The Department of Transport and Planning is, to outsiders, a mysterious organisation.
That may be for several reasons, eg:
* They used to (but no longer) publish an organisation chart on their website. Unlike other big departments like Education and Health that do, complete with names of executive directors and higher officials.
* A significant proportion of its activities (notably operating public transport services) are outsourced to private operators under multi-billion dollar contracts. Claims of "commercial confidentiality" may restrict information available. Hence the successful RTBU motion at the last Labor State Conference.
* Major construction projects are typically hived off to dedicated authorities with their own senior management and contract supervision structures. Leaving people to wonder what's left for DTP to do with its still large 4760-strong staffing establishment.
* Major construction projects are typically hived off to dedicated authorities with their own senior management and contract supervision structures. Leaving people to wonder what's left for DTP to do with its still large 4760-strong staffing establishment.
* The department has had so many restructures, renamings and rebrandings that people to lose track. There are very few times where it's been more than a year after or before one of the above. Right now the public facing public transport element is in the throes of changing from Public Transport Victoria to Transport Victoria. Implications for public understanding include websites being changed, links being broken and historical information being lost.
* Its staff (not through their own fault) have a reputation amongst stakeholders (eg local government) as being remote or non-committal. Possibly as one of the biggest crime a bureaucrat can do is to raise expectations that something will happen or be funded - when this is entirely a matter for the minister and government. Minimising interactions is one way to manage this risk, with media relations either being handled by the minister's office or the more loquacious but less influential Infrastructure Victoria. This blog's readership is also probably higher because of this.
* Its staff (not through their own fault) have a reputation amongst stakeholders (eg local government) as being remote or non-committal. Possibly as one of the biggest crime a bureaucrat can do is to raise expectations that something will happen or be funded - when this is entirely a matter for the minister and government. Minimising interactions is one way to manage this risk, with media relations either being handled by the minister's office or the more loquacious but less influential Infrastructure Victoria. This blog's readership is also probably higher because of this.
* It has had recent leaders not widely known for their outgoing or public-engaging nature. Although that may be by design due to the view that such interaction is more for the minister than for the department.
A thirst for knowledge about DTP
A thirst for knowledge about DTP
What I can say with certainty is that there is a thirst for knowledge about DTP that is not being filled by anything from it. Instead people are searching more widely and finding this blog.
Amongst its highest read items was Who Runs DTP? a profile of its senior management done last June. Other items about DTP's leadership were also very popular.
Some things have changed since I looked at DTP management. The Silver Review promises more changes. So I thought it was worth a quick check of the department's current structure.
Some things have changed since I looked at DTP management. The Silver Review promises more changes. So I thought it was worth a quick check of the department's current structure.
As it turns out, at least one part of DTP wasn't that mysterious. That is its organisation chart. You just need to ask and they will email you one. Very quick, very efficient and no messing around with FOI requests.
This chart has assisted me with much that follows.
DTP leadership
First of all the ministers. There are four.
* Gabrielle Williams (Transport Infrastructure, Public & Active Transport)
* Harriet Shing (Suburban Rail Loop, Development Victoria, Housing)
* Sonya Kilkenny (Planning)
* Melissa Horne (Roads, Road Safety, Ports, Freight)
Assisted by parliamentary secretaries Josh Bull and Bronwyn Halfpenny.
Enter Secretary Weimar
Not long after my executive profile from last year news emerged that then Secretary Paul Younis was leaving. While he led the state's controversial pandemic response and the committee for the ill-fated Melbourne 2026 Commonwealth Games, his extensive previous experience in transport made Jeroen Weimar a front-running successor candidate as secretary. As it turned out to be with him commencing in January 2025.
The inner circle
A tight group of executives work in the office of the DTP Secretary. Two (Lachlan McDonald - intergovernmental relations and Jo Weeks - Communications and Customer Experience) have stayed put.
