Governance and risk

How we are structured

Transport Portfolio

Our state’s three key transport agencies work together as the Transport Portfolio. The agencies, Main Roads, Department of Transport and Public Transport Authority work collaboratively sharing expertise and coordinating delivery of infrastructure and services across the state. Whilst the agencies have different roles and functions, they all report to the Director General who is concurrently the Commissioner of Main Roads, Director General of Transport, and the Chief Executive of the Public Transport Authority.

Transport Portfolio organisational structure

Main Roads structure

This reflects how we are structured, further information about our Corporate Executive can be found in the ‘Our leaders’ section.

Governing bodies

Governance is driven by Main Roads committing to achieving our aspiration, complying with all relevant laws and standards, and meeting public expectations of probity, accountability, integrity and transparency. This approach not only guides us in improving performance and delivering value in our business activities but also shapes our governance model, illustrating the relationships between our Minister, Commissioner, and Corporate Executive underpinned by specialist sub-committees.

We cultivate a governance culture dedicated to upholding a high standard of integrity and accountability. Our governance culture reflects our values and is supported by our Integrity Framework and Code of Conduct. This approach positions us for a Future focused on ethical leadership.

Corporate Executive

Corporate Executive is our peak decision-making body. Its objective is ‘setting clear strategic direction to deliver government priorities, meet our Aspiration and achieve agreed performance goals.

Role Focus Areas from the past year
Support Transport Portfolio Governance Council
  • Monitor delivery of critical projects and meet performance targets
    		•
    Act as an advisory body to the Managing Director
  • Identify and monitor treatment actions against critical risks including integrity breaches and cyber crime
    		•
    Achieve the best outcomes from key decisions, develop executive commitment to key organisational priorities and model our values and behaviours
  • Champion a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion
    		•
    Provide strategic oversight, decision-making and leadership, management of organisational performance, and certainty for ensuring capability to deliver services
  • Identify future state-wide resourcing requirements and key skills and capabilities
    		•
    Create a corporate culture of integrity and accountability by demonstrating professional behaviours consistent with our values, Code of Conduct and Integrity Framework
  • Identify and champion strategic initiatives aligned with Keeping WA Moving
    		•
    Operate proactively, oriented to the long term and being outcomes-focused
  • Monitor the deployment of activities through the corporate Business Plan
    		•
  • Review and approve sustainability reporting content including material issues and approaches towards net zero emissions and climate change impacts
    		•
  • Oversee the transition and management of in-house resources into the organisation
    		•

    We have established executive sub-committees to provide support and guidance for specific aspects of the business. This year sees the elevation of the ICT (information and communications technology) Governance Committee into this structure, recognising the significance of cyber security and the ongoing importance of ICT in delivery of our services to the community.

    Management Review and Audit Committee

    This committee provides oversight and advice on the effectiveness of our corporate governance including risk management, control processes and internal audit. It is an independent committee.

    Role Focus Areas from the past year
  • Assists the Commissioner, Managing Director and Corporate Executive to ensure adequate management practices and controls are developed, maintained and monitored
    		•
  • Approved annual internal Audit Plan for 2024–25
    		•
  • Keeps informed of strategic and operational risks and the status of improvement actions (treatment plans), providing any recommendations to Corporate Executive for consideration
    		•
  • Considered findings and recommendations from 35 internal audits
    		•
  • Reviews and approves annual internal Audit Plan
    		•
  • Monitored progress of the annual internal Audit Plan
    		•
  • Consider audits conducted by Management Review and Audit
    		•
  • Monitored management’s implementation of Management Review and Audit recommendations
    		•
  • Monitor implementation of Management Review and Audit recommendations
    		•
  • Monitor outstanding and overdue audit recommendations
    		•
  • Monitors performance against the annual Internal Audit Plan
    		•
  • Reviewed strategic, operational and fraud and corruption risks and monitored the status of action plans to mitigate risks
    		•

    Budget Committee

    This committee ensures financial management oversight and best use of funds to achieve our strategic outcomes.

    Role Focus Areas from the past year
  • Peak decision-making body for financial and budget management, investment planning and program development and delivery
    		•
  • Asset Investment Program - ensuring delivery is on target
    		•
  • Accountability for
    — investment planning
    — program development
    — annual finance and budget performance
    — financial management
    — budget management
    — working capital management
    		•
  • Oversight of Regional Road Safety Upgrade Program and continuity of funding
    		•
  • Observation of minor works, local roads, maintenance and other programs to ensure delivery performance
    		•
  • Management of the Natural Disaster Recovery Program and financial outcomes of restoration projects
    		•
  • Governance of financial outcomes within the agency’s Resource Agreement
    		•
  • Identification of risk and opportunities associated with delivery impacting annual finances
    		•
  • Oversight of forecast road and bridge cost indices and the broader forecasts in the economic environment
    		•
  • Identification of opportunities for funding ICT priority programs
    		•
  • Cashflow management, including relationships with WATC and Treasury
    		•
  • Monitoring key financial items in the Statement of Comprehensive Income and Statement of Financial Position
    		•
  • Oversight of tender price outcomes
    		•

    Corporate Safety, Health and Wellbeing Committee

    This committee directs priorities and oversees the wellbeing of our workforce and the people who work with us.

