On Monday 27 July at 2 pm AEST, mobile phones across Australia will emit a loud emergency signal as part of a nationwide test of the Australian Government’s AusAlert system. For most of us, this interruption will only cause minor disruptions to our day. After all, a 10-second emergency alert is a small price to pay for a system designed to keep us safe during disasters such as floods and bushfires.

But for some Australians, safety is more complicated than that. Victim-survivors of domestic and family violence are acutely aware of the dangers associated with mobile phone use. Mobile phones are often used by perpetrators as a tool of coercive control to monitor movements, track locations, and search communications. This is why many Australian women rely on so-called “safe phones”, which are designed for victim-survivors to be able to contact support services, lawyers, family members, and police without being monitored.

For victim-survivors living with coercive and controlling partners, an unexpected emergency alert may do more harm than good by revealing the existence of a safe phone. As we embrace this new technology designed to increase our safety, it is important to remember that sometimes the systems that are meant to keep us safe can, inadvertently, increase risk for those living with coercive control.

As Principal Investigator of the HEART Trial, examining climate-related PTSD in NSW Northern Rivers communities affected by natural disasters, I believe the planned national emergency alert system test may evoke a range of responses among individuals with trauma histories. For some, an emergency alert tone may trigger memories of past floods, bushfires, evacuations, or periods of threat. These reminders can lead to temporary increases in anxiety, heightened vigilance, distress, or stress responses.

Other considerations apply for Northern Rivers flood-affected communities. Many people are still experiencing homelessness, displacement, and limited access to reliable mobile coverage and internet. For these individuals, being told an alert will be sent and then not receiving it may be distressing. Some may recall missed warnings during previous flood events and interpret the absence of an alert as a system failure, potentially reactivating feelings of fear, vulnerability, abandonment, or mistrust.

However, advance notification of the test may provide benefits. Knowing when and why the alert will occur may help individuals feel more prepared, restore a sense of predictability and control, and reinforce the role of emergency warning systems in protecting community safety. In saying that, even with warning, it could still be triggering for some people.

“On 27 July 2026, at 12 pm AWST, a nationwide test alert will be sent to all compatible mobile devices, including some smartwatches and tablets. This is a single Critical AusAlert test which will inform all living in Australia of local and national disasters. The message will convey the type of disaster and emergency that is occurring, where it is happening, the seriousness of the disaster, what one is expected to do, where to find more information and the name of the organisation that is sending the alert. All devices will vibrate and receive a 10-second siren-like warning sound.

Domestic Violence services, advocates and researchers have raised the concern of those who are currently using ‘safe phones’ across the country and in regional areas. We need to know about the ‘risk’ of an alert system to those who are most vulnerable and in situations of coercive control. ‘Safe Phones’ are provided to those at risk of violence when perpetrators control and monitor primary phones. The only way not to receive the alert is if the phone is switched off or in aeroplane mode during the time. However, the government must provide some measures to mitigate these risks so that survivors of Family and Domestic Violence are always protected, especially during disasters.”

“AusAlert could become an important part of Australia’s emergency and pandemic preparedness. It’s particularly valuable that the system can be used for health emergencies, including pandemics and other major public health threats.

“COVID-19 showed us that technology and response plans work best when they are backed by clear communication, public trust and strong connections with communities. The national test is an opportunity to see how people receive and respond to alerts across different locations and circumstances, and where other communication channels may still be needed. Testing the system before it is needed is exactly what good preparedness looks like.

“AusAlert will work best as part of a broader communication network that includes public health teams, local services, community organisations and other trusted sources of information.”

"The testing of the emergency alert system is the next stage of the national program to improve emergency messaging for Australians.  The system will enable immediate and near-global reach of notifications relating to critical incidents.  All connected (and compatible) mobile devices will receive the alert – this will include smart watches and tablets in addition to mobile phones.

As this is designed for critical emergency messaging (think bush fire evacuations), the alarm will bypass settings on your device that would normally silence messages being received.  In other words, your ‘do not disturb’ or ‘silent mode’ will not prevent the alert from being heard. Some older devices may not be compatible with the alerting system, but most modern phones are covered.