Another of this group (Rob Pearce - Legal Counsel) remains in the department but now sits in the renamed and broader People, Legal and Governance Division about which there will be more later.
Last time I did not (but should have) mentioned the Director Strategy role that is also in the Secretary's office. Until May 2025 that was occupied by Patrick O'Neill (whose new role sees him chasing dodgy builders and tradies in the new Building and Plumbing Commission). The role has been slightly renamed to Integrated Strategy, with Cameron Robinson the acting executive director.
As the first new name here, Mr Robinson needs introducing. His Melbourne University education was in commerce and economics. With time at both the ACTU and Oxford (albeit later in life at an affiliated business school), he shares some commonalities with Bob Hawke.
DTP leadership
First of all the ministers. There are four.
* Gabrielle Williams (Transport Infrastructure, Public & Active Transport)
* Harriet Shing (Suburban Rail Loop, Development Victoria, Housing)
* Sonya Kilkenny (Planning)
* Melissa Horne (Roads, Road Safety, Ports, Freight)
Assisted by parliamentary secretaries Josh Bull and Bronwyn Halfpenny.
Enter Secretary Weimar
Not long after my executive profile from last year news emerged that then Secretary Paul Younis was leaving. While he led the state's controversial pandemic response and the committee for the ill-fated Melbourne 2026 Commonwealth Games, his extensive previous experience in transport made Jeroen Weimar a front-running successor candidate as secretary. As it turned out to be with him commencing in January 2025.
The inner circle
A tight group of executives work in the office of the DTP Secretary. Two (Lachlan McDonald - intergovernmental relations and Jo Weeks - Communications and Customer Experience) have stayed put.
Another of this group (Rob Pearce - Legal Counsel) remains in the department but now sits in the renamed and broader People, Legal and Governance Division about which there will be more later.
Last time I did not (but should have) mentioned the Director Strategy role that is also in the Secretary's office. Until May 2025 that was occupied by Patrick O'Neill (whose new role sees him chasing dodgy builders and tradies in the new Building and Plumbing Commission). The role has been slightly renamed to Integrated Strategy, with Cameron Robinson the acting executive director.
As the first new name here, Mr Robinson needs introducing. His Melbourne University education was in commerce and economics. With time at both the ACTU and Oxford (albeit later in life at an affiliated business school), he shares some commonalities with Bob Hawke.
His four years as an ACTU economist was followed by seven years advising Bracks and Brumby government ministers in primary industry, police and emergency services portfolios. Election losses can be a problem for now ex ministerial advisers but Mr Robinson soon found a role in the CFA. That was rounded out by stints in economic and policy consultancy with the all-reaching PwC.
As well as both public and private experience, the executive on the up often seeks international opportunities. In rail transport, especially, there is a very wide two-way door between the UK and Australia. Three years of doing economics for the HS2 project added transport sparkle to Mr Robinson's previously vanilla 'hacksultant' resume. That gave him an express ticket to advance in the Department of Transport back here in Victoria from 2018.
I also didn't mention last time that the Secretary's Office itself has/had a director. This is Rebecca Trott who previously advised both Daniel Andrews (as opposition leader) and Jacinta Allan (as Transport Minister). Her name appears in the 2023-2024 DTP annual report but not on the current DTP executive organisational chart.
The divisional structure
DTP's structure has changed a little in the last year or so with some divisions staying the same while others got name changes. Here's a summary:
* Four (Planning and Land Services, Network Design and Integration, Transport Services, Investment and Technology) retained their name.
* Two changed their name. Strategy and Precincts changed to Housing, Building and Land Delivery. Basically sharper words to focus harder on the government's housing growth agenda. Less significantly, People and Business Services became People, Legal and Governance to reflect Legal moving out of the Secretary's office.
As well as both public and private experience, the executive on the up often seeks international opportunities. In rail transport, especially, there is a very wide two-way door between the UK and Australia. Three years of doing economics for the HS2 project added transport sparkle to Mr Robinson's previously vanilla 'hacksultant' resume. That gave him an express ticket to advance in the Department of Transport back here in Victoria from 2018.
