NSW Lawmaker Condemns Push for All-Gender Toilets in Public Buildings

NSW Legislative Council Member Rachel Merton described the push for shared public toilets as an activist attempt to prioritise ‘radical gender ideology.’

A sign indicating an 'all gender' facility at Sydney Airport in Australia on Oct. 12, 2025. Susan Mortimer/The Epoch Times

Rachel Merton, a Liberal member of the New South Wales Legislative Council, has taken aim at a proposed change to building standards that would allow male and female toilets to be converted into all-gender facilities in public buildings, saying it harms women’s rights.

In February, the Australian Building Codes Board released a draft of the National Construction Code outlining a range of changes to building standards that can be adopted by states and territories from May 1, 2026.