    Role Focus Areas from the past year
  • Presides over safety, health, and wellbeing issues from high-level strategy to reviews of individual incidents
    		•
  • Monitored three-year Safety, Health and Wellbeing Action Plan
    		•
  • Acts as a primary occupational safety and health governance channel and reports to Corporate Executive on full-time and contracted employees
    		•
  • Reviewed performance measures and approach
    		•
  • Reported on WorkSafe improvement notifications and serious incidents including mitigating actions
    		•
  • Updated senior management on new work, health and safety legislation
    		•
  • Reviewed Main Roads framework
    		•
  • Oversaw ISO recertification
    		•
  • Continued focus into the prevalence of incidents involving traffic management at worksites.
    		•

    Investment Committee

    This committee is the peak decision-making body for strategic network development, project investment and investment planning and it oversees development of the 10 year unfunded investment program and strategic asset plan.

    Role Focus Areas from the past year
  • Review and endorse the long-term Network Development Strategy and Plan (20 year horizon)
    		•
  • Endorsement of the 2024 – 25 Investment Readiness Funding allocation
    		•
  • Establish the investment focus and link organisational strategic objectives with outcomes that address defined needs and problems
    		•
  • Endorsement of the 10-year Unfunded Investment Program
    		•
  • Review and endorse the Ten-Year Unfunded Investment Plan
    		•
  • Endorsement of the 2024 – 25 Strategic Asset Plan
    		•
  • Review and endorse project priorities for the annual Investment Planning and Budget Cycle
    		•
  • Oversight of improvements to the Investment Planning process
    		•
  • Approve the allocation of investment readiness funding
    		•
  • Endorsement of all major and complex project scope of works and cost estimates as part of the decision-making requirements associated with the Budget and Investment Planning Framework.
    		•
  • Strategic oversight of high-priority projects and reporting to the Minister for Transport, for consideration in state and federal budget process and for submissions for consideration by Infrastructure Australia in the annual refresh of the National Infrastructure Priority List
    		•

    ICT Governance Committee

    This committee provides overarching guidance and support in the implementation of ICT (information and communications technology) strategy and frameworks, processes and systems and monitoring ICT service delivery.

    Role Focus Areas from the past year
  • Undertake prioritisation of projects/initiatives in terms of their contribution to Main Roads’ strategic objectives given the level of risk
    		•
  • Focus areas from the past year
    		•
  • Assess and approve ICT business cases
    		•
  • Approved the ICT Strategy 2023 – 25
    		•
  • Manage ICT related risks
    		•
  • Approved the Cybersecurity Strategy 2023 – 26
    		•
  • Oversee more efficient resource utilisation across ICT projects
    		•
  • Management of ICT risks, including oversight of ‘Essential 8’
    		•
  • Enhance transparency, accountability and corporate governance of ICT
    		•
  • Approve the Enterprise Data Governance Framework and Operating Model
    		•
  • Assessment and approval of 12 ICT business cases
    		•
  • Assessment and approval of risk assessments for off-shore cloud services
    		•

    Main Roads Act amended

    Intelligent Transport Systems Masterplan

    The Main Roads Act 1930 (WA) details the activities and operations of Main Roads Western Australia. These activities are constrained by the powers and duties conferred on the Commissioner of Main Roads under the Main Roads Act.

    The Act was first developed and debated in Parliament in December 1924 and ultimately came into force on 7 June 1926. There were four main parts to the original Act - the formation and composition of the Main Roads Board, its responsibilities, the classes of roads it would deal with and how money for its activities would be raised.

    The Act was amended again during 1930 resulting in creation and appointment of the first Commissioner of Main Roads who subsumed all the powers that the board originally held. In 1952 following a visit to the United States by then commissioner, Jim Young, the Act was amended again to introduce controlledaccess highways. This reflected the changing nature of road transport and the growth in the motor vehicle ownership.

    Over the years there were minor amendments to the Act with the last most significant changes made in 1996. In recognition that the Act was written in the context of an early 20th century, largely undeveloped state, Main Roads sought to modernise the Act.

    In November 2023, the Main Roads Amendment Bill 2023 was passed by Parliament to enable the most significant and extensive changes ever made to the Act enabling us to operate as a modern road agency well placed to serve the community of Western Australia into the future.

    Continue reading
    Risk & integrity
    ^