Department of Transport II

Full description

The Department of Transport (DOT) was created on 30th April 2008 via the renaming of the existing Department of Infrastructure (VA 3971). This occurred via the Public Administration Act 2004. Legislative responsibilities were transferred from the latter to DOT via Administrative Arrangements Order Number 199, 2008, on the 30 April 2008. The same order transferred responsibility for Major Projects Victoria from the Department of Infrastructure to the Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development (VA 4564).

The Secretary of DOT reported to Minister for Public Transport and the Minister for Roads and Ports.

DOT had 14 organisational divisions as well as a Project Management Office. The following divisions reported directly to the Secretary: Freight, Logistics and Marine; Public Transport; Intergovernmental Relations; Integrated Transport Planning; People and Organisational Development; DOT Legal General Counsel; Policy and Communications; DOT Commercial.

The other divisions reported through the Deputy Secretary: Infrastructure Projects; Security and Emergency Management; Chief Financial Officer; Systems and Information Services; Business and Executive Services; Urban Redevelopment Transport Infrastructure Coordination. The Project Management Office also reported to the Deputy Secretary.

The Public Transport portfolio included the following statutory authorities: Public Transport Ticketing Body (Transport Ticketing Authority - TTA); V/Line Passenger Corporation (V/Line Passenger); Victorian Rail Track Corporation (Vic Track); Southern Cross Station Authority (SCSA). The Roads and Ports portfolio included the following statutory authorities: Roads Corporation of Victoria (VicRoads); Port of Hastings Corporation (PoHC); Port of Melbourne Corporation (PoMC); Southern and Eastern Integrated Transport Authority (SEITA); Victorian Regional Channels Authority (VRCA).

Public Transport Safety Victoria (PTSV) and the Office of the Chief Investigator (OCI), two independent bodies, had administrative links to the Department. The OCI reported directly to both Ministers. PTSV reported to the Minister for Public Transport only.

On the 14 October 2008 under section 17 of the State Owned Enterprises Act 1992, Order in Council, V/Line Passenger Corporation, a statutory corporation, became a State business corporation.

In the 2008/2009 financial year the Regional Rail Link division was established in response to $3.2 billion Commonwealth Government funding for a $4.3 billion train link from West Werribee to Deer Park and then Southern Cross Station for regional train services from Ballarat, Bendigo and Geelong.

In January 2009 the Delivery Coordination Unit was established. This unit reported to the Deputy Secretary and seems to have taken over the function of the former Project Management Office. In the Annual Report organisational structure dated 30 June 2009 the Audit and Assurance function is a separate office that directly reported to the Secretary of the Department.

On 12 May 2009, part 5 of the Transport Legislation Miscellaneous Amendments Act 2009 extended the scope of the Southern and Eastern Integrated Transport Authority (SEITA). By 2009 SEITA was trading as Linking Melbourne Authority (LMA) reflecting this change. LMA was established formally on 1 July 2010 under section 134 of the Transport Integration Act 2010 and was the successor to SEITA.

On 28 July 2009 part 3 of the Transport Legislation General Amendments Act 2009 abolished the SCSA. The administration of the Southern Cross Station and its related infrastructure became part of the Public Transport division of DOT.

On 17 December 2009 the Transport Legislation Amendment Act (Hoon Boating and Other Amendments) amended the EastLink Act 2004 transferring responsibility for managing the EastLink Project from LMA to VicRoads.

The Transport Integration Act 2010, proclaimed on 2 March in Victorian Government Gazette S76, brought together the transport portfolio, including ports and marine, under one statute for the first time in the State's history. It replaced the Transport Act 1983, renamed the Transport (Compliance and Miscellaneous) Act 1983, as Victoria's primary transport statute. The Act facilitated the implementation of the report The Victorian Transport Plan published in April 2009.

The new Act which came into effect on 1 July 2010 required all Victorian transport agencies, including the Director of Public Transport, VicRoads, VicTrack, V/Line and LMA to work together towards an integrated and sustainable transport system.

In the DOT Annual Report for 2009-2010, the organisational structure as of 30 June 2010 had the following 12 divisions. The following divisions reported to the Deputy Secretary of Strategic Transport Planning: Marine Safety Victoria; Freight Logistics and Marine; Integrated Transport Planning Division; Intergovernmental Relations; Policy and Communications. The other divisions reported to the Deputy Secretary Programs: Transport Projects; Security and Emergency Management; Chief Finance Officer; Systems and Information Services; Business and Executive Services; Regional Rail Link; Delivery Coordination.

The PTSV and the OCI continued as two independent bodies which now reported only to the Minister for Public Transport. The Audit and Assurance function was also a separate office that directly reported to the Secretary of the Department. After the Transport Integration Act was passed, Marine Safety Victoria and Public Safety Victoria merged in 2010 to become Transport Safety Victoria. The statutory authorities linked to both portfolios remained the same as the previous year, with the exception of the Southern Cross Station Authority abolished in 2009 and SEITA which became LMA in 2009.

The Transport Legislation Amendment (Ports Integration) Act proclaimed in Victorian Government Gazette S329 on 17 August 2010 brought the PoMC and the VRCA under the Transport Integration Act. It also made the PoMC responsible for managing the ports of both Melbourne and Hastings.

Under section 4 of the Transport Integration Act 2010, Order in Council dated 26 October 2010 the Regional Rail Link Authority was established.

In January 2011 following the election of the Baillieu Government the Department of Transport reported to the Minister for Ports, the Minister for Public Transport and the Minister for Roads.

The DOT comprised 10 divisions. The following divisions reported directly to the Secretary of the Department: Public Transport; People and Organisational Development; DOT Legal. The following divisions reported to the Deputy Secretary of Strategic Transport Planning: Finance; Integrated Program Coordination; Community and Place; Freight Logistics and Marine; Transport Planning and Programs; Intergovernmental Relations; Policy and Communications. The Acting Deputy Secretary Programs managed the following programs: Transport Projects; Security and Emergency Management; Systems and Information Services; Business and Executive Services.

PTSV and the OCI remained separate bodies, both reporting to the Minister for Public Transport and the Minister for Roads. Public Transport Safety Victoria also reported to the Minister for Ports. The Audit and Assurance function remained a separate office that directly reported to the Secretary of the Department.

On 9 April 2013 the Department of Transport II (DOT) (VA 4853) was renamed the Department of Transport, Planning and Local Infrastructure (DOTPLI) (VA 5003) by Order of the Governor-in-Council under section 10 (c) of the Public Administration Act 2004 (Victorian Government Gazette, S 124). The name change was part of machinery-of-government changes made by the Coalition Government under the new leadership of Premier the Hon Dr Denis Napthine MP in April 2013. All functions of the DOT were transferred to the new department.