Domestic violence survivors are being urged to turn secret phones off ahead of a national emergency alert test on Monday afternoon, as advocacy groups raise concerns.
Emergency services minister Kristy McBain told reporters she had been working with domestic violence services to ensure AusAlert, due to sound across the nation for the first time, was safe for all Australians.
The test will sound even if phones are set to silent or do-not-disturb. Some tablets and smart watches will also be affected.
People who do not want their device to pick up the alarm should put it in aeroplane mode at least an hour before the test, and keep the device in that mode for up to 24 hours.
Drivers have also been urged not to touch their phones when the alert sounds, with the siren to end automatically.
“Mobile phone laws still apply. Don’t read or respond to the alert while moving. Only check the message when your vehicle is turned off and it is safe and legal to do so,” the AusAlert website said.
The test of the AusAlert system will involve a 10-second siren sound on all mobile phones across the country on Monday afternoon.
“This system is much more accurate than the current system,” Ms McBain told ABC News Breakfast on Monday, following several outages from major teleco companies in recent months that saw hundreds of people unable to access triple zero.
“It doesn’t rely on any one telco provider, it’s not subject to network congestion, and we can geolocate an alert down to 160 metres of where an incident is actually occurring.”
The AusAlert national emergency alert system is due to replace the current national warning system from October, providing alerts for bushfires, floods and other natural disasters.
The test will be classed as a “critical alert”, meaning devices will vibrate or make the sound even if they are in silent or do not disturb modes.
The system was created following the 2020 Royal Commission into Natural Disaster Management to patch gaps in existing state-based emergency alerts.
“In an actual event, an AusAlert will tell you what the type of emergency is, where it’s located, and how serious it is,” Ms McBain said on Sunday.
Ms McBain emphasied the system would work alongside existing warning channels such as websites, radio, social media, television, and community outreach.
While it is designed to operate as a standalone national system, some states and territories will continue to use their own alerts when AusAlert comes into effect in October.
Some jurisdictions have raised concerns, including how those reliant on landlines and non-English speaking households will be protected.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
Lifeline 13 11 14
Men’s Referral Service 1300 766 491
Australian Associated Press is the beating heart of Australian news. AAP is Australia’s only independent national newswire and has been delivering accurate, reliable and fast news content to the media industry, government and corporate sector for 85 years. We keep Australia informed.
