Key Takeaways:
- The Bureau of Meteorology’s website rebuild cost $96 million, almost triple the original budget.
- The project was delivered years overdue and has been described as a "mafia" operation by IT experts.
- The website rebuild is now the subject of a review, which will focus on the relationship with global IT firm Accenture and the management of its contract.
- The review will examine the oversight of the contracts and the management of the project.
- The Bureau of Meteorology has a history of cultural issues and has been criticized for its handling of large projects.
Introduction to the Issue
The Bureau of Meteorology’s website rebuild has been a contentious issue, with the final cost coming in at $96 million, almost triple the original budget. The project was delivered years overdue, and IT experts have described it as a "mafia" operation. The website rebuild is now the subject of a review, which will focus on the relationship with global IT firm Accenture and the management of its contract. The review will examine the oversight of the contracts and the management of the project, and will aim to determine how the project went so wrong.
The History of the Project
The website rebuild was part of a larger infrastructure overhaul, known as the Robust program, which was triggered by a 2015 cybersecurity attack on Australian government entities. The program was designed to improve the security and stability of the Bureau’s systems, but it has been plagued by delays and cost blowouts. The original contract for the website rebuild was worth $31 million, but it has since been amended 10 times, adding an additional $47 million in costs. The final cost of the project is $96 million, which is almost triple the original budget.
Criticism of Accenture
Accenture has been criticized for its role in the project, with IT experts describing the company as "masters of ‘land and expand’" and accusing them of "strip mining" the Bureau of Meteorology. The company has been accused of using its contract to extract as much money as possible from the Bureau, without delivering a functional website. The Bureau has defended its relationship with Accenture, saying that the company was contracted to build and support a component of the Bureau’s new technology ecosystem, including the Content Management System (CMS).
Government Response
The government has responded to the criticism, with Environment Minister Murray Watt demanding a review of the project. Watt has said that the Bureau of Meteorology has "got some explaining to do" about the cost blowout, and has promised to get to the bottom of the issue. The review will examine the oversight of the contracts and the management of the project, and will aim to determine how the project went so wrong.
Cultural Issues at the Bureau
The Bureau of Meteorology has a history of cultural issues, and has been criticized for its handling of large projects. The Bureau’s former chief executive, Andrew Johnson, was accused of mismanaging the Robust program, and the Bureau’s current chief executive, Stuart Minchin, has promised to get to the bottom of the issue. The Bureau has also been criticized for its lack of transparency, with the cost of the website rebuild only being made public after a Freedom of Information request.
Conclusion
The Bureau of Meteorology’s website rebuild has been a disaster, with the final cost coming in at $96 million, almost triple the original budget. The project has been criticized for its poor management, and Accenture has been accused of "strip mining" the Bureau. The government has responded to the criticism, with Environment Minister Murray Watt demanding a review of the project. The review will examine the oversight of the contracts and the management of the project, and will aim to determine how the project went so wrong. The Bureau of Meteorology must learn from its mistakes and improve its handling of large projects to avoid similar disasters in the future.