DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION ANNUAL REPORT 2007–2008 Acknowledgments This report was prepared by the Corporate Communications Section, Department of Environment and Conservation. For more information contact: Department of Environment and Conservation Level 4 The Atrium 168 St Georges Terrace Perth WA 6000 Locked Bag 104 Bentley Delivery Centre Western Australia 6983 Telephone 08 6364 6500 Facsimile 08 6364 6520 Recommended reference The recommended reference for this publication is: Department of Environment and Conservation 2007–2008 Annual Report, Department of Environment and Conservation, 2008. We welcome your feedback A publication feedback form can be found at the back of this publication, or online at www.dec.wa.gov.au. ISSN 1835-1131 (Print) ISSN 1835-114X (Online) 29 August 2008 LETTER TO THE MINISTER Back Contents Forward Hon Donna Faragher MLC Minister for the Environment In accordance with section 61 of the Financial Management Act 2006, I have pleasure in submitting for presentation to Parliament the Annual Report of the Department of Environment and Conservation for the period 1 July 2007 to 30 June 2008. This report has been prepared in accordance with provisions of the Financial Management Act 2006. Keiran McNamara Director General DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION ANNUAL REPORT 2007–2008 3 DIRECTOR GENERAL’S FOREWORD Back Contents Forward Conserving the nature of Western Australia and protecting our environment is not something that is achieved from behind a desk. It demands a real commitment and a ‘hands-on’ approach by highly-trained, professional staff who venture into the field and carry out a wide range of activities across scientific research, day-to-day operations, interaction with visitors to DEC-managed lands and waters, monitoring industry to ensure compliance with environmental and wildlife conservation regulations and, where necessary, taking enforcement action against people who breach the rules. Often, this field work is in remote and extremely arduous conditions. This is one reason why DEC has extensive training programs to ensure staff have the necessary skills and support. However, such work has inherent risks. The department’s operations in such areas in the year under report were marked by two fatal accidents. On 30 December 2007, three people died when they were trapped in trucks in a wildfire in the Boorabbin National Park, between Southern Cross and Coolgardie. On 13 February 2008, a DEC staff member and a pilot were killed when their plane crashed as a result of a mid-air collision during a goat control operation in Kennedy Range National Park near Gascoyne Junction. Immediately following the Boorabbin tragedy, DEC instigated an intensive response process headed by a director and comprising senior fire management, risk management and community involvement staff. A similar approach was adopted for the Kennedy Range incident. The aim of this response process is to explore a wide range of issues that may not be readily apparent from the particular incidents. It recognises that as a department, we need to enhance our performance so that in future mistakes are not repeated and we can all learn from hard won lessons. As a learning organisation, we seek to make the most of our debriefing and post-incident reviews. These form the basis of an analysis of the operational performance of DEC’s incident management response and operations for such incidents. And while it may be relatively easy to identify where the lessons might lie, it is by acting quickly to implement them that means we can refer to them as ‘lessons learnt’ which is at the heart of this approach. Importantly, this approach is not about apportioning blame to organisations or individuals. Rather, it is about learning and improving our ability to carry out our work effectively and safely into the future. However, it is important to remember that immediately following the tragedy during the Boorabbin fire, DEC still had to manage the fire. I am immensely proud of how our fire managers, fire crews and support staff continued to manage the fire for a further nine days while under the duress of extreme conditions and the knowledge that such a tragedy had happened and the impact it had on them. I take this opportunity to extend once again the department’s sympathies to the relatives of those who tragically died in the two events. A third accident during the year resulted in one of DEC’s Dwellingup staff members receiving serious injuries during prescribed burning, and has added impetus to the reinforcement of a culture of safety in all departmental operations. Further progress was made during 2007–08 in respect to integration across the department following the amalgamation of the former Department of Environment and the Department of Conservation and Land Management in July 2006. Much of this work has revolved around business systems, especially in information management, finances, human resources and regional delivery. The process was assisted by an independent review of the department’s performance by external consultants. The department has faced increasing pressure in retaining and attracting staff. The resources boom Western Australia is experiencing has created significant pressures on staff, particularly in terms of environmental assessments and regulation. As well, industry has a high demand for well-qualified staff who understand environmental processes and regulations. Indeed, DEC has become a ‘pool’ from which the resources sector draws when it comes to employing professional and field staff. There was an increased focus on staff attraction and retention during the year, and further attention and innovation in this area will be essential in the future. 4 DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION ANNUAL REPORT 2007–2008 DIRECTOR GENERAL’S FOREWORD Back Contents Forward While increasing pressure on staff presents challenges, DEC is fortunate to benefit greatly from the many hundreds of thousands of hours that nearly 8,000 volunteers contribute each year. Whether it be acting as campground hosts in national parks, or assisting DEC staff in community education, or helping our science staff undertake research and monitoring, their contribution is invaluable and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of them. I also acknowledge the work of the members of the Conservation Commission of WA and the Marine Parks and Reserves Authority, along with members of the Waste Management Board, Keep Australia Beautiful Council, the Environmental Protection Authority, the Swan River Trust and the Contaminated Sites Committee, to which the department provides administrative and technical support. But above all, I acknowledge and thank our 2,000 staff from Esperance on the south coast to Kununurra in the far north for their continuing enthusiasm and commitment to our mission and helping in bringing our vision for a sustainable WA to reality. Keiran McNamara Director General DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION ANNUAL REPORT 2007–2008 5 CONTENTS Back Contents Forward Acknowledgments.......................................................................................................................................... 2 Recommended reference ................................................................................................................................ 2 Letter to the Minister ...................................................................................................................................... 3 Director General’s Foreword ........................................................................................................................... 4 Contents ......................................................................................................................................................... 6 1 OVERVIEW OF AGENCY ..................................................................................................................... 10 1.1 Executive summary ....................................................................................................................11 1.2 Operational structure .................................................................................................................15 Vision ............................................................................................................................................15 Mission ..........................................................................................................................................15 1.2.1 Enabling legislation .......................................................................................................15 1.2.2 Responsible Minister ......................................................................................................15 1.2.3 The role of the department ..........................................................................................15 1.2.4 Legislation administered by DEC as at 30 June 2008 ............................................... 16 1.2.5 Performance management framework ..................................................................... 18 1.2.6 Changes from the 2006–07 reporting year ............................................................... 20 1.2.7 Shared responsibilities with other agencies .............................................................. 20 1.3 Organisational profile ..............................................................................................................