Govt, opposition unite to sledge $96m BOM website
Revelations that the Bureau of Meteorology’s controversial new website cost 20 times its originally-cited cost are drawing savage criticism from federal politicians.
Revelations that the Bureau of Meteorology’s controversial new website cost 20 times its originally-cited cost have drawn savage criticism from federal politicians.
BOM chief executive Stuart Minchin, who is two weeks into the job, revealed in an open letter on Sunday that the much-maligned website update cost $96.5 million.
That’s an incredible blowout from $4.1 million first offered up by the weather forecasters after the redesign was rolled out in October.
Australians hated the new website, flooding the organisation with criticism that basic details were too hard to find and rain radars were confusing.
It was also launched on a weekend that brought devastating storms to Queensland and Victoria, with many of those affected saying the site offered them little warning of the lashing rain, lightning and hail heading their way.
Politicians also hated the price tag, with Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek leading the criticism.
“I don’t think the new website has been a good exercise for the Bureau of Meteorology,” she told Sunrise.
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“An unpopular website that doesn’t tell people the weather, well, that’s not really delivering, is it?”
Plibersek said some of the mega money was spent on “necessary upgrades” including back-end security, but suggested the government was taken by surprise by the total.
“There’s been a few revelations in recent times too that have surprised everyone,” she said.
Nationals leader David Littleproud said the sheer waste of money required a review.
“It is unbelievable a private consultancy was paid $78 million to redesign the website, but then security and system testing meant that Australian taxpayers actually paid $96 million for what was nothing more than another Labor disaster,” he said.
“The seriousness of this cannot be understated. This isn’t just about a clunky website, the changes actually put lives and safety at risk.”
Former deputy prime minister Barnaby Joyce said it wasn’t good enough.
“We spent $96 million to put a B at the end of the BOM site. It’s now a bomb. It’s hopeless,” he said.
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“It infuriated so many farmers and the people who worked it because we really liked the old site.
“Now we’ve got this fiasco, and we find out it’s cost us $96 million to stuff something up completely.”
The BOM website is one of the most popular in Australia, with millions visiting each day for their weather forecasts. The update launched in October was the first in 12 years.
Murray Watt, who holds ministerial responsibility for the agency, said he had met the bureau’s acting chief executive and then Minchin to reset expectations.
“I met with him on his very first day to outline my concerns and my request for him to get on top of this,” he said.
“I’m looking forward to a bit of a change in the culture and the approach of the BOM, and I want to make very clear that it’s an institution and has staff that I very much support.”
Minchin also said a new, refreshed website was coming as soon as this week, after an update was postponed due to Tropical Cyclone Fina, which battered the Top End over the weekend.
He said it was vital that Australians didn’t lose faith in the organisation.
“I have seen up close the dedication and expertise of our people working to deliver timely forecasts, warnings, updates and briefings that we all rely on,” he said.
“I’m personally committed to ensuring the new site supports all sectors of the community with the information needed to make decisions, both for safety and daily planning.”
-with AAP
