Emergency-phone numbers and -services
Unfortunately, there are different emergency numbers in almost every country.
Fortunately, the states/territories of Australia have agreed on standardised emergency numbers.
Australia’s primary national number for help in life-threatening or time-critical emergencies, is the
000 “Triple Zero”
Other numbers are:
– State Emergency Service (SES) – assistance in floods and storms: 132 500
– Police attendance (contact police when it is not life-threatening or time-critical): 131 444 (all states except Victoria)
- 112 – International standard emergency call number
- Emergency and disaster assistance
- Smartphone App
- What happens when you call Triple Zero (000)?
- Useful links
112-International standard emergency number
Dialling the international standard emergency number 112 in Australia from a mobile phone directs you to the Triple Zero (000) call service.
112 is an international standard emergency number which can only be dialled on a digital mobile phone. It is accepted as a secondary international emergency number in some parts of the world, including Australia, and can be dialled in areas of GSM network coverage with the call automatically translated to that country’s national number. It does not require a simcard or pin number to make the call, however phone coverage must be available (any carrier) for the call to proceed.
Dialling 112 from a fixed line telephone in Australia (including payphones) will not connect you to the emergency call service as it is only available from digital mobile phones.
Emergency and disaster assistance
Disaster Assist (Australian Government – Department of Home Affairs)
Natural disaster (Payments and help for people directly affected by bushfires, floods or other natural disasters)
Smartphone App
Highly recommended is the simple and understandable app for your smartphone:
Download for:
What happens when you call Triple Zero (000)?
- When you dial 000, your call is connected to the Telstra service centre.
- Operators will ask which service you require – Police, Fire or Ambulance.
- You respond by advising the operator which of those services you require assistance from.
- Your call will then be rapidly connected to the service requested.
- If you don’t respond because you are unable to talk, your call will be forwarded to an automated system, where you will be asked to push ‘5 5’ on the telephone keypad if you still require assistance. Pushing ‘5 5’ directs the call to Police, who will assess the circumstances and decide on the most suitable response.