DEPARTMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE Annual Report 1996 –97 30 October 1997 The Hon. Robert Maclellan, MLA Minister for Planning and Local Government 80 Collins Street Melbourne 3000 The Hon. Geoff Craige, MLC Minister for Roads and Ports 80 Collins Street Melbourne 3000 The Hon. Robin Cooper, MLA Minister for Transport 80 Collins Street Melbourne 3000 Dear Ministers Annual Report In accordance with the provisions of the Financial Management Act 1994, I have pleasure in submitting for presentation to Parliament the Department of Infrastructure Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 1997. Yours sincerely (Dr) John Paterson Secretary Department of Infrastructure Contents Message from the Secretary 1 What we do 2 ORGANISATIONAL CHART 3 HOW THE DIVISIONS CONTRIBUTE 4 Strategic Planning and Economic Services Division 4 Contracts, Regulation and Compliance Services Division 5 Local Government, Planning and Market Information Services Division 6 Organisational Development and Corporate Support Division 7 Corporate Finance Division 8 WORKING SMARTER 9 WORKING OVERSEAS 10 KEY ACHIEVEMENTS 11 Transport 12 STRATEGIES 12 PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICES 13 ROAD AND ROAD USE MANAGEMENT 20 SAFETY AND REGULATION 22 Civic Projects and Development 25 MAJOR PROJECTS CO-ORDINATION 25 BUILDING SERVICES AGENCY 28 BUILDING AND DEVELOPMENT 31 HERITAGE 33 Local Government and Statutory Planning 35 LOCAL GOVERNMENT 35 PLANNING 38 GOVERNMENT LAND MONITORING 40 Future Directions 41 Financial Statements 45 Appendixes 91 Departmental Contacts 142 Message from the Secretary The 12 months to June 1997 has seen the consolidation of the Department of Infrastructure under one roof. The Department was created in April 1996 to strengthen the strategic capacity of government in infrastructure planning, investment and delivery in Victoria. The scope of Infrastructure’s portfolio is broad and includes responsibility for: ■ Infrastructure ‘hardware’ – large projects such as Federation Square, Docklands, the Melbourne City Link and the Western Ring Road; – main road, rail and port works; and – planning, management and development of the built environment through statu- tory and land use planning, building More specifically, the value added by DR JOHN PATERSON AO and construction, urban design, heritage this Department is: SECRETARY, conservation and projects. DEPARTMENT OF ■ the improved alignment of the activities of INFRASTRUCTURE ■ Infrastructure ‘software’ the specialised agencies, particularly – public transport services such as train, in regard to committed and near-term tram and bus passenger services and rail projects; freight services; ■ simplified dealings between Infrastructure – public transport safety and regulation, and other elements of government, and road safety and regulation through between government and the private driver, taxi and tow-truck licensing; and sector; – oversight of the vital local government ■ strengthened forward ‘strategic’ planning sector. and assertively taking ‘higher level’ advice All of these facets of infrastructure underpin to government. This is particularly Victoria’s capacity to achieve sustained important for 1998-99 and beyond, when works now in progress, and capital budgets economic development and a high quality of now fully committed, begin to pass out of life for present and future generations. the development pipeline; and 1 The Department was assembled from pre-existing government bodies. Most of ■ a stronger regional presence for the these were performing well, and some were Department, offering improved access to REPORT 1996 -97 ANNUAL and remain the national leaders in their Infrastructure services for customers and respective fields. In most cases it would have speedier decision-making on most been counter-productive to pretend to tell matters. It will also enhance co-ordinated them how to do their jobs. Justification for strategic land use and transport planning. the new Department could only come from Beyond the 1996-98 time frame the adding value to their combined efforts - Department will be judged by its performance contributing ‘higher level’ strategic integration in the delivery of projects and services which in advice to government, tie-breaking where reflect a far stronger focus on co-ordination the perspectives of portfolio agencies and longer term strategic planning. This differed, and ‘browsing’ wider and better annual report describes the first year on the information in the endless search for path to a strengthened infrastructure capacity opportunities and pitfalls. for Victoria. What we do This is the Department’s second annual The following statutory authorities and report. The Department of Infrastructure agencies are required to produce their own was