the Australian Bureau of Meteorology is using Microsoft technology in
parts of its operations. Specifically, the Bureau has adopted a
contract and matter management solution called Consensus, which is
built on the Microsoft Cloud. This system integrates Microsoft
applications like SharePoint and Outlook
Explains why it's a buggy broken dog! <https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/politics/how-do-you-defend-that-labor-forced-to-front-up-to-enormous-96m-bom-blowout/news-story/b161c7e96858d219fab292dcfc764f6f>
https://tinyurl.com/s6upma92
'How do you defend that?': Labor forced to front up to
enormous $96m BoM blowout
The new site immediately faced criticism for a 'clunky' interface, particularly after changes to radar maps, and a reorganisation of
swathes of weather data.
the original estimates said the original costings were closer to $4
million (2015) for the 'important website', saying farmers and
regional communities rely on accessing the BoM's data.
the Australian Bureau of Meteorology is using Microsoft technology in
parts of its operations. Specifically, the Bureau has adopted a
contract and matter management solution called Consensus, which is
built on the Microsoft Cloud. This system integrates Microsoft
applications like SharePoint and Outlook
Explains why it's a buggy broken dog! <https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/politics/how-do-you-defend-that-labor-forced-to-front-up-to-enormous-96m-bom-blowout/news-story/b161c7e96858d219fab292dcfc764f6f>
https://tinyurl.com/s6upma92
'How do you defend that?': Labor forced to front up to
enormous $96m BoM blowout
A senior Labor MP has been forced to answer to the weather bureau's
exploded website costs, as the Coalition aired their criticisms on
Monday morning.
The new site immediately faced criticism for a ?clunky? interface, particularly after changes to radar maps, and a reorganisation of
swathes of weather data.
the original estimates said the original costings were closer to $4
million (2015) for the ?important website?, saying farmers and
regional communities rely on accessing the BoM?s data.
Petzl <petzlx@gmail.com> wrote:
the Australian Bureau of Meteorology is using Microsoft technology in
parts of its operations. Specifically, the Bureau has adopted a
contract and matter management solution called Consensus, which is
built on the Microsoft Cloud. This system integrates Microsoft
applications like SharePoint and Outlook
Explains why it's a buggy broken dog!
<https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/politics/how-do-you-defend-that-labor-forced-to-front-up-to-enormous-96m-bom-blowout/news-story/b161c7e96858d219fab292dcfc764f6f>
https://tinyurl.com/s6upma92
'How do you defend that?': Labor forced to front up to
enormous $96m BoM blowout
I suspected they'd be in the tens of millions since they'd clearly
been working on it for many years, but almost $100m still manages
to exceed my expectations for government waste. Some IT contractors
out there must really be laughing their way to the bank.
At least it does seem they're still hosting it on dedicated
systems. No sign of it being on one of the regular cloud hosting
services.
I just hope they'll keep the old site at reg.bom.gov.au going. But
I guess before long they'll claim something crazy like it costs
$10m per year to maintain that.
The new site immediately faced criticism for a 'clunky' interface,
particularly after changes to radar maps, and a reorganisation of
swathes of weather data.
Plus in the web browsers without Javascript support that I prefer
it just shows nothing at all.
the original estimates said the original costings were closer to $4
million (2015) for the 'important website', saying farmers and
regional communities rely on accessing the BoM's data.
According to them:
"The total cost of the website is approximately $96.5 million. This
includes the previously stated $4.1million required to redesign the
front-end of the website. The remaining cost reflects the
significant investment required to fully rebuild and test the
systems and technology that underpin the website, making sure it is
secure and stable and can draw in the huge amounts of data gathered
from our observing network and weather models." ... https://www.bom.gov.au/work-continues-to-deliver-website-improvements
So $4m was for the new crappy interface, the rest was to try and
make weather information appear on that new crappy interface.
It would be interesting to know how much the BOM spent on setting up
the original website, which had weather services "95% already
online" in 2001: http://web.archive.org/web/20060212081247/http://www.bom.gov.au/inside/cosb/ogo/oap.shtml#meteorological
The info might be burried here somewhere: http://web.archive.org/web/20060207002027/http://www.bom.gov.au/inside/#corporate
Petzl wrote:
the Australian Bureau of Meteorology is using Microsoft technology in
parts of its operations. Specifically, the Bureau has adopted a
contract and matter management solution called Consensus, which is
built on the Microsoft Cloud. This system integrates Microsoft
applications like SharePoint and Outlook
Explains why it's a buggy broken dog!
