Tuesday, 3 February 2026

 Kim O’KEEFFE (Shepparton) (20:30): (1491) My adjournment matter is for the Minister for Public and Active Transport. The action I seek is that the minister provides funding for a school bus review for the Shepparton district. I wish to raise serious concerns from families and schools across the Shepparton district regarding the lack of capacity on existing school routes and the expected increased capacity following the introduction of free public transport for children under 18. Whilst we welcome free transport, we need to ensure that there is a process for how this will be managed to ensure that students will be able to get a seat on their school bus. The Victorian government’s official list of school bus network reviews for 2025 included Shepparton as an allocation planned for review. The school bus centre review program, you would think, should be a priority, particularly prior to the announcement of free bus transport, yet Shepparton is still waiting.

Parents are contacting my office deeply concerned that students are at risk of being left behind at bus stops once a bus is at full capacity. For working families and for students travelling from surrounding towns and rural areas there are often no other travel alternatives. I have spoken directly with Dysons bus services in Shepparton, who are also very concerned about the expected overflow and have raised their concerns with Public Transport Victoria. They have also been contacted by parents who are concerned that their children will be left on the side of the road and stranded. We simply cannot have a wait-and-see approach. We urgently need a school bus review.

The Shepparton electorate is a growing region and we are being let down broadly when it comes to transport services. It has been over 16 years since we have had a bus service review. During that time, we have had significant growth, new housing estates have emerged and existing estates have grown. We have many areas across my electorate with limited or no bus services. We still await the completion of our Shepparton line upgrade that was due to be completed in 2023 to increase the much-needed daily return Melbourne services from five to nine. We have had significant issues with overcrowding on the Shepparton line following the reduced travel fee. It is a clear example that you need to prepare and have the capacity needed to accommodate the patronage that is expected. We cannot have families concerned that their children will not get a seat on their school bus. I await the minister’s response on this urgent matter.