The Campaign

Over many years, people have been lobbying through all the normal channels to change the terrible situation which faces our children every time they board a school bus.  Everything has fallen on deaf ears.  Parents the world over are capable of extreme acts when it comes to protecting their kids - but how can we protect them from this situation?  How can we protect ourselves and any other parent from having to identify a dead child - who would have been alive if they had seat belted into a strong and well-contructed school bus, rather than left to stand in the aisle of what amounts to a travelling tin can.  You wouldn't treat a pile of bone china that way would you?  How much more precious are our kids?

Unfortunately, the dry bean-counters of this world know the cost of everything and the value of nothing.  Arguments based on common humanity and basic decency aren't going to make much of a dent.  A dead child doesn't "cost" a great deal - but seating and belting our children into well constructed vehicles does.  To make a difference we have to threaten the politicians with what is most important to them - POWER.  Power also translates into money and influence, not something they want to lose in a hurry.  In Queensland we are very fortunate that our present Government is barely hanging on with a one seat majority.  It gives us a unique opportunity to push our children's lives to the very top of the political agenda.  For example, in the political seat of Springwood, a group of very determined local people campaigned vociferously against a major roadway going right through the heart of prime Koala country.  They were arrogantly dismissed by their political masters; however, to-day the Koalas of Springwood sleep a little easier and this roadway is completely off the agenda.  Why?  Because the electors of Springwood defeated the politicians at the next election.  Springwood is currently held on an extremely narrow margin of 0.5% and when you're a Government on a one seat majority, you really have to listen to what people want - or lose the power you crave.
 
 

Bees are methodical, focussed and productive.  The "Bus Action Committee" is going to use these same qualities.  We aim to inform everyone in Queensland about this school bus safety issue, but we also recognise there are electoral seats within Queensland that are held on far more narrow margins.  The reality is that within these areas, people have far more influence on Government policy.  Also, for an un-funded totally voluntary group, it makes much more sense to concentrate our limited resources where they will have the most effect.  Though we will be concentrating our efforts in the marginal areas, the benefits will flow on to every family in Queensland.  The "Bus Action Committee" has written to the incumbents of the political seats listed below (twice), on the 27th March 2000 and again on the 4th April, about these school bus safety issues.  The list below also indicates what responses we have had to date (2nd May 2000). These seats (in alphabetical order) are:-