{"id":"C1955A00006","name":"Meteorology Act 1955","slug":"meteorology-act-1955","collection":"act","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":"6 of 1955","makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":1285,"registerId":"C2014C00652","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2014-09-11","status":"InForce","reasons":[{"affect":"Amend","markdown":"sch 1 (items 1, 2, 4-12) of the [Meteorology Amendment (Online Advertising) Act 2014](/C2014A00102)","dateChanged":null,"amendedByTitle":null,"affectedByTitle":{"name":"Meteorology Amendment (Online Advertising) Act 2014","year":2014,"number":102,"titleId":"C2014A00102","provisions":"sch 1 (items 1, 2, 4-12)","seriesType":"Act","optionalSeriesNumber":null}}],"registeredAt":"2014-09-18T13:27:46.683Z"},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Short title","content":"#### 1 Short title\n\n  This Act may be cited as the Meteorology Act 1955.","sortOrder":0},{"sectionNumber":"3","sectionType":"section","heading":"Interpretation","content":"#### 3 Interpretation\n\n  In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears:\n\n> the Bureau means the Commonwealth Bureau of Meteorology established by this Act.\n\n> the Director means the Director of Meteorology.","sortOrder":1},{"sectionNumber":"4","sectionType":"section","heading":"Extension to Territories","content":"#### 4 Extension to Territories\n\n  (1) Subject to subsection (2), this Act extends to all the Territories.\n  (2) The Minister may, by notice published in the Gazette, declare that this Act, on a date specified in the notice, ceases to extend to a Territory specified in the notice.","sortOrder":2},{"sectionNumber":"5","sectionType":"section","heading":"The Commonwealth Bureau of Meteorology","content":"#### 5 The Commonwealth Bureau of Meteorology\n\n  (1) For the purposes of this Act, there is to be a Commonwealth Bureau of Meteorology and a Director of Meteorology.\n  (2) The Bureau is to be under the charge of the Director, who will, subject to the directions of the Minister, have the general administration of this Act.","sortOrder":3},{"sectionNumber":"6","sectionType":"section","heading":"Functions of the Bureau","content":"#### 6 Functions of the Bureau\n\n  (1) The functions of the Bureau are:\n    (a) the taking and recording of meteorological observations and other observations required for the purposes of meteorology; and\n    (b) the forecasting of weather and of the state of the atmosphere; and\n    (c) the issue of warnings of gales, storms and other weather conditions likely to endanger life or property, including weather conditions likely to give rise to floods or bush fires; and\n    (d) the supply of meteorological information; and\n    (e) the publication of meteorological reports and bulletins; and\n    (f) the promotion of the use of meteorological information; and\n    (g) the promotion of the advancement of meteorological science, by means of meteorological research and investigation or otherwise; and\n    (h) the furnishing of advice on meteorological matters; and\n    (i) co‑operation with the authority administering the meteorological service of any other country (including a Territory specified under subsection 4(2)) in relation to any of the matters specified in the preceding paragraphs of this subsection; and\n    (j) such other functions as are conferred on the Bureau by any other Act.\n  (2) The Bureau must perform its functions under this Act in the public interest generally and in particular:\n    (a) for the purposes of the Defence Force; and\n    (b) for the purposes of navigation and shipping and of civil aviation; and\n    (c) for the purpose of assisting persons and authorities engaged in primary production, industry, trade and commerce.","sortOrder":4},{"sectionNumber":"7","sectionType":"section","heading":"Powers of the Director","content":"#### 7 Powers of the Director\n\n  (1) The Director has such powers as are necessary to enable the Bureau to perform its functions under section 6 (including any of its functions under Part 7 of the Water Act 2007), and, in particular, may:\n    (a) establish meteorological offices and observing stations; and\n    (b) arrange with any Department, authority or person to take and record meteorological observations and transmit meteorological reports and information; and\n    (c) arrange means of communication for the transmission and reception of meteorological reports and information; and\n    (d) arrange for the training of persons in meteorology.\n  (2) The Departments and authorities with which, and the persons with whom, arrangements may be made under subsection (1) include Departments and authorities of a State or Territory and persons in the service of such a State or Territory of such a Department or authority.","sortOrder":5},{"sectionNumber":"7A","sectionType":"section","heading":"Advertising","content":"#### 7A Advertising\n\n  (1) The Bureau may include advertising on, in or in connection with any of its services.