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Government Orders Urgent Fixes to BoM’s $4.1 Million Website After Public Outcry

The intervention follows a launch during severe weather that drew complaints over radar clarity, missing property-level data, hard-to-find warnings.

Overview

  • The environment minister met acting CEO Peter Stone and directed immediate adjustments to the site’s settings, functionality and usability.
  • The bureau was told to brief state and territory emergency services ministers this week on planned improvements and timelines.
  • Users and politicians reported problems including harder-to-find radars, a new colour scheme seen as downplaying storm intensity, and no GPS/property-level searches.
  • The BoM says the redesign improves security and accessibility as part of a broader tech overhaul, apologised for issues, and promised iterative updates based on feedback.
  • The legacy website remains available during the transition as criticism grows over the timing of the rollout during active storms and the high‑risk weather season.