The outstanding contribution of the weather forecasters to the community is recognised today as the Bureau of Meteorology marks World Meteorological Day.
“Awards for innovation, excellence and strategic alliance were acknowledged, along with the Bureau of Meteorology as one of the oldest and most valued Australian Government agencies, operating since 1908.
“Individuals and teams across the Bureau of Meteorology’s national operations were presented awards at the Bureau’s Melbourne Head Office”, said Senator Simon Birmingham, Parliamentary Secretary for the Environment.
“Innovation awards were given to those who demonstrated outstanding innovation that improves the Bureau and its outputs, in terms of the identification of opportunity for improvement, design of the solution, or its implementation.
“Excellence awards were based on those staff who demonstrated exceptional dedication, commitment and performance, particularly to cross-unit achievements.
“The Munro Review team and Climate Services Section were also award recipients today for their excellence with achieving the Bureau of Meteorology’s strategic objectives.
“World Meteorological Day commemorates the convention that created the United Nation’s World Meteorological Organisation, and is an important reminder of the value of global collaboration between the world’s meteorological agencies.
“The theme for World Meteorological Day this year, ‘weather and climate: engaging youth’, is timely in an era when rapidly evolving technology continues to drive the quality of the services provided by the Bureau, along with changes in the delivery of this information.
“The Bureau has responded to the demand for further engagement with the public through its use of social media channels, such as Facebook. The Bureau now has around 440,000 Facebook followers, currently the largest audience of any government body,” said Senator Birmingham.
This year, the Bureau will also present 16 Long-Service Awards to staff who have completed more than 30 years of service to the community.