Hobart councillors have backed in a plan to install secure collection boxes at four council sites to gather donated mobile phones for domestic violence survivors.
The council is partnering with national charity DV Safe Phone, which refurbishes old devices and distributes them free through police stations, women’s refuges and support services across the country.
Deputy Lord Mayor Zelinda Sherlock put forward the motion, saying it would help people whose phones had been destroyed or monitored by perpetrators, cutting them off from vital support networks.
Collection boxes will soon be available at the Customer Service Centre, Town Hall, Mathers House and YouthARC.
“This means that both the public and Hobart City Council staff will be able to donate old phones,” Sherlock said.
“This initiative provides a tangible mechanism to support survivors of domestic violence, solidify community leadership and contribute to environmental sustainability.”
DV Safe Phone was founded in March 2020 by Ashton Wood and has since distributed more than 13,900 refurbished devices.
Each safe phone kit comes with a device, charger, starter SIM and initial credit.
The council will spend $85 each on four collection boxes, with postage costs to send donated phones to the mainland for refurbishment covered by existing budget allocations.
The charity is aiming to reach 20,000 donated devices by 2026 and now operates through more than 1,100 collection partners nationwide.
