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INTRODUCTION
Meteorology is one of the most inherently international of all fields of science and human endeavour. The atmosphere does not recognise political boundaries and the winds blow where they will, subject only to the laws of physics and the incoming energy from the sun. All the phenomena of the atmosphere which impact on our daily lives and future plans, from thunderstorms to droughts and greenhouse warming, are potentially predictable to some degree, given knowledge of the energy input, a comprehensive description of the initial state of the global atmosphere and ocean and sufficient computing power to enable the model atmosphere to be run forward in time faster than the actual weather systems evolve in the real world. The global interdependence of atmospheric processes makes monitoring and prediction of weather and climate in every individual country heavily dependent on instant access to meteorological information from around the globe. Since all countries stand to benefit greatly from reliable forecasting of future weather and climate and since no government can afford to establish its own meteorological monitoring systems for the entire world, the 185 Member States and Territories of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) have established National Meteorological Services (NMSs) which work together in a unique global partnership whose ultimate purpose is to ensure that their individual citizens, the human race as a whole and the effective stewardship of the planet benefit to the maximum from meteorological and related monitoring, science and services (Figure 1).
Figure 1. A global network of meteorological satellites monitors the Earth's weather from space as part of the World Meteorological Organization's operational World Weather Watch which underpins the provision of meteorological and related services throughout the world.
The Commonwealth Bureau of Meteorology is the National Meteorological Service for Australia. Because of Australia's location in the largely oceanic Southern Hemisphere (Figure 2) and because of its extreme vulnerability to the impacts of weather and climate, Australia benefits more than most nations from international cooperation in meteorology and thus from the programs and activities of the WMO. Although the essential framework for international meteorological data collection and exchange had been in place since 1873 under the auspices of the non-governmental International Meteorological Organization (IMO), theWMO was not constituted as a formal intergovernmental body until 1950. This thus made the year 2000 the 50th anniversary of WMO and provided an important opportunity for the Bureau of Meteorology, along with its colleague NMSs around the world, to celebrate and reinforce the importance of the remarkable international system of cooperation on which its performance and services to the community so much depend.
Figure 2. Satellite data obtained on a free and unrestricted basis from other countries under the auspices of the World Weather Watch play a vital role in enabling the Bureau of Meteorology to detect and track the daily weather systems which affect the Australian region. A southern hemisphere satellite mosaic is routinely generated in the Bureau's National Meteorological Operations Centre using data from the operational geostationary satellites spaced around the equatorial belt (Figure 1).
Top of PageThe Commonwealth Bureau of Meteorology, usually referred to simply as the Bureau of Meteorology, was established under the authority of the Meteorology Act 1906 by formally bringing together the individual Colonial/State Meteorological Services that had existed prior to that time. It commenced operation as a Commonwealth agency on 1 January 1908.
Following the repeal of the Meteorology Act of 1906, the Bureau was formally reestablished, under the charge of the Director of Meteorology, by the Meteorology Act 1955. It currently operates both as a statutory body reporting to the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment and Heritage and as an agency within the Department of the Environment and Heritage responsible for the achievement of the Portfolio Outcome No 2 - Australia benefits from meteorological and related science and services (Figure 3).
Figure 3. The Bureau of Meteorology as a statutory body within the Environment and Heritage Portfolio, reporting to the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for the Environment and Heritage, and as an agency within the Department of the Environment and Heritage. The Portfolio structure is shown as at 30 June 2000 with the Environment Australia (EA) Groups shown as single line boxes and the Portfolio Statutory Authorities asdouble lined boxes. The achievement of Portfolio Outcome 2 is the statutory responsibility of the Bureau of Meteorology (shown in bold).
