Gumlu students travelling on the bus to school will soon be a little safer after Member for Burdekin Dale Last joined community members to call for safety improvements to school buses. 

Mr Last said while it beggared belief that a bus carrying students as young as five years old along some of the deadliest sections of the Bruce Highway had been able to operate without seatbelts, the announcement of a replacement bus for the school run was a win for the safety of some of Gumlu’s youngest residents. 

“When concerns raised by community members that students so young were travelling on a bus from Gumlu to Home Hill without seatbelts I was more than happy to work with residents to lobby the Minister for action,” Mr Last said.

“The replacement bus with seatbelts is scheduled for delivery in the coming months and as the Member for Burdekin, I’ll be looking to ensure there are no delays in the delivery of the bus and that students are able to enjoy a safer trip to school as soon as possible.”

“We know in the north here that when we want to see improved services or safer roads that we have to fight tooth and nail, so to have common sense prevail when it comes to the safety of our students is positive news for everyone.”

Mr Last said the recent tragedy on the Bruce Highway at Gumlu had brought community concerns around the safety of bus travel and the Bruce Highway to the fore.

“Recently we have seen a number of reports highlighting serious safety concerns with the Brue Highway and particularly that section south of the Burdekin which this community deserves to know haven’t been swept under the rug by Minister’s in the south-east,” Mr Last said.

 “Under Labor, the Bruce Highway south of the Burdekin hasn’t become any safer and the fact that the Prime Minister failed to make any commitment when he was in the North last week sends a clear message to this region.”