Following its prescription on 12 September 2002 under the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997, the Bureau of Meteorology appeared as a separate entity in the 2003-04 Budget papers.

Through the 2003-04 Budget, the Government renewed its commitment to the 1999-2000 Budget initiative on World Class Weather Forecasting, which was aimed at consolidating implementation of the key recommendations of the 1996 Slatyer Review of the Operation of the Bureau of Meteorology, and committed a further $62.2m over five years to the upgrade of Australia's weather radar network.

Further information on the financial performance of the Bureau of Meteorology is available in the financial statements, commencing on page 127.