The overall framework for operation of the Bureau of Meteorology is shown schematically in Figure 4 which identifies:
· its origin in the Meteorology Act 1955 (Appendix 1) which derives from the power of the Commonwealth Parliament, under Section 51(viii) of the Constitution, to make laws for the peace, order and good government of the Commonwealth with respect to "........ meteorological observations", along with a contemporary assessment of Australia's national needs and international obligations for meteorological and related monitoring, research and service provision;
· its charter (Appendix 2), based on the Meteorology Act and subsequent government decisions and agreements, which identifies the purpose of the Bureau and its four-fold mission of monitoring, research, service provision and international cooperation, along with its statutory functions and powers, including that of charging, and a range of supporting activities carried out in accordance with the powers of the Director to make such arrangements as are necessary to enable the Bureau to perform its functions under the Act;
· its overall goals (the intended outcomes from its operation) and basic (output) objectives (Appendix 3) and the policies which govern its organisation and operation;
· its planning framework, which operates at corporate, output and organisational levels and on 10-15 year, 5-year and annual time scales; and
· its performance evaluation and reporting framework which centres around its published annual report on the discharge of its responsibilities under the Meteorology Act and the achievement of its corporate objectives and outcomes for the year.
Figure 4. The overall framework for operation of the Bureau of Meteorology including its origin, charter, goals, objectives and policies and its strategic and operational planning and performance evaluation and reporting mechanisms.
Top of PageThe origin of the Bureau charter (Appendix 2) and its role in defining the goals, objectives, policies and program and output structure of the Bureau are shown in more detail in Figure 5.
Figure 5. The origin of the charter of the Bureau of Meteorology and its influence on the goals, objectives, policies, programs and outputs from its operation. The international obligations identified include the 1947 Convention of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the 1946 Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation, the 1974 International Convention on Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
The purpose of the Bureau is to contribute to Australia's social, economic, environmental and cultural goals through the performance of the functions of a National Meteorological Service in the public interest generally and, in particular:
· for the purposes of the Defence Force;
· for the purposes of navigation and shipping and of civil aviation; and
· for the purpose of assisting persons and authorities engaged in primary production, industry, trade and commerce.
The overall mission of the Bureau of Meteorology is to observe and understand Australian weather and climate and provide meteorological, hydrological and oceanographic services in support of Australia's national needs and international obligations. This overall mission involves four separate basic missions:
· Monitoring. Observation and data collection to meet the needs of future generations for reliable, homogeneous national climatological data;
· Research. Research directed to the advancement of meteorological science and the development of a comprehensive description and scientific understanding of Australia's weather and climate;
· Services. Provision of meteorological and related data, information, forecast, warning, investigation and advisory services on a national basis; and
· International. Coordination of Australia's involvement in international meteorology.
The detailed statutory functions of the Bureau derive from Section 6 of the Meteorology Act(Appendix 1). The supporting activities described in its charter are carried out under the authority of Section 7 of the Act, and its charging policy is authorised, subject to any directions of the Minister, by Section 8 of the Act.
Top of PageAll of the activities of the Bureau are directed ultimately at the following important national goals:
· reduction of the social and economic impact of natural disasters;
· economic development and prosperity of primary, secondary and tertiary industry;
· safety of life and property;
· national security;
· preservation and enhancement of the quality of the environment;
· community health, recreation and quality of life;
· efficient planning, management and operation of Government and community affairs;
· provision for the needs of future generations;
· advancement of knowledge and understanding of our part of the world;
· fulfilment of Australia's international obligations; and
· promotion of Australia's interests in the world.
The Bureau's overall objective is to meet the needs of all Australians for the meteorological information, understanding and services that are essential for their safety, security and general well-being and to ensure that meteorological data and knowledge are effectively applied to Australia's national and international goals. This overall objective embraces four basic (output) objectives corresponding to the Bureau's four basic missions as follows:
· Climate record. To meet the needs of future generations for reliable homogeneous climatological data;
· Scientific understanding. To advance the science of meteorology and develop an integrated comprehensive description and scientific understanding of Australia's weather and climate;
· Community welfare. To contribute effectively to national goals through thedevelopment and provision of meteorological and related services; and
· International cooperation. To meet Australia's international obligations and advance Australia's interests in and through international meteorology.
These four basic objectives, in turn, define the output structure of the Bureau as shown in Figure 5.
