People with secret ‘safe phones’ advised to turn off devices during national test of AusAlert emergency warning

Most phones in Australia will blare an unsilenceable ten-second siren on Monday afternoon, with the federal government confirming that a national test of its new AusAlert emergency warning will go ahead despite reservations from some state governments, The Guardian World reports. The alert is set for two p.m. Australian Eastern Standard Time, and will reach iPhones and Apple Watches running recent software, along with Android devices on Android twelve or later. Domestic violence campaigners and the National Emergency Management Agency have repeated their advice that people who keep a hidden safe phone for personal safety reasons may want to turn those devices off for up to twenty-four hours after the test.

Listen to this story

Hear this and more stories in a personalized audio briefing.

Open The Chonkerton