I also didn't mention last time that the Secretary's Office itself has/had a director. This is Rebecca Trott who previously advised both Daniel Andrews (as opposition leader) and Jacinta Allan (as Transport Minister). Her name appears in the 2023-2024 DTP annual report but not on the current DTP executive organisational chart.
The divisional structure
DTP's structure has changed a little in the last year or so with some divisions staying the same while others got name changes. Here's a summary:
* Four (Planning and Land Services, Network Design and Integration, Transport Services, Investment and Technology) retained their name.
* Two changed their name. Strategy and Precincts changed to Housing, Building and Land Delivery. Basically sharper words to focus harder on the government's housing growth agenda. Less significantly, People and Business Services became People, Legal and Governance to reflect Legal moving out of the Secretary's office.
Two of the six divisions are from the planning side. These are Housing Building and Land Delivery and Planning and Land Services. The organisation chart has 4 reports to each deputy secretary.
The next three are largely transport functions. These are Network Design and Integration, Transport Services and Investment and Technology. These three have 26 executives reporting to the three dep secs. The Transport Services deputy secretary also has delegated functions and powers of Head, Transport for Victoria that you may see referred to in legislation (see p174 2023-24 annual report).
The next three are largely transport functions. These are Network Design and Integration, Transport Services and Investment and Technology. These three have 26 executives reporting to the three dep secs. The Transport Services deputy secretary also has delegated functions and powers of Head, Transport for Victoria that you may see referred to in legislation (see p174 2023-24 annual report).
Finally there is People, Legal and Governance who provide services to and administer both. The deputy secretary there has six named people reporting to her according to the organisational chart.
DTP's Annual Report is here. Page 10 has a sort of organisational chart but in very abbreviated form, going no lower than the deputy secretary level.
New deputy secretaries
DTP's Annual Report is here. Page 10 has a sort of organisational chart but in very abbreviated form, going no lower than the deputy secretary level.
New deputy secretaries
Last time I reviewed the backgrounds of six DTP deputy secretaries. What's since happened to them?
* Two (Natalie Reiter and Melinda Collinson) have resigned, leaving the department
* Two (Andrew McKeegan and Fiona Adamson) remain in their existing roles
* One (Dean Tighe) remains in his current role but is currently acting in the role vacated by ..
* One (William Tieppo) got promoted to the senior but sometimes controversial role of V/Line CEO
If you've been keeping tabs, that means three new dep sec names to learn about.
Stuart Moseley leads Housing, Building and Land Delivery. He headed the Victorian Planning Authority for nearly eight years. Like fellow dep sec Andrew Keegan he is a South Australian. Background there includes having a planning degree, topped up later by public administration graduate diploma and an MBA. He has held executive level positions for some time, including City of Adelaide's CEO, SA's Dept Planning Transport & Infrastructure and a short time in Queensland. This was interspersed with private consultancy in the early 2010s.
Jacinda de Witts heads DTP's internal affairs including HR, governance and the recently added legal. The latter becomes more understandable when you look at her background - Ms de Witts has been a lawyer since the 1990s including 12 years as partner at Minter Ellison. That was followed by 5 years as Royal Childrens Hospital Director and 8 years at the Department of Health with the last period at that in a dep sec role similar to her current DTP position.
Shaun Condron is acting in Dean Tighe's Investment and Technology role as the latter acts in Mr Tieppo's old role in Network Design and Integration. Mr Condron's thing is finance, having completed a degree in that from RMIT. We don't know much about his early jobs but he had four years as chief finance office for the Department of Primary Industry from 2003. A transfer to a similar role in the Justice and Community Safety department proved rewarding with eventual elevation to Deputy Secretary rank. In 2019 he reverted to being Chief Financial Officer but this time in transport with a gain to his current Acting role in August 2025.
