Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Northern and Remote Australia) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister representing the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, upon notice, on 5 December 2011:

In regard to the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM):

(1) What are the current staff numbers in the BoM field offices in north and northwest Queensland.

(2) Have those numbers changed over the past year.

(3) Are there any plans to decrease these staffing levels over the next 3 years.

(4) Are there plans to move any of these positions to the BoM head offices in either Brisbane or Melbourne.

(5) Can the number of Observers, Technical Officers (Meteorology) and Meteorologists be provided, as at December 2011 (present time) and as at December 2001 (10 years ago) for each of the following:

(a) those located in each state and territory capitals, including a total of all; and

(b) those located outside the state and territory capitals (exclude from these figures in (a) and (b) staff specifically dedicated to defence and civil aviation).

(6) What are the current numbers of Senior Executive Service (SES) staff located at the: (a) Head Office in Melbourne; and (b) in the state capitals.

(7) What were the staff numbers 5 years ago for SES positions located at the: (a) Head office in Melbourne; and (b) the state capitals.

(8) Is the new radar at Herveys Range in Townsville, built to replace an old radar at Mount Stuart during 2011, providing accurate forecasts.

(9) Are there any recorded incidents where showers in the region of the Townsville Airport were not 'seen' by the Herveys Range radar; if so, can details be provided.

Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

(1) and (2) Headcount including maintenance and leave relief staff.

(3) At this stage there are no plans for significant changes to the staffing levels in the field offices listed in questions 1 and 2. Changes may result from the introduction of the Next Generation Forecast and Warning System in 2013 but this has yet to be determined.

(4) Decisions on the staffing levels within Bureau offices depend on service requirements and changes in technology. They can also depend on the availability of staff to work in some locations. Staff numbers and locations are constantly under review to optimise the service.

(5) (a)

(b)

(6) and (7) The table below outlines the SES numbers in 2006 and 2011. The increase in SES numbers is due to the addition of new functions under the Water for the Future program, the National Plan for Environmental Information and the transfer to the Bureau of the Ionospheric Prediction Service. Victorian totals include the Chief and Deputy Chief of the Centre for Australian Weather and Climate Research, a joint arrangement with CSIRO.

(8) Hervey Range radar was installed as part of the ongoing radar upgrade program and replaced Mt Stuart radar. The Bureau's radars provide rainfall estimation, and not forecasts, by detecting the reflection of radar signals from water droplets. Every radar has unique characteristics and limitations which are determined by the location and type of the radar. Due to the complexity of the terrain near Townsville the radar was positioned in an elevated location to enable the better detection of severe weather such as thunderstorms, tropical cyclones and potential flooding over a larger geographical area. This means that some low-level rainfall may go undetected. Recent maintenance and calibration checks have ensured that the radar is now operating to specifications.

(9) The Bureau has received some comments on the radar's ability to detect low-level showers. In response, the Bureau has recently adjusted the radar settings to capture rainfall closer to the ground and has conducted further calibration and maintenance checks on the radar.