act 2001, part 11.3 (Editorial changes)) as in force on
26 November 2025. It also includes any commencement, amendment, repeal or expiry affecting
this republished law to 26 November 2025.
The legislation history and amendment history of the republished law are set out in endnotes 3
and 4.
Kinds of republications
The Parliamentary Counsel’s Office prepares 2 kinds of republications of ACT laws (see the ACT
legislation register at www.legislation.act.gov.au):
• authorised republications to which the Legislation Act 2001 applies
• unauthorised republications.
The status of this republication appears on the bottom of each page.
Editorial changes
The Legislation Act 2001, part 11.3 authorises the Parliamentary Counsel to make editorial
amendments and other changes of a formal nature when preparing a law for republication.
Editorial changes do not change the effect of the law, but have effect as if they had been made by
an Act commencing on the republication date (see Legislation Act 2001, s 115 and s 117). The
changes are made if the Parliamentary Counsel considers they are desirable to bring the law into
line, or more closely into line, with current legislative drafting practice.
This republication does not include amendments made under part 11.3 (see endnote 1).
Uncommenced provisions and amendments
If a provision of the republished law has not commenced, the symbol U appears immediately
before the provision heading. Any uncommenced amendments that affect this republished law
are accessible on the ACT legislation register (www.legislation.act.gov.au). For more
information, see the home page for this law on the register.
Modifications
If a provision of the republished law is affected by a current modification, the
symbol M appears immediately before the provision heading. The text of the modifying
provision appears in the endnotes. For the legal status of modifications, see the Legislation
Act 2001, section 95.
Penalties
At the republication date, the value of a penalty unit for an offence against this law is $160 for an
individual and $810 for a corporation (see Legislation Act 2001, s 133).
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Australian Capital Territory
Period Products and Facilities (Access)
Act 2023
Contents
Page
Part 1 Preliminary
1 Name of Act 2
3 Dictionary 2
4 Notes 2
5 Object of Act 3
6 Principles of dignity 3
7 Meaning of period poverty 4
Part 2 Access to period products
Division 2.1 Access in the community
8 Suitable places for accessing period products 5
9 Access to period products at suitable places 5
10 Access arrangements—suitable places 6
Contents
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11 Approved suitable places 6
12 Approval guidelines 7
Division 2.2 Access for students
13 Access to period products on education provider premises 8
14 Access arrangements—government schools 8
15 Access arrangements—other education provider premises 9
Division 2.3 Access for patients and visitors
16 Meaning of hospital—div 2.3 9
17 Access to period products on hospital premises 10
18 Access arrangements—hospitals 10
Part 3 Workplace access to facilities
19 Definitions—pt 3 11
20 Workplace access to facilities 11
Part 4 Information and guidelines
21 Information about menstruation 12
22 Access guidelines 12
Part 5 Miscellaneous
23 Report on operation of Act 14
24 Review of operation of Act 14
25 Regulation-making power 14
Dictionary 15
Endnotes
1 About the endnotes 18
2 Abbreviation key 18
3 Legislation history 19
4 Amendment history 19
5 Earlier republications 20
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Australian Capital Territory
Period Products and Facilities (Access)
Act 2023
An Act to provide free access to period products, facilities and information about
menstruation, and for other purposes
Part 1 Preliminary
Section 1
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Part 1 Preliminary
1 Name of Act
This Act is the Period Products and Facilities (Access) Act 2023.
3 Dictionary
The dictionary at the end of this Act is part of this Act.
Note 1 The dictionary at the end of this Act defines certain terms used in this
Act, and includes references (signpost definitions) to other terms defined
elsewhere.
For example, the signpost definition ‘territory-funded work, for part 3
(Workplace access to facilities)—see the Government Procurement
Act 2001, section 22F.’ means that the term ‘territory-funded work’ is
defined in that Act and the definition applies to this Act for part 3.
Note 2 A definition in the dictionary applies to the entire Act unless the
definition, or another provision of the Act, provides otherwise or the
contrary intention otherwise appears (see Legislation Act, s 155 and
s 156 (1)).
4 Notes
A note included in this Act is explanatory and is not part of this Act.
Note See the Legislation Act, s 127 (1), (4) and (5) for the legal status of notes.
Preliminary Part 1
Section 5
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5 Object of Act
(1) The main object of this Act is to reduce and prevent period poverty
in the ACT.
(2) This Act aims to achieve its object by—
(a) providing free access to period products for people experiencing
period poverty in the ACT; and
(b) improving access to toilets, handwashing facilities and sanitary
waste facilities; and
(c) providing public information about menstruation and menstrual
hygiene.
