Report on performance
This section reviews the ATSB’s results against the performance criteria and deliverables set out in the Portfolio Budget Statements 2019–20 and the ATSB Corporate Plan 2019–20. The ATSB’s effectiveness in achieving planned outcomes during 2019–20 is also reviewed here.
Annual performance statement
I, as the accountable authority of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau, present the annual performance statement of the Australian Transport Safety Bureau for the year ended 30 June 2020, as required under paragraph 39(1)(a) of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (PGPA Act). In my opinion, this annual performance statement is based on properly maintained records, accurately reflects the performance of the entity, and complies with subsection 39(2) of the PGPA Act.
Greg Hood
Chief Executive Officer
24 September 2020
Results against performance criteria
Table 1: Results against performance criteria
Purpose | ||
As set out in the Portfolio Budget Statements 2019–20 and the ATSB Corporate Plan 2019–20, the ATSB’s purpose is to improve the safety of, and public confidence in, aviation, marine and rail transport through:
| ||
Performance criterion | Target | Result |
Safety actions completed that address safety issues identified by ATSB investigation reports – critical safety issues. | 100% | There were no critical safety issues identified in 2019–20. |
Safety actions completed that address issues identified by ATSB investigation reports – all other safety issues. | 70% | 61% of all other safety issues identified by ATSB investigation reports in 2019–20 were adequately addressed. |
Number of active complex investigations in progress at each month’s end (12-month rolling average, as at 30 June 2020). | 60 | Average of 78 active complex investigations in progress at the end of each month. |
Average time taken to complete and publish complex investigation reports. | 19 months | Average of 27.5 months taken to complete and publish complex investigation reports. |
Number of active short investigation in progress at each month’s end (12-month rolling average, as at 30 June 2020). | 40 | Average of 40 active short investigations in progress at the end of each month. |
Average time taken to complete and publish short investigation reports. | 6 months | Average of 12.3 months taken to complete and publish short investigation reports. |
Occurrence briefs completed within one month. | 90% | 74% of occurrence briefs were completed within one month. |
An annual increase in the overall number of safety issues identified from safety studies and complex investigations. | Up to 10% | A 17% annual decrease in the overall number of safety issues identified. |
Occurrence and safety study investigations to be initiated on the basis of data-driven analysis. | Up to 15% | 19% of all occurrence and safety study investigations were directly linked to SafetyWatch priorities. |
Through an annual stakeholder survey, stakeholder respondents recall ATSB safety messaging relevant to their industry. | 70% | 78% of stakeholder respondents recall ATSB safety messaging. |
An increase in the overall number of ATSB social media engagements. | Up to 10% | A 15% increase in social media engagements was recorded. |
ATSB safety messages disseminated by independent media channels. | 5 per month (average) | On average, 17 safety messages per month were disseminated by independent media channels. |
Performance at a glance
The 2019–20 financial year saw the ATSB continue to focus on improving efficiency and effectiveness. However, due to a high number of large-scale accidents, resourcing pressures continued to impact on the timeliness of investigations. These included:
- Collision with terrain of the C-130 firefighting aircraft near Cooma in January 2020.
- Train derailment near Wallan in February 2020.
- Mid-air collision of two aircraft near Mangalore in February 2020.
- Controlled flight into terrain of a Cessna 402 aircraft at Lockhart River in March 2020.
These challenged the ATSB’s capacity to complete investigations in timeframes shorter than those outlined in its key performance indicators. There was also a significant effort made to complete a number of older investigations during the financial year and these being published affected the targets. These investigations included:
- Collision with terrain of a SOCATA TB-10 Tobago aircraft – arranged by Angel Flight near Mount Gambier.
- Collision with terrain following engine power loss of a Cessna 172M north-west of Agnes Water in Queensland.
- Collision with water of a Grumman American Aviation Corp G-73 amphibian aircraft as part of the City of Perth Australia Day Skyworks event.
- Loss of control and collision with terrain involving a Cessna 441 west of Renmark Airport, South Australia.
- Collision with floodwater involving freight train 6792, Banyan Creek in Queensland.
- Loss of containers overboard involving YM Efficiency near Newcastle.
Through 2019–20 the ATSB continued to increase the delivery of safety messages to industry and stakeholders. This is demonstrated through stakeholder survey results, increases in social media engagements and importantly, ATSB safety messages being disseminated by media.
In the reporting period, the ATSB also began a review of its current set of deliverables and key performance indicators to determine whether they can be amended to better articulate the agency’s evolving services and contributions to transport safety and also to ensure the performance indicators are within the control of the ATSB. During 2020–21, the ATSB will seek to make its performance criteria reflect the best practice recommendations from the ANAO’s PGPA Act, Implementation and Corporate Planning audits – ANAO report 33 2017–18 and ANAO report 362017-18.
