ABC News Daily Is the $96m BOM website really that bad?
Nov 25, 2025
Justine Longmore, ABC's lead rural reporter in Victoria, delves into the chaos surrounding the Bureau of Meteorology's $96 million website overhaul. She discusses the uproar from farmers about missing data and functionality, particularly during critical weather events. Justine reveals how changes to radar displays led to confusion, while essential fire danger information was alarmingly absent. The conversation examines whether the hefty price tag was justified and highlights the communication failures that increased user frustration.
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Users Report Practical Disruption
- Many farmers and regional users contacted Justine Longmore complaining the new BOM site was hard to use and missing features they relied on.
- Users said they couldn't find critical data quickly and described the new site as a "complete disaster" that hampered decisions like moving sheep.
Radar Defaults Caused Confusion
- The rain radar display changed to a merged Australia-wide view and defaulted to rain rate (mm/hr) rather than reflectivity (dBZ), confusing long-time users.
- BOM reverted the radar colours to the familiar dBZ scale after community feedback to reduce misinterpretation.
Critical Features Were Missing
- The new site initially removed the ability to enter GPS coordinates, alarming regional users and politicians who rely on precise location data.
- Volunteer firefighters and rural residents also reported missing fire danger index details, raising safety worries ahead of fire season.