School Transport Assistance Scheme (STAS)

[ozbob]

https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/tableOffice/questionsAnswers/2020/1107-2020.pdf

Question on Notice
No. 1107

Asked on 1 December 2020

MS S BOLTON ASKED MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT AND MAIN ROADS (HON M BAILEY)

QUESTION:

With reference to continued complaints regarding eligibility and rules within the School Transport
Assistance Scheme (STAS)—

Will the Minister advise when a review of STAS will be conducted to highlight changes needed to
provide a service more flexible and relevant to the current needs of students and families?

ANSWER:

I thank the Member for Noosa for the question.

The Palaszczuk Government is committed to providing support to Queensland families to assist
with the cost of transporting students to and from school.

The purpose of the School Transport Assistance Scheme (STAS) is to provide assistance to
families that have no state school in their local area. The scheme provides assistance for bus,
rail and ferry travel through the payment of conveyance allowance as a contribution towards the
overall cost of school travel. The Palaszczuk Government invests approximately $176 million
annually to deliver this scheme which supports around 130,000 school students across
Queensland, involving 600 delivery partners providing over 1000 school bus routes.

The scheme has undergone significant change to modernise and simplify procedures through a
state-wide rollout of SmartForms, completed in June 2020. This has streamlined the application
and assessment process providing benefits to parents, carers and industry providers. For the first
time ever, parents and guardians can apply for STAS online instead of physically attending
operators' premises and office locations around Queensland.

It is anticipated that further opportunities to improve and enhance STAS will be delivered
progressively as a result of transitioning to a more consistent route-based network, accessing
improved data through investment in ticketing projects for the planning of services. Both initiatives
will assist the Department of Transport and Main Roads in providing a contemporary and
customer focused scheme, while ensuring provision of information about student travel patterns
assists in future network planning.

It is important to note, however that any changes must strike a balance between good public
outcomes at a reasonable cost to government and taxpayers.

[ozbob]

Queensland Parliament E-Petition

https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/work-of-assembly/petitions/petition-details?id=3476

Comprehensive review of Queensland's Student Transport Assistance Scheme (STAS)

TO: The Honourable the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland
Queensland residents draws to the attention of the House the need for the Queensland School Transport Assistance Scheme (STAS) to be comprehensively reviewed to better match the educational and transport needs of Queensland students. 

Currently, students living in a school catchment area (as defined by the Department of Education) do not always have access to subsidised public transport to that school.  The Department of Transport and Main Roads prioritise network "connectivity" over educational needs - even going as far as to define which school a child should attend.

Your petitioners, therefore, request the House do all within its power to have the Queensland Audit Office (or another independent third party) conduct a statewide review of STAS to create a more flexible school transport scheme that aligns with the expectations of the Department of Education, parents and students.

[Fares_Fair]

This is the reasoning behind the petition.
It came in Andrew Powell MP's electorate email.
Good to see a bi-partisan approach with independent MP, Sandy Bolton.

Comprehensive review of Queensland's Student Transport Assistance Scheme (STAS)

Currently, students living in a school catchment area (as defined by the Department of Education) do not always have access to subsidised public transport to that school. I've had many families contact me over the course of the last twelve years with school transport issues. For example, there are many families in Mooloolah Valley, in the Maleny State High School catchment, who can't access subsidised school transport to Maleny. The reason is STAS.

The Student Transport Assistance Scheme (STAS) is a policy of subsidising public transport to the nearest school - not the school the Education Department require the child to attend. When the Department of Transport start dictating the educational decisions of parents across Glass House and the entire state of Queensland, you know that something is seriously wrong. That's why I've launched a petition calling on the Queensland Audit Office to conduct a statewide review of STAS to create a more flexible school transport scheme. You can sign the petition online at https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/work-of-assembly/petitions/petition-details?id=3476

[ozbob]

https://www.facebook.com/MarkBaileyMP

In 2022, it's only right that our School Transport Assistance Scheme is keeping up with modern families.
That's why this budget we've committed over $18 million to modernise this important scheme that helps kids get access to education.
What does this mean? Students will now be able to register two addresses if in a shared care arrangement so they can continue to get to school no matter which parent they are living with.
There's nothing more important than the education of Queensland kids.

Find out more: https://www.qld.gov.au/transport/public/school/school-transport-assistance

[ozbob]

Government Statement

Student travel financial assistance – back to school on public transport

23rd January 2024

> https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/99543

[ozbob]

Sent to all outlets:

Free public transport for school students and  for all on Sundays

29th January 2024

Good Morning,

Interesting to note that the WA Cook Labor Government has announced that there will be free public transport for school student travel, and for the entire community every Sunday. Details > https://www.wa.gov.au/government/media-statements/Cook-Labor-Government/Free-public-transport-for-school-students-and-Sundays-20240128
This initiative is not mode specific, nor constrained by council boundaries. Such an initiative by the Queensland Government for all of SEQ/Regional Qld would be very welcome.

In Queensland  SEQ school students pay 50% fares, and the School Transport Assistance Scheme provides assistance where access to education is impeded by distance, income or isolation ( See Government Statement: Student travel financial assistance – back to school on public transport  https://statements.qld.gov.au/statements/99543  )

If the Miles' Government was fair dinkum about cost of living relief they could move today in the same manner as Premier Cook.

Best wishes,
Robert

Robert Dow
Administration
admin@backontrack.org
RAIL Back On Track https://backontrack.org

[ozbob]

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