Last week National and Liberal parties released a joint policy document relating to the Orange School Bus industry and in particular the Student Transport Assistant Policy. The key areas were around the Evergreen Contract and security for contractors, plus a change to complimentary students’ eligibility.
Both Parties have committed to delivering the following key changes:
1. Converting all existing school bus contracts to evergreen contracts
2. Reinstate contract relocations to protect services
3. Expand student eligibility from 4.5km to 2.5km from the school.
BusWA would like to sincerely thank Peter Rundle MLA, deputy leader of the National Party and Member for Roe and Steven Martin, deputy leader of the Liberal Party and a Member MLC for the Agricultural Region for their full support and their willingness to make changes for the future of all School Bus Contractors.
Also, while at Parliament House we attended the grievance presentation by Peter Rundle MLA to the Labour Party in Parliament in relation to the School Bus Industry and the unfair treatment of regional parents, students and school
bus contractors.
Decisions by SBS:
• The termination of the Yuna bus contract
• The reluctance to supply a school bus to the Kondinin School, with 8 eligible students’
• The failure by SBS to supply seats for priority 1 and 2 students to travel from Darkan to Collie senior high school.
The reply from Ministers Saffioti representative Merredith Hammatt MLA was very positive and a great result for the efforts of the local communities involved.
• Yuna has been extended for a year.
• Kondinin will have a bus in 2025
• The Darkan high school students will receive a bus to Collie
View Media Release here: https://buswa.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/241107-Media-Release-Opposition-commits-to-a-smoother-ride-for-WAs-school-bus-operators-and-families_compressed.pdf
View Farm Weekly article here: https://buswa.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Farm-Weekly-Article-compressed.pdf
