The Senate Standing Committees on Environment and Communications has been requested to undertake an inquiry into the capacity of communication networks and emergency warning systems to deal with emergencies and natural disasters.

Under its terms of reference, the Committee will investigate:

a.    the effectiveness of communication networks, including radio, telephone, Internet and other alert systems
       (in particular drawing on the spate of emergencies and natural diasters of the 2010/2011 Australian summer):

        (i)    in warning of the imminent threat of an impending emergency,
        (ii)   to function in a coordinated manner during an emergency, and
        (iii)  to assist in recovery after an emergency;

b.    the impact of extended power blackouts on warning systems for state emergency services, including country fire brigades and landholders or home owners;

c.    the impact of emergencies and natural disasters on, and implications for, future communication technologies such as the National Broadband Network;

d.    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;

e.    new and emerging technologies including digital spectrum that could improve preparation for, responses to and recovery from, an emergency or natural disaster.

 

Submissions are required by 21 April 2011, and the reporting date is 2 November 2011.  More information about the inquiry is available here.