As noted last time, it is common for DTP deputy secretaries to be transferees from other departments. Thus their backgrounds tends to be legal or financial rather than transport operations or engineering.
All currently serving of the above, whether the Secretary, deputy secretaries and executives in the Secretary's office are defined as Key Management Personnel. As are the heads of certain administrative offices, mostly associated with major projects (See DTP 2023-24 Annual Report p 174).
Executive numbers
* Two (Natalie Reiter and Melinda Collinson) have resigned, leaving the department
* Two (Andrew McKeegan and Fiona Adamson) remain in their existing roles
* One (Dean Tighe) remains in his current role but is currently acting in the role vacated by ..
* One (William Tieppo) got promoted to the senior but sometimes controversial role of V/Line CEO
If you've been keeping tabs, that means three new dep sec names to learn about.
Stuart Moseley leads Housing, Building and Land Delivery. He headed the Victorian Planning Authority for nearly eight years. Like fellow dep sec Andrew Keegan he is a South Australian. Background there includes having a planning degree, topped up later by public administration graduate diploma and an MBA. He has held executive level positions for some time, including City of Adelaide's CEO, SA's Dept Planning Transport & Infrastructure and a short time in Queensland. This was interspersed with private consultancy in the early 2010s.
Jacinda de Witts heads DTP's internal affairs including HR, governance and the recently added legal. The latter becomes more understandable when you look at her background - Ms de Witts has been a lawyer since the 1990s including 12 years as partner at Minter Ellison. That was followed by 5 years as Royal Childrens Hospital Director and 8 years at the Department of Health with the last period at that in a dep sec role similar to her current DTP position.
Shaun Condron is acting in Dean Tighe's Investment and Technology role as the latter acts in Mr Tieppo's old role in Network Design and Integration. Mr Condron's thing is finance, having completed a degree in that from RMIT. We don't know much about his early jobs but he had four years as chief finance office for the Department of Primary Industry from 2003. A transfer to a similar role in the Justice and Community Safety department proved rewarding with eventual elevation to Deputy Secretary rank. In 2019 he reverted to being Chief Financial Officer but this time in transport with a gain to his current Acting role in August 2025.
As noted last time, it is common for DTP deputy secretaries to be transferees from other departments. Thus their backgrounds tends to be legal or financial rather than transport operations or engineering.
All currently serving of the above, whether the Secretary, deputy secretaries and executives in the Secretary's office are defined as Key Management Personnel. As are the heads of certain administrative offices, mostly associated with major projects (See DTP 2023-24 Annual Report p 174).
Executive numbers
Below the deputy secretaries are several layers of executives.
DTP alone had 191 executives in 2024 out of a total of 4760 staff. Of the 191:
* 104 were SES band 1
* 78 SES band 2 and
* 9 SES band 3
This 191 does not include the broader transport and planning portfolio outside the department proper. When you include that the number of executives more than doubles. Much of that is in the Victorian Infrastructure Delivery Authority (156) and portfolio agencies (263). Then there are outsourced functions (eg train, tram and bus companies) that have their own executive structures, effectively taxpayer subsidised.
See the DTP Annual Report for further details on executive numbers. There should be a new one out in the next couple of months or so (possibly not coming on the same day as all the others this year).
DTP alone had 191 executives in 2024 out of a total of 4760 staff. Of the 191:
* 104 were SES band 1
* 78 SES band 2 and
* 9 SES band 3
This 191 does not include the broader transport and planning portfolio outside the department proper. When you include that the number of executives more than doubles. Much of that is in the Victorian Infrastructure Delivery Authority (156) and portfolio agencies (263). Then there are outsourced functions (eg train, tram and bus companies) that have their own executive structures, effectively taxpayer subsidised.
See the DTP Annual Report for further details on executive numbers. There should be a new one out in the next couple of months or so (possibly not coming on the same day as all the others this year).