formed in April 1996 from components annual reports: previously within the former Departments ■ Architects Registration Board of Transport, Planning and Development, and Treasury and Finance. It reflects the ■ Building Control Commission Government’s commitment towards strength- ening the strategic capacity of infrastructure ■ Docklands Authority to improve Victoria’s economy and to enhance the quality of life for Victorians. ■ Heritage Council The role of the Department is to support the ■ Marine Board of Victoria three ministerial portfolios of Planning and Local Government, Transport, and Roads and ■ Melbourne City Link Authority Ports. The portfolios include a number of ■ Plumbing Industry Board statutory authorities and other bodies. These bodies are described in Appendix 3, and ■ Public Transport Corporation range from large service agencies such as the Roads Corporation (VicRoads) and the Public ■ Roads Corporation Transport Corporation (PTC) to regulatory ■ bodies such as the Architects Registration Urban Land Authority Board of Victoria. ■ Port of Portland Authority The Departmental structure was modified ■ early in 1997 and now consists of five Port of Geelong Authority divisions. The divisions are: Strategic ■ Port of Melbourne Authority. Planning and Economic Services; Contracts, Regulation and Compliance Services; Local Government, Planning and Market Information Services; Organisational Development and Corporate Support; and Corporate Finance. This structure provides organisational capabilities in regulatory, strategic land use and transport planning and infrastructure investment areas; contract management services (predominantly transport, plus some inter-agency construction contracts); and project management. It also recognises the link between planning and local government, and enhances regional infrastructure services. 2 The organisational structure provides accountability for resource allocation and delivery against outputs. Each of the portfolio agencies reports to one of the Deputy Secretaries. DEPARTMENT OF INFRASTRUCTURE DEPARTMENT ORGANISATIONAL CHART DIVISION HEAD OFFICE FUNCTIONS AGENCIES REGIONS Northern South-Western, DEPUTY SECRETARY Western Contracts, ■ Contracted ■ Marine Board Regulation & Transport Services ■ Public Transport Compliance Services ■ National / Interstate Corporation Transport ■ Public Transport Safety ■ Victorian Taxi & Tow Truck Administration DEPUTY SECRETARY Eastern, North-East Organisational ■ Corporate & ■ Personnel and Development & Business Planning Corporate Services Corporate Support ■ Information ■ Human Resources Technology Development ■ Legal, Legislation ■ Employee Relations & Freedom of ■ Grievances Information ■ Organisational Consultancy North-West Metropolitan DEPUTY SECRETARY SECRETARY Local Government, ■ Planning & Building ■ Building Control ■ Architects Registration Planning & Market Development Commission Board of Victoria Information Services ■ Office of the Secretary Local Government ■ Docklands Authority ■ Building Advisory Council ■ Heritage Victoria ■ Heritage Council ■ Building Appeals Board ■ Land Monitoring ■ Office of Major Projects ■ Building Practitioners Board ■ Executive Services ■ Urban Land Authority ■ Building Regulations ■ Corporate Public Affairs ■ Victoria Grants Commission Advisory Committee ■ Cross-portfolio ■ Plumbing Industry Project Management & ■ Building Services Agency Board Co-ordination DEPUTY SECRETARY South-East Metropolitan ■ Melbourne City Link Strategic Planning & ■ Infrastructure Economic Services Investment Programs ■ Roads Corporation 3 (VicRoads) ■ Public Transport Planning ■ Port of Melbourne Authority ■ Infrastructure REPORT 1996 - 97 ANNUAL Planning ■ Port of Geelong Authority ■ Strategic Planning ■ Port of Portland ■ Analysis & Forecasting Authority ■ Co-ordination & Ports Industry Support CHIEF FINANCE OFFICER Corporate Finance ■ Budget Monitoring & Reporting ■ Corporate Financial Management ■ Program Monitoring & Reporting ■ Financial Systems ■ Accounting Operations HOW THE DIVISIONS CONTRIBUTE The Strategic Planning and Economic Services Division’s role is to: DAVID BERRY ■ develop and maintain integrated DEPUTY SECRETARY State-wide and metropolitan plans for land STRATEGIC PLANNING use and transport services; AND ECONOMIC SERVICES ■ provide frameworks for regional and local planning; ■ prepare plans for larger projects and potentially significant impacts on land use and the environment; ■ develop and maintain planning for public transport; ■ provide a range of analytical tools and services to support policy and advice for land use, transport, roads and other infrastructure planning and review; ■ develop investment appraisal standards and capital priorities; ■ provide economic advice and appraisal of major infrastructure initiatives; ■