Regulator performance
The Bureau is the steward for part 7 of the Water Regulations 2008. These Regulations define who must give specified water information to the Bureau, when, and in what format it must be given.
Under the Regulations over 200 organisations must provide water information to the Bureau.
Water information given by organisations allows us to develop national insights on the current and future state of water across Australia. These insights help to inform policy, investment and operational decision. They also support water reform and increase public confidence in Australia's water management.
About the Australian Government Regulator Performance Reporting
In October 2014, the Australian Government introduced the Regulator Performance Framework. This framework encouraged regulators to undertake their functions with the minimum impact necessary to achieve regulatory objectives and to effect positive ongoing and lasting cultural change within regulators.
Under this framework the Bureau assessed its performance as a regulator on an annual basis through a self-assessment report:
- 2020–21 Regulator Performance Framework self–assessment report (PDF version)
- 2019–20 Regulator Performance Framework self–assessment report (PDF version)
- 2018–19 Regulator Performance Framework self–assessment report (PDF version)
- 2017–18 Regulator Performance Framework self–assessment report (PDF version)
- 2016–17 Regulator Performance Framework self–assessment report (PDF version)
- 2015–16 Regulator Performance Framework self–assessment report (PDF version)
On 1 July 2021, this framework was superseded as the Australian Government released a new Regulator Performance Guide (RMG128) which refreshed its expectations for regulator performance and reporting.
The Bureau has now transitioned to this new approach and is reporting on our regulator performance through our Corporate Plan and Annual Report.
Our most recent Annual Report and Corporate plan can be accessed on our Corporate Documents page.
Regulator best practice
We report on our performance against 3 principles of regulator best practice:
- Continuous improvement and building trust: regulators adopt a whole-of-system perspective, continuously improving their performance, capability and culture to build trust and confidence in Australia's regulatory settings.
- Risk-based and data driven: regulators manage risks proportionately and maintain essential safeguards while minimising regulatory burden, and leveraging data and digital technology to support those they regulate to comply and grow.
- Collaboration and engagement: regulators are transparent and responsive communicators, implementing regulations in a modern and collaborative way.
Water information regulation
Though we operate independent of government, it does not mean we are independent of expectations or guidance about how we fulfil our statutory roles. The relevant Minister therefore provides regulators with a Ministerial Statement of Expectations. This statement:
- provides clarity about government policy and objectives relevant to the regulator
- highlights the priorities the Minister expects the regulator to observe in conducting its operations.
The Hon Tanya Plibersek MP issued a Ministerial Statement of Expectations to Bureau of Meteorology on 17 January 2025.
Regulators respond to the Statement of Expectations with a Regulator Statement of Intent. This statement outlines how the regulator intends to meet those expectations, including how it will show progress.
Our CEO and Director of Meteorology issued the Regulator Statement of Intent for the Bureau of Meteorology on 6 March 2025.
More information on regulatory performance reporting and RMG128 can be found on the Department of Finance website.
