Pensioners and Other People Need Their Public Phones Mr Trujillo 14/2/2006

Pensioners and Other People Need Their Public Phones Mr Trujillo

The proposal by Telstra to phase out public phones is a scandal.

This is typical of what happens when vital public utilities are de-regulated, sold-off or privatised.

Telstra used to exist to provide a service, now it exists to make money for its shareholders and directors.

Many pensioners are on the basic landline service that only allows them to receive calls, not make them. They need their local public phone.

For people away from their home who don't have mobiles, or are in areas where there is no signal, a payphone is also a vital means of communication.

If you are robbed on the street and in the process have your mobile phone stolen, how else can you call the police but from a payphone?

If the government is conscious of the tourist dollar they ought to consider that overseas visitors who want to phone home with a phonecard won't think much of Australia if they find it's the only country in the world without public phones.

Reverse this decision, heartless management of Telstra, we demand it under your Universal Service Charter. If you don't it's up to our Federal Government for once to do something for our benefit and put the screws on you.