Section B: Reporting required under any other Act or Regulation

Air Transport (Route Licensing-Passenger Services) Act 2002

Part 5 Section 19—Annual reports

(1) The administrative unit of the Public Service that is, under the Minister, responsible for the administration of this Act must, on or before 30 September in each year, present a report to the Minister on the operation and administration of this Act during the previous financial year.

(2) A report required under this section may be incorporated in the annual report of the relevant administrative unit.

(3) The Minister must, within 12 sitting days after receipt of a report under this section, cause copies of the report to be laid before each House of Parliament.

Reporting against the Air Transport (Route Licensing-Passenger Services) Act 2002

The following report is provided pursuant to section 19 of the Air Transport (Route Licensing-Passenger Services) Act 2002.

Operation and Administration of the Act in 2017-18

Adelaide - Port Augusta

Adelaide – Port Augusta was the only route subject to a Route Service Licence during the 2017-18 Financial Year.

A Route License was awarded to Regional Express Holdings Ltd (Rex) in early July 2017.

The airline commenced services from Adelaide to Port Augusta in September 2017.

Passenger numbers for the Adelaide to Port Augusta route in the FY 2017-18 (September 2017 to June 2018):

Segment:        Adelaide to Port Augusta        – 856

Segment:        Port Augusta to Adelaide        – 771

Total passengers                                            – 1627 (averaging 167 passengers / month)

Harbors and Navigation Act 1993

Part 2 Section 10—Annual report

(1) The CE must, on or before 31 October in each year, report on the administration of this Act during the preceding financial year.

(2) The Minister must, within six sitting days after receiving the report, cause copies to be laid before both Houses of Parliament.

Reporting of the administration of the Harbors and Navigation Act 1993

The following report is provided in accordance with Section 10 of the Harbors and Navigation Act 1993 (the Act).

Registration and licences

Section 47 of the Act prohibits the operation of a motor boat unless the operator is the holder of a motor boat operator’s licence or other qualification approved by the Chief Executive.

Lifejackets

Changes to the Harbors and Navigation regulations 2009 in December 2017 have required that a lifejacket must be worn at all times on certain boats, and in certain circumstances. The new requirements were introduced in response to national drowning statistics, and are similar in nature to those in the eastern states.

In order to assist boaters to comply with the new regulations, the department conducted the “OLD4NEW” lifejacket upgrade voucher program. Boaters were invited to visit a promotional van at a range of locations around the state to talk to Marine Safety Officers and to swap old, damaged, unsuitable or otherwise non-compliant lifejackets for a voucher. When redeemed at a participating retail store, the voucher afforded a $20 discount on the purchase of a new, modern standard lifejacket.

A total of 3777 vouchers were issued to boaters, and an equal number of old lifejackets were removed to storage. Many were of old, redundant standards and unsafe for use. Any which are suitable may be re purposed to communities where no other lifejackets are available.

Registration and licenses

4151 new boat licenses were issued up to the end of the 2017-18 financial year. The total number of boat license holders is 284,537 plus 1683 special permits, for persons aged 12 to 15 years.

252 new registrations were provided for boats which have are new to South Australia. Nine boats were reported as stolen.

Canoes and kayaks

Regulation changes in December 2017 have created an opportunity for owners of canoes or kayaks to fit a small electric motor to their craft without the requirement for motor boat registration or operator licensing. These craft were previously treated in the same way as any motorized boat. The electric motors, if less than 150 newton’s of power are seen as an aid to paddling and create opportunities for persons with mobility or fitness deficiencies to enjoy boating without the fear of stranding due to adverse conditions or fatigue.

Boating safety

Safety strategies

The department’s summer safety strategy will again focus on the requirement to wear lifejackets, in order to support the regulation change of December 2017. The 12 month anniversary of the new regulation will mark the completion of the education phase, and the commencement of compliance campaigns to ensure the safety of boaters on the states waterways.

Publications

The department’s boating information publications have been reviewed in order to address the updated lifejacket regulations and distributed to boaters and industry.

The SA Motor Boat Operators License examination papers have also undergone review, to ensure currency of subject material and accuracy of answers.

Marine safety officers attended the Boating Industry Association Boat Show at Wayville in June 2018, where displays focused on lifejacket wearing and safety equipment for boats.

Australia New Zealand Safe Boating Education Group (ANZSBEG)

A delegate from the department attended two conferences of the ANZSBEG to share information and programs with other jurisdictions, and to further the principals of boating safety in accordance with the objectives of the Harbors and Navigation Act 1993.

