Article: Bruce Morcombe fears lesson 'still not learnt' ...

[ozbob]

From the Couriermail Quest click here!

Bruce Morcombe fears lesson 'still not learnt' over Daniel after children left behind by buses

Bruce Morcombe fears lesson 'still not learnt' over Daniel after children left behind by buses

    by: Matt Johnston
    From: The Courier-Mail
    February 17, 2012 12:00AM

BRUCE Morcombe fears lessons have not been learnt from his son Daniel's tragedy as complaints continue to flow about children being left behind by buses on the Sunshine Coast.

Information obtained by The Courier-Mail shows that since January 1, 2010, transport authority TransLink investigated and resolved 49 complaints against Sunbus - almost one a fortnight.

Sunbus is the regional provider that did not pick up Daniel, who was abducted from a known hailing place for buses at Palmwoods in 2003.

"Forty-nine complaints over children being left behind is alarming and disappointing," Mr Morcombe said.

"Have we learnt anything?

"We are not surprised by those statistics because we have had several grandparents or parents approach us and say their son or daughter was left behind at a bus stop."

Sunbus was unable to confirm the number of complaints where it was found to be at fault but said it had a strict No Child Left Behind policy.

"All complaints made to TransLink and Sunbus are taken very seriously and investigated thoroughly to determine what actually occurred in each instance," the company said in a statement.

Sunbus said any driver who deliberately left a child behind under any circumstances could be dismissed.

The founder and executive director of child protection advocacy group Bravehearts, Hetty Johnston, said the figures were concerning.

"I agree with Bruce 100 per cent that this is alarming and I don't know what has to happen before they get the dangers," she said.

Mr Morcombe urged local politicians to intervene and demand answers from the Transport Minister in Parliament.

"Denise and I were out speaking at schools just last week, but if children are being left behind, it just compounds the issue of their availability to predators," Mr Morcombe said.

"Local politicians need to know and the sort of question they need to be asking is: 'What is an acceptable number and what is not?' "

Something amiss here.  I find it a bit hard to believe that this is happening as stated, particularly with the operators policy and general awareness of drivers.

Seems like a bit of a beat up, and twisted statistics.  Otherwise there would be no drivers left, they would all have been sacked. 

[Fares_Fair]

I agree, and I find it hard to believe the figures that have been quoted.
No mention either of the responsibility of the parents of any children of the concerned, especially as a parent myself.

I just wonder what they are not saying ...

Regards,
Fares_Fair.