Australia's first nationwide test of the new AusAlert emergency warning system produced mixed results on Wednesday, with some phones blaring the test message while others remained silent. The federal government has hailed the trial as a success, despite reports that not all devices received the alert.
The test, which took place at 2pm AEST, was intended to send a loud siren and pop-up notification to mobile phones, smartwatches and tablets across the country. However, some users reported that their devices either showed the notification without sound or failed to receive it entirely.
Federal Emergency Management Minister Kristy McBain said 94% of targeted cell towers successfully broadcast the alert. 'Don't worry if you did not receive an alert – this could be because you were not in a coverage area, your software was not up to date or your device was incompatible,' she said. She acknowledged that no communication method is 100% effective, describing the system as 'another tool in the toolkit'.
Among those affected was Indigo Miller in Canberra, who described the alert as 'anti-climactic' and noted it wasn't loud enough. In Sydney's Hyde Park, busker Dani Bainbridge heard the pinging just before performing. At the State Library of NSW, the siren woke a sleeping student. Meanwhile, some cinemas advised patrons to switch off phones before screenings.
Technical issues were noted, with reports that certain iPhone models (including iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 12), Samsung phones, and other devices did not receive the notification despite being on. The system was designed to work on iPhones 11 and up running iOS 26.4, and Android 12 or later. The National Emergency Management Agency (Nema) will continue to analyse data from the test.
Ahead of the trial, domestic violence advocates raised concerns about the alert potentially exposing 'safe phones' hidden from abusers. AusAlert interim coordinator Pat Hetherington advised that those with such devices should switch them off for 24 hours.
