Australia’s national weather agency has revealed that its newly revamped website cost approximately A$86 million (US$57 million), amid intense public criticism of its rollout and usability.

The figure was disclosed after years of speculation and cost blow-outs.

The public-facing element of the project alone cost about A$4.1 million and was the final phase of a broader technology modernisation initiative, known as the “Robust” programme, which carried a total price tag of about A$866 million.

The agency stated that roughly 10 per cent of that sum was connected to the website and its supporting systems.

The website’s relaunch came earlier this month, just as severe storms struck multiple states.

Users and regional stakeholders reported difficulty navigating the site, locating critical radar and observation tools, and adapting to a new interface that changed colour schemes and default settings ahead of storm-season.

One state government warned the move had “put lives at risk”.

Political scrutiny has intensified over contractor costs.

Consulting firm Accenture was awarded about A$78 million for the website element—initially budgeted at about A$31 million—while Deloitte received around A$35 million after an original quote of A$11 million.

The agency noted that extensions and additional interface work were made at its request, and that contractual penalty clauses were unenforceable under the terms in place.

Defending the investment, the agency said the overhaul was driven by a cyber intrusion in 2015 and subsequent systems vulnerabilities.

It added the new website platform is built on enhanced infrastructure, improved security and resilience, and is supported by thousands of observation assets that cover some 11 per cent of the globe.

Nevertheless, the timing and usability of the redesign have drawn significant backlash.

The federal Environment Minister has directed the agency to review feedback and make urgent improvements to navigation, presentation and radar-display settings.

The agency has since reverted to the previous radar colour scheme for familiarity.

Opposition figures and agricultural stakeholders have demanded transparency on what improvements were delivered for the expenditure, noting that Australia’s climate-resilient industries rely heavily on timely, accessible weather information.

As the overhaul continues to be refined, the agency faces renewed pressure to demonstrate value for government investment and user-centric performance in one of its most critical public services.