Interview with Warwick Long, ABC Country Hour

WARWICK LONG, HOST: An independent review of the Bureau of Meteorology will examine whether the nation's weather forecaster is trusted and meeting the needs of Australians. It's been a difficult year for the BOM, which launched a controversial new $96 million website in October last year. It's been plagued by problems and is still undergoing upgrades.

Environment Minister Murray Watt says the leadership of the Bureau have been the ones to commission this review, but he's looking forward to reading what's in it. MURRAY WATT, MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER: Yeah, so it's actually been commissioned by the new CEO of the BOM, who started in that role at the end of last year. But it certainly has my support and the support of the Government.

I think all of your listeners know how vital a national institution the Bureau of Meteorology is, and we know that the environment it's operating in continues to change, you know, whether that be the different types of technology that are coming online in terms of meteorology, but also the sort of media environment and public debate around whether climate matters, there is a lot of disinformation and misinformation around.

And I think it's really important that the BOM has a good look at how it communicates with the public, how it works with local governments, with the agriculture sector, other industries. So I think it’s a really timely decision for the BOM CEO to initiate this. WARWICK LONG: Who's going to be conducting this review?

MURRAY WATT: Yeah, so it is going to be an independent review, and it will be led by Phillip Glyde, who's the former chief executive of the Murray Darling Basin Authority. Very respected retired public servant, and he'll be supported by an expert panel, which includes one of the deputy secretaries of the federal Environment department, and also an international public policy expert who's come from New Zealand, who has a lot of experience when it comes to crisis communications, which, let's face it, often the BOM is relied upon.

WARWICK LONG: Is the reason you're holding a review or the reason the BOM wants to hold a review due to its botched website upgrades in October last year? MURRAY WATT: Yeah well, you'll probably remember, Warwick, that I had a bit to say about that at the time, and I did say that I didn't think the BOM had met public expectations when it came to the website. But certainly this review is not just about the website issues- WARWICK LONG: -will it look at that, though?

MURRAY WATT: I suspect the panel will be interested in having a look at that- WARWICK LONG: -because the terms of reference don't seem to mention the website. MURRAY WATT: Yeah, I mean, I think the terms of reference certainly refer to the effectiveness of public communications and how responsive the BOM is to stakeholder needs. And so I think it would be natural that issues around the website will come up- WARWICK LONG: -it’s a very nice way of saying ‘our website upgrade was poor’.

MURRAY WATT: Look, even the new CEO has recognised that there were big issues around the delivery of that website. He obviously started in that role after the website issues arose, and he's done a really great job, I think, as the new leader there in instilling a slightly different culture and also, you know, being upfront about where there have been problems.

But yeah, I think it’s important though to make sure that any review of the BOM in terms of its communication doesn't just focus on the issues to do with the website. I have encountered myself, that there have been other issues that members of the public have raised in terms of their expectations of the BOM. As I say, it can be a difficult political environment sometimes that the BOM operates in.

I think what this is about more than anything is making sure that the BOM is built for the future. WARWICK LONG: How much will it cost? Because the cost of things at the BOM is very under the microscope right now.

MURRAY WATT: Yeah, we're certainly conscious of that, Warwick. And look, I don't have a dollar figure at hand, but the review will be funded within the BOM's existing resources. One of the reasons that the CEO has decided to commence this review now is that from the second half of 2027, we’ll see the beginning of the new future strategy for the BOM.

And this review will help inform that strategy development, and the cost of this review will be funded from within the budget the BOM’s already got for that strategy. WARWICK LONG: It'll cost less than a new website? MURRAY WATT: Absolutely.

I can guarantee you that! WARWICK LONG: When I put it out there that this review was going to happen. I heard from a number of farmers about this.

One was a farmer in outback South Australia saying, ‘given that this independent review is being commissioned by the CEO, I doubt there's going to be any findings of substance. They're hardly going to recommend that the person paying them is the issue here’. What do you say to that criticism?

MURRAY WATT: Look, I can understand people being a bit sceptical about that, but I guess having now worked with the new CEO of the BOM for several months, I know that he is absolutely determined to ensure that the BOM meets public expectations. He's actually done a lot of work personally in a way that we haven't frankly seen from some of the BOM leadership in years gone by, in getting out to meet with local groups, to meet with council organisations, to hear from people directly.

And I think that's a really healthy thing. He's committed, I know, to making sure that the BOM is the best possible organisation. And, you know, even though he's commissioned the review, it's certainly not being done by people who are at the BOM.

It's people who are outside the BOM- WARWICK LONG: -And just on that, too, another Victorian farmer has said, relayed this to me, saying, ‘does this go to the BOM’s attitude towards regional Australia? All of our media and information we get from the BOM seems obsessed with the everyday experience of Australians wanting to know if they need a brolly, but not the fact that the productivity of Australia's agriculture, airline services and fishermen are making decisions that affect their livelihood and the Australian economy’.

Will this look at that, the BOM's relationship, not only with the broadest amount of Australians, but the Australians that need it the most? MURRAY WATT: Yeah, I'm certainly very committed to the BOM ensuring that it meets the needs of all Australians, no matter where they live, no matter what industry they're from, whether they're a member of the public or a farmer or a fisher or anyone else.

And you’ll remember, Warwick, that in my previous roles as agriculture and emergency management minister, I’ve seen how important quality, reliable advice from the BOM is to people’s livelihoods, on the agriculture side, but also in a disaster situation - having accurate forecasts that enable people to keep safe. So, you know, even on a personal level, I want to make sure that the BOM is meeting all of those needs.

I can understand why regional and rural Australians think that a lot of national organisations are overly focused on the city. But I think to be fair, a huge proportion of the work that the BOM does is about servicing regional needs. But clearly if you’re getting messages like that, that reflects the fact that people in the bush aren't feeling adequately serviced.

And, again, that's something that this review will be looking at closely. WARWICK LONG: This was one of the most trusted service institutions and sources of information that the Australian Government provides. Given it's had a rocky 12 months, do you hope a review like this can help win some of that trust back?

MURRAY WATT: Yeah, I mean, you may have noticed, Warwick, that one of the terms of reference is to look at opportunities to strengthen the reputation of the BOM. And I recognise that some of- WARWICK LONG: -because it's taken a hit. MURRAY WATT: That's my view as well.

I mean, as I understand it, some of the surveys that are done of Australians demonstrate that the BOM is still a highly trusted organisation. I think we have to recognise that no organisation, no meteorological organisation is going to get its forecast right 100 percent of the time. But I recognise that some of the issues that have happened over the last 12 months have impacted on the BOM’s reputation.

I don't think that's in the BOM’s interest and I don't think it's in Australians' interest. You know, as I said before, we want to make sure that Australians do have confidence in the BOM, that they trust what the BOM is providing, that they're receiving the kind of information they're looking for from the BOM. And again, this review, I'm sure, will make recommendations that go to those things.

WARWICK LONG: That’s Environment Minister, Murray Watt speaking about a review of the Bureau of Meteorology. They’re calling it an independent review, it’s being led by Phillip Glyde, who is the former CEO of the Murray Darling Basin Authority, but it has been commissioned by leadership of the BOM. We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture.

We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.