Overview
- The Bureau of Meteorology commissioned the review on Tuesday, with CEO Dr Stuart Minchin and Environment Minister Murray Watt announcing the move as a response to public anger over last year’s website relaunch.
- Former Murray‑Darling Basin Authority chief Phillip Glyde will lead the independent panel and must deliver its report by March 31, 2027 to feed the bureau’s next long‑term strategy.
- The review’s terms direct investigators to assess how the bureau communicates warnings, serves customers such as farmers and emergency volunteers, and manages its public reputation after users reported difficulty accessing forecasts and assessing storm severity.
- The website was a $96 million component of a wider technology overhaul that grew from an initial $788 million budget to roughly $800–900 million after Covid‑related delays, raising questions about procurement, oversight and program governance.
- The bureau has already made internal changes, including the retirement of its chief customer officer, and the review could lead to reforms in governance, public engagement and the delivery of weather services that affect people’s safety and daily decisions.