If you cannot be disturbed during the test period, you will need to either switch off your phone or turn on aeroplane mode.  You will also need to leave it in this state for around an hour.  This may be a good idea if you are in a theatre or cinema!

It is also important for those who are reliant on an ‘emergency’ or ‘escape’ mobile device.  For those in critical situations (for example, people facing domestic violence situations), if you have a non-disclosed mobile device, it would be important to ensure it is switched off during the test – but ensure you are safe doing so."

"For rural communities, timely and reliable warnings can make a critical difference to safety, disaster preparedness and community resilience. However, disaster preparedness, response and recovery are about people, services and support networks - not just technology. 

While emergency warnings are critical for community safety, they can also trigger distress in people affected by previous disasters. Effective preparedness is about supporting psychological wellbeing as well as physical safety."

"AusAlert is a great way to use technology nearly everyone has and carries all the time - our phones - for a very important purpose. 

As emergency managers, one of the key challenges we have is getting safety-critical alerts to people in a timely manner. There are a variety of ways this is done; for example, state emergency authorities have apps that can issue emergency warnings to people in a specific area (think VicEmergency in Victoria), as well as existing cell-broadcast technology that can send alerts to phones in a specific area. 

Existing systems have several shortcomings. Often phones are on silent or have Do Not Disturb functionality that can disrupt the delivery of emergency messages. Messaging systems that rely on service addresses may not work if someone is away from home. Some systems can take a long time to deliver a message to a lot of people. 

It's not hard to think of situations where authorities may need to get an urgent message to people. A rapidly evolving bushfire or a truck crash releasing a poisonous chemical late at night may require people nearby to take time-critical action to ensure their safety. AusAlert represents a far quicker and more reliable way to notify all people in a specific area than existing methods, which may be slow, unreliable or resource intensive (such as door knocking)."

“The Federal Government’s AusAlert national warning system created in response to the 2020 Royal Commission into Natural Disaster Management is set to go live in October 2026, with a nationwide test planned for 27 July.  

It might be premature for the Federal Government to call this system ‘superior’ prior to testing and without any real-world application or hard data. 

The test warning will be a hardware level ‘notification’ type message, a 10-second siren with vibration. The siren will override the phone’s volume/silent settings. This system uses cell broadcast technology that is global best practice for emergencies in natural disaster-prone countries such as the United States, United Kingdom and Japan. Cell broadcast connects to any compatible phone within the range of a mobile tower. It is faster than SMS, avoids network congestion and does not require an active mobile connection. 

However, because this is a hardware level notification type message that disappears when clicked or dismissed, and the message is not stored on the phone, the value and impact of the alert can be diminished and critical information like evacuation instructions can be lost. 

Cell broadcast is also anonymous. This creates a gap in tracking or monitoring who has received the alerts and how to contact those who have not. During an emergency, knowing and coordinating the next step is vital and such a system should be able to provide this capability. Overseas cases further point to ‘alert fatigue’, where users have opted out due to overuse of the alerts for non-critical events. 

Given these technical and behavioural gaps, the pushback from states and territories to continue using their own warning systems is well placed. Redundancy communication mechanisms are global best practice for any emergency situation.”

"Cell Broadcast is a mature technology that is widely used internationally, but the success of Australia’s rollout will depend on how effectively we address compatibility gaps affecting older phones, including some devices manufactured before 2019 that may not reliably receive these alerts.

In regional and rural Australia, device compatibility is only part of the issue. Mobile coverage gaps, damaged towers, power failures and limited network redundancy may also prevent otherwise compatible devices from receiving alerts. 

I support proceeding with the national test as planned. It is the best way to identify real-world gaps in coverage and device compatibility. However, the October launch should not be treated as an immediate replacement for existing warning channels. AusAlert should operate alongside SMS, radio and state-based warning systems until its coverage, compatibility and reliability have been clearly demonstrated.”

"Implementing contemporary emergency alert and notification infrastructure is a critical and necessary measure to enhance community safety during regional emergencies. Legacy technologies may present limitations in reliability, coverage, maintainability, and long-term support. Accordingly, the adoption of modern systems represents an important investment in public safety and emergency preparedness. In this context, AusAlert is a positive development, with the potential to improve the timeliness, reach, and effectiveness of emergency warnings, particularly in circumstances where prompt and accurate information can reduce risk and support informed decision-making.

However, the transition to any new alerting system should be undertaken carefully, equitably, and with due consideration of diverse community needs. Residents rely on a range of communication technologies, and some individuals, particularly in regional or remote areas, may continue to depend on landlines or older mobile phones. As AusAlert may not be supported by all devices, including many phones manufactured before 2019, it is important that established alerting channels remain available throughout the transition period. Emergency communication strategies should not assume universal access to current digital technologies. A multi-channel approach incorporating mobile alerts, landline warnings, radio, community networks, and other existing mechanisms would help ensure that vulnerable or technologically disadvantaged groups are not excluded."

"Access to a hidden phone may be an FDV victim-survivor's only private means of checking in with family, contacting a support service, seeking legal advice or asking for help in an emergency.

However, a hidden phone is only useful as a safety measure while it remains hidden. If it unexpectedly makes a sound, vibrates or lights up, an abusive partner may discover it. This could lead to increased surveillance, further abuse or other forms of retaliation.

This advice closely reflects what the women in my study told me. They were frustrated by systems that failed to understand the realities of FDV and coercive control.

They wanted clear and timely information, but they also wanted the autonomy to decide how best to manage their own circumstances and safety.

Reaching everyone who may have a hidden phone will be extremely difficult. Without sufficient notice and clear, practical guidance, some people may feel they have no option but to stop using or give up the device because they fear what could happen when it is discovered.

FDV support services need sufficient time and appropriate information to reach people safely. Refuges, counsellors, legal services, health professionals and, where appropriate, police and courts may all have a role in communicating the warning.

However, they need to be involved in planning the communication strategy rather than approached only after safety concerns emerge.

Emergency alerts are valuable, but their planning must also account for the risk created when a hidden safety device is exposed.

Early consultation and clear communication can preserve the life-saving purpose of the alert while giving people experiencing abuse an opportunity to take steps to protect themselves and those around them."

"Despite the safety concerns for people with hidden phones, it is a great relief to hear that Australia has finally chosen to press ahead with an emergency alert system.
This move follows many other countries, some of which have had them for decades.

This capability was available from the 2G-era, so it is surprising that Australia has not prioritised the rollout of this system in the past - especially in areas particularly prone to natural disasters.

One remaining concern is that this system appears to have the same complex foundation as the 000 system.
It is based on rich but complex services within the cellular network, handset operating systems and other components of the national communications ecosystem. 
This creates many points of failure that the recent Telstra outage has shown are not merely theoretical.

As with 000, it would do well for Australia to consider whether this is sufficient, or whether we need to adopt a 'layered resilience' approach.

For example, it could leverage the 2G/3G signalling available from IoT communications networks to also be able to provide both a robust 000 fall-back service. As well, it could broadcast SMS that can be camped-on by all models of mobile phones, regardless of operating system version or country of purchase, for example if phones were purchased overseas, or brought in by tourists. 
This also could fill the gaps when the 4G/5G data-oriented networks wilt off, either accidentally or intentionally, when they detect faults within these complex networks."

"The AusAlert cell broadcast system is another channel in a broader warnings ecosystem that already includes local agency apps and dashboard, radio, television, and social media. We operate in a multi-channel ecosystem deliberately, because people gather information from several places to verify a threat and make sense of what it means for them.

What AusAlert adds is the alert step. For most people, it will be the first they hear of a threat, and its job is to prompt them to seek more information and act early — not to be the whole warning. It improves on what channels we have in place already because it reaches people our current channels miss: visitors and tourists and those in the community who haven't subscribed to a state agency's app. And because it can be targeted tightly, it should warn the people actually affected. But the message has to be designed well. Research shows people attend and act when a cell broadcast warning carries seven elements: the source, the hazard, the location, the time, what the hazard will do, what to do about it, and where to find more."