Table 2: Performance at a glance 1
Deliverables | Year | Number of active investigations in progress at each month’s end |
Complex investigations | ||
Aviation | 2019–20 | 60 |
Marine | 2019–20 | 4 |
Rail | 2019–20 | 14 |
Short investigations | ||
Aviation | 2019–20 | 34 |
Marine | 2019–20 | 2 |
Rail | 2019–20 | 3 |
Table 3: Performance at a glance 2
Deliverables | Year | Number completed1 | Average time |
Complex investigations | Average time in months to complete | ||
Aviation | 2019–20 | 38 | 28 |
2018–19 | 23 | 25 | |
2017–18 | 23 | 26 | |
Marine | 2019–20 | 4 | 22 |
2018–19 | 4 | 26 | |
2017–18 | 3 | 20 | |
Rail | 2019–20 | 5 | 24 |
2018–19 | 7 | 19 | |
2017–18 | 6 | 22 | |
Short investigations | |||
All modes | 2019–20 | 22 | 12 |
2018–19 | 34 | 10 | |
2017–18 | 39 | 6 | |
Occurrence briefs | Per cent completed within one month | ||
All modes | 2019–20 | 50 | 74% |
2018–19 | 108 | 35% | |
2017–18 | 40 | 19% |
1 Includes occurrence, safety issues and research investigations conducted under the TSI Act. The figures do not include assistance to investigations conducted by an external party. Note that previous ATSB annual reports include assistance to investigations conducted by an external party. The figures will, therefore, appear higher in previous annual reports.
Key results
Table 4 summarises the ATSB’s performance against key indicators published in the Portfolio Budget Statements 2019–20.
Table 4: ATSB performance against key performance indicators
Target | Performance | |
Key performance indicators | ||
Safety actions completed that address safety issues identified by ATSB investigation reports: | ||
> critical safety issues | 100% | none identified |
> all other safety issues. | 70% | 61% |
Number of active complex investigations in progress at each month’s end (12-month rolling average, as at 30 June 2020). | 60 | 78 |
Average time taken to complete and publish complex investigation reports. | 19 months | 27.5 months |
Number of active short investigations in progress at each month’s end (12-month rolling average, as at 30 June 2020). | 40 | 40 |
Average time taken to complete and publish short investigation reports. | 6 months | 12.3 months |
Occurrence briefs completed within one month. | 90% | 74% |
An annual increase in the overall number of safety issues identified from safety studies and complex investigations. | Up to 10% | Down 17% |
Occurrence and safety study investigations to be initiated on the basis of data-driven analysis. | Up to 15% | 19% |
Through an annual stakeholder survey, stakeholder respondents recall ATSB safety messaging relevant to their industry. | 70% | 78% |
An increase in the overall number of social media engagements. | Up to 10% | 15% |
ATSB safety messages disseminated by independent media channels. | 5 per month (average) | 17 per month (average) |
Deliverables | ||
Complete and publish reports. | Up to: | |
> 35 complex investigations | 47 | |
> 100 short investigations | 22 | |
> 100 occurrence briefs. | 50 | |
Ensure preparedness for a major accident by reviewing and testing major accident response and management capabilities through participation in one major exercise per year. | One major accident exercise per annum. | Participation in one major exercise with internal audit. |
Provide assistance to investigations overseas in accordance with international arrangements and where resources permit, with a report produced annually addressing the transport safety contribution of this support. | All assistance provided to overseas investigations maintained through an international Accredited Representative register. | ATSB provided assistance to six overseas investigations started in 2019–2020. |
Mature the ATSB’s data analysis tools and techniques to enhance the ATSB’s proactive capability for determining safety hazards and risks to be used in making assessments about occurrences to investigate and safety studies to commence. | Expanded. | |
Assess, classify and publish summaries of accident and incident occurrences received. | Details of occurrences being investigated are published within one working day. | 56% |
Summaries of aviation occurrences are ready to be published in the public online database within 10 working days of receipt. | 35% | |
Assess confidential reports for clarity, completeness and significance for transport safety. | A de-identified summary of the confidential report will be provided to any relevant third party within 10 working days. | 19% |
Within six weeks, advise a responsible party in a position to take safety action in response to the safety concern. | 61% | |
Publish statistical and trend monitoring publications (including the Aviation Occurrence Statistics Report). | Five publications. | 2 |
The ATSB will proactively influence safety awareness in the aviation, rail and marine industries, and among the travelling public, through communication and education activities. | Active engagement at key industry events across the modes. Establishing SafetyWatch priorities. Increasing the accessibility of investigation report content and safety products through its website, mailing lists, use of social media, industry publications and mediums such as video content. Pushing media coverage of ATSB investigations and safety awareness activities. | See detailed report. |
Assist transport safety in the international region, through direct cooperation and the delivery of approved projects and other support activities provided for by program funding agreements, with a publication produced annually addressing the transport safety contribution of these activities. | Delivery of approved projects within program funding allocation. | See detailed report. |
Visit
https://www.transparency.gov.au/annual-reports/australian-transport-safety-bureau/reporting-year/2019-20-53