\n  (2) The Director must develop and publish guidelines relating to advertising.\n  (3) Guidelines made under subsection (2) are not a legislative instrument.","sortOrder":6},{"sectionNumber":"8","sectionType":"section","heading":"Charges","content":"#### 8 Charges\n\n  The Director may, subject to any directions of the Minister, make charges for forecasts, information, advice, services, publications and other matter supplied pursuant to this Act or Part 7 of the Water Act 2007.","sortOrder":7},{"sectionNumber":"8A","sectionType":"section","heading":"Application of the finance law","content":"#### 8A Application of the finance law\n\n  For the purposes of the finance law (within the meaning of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013):\n    (a) the following group of persons is a listed entity:\n    (i) the Director;\n    (ii) persons engaged under the Public Service Act 1999 to assist the Director; and\n    (b) the listed entity is to be known as the Bureau of Meteorology; and\n    (c) the Director is the accountable authority of the listed entity; and\n    (d) the persons referred to in paragraph (a) are officials of the listed entity; and\n    (e) the purposes of the listed entity include the functions of the Bureau referred to in section 6.","sortOrder":8},{"sectionNumber":"9","sectionType":"section","heading":"Regulations","content":"#### 9 Regulations\n\n  The Governor‑General may make regulations, not inconsistent with this Act, prescribing all matters which by this Act are required or permitted to be prescribed, or which are necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to this Act.","sortOrder":9}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"_metrics":{"source":"grok-batch-everything"},"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The original 1955 Act focused on establishing a public meteorological service for core observation, forecasting, warning and research activities. Subsequent amendments have expanded operational scope to permit commercial advertising (s.7A), fee-charging (s.8), formal integration with national water information functions under the Water Act 2007, and alignment with contemporary public-sector financial accountability under the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (s.8A), shifting the Bureau toward a hybrid public-commercial model while retaining its foundational public-interest mandate."},"complexity_factors":["Short structure with only nine operative sections and two defined terms","Broad, non-prescriptive list of functions in s.6(1) that relies on interpretation rather than detailed rules","Cross-references to external legislation including the Water Act 2007, Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 and Public Service Act 1999","Minor conditional elements such as the Minister's power to exclude territories under s.4(2) and the requirement to act 'in the public interest generally and in particular' under s.6(2)"],"plain_english_summary":"**The Meteorology Act 1955** creates and governs Australia's official national weather service, known as the Commonwealth Bureau of Meteorology (the Bureau). It sets up a Director to run the Bureau under the oversight of a government Minister.\n\nThe Bureau's job is to:\n\n* Collect and record weather observations and other data needed for weather science\n* Forecast the weather and the state of the atmosphere\n* Issue warnings about dangerous conditions such as gales, storms, floods or bushfires that could harm people or property\n* Share weather information, reports and advice with the public and organisations\n* Carry out research to improve weather knowledge and encourage its use\n* Work with weather services in other countries\n\nThe law requires the Bureau to do this work in the public interest, with special attention to helping the Defence Force, shipping, airlines, farmers and businesses. The Director can set up weather stations, train staff, partner with state governments or private people for data collection, include advertising on services, and charge fees for some forecasts or data (following any ministerial directions). The Act applies across Australia and its territories unless a territory is formally removed from coverage. Modern updates link the Bureau to standard government financial rules and allow it to take on extra tasks given by other laws, such as parts of the Water Act 2007.\n\nThis legislation matters because it gives the legal backbone to the weather information that protects lives, supports aviation and farming, and informs daily decisions across the country."},"summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The Act's original 1955 scope focused purely on meteorology. Over time, its scope has modestly expanded — most notably through references to Part 7 of the Water Act 2007, which extended the Director's powers and charging authority to cover water information services. The addition of advertising powers (section 7A) and formal public governance accountability obligations (section 8A) also represent incremental scope growth beyond the original intent, though the core meteorological mission remains unchanged."