Wednesday, 14 May 2025

Wendouree electorate bus services

Juliana ADDISON (Wendouree) (19:17): (1138) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Public and Active Transport, and the action that I seek is for the minister to come to my electorate of Wendouree to discuss how we can reform bus services across Ballarat with relevant stakeholders. With only two train stations in Ballarat and historic trams around the lake, my community relies on our bus service for public transport. Whether it is travelling to or from school, work, appointments, shopping or leisure activities, for those without access to a car or unable to drive, bus travel is the most affordable option. Recently we have seen an uplift of weekend bus services across the community that I represent, but we know that the work of good government is never complete. I recently attended a meeting with Down Syndrome Victoria in Alfredton where I heard from bus users and their families that the bus services currently offered did not meet the services they needed and that they relied on more expensive taxis as a result.

[NAMES AWAITING VERIFICATION]

I also attended the City of Ballarat Speak Up! youth ambassador event where secondary students and young people pitched for a better bus service for Ballarat. They raised issues of accessibility and safety as well as social justice and combating climate change. The pitch also identified the importance of connection to address isolation and loneliness. Thank you to Corey, Amaya, Ruby, Saskia, Asha, Christiana, Mahima, Lisanth, Rakhav, Om, Hosendu and Elijah for your leadership and advocacy. I have also heard from the growing Winter Valley community about their need for bus services, as well as parents and school students without a local bus service to get their children to and from school. Bus services are an important issue for my community, and I look forward to welcoming the minister to Ballarat to discuss my community’s concerns.