Overview
- Environment Minister Murray Watt has directed Minchin to explain the full costs and decisions behind the project after meetings in the past week.
- The bureau confirms a breakdown of roughly $4.1 million for the front end, $79.8 million for the build, and $12.6 million for launch and security testing.
- Minchin says the multi‑year rebuild followed a 2015 cyber intrusion, was scoped in 2017, and experienced COVID‑related delays with about a 15% cost increase.
- Public backlash over usability led the bureau to restore the previous radar view as default and to make other fixes, with more changes planned.
- A scheduled update was postponed during Severe Tropical Cyclone Fina, with the bureau promising improvements focused on clearer radar and navigation once conditions ease.