},"complexity_factors":["Very short and straightforward legislation with minimal sections","Plain language used throughout with limited legal jargon","Cross-references to two other Acts (Water Act 2007 and Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013) add minor complexity","Small number of defined terms requiring interpretation","Ministerial discretion power to exclude territories adds a minor conditional element"],"plain_english_summary":"## The Meteorology Act 1955\n\nThis Act is the legal foundation for the **Bureau of Meteorology (BOM)** — the Australian government agency responsible for weather forecasting, climate monitoring, and storm warnings.\n\n### What does it do?\n- **Creates the Bureau of Meteorology** and the role of Director of Meteorology\n- **Defines what BOM must do**, including:\n  - Recording weather observations\n  - Forecasting weather\n  - Issuing warnings about dangerous conditions (storms, floods, bushfires)\n  - Publishing weather reports and data\n  - Conducting meteorological research\n  - Cooperating with weather agencies in other countries\n- **Applies across all Australian states and territories**, though the Minister can exclude specific territories if needed\n\n### Who does it affect?\n- **Everyone in Australia** — BOM's warnings and forecasts affect daily life, emergency management, and safety\n- **Specific beneficiaries** the law names include: the Defence Force, aviation and shipping industries, and people in farming, industry, and commerce\n- **The Director of Meteorology**, who runs BOM and is legally accountable for its finances under public governance laws\n\n### Key practical points\n- BOM can **charge fees** for specialised forecasts, data, advice, and services\n- BOM can **carry advertising** on its services (like its website or app), subject to published guidelines\n- BOM's responsibilities also extend to **water information** under the Water Act 2007\n- The Act requires BOM to act in the **public interest**\n\n### Why does it matter?\nThis Act is why BOM legally exists and has the authority to issue official weather warnings. Without it, there would be no legal basis for Australia's national weather service. The storm and bushfire warning functions, in particular, have direct life-safety implications for millions of Australians."},"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The Act as provided establishes the Bureau, its functions, the Director’s powers, revenue mechanisms (charges and advertising), and finance‑law accountability. The text itself contains no provision showing a change from these core elements or an alteration of scope from the Act’s expressed provisions; it also explicitly allows the Minister to limit the Act’s application to particular Territories by Gazette notice (s4), which is part of the Act’s original scope rather than a post‑enactment change. Therefore, based solely on the supplied text, the statute’s scope as written has not changed from the instrument’s stated content."},"complexity_factors":["Cross‑references to other legislation (functions may include functions under Part 7 of the Water Act 2007) (s6(1); s7(1) reference).","Application of the Commonwealth finance law and accountability framework (s8A) which imports external governance rules.","Ministerial discretion over key decisions: Minister may direct the Director and may control charging (s5; s8).","Authority to make commercial arrangements with States, Territories and private persons (s7(1)(b),(2)) requiring contracting and intergovernmental coordination.","Revenue mechanisms that are operational rather than purely statutory grants: charging (s8) and advertising (s7A) introduce commercial elements.","A short, largely programmatic statutory structure that concentrates detailed implementation in delegated instruments and operational policy (advertising guidelines, charges, regulations) rather than in prescriptive statutory rules (s7A(2)–(3); s9)."],"plain_english_summary":"The Act establishes a Commonwealth Bureau of Meteorology led by a Director to provide observations, forecasts, warnings, research and international cooperation, and brings the Bureau under Commonwealth finance rules. It authorises charging for services and limited advertising.\n\nIt affects government users (Defence, navigation/aviation), primary producers, industry and private data providers engaged by the Bureau. It matters because it concentrates operational authority in the Director (subject to ministerial direction), creates revenue incentives, and enables contracting with third parties for data and services."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/meteorology-act-1955","history":"/api/acts/meteorology-act-1955/history","analysis":"/api/acts/meteorology-act-1955/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/meteorology-act-1955/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/meteorology-act-1955/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/meteorology-act-1955/documents"}}