6 Principles of dignity
In exercising a function under this Act, the following principles
(the principles of dignity) must be taken into account:
(a) a person may experience period poverty as a result of either or
both of the following, which, if experienced in combination,
may worsen period poverty:
(i) economic disadvantage;
(ii) different aspects of the person’s identity, for example, their
sexual orientation, gender identity, mental health,
nationality, religion or ability;
(b) not every person who menstruates identifies as a woman;
(c) a person accessing period products should—
(i) be given a reasonable amount of privacy; and
(ii) have their personal information protected in a way that
complies with the Information Privacy Act 2014; and
Part 1 Preliminary
Section 7
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(iii) as far as reasonably practicable, be given the same access
to period products as anyone else seeking access to the
products, regardless of their identity; and
(iv) be able to access period products in a way that avoids
humiliation and enables age appropriate participation in
decision-making.
7 Meaning of period poverty
For this Act, a person experiences period poverty if the person is in
financial, social, cultural or physical circumstances that prevent the
person from accessing, when needed, any of the following:
(a) period products;
(b) menstrual hygiene information;
(c) toilets;
(d) handwashing facilities;
(e) sanitary waste facilities.
Access to period products Part 2
Access in the community Division 2.1
Section 8
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Part 2 Access to period products
Division 2.1 Access in the community
8 Suitable places for accessing period products
(1) The Minister must maintain a list of places at which period products
are to be made available for use by people experiencing period
poverty (the suitable places list).
(2) The suitable places list must include the following:
(a) public places in a range of geographical locations in the ACT to
ensure reasonable access for people experiencing period
poverty;
(b) any approved suitable place.
Examples—suitable places
• community facility
• health centre
• library
(3) The suitable places list is a notifiable instrument.
9 Access to period products at suitable places
(1) The director-general must ensure period products are made available
at each place on the suitable places list, free of charge, for use by
people experiencing period poverty.
(2) In making period products available at a public place on the suitable
places list, the director-general must comply with the access
arrangements for the place.
(3) In making period products available at an approved suitable place, the
responsible entity for the place must comply with the access
arrangements for the place.
Part 2 Access to period products
Division 2.1 Access in the community
Section 10
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10 Access arrangements—suitable places
(1) The director-general with administrative responsibility for a public
place on the suitable places list must make arrangements, in writing,
for access to period products at the place.
(2) The director-general must make arrangements, in writing, for access
to period products at approved suitable places.
(3) Access arrangements for a place must—
(a) be consistent with the principles of dignity; and
(b) provide for—
(i) how a person accesses a period product at the place in a
way that respects the person’s dignity; and
(ii) a reasonable range of period products to be available at the
place.
11 Approved suitable places
(1) An entity may apply to the Minister to have a place included on the
suitable places list if the entity—
(a) provides services to people who are, or are likely to be,
experiencing period poverty; and
(b) provides the services from the place; and
(c) satisfies any other eligibility criteria under the approval
guidelines.
(2) The director-general may approve the place to be an approved
suitable place if satisfied that—
(a) the application complies with any requirements for the
application under the approval guidelines; and
(b) the inclusion of the place on the list is likely to improve access
to period products for people experiencing period poverty.
Access to period products Part 2
Access in the community Division 2.1
Section 12
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(3) An approval may be subject to conditions.
(4) The responsible entity for an approved suitable place must report to
the director-general on the entity’s compliance with the access
arrangements for the place each year, or as otherwise requested in
writing by the director-general.
(5) The director-general may remove an approved suitable place from the
suitable places list if not satisfied the responsible entity for the place
is complying with—
(a) the access arrangements for the place; or
(b) any condition on the approval.
12 Approval guidelines
(1) The director-general must make guidelines (the approval guidelines)
for applying for and approving a place to be included on the suitable
places list under section 11.
(2) Without limiting subsection (1), the approval guidelines may provide
for the following:
(a) any other eligibility criteria for an entity to apply for approval;
(b) the process for applying for approval or reapproval, including
the form and content of applications;
(c) any other criteria for deciding applications;
(d) the length of an approval.
(3) An approval guideline is a notifiable instrument.
Part 2 Access to period products
Division 2.2 Access for students
Section 13
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Division 2.2 Access for students
13 Access to period products on education provider
premises
(1) An education provider must ensure period products are made
available on the provider’s premises, free of charge, for use by
students of the provider experiencing period poverty.
(2) In making period products available on an education provider’s
premises, the provider must comply with the access arrangements for
the premises.
14 Access arrangements—government schools
(1) The director-general responsible for administering the Education
Act 2004 must make arrangements, in writing, for access by students
of government schools to period products on government school
premises.
