Department of Transport (Victoria)

The Department of Transport (DOT) is a government department in Victoria, Australia. Commencing operation on 1 January 2019, it is responsible for ongoing operation and coordination of the state's transport networks, as well as the delivery of new and upgraded transport infrastructure. It also absorbed most functions of VicRoads and Public Transport Victoria on 1 July 2019.[2][3]

For the agency known as the Department of Transport from 1992 to 1996, see Ministry of Transport (Victoria). For the department that existed from 2008 to 2013, see Department of Transport (Victoria, 2008–13).
Department of Transport
Department overview
Formed1 January 2019 (2019-01-01)
Preceding department
JurisdictionVictoria, Australia
Employees685 (June 2019)
Annual budget$7.8 billion (FY 18-19)
Ministers responsible
Department executive
  • Paul Younis, Secretary
Websitetransport.vic.gov.au
Footnotes
[1]

Along with the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions, the DOT was formed in machinery of government changes made by Premier Daniel Andrews after the re-election of his Labor government at the 2018 Victorian state election. The re-shuffle saw the "super-ministry" Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources abolished and its functions reassigned.

The DOT supports three ministers in the second Andrews Ministry, holding five ministerial portfolios: Jacinta Allan, Minister for Transport Infrastructure, Melissa Horne, Minister for Public Transport and Minister for Ports and Freight, and Ben Carroll, Minister for Roads and Minister for Road Safety and the Transport Accident Commission.[4]

History

Background

Transport in Victoria has been managed by various government departments across different ministries. Following each state election, the Premier issues a Machinery of Government instrument, outlining how government responsibilities will be overseen by ministers and the organisation of the bureaucracy.

The first Victorian government agency with a unified approach to transport planning was the Ministry of Transport, formed in 1951 as the earliest precursor to the current DOT. Renamed as the 'Department of Transport' in 1996, the agency underwent numerous changes in organisational structure.[5] Transport responsibilities were merged under the Department of Infrastructure under the Kennett Government until the second incarnation of the Department of Transport was formed in 2008.

The department was replaced by Department of Transport, Planning and Local Infrastructure in April 2013, and then the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources in January 2015. Further changes were announced with the establishment of Transport for Victoria in June 2016 to provide a "new central transport agency to coordinate Victoria’s growing transport system and plan for its future".[6]

Establishment

After the re-election of the Andrews government at the November 2018 state election, machinery of government changes divided the functions of the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources into two new departments. The Department of Transport absorbed all of the former department's transport functions. Jacinta Allan, who had been public transport minister in the previous structure, was promoted to a new role of Minister for Transport Infrastructure to lead the new department's focus on major road and rail projects.[7][8]

The new department was formally established on 1 January 2019, with Paul Younis as acting Secretary. On 26 March, he was confirmed as a permanent appointment to the position.[9] As Secretary, Younis also held the position of acting Head, Transport for Victoria, an office established under section 64A of the Transport Integration Act 2010.[3]

In the days following Younis' permanent appointment, the government announced a major restructure of its transport agencies, with statutory authorities VicRoads and Public Transport Victoria to be abolished as independent entities and incorporated into the Department of Transport. Government ministers claimed that the merger was a more modern approach to integrated transport planning; however, media reports and the state Opposition suggested that the changes were an attempt to reduce transparency and obscure cost overruns on major projects. The move received support from the Rail, Tram and Bus Union, but was opposed by the Australian Services Union, representing many VicRoads staff.[10][11][12] The Public Transport Users Association offered its cautious support for the changes, saying that although integration of planning functions was a positive, the merger risked creating an entrenched and inaccessible bureaucracy.[13]

The restructure took effect on 1 July 2019.[14] All functions of the PTV and VicRoads were transferred to the Department of Transport, with the exception of VicRoad's registration and licensing functions and some heavy vehicle functions.[2][3]

Ministers

The DOT supports three ministers in the following portfolios:

Name Party Portfolio
Jacinta Allan Labor Minister for Transport Infrastructure
Melissa Horne Labor Minister for Ports and Freight
Ben Carroll Labor Minister for Public Transport and Minister for Roads & Road Safety

Functions

The DOT has responsibility for the following policy areas:

Agencies

Sector transport agencies

Public Transport Development Authority was also an agency of DOT until its abolition in July 2019. Road Safety Victoria was formed in August 2019.[1]

Major Transport Infrastructure Authority

Major Transport Infrastructure Authority
Authority overview
Formed1 January 2019 (2019-01-01)
TypeAdministrative office
JurisdictionVictoria, Australia
Employees1,617 (June 2019)
Minister responsible
Authority executive
  • Corey Hannett, Director-General
Websitetransport.vic.gov.au
Footnotes
[1]

The Major Transport Infrastructure Authority (MTIA) was established on 1 January 2019 as an administrative office of the DOT, replacing the former independent administrative offices governing various infrastructure projects. It is led by Director-General Corey Hannett – formerly Coordinator-General of the project authorities – who is responsible to the Minister for Transport Infrastructure, Jacinta Allan.[15] MTIA was declared a transport body under the Transport Integration Act 2010 in August 2019.[1]

Project teams within the MTIA, which were former independent administrative offices, are:[1]

Suburban Rail Loop Authority

The Suburban Rail Loop Authority was established in September 2019 as an administrative office of the DOT.[1] It coordinates and plans the delivery of Suburban Rail Loop.

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References
  1. Annual Report 2018-19 (PDF). Department of Transport. September 2019. Retrieved 9 December 2019.
  2. "Acts, regulations & policies". VicRoads. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  3. "Governance". Department of Transport. Archived from the original on 18 February 2020. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
  4. Willingham, Richard (29 November 2018). "Hennessy becomes Attorney-General in new gender-balanced Cabinet". ABC News. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
  5. "Department of Transport (known as Ministry of Transport 1951 to 1992). (1951-1996)". Trove. National Library of Australia.
  6. "A Simpler, More Coordinated Transport System For Victoria" (Press release). Premier of Victoria. 27 June 2016.
  7. Donaldson, David (29 November 2018). "DEDJTR to split as new secretaries named in post-election shakeup". The Mandarin. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
  8. Potter, Ben (29 November 2018). "Jacinta Allan is transport tsarina in Daniel Andrews' reshuffled cabinet". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
  9. "Paul Younis confirmed as Transport secretary". The Mandarin. 1 April 2019. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
  10. Carey, Adam (4 April 2019). "Big merger: VicRoads and PTV to become one mega-agency". The Age. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
  11. "VicRoads and PTV to be rolled into Transport Department". The Mandarin. 3 April 2019. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
  12. "The end of VicRoads, PTV: Neil Mitchell's inside word on Victoria's transport merger". 3AW News. 4 April 2019. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
  13. "State concludes its re-centralisation of transport planning: but to what end?". Public Transport Users Association. 4 April 2019. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
  14. "Frequently Asked Questions". Victoria Department of Transport. Archived from the original on 1 July 2019. Retrieved 9 July 2019.
  15. "About". Victoria's Big Build. Major Transport Infrastructure Authority. Retrieved 9 January 2019.
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