Department of Transport
Annual Report
2014-2015
Our Purpose
We provide and enable safe, accessible and efficient movement for the economic and social prosperity of Western Australia.
Our Vision
To have the best integrated and intelligent transport services and solutions for the State.
Our Values
Clear Direction
We set clear direction and have the courage to follow through.
Fresh Thinking
We welcome fresh thinking and better ways of working.
Excellent Service
We work together to deliver excellent service.
Great people
We make things happen through our great people.
Statement of compliance with the Financial Management Act 2006
For the year ended 30 June 2015
To the Minister
Hon. Dean Nalder MLA
Minister for Transport
In accordance with Section 63 of the Financial Management Act 2006, I hereby submit for your information and presentation to Parliament the Annual Report of the Department of Transport for the financial year ended 30 June 2015.
The Annual Report has been prepared in accordance with the provisions of the Financial Management Act 2006 and fulfils the Department of Transport’s reporting obligations under the Public Sector Management Act 1994, the Disability Services Act 1993 and the Electoral Act 1907.
Reece Waldock
Director General – Transport
Overview
DIRECTOR GENERAL’S FOREWORD
As Western Australia’s population continues to grow, so too does the importance of moving our people and goods in the safest, most accessible and efficient way. This not only protects and enhances our lifestyle but secures the economic future of the State and the Department of Transport (DoT) is committed to achieving both.
What is now more clear than ever is that we can’t do it alone. We must work with our portfolio partners, the Public Transport Authority and Main Roads WA, to better integrate and optimise our network, invest in infrastructure and plan and prioritise for the future.
When I reflect on what we have accomplished in 2014-15, I am proud to say we have made strong progress in each of these areas that will ultimately deliver a smarter transport system for our growing community.
DoT continued to lead the way in transport planning, commencing drafting of the Perth Transport Plan for 3.5 million People and Beyond. The plan complements the Western Australian Planning Commission’s Perth and Peel @ 3.5 million suite of strategic documents and will look at options for demand management, mass transit, roads, river crossings, cycling and future technologies.
This long-term vision for Perth’s transport network will be complemented by the Perth Central Area Transport Plan 2025, which outlines a 10-year strategy for the CBD and surrounding key destinations and activity centres.
I am pleased with the direction that these crucial cross-portfolio plans are taking and look forward to finalising them both in 2016.
In the meantime, a number of key infrastructure projects focused on connecting people and places continued across the portfolio in 2014-15, with the $221 million Butler Line extension completed in September 2014 and procurement for the $2 billion Forrestfield-Airport Link commenced. Further, $88.1 million from the Perth Parking Licensing Account was invested back into CBD transport initiatives aimed at improving traffic flow.
Improvements to cycling infrastructure around the State were completed through the ongoing expansion of the cycling network and a range of projects funded through the Perth and Regional Bicycle Network grants programs. DoT continued to oversee these and other initiatives throughout the year as part of the implementation of the Western Australian Bicycle Network (WABN) Plan 2014-2031.
WA’s first State Aviation Strategy was released in February 2015 following extensive stakeholder and community input. The strategy, which DoT will now turn its attention to implementing, supports the economic and social development of WA through the provision of safe, affordable, efficient and effective aviation services and infrastructure.
As well as looking at the way we move people, DoT worked towards finalising the Perth Freight Transport Network Plan and continued to oversee the implementation of the Western Australian Regional Freight Transport Network Plan. These plans ensure our metropolitan and regional transport networks continue to perform effectively as our freight task increases and lead the way for investment in major projects including Gateway WA, NorthLink WA and Perth Freight Link. Together, the $3.7 billion trio will create a seamless transport freight link from Muchea to Fremantle, cementing Perth’s freight corridors as some of the most productive and efficient in Australia.
Another area where I believe DoT is setting the standard is in the planning and delivery of coastal infrastructure. This was highlighted in 2014-15 with the successful completion of the Augusta Boat Harbour and Port Geographe coastal reconfiguration in October 2014 and May 2015 respectively. The Augusta facility is truly world-class and as well as providing a welcome safe-haven for vessels, it opens up important commercial and tourism opportunities for the growing South West region.
