The Morning Edition Why the BOM spent $96 million on its website
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Nov 24, 2025 In this enlightening discussion, Mike Foley, a seasoned climate and energy correspondent, dives into the Bureau of Meteorology's controversial $96 million website revamp. He highlights public backlash over its confusing design and the implications of past blunders like a false tsunami alert. Foley sheds light on the necessary security upgrades following a 2015 hack and addresses transparency issues regarding taxpayer funding. He also discusses the bureau's leadership changes and the political ramifications as scrutiny intensifies.
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Redesign Harmed Usability
- The Bureau's website redesign was widely seen as harder to use and confused many long-time users.
- The rain radar became difficult to navigate and colour changes added to public frustration.
Townsville Friend Couldn't Find Radar
- Mike Foley relayed a friend's frustration in Townsville trying to find the city centre on the new radar.
- The radar showed many irrelevant place names, making essential navigation cumbersome.
Security Risks Drove The Overhaul
- The redesign was driven partly by a 2015 security breach that exposed malware on the site.
- Upgrades aimed to harden the site against hacks that could distort critical forecasts.