This report includes a number of introductory chapters comprising a review by the Director of Meteorology, an overview of the agency and a summary of the new developments for the year.

The subsequent chapters report on the achievements of each of the Major Outputs of the Bureau of Meteorology against the measures set out in the Portfolio Budget Statements (PBS) 2003-04 for the Environment and Heritage Portfolio(Budget Related Paper No. 1.7). Within each chapter, output performance is considered more broadly in terms of the major developments for the year and their contribution towards the planned outcome.

The final chapters contain information on matters of corporate governance, a summary of the issues associated with corporate resource management and a review of Bureau public education activities as well as the audited financial statements for 2003-04.

This report contains appendixes providing information required under specific legislation including:

• staff summary;
• total resources;
• occupational health and safety;
• disability strategy;
• freedom of information;
• advertising and marketing research;
• ecologically sustainable development and environmental performance; and
• glossary of acronyms.

Appendix 3 provides a mapping between the output prices contained in the body of the report (which align with the 2003-04 PBS) and those in Table 19.2 of the financial statements, which reflect a minor transfer of function between Output Groups since the 2003-04 Budget.

The 2003-04 Annual Report of the Bureau of Meteorology Advisory Board is included as an Annex.