Top of PageThe Bureau's output structure flows directly from its mission and objectives and involves:
· four Output Groups (Meteorological and Related Data and Products, Meteorological and Related Research, Meteorological and Related Services and International Meteorological Activities) corresponding to its four basic missions and basic output objectives (Climate Record, Scientific Understanding, Community Welfare and International Cooperation);
· seven Major Outputs which result from subdividing the Meteorological and Related Services Output Group according to the nature of the service (Weather, Climate, Consultative, Hydrological); and
· twenty-two individual Outputs based on a subdivision of the seven Major Outputs by function, user or intended outcome as most appropriate for planning and management purposes.
As a matter of convenience, the Output Groups, Major Outputs and Outputs are usually referred to simply as outputs when it is not necessary to take account of the structural relationship amongst them.
The output structure of the Bureau (and the Outcome Elements to which its four Major Output Groups contribute) is shown schematically in Figure 6 and elaborated in Appendix 4.
The core role of the Meteorological and Related Data and Products Output Group is shown schematically in Figure 7 in which all the other Bureau outputs are represented as incremental to the basic observational and data processing infrastructure on which it is based.
Figure 6. The Output/Outcome structure of the Bureau of Meteorology showing the four separate Outcome Elements which contribute to the realisation of Outcome 2.
Figure 7. A simplified output-based model of the operation of the Bureau of Meteorology shown at the Major Output level. As a first approximation, the basic national meteorological monitoring and prediction infrastructure, on which the Meteorological and Related Data and Products Output is based, represents a common core of activities on which all the other outputs of the Bureau depend. In reality, all of the Bureau's outputs are interactive, interdependent and mutually supportive. Resources involved with each output include both direct and indirect or overhead components (shaded). Areas on the chart are approximately proportional to the resources involved.
Top of PageIn response to Commonwealth-State understandings, established at the time of its origin, that the Bureau would operate as a single integrated national meteorological science and service organisation serving equally and concurrently the meteorological and related needs and responsibilities of both the Commonwealth and the States, and in recognition of the essential requirements for efficient operation within the Australian federal system of government, the Bureau is organised on a matrix basis with its national output/outcome based structure providing the linking and integrating framework for the operations of the seven State/Territory based Regions.
The administrative structure of the Bureau is shown in Figures 8 and 9. It consists of:
· a Melbourne Head Office which serves as both the administrative and operational headquarters of the Bureau and consists of an Executive (Director of Meteorology and two Deputy Directors) and four Divisions (with their component Branches headed by Assistant Directors) as follows:
- Systems Division with national responsibility for the Meteorological and Related Data and Products Output Group (policy coordination by the Deputy Director (Research and Systems));
- Research Division (the Bureau of Meteorology Research Centre) headed by aChief of Division with lead responsibility for the Meteorological and Related Research Output Group (overall national policy coordination by the Deputy Director (Research and Systems));
- Services Division with responsibility for the Meteorological and Related Services Output Group (policy coordination by the Deputy Director (Services)); and
- Corporate Division with responsibility for the Bureau's International Meteorological Activities Output Group and a range of cross-cutting and supporting corporate activities (policy coordination by the Director of Meteorology);
· the seven State/Territory based Regions, each consisting of:
- a Regional Office under a Regional Director responsible for the integrated operation and provision of all the Bureau's activities and outputs within the Region; and
- a number of Field Meteorological Offices with observing, forecasting and service functions as shown in Figure 9.
The more detailed administrative structure and current senior staffing of the Bureau are given in Appendix 5.
Figure 8. The basic administrative structure of the Bureau of Meteorology at 30 June 2000 indicating the Bureau Executive, the Head Office Divisions and Branches and the geographical division into seven Regions, each with a Regional Office and a number of Field Meteorological Offices. The primary Head Office management and coordination responsibilities are shown at the Major Output level below the Branches concerned. In addition, the Management and Executive and International Affairs Branches support a range of cross-cutting and corporate activities. Field Meteorological Offices are shown according to their major functions as follow: local forecasting services (open squares), Defence Weather Service Offices (open triangles), Defence Meteorological Support Unit (solid triangle), Aviation Meteorological Unit (open inverted triangle), public information services (open circle), surface and upper-air observing functions (solid dot) and surface observing functions only (open dot). A solid dot inside an open square, triangle or circle indicates that the office has surface and upper-air observing functions in addition to its indicated servicefunction.
