Sam Lim (Tangney, Australian Labor Party) | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Emergency Management. How did the trial of the AusAlert national emergency warning system perform? What other investment is the Albanese government making in emergency management ahead of the upcoming higher risk weather season?

Kristy McBain (Eden-Monaro, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Regional Development, Local Government and Territories) | Link to this | Hansard source

I'd like to thank the member for Tangney for his question. What people across this parliament might not know is that the member for Tangney was the 2020 police officer of the year in WA and knows firsthand the importance of having a national warning system. That is important. I also want to acknowledge the member for Maranoa, who was the minister during the royal commission, and I know it's a longstanding position of his that there needed to be a consistent national warning system.

On Monday 27 July, the Australian government undertook a test of our new national emergency warning system, AusAlert. From Darwin to Geelong, Kalbarri to Bundaberg, millions of mobile devices across Australia received that test alert, and the test was successful, with more than 94 per cent of cell towers broadcasting that notification. It showcased AusAlert's ability to deliver emergency warnings at pace and at scale. AusAlert is potentially life-saving technology. It is a more modern, more capable system that will get emergency alerts to more people in a more timely manner than the existing text-based emergency alert system. AusAlert will be ready for use from October this year. Existing warning channels, including radio, television, social media and, most importantly, community outreach, remain critical during any natural disaster.

But the delivery of AusAlert is another example of our government delivering real change for the Australian people. It builds on improvements that we've already made in emergency management, including the establishment of the National Emergency Management Agency, including the Disaster Ready Fund, which is delivering disaster resilience and risk reduction across the country with 449 projects announced and underway. We've invested more than $100 million in our national aerial firefighting capability to support states and territories to respond to crises, and we continue to invest in the National Emergency Management Stockpile to support the rollout of critical goods and services to communities quickly.

Countries such as France and the United States of America already use cell-broadcast technology as part of their emergency warning toolkit. I'd like to take a second to send our thoughts to friends across Canada, France and the United States, who are currently battling devastating wildfires. A contingent of 185 Australians and 57 New Zealanders departed for the US this week, joining the 74 personnel that are already deployed to support wildfire suppression efforts. A further 40 are in Canada, and a further 28 are in France, supporting our international partners in their time of need.

Australians have some of the finest firefighting capability on the planet, and I know I speak for everyone across this parliament when I wish those personnel a safe deployment and thank them for their bravery and their dedication in assisting others during this very difficult bushfire season.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) | Link to this | Hansard source

on indulgence—Can I join with the minister in praising our firefighters, who are representing Australia overseas as well. We should be so proud of what they do in Canada, in the United States and in Europe, and we certainly wish them a very safe return. They do our nation proud.

Angus Taylor (Hume, Liberal Party, Leader of the Opposition) | Link to this | Hansard source

on indulgence—If I may, Mr Speaker, I want to associate the coalition with those comments. We, like those on the other side of the House, are very proud of our firefighters. Of course, many of us live in parts of Australia where those firefighters play an enormously important role every single year. Many of us, over the course of our time in our electorates, have also participated in the work that's done by our firefighters. We wish them well, and we know they will do us proud.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.