DistantNews
Support us
🇦🇺 Australia /Disasters & Emergencies

Government hails AusAlert test success despite widespread missed alerts

From ABC Australia · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • The Australian government declared the nationwide AusAlert system test a success, with 94% of targeted cell towers broadcasting the alert.
  • Despite the high success rate, reports indicate many people did not receive the alert, with some experiencing delays or no notification at all.
  • The system is intended for emergency use and is scheduled for availability to states and territories from October onwards.

The Australian federal government has declared the nationwide AusAlert system test a success, reporting that 94% of targeted cell towers successfully broadcast the emergency alert messages.

So the benchmark that the National Emergency Management Agency set was for 90 per cent of towers; we've reached nearly 94 per cent of towers across the country.

— Kristy McBainMinister for Emergency Management, on the success rate of the AusAlert system test.

Emergency Management Minister Kristy McBain stated that this figure exceeded the National Emergency Management Agency's target of 90%. The 6% of towers that missed the alert were reportedly offline for maintenance, undergoing upgrades, or otherwise unusable. McBain described the trial as "very successful" and indicated plans to refine the technology for use by states and territories starting in October.

However, the test yielded mixed results for the public. The ABC received over 1,000 comments detailing both successes and issues. Some reported that only one in three people in a university setting received the alert, while others experienced significant delays, with alarms sounding 10 to 15 minutes after the scheduled test time.

We've now had a successful trial and we'll continue to refine the technology in Australia and work with states and territories to make sure it is available for use for them from October onwards.

— Kristy McBainMinister for Emergency Management, discussing future plans for the AusAlert system.

Reports from schools described teachers using the test to identify students with phones in class, while some tourists from the US noted the alert's similarity to the US Amber Alert system. Residents in remote areas, such as Longreach and the Simpson Desert, reported receiving the alert late or not at all, with one resident attributing the lack of notification to reliance on satellite internet.

It's like an amber alert in the states … when a child goes missing, they do it.

— Kim MageeA tourist from the US comparing the AusAlert system to US emergency alerts.

McBain advised those who did not receive the alert not to be concerned, suggesting it could be due to being outside of coverage areas. The government plans to continue refining the system based on the test's outcomes.

This could be because you are not in a coverage area.

— Kristy McBainMinister for Emergency Management, explaining why some people might not have received the alert.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog