Govt announces enhanced comms for emergencies and disasters

The Australian Government is rolling out a new cell broadcast National Messaging System (NMS) that will use state-of-the-art technology to significantly enhance how the Commonwealth delivers emergency messages. It will also improve how states and territories issue alerts and warnings to mobile phones and devices during a crisis or emergency event, in near real time.

Drawing on technology currently used overseas, the speed and effectiveness of the NMS is expected to substantially improve Australia’s ability to send prioritised warnings from trusted sources, to prevent the loss of life, injury and damage to property, and to mitigate the spread of misinformation during disasters. The technology will also allow governments to send messages in English and a second language, in order to provide official information to multicultural communities, helping them to understand the risks and make appropriate decisions about their personal safety.

The government has also committed $10.1 million to establish a central taskforce to drive the delivery of a public safety mobile broadband (PSMB) capability which would deliver a mobile broadband service that provides public safety agencies and first responders with fast and secure voice, video and data communications.

Near-instant access to data, images and information in critical situations would be enabled by PSMB along with real-time, data-rich analytics, situational awareness and cross-border communications between, for example, ground crews, aerial assets and incident control centres. This would support the coordination of responses across organisational and geographic boundaries, and enhance Australia’s ability to manage emergencies, hazards and threats.

The PSMB was a key recommendation of the 2020 Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements. The taskforce will take forward the recommendations of the review and drive the delivery of this important capability.

Both measures will be jointly developed and implemented by the Minister for Communications Michelle Rowland and the Minister for Emergency Management Murray Watt. Rowland said the upgrades would have widespread benefits for Australians.

“Our investments in emergency and public safety communications will help save lives, reduce the impact on communities and ensure our emergency and public safety organisations are better able to respond,” she said.

“Being able to communicate effectively — from communities receiving emergency messages as quickly as possible to emergency service operators responding to an event — is critical in ensuring that there is minimal disruption to communities and individuals.

“These measures in the 2023–24 federal Budget will improve our ability to respond to natural disasters or emergencies to keep Australians safe from harm.”

Watt said the new improvements will keep more people safe in emergencies such as fires, floods and cyclone, where every second is critical; earlier warnings will thus give residents and first responders the best chance possible to prepare.

“The government is investing in the NMS because emergency messages, alerts and warnings need to be delivered to the public in a timely, accurate and targeted manner; we need the most current technology to achieve this. This will help keep Australians safe and mitigate damage to property,” Watt said.

It is anticipated that the NMS will be designed, built and tested over the next 18 months, becoming operational by late 2024. In parallel, a national public awareness campaign will be developed and rolled out ahead of implementation, prior to future high-risk weather seasons.

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