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Concerns raised over AusAlert emergency warning system
Australia's emergency management minister has confirmed the national AusAlert mobile test will proceed on Monday, July 27, at 2pm AEST despite concerns raised by state and territory representatives in a meeting with minister Kristy McBain.
- WA and Queensland raised concerns about landline compatibility.
- Only English-language alerts are planned, raising effectiveness concerns.
- ACT will adopt AusAlert on October 1, other states still assessing.
The warning system sends alerts directly to mobile phones in affected areas via a dedicated channel from mobile towers, appearing as 'system alerts' rather than text messages. Ms McBain said the test would assess system-wide performance and allow Australians to familiarise themselves with the technology before real emergencies. However, Western Australia and Queensland reportedly raised concerns about the system's ability to contact landlines, which are still common in remote areas.
Only English messages are planned, potentially limiting effectiveness in multilingual communities. There are also questions about whether older devices can receive the alerts. The Australian Capital Territory confirmed it will adopt AusAlert on October 1, running it alongside its existing system. Other states and territories, including Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, and Victoria, declined to commit to a timeline, with several saying they are still assessing how AusAlert will integrate with current warning systems.
Source: ABC News AU