The Bureau of Meteorology has backflipped on media rules after a controversial $220,000 rebrand.
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On Tuesday, the agency told media outlets it was no longer to be called BOM or the weather bureau, but referred to simply as "the Bureau".
However on Thursday, the weather bureau said Australians can refer to it "any way they wish".
"The community is welcome to refer to the Bureau in any way they wish, including referring to us as the 'BoM,'" a spokesperson said in a statement.
"It is up to individual media outlets to determine their style guidelines."
The office of Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek said they did not request the change.
The rebranding project cost the government $220,296.
Creative firm Era-Co was to deliver a logo and visual style for $118,177, while communications firm the C-Word charged $69,300 for communication and implementation support.
The weather bureau spent an additional $32,819 on pull-up banners and other costs.
Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek said the announcement, made amid severe flooding in many parts of Australia, was "ridiculous".
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"The Bureau of Meteorology, the BOM - Australians will make up their own minds about what they call it," she said in a statement on Wednesday.
"The rebrand commenced under the previous government for reasons I don't quite understand."
The opposition's environment spokesperson Jonathan Duniam said Ms Plibersek was "lazily blame-shifting".
"Regardless of who made the decision and when they made it, she is now the minister in charge of this agency," he said.
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Lanie Tindale
I am City reporter at The Canberra Times. I previously covered health for the masthead, and was a trainee before that. I have written on courts, federal politics, breaking news, features and opinion. lanie.tindale@canberratimes.com.au.
I am City reporter at The Canberra Times. I previously covered health for the masthead, and was a trainee before that. I have written on courts, federal politics, breaking news, features and opinion. lanie.tindale@canberratimes.com.au.