DTP has copped criticism that it has too many executives. The government-commissioned Silver Review terms of references called out executive numbers as an issue. The Gold Review published by the A Voice for Members faction of the CPSU is more expressive, proposing 'trimming the bloated executive layer of the VPS' and other measures as alternatives to staff cuts at lower levels.
DTP's key divisions for transport
I mentioned the six divisions, each headed by a deputy secretary, before. Three seem of most interest to us in transport, being:
* Network Design and Integration
* Transport Services
* Investment and Technology
* Transport Services
* Investment and Technology
Very roughly (and there would be exceptions) the three could be summarised as (i) Planning/implementation, (ii) Operations/maintenance/franchise management/customer service, and (iii) Finance/procurement/data. More educated guesswork is attempted in red below.
As work progresses it would be passed between areas, often multiple times. For instance a new, revised or upgraded bus route would be designed with a service specification and costing done. Various approvals would be necessary, including on funding (key sources are the state budget or GAIC for growth area services) and implementation timing. It would move from planning to procurement then implementation to operation. The latter two would also have significant technology functions for instance location data, timetable information, maps and passenger information.
The organisation chart has boxes in each division with each headed by an executive director. These boxes comprise:
As work progresses it would be passed between areas, often multiple times. For instance a new, revised or upgraded bus route would be designed with a service specification and costing done. Various approvals would be necessary, including on funding (key sources are the state budget or GAIC for growth area services) and implementation timing. It would move from planning to procurement then implementation to operation. The latter two would also have significant technology functions for instance location data, timetable information, maps and passenger information.
The organisation chart has boxes in each division with each headed by an executive director. These boxes comprise:
Network Design and Integration
- Assets and Engineering
- Freight Victoria
- WGTP/NELP Integration preparation for West Gate Tunnel & North East Link opening
- Major Projects Development and Integration
- Modal Planning bus and rail service planning
- Modal Planning bus and rail service planning
- MTP Network Readiness preparation for Metro Tunnel opening
- Network Pipeline and Program
- Road Safety Victoria
- Rolling stock and ticketing new trains, trams and ticketing upgrade
- Network Pipeline and Program
- Road Safety Victoria
- Rolling stock and ticketing new trains, trams and ticketing upgrade
Transport Services
- Inner Metro region role - largely roads based
- Greater Metro region role - largely roads based
- Barwon South West and Grampians region role - largely roads based
- Loddon Mallee and Hume region role - largely roads based
- Gippsland and Capital Delivery region role - largely roads based
- Greater Metro region role - largely roads based
- Barwon South West and Grampians region role - largely roads based
- Loddon Mallee and Hume region role - largely roads based
- Gippsland and Capital Delivery region role - largely roads based
- Heavy Rail relationship with Metro Trains
- Operational Readiness MTP more preparation for Metro Tunnel opening
- Network Operations
- Network Change disruptions and changes
- Registration and Licensing management old Vicroads function
Investment and Technology
- Network Operations
- Network Change disruptions and changes
- Registration and Licensing management old Vicroads function
Investment and Technology
- Finance
- Budget Strategy and Portfolio Assurance
- Procurement early work on purchases
- Enterprise Technology
- Commercial Advisory
- Refranchising MR5 project trams done, next one Metro trains
- Data and Digital IT systems, website, timetable data and real-time info
- Budget Strategy and Portfolio Assurance
- Procurement early work on purchases
- Enterprise Technology
- Commercial Advisory
- Refranchising MR5 project trams done, next one Metro trains
- Data and Digital IT systems, website, timetable data and real-time info
I've probably missed a couple but those in bold are probably of most interest to readers here. If you had more time you could probably find the executive directors of most of them in Linked In. Or get your own organisational chart.
Silver Review and its politics
The above structure is very likely to change in the next year or two. The premier foreshadowed savings earlier this year, with the Silver Review commissioned. In July it was said that it would be released in coming months. More recently we were advised that it will be out this year.
