Broadcasting: concerns and capabilities

22 Jun 2011

Broadcast Australia was a founding member of the Communications Sector Group—an organisation set up to share information and improve responses to threats to Australia’s communications sector.

In 2002, the Federal Government established a task force called the Communications Sector Infrastructure Assurance Advisory Group within the Trusted Information Sharing Network for Australia's critical infrastructure sectors. Now known simply as the Communications Sector Group (CSG), this organisation was founded to investigate how information can be better shared within Australia's communications sector, in order to mitigate threats and vulnerabilities to crucial communications infrastructure and support the continuity of critical services to the community.

The CSG comprises representatives from various Government departments, and representatives from companies within each of the four main sub-sectors of the communications industry—broadcast, telecommunications, postal, and submarine cable.

According to Broadcast Australia General Manager for Customer Service, Steve Minahan, Broadcast Australia itself has played a key role in the CSG. "The company was one of the founding representatives of the organisation," he said. "In the last nine years, we have been instrumental in highlighting both the concerns and the capabilities of the broadcast sector."

Exercise for success

These concerns and capabilities have probably best been highlighted during a 2008 joint NSW/Queensland exercise run on the Gold Coast, and during a series of similar—albeit smaller—exercises that have been subsequently run across other states in 2010.

"Here, it became apparent that while the broadcast industry is itself vulnerable to damage and disruption from a number of hazards, it is also well-positioned to support the emergency services and the government in times of trouble," said Steve. "During each exercise, the broadcast sector clearly exhibited its ability to effectively deliver emergency broadcast communications to the population during crisis periods."

The latest development has been the increased involvement of the State Governments in the CSG. "While the Federal Government sets the policy, it is the State Governments which are responsible for taking action," said Steve. "Many State Governments are now setting up their own sector infrastructure advisory groups, such as Victoria's Communications Security and Continuity Network (SCN)."

Reciprocal benefits

While there is still much work to be done cementing the state-based government relationships, the achievements to-date were clearly demonstrated during the recent spate of natural disasters. "The establishment of key relationships with organisations such as the SES and police has greatly facilitated our ability to work in partnership with these services during an emergency," said Steve.

"For example, there have been instances where broadcasters were given police-escorts to remote transmission sites cut off by natural disasters," said Steve. "Key assistance, like this, greatly facilitates the maintenance of crucial emergency broadcasts. Here, the work of the CSG has been monumental in improving emergency responses exactly when they have been needed."

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