Partnerships

Wadjemup wouldn’t be the island it is without the tireless support of volunteers. The many individuals who, in collaboration with independent volunteer organisations, contribute over 46,000 volunteer hours annually to preserving the natural, cultural, and recreational values of the island. 

During the RIMP 2023-28, RIA is aiming to identify a range of further activities and projects, and seek funding to secure them, that volunteers can support in delivering. These include the Wadjemup Bidi trails expansion, Wadjemup Conservation Centre, and the restoration of woodlands and coastal zones.

Key outcomes

• Identify further volunteer activities and projects to improve the island’s amenity, visitor experience, and ecosystem health

RIA is continually reviewing processes to better resource and support staff. In 2022, a series of staff workshops were initiated to identify better ways of doing business, the outcomes of which will be delivered as part of the RIMP 2023-28. These are a series of strategies to help increase staff job satisfaction, improve upskilling, build more mentoring and coaching opportunities, and encourage the rotation of staff who live on the island.

Key outcomes

• Develop and maintain a strong hospitality culture among all staff and contractors
• Increase the job satisfaction of staff

Digital technologies are an integral part of everyday life. So, it’s critical that the right tools, platforms, and equipment are in place. An important focus of the RIMP 2023-28 is redesigning key ICT processes, both internally and externally, to provide Rottnest Island visitors and partners with practical digital self-service solutions—particularly in relation to accommodation booking, mooring management, island communication, and asset management. 

While telecommunication services to the island are managed externally to RIA, work will continue to identify tools and platforms that can deliver world-class customer experiences, tourism products, and services. 

Key outcomes

• Deploy data analytics and asset management platforms and integrate them with relevant business systems and data
• Embed a future-state IT operating model

RIA has important relationships with the businesses and transport providers on the island, which are facilitated by the Rottnest Island Chamber of Commerce. These important partnerships help to define the island’s culture of service, hospitality, and entertainment. 

During the current RIMP period, work will continue to foster these relationships; to share resources and service standards, deliver joint marketing initiatives (through the Rottnest Island Marketing and Events Advisory Committee), and work together to improve the experience for everyone visiting the island. 

Key outcomes

• Increase the number of cooperatively managed and jointly funded island initiatives to benefit both Rottnest Island Authority and the island businesses community

While Wadjemup is unique in many ways, RIA recognises it faces similar operational challenges to many other island tourism destinations. So, a focus during the RIMP 2023-28 period will be to gather research and insights from other islands, to see what initiatives work and which to avoid, and to identify best practice processes to leverage moving forward. 

Key outcomes

• Ensure island best practice
• Guide island investment based on what leading players in the island tourism industry are doing and desired project outcomes

Over time, RIA has refined and developed financial management tools and systems to better monitor the island’s costs and revenue drivers. This activity-based costing approach has informed how performance can be improved, and better commercial decisions can be made that ensure adequate funding of priority island operations. 

RIA will continue to pursue these process improvement activities into the RIMP 2023-28 period. To do so, plans will be put in place that enables the increase of revenue from principal business areas, including Stay Rottnest and Pedal & Flipper Hire, business leasing, and provision of services to island businesses. RIA will aim to complete key infrastructure projects to upgrade the island’s ageing power and water networks, and work to attract funds and foster partnerships with corporate bodies, government, private enterprise, and philanthropic organisations for aspirational projects. 

Key outcomes

• Improve the understanding of Rottnest Island Authority (RIA) business performance
• Adequately maintain all RIA assets
• Improve financial sustainability

The Rottnest Island Local Emergency Management Arrangements (LEMA) details the vital emergency management measures for the island, and provides specific information on how to plan for emergency prevention, preparedness, response, and recovery. These arrangements ensure clear understanding between RIA, hazard management teams, and support agencies such as the WA Police Force, WA Health Services, Department of Fire and Emergency Services, the island community, and other key stakeholders. 

RIA will continue to work with these key emergency stakeholders to maintain and improve emergency support service delivery on Wadjemup 

Key outcomes

• RIA and all key stakeholders are well prepared for any island emergencies or incidents
• The continued safety of all visitors to the island