Regional School Bus Services

The Hon. G.G. BROCK (Frome) (14:59): My question is to the Minister for Education. Can the minister please update the house on the progress of the review of the regional school bus policy, which I am led to believe was completed in February this year?

The Hon. J.A.W. GARDNER (Morialta—Minister for Education) (14:59): I thank the member for Frome for his question. It's a reasonable question. When we came to government, I was very pleased to work with the Minister for Transport and the Treasurer to get the school bus review underway. It is a very significant job, and it's very important for a range of country communities, including the member for Frome's community, that this work be done, that it be properly taken into account.

I am looking forward to receiving advice on the review in the not too distant future. I understand that the review took longer to complete than was initially anticipated due to the high level of interest and significant number of submissions. I am advised by a couple of stakeholders that they appreciated the opportunity to engage with the reviewer directly as well. When the review comes in to government, we will look to consider it as quickly as possible, and the ministers particularly involved and, I am sure, the whole of cabinet will be interested.

When we have a response to it, I will make sure that the member for Frome is among the first people we touch base with, although we will probably publicly release it at a similar time frame.