COMMUNITY ACCESS EDITION 496
REAL INDEPENDENT LOCAL NEWS
15 JUNE 2020
Campaigners reject Council position on soap in public toilets Despite advocating handwashing to help minimise the spread of coronavirus, Central Coast Council has decided not to provide soap in many of its public toilets, according to community group Operation Soap in Public Toilets. The group, which has itself placed soap in toilets around the Peninsula, claims the Council “removes the signs we leave to say where the soap has come from”. The group is backed by Professor Stephanie Short, who specialises in public health at the University of Sydney’s Faculty of Medicine and Health, and who is a Woy Woy resident. “Our mayor tells us to continue to practise good hygiene, including washing your hands before and after using any equipment, yet there is no soap supplied in the majority of Council-owned public facilities,” she said. “Council has advised we are ready to welcome visitors … but we have been advised to continue to act responsibly and follow the Australian Government directions to help minimise the spread of Covid-19. “We were told there were three instructions (at the beginning of coronavirus restrictions): stay at home, socially distance and use hand hygiene. “But when I went to use a public toilet I realised we couldn’t follow these basic rules unless there was soap in every facility.” Professor Short said: “I am very disappointed that Council isn’t
Professor Stephanie Short
looking at doing this. “Despite receiving promising responses from six councillors to emails I have sent, Council has decided to ‘maintain the status quo’, which means no soap going into these facilities. “There is soap in the major venues, such as the Peninsula
Leisure Centre at Woy Woy and Kiddies Corner at Umina Beach. “The Peninsula Community Centre and Umina Library have soap, but what about all the smaller facilities including at our beaches?” Professor Short said members of the group had placed soap in
a number of Peninsula facilities, including at Umina and Ocean Beach surf clubs, and at Ettalong and Pearl Beach, and the campaign was ongoing. “Sometimes the soap we leave is stolen, but more often it stays put,” she said. “It is disappointing to know
Council removes the signs we leave to say where the soap has come from. “The pandemic has brought the issue to a head, but we need to have basic public health measures at our facilities all the time. “Other councils have soap in all their facilities – so why can’t we?” Professor Short said the group would continue its campaign into the future. “This is an urgent basic public health matter,” she said. “It’s also an OH and S matter for Council employees who use these facilities, along with tradesmen and members of the general public. “Now we are going to see more holidaymakers in the area. We want them to feel welcome and safe on the Peninsula.” Professor Short said she was hopeful a formal motion would soon be brought to Council on the matter. Despite a recent review, the decision was made to remain with status quo to minimise the risk of vandalism and slipping accidents, resulting from soap spilt on floors. A staff response to a Question with Notice from Cr Kyle Mac Gregor at Council’s May 25 meeting said Council staff would be developing a Public Toilet Strategy which would allow Council to look at ways to include soap in a safe manner in any of the new builds or renovations that occur. SOURCE: Email, 1 Jun 2020 Interview (Terry Collins), 1 Jun 2020 Stephanie Short, Operation Soap in Public Toilets
On-demand commuter bus service stops abruptly The on-demand commuter CoastConnect minibus service at Woy Woy has ended its 24-month trial, without announcement on Friday, May 29. “There has been confusion and outrage that the Government would provide this service and then with no communication with the users simply cut it one Friday afternoon,” said Member for Gosford Ms Liesl Tesch. Ms Tesch said the Government had not backed the program from the start and had failed to advertise the service and what it could mean for travellers.
“Right from the start the government seemed unwilling to tell commuters how this service could improve their first and last mile journeys,” Ms Tesch said. “No more going around in circles looking for a park, no more trudging from the back of Deepwater Plaza to the station in the rain, no more unlit walks to the free parking behind the tennis courts. “This was a service that could pick you up from near your house and take you directly to the station to meet your usual train, but not enough people knew what the mini-bus at the end of the bus
interchange was even about. “I wrote to the Minister on several occasions requesting material which I could use to go out and advertise this service and was rejected. “I ended up making my own flyers and handing them out, she said. Requests to allow the use of Opal Cards were not taken up. “Passengers had to use their credit cards, and the system was never integrated into the Opal Card network, which was just another barrier for potential riders.” The service was started as a trial in 2018.
Transport New South Wales has said it would learn from this trial, as well as from several similar trials in other parts of the State, to improve public transport services. Ms Tesch said: “I’ve spoken to users throughout the program length and know just how much many have come to rely on the service as a quick and easy way to save travel time, or reduce the burden on family members who would otherwise have to pick commuters up from the station early in the morning or during the dinner rush.” She said, if the service was not to be continued, the funding should
be directed to other local projects aimed at cutting the parking demand. “It makes sense that this money should go to improving infrastructure that will encourage active transport options like cycling or walking to the station, or adding extra regular bus services to give people more options,” Ms Tesch said. “The government has been spending this money on the Peninsula and it should stay on the Peninsula.” SOURCE: Media Release, 28 May 2020 Liesl Tesch, Member for Gosford
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