AusAlerts could compromise 'safe phones' for women at DV risk

DV advocates warn AusAlert system could put regional women at increased risk Thu 16 Jul 2026 at 8:00am In short: Women in regional areas impacted by domestic violence could be at a higher risk as the country rolls out a new emergency alert system that would ping all phones, including safe phones. The AusAlert system, used to send messages during disasters and emergencies, can override privacy settings. What's next? Women with safe phones are being told to switch them off before and after the test alert on July 27. Women experiencing domestic violence in remote and regional areas could be disproportionately impacted when a nationwide emergency alert system is rolled out, advocates warn. AusAlert will send messages to mobile phones during local and national disasters, with the critical alert level able to override privacy settings. A test of the system will trigger a 10-second siren and vibrations on mobile phones at Midday (AWST) on July 27. Concerns have been raised about the risk the system will pose to people with "safe phones" in family and domestic violence situations. Women living regionally face increased rates of domestic violence, along with a higher exposure to emergency events such as bushfires and cyclones. Communicare's senior manager of women and family safety services, Deb Murray, is concerned once the new emergency messaging system is operational, it will be difficult to mitigate the risk for women with safe phones in the regions. "This is going to impact our regional victim-survivors probably more than it will our women who are based in metro because of the increased exposure to bushfires, cyclones, floods and other natural disasters,"she said. Ms Murray is hoping for more information from the government ahead of the rollout to allow time for support services to provide advice to clients. "I'd love to know at what point the alerts will go out, at what point of a fire, what point of a cyclone, what point of a flood," she said. "I think that's really the only way we are going to be able to put any mitigating strategies in place." 'Safe phone' risks In regional WA, women who use domestic violence support groups are being contacted ahead of the test of AusAlert later this month. Harbour Domestic Violence service chief executive Ali White has expressed concern that safe phones could be discovered when the alert sounds. "We are contacting clients who have received a safe phone, as I'm sure other FDV services are doing, to let them know they can put their phone on aeroplane mode and just to make them aware it's going to happen," she said. Safe phones are given to clients when there is a risk their primary phones are used by perpetrators of violence. Ms White said phones were given to women after identifying certain family violence risks. "Coercive control underpins a lot of that behaviour about controlling who you see, where you go, who you contact," she said. All phones will be tested There are two alert types, with the higher critical alert level set to be tested across the country. Federal Emergency Management Minister Kristy McBain has confirmed all mobile phones will be impacted by the test. "You can't opt out of that alert and it will override the privacy settings, the silent settings," she said. "If people don't want to be involved in that national test, they should turn off their phone an hour before the test time and leave it off for at least an hour after that test time." The Centre for Women's Safety and Wellbeing has advised people to turn off their phone or switch to aeroplane mode one hour before the test and for 24 hours afterwards. AusAlert is slated to become operational on October 1 this year. [Image text:] Amago Notification Centre f AusAlert Australas nw merency tion fiar I AU