Figure 9. Bureau of Meteorology Regional Offices and Regional Forecasting Centre areas of responsibility as at 30 June 2000. The network of Field Meteorological Offices is also shown. Observing Offices are also located at capital city primary airports in Perth, Adelaide, Hobart, Sydney, Brisbane, Darwin and Melbourne.
Top of PageThe delivery of the Bureau's outputs in a scientifically sound and cost-effective manner is ultimately dependent on the quality and long-term continuity of its basic national meteorological monitoring and prediction infrastructure (Figure 10) that provides the common information base on which all its basic and specialised meteorological services depend. The same basic observation and data collection systems and infrastructure as are required to support day-to-day weather services to the community at large also provide the continuous, homogeneous, long-term national climate record that will be needed by future generations for planning and design, and for detection and monitoring of climate variability and change on decade to century time scales.
Figure 10. A schematic representation of the main components of the Bureau's integrated national meteorological service system and the major outputs and individual services it provides. The GTS is the Global Telecommunications System of the World Weather watch. AMDISS is the Australian Meteorological Data and Information Service System and AIFS is the Australian Integrated Forecast System.
The responsibility for maintenance of the basic national meteorological infrastructure (shown as the inner core of Figure 7), which is funded through Appropriations from the Consolidated Revenue Fund, has resided with the Bureau of Meteorology since Australia's meteorological observing networks and climate data records were transferred to the Commonwealth from the States in 1908. The design and operation of the Australian meteorological observation and data collection systems are carried out in close cooperation with other countries and to guidelines and standards agreed internationally through the relevant technical bodies of theWorld Meteorological Organization (WMO). It involves a composite network of surface-and space-based observing systems ranging from thousands of unpaid volunteer rainfall observers throughout Australia to highly sophisticated meteorological satellites (Figures 1 and 2) operated as part of a cooperative integrated global system by countries such as the United States, Japan, India and China, as well as the European Community and the Russian Federation.
Top of PageThe Bureau employs an integrated planning and performance evaluation framework which operates on three overlapping time scales as follows (Figure 11):
· a Long-term Plan which sets down an integrated vision for the future of the Bureau, provides a strategic assessment of the major issues expected to impact on its role and operation over the next 10-15 years, outlines a broad strategy for its future development and determines its basic output and organisational structure. This is reviewed annually, and completely revised every five to ten years;
· a five-year Forward Program which provides a more specific time dimension to the Bureau's strategic planning and budgeting through formulation of a five-year Corporate Strategy and a set of major specific objectives for each of the Bureau's Major Outputs and corporate activities for the five-year period. The Forward Program is prepared annually, although it is issued in cut-down form (the five-year Corporate Strategy only) in some years; and
· an annual Budget and Program which summarises the Budget appropriation for the current year, interprets and operationalises the five-year Corporate Strategy in the light of the Budget appropriations, outlines the management strategy and corporate priorities for the year and sets down specific objectives for the year for each of the Bureau's Major Outputs, Branches and Regions. It is formulated in the months leading up to the May Budget and finalised for internal issue in the Bureau early in the financial year as soon as the final outcome and carryover from the previous financial year are known. It represents the official Bureau statement of plans and internal resource allocations for the year and provides the basis for the Bureau's contribution to the Portfolio Budget Statements including resource allocations and performanceforecasts by Output Group for the current year and Forward Estimates for the following three years. The Bureau's Budget and Program document is supported by individual plans for its various Head Office Branches and Regions. It provides the integrating framework for individual staff performance agreements for the year.
The Bureau prepares a comprehensive annual evaluation of its performance against objectives at the corporate, output and regional levels. The Bureau's published Annual Report (this document) reports to the Parliamentary Secretary, the Minister and the Parliament on the discharge of its responsibilities under the Meteorology Act at both corporate and Major Output levels. This output-based Annual Report is supported and supplemented by internal unpublished annual reports prepared on an output basis for each individual Region.
Figure 11. The Bureau's planning, management and reporting framework at corporate, output and organisational levels. The planning framework operates on overlapping long-term (10-15 year), medium-term (5 year) and annual time scales. Performance against objectives is evaluated annually and published in the Bureau's Annual Report to the Parliamentary Secretary and the Parliament. Individual Regional performance for each of the Bureau's outputs is reported internally through Regional annual reports.
