Investment in emergency response systems outlined in 2023 federal budget

A national messaging system will send texts to Australians in the vicinity of a disaster and emergency workers will communicate via a public safety mobile broadband.

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

A national messaging system will send texts to Australians in the vicinity of a disaster and emergency workers will communicate via a public safety mobile broadband, in a major boost to the nation’s emergency warning and alert system included in next week’s federal budget.

A National Messaging System (NMS) will deliver instant emergency messages that “take over” the screen of all mobile devices within a kilometre radius of a disaster or across a particular state or local government area to raise the alarm.

The cutting edge technology will enable emergency services to communicate directly with the public – both in English and a second language – during an emergency to prevent loss of life, damage to property and counter the spread of misinformation.

The federal government has also announced a $10m investment to establish Public Safety Mobile Broadband (PSMB) capability to provide agencies and emergency services with fast and secure voice, video and data communications, with funding for both measures to be included in the federal budget.

Communications Minister Michelle Rowland said the investment would improve the nation’s ability to respond to natural disasters, with the PSMB forming a key recommendation of the Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements in 2020.

Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt said the NMS would bring Australia in line with the technology being used overseas.

The messages are specially designed to take over a devices’ screen so they cannot be mistaken for spam or ignored.