Annual Report 2008-2009 - Department of Transport

10
Operational Structure
Roles and responsibilities
The Department for Planning and Infrastructure was created on 1 July
2001 with the merger of the former Ministry for Planning and Department
of Transport. The Office of Road Safety moved to the Department of the
Premier and Cabinet on 1 July 2002.
As at 1 July 2003, the management of Crown land in Western Australia,
including pastoral leases moved from the Department of Land Administration
to this Department. School Bus Services and Transperth moved to the new
Public Transport Authority.
The Department was created under the Public Sector Management Act 1994
to assist the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure to administer those
statutes that provide the legislative framework for integrated transport and
Planning for Western Australia.
The framework of accountability in government requires that the Director
General is primarily accountable to the Minister for the Department’s
activities and, through the Minister, to the Parliament. The Director General:
• advises the Minister on portfolio issues, operating and financial
performance, and any development that is likely to seriously affect the
Department’s operations;
• sets, monitors and reviews the directions of the Department;
• ensures that the Department’s objectives and goals are achieved;
• works collaboratively with other portfolio agencies and the private
sector;
• monitors the performance of the organisation; and
• adopts sound management practice consistent with Public Sector
requirements.
The Director General is responsible for the governance of the Department
under a number of Acts. The most significant of these are:
• Financial Management Act 2006;
• Public Sector Management Act 1994;
• Equal Opportunity Act 1984;
• Freedom of Information Act 1992;
• Library Board of WA Act 1951;
• State Trading Concerns Act 1916; and
• State Records Act 2000.
The Executive Management Committee is made up of the Director General,
the Deputy Director General and two Assistant Directors General. This
committee:
• sets, monitors and reviews the direction of the Department;
• works collaboratively with portfolio agencies;
• determines priorities for funding;
• establishes and implements corporate policies;
• monitors performance;
• models desired values and behaviours; and
• complies with relevant government directives, guidelines and legislation.
Deliberations of meetings are recorded permanently and the content of the
proceedings is communicated effectively to all staff on a regular basis.
Following the election in September 2008, a new Minister for Transport,
Minister for Planning and Minister for Regional Development and Lands
have been appointed, and the Department has since been reporting to all
three ministers.