South Australia benefits by sharing educational resources, and from the experience of other states with programs such as OLD4NEW, and the boat wise mobile application that enables boaters to find safety information about the area they are boating in.

Aquatic Activity Licenses

105 Aquatic Activity Licenses were prepared and issued by the department’s Boating Safety Unit to facilitate water traffic controls where community or sporting events are held on water. The licenses permit the exclusion or control of other water traffic for the purpose of safety for participants and the general boating public, and may also include exemptions from normal regulations to ensure the success or safety of the event.

Safe operation of vessels

The department employs a team of Marine Safety Officers who conduct routine and targeted patrols by land and by water to observe boating behaviours and to inspect vessels for compliance with safety equipment, registration and licensing requirements.

Approximately 2000 recreational and commercial vessels were inspected during 2017-18.

Of those inspected, 255 expiation notices and 624 cautions were issued to the owners or operators for a range of offences, mostly related to the failure to carry items of safety equipment, speeding or for operating whilst unlicensed or unregistered.

38 vessel accident reports were received by the department involving recreational vessels. One fatality occurred on the State’s water ways from boating related incidents.

Waterways Management

Forty-two new navigation beacons were installed to mark the navigation channels in Barker Inlet (near Port Adelaide) and in the Upper Spencer Gulf between Whyalla and Port Augusta.

Legislation review

The department’s Marine Operations is conducting a review of boat speed limits within the Port River and Harbour, with particular attention to the changing use of the area. An increased patronage of the area by Personal Watercraft and Paddlecraft must be considered. Consultation is being conducted with Department of Environment and Water and industry to ensure a suitable outcome.

Marine facilities

The State Government has continued to contribute towards boating infrastructure projects, in regional areas of the State that are owned and managed by Local Councils in 2017-18.

Approximately $270,000 was made available from the Marine Facilities Fund (the Fund) to local councils to complete the following projects:

• Weeroona Island Boat Ramp
• Marion Bay Planning Study
• Encounter Bay Car Park Extension
• Baudin Beach (removal of breakwater)
• Wellington East Boat Ramp.

A further $3 million from the Fund will also go towards the following local council projects that commenced in 2017-18 and are due for completion in 2018-19:

• Milich Landing
• Rilli Reserve Boat Ramp
• Emu Bay Boat Ramp
• Morgan Boat Ramp
• Berri Riverfront Wharf
• Port Hughes Boat Ramp
• Black Point Boat Ramp

These improved boating facilities support recreational boaters, the commercial fishing industry, tourism and recreational ventures.

In addition, the State Government has also been implementing the Actions from the South Australian Boating Facilities Strategic Plan, which was released in 2016-17 and includes the application of a submission portal and a new annual funding cycle.

Passenger Transport Act 1994

Part 3 Section 24A—Annual report

(1) The administrative unit of the Public Service that is, under the Minister, responsible for the administration of this Act must, on or before 30 September in each year, prepare a report on the operation and administration of this Act for the financial year ending on the preceding 30 June.

(2) The report must include specific reports on the following matters for the relevant financial year:

(a) levels of public utilisation of passenger transport services within the State;

(b) issues affecting the accessibility and utilisation of public transport within the State;

(c) the number and nature of complaints, compliments and submissions made to the Minister by members of the public under any centralised system established for the purpose under this Act;

(d) the general availability of taxis on taxi-stands in Metropolitan Adelaide, and response times to bookings within the taxi industry, and must also include any other information required by this Act.

(3) A report under this section may be incorporated into the annual report of the relevant administrative unit.

(4) The Minister must cause a copy of the report to be laid before both Houses of Parliament within 12 sitting days after the report is prepared.

Reporting against the Passenger Transport Act 1994

The department administers the Passenger Transport Act 1994 (the PT Act) and Passenger Transport Regulations 2009 by planning, regulating and funding public transport services (bus, train and tram, taxi and hire car) across South Australia. Pursuant to section 24A of the PT Act the following report is provided.

Public transport bus services across metropolitan Adelaide were provided by three private bus providers, operating as SouthLink, Torrens Transit and Light-City Buses. In June 2018 Transit Systems Pty Ltd (operating as Torrens Transit) acquired Light City Buses including the two contract areas operated by them; the North South area and the Outer North East area which includes the O-Bahn corridor.  The Adelaide Metro bus network is now operated by two providers, Torrens Transit who operate three contract areas (East West, North South and Outer North East) and SouthLink who also operate three contract areas (Hills, Outer North and Outer South).

