Australian Government to Trial New Mobile Emergency Alert System

Melbourne (ANTARA) - The Australian government will conduct a trial of its new national mobile emergency warning system on Monday (27 July) next week, ahead of its full launch in October, as confirmed by Australia’s Emergency Management Minister Kristy McBain on Wednesday (22 July).

McBain told reporters in Melbourne that the AusAlert system trial will proceed as planned on 27 July at 2.00pm Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST), despite concerns from various states and territories about how the system will function alongside existing warning systems.

She said the trial will assess the performance of the system, which will use cell-broadcast technology to send alerts directly to compatible mobile devices, as well as give Australians the opportunity to familiarise themselves with the alerts before the system is officially launched from October.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported on Wednesday that governments in several states and territories have voiced concerns about whether AusAlert will be able to reach people using landline telephones, which are more common in remote areas, and whether the system will be compatible with existing local warning systems.

McBain said the federal government will ensure the existing Emergency Alert system for landline telephones will continue to operate alongside AusAlert during the upcoming severe weather season.

AusAlert was developed based on the recommendations of the 2020 Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements, which identified the need for a more modern, reliable and nationally consistent warning capability.