<https://www.skynews.com.au/australia-news/politics/how-do-you-defend-that-labor-forced-to-front-up-to-enormous-96m-bom-blowout/news-story/b161c7e96858d219fab292dcfc764f6f>
ÿÿÿÿ https://tinyurl.com/s6upma92
that's disgusting! this was on the 6 oclock news too. fkn Labor
couldn't manage a pie stall! remember Hawkie's foray into retailing in Victoria? I think it was called Bourke's ACTU store, or something like
that. it lasted no time at all. I agree with Kerry Packer who once
said never give the government any more money than you absolutely have
to, or words to that effect, beacause they waste money, and we don't
get value for the revenue they receive.
'How do you defend that?': Labor forced to front up to
ÿ enormous $96m BoM blowout
A senior Labor MP has been forced to answer to the weather bureau's
exploded website costs, as the Coalition aired their criticisms on
Monday morning.
The new site immediately faced criticism for a ?clunky? interface,
particularly after changes to radar maps, and a reorganisation of
swathes of weather data.
ÿ the original estimates said the original costings were closer to $4
million (2015) for the ?important website?, saying farmers and
regional communities rely on accessing the BoM?s data.
It's a media beat up. it's comparing apples with cherries. The head
honcho of the BOM was being interviewed on radio this morning, and he
said that the original estimate for what the $96 million relates to was
$80 million, so only $16 million over.
Felix <none@not.here> wrote:
It's a media beat up. it's comparing apples with cherries. The headStill a cost that's completely out of touch with the actual task of
honcho of the BOM was being interviewed on radio this morning, and he
said that the original estimate for what the $96 million relates to was
$80 million, so only $16 million over.
reading and presenting data from sensors that have already been
logging data online for decades.
Not that you can trust the sensors
anyway since they never bother fixing them. The rain guage on my
local weather station was visibly broken for years a while back and
giving obviously-wrong readings. The money is evidently just thrown
away.
Felix <none@not.here> wrote:
It's a media beat up. it's comparing apples with cherries. The head
honcho of the BOM was being interviewed on radio this morning, and he
said that the original estimate for what the $96 million relates to was
$80 million, so only $16 million over.
Still a cost that's completely out of touch with the actual task of
reading and presenting data from sensors that have already been
logging data online for decades. Not that you can trust the sensors
anyway since they never bother fixing them. The rain guage on my
local weather station was visibly broken for years a while back and
giving obviously-wrong readings. The money is evidently just thrown
away.
On 26/11/2025 6:47 am, Computer Nerd Kev wrote:
Felix <none@not.here> wrote:So updating an ancient system isn't worth the cost.
It's a media beat up. it's comparing apples with cherries. The head
honcho of the BOM was being interviewed on radio this morning, and he
said that the original estimate for what the $96 million relates to was
$80 million, so only $16 million over.
Still a cost that's completely out of touch with the actual task of
reading and presenting data from sensors that have already been
logging data online for decades. Not that you can trust the sensors
anyway since they never bother fixing them. The rain guage on my
local weather station was visibly broken for years a while back and
giving obviously-wrong readings. The money is evidently just thrown
away.
keithr0 <me@bugger.off.com.au> wrote:
On 26/11/2025 6:47 am, Computer Nerd Kev wrote:
Felix <none@not.here> wrote:So updating an ancient system isn't worth the cost.
It's a media beat up. it's comparing apples with cherries. The head
honcho of the BOM was being interviewed on radio this morning, and he
said that the original estimate for what the $96 million relates to was >>>> $80 million, so only $16 million over.
Still a cost that's completely out of touch with the actual task of
reading and presenting data from sensors that have already been
logging data online for decades. Not that you can trust the sensors
anyway since they never bother fixing them. The rain guage on my
local weather station was visibly broken for years a while back and
giving obviously-wrong readings. The money is evidently just thrown
away.
Yeah but that's not the cost, that's what someone charged them, way
above any sane figure, and they did it poorly anyway if the website
is anything to go by.
On 26/11/2025 10:44 am, Computer Nerd Kev wrote:
keithr0 <me@bugger.off.com.au> wrote:Have you ever been involved in a major project? Anything that takes a
So updating an ancient system isn't worth the cost.
Yeah but that's not the cost, that's what someone charged them, way
above any sane figure, and they did it poorly anyway if the website
is anything to go by.
matter of years will have costs spiral, anyway if the BOM update
involved updating or replacing major items like radars, the cost is
going to be massive.
| Sysop: | Jacob Catayoc |
|---|---|
| Location: | Pasay City, Metro Manila, Philippines |
| Users: | 5 |
| Nodes: | 4 (0 / 4) |
| Uptime: | 20:51:45 |
| Calls: | 117 |
| Calls today: | 117 |
| Files: | 367 |
| D/L today: |
559 files (257M bytes) |
| Messages: | 70,875 |
| Posted today: | 26 |