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| Department of Transport and Planning | |
|---|---|
| Agency name | Department of Transport and Planning |
| Formed | 2019 |
| Jurisdiction | Victoria, Australia |
| Headquarters | Melbourne |
| Minister1 name | Jacinta Allan |
| Minister1 pfo | Minister for Transport and Planning |
| Chief1 name | Paul Younis |
| Chief1 position | Secretary |
| Website | (official) |
Department of Transport and Planning
The Department of Transport and Planning is a state public service agency responsible for transport and land use planning in Victoria, Australia. It coordinates policy, regulatory frameworks, project delivery and strategic planning across metropolitan and regional contexts, interfacing with ministers, statutory authorities and local governments. The department shapes investments in road, rail, maritime and active transport assets while integrating statutory planning instruments and statutory agencies.
The agency was established in 2019 following administrative changes that reconfigured former portfolios held by the Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning. Its creation followed ministerial arrangements under the Second Andrews Ministry and administrative orders responding to priorities set after the 2018 Victorian state election. The department assumed responsibilities formerly held by agencies including VicRoads and functions transferred from the Public Transport Victoria cluster as part of machinery of government reforms. Over time the department has overseen major programs that intersect with legacy projects from the Regional Rail Revival, the Level Crossing Removal Project, and the Melbourne Metro Rail Project.
The department administers statutory planning frameworks derived from the Planning and Environment Act 1987 and obligations under state instruments such as the Victorian Planning Provisions. It manages transport policy across modes including heavy rail, tram, bus, freight rail and ports, interfacing with entities like Port of Melbourne and freight operators tied to the Inland Rail corridor. Responsibilities include regulation and safety oversight aligned with agencies such as Transport Safety Victoria and contractual oversight of network operators including Metro Trains Melbourne and VicTrack. The department also performs corridor protection, land use integration with Melbourne suburbs such as Frankston and regional centres like Geelong, and strategic planning for population growth areas including the Melton and Bannockburn precincts.
Leadership comprises a Secretary supported by deputy secretaries overseeing divisions such as Infrastructure Delivery, Network and Service Planning, Transport Safety, Planning and Building, and Corporate Services. The department works with statutory bodies including VicRoads, Public Transport Victoria, Major Transport Infrastructure Authority, and land management agencies such as Parks Victoria on overlapping responsibilities. It maintains liaison units for metropolitan projects in Melbourne CBD corridors and regional offices in hubs including Ballarat, Bendigo, and Gippsland to coordinate rail and road programs, with project delivery partnerships involving private sector contractors like John Holland and CPB Contractors.
Strategic initiatives include metropolitan transport strategies connected to the Plan Melbourne framework, regional transport strategies coordinated with the Regional Development Victoria agenda, and freight strategies that intersect with national priorities under the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator. The department leads planning reforms, statutory zoning changes and growth area infrastructure sequencing to implement development contributions frameworks and integrate transport-oriented development around activity centres such as Sunshine and Dandenong. It has overseen policy responses to sustainability targets consistent with state climate commitments and coordination with agencies like the Victorian Renewable Energy Target programs and the Victorian Climate Change Strategy.
The department directs or funds major infrastructure programs including the Suburban Rail Loop corridor planning, completion stages of the Melbourne Metro Rail Project, and level crossing removals across Melbourne’s west and southeast. Regional programs include upgrades to the Bendigo and Ballarat lines under the Regional Rail Revival and improvements to highways such as the Princes Freeway and the Hume Freeway alignments. Active transport programs deliver cycling and pedestrian networks in partnership with councils across municipalities like Yarra and Moreland, and it administers grants for community transport providers servicing remote communities in regions such as the Gippsland and Wimmera.
Funding is drawn from the state budget appropriation process overseen during annual state budget cycles presented by the Treasurer and ministers during sessions of the Parliament of Victoria. Capital funding sources include consolidated revenue, borrowing, contributions from the Commonwealth via intergovernmental agreements, and public-private partnership arrangements used on projects such as road upgrades and station construction. The department manages multi-year capital program allocations and recurrent funding for operational contracts with operators including V/Line and municipal service agreements, reporting outcomes as part of whole-of-government budget papers.
Performance is monitored through statutory reporting to ministers, audit functions by the Victorian Auditor‑General's Office, and parliamentary oversight via committees such as the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee. The department has faced scrutiny over cost escalations and delivery timetables on large projects like the Suburban Rail Loop and level crossing removals, and criticism relating to planning approvals and perceived impacts on heritage precincts such as parts of St Kilda and Carlton. Reviews have examined procurement, risk management and stakeholder engagement practices; recommendations frequently reference strengthening coordination with agencies like Emergency Services Commissioner arrangements and improving transparency comparable to national benchmarks set by the Infrastructure Australia assessment processes.
Category:Transport in Victoria (state) Category:State government departments of Victoria (Australia)