November 19, 2013
Brisbane Bus Lines has responded to reports about its failure to make a submission to a government review earlier this year, saying it only covered existing funded or contracted bus services.
Managing Director Ian Mitchell said the Department of Transport and Main Roads review was not charged with reviewing unfunded services, so the Brisbane-Murgon run – which Brisbane Bus Lines says is unviable – was not covered.
In a letter sent to southburnett.com.au, Mr Mitchell said Brisbane Bus Lines advised the relevant State Government DTMR heads – the Director-General, the Deputy Director-General and the Manager of Passenger Services – on October 25, “one week before publicly announcing the decision to cease services”.
“In that intervening week, no reply was received from any of the three or their team, even though the opportunity for further discussion was specifically made in the letter,” Mr Mitchell wrote.
“With regard to the government’s review of regional transport services earlier in the year, as with all previous reviews of this kind, it was only a review of existing funded (or contracted) services.
“The department is not charged with reviewing unfunded services.
“When in the past Brisbane Bus Lines raised concerns of viability, the question was asked – then why continue to operate?
“Departmental officers have explained that for a service to be subsidised it has to be put out to tender. This part of the process ensures, and rightly so, best value for tax payer money.
“To commence this process whilst an existing non-funded and apparently viable service is still operating may be seen to cause the demise of an existing business.
“If the services to the South Burnett had been the sum total of Brisbane Bus Lines’ business then it would have been in receivership some years ago – with the only notice to the public and the government being that the bus just did not turn up one morning – no notice to anyone.
“An announcement three months out allows the people charged with overseeing the provision of ‘public’ transport time to react and plan a continuation of this essential service – who ever the operator is.
“To date, only Mayor Kratzmann has taken the lead and had a face-to-face meeting to nut out a way forward and for this I thank and congratulate him.”
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