Mick Barrett, a 69-year-old Menangle local, is leading the crusade to have sanitary bins installed in male bathrooms. Barrett, left, laments the lack of space provided for men experiencing urinary emergencies. To be ready when adventure calls, he finds bathroom locator app Flush before getting on the road. His grassroots advocacy has inspired local venues — from a pub to a retirement community — to add such capabilities public facilities to keep the amenities thumping.
Barrett’s efforts have found amplification by Matthew Deeth, a member of the local council. Deeth has filed a notice of motion asking the council to support Barrett’s appeal. This motion includes a proposal for a shire-wide education campaign focused on “respectful toileting and incontinence infrastructure.” Deeth expressed his desire to leverage his position to foster positive change, citing Barrett’s commitment to the cause as inspiring.
Community Support and Council Action
It is clear the local council has gone to great lengths to respond to Barrett’s activism. As a result of his advocacy, Mayor Matt Gould has changed Wollondilly’s development control plan. Now, all new construction has to have sanitary bins in males and female canadian bathrooms. This amendment is a sign of the growing awareness that inclusive, culturally-appropriate amenities are necessary to keep an entire community engaged and active.
Barrett took it a step further and pointed out the real world consequences of not having these bins easily accessible. She put forward her argument with such precision. I told him, ‘It doesn’t need to be in every single cubicle — just one, with a sign on the door advising people that it’s available. He explained that if there is no safe way to dispose of them, men face embarrassing moments. “And then I’d be walking the street looking for a trash can,” he said. His persistence has opened conversations, not just around his own issue but stigma surrounding men’s health issues as a whole.
Tackling Stigma and Promoting Awareness
According to Anne Savage, a resident urinary health advocate, society shames men for their urinary concerns. This stigma leads to a reluctance to talk about these critical issues openly. She stated, “That means that all too often, men don’t access the information and support that they need.” Savage is obviously delighted with the council’s response and feels that Wollondilly’s initiative would be better emulated in other areas.
At the same meeting, Savage highlighted the high burden of urinary incontinence among men, especially among patients post RC for prostate cancer. “Some studies show that up to 80 per cent of men who undergo surgery for prostate cancer experience urinary leakage,” she explained. She reassured that “most of those symptoms resolve within a year or so,” indicating that awareness and support could significantly improve many men’s quality of life.
Mick Barrett is still dedicated to doing everything he can to tell this wrong story right. He stated, “I don’t care if people make fun of what I’m trying to do.” His determination is rooted in recognition of an aging population, which he believes will only increase the demand for these facilities: “We are supposed to be an aging population so it’s going to get worse before it gets better.”
Future Initiatives and Implementation Plans
In light of these developments, the council voted to evaluate the feasibility and costs associated with installing sanitary bins in all public toilets owned by the municipality. This includes accessible, unisex, and male amenities. The proposed statewide implementation plan lays out a roadmap for developing a consistent, systematic approach to make sure that all residents have access to the facilities they need.
The council recognizes the need to raise public health standards by lifting up these communities. In addition to funding research, they aim to foster a culture in which people can discuss their urinary health without stigma. Community leaders are rallying to show their support for Barrett’s principled advocacy. Their efforts give hope that new strides can be made toward building more inclusive public spaces across the region.
