Donate to The Reconnect Project for December

As nearly one in four Australians face digital exclusion, Australians urged to donate
23 million unused phones this festive season

Almost a quarter of Australians are digitally excluded(1). Yet, MobileMuster’s research(2) shows there are more than 23 million unused phones in Australia. To help close the digital divide this summer, MobileMuster is calling on the three in five Australians with an unused phone to rehome it with not-for-profit, The Reconnect Project.

For vulnerable individuals, these phones could be a lifeline to access services like Triple Zero, online banking, employment, education or contacting loved ones. The Reconnect Project is a Sydney-based not-for-profit that repairs people’s unwanted tech and donates it to people who need it most, like domestic violence victims/survivors, refugees, or those experiencing homelessness. If they receive a phone that cannot be rehomed, they recycle it through MobileMuster.

Annette Brodie, founder and CEO of The Reconnect Project, said, “We are proud to partner with MobileMuster as we endeavour to create a more digitally inclusive Australia. This summer, MobileMuster is donating $10,000 to The Reconnect Project. This will help us refurbish and rehome 100 mobile phones – but there are so many more Australians who need access to a phone.”

Brodie continued, “As the cost of living remains high, people are struggling to afford essential technology that could offer a pathway to employment, education, and even safety. Wipe your phone’s data in a few simple steps and find your nearest drop-off point or mail it to The Reconnect Project. Your old phone could give someone the tools they need to start a new chapter.”

Louise Hyland, CEO of the Australian Mobile Telecommunications Association (AMTA), which manages MobileMuster, explained, “90 per cent of a phone’s embodied carbon emissions are created when the phone is made. If you can’t wipe your phone’s data, you can recycle it at one of MobileMuster’s drop-off points or post it to us. Extending the phone’s life through refurbishment initiatives like The Reconnect Project or recycling them via MobileMuster will help reduce Australia’s emissions and overall e-waste.”

The Reconnect Project provides employment opportunities for neurodivergent young adults. The Reconnect Project’s training program upskills them with practical skills in mobile phone repair, retail operations, and customer service. “We’re not only addressing the digital divide but also creating pathways to meaningful employment and social inclusion,” continued Brodie.

The Reconnect Project and MobileMuster also play a critical role in reducing Australia’s growing e-waste. Australia is the fifth-highest producer of e-waste in the world, and its e-waste is growing three times faster than any other type of waste.

“By finding ways to extend phones’ lives for as long as possible, we can save resources, protect the environment and lower our carbon footprint,” Hyland said. This summer, help close the digital divide by donating unused phones to the Reconnect Project (thereconnectproject.com.au).

1. ARC Centre of Excellence for Automated Decision-Making and Society, RMIT University, Swinburne University of
Technology, and Telstra, Digital Inclusion Index 2023, https://www.digitalinclusionindex.org.au/wpcontent/
uploads/2023/07/ADII-2023-Summary_FINAL-Remediated.pdf

2. MobileMuster, AMTA MobileMuster campaign tracking results, 2024