Safety on and around our waterways is paramount and I am pleased to see WA’s boating community embracing this message that DoT works so hard to promote through its ongoing education and compliance activities.
As regulators of WA’s on-demand transport industry, balancing the needs and expectations of both passengers, drivers and operators is an ongoing challenge – one that I believe we responded to proactively throughout the year. Our trial of purpose built taxis continued with great success and we are on track to start transitioning taxi drivers to a state-wide occupational licensing framework designed to improve service standards and security for passengers in early 2016.
Most significantly, DoT finalised a Green Paper in June 2015 outlining concepts for industry reform. The Green Paper seeks to promote discussion around areas of policy reform that will best deliver a safe, more flexible, responsible and innovative customer service-focused on-demand transport industry.
Customer service is key in everything we do and I am pleased to see this positively reflected in our Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) 2015 Customer Perception Survey. The results showed improvement across all service delivery channels including metropolitan DVS and vehicle examination centres, regional offices, our Customer Contact Centre and website.
Our Mirrabooka DVS Centre opened in September 2014 to meet growing demand in the north-eastern suburbs, while in regional WA our successful Remote Areas Licensing Program expanded to service the Mid West.
With demand for our full complement of transport services growing state-wide, DoT established three new regions – Northern, Southern and Central – led by Regional Directors to enhance strategic oversight of planning and service delivery across WA. This approach has already improved local decision-making and I am confident it will continue to improve operational and strategic transport outcomes in our regions in the future.
As we look to the future, we do so not only as a unified DoT committed to our customers and the community, but as a unified Transport portfolio. Together, we will continue to strive to deliver the best integrated and intelligent transport services for the State.
Reece Waldock
Director General – Transport
Highlights
State-wide occupational licensing framework for taxi drivers a step closer with Taxi Drivers Licensing Act 2014 passed by State Government.
Green Paper outlining concepts for on-demand transport industry reform finalised.
$36.5 million Augusta Boat Harbour completed in October 2014.
$28.1 million Port Geographe coastal reconfiguration completed.
Mirrabooka Driver and Vehicle Services Centre offered new standard in service for customers.
89% of customers rated their overall experience at a Driver and Vehicle Services Centre as excellent or good.
Success of Your Move Cockburn program recognised with Institute of Public Administration Australia WA Achievement Award.
$88.1 million invested back into CBD transport initiatives from the Perth Parking Licensing Account.
WA’s first State Aviation Strategy released.
Four new regionally-focused port authorities commenced operation.
Financial Summary
DoT provides services to a range of customers and stakeholders, aggregated into the following high-level service categories:
· Transport system and services development, planning, operation and regulation;
· Motor vehicle and driver licensing services; and
· Strategic transport policy and integrated planning integrated transport planning.
Gross expenses in 2014-15 totalled $365.96 million and the net cost of services, which takes into account operating revenue, was $32.61 million. The following charts illustrate gross expenses by service and expense categories.
DoT generates income from operating activities primarily in the areas of driver and vehicle services, management of coastal facilities, marine safety, parking levies in the Perth CBD and regulation of the on-demand transport industry. In 2014-15, DoT also retained Motor Vehicle Recording and Motor Driver Licence Fees as controlled income, resulting in an increase over 2013-14 income.
DoT managed a diverse physical asset base totalling $472.72 million to deliver its services. The chart below shows the distribution by asset class.
DoT’s equity at 30 June 2015 was $709.69 million.
DoT also administers functions where the revenue is taken directly to the Consolidated Fund or to other Government agencies. Total administered revenue from these functions totalled $1.94 billion in 2014-15, as illustrated below.
OPERATIONAL STRUCTURE
The Transport portfolio
DoT is a key agency in the State Government’s Transport portfolio, integrating and enhancing coordination of the State’s transport operations, regulatory functions and planning and policy development processes.
Throughout 2014-15, Reece Waldock concurrently held the positions of Director General of the Department of Transport, Chief Executive Officer of the Public Transport Authority and Commissioner of Main Roads WA.
The structure of the Transport portfolio is outlined in the Organisational Chart on page 17.
The Department of Transport
DoT delivers its services through two divisions – Policy, Planning and Investment; and Transport Services.