(2) Access arrangements for government school premises must—
(a) be consistent with the principles of dignity; and
(b) provide for—
(i) how a student accesses a period product on the premises in
a way that respects the student’s dignity; and
(ii) a reasonable range of period products to be available on the
school premises.
(3) The director-general responsible for administering the Education
Act 2004 must give public notice of access arrangements for a
government school.
Access to period products Part 2
Access for patients and visitors Division 2.3
Section 15
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15 Access arrangements—other education provider
premises
(1) This section applies to an education provider other than a government
school.
(2) The education provider must make arrangements, in writing, for
access by students of the provider to period products on the provider’s
premises.
(3) Access arrangements for an education provider’s premises must—
(a) be consistent with the principles of dignity; and
(b) provide for—
(i) how a student accesses a period product on the premises in
a way that respects the student’s dignity; and
(ii) a reasonable range of period products to be available on the
premises.
(4) An education provider must make access arrangements available to
students of the provider.
Division 2.3 Access for patients and visitors
16 Meaning of hospital—div 2.3
(1) In this division:
hospital—
(a) means a public hospital or a public day hospital; and
(b) includes a health facility prescribed by regulation.
(2) In this section:
approved mental health facility—see the Mental Health Act 2015,
dictionary.
Part 2 Access to period products
Division 2.3 Access for patients and visitors
Section 17
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day hospital means a facility where a person is admitted for surgical
or medical treatment and discharged on the same day.
health facility—see the Health Act 1993, section 6.
public hospital includes an approved mental health facility that
provides mental health services for inpatients only.
17 Access to period products on hospital premises
(1) The director-general responsible for administering the Health
Act 1993 must ensure period products are made available on hospital
premises, free of charge, for use by patients and visitors at the hospital
who are experiencing period poverty.
(2) In making period products available on hospital premises, the
director-general must comply with access arrangements for the
premises.
18 Access arrangements—hospitals
(1) The director-general responsible for administering the Health
Act 1993 must make arrangements, in writing, for access by patients
and visitors at hospitals to period products on hospital premises.
(2) Access arrangements for hospital premises must—
(a) be consistent with the principles of dignity; and
(b) provide for—
(i) how a patient or visitor accesses a period product on the
premises in a way that respects the patient’s or visitor’s
dignity; and
(ii) a reasonable range of period products to be available on the
premises.
(3) The director-general responsible for administering the Health
Act 1993 must give public notice of access arrangements for a
hospital.
Workplace access to facilities Part 3
Section 19
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Part 3 Workplace access to facilities
19 Definitions—pt 3
In this part:
territory-funded work—see the Government Procurement Act 2001,
section 22F.
workplace does not include the home of a territory worker even if the
territory worker performs some or all of their work from home.
20 Workplace access to facilities
(1) This section applies to a person who—
(a) works in territory-funded work; or
(b) is a public employee.
(2) The person must have access at their workplace to toilets,
handwashing facilities and sanitary waste facilities in a way that—
(a) is consistent with—
(i) the object of this Act; and
(ii) the principles of dignity; and
(iii) any guidelines under section 22 (Access guidelines); and
(b) respects the dignity of the person accessing the facilities.
Part 4 Information and guidelines
Section 21
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Part 4 Information and guidelines
21 Information about menstruation
(1) The director-general must ensure that information about menstruation
is available for use in the community, including by—
(a) publishing the information on an ACT government website; and
(b) making hard copies of the information available at various
locations, without charge, during ordinary business hours.
Examples—information about menstruation
1 information about menstrual hygiene
2 information about where a person can access healthcare or advice about
menstruation
3 information about whether a person is entitled to leave for reasons related to
menstruation
4 information about menstruation for people who do not menstruate
(2) The director-general must take reasonable steps to ensure that the
information in subsection (1)—
(a) is published in languages, other than English, that are in use by
people at risk of experiencing period poverty in the ACT; and
(b) includes age appropriate information for a range of different age
groups.
22 Access guidelines
(1) The director-general may make guidelines (the access guidelines)
about how to comply with an obligation under this Act to respect the
dignity of a person seeking access to period products, toilets,
handwashing facilities and sanitary waste facilities.
(2) The access guidelines must be consistent with the principles of
dignity.
Information and guidelines Part 4
Section 22
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(3) Without limiting subsection (1), the access guidelines may—
(a) apply to a particular industry or sector; and
(b) state procedures for providing a reasonable amount of privacy
for a person seeking access; and
(c) state procedures for protecting the personal information of a
person seeking access.
(4) An access guideline is a notifiable instrument.
Part 5 Miscellaneous
Section 23
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Part 5 Miscellaneous
23 Report on operation of Act
The director-general must include a statement about the operation of
this Act in the directorate’s annual report under the Annual Reports
(Government Agencies) Act 2004.