Top of PageThe Bureau's corporate strategy for 1999-2004 was based closely on its 1998-2003 strategy and continued the process of evolution from the earlier 1996-2001 strategy, which had been formulated essentially as an implementation plan for the Government's decisions on the recommendations of the March 1996 Report of the Review of the Operation of the Bureau of Meteorology carried out under the chairmanship of Professor R O Slatyer AC FRS FAA FTSE (the Slatyer I Report). The original 1996-2001 strategy was reformulated in 1997-98 (as a strategy for 1997-2002) to embrace the additional (cost recovery and commercial) thrust of the Slatyer II Report (Capturing Opportunities in the Provision of Meteorological Services) and to reflect an integrated view of the future development of the Bureau in response to the Government's decisions on the two Reports. It was revised and updated in1998-99 to reflect the further review of the future development of the Bureau in the context of a planning workshop for the Bureau of Meteorology Operations Beyond 2000, and in light of evolving Government policies and other national and international developments. The strategy was further modified for the 1999-2004 period to reflect the implications of the introduction of accrual budgeting, the Government's explicit commitment to the provision of world class weather forecasting and the need for a strategic response to the lessons learned from the warning system successes and failures of 1998-99. It also reflected the need to begin to focus attention on emerging priorities in the areas of smaller scale weather events, the oceans, climate and water.
The corporate vision of the Bureau of Meteorology for 1999-2004 is thus for the Bureau's recognition, nationally and internationally, as: A model of efficiency, professionalism and scientific and technical leadership in the provision of user-oriented meteorological, hydrological and oceanographic services in support of the safety, security and general welfare of the Australian community.
The four corporate goals of the Bureau in support of this vision were identified as:
· Consolidating basic operations. To consolidate and maintain the integrity of the Bureau's essential basic infrastructure and ensure its efficiency, effectiveness and ongoing renewal.
· World class service provision. To upgrade and enhance the Bureau's essential services to the community at large and to the major statutorily-defined sectors of its user community.
· Capturing new opportunities. To promote and expand the range of cost-recoverable and commercial services to specialised users and identifiable user groups.
· Preparing for the future. To anticipate and respond effectively to new needs, opportunities and trends in the application of meteorology, oceanography and hydrology to national environmental, economic, social and cultural goals.
The Corporate Strategy 1999-2004 is set down in Appendix 6 and summarised in Figure 12.
Figure 12. The 1999-2004 Corporate Strategy of the Bureau of Meteorology presented in terms of its four corporate goals and corporate strategic objectives for the five-year period.
Top of PageThe Government's decisions on funding of the Bureau of Meteorology in 1999-2000 were set down in the Budget Papers accompanying the Treasurer's Budget announcements on 11 May 1999. They were elaborated in a media release from the Minister for the Environment and Heritage and in Budget Related Paper No. 1.7 which included the Revenue from Government (Appropriations) and Total Price of Outputs (Appropriations and Revenue from Other Sources) together with performance targets in terms of quality, quantity and price for each Output Group and measures against which to assess the achievement of the overall outcome in 1999-2000.
The Bureau's total revenue (Appropriations and Revenue from Other Sources) for 1999-2000 and Forward Estimates 2000-03 are summarised in Table 1 and shown in historical context in Figure 13.
Table 1. The 1999-2000 Budget Appropriations (Bill 1) and Budget Plus Additional Estimates (Bills 1 and 3, plus additional revenue from the sale of goods and services) for 1999-2000 along with the Forward Estimates 2000-03 ($000).
