Department of Transport Annual Report 2013-14
Boosting air services and safety with the Regional Airports Development Scheme
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- Completed feasibility study marked Portlink milestone
- Preparing for port divestment as part of State asset sales
- Announcing the Esperance Port Multi-User Iron Ore Facility preferred proponent
Boosting air services and safety with the Regional Airports Development SchemeIn 2013/14, DoT continued to administer the Regional Airports Development Scheme (RADS). The scheme is designed to improve Western Australian air services and safety by providing financial assistance for infrastructure to eligible owners or leaseholders of regional airports that can be accessed by the public. A total of 17 projects with a combined project value of $7 million, including $3.8 million in Royalties for Regions funding, were completed in 2013/14. Projects included the development of runways, improving airport terminals, facilities and grounds and the completion of planning studies. A further 37 projects with a combined project value of $15.3 million, including $8.1 million in Royalties for Regions funding, will be progressed in 2014/15. The 2015/17 funding round is set to close in September 2014. Following this, DoT will provide recommendations to the Minister for Transport on the applications received. Completed feasibility study marked Portlink milestonePortLink is a large-scale nation-building project to create a more robust State freight network and open up the Goldfields-Esperance, Pilbara and Mid West regions to development opportunities. The project, led by DoT and supported by the Department of Regional Development, centres on: a feasibility study for an Intermodal Freight Terminal in Kalgoorlie and associated freight logistics arrangements; planning for new road and railway alignments around the Kalgoorlie–Boulder city centre; investigations to seal the Wiluna–Meekatharra road; and planning for new road and/or railway corridors, connecting the resource-rich Yilgarn area and the Mid West and Pilbara regions, to export ports. After extensive consultation with industry, the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder and the wider community, DoT completed a feasibility study in 2013/14. The study found a new Intermodal Freight Terminal in Kalgoorlie was not commercially viable in the short to medium-term and recommended expansion of the existing Aurizon West Kalgoorlie terminal as the preferred option.
To facilitate the amalgamations, in 2013/14, DoT commenced drafting the necessary amendments to legislation which are being progressed in two tranches. The first tranche – the Ports Legislations Amendment Act 2014 to establish the four new regional ports authorities – was passed by State Parliament in May 2014. Despite the late passage of the Act, which was expected in December 2013 to provide for a six-month transition period, the Kimberley, Pilbara and Mid West ports authorities are on schedule to commence operations on 1 July 2014. An independent review of the readiness of the regional ports authorities to commence operation following the legislative delay recommended a short delay in the commencement date of the Southern Ports Authority to ensure a smooth transition. DoT is on schedule to complete the second tranche legislative amendments for passage through State Parliament by mid-2015. These amendments deal with the anticipated transfer of the Shipping and Pilotage Act 1967 ports, currently oversighted by DoT, to the new Port Authorities Act 1999 and oversighted by the regional ports authorities from 2015/16. In conjunction with the Department of State Development, DoT has reviewed State Agreements and contractual obligations with the affected ports and will commence extensive consultation with operators and stakeholders in 2014/15 to ensure a smooth transition to the new arrangements. These mergers are expected to improve corporate governance and increase the capacity of regional ports authorities to meet the challenges of increased shipping movements and port trade. Preparing for port divestment as part of State asset salesIn May 2014, the State Government announced its intention to pursue an orderly program of asset sales, including Fremantle Port Authority’s Kwinana Bulk Terminal and Port Hedland Port Authority’s Utah Point Multi-User Bulk Export Facility. DoT responded by undertaking preliminary divestment analysis in collaboration with affected port authorities and other stakeholders, and will continue this work in 2014/15 in anticipation of a final ports facilities divestment decision from the State Government. Announcing the Esperance Port Multi-User Iron Ore Facility preferred proponentThroughout 2013/14, DoT continued to assist the Esperance Port Authority to engage a private proponent to design, fund and operate the Multi-User Iron Ore Facility project to increase the port’s capacity to export iron ore from the Yilgarn region to China. In early 2013/14, the Esperance Port Authority issued a request for proposal and announced Yilgarn Esperance Solution Limited (Yes Ltd) as the preferred developer in May 2014. Before commencing construction, Yes Ltd will develop detailed engineering designs and negotiate the binding contracts with relevant mining companies necessary to underwrite development of the new port infrastructure. Directory: mediaFiles mediaFiles -> Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Report on the human rights situation in Ukraine mediaFiles -> Valerii Hryhorovych asapov mediaFiles -> Intentionally blank mediaFiles -> Uncontrolled when printed mediaFiles -> President of the Royal Aeronautical Society, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen mediaFiles -> Display Pilot Flight Lieutenant Jamie Norris mediaFiles -> Translation Download 436.52 Kb. Share with your friends:
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