All metropolitan rail and tram services are operated by the department through the Rail Commissioner entity which has accreditation under the PT Act. Public transport services in regional South Australia are also administered by the department. These include regular route services (country bus services), provincial city services, integrated transport plans, special medical-related services and dial-a-ride services.

The department supports community passenger networks across regional South Australia and within metropolitan Adelaide. This program is established to facilitate access to transport for people who are transport disadvantaged. The program is jointly funded by the Commonwealth Home Support Program and the Department of Human Services.
The Department is committed to continually improving public transport services and infrastructure and making public transport more accessible and easier to use for all users. The bus fleet is now 92.0 per cent accessible compared to approximately 31 per cent in 2002.

The department’s Station Upgrade Program continues to upgrade selected stations along metropolitan passenger rail lines to provide safer and more efficient services for train customers, with all improvements focusing on accessibility in line with the Disability Discrimination Act 2002 for public transport services. Improved facilities for commuters include new shelters, improved lighting, platform furniture, additional cover, improved access, pedestrian crossings, bike enclosures, additional CCTV camera, new access paths and ramp along with new car parking facilities.  The Albert Park Station upgrade of this year included improved access with a DDA compliant pedestrian access ramp.

Departmental officers at the Adelaide Railway Station that monitor accessibility gates also provide ‘sighted guide’ assistance to passengers to board trains if needed. Information regarding accessible journeys is also been published on the Adelaide Metro website.

Adelaide Metro patronage 2017-18

The total patronage on the public transport system increased by 0.4 per cent compared with the previous financial year.

Total patronage by mode (millions)

Total patronage by passenger type (millions)

Total patronage by ticket type (millions)

Note:*The figures listed above include free travel data.

Special event services

On 23 October 2014, an amendment to the Passenger Transport Act 1994 was enacted with respect to the management and funding of public transport for special events. The aim of the legislation is to facilitate the successful planning of special events in metropolitan Adelaide by requiring mandatory notification of major events and also to provide a mechanism for the costs of additional public transport services required for the event to be recovered where the event is considered a “commercial event”.

The key elements of the legislation include the requirement for venue managers to notify the department six months in advance (or as soon as the event is known) of any event expected to attract more than 5000 patrons and, where additional public transport services are required, that commercial events contribute to the cost of these extra services.

Events are classified as one of two different categories of event for the purposes of the legislation. The two categories are:

• Commercial Events – organised for profit where there is a fee for participants either in the form of a ticket or an indirect fee i.e. membership of a club or association; or
• Community Events – organised as not for profit, the event is open to the community and attendance is free or a voluntary donation from attendees may be sought.

Based on the information provided in the notification form, the department will make a determination regarding the need for additional or special public transport services to cater for the event and, where extra services are required, events categorised as “commercial” will be required to fund the services.

Integrated ticketing arrangements and funding contributions were successfully negotiated for a number of major events, including the Ed Sheeran Concert at Adelaide Oval.

For the 2017-18 year, an average of 52 per cent of the crowd attending AFL matches at  Adelaide Oval carried on public transport with a record of 63 per cent of the crowd carried for Round 3 – Port Adelaide v Brisbane Lions and 60 per cent for Round 1 – Port Adelaide versus Fremantle.

The Ed Sheeran concert at Adelaide Oval attracted a record crowd of 67,000 patrons, with 41 per cent of the crowd carried on public transport services.

In addition, the department managed additional demand and customer support services for a record breaking Cruise Ship season in 2017-18 which saw 67 cruise ships visiting SA with an estimated 160,000 passengers.  This was an increase from 49 ships and 100,000 passengers in 2016-17.

Adelaide free services

The free City Connector service was introduced in the CBD and North Adelaide during January 2014 as a result of the integration of the City Free service funded by the department and the Adelaide Connector service operated by the Adelaide City Council. This integration enabled service and frequency improvements over previous services. Operating under contract with the Minster for Transport, Infrastructure and Local Government, the City Connector has two dedicated routes.

Regional services

The department regulates and contributes to funding transport services in some regional areas.

Regular route services operate across regional South Australian and link major centres to Adelaide. Services operate in the Barossa Valley, Murray Mallee, Mid North, Upper North, Far North, Riverland, Eyre, South East and Fleurieu regions.

Integrated transport services operate in the Coorong District Council, Karoonda East District Council, Murray District Council, Southern Mallee District Council, Mid Murray District Council, Southern Yorke Peninsula, Tatiara District Council, Eastern Riverland, Upper North, Mid North, Adelaide Hills, Victor Harbor and on Kangaroo Island.

