Dear Ms Bax

 

Thank you for your email dated Thursday the 19th February 2004.

 

The Beattie Government has identified the safety of students travelling to and from school as one of the most important issues for both parents and communities.  The actions we have taken are summarised below:

 

In 2003, a trial of seatbelts on school buses was conducted in response to recommendations made by the independent School Transport Safety Task Force and the Interdepartmental Working Group.

 

The trial involved fitting ADR68/00 seats and seat belts to 12 school buses throughout Queensland operating on long steep and very steep bus routes - where standing passengers are currently not permitted. The buses involved in the trial were split into either a low, medium or high encouragement group in order to measure the effect of education on seat belt wearing rates and student behaviour in the buses.

 

The evaluation of the trial, which ran for six months, was conducted by he independent transport research organisation ARRB Transport Research. The key aim of the evaluation was to establish seat belt usage rates and identify the impact of seat belts on student behaviour.

 

The School Transport Safety Interdepartmental Working Group has been reconvened to examine the results of the trial and further investigate issues such as legal responsibility and compliance. The taskforce will provide recommendations by April 2004. Other initiatives implemented as a direct result of the School Transport Safety Task Force include:

 

* Development of the School Environment Safety Guidelines to help local schools and communities to improve safety around schools;

 

* Safe Communities Trial to assist school based community group through facilitating, engaging and observing these groups as they considered transport safety issues in their local community;

 

* Increased school transport safety public education to improve road safety for children travelling to and from school;

 

 

* SchoolBUS (School Bus Upgrade Scheme), which provides $3 million each year to help school bus operators across Queensland progressively upgrade their fleets; and

 

* Launch and implementation of the Managing Student Behaviour Training Package for school bus operators.

 

Yours sincerely

 

Stephen Robertson MP

Member for Stretton

 

 

 

 

 

Response to Stephen Robertson MP, from Kim Bax (Mum) - sent on the 20th February 2004:-

 

Dear Mr. Roberston,

Thankyou for your reply of 19th February.  Please excuse this jaded response, but is there a special school politicians go to?  One where they learn to say and/or write an awful lot - and sound quite sophisticated - without answering the ACTUAL questions?

You were not voted into power by your party - you were voted in by the people of Stretton, and as such, you have a responsibility to do a great deal more than merely regurgitate Party handouts, especially when it comes to something as vital as the safety of the children in your area.

My questions were not difficult to understand, firstly, DO YOU PERSONALLY support the full implementation of the recommendations of "The Queensland School Transport Safety Task Force" 2001 (which recommended, amongst other things, the fitment of seatbelts on school buses over 15 years), within this current Parliamentary term, secondly, what will YOU PERSONALLY do in pursuit of this aim - and thirdly, have YOU PERSONALLY read Professor Joubert's predictions (August 2000), in regard to the potential consequences of a school bus accident?  (Available on the front page of my website www.geocities.com/seatbelts2004 )

In fact, here is the exact text of my original questions again, for your convenience:-

• Have you read the full text of Professor Joubert's letter (available at www.geocities.com/seatbelts2004 )  ?  Professor Joubert is the author of all the current Australian Design Rules (in relation to interstate coaches), he's been awarded the Order of Australia in relation to his services to engineering and he headed the committees in the wake of the Kempsey/Grafton bus crash horror (1989 - 52 dead, many more horribly injured).

 

• Do you unequivocally support the FULL implementation of the recommendations of the Queensland "Task Force" within the life of the next Parliament (2004/2007)?

 

• In what practical ways do you (or have already), intend to support/advocate for the full implementation of "Task Force" recommendations? (e.g., for instance, speaking in parliament, writing letters, serving on committees etc.)

I look forward to hearing from you again in the very near future, and with a reply that pays close attention to the questions that have actually been asked - and fully appreciates your personal responsibilities in this matter.

On a practical level - could I suggest that in your next email, you number your answers "1, 2 and 3" - to mirror the three questions above.  As I'm sure you can see, this approach would provide a great deal more clarity.

Best wishes - Kim Bax