AusAlert test: Emergency sirens to blast phones at 2pm Monday

Australians nationwide will hear a 10-second emergency siren blast from their mobile phones at 2pm AEST on Monday 27 July, as part of the first national test of the new AusAlert warning system. The alert, which will also appear on many smartwatches and tablets, cannot be silenced even if devices are on silent or do-not-disturb mode. The test is a precursor to the system's official launch in October, designed to send mass emergency broadcasts to mobile devices during fires, floods, terrorist incidents, or health emergencies.

How the AusAlert test works

The test alert will be broadcast via mobile phone towers to all compatible devices across the country. Users will see a pop-up notification with the words "TEST MESSAGE" and "NO ACTION IS REQUIRED," alongside a siren sound that lasts about 10 seconds. Pat Hetherington, interim coordinator general at the National Emergency Management Agency (Nema), described the sound as "loud enough to get people's attention" but quieter than a fire alarm. He noted it will be "noticeable, but it won't be too over the top." The timing varies by location: 2pm for New South Wales, Victoria, the ACT, Queensland, and Tasmania; and 1:30pm for South Australia and the Northern Territory.

Why a new warning system was needed

AusAlert stems from a recommendation by the royal commission into the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires, which called for a nationally consistent emergency alert system. The current system relies on standard SMS messages, which have suffered from latency and network congestion during crises. "Throughout a series of emergencies and disasters, that system has had real latency in terms of people receiving the messages," Hetherington said. He explained that network congestion could delay or prevent text messages from arriving, depending on the provider. Federal Emergency Management Minister Kristy McBain, whose Eden-Monaro electorate was devastated by the Black Summer fires, reported that some residents did not receive emergency text alerts because their phone provider was unavailable. She called AusAlert "far superior" to the existing system, noting its ability to send both nationwide alerts and localized "geofenced" warnings for specific events like floods or boil-water advisories.

Concerns and limitations

While the system aims to improve public safety, domestic violence advocates have raised concerns about the risk it poses to women and children who use hidden or "safe" phones to escape abusive partners. The inability to silence the alert could expose the location of those at risk. Nema has acknowledged these concerns and provided guidance on how to turn off the alert on safe devices, though details were not specified in the test announcement. Additionally, questions remain about regional access, particularly in remote areas with limited mobile coverage.

What happens after the test

Monday's test will help officials identify any glitches before the system goes live nationally in October. Nema expects to refine the system based on public feedback and technical performance. For now, Australians are urged to simply acknowledge the alert and take no action. The test serves as a reminder that when the real emergencies occur, the loud siren and pop-up will demand attention—and perhaps save lives.