School Buses

Mr VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN (Stuart) (15:07): My question is to the Minister for Education and Child Development. Can the minister explain to the house why, when a student is given permission by the education department to bypass his or her zoned school, that student is not entitled to a seat on the school bus which is already travelling to the alternate school?

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE (Port Adelaide—Minister for Education and Child Development, Minister for Higher Education and Skills) (15:08): That is the general policy, that the free transport that is provided to students further than five kilometres from their nearest government school is confined to doing that task. It is possible that the member is raising a particular issue that has been raised with me in recent times about a child who had permission—I believe it has also been raised by the Minister for Regional Development—because of a particular matter where another school was more appropriate. I have asked the department to look into whether there is any flexibility for that particular case.

Generally, we manage a very complex transport policy. We manage it diligently and we manage it to the best of our ability. Additional places, if they are available, are provided to students, but what we are attempting to do is respond to need without creating too much cost.