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Regional school bus contractors’ fury |
Friday, 22 July 2011
Hundreds of angry regional school bus operators today rallied against Labor’s decision to award their contracts to an interstate company after suffering years in limbo.
Labor has awarded a substantial part of the lucrative regional school bus contract to a Queensland company instead of staying with local providers. Fifty-three per cent of existing local providers have not had their contracts renewed.
Labor’s decision is a devastating blow to regional communities.
“This is a slap in the face to local operators who, after years of uncertainty about the future of their businesses, have had their livelihoods ripped from underneath them, said Shadow Minister for Transport Steven Griffiths.
“Labor’s tax regime is directly responsible for the fact that interstate operators are able to come into South Australia and compete successfully for contracts against local operators who must bear the burden of the highest taxes in the nation.
“Many of these businesses outlaid substantial funds in order to submit a tender for this contract.
“Five years after the announcement was first made Labor has ended the uncertainty with a cruel blow that hurts families and destroys livelihoods.”
"Even those operators who have retained their contracts have done so at significant cost.
“Some small South Australian operators have been in business for 50 years and Labor has simply overlooked them in favour of an interstate company.
“Those who have survived have done so by taking a significant blow to their profit margins with many struggling to cover costs.
“The loss of contracts for locals has a flow-on effect with money circulating and benefiting the economy of other states instead of South Australia.”
View photos from the public rally
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