THEY really stink, there's not much privacy and they're not safe.
That in a nutshell, readers, is the frank assessment by Tahlia Biggs, 12, about some public toilets in Wodonga.
Wodonga City Council will have the cleaners out this week, if it's true to its policy that children are citizens and deserve to be heard and responded to.
You see the council asked Tahlia and thousands of other junior citizens, what sort of things they'd like to see changed in Wodonga to make it more child-friendly.
Last week about 70 kids aged 7 to 14 from schools and pre-schools turned out to the city's children's summit to speak their minds. They didn't hold back.
"There are also unsafe areas with branches, holes and graffiti," said Tahlia.
"We need more playgrounds to make Wodonga a safer place for kids. Not everyone's good in the world."
Tahlia's colleague at Melrose Primary School Nicholas Byatt, 12, was equally forthcoming. Less graffiti on the war memorial, more sitting chairs for the elderly (thoughtful fellow is young Nicholas), and a movie centre were on his wish list.
Others said more outdoor play areas, and a place for kids to stay and play in hospitals when their mums and dads are in there. Hey, what a great idea.
How would Wodonga change if the kids' desires were satisfied?
"You'd see the works," says teacher, Matt Quine, who accompanied 38 Melrose Primary School children to the summit. Matt reckoned a zoo, wet and wild-style theme parks, big Time Zones and more outdoor areas would be on their list.
Sure and a skate park, a rocket ship and free ice creams, too.
The truth is that little citizens - like big citizens - need to understand that they won't get everything and why, says Lisa Mahood, who at the ripe old age of 30 was elected mayor.
Eight years later she remains on the council, advocating for, among other things, greater consultation with and engagement of the city's kids.
Lisa wants kids to know it's their community too and they can shape it.
Wodonga is among a growing number of cities, Bendigo and Canberra included, working towards becoming child-friendly.
It means upholding children's rights to live in safe, clean and healthy environments and engaging kids in community decision making.
The premise is that if a city is good for kids to live in, it's good for everyone.
I like the idea of kids being consulted on municipal matters, but what a challenge.
Shouldn't little kids be outside playing?
Or do we need them around the table to remind us not to build on their playing spaces.
Just how we consult in a way that works is probably yet to be determined.
Professor of Early Childhood Development at Charles Sturt University, Sue Dockett, says researchers are examining how to consult young people in ways that seriously respect their views, but don't promise them everything.
Welcome to our world kids. Once the researchers have got that sorted for the kids, maybe we adults could try it, too.
