Bush Fires lead to Breakdown in Communications!

It's time to liberalize amateur radio in Australia!

AussieWinlnk's nominal hometown has been hit by raging bush fires. As was learned during the terrorist attacks on 9/11 in New York and Washington DC, communication was the Achilles heel of the emergency response. AussieWinlink has been lobbying the Australian Government to liberalize amateur radio operations in Australia, with the objective to call on this resource during national emergencies.

This incident shows how vulnerable Australia could be to terrorist attacks. The bush fires seriously disrupted electricity services and communications in Australia's national capital. AussieWinlink's correspondent reports:

DESTROYED: 368 homes were completely destroyed with hundreds of others damaged. Extensive fire damage also occurred at Mt. Stromlo 0bservatory; the Australian Defence College; Kambah fire and ambulance station; Weston pathology laboratories; Holder pharmaceutical store; Chapman reservoir; Lower Molongo water treatment plant; 35 electricity substations; 40 public housing properties; hectares of plantation forests; and, power lines. These are all critical infrastructure components.

ELECTRICITY: Areas without power included parts of Booroomba, Chapman, Corin Dam, Cotter, Curtin, Farrer, Fisher, Gibralter Fails, Gleneagles, Holt, Hughes., Isaacs, Latham, Lower Molonglo, Lyons, Mawson, Mount MacDonald, Mount Stromlo, Mount Taylor, Mugga Lane, Oakey Creek, Paddy's River, Parkwood, Rivett, Stirling, Tharwa, Cuppacumbalong, Tidbinbilia, Uriarra, Wallaroo, Wanniassa, Waramanga, Woden. ACTEW staff are working on the problem. Some of these locations are within a stone's throw from Australia's Parliament House, Federal Government Offices and Defence installations.

COMMUNICATIONS: It was announced that, when possible, for people to stay off mobile phones to free networks for emergency services traffic. About 4500 fixed telephones are not working in Weston Creek, Kambah, Tuggeranong, Monash, Scullin and Lanyon. A Telstra spokesman said back-up generators were being brought to Canberra from interstate to help alleviate the problem. (Bolding added for emphasis). This was exactly what happened in the US where public communication networks collapsed because of the volume of emergency traffic.

The revitalization of amateur radio, and the broadening of the WICEN radio amateur emergency network, and allowing the operation of Winlink2000 in Australia are positive steps to strengthen Australia's preparedness. A well prepared amateur radio network, manned by volunteers, could stay on the air for extended periods without necessarily requiring public electricity supply. Such stations could handle voice traffic but, more importantly for Winlink, also digital communications including emergency evacuation procedures, photographs, and drawings and maps as well as press briefings.

The Australian Communications Authority, the government agency responsible for regulating amateur radio, has indicated that it will undertake a review of amateur radio in Australia. However, in the same notice it states that reforms would not be implemented till the year 2005. Should Australia really have to wait that long for vital reforms?

Copyright © 2002-2008 AussieWinlink. Material may be quoted with acknowledgement of its source. Last modified: September 28, 2008