Dial-a-Ride door to door services are provided in Gawler, Victor Harbor,

Port Lincoln, Murray Bridge, the Copper Coast and Barossa Valley. These supplement regular timetabled services and extend the range of public transport options for these communities.

Based on data provided by country bus operators, country bus patronage in 2017-18 was estimated as 700,822. A decrease of 5.98 per cent from the previous year.

The decrease in patronage has in part been attributed to cheaper regional airfares, internet (banking, services, shopping) and people generally choosing to use cars rather than travelling long distances on buses.

Provincial city bus services

Regular passenger services operate in South Australia’s provincial cities of Port Lincoln, Port Pirie, Whyalla, Port Augusta, Murray Bridge and Mount Gambier. Provincial city services are a combination of town and school services.

Based on data provided by provincial city bus operators, patronage in 2017-18 was estimated as 420,091. A decrease of 1.37 per cent from the previous year.

Complaints, commendations and submissions

Feedback on public transport

Feedback from customers about passenger transport services is welcomed as it provides the ability to improve and assess existing services and practices. Customers are presented with multiple opportunities to provide their feedback through the Adelaide Metro website, Adelaide Metro Infoline and InfoCentres, as well as social media such as Facebook and Twitter. Complaints represented 0.01 per cent of total public transport patronage (initial boardings and transfers) in the 2017-18 reporting year, with an increase of 1458  (a 13 per cent increase) an increase of 124 in commendations (a 14 per cent increase) compared to the previous year.

The table below shows Feedback information on public transport

Feedback on taxi and small passenger vehicle services

The department receives complaints and commendations regarding taxis and small passenger vehicles. Complaints may lead to disciplinary action if a breach of the regulations under the Act is found to have occurred. Complaints represented less than 0.005 per cent of the over nine million journeys provided by taxis and chauffeur services.

The table below shows feedback information on taxis and small passenger vehicles

Waiting times

The taxi centralised booking services reported that the average waiting time for general taxis in metropolitan Adelaide for 2017-18 was 8.5 minutes during the day (6am to 6pm), and 8.1 minutes at night (6pm to 6am). The figures include waiting times for phone-booked, hailed and taxi rank trips and meet the prescribed waiting time of 12 minutes, as stated in the conditions for accreditation.

There were 1035 general licenses in metropolitan Adelaide in 2017-18.

Access taxis

The taxi centralised booking services reported that the average waiting time for access taxis in metropolitan Adelaide for 2017-18 was 9.3 minutes during the day (6am to 6pm), and 8.9 minutes at night (6pm to 6am).

There are 102 general licenses with special conditions (Access Taxis).

Passenger Transport Standards Committee

The Passenger Transport Standards Committee (PTSC) is a statutory committee, established under the Passenger Transport Act 1994 (the Act), responsible for exercising disciplinary powers under Part 4, Division 5 of the Act and for exercising or performing such other powers or functions as may be conferred on the PTSC by the Minister from time to time.

In 2017-18, the PTSC sat on 93 occasions and considered 399 matters including:

• 320 accreditation applications
• 79 disciplinary matters.

Of the 79 disciplinary matters, the PTSC:

• suspended the accreditation of 34    accredited persons for a period of time
• permanently disqualified four persons from    holding accreditation under the Act.
• revoked the accreditation of 19 accredited persons and disqualified them for a period of time

After holding an enquiry, the PTSC found no cause for disciplinary action against
16 accredited persons, while the remaining accredited persons were fined or reprimanded.

In addition to the above disciplinary matters, the PTSC also placed conditions on the accreditation of six persons, including random audits conducted by departmental officers on a taxi operator’s business practices for one year.

The principles of the Carers’ Charter are incorporated into the department’s strategic human resource framework, online training and corporate induction programs. Operating procedures set out the responsibilities of managers to assist employees to meet their caring responsibilities and provide a range of options to employees, including family carers’ leave, flexible hours, flexible leave arrangements and access to special leave.

South Australians with severe and permanent disabilities which limit their capacity to use public transport independently are able to apply for transport assistance such as the Plus One Free Companion card and the South Australian Transport Subsidy Scheme. The Plus One Free Companion card provides assistance to people who cannot travel independently due to mobility, cognitive, sensory or communication impairments. Companions or carers accompanying Plus One Free Companion card holders travel on all Adelaide Metro bus, train and tram services free of charge.

The department provides public transport information for people with disability, their families and their carer’s on the accessibility of the network, via the Adelaide Metro website, as well as the Adelaide Metro InfoLine and InfoCentres.