New emergency alert system for Australia ahead of nationwide test

VICTORIA BUSHFIRES
Firefighting aircraft drop water near Gellibrand in the state of Victoria in January 2026. (AAP) Source: AAP / MICHAEL CURRIE/AAPIMAGE

Australia is about to introduce a new national emergency warning system AusAlert. Whether it's bushfires, floods or hurricanes — warning messages should be sent to mobile phones faster and more reliably in the future. Before the first nationwide test, we explain how the system works, what the population can expect and why some emergency authorities still have reservations.


Published

Updated

By Essam Al-Ghalib

Presented by Benjamin Kanthak

Source: SBS




Share this with family and friends


Australia is about to introduce a new national emergency warning system AusAlert. Whether it's bushfires, floods or hurricanes — warning messages should be sent to mobile phones faster and more reliably in the future. Before the first nationwide test, we explain how the system works, what the population can expect and why some emergency authorities still have reservations.


Discover more stories, interviews, and news from SBS German in our podcast collection.


Latest podcast episodes

Follow SBS German

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our exclusive in-language podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

German News

Watch it onDemand

Stream now