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Portfolio Overview

Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Portfolio Overview

Ministers and Portfolio responsibilities

The Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government portfolio contributes to the well-being of all Australians through the following outcomes:

Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government:

  • Outcome 1: Improved infrastructure across Australia through investment in and coordination of transport and other infrastructure.
  • Outcome 2: An efficient, sustainable, competitive, safe and secure transport system for all transport users through regulation, financial assistance and safety investigations.
  • Outcome 3: Coordinated community infrastructure and services in rural, regional and local government areas through financial assistance.

Australian Maritime Safety Authority:

  • Outcome 1: Minimise the risk of shipping incidents and pollution in Australian waters through ship safety and environment protection regulation and services and maximise people saved from maritime and aviation incidents through search and rescue coordination.

Australian Transport Safety Bureau:

  • Outcome 1: Improved transport safety in Australia including through: independent 'no blame' investigation of transport accidents and other safety occurrences; safety data recording, analysis and research; and fostering safety awareness, knowledge and action.

Civil Aviation Safety Authority:

  • Outcome 1: Maximise aviation safety through a regulatory regime, detailed technical material on safety standards, comprehensive aviation industry oversight, risk analysis, industry consultation, education and training.

These outcome statements remain unchanged from the 2009-10 Portfolio Budget Statements (PBS).

The PBS focus on the activities of the portfolio's General Government Sector agencies.  These agencies and their websites are:

The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government (the Department) is accountable to the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government, the Hon Anthony Albanese MP, the Parliamentary Secretary for Western and Northern Australia, the Hon Gary Gray AO MP and the Hon Maxine McKew MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government.

The Department provides policy advice to the Minister and Parliamentary Secretaries and undertakes policy and regulatory functions and the delivery of administered items on behalf of the Government.

AMSA is the national safety agency responsible for maritime safety, protection of the marine environment and aviation and marine search and rescue.  The ATSB's primary function, to improve aviation, marine and rail safety, is underpinned by the Transport Safety Investigation Act 2003 (TSI Act).  CASA's primary function is to conduct the safety regulation of civil air operations in Australia and the operation of Australian aircraft overseas.

Further details on the goals, operations and operating environments of the Department, ATSB, AMSA and CASA can be found in the agency specific sections of the PBS and on the respective agency websites.

ATSB, AMSA and CASA report directly to the Minister within their areas of responsibility, with the Department oversighting the policy context in which these agencies operate on behalf of the Minister.  AMSA and CASA both have close linkages with the ATSB.

A list of portfolio agencies, including agencies which are outside the scope of the PBS, will appear in the Department's 2009-10 Annual Report.

Figure 1: Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government portfolio structure and outcomes

Figure 1: Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Portfolio structure and outcomes

(click on the image to view the larger version)

Portfolio resources

Table 1 shows the total new resources provided to the portfolio in the 2010-11 budget year, by agency.

Table 1: Portfolio resources 2010-11

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Budget 2010-11


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Last Updated: 11 May, 2010