❓ Hon Steve Martin asks about the PTA's process for handling personal injury complaints on Transperth buses, insurance arrangements, and claim payouts. The Minister for Transport provides a detailed response outlining procedures, insurance coverage, and claim statistics.
AnsweredQoN 870Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to customer complaints in relation to personal injuries incurred or allegedly incurred on Public Transport Authority (PTA) buses, and I ask: (a) what is the process for responding to complaints which allege personal injury on Transperth buses; (b) should any internal PTA investigations determine that the PTA, its drivers or other staff may have contributed to a customer's personal injury, what steps are taken to resolve this issue in terms of: (i) ensuring the wellbeing of the customer via welfare checks and other communications; and (ii) insurance arrangements; (c) what insurance arrangements does the PTA have in place which are designed to cover the PTA in the event of the situation described in point (b); (d) how many claims have been paid out by the insurer on behalf of the PTA in relation to personal injury claims from customers, over the years 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25; (e) if (d) cannot be answered, how many claims have been paid out by the insurer in general, to members of the public, regardless of the reasons, over the years in (d); and (f) in relation to the issues canvassed in (a), (b) and (c), what PTA policy documents, or other material, guide PTA responses and actions in the handling of these matters?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
11 December 2025
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Transport
Response time
8 days
(a)-(b) Personal injury complaints from Transperth bus passengers can be lodged by calling the Transperth Infoline on 13 62 13, by submitting a ‘Feedback’ form on the Transperth website, or by sending a letter to the PTA.
Once this information is received, a Transperth customer feedback officer will contact the complainant to conduct a general welfare check and confirm the key details provided in the initial incident report.
The complainant will also be given the contact details for the PTA’s insurer, the Insurance Commission of Western Australia (ICWA), along with a PTA reference number. This reference number can be used to pursue a compensation claim for medical and other out-of-pocket expenses, should they wish to do so.
Details of the alleged incident are then forwarded to the relevant bus service contractor to facilitate investigation of any incident reports and CCTV footage that may be required if an insurance claim proceeds. If the complainant wishes to discuss the matter directly with the bus service contractor, the customer feedback officer will mark the complaint as ‘Response Required’, which obliges the contractor to respond to the complainant.
Transperth customer feedback officers are expected to demonstrate empathy and patience when receiving information about an incident and provide assurance that the matter will be investigated and taken seriously.
(c) The PTA has two forms of applicable insurance:
· Motor Injury Insurance, through the State’s compulsory motor injury insurance arrangements, managed by ICWA; and
· Liability Insurance through the WA State Government’s self-insurance scheme (RiskCover).
(d)-(e) 2022-23: 37 claims received, of which payments were made for 28.
2023-24: 46 claims received, of which payments were made for 28.
2024-25: 46 claims received, of which payments were made for 27.
(f) PTA responses and actions are guided by the PTA’s Public Liability Policy and Transperth Call Centre Operating Manual.
Once this information is received, a Transperth customer feedback officer will contact the complainant to conduct a general welfare check and confirm the key details provided in the initial incident report.
The complainant will also be given the contact details for the PTA’s insurer, the Insurance Commission of Western Australia (ICWA), along with a PTA reference number. This reference number can be used to pursue a compensation claim for medical and other out-of-pocket expenses, should they wish to do so.
Details of the alleged incident are then forwarded to the relevant bus service contractor to facilitate investigation of any incident reports and CCTV footage that may be required if an insurance claim proceeds. If the complainant wishes to discuss the matter directly with the bus service contractor, the customer feedback officer will mark the complaint as ‘Response Required’, which obliges the contractor to respond to the complainant.
Transperth customer feedback officers are expected to demonstrate empathy and patience when receiving information about an incident and provide assurance that the matter will be investigated and taken seriously.
(c) The PTA has two forms of applicable insurance:
· Motor Injury Insurance, through the State’s compulsory motor injury insurance arrangements, managed by ICWA; and
· Liability Insurance through the WA State Government’s self-insurance scheme (RiskCover).
(d)-(e) 2022-23: 37 claims received, of which payments were made for 28.
2023-24: 46 claims received, of which payments were made for 28.
2024-25: 46 claims received, of which payments were made for 27.
(f) PTA responses and actions are guided by the PTA’s Public Liability Policy and Transperth Call Centre Operating Manual.
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