Email sent to ABC Northern Tasmania Breakfast on 29 April 2026
Dear ABC Northern Tasmania Breakfast team,
I am writing regarding the recent segment on the all-gender toilets and change facilities at the Northern Recreation Hub in Mowbray featuring Mayor Matthew Garwood.
While the segment acknowledged that there are strong community views on both sides of the debate, the discussion itself was overwhelmingly presented through the perspective of the mayor, who has already publicly expressed strong support for the design.
Many women and community members have concerns relating to privacy, safeguarding, dignity, and the loss of female-only facilities in public sporting venues. However, these perspectives were not meaningfully explored during the interview, nor was any representative from a women’s advocacy or safeguarding perspective included in the discussion.
I appreciate that breakfast radio segments are often short and conversational in format. However, given the ongoing public debate around these facility designs and proposed National Construction Code changes, I believe listeners would benefit from hearing a broader range of informed viewpoints in future coverage.
This is clearly an issue generating significant community discussion, including among women who may not feel their concerns are being fully represented in public conversations.
Thank you for your time and for considering this feedback.
Kind regards,
Dr Elizabeth Caballero
https://www.abc.net.au/northtas/contact-us