BOM Website Redesign Costs Soar to $96 Million, Sparks Government Scrutiny
The Australian Bureau of Meteorology’s (BOM) recently redesigned website is facing intense scrutiny after the true cost of the project was revealed to be over $96 million – a staggering increase from the initially reported $4 million. The revelation has prompted the federal environment minister to demand answers from the agency’s new CEO, Stuart Minchin, regarding the project’s ballooning expenses and widespread usability issues.
The national weather agency was inundated with complaints following the website’s launch approximately one month ago. Users reported significant difficulties navigating the site, with particular criticism directed at changes to the radar map that rendered place names illegible.
Farmers Disproportionately Affected
The impact was particularly acute for farmers, who found themselves unable to access crucial rainfall data. “Families and farmers could not access vital, localised data such as river heights and rainfall information and this missing data created panic and fear across communities,” one political observer noted. The federal government was ultimately forced to intervene, directing the BOM to rectify the issues. While the radar map has since reverted to its previous version and other adjustments have been implemented, further changes are planned.
In a statement, the BOM acknowledged the total project cost of approximately $96.5 million, broken down as follows: $4.1 million for the redesign itself, $79.8 million for the website build, and $12.6 million for launch and security testing. A spokesperson defended the expenditure, stating, “A complete rebuild was necessary to ensure the website meets modern security, usability and accessibility requirements for the millions of Australians who rely on it every day.” The agency also affirmed its commitment to analyzing community feedback received since the October 22 launch.
Minister Demands Accountability
Environment Minister Murray Watt has met twice in the past week with CEO Minchin to express his concerns about the project’s handling and cost. He has tasked Minchin with providing a comprehensive report on the situation. “I don’t think it’s secret that I haven’t been happy with the way the BOM has handled the transition to the new website,” Watt told reporters on Sunday. “I’ve asked him as his first priority to make sure that he can get on top of the issues with the website – the functionality – and I’m pleased to see they’ve made changes. But I’ve also asked him to get on top of how we got to this position with this cost, with the problems.”
While stopping short of labeling the website a complete waste of funds, the minister indicated he would reserve judgment until receiving Minchin’s report. “Before leaping to judgement, I want to see what the new CEO of the BOM has been able to establish as to the reasons for those cost increases and I’ll make my judgement at that point in time.”
Political Fallout and Calls for Consequences
The controversy has ignited political debate, with Nationals leader David Littleproud calling for accountability. “It is unbelievable a private consultancy was paid $78 million to redesign the website,” Littleproud stated. “But then security and system testing meant that Australian taxpayers actually paid $96 million for what was nothing more than another Labor disaster.” He emphasized the severity of the situation, arguing that the website’s shortcomings jeopardized public safety.
The BOM initially addressed some concerns nine days after launch by reverting the radar map to its previous design, explaining that this restored “the visual style that the community said they found intuitive and reliable for interpreting weather conditions.” The agency also implemented changes on November 7 to improve access to fire behavior index information. However, some planned updates have been temporarily paused due to the ongoing response to Severe Tropical Cyclone Fina in northern Australia.
The situation underscores the critical importance of effective communication and user-centered design in public sector technology projects, and raises serious questions about oversight and cost management within the BOM. The coming weeks will be crucial as CEO Minchin works to address the concerns raised and restore public trust in Australia’s vital weather forecasting service.
