Nationals and Liberals promise ‘transformative’ changes to regional WA school bus services if elected

The WA Liberals and Nationals have promised “transformative” changes to the State’s school bus services if elected, as more and more farming families struggle to get their children to classes. As part of the election commitment, the Nationals would expand student eligibility from 4.5km to 2.5km from schools, and reinstate contract relocations so bus routes can be shifted accordingly to kids’ locations. The Nationals also promised to convert all existing school bus contracts to evergreen contracts, meaning bus operators can continue their contracts indefinitely, as well as provide more flexible options catered to their area of operation. This includes changing the size of the bus depending on the number of kids who use the service, allowing for bigger buses to be moved to an area that has a higher number of students. Deputy Opposition Leader Peter Rundle said the evergreen contracts, which account for 80 per cent of WA’s services, were the “the backbone of our school and bus network”. “They encourage long-term investment, allowing operators to hire quality drivers and maintain high standards,” he said. Mr Rundle also criticised the current tender model in place, arguing it was not flexible enough for rural residents and does not safeguard bus services. “Since 2017, Labor has undermined the stability of our regional school bus network by pushing short-term contracts that favour the lowest bidder, which often results in lower wages, cheaper buses, and contracts awarded to large companies with no real connection to the community,” he said. Deputy Liberal leader Steven Martin said the evergreen contracts provided “robust solutions” to the issues the school bus sector faces in rural areas. “This approach not only supports the long-term delivery of essential public services but also aligns with our commitment to restoring regional services, outlined in our Building A Better Future blueprint,” he said. The announcement comes after two separate rural school bus routes — one in Yuna and one in Kondinin — were reinstated following campaigning from local communities. Isolated Children and Parent’s Association president Jane Cunningham congratulated the Kondinin and Yuna communities, and called on anyone else struggling with their school bus services to tell their stories. “It’s simple, the current bus services consultation and decision-making process isn’t working and there needs to be more work done to improve it as our country kids and families matter,” she said. “Transport is a huge issue, it’s not just a case of zipping up the road to drop your kids at school. “We encourage School Bus Services to reach out and work with us, our members, their schools, school bus advisory committees, and bus contractors, as there is a better way of doing it for all involved.”