Policy, Planning and Investment provides strategic transport policy, integrated transport planning solutions and coordinated investment decisions in collaboration with key stakeholders, to assist in the development of a safe and sustainable transport system for the movement of people and freight.
Transport Services leads and manages the state-wide delivery of a number of specialist transport services, including driver and vehicle services, coastal infrastructure and marine and rail safety, while also regulating WA’s on-demand transport industry.
The core functions of each directorate that make up these divisions are outlined in the Organisational Chart on page 17.
Changes to the Department in 2014-15
DoT renamed and restructured its former Transport Policy and Systems Directorate in 2014-15. The new Transport Strategy and Reform Directorate, which operates within DoT’s Policy, Planning and Investment Division, is focused on aviation policy and programs, congestion mitigation, freight efficiency and strategic transport analysis and reform. The Directorate’s renewed strategic direction allows DoT to better meet the evolving transport needs of its customers and stakeholders.
DoT also established a new Business Information Systems Directorate within its Transport Services Division. The Directorate, scheduled to officially commence operations in August 2015, recognises the important role IT plays in delivering services to our customers and will ensure a coordinated, strategic and customer-focused approach to this.
Enabling legislation
DoT was established on 1 July 2009, under the Public Sector Management Act 1994.
Responsible Minister
Hon. Dean Nalder MLA, Minister for Transport.
Organisational structure
Transport portfolio organisational chart
Department of Transport organisational chart
Corporate Executive
Reece Waldock Director General – Transport
As the head of the Transport portfolio, Reece is responsible for setting the strategic direction of transport in the State, shaping the development of a number of major integrated transport plans and leading the implementation of some of WA’s most transformational capital projects.
With more than 35 years’ experience in strategic management, with particular expertise in organisational reform, his appointment as Director General – Transport in 2010 was the culmination of a 20-year journey within various State Government transport agencies including 14 years as a Chief Executive Officer. Prior to his public sector career, Reece held a number of senior management roles with BHP Pty Ltd.
Reece is also a Commissioner of the Western Australian Planning Commission, Lifeline WA board member and a Director of the Australian Urban Design Research Centre.
Graeme Doyle
Managing Director – Policy, Planning and Investment
Graeme was appointed as Managing Director – Policy, Planning and Investment in April 2015. He brings a wealth of knowledge to the role with 35 years of experience in the public sector and has been a valuable member of DoT’s Corporate Executive for almost five years in his previous capacity as Executive Director – Investment and Finance Coordination.
Graeme and his expert team provide policy advice, strategic transport solutions and coordinated investment decisions to State Government to assist in effective movement of people and goods. In doing so, Graeme ensures strong collaboration across the Transport portfolio for a unified approach to planning and delivering WA’s transport services, infrastructure and systems.
Nina Lyhne
Managing Director – Transport Services
Nina joined DoT in January 2011 as the Managing Director – Transport Services. Nina holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and has previously held the positions of WorkSafe Western Australia Commissioner and the Executive Director of the Office of Road Safety. Nina has worked in diverse roles across government agencies in sectors ranging from trade and commerce to community development and occupational safety and health.
In her key role with DoT, Nina is responsible for the delivery of a wide range of transport services including driver and vehicle services, coastal infrastructure, marine and rail safety and on-demand transport. She also oversees the provision of information technology, people and corporate services for DoT.
Kate Wang
Director – Office of the Director General
Kate joined DoT as Director – Office of the Director General in October 2014. In this strategically focused role, Kate leads the communications, Ministerial liaison and governance activities of the Department while ensuring strong coordination of these functions across the Transport portfolio.
Kate has more than 20 years of State Government experience, having worked in policy and project roles for a range of agencies and Ministerial offices across the portfolios of Commerce, Education and most recently Transport.
As Principal Policy Advisor to the Minister for Transport for some five years, she has a thorough understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing DoT and its portfolio partners. This background, together with a Masters of Business Administration in International Business, enables Kate to effectively lead the business and strategic planning for the DoT and the Transport portfolio and facilitate the progression of key priorities on behalf of the Director General.
Kate is an Alumna of Leadership Western Australia.
Fiona Knobel
Executive Director – People and Organisational Development