Corbin says the free phone calls were initially rolled out on a trial basis during the pandemic for Indigenous remote communities to allow residents to stay in touch with each other, but it has since been extended because the need is there.
The federal minister for regional development, Kristy McBain, said the provision of free calls from payphones, particularly in regional Australia, is important. Homelessness Australia CEO Kate Colvin says the free calls on payphones make a huge difference to the growing number of Australians seeking homelessness support - but it's also been critical to stay connected with government services.
Caseworker Maddi Powell has been helping to run Byron Bay's only homelessness support service, launched in April last year. She says it is not surprising that an increasing number of free payphone calls were being made to find mental health and homelessness support services. "What that is really showing us is that we have a crisis in this country when it comes to homelessness. People are seeking financial support from our member organisations at increasing rates. Something needs to change."
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