TRANSCRIPT
For many, payphones are an old-school mode of communication.
To emerging generations, they're even used for photo opportunities - to pose like a London tourist on a night out.
But the reality of how payphones are used in Australia is not so optimistic.
New data from Telstra has exposed how essential payphones are for vulnerable people - and especially in a cost of living crisis.
Teresa Corbin is the Chief Customer Advocate at Telstra.
“Well since making local and national calls free two years ago, payphones have become a lifeline for many of our communities who are doing it tough. Just in the last year alone, we've seen a surge of nearly 5 million calls up to 23 million as Australians in need increasingly turned to payphones to access critical support and connection, especially for those who don't have easy access to a phone and this includes Australians experiencing homelessness and domestic and family violence or in an emergency or vulnerable situation given the need for free calls and texts. We now also have 3300 pay phones with free Wi Fi access.”
In August 2021, Telstra made all local and national calls to standard fixed line numbers and calls to Australian public payphones free.
Since then, demand has more than doubled with nearly two million free calls made every month.
Over 40 million calls have been made since free calls were introduced, including 250,000 calls to emergency services.
Ms Corbin explains.
"In the past year, over 250,000, free calls were directed to emergency services. And we also saw a really significant spike in the calls to essential helplines, including over 12,000 calls to lifeline over 12,500 calls to Headspace. Nearly 86,000 calls to the Centrelink reporting line and an additional 30,000 calls to triple zero compared to the previous year. We know our pay phones are used for many Aussies experiencing homelessness and are a critical part of finding the connection and support to help get them back on their feet. The most used payphone in Australia, for example, is at the Sacred Heart Mission Crisis Centre, which provides support to people experiencing homelessness."
Almost 3,000 calls are made from the Sacred Heart Mission Crisis Centre in Melbourne's C-B-D every month.
But homelessness groups say it isn't surprising the most used payphone in Australia is at a homelessness support organisation.
Kate Colvin is the Chief Executive of Homelessness Australia.
"Free payphones can make a real difference. Because if people need to reach out for help, they may not have a phone, they may not have credit on their phone or be in a position where they can charge their phones. So having access to a free payphone might mean that someone can reach out for help, whereas otherwise they wouldn't have been able to. It's always important to be connected. I mean, someone who's experiencing homelessness might need to reach out to family members they might need to stay there you know, they're gonna want to stay in contact with their friends."
Free payphones have not just been beneficial for those experiencing homelessness.
Ms Colvin says in a cost-of-living crisis, having a free communication option available benefits everyone.
"Having a phone plan can be a really significant expense and people have had to cut back because their cost of rent is increasing or all of their costs are increasing, then they may have not been able to keep up with their telco plan. Increasingly access to government services relies on you having access to a computer, being able to conduct your business online. And having access to free Wi Fi can mean the difference between people being able to access the services that they need and basically being locked out."
The growing importance payphones play within regional communities is also reflected in the locations of the most used payphones.
After the Sacred Heart Mission Crisis Centre, the next five most used payphones are in the Northern Territory and are predominantly used by regional and First Nation communities.
It comes as NT Shelter has launched a landmark report showing 50 per cent of people experiencing homelessness in Alice Springs is experienced by youth aged 12-14.
NT Shelter Regional Coordinator Annie Taylor says resources in the territory can't keep up with demand.
“We've got members out there who are really working on the frontlines day in and day out and trying to support people. And unfortunately, they do have to turn people away. And that's a really hard thing for them to have to do. So we do see people turned away from services because they simply don't have the capacity to support to support people. And unfortunately, despite having 12 times the national average rate of homelessness here in the Northern Territory, we're funded by the federal government on a population basis, so we're only getting 1.3% of federal funding for housing and homelessness, despite having 12 times that national average."
Regional Development Minister Kristy McBain says payphones are essential for people living in regional and remote communities.
"It's incredibly important that regional communities have access to telecommunications. And we know across our communities I've seen payphones disappearing. But our communities absolutely need them. And it's fantastic to see them being provided free of charge. The digital divide is huge, between the city and the bush. And we know for so many of our communities, that ability and affordability of their own Wi Fi is difficult. That's why we see so many people attending local libraries and this will provide another avenue of support for those people needing connectivity."
Minister McBain says the increasing reliance on payphones in regional communities reflects how much of an issue connectivity still is in the bush.
"Connectivity is no longer a 'nice to have'. It's an absolute necessity. And whether that's for growing or expanding your business, whether that's working from home or studying online, or whether that's simply keeping in touch with family or friends, it is essential to our way of life now. And we need to make sure that there is more money being put into regional Australia for both dealing with mobile phone black spots, but also dealing with connectivity issues. And that's why I'm incredibly proud that the Albanese Labour Government is delivering on its regional communication enhancements"
