Northern Beaches Council Bans Swimwear on Public Bus, Sparking Debate Over Public Decency
A new policy enacted by the Sydney’s Northern Beaches council prohibits passengers from riding its free community bus, known as The Hop, Skip and Jump, while wearing only swimwear, igniting a public discussion about appropriate attire and societal expectations. The decision follows feedback from passengers regarding comfort and hygiene on the popular shuttle service.
The Hop, Skip and Jump, a daily 30-seat bus, serves the coastal suburbs of Manly, Fairlight, and Balgowlah, frequently transporting beachgoers. The change came to light after Seven’s Sunrise program aired footage on Friday of a sign posted in Manly stating: “Hop, Skip and Jump Bus stop here. Please dress appropriately. Clothing must be worn over swimwear.”
According to a council statement released Friday, the policy is rooted in existing legislation allowing bus drivers to deny entry to passengers whose clothing is “likely to dirty or damage the vehicle, or cause inconvenience or damage to other passengers or the driver.” Specifically, the rules address concerns about “wet or sandy clothing” impacting the cleanliness and comfort of the shared transport environment, a spokesperson clarified. When pressed on whether dry swimwear would be permitted, the spokesperson stated that drivers are unable to determine if swimwear is wet.
The announcement, shared via a clip from Sunrise on social media, quickly drew a mixed response from the public.
“Welcome to 1920s Sydney … oops 2020s,” one commenter quipped, expressing a sense of regression in social norms. Others argued the council should prioritize core services. “The Council should focus on their core business activities. Try not to be the fashion police,” one individual wrote. However, many agreed with the ban, citing long-held social conventions. “It has always been a golden rule that you cover swimwear if you walk more than a block across from the beach,” one commenter noted. Another suggested the complaints originated with the increasing popularity of minimalist swimwear styles, stating, “the complaints started with the proliferation of Brazilian style really brief g strings.”
Candy Bingham, the deputy mayor of the Northern Beaches council, elaborated on the reasoning behind the policy in an interview with the Daily Telegraph. She explained that some swimwear is perceived as “confronting” to elderly passengers, specifically referencing “thong-style bikinis.” “The girls get on and all they have on is their bikinis,” Bingham said. “People are worried about the hygiene aspect when they sit on the seats … swimmers, wet from the beach and covered in sand, make a mess and leave the seats damp.”
This isn’t an isolated incident. In July 2025, a council in the Blue Mountains implemented a similar ban, prohibiting G-string bikinis at its public pools. A since-deleted Facebook post stated: “thongs and G-string swimwear is not acceptable for males or females when visiting our leisure centres.” The post sparked considerable controversy, with comments ranging from “if you don’t like it, don’t look” to arguments about adhering to established rules.
Lauren Rosewarne, a cultural expert at the University of Melbourne’s school of social and political sciences, suggests the “dress appropriately” rule reflects deeply ingrained societal “fixed views” about public presentation. “These views aren’t inherently right or wrong, these are just opinions,” Rosewarne explained. “People have the right to complain, [but] that doesn’t mean a council should be obligated to respond.”
Rosewarne further highlighted a persistent gender double standard, where women’s bodies are subjected to greater scrutiny and often regulated to ensure the “comfort” of others. “Women are expected to dress in ways that don’t excessively ‘tempt’ men,” she said. “To be aware that their bodies are constantly being appraised and thus that they are expected to don garments that don’t make other people feel uncomfortable.” She added, “The irony here is that if everyone minded their own business, if people weren’t so ready to look at women and judge their garment choices, most ‘discomfort’ would be eliminated.”
