Millions of Australians will soon hear an unfamiliar siren blasting from their phones, as the government prepares to test a new national emergency alert system ahead of this year’s disaster season.
The system, called AusAlert, will send a test warning to compatible mobile devices across the country on Monday, July 27. The alert will arrive simultaneously nationwide, landing at 2:00pm AEST in Queensland and most eastern states.
When the alert comes through, devices will vibrate and emit a loud, siren-like sound lasting around 10 seconds. A message will also appear on screen clearly stating that it’s a test, though the exact look may vary depending on the device and operating system.
Importantly, this is not something users can opt out of. Because the notification is classified as a Critical Alert, it overrides normal phone settings, including silent mode and do not disturb. The only way to avoid it is to power off the device or switch to aeroplane mode during the test period.
Officials say there’s no action required when the alert arrives. The national test is designed to make sure the system works at scale and to familiarise people with how the warnings will look and sound before they’re used in a real emergency.
Once fully operational later this year, AusAlert will deliver emergency messages related to natural disasters, major incidents, and public safety threats. The alerts will include key details like what the emergency is, where it is happening, and what action people should take.
The upgrade brings Australia in line with global best practice, using cell broadcast technology to send fast, targeted warnings to people in danger zones. In real scenarios, alerts will only be sent to those in affected areas, but the July test is being sent nationwide to ensure every device can receive the message.
