Project Hau Nuku: Weather forecasting system review

The review is named Project Hau Nuku, which means shifting winds.

The focus of Project Hau Nuku is to:

• identify and recommend the optimal arrangements and responsibilities in the weather forecasting system that will best position New Zealand to meet future weather-related challenges and impacts within the context of climate change
• based on the system’s optimal arrangements, consider the most appropriate structural configuration in relation to MetService and NIWA
• identify whether changes in access to weather data should be considered and if so, what these should be.

Project Hau Nuku is being led by Te Tai Ohanga the Treasury and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment Hikina Whakatutuki (MBIE), with support from Te Manatū Waka Ministry of Transport.

The review will be conducted by an independent party, which will deliver a report setting out the problem definition, analysis, findings, and recommendations.

As of February 2024, the review is progressing well and has received significant input from MetService, NIWA, and other key stakeholders. It is expected that the weather forecasting system review report will be finalised by the end of April 2024, and advice provided to the Government in May 2024.

Terms of Reference 

The Terms of Reference (ToR) sets out the scope and process for the review:

Proactive release of papers

This release contains information regarding the Government’s weather forecasting system review.