The telco says emergency calls from public phones have risen by about 20 per cent, and the anonymity they provide for people experiencing mental health crises and domestic violence could be a driving factor.
More than 300,000 calls have been made to triple-0, Lifeline, 1800-Respect and other helplines in the past year from free public phone s in Australia.The most used public phone s for helplines nationally were in Brunswick West in Victoria, and Palmerston City and Casuarina in the Northern Territory.Public telephones — once slated for obsolescence as mobile devices appeared in every hand — are increasingly becoming a last lifeline for the nation's most vulnerable people.
"For people that are experiencing domestic and family violence, being able to walk to a free pay phone where you're alone or safe is very, very useful," Ms Hutchinson-McGowan said."I can talk about my feelings without worrying that the kids are hearing me in the kitchen, or my partner hearing me. In total, 25.8 million free phone calls were made from 14,400 public phones around the nation in the past year, and 2.5 million devices logged on to free wi-fi at 4,000 enabled booths.The most used public phones for helplines nationally included services on Melville Road in Melbourne's Brunswick West in Victoria, as well as Palmerston City bus depot and Casuarina bus terminal, both in the Northern Territory.
Public Phone Telstra Lifeline 1800 Respect Suicide Pay Phone Triple-0 Call For Help Free Call
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