The Bureau of Meteorology has committed to implementing all four recommendations from a recent audit into how it manages its vast network of weather observation assets. 

The network, including nearly 15,000 pieces of technology scattered across Australia, its territories, and even the Australian Antarctic Territory, is central to the Bureau’s role in delivering weather, water, climate, and ocean services nationwide.

The audit was triggered after the government increased funding in 2020–21 to secure the Bureau’s financial sustainability, with a particular focus on maintaining assets according to industry best practices. 

The review, conducted by the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO), aimed to give Parliament clarity on whether the Bureau was managing its assets effectively. 

The audit found that the Bureau’s approach is only partly effective, with room for significant improvement across planning, monitoring, and reporting.

Key issues identified included outdated asset management plans, incomplete financial forecasting for long-term strategic needs, and patchy performance monitoring. 

Although the Bureau has had an asset management framework in place since 2020, the audit found it has yet to be fully implemented. 

Maintenance records showed that only between 52 and 79 per cent of preventative maintenance targets were met in 2023-24, depending on the specific sub-network. 

The audit also highlighted inconsistencies in how asset disposals were recorded across different systems, creating potential gaps in oversight.

In response, the Bureau agreed to all recommendations, which call for updated frameworks, clearer policies, comprehensive training programs, and stronger reporting mechanisms. 

The Bureau acknowledged these gaps, noting that while it has made significant reforms over the past decade - including automating manual observations and rolling out a new enterprise asset management system - more work is needed. 

“We recognise the significant reforms and investment in observing capabilities over the last decade,” the Bureau said, committing to actions that will strengthen its asset management maturity.

With more than 200 staff responsible for maintaining the network and an estimated $54.59 million set aside for operations in 2024–25, the Bureau’s reforms are expected to bolster the reliability of critical weather services. 

The full report is accessible in PDF form, here.

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