National Broadcast of Emergency Warnings

The National Guidelines for the Request and Broadcast of Emergency Warnings are an initiative of the Australian Government and have been developed in consultation with State and Territory Governments and all peak broadcast media bodies.

The objective of this project is to improve the effectiveness, clarity and consistency of arrangements between all broadcast media, and all emergency management organisations, for the request and broadcast of emergency public warnings. The Guidelines have received in-principle endorsement from all members of the Ministerial Council for Police and Emergency Management, from the Attorney-General on behalf of the Australian Government and from peak broadcast media bodies (Project partners).

The guidelines relate only to warnings where persons, property or the environment are under emerging or immediate threat. The Guidelines do not encompass news or disaster recovery information, editorial comment, or dissemination of general emergency preparedness advice.

Broadcast media outlets are encouraged to make separate arrangements within their State and Territory for provision of ongoing news coverage of an incident.

The guidelines support existing arrangements and commitments made by the broadcast industry under the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Special Broadcasting Service, Commercial Television Industry and Commercial Radio Codes of Practice. They do not intend to change existing local arrangements, but rather to complement them and provide a consistent approach to the broadcast of emergency warnings to the public across all States and Territories.

Project partners - Industry

Project partners - Government