Adjust font size:

Outcome 1 : A better transport system for Australia

Outcome 1 seeks to achieve a better transport system for Australia across aviation, maritime, road and rail transport. We strive to do this through provision of policy advice and the delivery of programmes which contribute to a single strategic objective:

Transport systems which are safer and more secure, more efficient, internationally competitive, sustainable and accessible.

In 2002-03 our efforts were focused on six priority areas:

• aviation reform through work on issues such as Civil Aviation Safety Authority reform and airspace reform
• rail reform including work on revitalisation of the national rail freight network
• freight logistics reform
• transport infrastructure
• transport security
• transport safety, including implementation of the action plan for the National Road Safety Strategy and parliamentary consideration of the Transport Safety Investigation Bill.

A major challenge in working towards Outcome 1 in 2002-03 was the changing global security environment. An increasing worldwide focus on terrorism has heightened awareness of security issues generally and focused attention on the need to better secure our national transport network against the significant economic and social damage that could follow a terrorist attack.

In response we began an ongoing process to develop and reform legislation to ensure our critical transport infrastructure (including physical assets, control systems and people) is safe and more secure. This is essential to both our economic and social development, especially when one considers Australia's geography and location, which would see any threats to critical transport infrastructure impacting heavily upon the economy and the community.

The Australian aviation industry experienced continuing volatility as a result of external factors such as the economic slowdown in global markets, the war on terror and SARS. This has had a significant impact on tourism growth and the slowdown in demand has resulted in the rationalisation of aviation services, particularly on international routes. Pressure remains on the aviation sector (both airlines and airports) to achieve profitability while delivering high quality services at reasonable costs in the longer term.

2002-03 also witnessed the successful undertaking of a number of major initiatives to develop a more efficient transport system. These included AusLink, the establishment of the Australian Logistics Council and work to establish the National Transport Commission.

Figure 2 (p. 25) shows the cascaded linkages contributing to Outcome 1, including strategic objectives and priorities. It illustrates how the five transport outputs (services delivered), 18 key strategies and 26 administered programmes work together to help meet the strategic objectives as the pathway to achieving Outcome 1. In reporting on transport performance in this chapter we have split the strategic transport objective into three parts and reported separately on each one in relation to the priorities, strategies and administered programmes:

• transport systems which are safe and more secure
• transport systems which are efficient and internationally competitive
• transport systems which are sustainable and accessible.

Figure 2: Outcome 1 - Performance reporting structure