CANBERRA, ACT. — The Anko-branded walkie-talkie has been programmed with radio frequencies that require a licence for use in Australia. Using the equipment in its current state may cause interference with other licensed services operating on the 467.425 MHz band and cause unintended disruption.
The importation of two-way radios and handheld portable radios – often called ‘walkie-talkies’ has been a major concern of licensed radio operators across Australia for over a decade.
“Due to an ‘oversight’, the stock we received for this product has been programmed with radio frequencies that require a license for use in Australia. Using the equipment in its current state may cause interference with other licensed services operating on the 467.425 MHz band, which could lead to unintended disruption,” the official Kmart recall notice states.
Walkie-talkies, often sold as children’s toys in Kmart & Target, must only use the assigned 80 channels of the UHF Citizens’ Band Radio Service or 27MHz (HF) CB Service. It is a federal offence to sell, trade or transmit on the ‘walkie-talkies’ that Kmart and Target were selling, meaning children who used (or are still using) these walkie-talkies are committing a federal offence in breach of the Radio Communication Act 1992 (Cth).
The product’s keycode is 43577156 (Kmart) and 71215020 (Target).
What consumers should do
- Stop using the walkie-talkie immediately.
- Return the item to the place of purchase (Kmart or Target) for a full refund.
Dates available for sale
September 30, 2025 – February 6, 2026.
Where the product was sold
Nationally and online
More information
Kmart Australia Limited
1800 124 125, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm (AEST)
https://www.kmart.com.au/contact-us/
Target Australia Pty Ltd
1300 753 567, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm (AEST)
https://www.target.com.au/help/contact-us
Kmart and Target did not respond to requests for comment.
