Australian Politics Forum - How does it cost $96m to revamp a website???

Armchair_Politician

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How does it cost $96m to revamp a website???
Nov 24^th, 2025 at 3:15pm

This is absolutely ludicrous. How on earth did the Labor government manage to spend $96m (the original estimate was $4.1m) on a revamp of the Bureau of Meteorology website??? Not only that, how can the Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt claim to not know how it happened? The zinger is that because of the problems with the new design of the website, they’re going to revert back to the old design, so who knows how much more that’ll cost taxpayers? This is insane!

https://www.9news.com.au/national/bureau-of-meteorology-asked-to-explain-why-bil...

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Bobby. Gold Member Online Australian Politics Posts: 114588 Melbourne Gender:	Re: How does it cost $96m to revamp a website??? Reply #1 - Nov 24^th, 2025 at 3:23pm Already a thread on this: see here: https://www.ozpolitic.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1763937744
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greggerypeccary

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Re: How does it cost $96m to revamp a website???
Reply #2 - Nov 24^th, 2025 at 5:39pm

Armchair_Politician wrote on Nov 24^th, 2025 at 3:15pm:

This is absolutely ludicrous. How on earth did the Labor government manage to spend $96m (the original estimate was $4.1m) on a revamp of the Bureau of Meteorology website??? Not only that, how can the Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt claim to not know how it happened? The zinger is that because of the problems with the new design of the website, they’re going to revert back to the old design, so who knows how much more that’ll cost taxpayers? This is insane!

https://www.9news.com.au/national/bureau-of-meteorology-asked-to-explain-why-bil...

Even $4.1M seems outrageously excessive.

None of this adds up.

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Dnarever

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Re: How does it cost $96m to revamp a website???
Reply #3 - Nov 24^th, 2025 at 8:43pm

greggerypeccary wrote on Nov 24^th, 2025 at 5:39pm:

Armchair_Politician wrote on Nov 24^th, 2025 at 3:15pm:

This is absolutely ludicrous. How on earth did the Labor government manage to spend $96m (the original estimate was $4.1m) on a revamp of the Bureau of Meteorology website??? Not only that, how can the Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt claim to not know how it happened? The zinger is that because of the problems with the new design of the website, they’re going to revert back to the old design, so who knows how much more that’ll cost taxpayers? This is insane!

https://www.9news.com.au/national/bureau-of-meteorology-asked-to-explain-why-bil...

Even $4.1M seems outrageously excessive.

None of this adds up.

It would be difficult to cover live weather maps for every section of Australia and then add forcast data for all those areas on top. Depending on what they had to do a few M may be close to the mark. The data involved would be mind boggling. But certainly not 100M that is stupid.

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Brian Ross Gold Member Offline Representative of me Posts: 45209	Re: How does it cost $96m to revamp a website??? Reply #4 - Nov 24^th, 2025 at 9:45pm Bureau of Meteorology boss reveals website rebuild 'approved and funded' by Turnbull government
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Bobby. Gold Member Online Australian Politics Posts: 114588 Melbourne Gender:	Re: How does it cost $96m to revamp a website??? Reply #5 - Nov 24^th, 2025 at 9:47pm Brian Ross wrote on Nov 24^th, 2025 at 9:45pm: Bureau of Meteorology boss reveals website rebuild 'approved and funded' by Turnbull government So Turnbull allocated $4 million for it not $96 million?
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Armchair_Politician Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 27868 Gender:	Re: How does it cost $96m to revamp a website??? Reply #6 - Nov 25^th, 2025 at 6:39am Bobby. wrote on Nov 24^th, 2025 at 9:47pm: Brian Ross wrote on Nov 24^th, 2025 at 9:45pm: Bureau of Meteorology boss reveals website rebuild 'approved and funded' by Turnbull government So Turnbull allocated $4 million for it not $96 million? Even $4.1m is too much for a website revamp.
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Jasin Gold Member Offline Posts: 54011 Gender:	Re: How does it cost $96m to revamp a website??? Reply #7 - Nov 25^th, 2025 at 8:20am Maybe $90m was given to the Media for promo and marketing? Just like $450m was for the Voice reffo.
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Daves2017

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Re: How does it cost $96m to revamp a website???
Reply #8 - Nov 25^th, 2025 at 9:11am

I actually rang Minister Murray Watts office and asked.

According to the assistant the minister has no oversight or authority over the BOM and it’s a matter for the “new” CEO ( she repeatedly said the “ new” CEO) to explain.

The CEO of the BOM makes budget allocation decisions for the BOM.

So basically no politicians have any control over the matter and refuse to accept any responsibility.

Nothing to see here.

Very similar to bill shorten million dollar speeches.

He had nothing to do with it except read them.

Pass the buck down the line is a industry in politics.

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I don’t care about Australians who are living in poverty or their businesses have gone bankrupt or those working hard and still struggling to survive.

BAN THE BURKA!

That’s fair more important!

Ffs

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Jasin Gold Member Offline Posts: 54011 Gender:	Re: How does it cost $96m to revamp a website??? Reply #9 - Nov 25^th, 2025 at 9:16am Yeah, but that sounds like a forward pass. Someone needs to blow the whistle on this. It's an all too common occurrence now like a bad habit. It's like that Aboriginal Flag pole on the harbour bridge. Wasn't that $29m or something? Like, K'MON !🤨
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Dnarever

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Re: How does it cost $96m to revamp a website???
Reply #10 - Nov 25^th, 2025 at 10:40pm

Armchair_Politician wrote on Nov 25^th, 2025 at 6:39am:

Bobby. wrote on Nov 24^th, 2025 at 9:47pm:

Brian Ross wrote on Nov 24^th, 2025 at 9:45pm:

Bureau of Meteorology boss reveals website rebuild 'approved and funded' by Turnbull government Angry

So Turnbull allocated $4 million for it not $96 million?

Even $4.1m is too much for a website revamp.

There are tens of thousands of pieces of data collection equipment over thousands of sites. The update included security hardening of this equipment following an attack that took place. Hardware upgrades on thousands of sites. It would be expensive.

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Jasin Gold Member Offline Posts: 54011 Gender:	Re: How does it cost $96m to revamp a website??? Reply #11 - Nov 25^th, 2025 at 11:12pm Next year the 'upgrade' will be upgraded to cost $111m.
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Bobby. Gold Member Online Australian Politics Posts: 114588 Melbourne Gender:	Re: How does it cost $96m to revamp a website??? Reply #12 - Nov 25^th, 2025 at 11:14pm Jasin wrote on Nov 25^th, 2025 at 11:12pm: Next year the 'upgrade' will be upgraded to cost $111m. Yep - heard it on the radio today - they are gunna spend a lot more.
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