The past year has seen substantial progress made on several of the Department's major initiatives.

The information in the following pages provides some indication of our successes in the case of specific projects. Quite apart from these identified highlights, I am confident that a careful reading of this Report will reveal that considerable improvement has occurred in the delivery of outputs across the Agency. Furthermore, feedback from stakeholders has been very positive in relation to our continued efforts at better engagement.

The Will and the Way
A program we have called The Will and The Way continues to drive a corporate culture change within the Agency. It represents a recognition of the fact that we need to put as much effort into how we undertake our work as in actually doing it. At the heart of The Will and the Way is a focus on ensuring DIER meets the needs of the end users of its services and collaborates keenly with all its stakeholders in achieving this.

The Will and The Way program focused this year on the development of core skills around "how we do business" as well as the planning phases for the integration of The Will and The Way into our business planning processes. A skills and development program in influencing and negotiation skills (Negotiating the Way) began this year after trialling several different programs based on skilling staff in this critical component of The Will and The Way. This financial year 60 key DIER staff who have significant relationships with DIER's end users, clients and stakeholders have completed a two or three day program. Initial evaluation has been extremely positive, leading to the scheduling of further programs for the 2001-2002 financial year.

Infrastructure and Resource Information Service (IRIS)
IRIS is an innovative, easy-to-use, web-based system, which provides a single access point for obtaining information on Tasmania's physical, economic and social infrastructure and resources held by state, federal and local governments, as well as some private sector sources. It is designed to improve the availability of information about Tasmania's capabilities, planning and development processes, in order to provide an efficient information service for both government and public users, including planners and developers.

The IRIS website is evolving through five major releases, with each release incorporating additional data and functionality. The first has been successfully completed and progressive releases are scheduled about every three months. The final release is scheduled for July 2002.

Getting There Together
Getting There Together, Tasmania's draft integrated transport strategy, is designed to assist the Department in developing programs and projects to help achieve the vision and goals of Tasmania Together. Following its development through three regional transportation workshops and a transport forum, Getting There Together was released for public comment. It includes the draft transportation vision, principles to be used in achieving the vision, and directions and objectives to guide future development of the transport system. The strategy will be finalised during 2001-2002.

Local Government Partnership Agreements
As the agency responsible for roads and transport, DIER has played a key role in the development of the agreements for partnerships with local government.

Such Partnership Agreements are ideal for implementing Tasmania Together at the local and regional level. Council partnerships which have resulted in proposals to improve local transport systems include Circular Head, Flinders Island, Launceston and Glenorchy. Early negotiations have also taken place with Break O'Day. Partnerships with regional council organisations in the North and North-West are developing Regional Integrated Transport Plans.

Intelligent Access Project
Based on the Department's previous work on the Intelligent Vehicles Trial, Tasmania has championed, and has been project manager for, the nationally funded Intelligent Access Project. It focuses on "e-compliance" against permit conditions, and will monitor access for heavy vehicles to the transport network. The project uses an innovative approach to private sector partnerships that will see a range of information services provided to road users by certified independent service providers.

Development of the Tasmanian Road Safety Strategy
The Department is currently developing a Road Safety Strategy for Tasmania for 2001-2005. A discussion paper was developed and over 1000 copies distributed throughout the community as well as being made available on the Internet. Over 120 responses were received from business and private respondents. Preparation of the strategy is currently under way.

During 2000-01, the Tasmanian Road Safety Council, the principal road safety policy and consultative body in Tasmania, with a focus on legislative reform, oversaw research and consultation leading to the recommendation of three key road safety strategies to Government:

Implementation of a 50km/h urban speed limit on non-arterial roads;
Introduction of mandatory loss of licence for excessive speeding offences; and
Introduction of reforms to Novice Driver Licensing.
Energy development
Work has continued on the creation of a regulatory framework in preparation for the advent of natural gas in the State. The framework has been required to provide certainty to Duke Energy International and other companies investing in the Tasmanian gas industry. The Department has continued to support Treasury on issues related to Basslink and the preparation of Tasmania's entry into the National Electricity Market.

Legislative change
The Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Amendment Act 2000, which became effective on 1 July 2001, made significant amendments to the Tasmanian workers' compensation scheme, in particular, changes to the benefits model, and established the new WorkCover Tasmania Board.
The Building Act 2000 will, among other matters, regulate the construction and maintenance of buildings and provide for proportionate liability, building practitioner accreditation and insurance, and private certification of compliance with the Building Codes of Australia. Implementation of this Act is continuing.

Mineral information
A State Budget allocation from the Tasmanian Infrastructure Fund will accelerate the development of Project TIGER (Tasmanian Information on Geoscience and Exploration Resources) - a database designed to give potential mining investors easy access to Tasmania's geoscientific information.

The project will see all existing geoscientific data held by Mineral Resources Tasmania become accessible to the public, land managers and the mineral industry in digital format via the World Wide Web.

Local contractors
The Department ensures that Tasmanian businesses are given every opportunity to compete for the agency's business. It is DIER's policy to support Tasmanian businesses whenever they offer best value for money for the Government. A total of 37 contracts valued at $31.6 million were awarded locally during the year under review.

I wish to thank officers throughout the Department for their continuing efforts over the past year and the enthusiasm with which they have worked to help the agency fulfil its vision.

The Department continues its firm commitment to take Tasmania forward and I anticipate an even stronger year in 2001-02.

Mark Addis
Secretary