Wells accepts mobile operators' disaster roaming deal, no legislated framework

Communications minister Anika Wells has found the mobile industry's temporary disaster roaming (TDR) arrangements satisfactory, so the law does not now require a mandatory framework. The assessment was required under a Coalition amendment to the Universal Outdoor Mobile Obligation legislation, which the government accepted earlier in October and which set a deadline of the end of the month. Had she found the arrangements lacking, a requirement to build a mandatory framework would have followed.

Wells's statement is dated 29 October and covers the arrangements the operators put in place on 1 October. She concluded they were enough for the 2026-27 high-risk weather season, saying she was "satisfied industry's initial provision of TDR in Australia is sufficient". Wells added that the capability is operational and ready to be activated when appropriate.

Documents tabled in the House of Representatives on Thursday confirm that only the mobile network operators decide whether to activate, extend or end disaster roaming, with no approval role for governments. A letter dated 23 October from Australian Telecommunications Alliance chief executive Luke Coleman to Department of Infrastructure first assistant secretary Lisa La Rance describes how the scheme works. Coleman said the industry had set protocols for activation, deactivation, extensions, technical and safety limits, competing demands and information sharing. He wrote that the model "does not confer on government any decision-making, oversight, or approval role". Coleman tied that to the department's own acknowledgement that operators and emergency services have a better view of the situation on the ground and the networks than it does.

Under the reporting plan, operators will tell relevant state and territory contacts about activations and deactivations using existing mass service disruption processes. Copies will go to the department's outage notification mailbox and to the National Situation Room at the National Emergency Management Agency. Telstra will send its own notice when roaming is activated in areas only it serves and no network impacts are involved. The industry argued existing processes give enough visibility and rejected a separate government reporting framework, though operators will supply a summary at the end of the season.

Wells said the initial model weighs extra connectivity for affected communities against the need to keep surviving networks safe and reliable. Coleman said operators agreed safeguards to protect those networks, and that Triple Zero access stays the top priority. Customers who lose their usual network can connect through another participating one, within technical and operational limits. Wells noted that emergency calling can already reach other available networks without disaster roaming.

Coleman said the industry backs looking at longer-term national coordination, including a possible single coordinating body, but that this would build on current arrangements rather than be needed for them to work. The industry plans to review its experience once the 2026-27 high-risk weather season ends.