24 Review of operation of Act
(1) The Minister must review the operation of this Act as soon as
practicable after the end of every 3rd year of its operation.
(2) The Minister must present a report of the review to the Legislative
Assembly at a time decided in consultation with the Speaker.
25 Regulation-making power
The Executive may make regulations for this Act.
Dictionary
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Dictionary
(see s 3)
Note The Legislation Act contains definitions relevant to this Act.
For example:
• director-general (see s 163)
• entity
• Executive
• Minister (see s 162)
• public employee
• public notice
• Speaker.
access arrangements, in relation to a place, mean—
(a) for a place on the suitable places list—the arrangements made
for the place under section 10; and
(b) for government school premises—the arrangements made for
the premises under section 14; and
(c) for the premises of an education provider other than a
government school—the arrangements made for the premises
under section 15; and
(d) for hospital premises—the arrangements made for the premises
under section 17.
access guidelines—see section 22 (1).
approval guidelines—see section 12 (1).
approved suitable place means a place approved to be included on
the suitable places list under section 11.
Dictionary
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education provider means—
(a) a government school; or
(b) a registered training organisation under the National Vocational
Education and Training Regulator Act 2011 (Cwlth), section 3;
or
(c) a registered higher education provider under the Tertiary
Education Quality and Standards Agency Act 2011 (Cwlth),
section 5; or
(d) an entity prescribed by regulation.
government school means—
(a) a school established under the Education Act 2004,
section 20 (1); or
(b) a school-related institution established under the Education
Act 2004, section 20 (3).
hospital, for division 2.3 (Access for patients and visitors)—see
section 15 (1).
period poverty—see section 7.
period product means a manufactured item designed to absorb or
collect menstrual flow.
Examples
• menstrual cup
• period underwear
• sanitary pad
• tampon
principles of dignity—see section 6.
responsible entity, for an approved suitable place, means the entity
who applied for the place to be included on the suitable places list
under section 11.
Dictionary
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sanitary waste facility means a facility for the hygienic disposal of
waste period products.
student means a person who is enrolled, or regularly attends classes,
with an education provider.
suitable places list—see section 8 (1).
territory-funded work, for part 3 (Workplace access to facilities)—
see the Government Procurement Act 2001, section 22F.
workplace, for part 3 (Workplace access to facilities)—see
section 19.
Endnotes
1 About the endnotes
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Endnotes
1 About the endnotes
Amending and modifying laws are annotated in the legislation history and the
amendment history. Current modifications are not included in the republished law
but are set out in the endnotes.
Not all editorial amendments made under the Legislation Act 2001, part 11.3 are
annotated in the amendment history. Full details of any amendments can be
obtained from the Parliamentary Counsel’s Office.
Uncommenced amending laws are not included in the republished law. The details
of these laws are underlined in the legislation history. Uncommenced expiries are
underlined in the legislation history and amendment history.
If all the provisions of the law have been renumbered, a table of renumbered
provisions gives details of previous and current numbering.
The endnotes also include a table of earlier republications.
2 Abbreviation key
A = Act NI = Notifiable instrument
AF = Approved form o = order
am = amended om = omitted/repealed
amdt = amendment ord = ordinance
AR = Assembly resolution orig = original
ch = chapter par = paragraph/subparagraph
CN = Commencement notice pres = present
def = definition prev = previous
DI = Disallowable instrument (prev...) = previously
dict = dictionary pt = part
disallowed = disallowed by the Legislative r = rule/subrule
Assembly reloc = relocated
div = division renum = renumbered
exp = expires/expired R[X] = Republication No
Gaz = gazette RI = reissue
hdg = heading s = section/subsection
IA = Interpretation Act 1967 sch = schedule
ins = inserted/added sdiv = subdivision
LA = Legislation Act 2001 SL = Subordinate law
LR = legislation register sub = substituted
LRA = Legislation (Republication) Act 1996 underlining = whole or part not commenced
mod = modified/modification or to be expired
Endnotes
Legislation history 3
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3 Legislation history
Period Products and Facilities (Access) Act 2023 A2023-22
notified LR 23 June 2023
s 1, s 2 commenced 23 June 2023 (LA s 75 (1))
remainder commenced 23 December 2023 (s 2 and LA s 79)
as amended by
Statute Law Amendment Act 2025 A2025-29 sch 3 pt 3.66
notified LR 6 November 2025
s 1, s 2 commenced 6 November 2025 (LA s 75 (1))
sch 3 pt 3.66 commenced 26 November 2025 (s 2 (3))
4 Amendment history
Commencement
s 2 om LA s 89 (4)
Dictionary
dict am A2025-29 amdt 3.223