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Ports Governance Review
The Government commissioned a review of Western Australian ports governance in 2010.
Background
The Government commissioned a review of Western Australian ports governance in 2010.
The review recommended the State's (then) seven regional port authorities be consolidated into four, with Fremantle remaining as a stand-alone port authority. This was enabled by the passage of the Ports Legislation Amendment Act 2014.
Another key recommendation was to transfer all trading ports regulated under the Shipping & Pilotage Act 1967 to the Port Authorities Act 1999. Transfers will occur progressively, at which time the oversight of affected ports will transfer from the Department of Transport to proximate regional port authorities.
Once this process is complete, all trading ports in WA will operating under the same legislation and regulatory framework for the first time in more than 100 years.
This second tranche of port governance reform is being facilitated by the Ports Legislation Amendment Act 2019, which enables ports to be transferred once all the preparatory work has been completed and port transfer transitional orders and regulations have been made.
On 1 July 2021, responsibility for the Port of Varanus Island transferred to the Pilbara Ports Authority, and responsibility for the ports of Derby, Wyndham and Yampi Sound transferred to the Kimberley Ports Authority.
| Ports Governance Review: A Vision for Western Australia's ports | Kb | |
| Ports Governance Review: The role of ports in Western Australia | Kb | |
| Ports Legislation Amendment Bill 2017 | ||
|---|---|---|
Tranche 2 Legislation
The Ports Legislation Amendment Bill 2016 is designed to enable the progressive implementation of Tranche 2 port governance reforms which, once fully implemented, will result in:
- The Kimberley Ports Authority overseeing the ports of Broome, Derby, Wyndham and Yampi Sound;
- The Pilbara Ports Authority overseeing the ports of Dampier, Port Hedland, Anketell, Cape Preston, Ashburton, Port Walcott, Varanus Island, Barrow Island and Onslow; and
- The Mid West Ports Authority overseeing the ports of Geraldton, Cape Cuvier and Useless Loop.
The legislation will enable progressive port transfers. It will not result in the automatic transfer of any port. Rather, proclamations of relevant sections of the Act, together with transitional orders and boundary description orders, will need to be made with Government approval before individual port transfers. Port operators will be consulted during the implementation process (see Implementation below).
The changes will result in a better overall structure for the oversight and governance of WA's ports and provide a sharper focus on the way ports operate, in order to manage risks associated with the operation of ports, commercial shipping and other vessel movements.
| Port Governance Reform: Tranche 2 (Fact sheet) | Kb | |
Implementation
The second tranche of port governance reform will occur on a port by port basis, whereby the Department of Transport, the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation and regional port authorities continue to liaise with affected port operators regarding the planned transition.
On 1 July 2021, the Port of Varanus Island transferred to the Pilbara Ports Authority, and the ports of Derby, Wyndham and Yampi Sound to the Kimberley Ports Authority. The instruments to implement these transfers were Gazetted on 7 May 2021.
| Gazette 7 May 2021: No 84 | ||
|---|---|---|
Project Governance
Implementation of the Ports Governance Review is supported by several working groups with relevant legislative instruments requiring Government approval before each port transfers.
The working groups comprise senior representatives from the following organisations:
- Department of Transport (Chair)
- Mid West Ports Authority
- Pilbara Ports Authority
- Kimberley Ports Authority
- Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation
- Department of Treasury.
Tranche 1 historical information
Ports Legislation Amendment Bill 2013
Visit the website for:
- Ports Legislation Amendment Bill 2013
- Explanatory notes for the Ports Legislation Amendment Bill2014
- Second Reading Speech Ports Legislation Amendment Bill 2014
| Ports Legislation Amendment Bill 2013 | ||
|---|---|---|
Media statements
Shown in date order:
Tranche 1 Southern Ports Authority Post-Implementation Review
On Friday 25 August 2017, the Minister for Transport announced a post-implementation review of the Southern Ports Authority amalgamation.
The former Albany, Bunbury and Esperance port authorities were merged to form the Southern Ports Authority (SPA) in October 2014, as part of the first tranche of port governance reforms.
The final report on the post-implementation review of the Southern Ports Authority was published 22 February 2018 and is available below.