Item |
1999-2000
|
1999-2000
|
Forward Estimates | ||
Appropriation |
Estimates |
2000-01 |
2001-02 |
2002-03 | |
Appropriation
|
179,975 |
180,096 |
182,345 (179,841) |
186,761 (181,309) |
192,072 (183,765) |
Other Revenue |
12,916 |
17,794 |
12,046 |
12,911 |
12,911 |
Total Revenue |
192,891 |
197,890 |
194,391 |
199,672 |
204,983 |
Figure 13. The 1999-2000 Budget Appropriation and Forward Estimates for 2000-01 to 2002-03 (right portion of diagram and right hand scale shown in 1999-2000 Budget dollars) compared with the historical trend in Running Costs Appropriation (excluding Section 31 funds) since 1986-87 (left portion of diagram and left hand scale shown in terms of cumulative year to year changes in real terms). The cross-hatched area shows the additional funds provided through the 1996-97 Budget for the period 1996-97 to 1998-99 in response to the Slatyer I Report of the `Review of the Operation of the Bureau of Meteorology' and the single hatched area shows the continuation of this funding, through the 1999-2000 Budget in support of the Government initiative on Providing World Class Weather Forecasting.
As part of its integrated program of operation for the year, the Bureau identified the following as its main corporate priorities for 1999-2000:
· Improved Service Charter - to incorporate improved public access to Bureau data and products, clearer definition of service standards and response to user feedback in an update to the Bureau's Service Charter for the Community;
· Restructuring of Aviation Weather Services - the development of options for future provision of aviation weather services in the evolving economic and policy environment;
· GCOS/GOOS - consolidation of Australia's national plans for participation in the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) and Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS);
· Follow-up to the Evaluation of the Analysis and Prediction Program - implementation of the agreed recommendations arising from the 1998-99 evaluation conducted as part of the Environment Portfolio Evaluation Program;
· Upgrade of the Data Management Function - to achieve greater integration in the Bureau's data management function including the development of technical and management standards;
· Australian Integrated Forecast System and Forecast Process Streamlining - aimed at using the integration and enhanced functionality provided by modern systems to streamline the preparation and quality control of forecasting products;
· Public Access Systems - aimed in particular at supporting more timely and efficient electronic access to Bureau information and services;
· Relationship with Private Sector Providers - directed towards the development of a professional, robust private sector in meteorology in Australia;
· Support for Year 2000 Olympics - aimed at ensuring that the meteorological services required for the Olympics are provided efficiently and effectively;
· Marine Services Upgrade - required to respond to the specific recommendations of the Slatyer I Report and to the acceleration in demand;
· Air Quality Monitoring and Forecasting - aimed at strengthening the national capability in air quality monitoring and prediction;
· Climate Monitoring and Prediction - to strengthen climate monitoring and use improved understanding of the climate system as a basis for enhanced climate prediction and services;
· Management of the Climate Record - to preserve Australia's national climate record through the appropriate management of manuscript and electronic records;
· Reformulation of the Charging Policy - to implement the Government's decisions on the relevant recommendations of the Slatyer I and II reports;
· Interrelation with the Environment and Antarctic Outcomes of the Portfolio - to ensure coverage and strengthen coordination in those areas where the Bureau has shared interests and /or responsibilities; and
· Upgrading Meteorological Services in the South Pacific - aimed at strengthening the capability for meteorological monitoring and service provision in developing countries in the region.
In line with Figure 11, the remainder of this report consists of an overview chapter which briefly summarises the overall performance for the year including the major highlights, an overall assessment of management strategy (including relevant information on some minor changes in organisational structure, and an explanation of the relationship between the Bureau's 1998-99 program structure and the new outcome/output structure introduced in 1999-2000), a review of the extent of achievement of the Bureau's major corporate priorities for the year (including identification of the major ongoing issues now facing the Bureau) anda summary of overall resource usage for the year. The subsequent chapters deal in turn with the more detailed performance of each of the seven Major Outputs of the Bureau in terms of their resource usage, an assessment of performance at the Major Output Level and more detailed information on the individual Outputs. This is followed by a chapter summarising the major cross-cutting and corporate support activities for the year.
Appendices 1-11 provide additional detail on several basic features of the role and operation of the Bureau and a review of the weather of 1999-2000. Appendix 12 provides a list of contacts for enquiries or further information, in accordance with the May 2000 Requirements for Departmental Annual Reports issued by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. An index showing the location within this report of content relating to each requirement is given in Appendix 13 and also in the Departmental Annual Report. A glossary of abbreviations and acronyms is given in Appendix 14.
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