• Environment and Communications References Committee

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30 November 2011On 3 March 2011, the Senate referred the following matter to the Environment and Communications References Committee (the committee) for inquiry and report by 2 November 2011:

The capacity of communication networks and emergency warning systems to deal with emergencies and natural disasters, with particular reference to:

1. the effectiveness of communication networks, including radio, telephone, Internet and other alert systems (in particular drawing on the spate of emergencies and natural disasters of the 2010/2011 Australian summer):
   - in warning of the imminent threat of an impending emergency,
   - to function in a coordinated manner during an emergency, and
   - to assist in recovery after an emergency;
   
   
2. the impact of extended power blackouts on warning systems for state emergency services, including country fire brigades and landholders or home owners;
   
   
3. the impact of emergencies and natural disasters on, and implications for, future communication technologies such as the National Broadband Network;
   
   
4. the scope for better educating people in high-risk regions about the use of communications equipment to prepare for and respond to a potential emergency or natural disaster;
   
   
5. new and emerging technologies including digital spectrum that could improve preparation for, responses to and recovery from, an emergency or natural disaster; and
   
   
6. any other relevant matters.

As a result of various natural disasters around Australia during the last decade, several state and territory governments have conducted, or are currently conducting, inquiries to examine ways in which the devastating effects of similar events could be avoided or minimised in the future.

Recent inquiries into natural disasters in Australia include the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Coroner's inquests and inquiry into the Canberra firestorm in January 2003 and the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission (the Royal Commission) examining the deadly fires in that state on 7 February 2009. At present, the Queensland Floods Commission of Inquiry is examining the floods that occurred during December 2010 and January 2011.

In their final reports, both the ACT Coroner and the Royal Commission made recommendations regarding emergency communications and warning systems.

The interim report of the Queensland Floods Commission of Inquiry, released on 1 August 2011, also made numerous recommendations pertinent to this inquiry.

The reports handed down in the ACT, Victoria and Queensland shared common themes about the use and effectiveness of emergency communications. All of the reports emphasised the need for interoperability of emergency service organisation telecommunication systems, and recommended improvements to the way in which the public is warned about an impending emergency (including the timeliness of and information contained within these warnings). These issues are discussed in subsequent chapters of this report.