As for where the Silver Review cuts will be, the government has said it will be targeting inefficiency and lower priority programs. This could mean administration, support roles and service delivery considered less critical. There have already been reports about fisheries inspectors and museum staff roles being cut. In the transport portfolio extreme care will be required to ensure that service planning and delivery capability isn't gutted given that DTP has known weaknesses here, including in cases where network reform is needed to improve efficiency.
The government will have one eye on the upcoming state election. Absolutely no one will be wanting to sack nurses. Road maintenance is a big issue in the country and without reasonable performance here the government loses its social licence for big freeway and rail projects in the city.
Except perhaps for sections of the private or home schooling right, state school teachers have broad public support. Minority groups like socialists, anarchists and anti-lockdown libertarians distrust Victoria Police. But their position is safe given that the opposition is almost certain to make 2026 a 'law and order' election with government already on the defensive. Besides, if the 'new tougher' bail laws are effective (in the sense of keeping more people locked up for longer) there will need to be more staff not fewer. The premier's release announcing the Silver Review says that frontline workers like the above are not in scope.
The Silver Review is less certain for the large number of lower and middle level public servants (including many CPSU members) who are not nurses, teachers or police. This is a significant political constituency Labor will need to manage. Many (at least in Melbourne, Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo) would be existing Labor voters, with substantial Green support amongst the younger or inner suburban set. More could vote Green or Socialist as a protest. However the currently disunited Liberals will have a battle to get this group to preference them above Labor.
While some would be personally known to ministers, the group of public servants with the least electoral influence would be the senior executive ranks. Good executive leadership is undoubtedly essential. But in abstract executives have the least goodwill from the wider community, including from private sector taxpayers and even public servants several levels lower. Likely generous redundancy payments should insure against immediate poverty but even if these didn't exist it's hard to feel for $250k earners lacking a private saving or income protection plan. The government would also lose no sleep from a hypothetical tabloid headline like below and might even regard it as positive.
The government will have one eye on the upcoming state election. Absolutely no one will be wanting to sack nurses. Road maintenance is a big issue in the country and without reasonable performance here the government loses its social licence for big freeway and rail projects in the city.
Except perhaps for sections of the private or home schooling right, state school teachers have broad public support. Minority groups like socialists, anarchists and anti-lockdown libertarians distrust Victoria Police. But their position is safe given that the opposition is almost certain to make 2026 a 'law and order' election with government already on the defensive. Besides, if the 'new tougher' bail laws are effective (in the sense of keeping more people locked up for longer) there will need to be more staff not fewer. The premier's release announcing the Silver Review says that frontline workers like the above are not in scope.
The Silver Review is less certain for the large number of lower and middle level public servants (including many CPSU members) who are not nurses, teachers or police. This is a significant political constituency Labor will need to manage. Many (at least in Melbourne, Geelong, Ballarat and Bendigo) would be existing Labor voters, with substantial Green support amongst the younger or inner suburban set. More could vote Green or Socialist as a protest. However the currently disunited Liberals will have a battle to get this group to preference them above Labor.
While some would be personally known to ministers, the group of public servants with the least electoral influence would be the senior executive ranks. Good executive leadership is undoubtedly essential. But in abstract executives have the least goodwill from the wider community, including from private sector taxpayers and even public servants several levels lower. Likely generous redundancy payments should insure against immediate poverty but even if these didn't exist it's hard to feel for $250k earners lacking a private saving or income protection plan. The government would also lose no sleep from a hypothetical tabloid headline like below and might even regard it as positive.
Summary
The above has hopefully given a snapshot of DTP's insides. Those wanting to know more will no doubt be awaiting their 2024-25 annual report with interest. Upcoming restructuring associated with any machinery of government changes, the Silver review and normal attrition will likely mean that what's covered here will be out of date in a year or two.
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