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One of the State’s largest ever oil spill response exercises involving around 220 participants from 22 organisations will centre on Albany next month.

Staged over four days commencing 12 November 2018, Exercise Amity Challenge provides a valuable opportunity for the Southern Ports Authority and Department of Transport (DoT) to work cooperatively to boost local and State arrangements to effectively respond to a significant oil spill in Princess Royal Harbour.

Importantly, the exercise will also provide an opportunity for the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, with assistance from several petroleum companies, to hone the State’s plans for dealing with wildlife impacted by a spill.

DoT is the State’s lead agency for ensuring an effective response to maritime environmental emergencies and the exercise will also involve participants from the City of Albany, all five of the State’s port authorities, WA Police, the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation, the Department of Primary Industry and Resource Development and several other organisations.

DoT Marine Safety General Manager Ray Buchholz said the exercise would provide all participating organisations with a realistic scenario to measure their individual preparedness and response capabilities as well as their ability to work collectively to ensure an overall coordinated response.

“With an extremely low incidence of major maritime environmental emergencies in Australia, a major exercise such as this provides specialist trained responders with an opportunity to enhance their skills and knowledge,” Mr Buchholz said.

Field deployments, both in the immediate port area and at Shoal Beach later in the exercise, will involve booms and skimmers, the simulated clean-up of oil and the collection and treatment of simulated oiled wildlife.

On the final days of the exercise (14,15 November 2018) public access to Shoal Beach will be restricted and there will be local traffic control measures in place.

Mr Buchholz said members of the community should not be concerned if they observe equipment deployments and other exercise related activities in the Albany area.

“While the State is well prepared to respond to major maritime environmental emergencies in the Albany area, exercises such as these provide a valuable opportunity to enhance response arrangements,” Mr Buchholz said.

For further information about maritime environmental emergency response arrangements in WA, visit: www.transport.wa.gov.au/oilspill

Media Contact: media@transport.wa.gov.au

Historic reforms to Western Australia's on-demand transport and taxi industry passed the Legislative Council late yesterday.

These reforms can now be implemented to provide a level playing field whereby all drivers and booking services will operate under the same rules for the first time in WA.

To continue reading the media statement please visit the link below.

Historic on-demand transport reforms pass Parliament

The Department of Transport (DoT) has embarked on a major reform program to improve service delivery and better meet the challenges of a growing community.

As part of this reform Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS) has reviewed its accommodation requirements to ensure it meets the changing needs of its customers and staff, while also exploring opportunities to reduce its operating costs to the community.

Steve Mitchinson, General Manager of Driver and Vehicle Services said that as a result of DVS customers’ take-up of DoTDirect and other online options, as well as the impact of the slowdown of economic activity, there are changes in services at some Driver and Vehicle Services centres.

“While Kelmscott will increase the number of practical driving assessments provided to customers, they no longer conduct over-the-counter services not associated with driver testing.

“As a result of the changes being made at Kelmscott, upgrades to the Cannington centre are being made to cater for an expected increase of customers as well as the opening of a new modern and innovative Success Service Centre”, said Mr Mitchinson.

The design of the new Success Centre will provide an improved customer experience as it has a separate area for practical driving assessments, larger floor space with comfortable waiting areas and improved customer service touch points.

The new Success centre opens today, Monday 15 October at 8.15am at Unit 3, 676 Beeliar Drive, Success and the Willagee centre closed permanently on Friday 12 October.

The self-service benches being rolled out within metropolitan centres has helped support and encourage customers to perform their next transaction online using DoTDirect.  This further simplifies accessing information and paying bills at the customer’s convenience.

Visit www.transport.wa.gov.au/dotdirect and create an account to access a range of services anytime, anywhere.

Media contact: Joanna Hynes 0412 027 383