❓ A parliamentary question regarding an alleged incident involving an Occupational Health and Safety Manager (OHSM) of Redlion Bus and Coach, a bus driver, and a student at Esperance Senior High School. The Minister's response indicates limited awareness or involvement of the Public Transport Authority (PTA) in the specific allegations.
AnsweredQoN 2578Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Redlion Bus
and Coach Company in Esperance and an incident that took place at the Esperance
Senior High School on the afternoon of 26 November 2014, and ask: (a) is it correct that this
high school is a major pick up, drop off and transfer point for children being
transport to and from the schools in the town site of Esperance, by this company
under contract to the Department of Transport (DOT), and that most of the buses operating in this
town site pass through this transfer point to collect and to deliver students; (b) is it correct that hundreds
of school students of all ages pass through this transfer point, both in the
morning and in the afternoon, every school day; (c) is it correct that on the
afternoon of 26 November, 2014 the Occupational Health and Safety
Manager (OHSM) of this company was driving a bus on a route known as "005" and
was parked at this school directly in front of a person driving a bus on a route
known as "007", whilst they were both waiting for the students that
travel on these buses to arrive; (d) is it correct that the OHSM
of this company alighted from the bus that they were driving and went to the front
door of the bus directly behind him and proceeded to unleash an allegedly unprovoked
verbal attack on that driver in a very agitated and angry manner; (e) is it correct that the OHSM allegedly threatened to have that driver's employment with the company terminated for
"raising safety and training issues with other drivers of that company"; (f) is it correct that there
was a student sitting on the bus behind the driver being subjected to this
angry and unprovoked outburst, who was subjected to witnessing the entire event,
and that the driver who was subjected to this outburst had to deal with the
student, after the outburst had ceased, who was very concerned about what had
taken place; (g) is it correct that when the
driver returned to the office after the run, the OHSM, in apparently another fit of rage
and in the presence of three employees of the company, terminated the driver that
was previously attacked for the reasons stated in (e); (h) is it correct that, in the
presence of the same three employees of the company, the OHSM admitted to the
angry outburst at the high school which took place in the presence of a student
who was on the bus; (i) is it correct that the
driver that was subject to this outburst wrote to the General Manager of the
company concerning the behaviour of the OHSM, and that they also sent a copy of
this letter to the owner of the company; (j) is this letter still on
record at this company; (k) is it correct that on 27
November 2014 the driver who was subjected to this outburst, spoke to the
Transfer Safety Coordinator for the DOT and reported this behaviour,
along with other safety breaches and concerns that he had previously reported
to that person on 28 October 2014; (l) what was the response of
the Safety Transfer Coordinator to this concern, which was raised on 27
November 2014; (m) is the Minister aware of any driver of a company conducting themselves in an angry and agitated
manner, in the presence of school students that are being transported under
contract to the DOT; (n) if no to (m), why not; and (o) if yes to (m), what actions did the Minister take to rectify the situation thus ensuring it could not take place again in the future?
and Coach Company in Esperance and an incident that took place at the Esperance
Senior High School on the afternoon of 26 November 2014, and ask: (a) is it correct that this
high school is a major pick up, drop off and transfer point for children being
transport to and from the schools in the town site of Esperance, by this company
under contract to the Department of Transport (DOT), and that most of the buses operating in this
town site pass through this transfer point to collect and to deliver students; (b) is it correct that hundreds
of school students of all ages pass through this transfer point, both in the
morning and in the afternoon, every school day; (c) is it correct that on the
afternoon of 26 November, 2014 the Occupational Health and Safety
Manager (OHSM) of this company was driving a bus on a route known as "005" and
was parked at this school directly in front of a person driving a bus on a route
known as "007", whilst they were both waiting for the students that
travel on these buses to arrive; (d) is it correct that the OHSM
of this company alighted from the bus that they were driving and went to the front
door of the bus directly behind him and proceeded to unleash an allegedly unprovoked
verbal attack on that driver in a very agitated and angry manner; (e) is it correct that the OHSM allegedly threatened to have that driver's employment with the company terminated for
"raising safety and training issues with other drivers of that company"; (f) is it correct that there
was a student sitting on the bus behind the driver being subjected to this
angry and unprovoked outburst, who was subjected to witnessing the entire event,
and that the driver who was subjected to this outburst had to deal with the
student, after the outburst had ceased, who was very concerned about what had
taken place; (g) is it correct that when the
driver returned to the office after the run, the OHSM, in apparently another fit of rage
and in the presence of three employees of the company, terminated the driver that
was previously attacked for the reasons stated in (e); (h) is it correct that, in the
presence of the same three employees of the company, the OHSM admitted to the
angry outburst at the high school which took place in the presence of a student
who was on the bus; (i) is it correct that the
driver that was subject to this outburst wrote to the General Manager of the
company concerning the behaviour of the OHSM, and that they also sent a copy of
this letter to the owner of the company; (j) is this letter still on
record at this company; (k) is it correct that on 27
November 2014 the driver who was subjected to this outburst, spoke to the
Transfer Safety Coordinator for the DOT and reported this behaviour,
along with other safety breaches and concerns that he had previously reported
to that person on 28 October 2014; (l) what was the response of
the Safety Transfer Coordinator to this concern, which was raised on 27
November 2014; (m) is the Minister aware of any driver of a company conducting themselves in an angry and agitated
manner, in the presence of school students that are being transported under
contract to the DOT; (n) if no to (m), why not; and (o) if yes to (m), what actions did the Minister take to rectify the situation thus ensuring it could not take place again in the future?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
17 March 2015
Responded by
Parliamentary Secretary representing the Minister for Transport
Response time
28 days
Insofar as the Public Transport Authority (PTA) is concerned, the PTA has a contract with Redlion Bus and Coach to operate intra-town school bus services. This question has been answered in that context.
(a) Yes however it should be noted that Redlion Bus and Coach has a contract with the Public Transport Authority (PTA).
(b) Yes.
(c)-(j) The PTA is unaware of this incident.
(k) The PTA confirms that an ex-employee of Redlion Bus and Coach, Mr Maddock spoke with Transperth's Safety Coordinator on 28 November 2014 however this alleged incident was not raised.
(l) Not applicable
(m) No.
(n) Staff related issues are the responsibility of the contracted service provider, in this case Redlion Bus and Coach.
(o) Not applicable
(a) Yes however it should be noted that Redlion Bus and Coach has a contract with the Public Transport Authority (PTA).
(b) Yes.
(c)-(j) The PTA is unaware of this incident.
(k) The PTA confirms that an ex-employee of Redlion Bus and Coach, Mr Maddock spoke with Transperth's Safety Coordinator on 28 November 2014 however this alleged incident was not raised.
(l) Not applicable
(m) No.
(n) Staff related issues are the responsibility of the contracted service provider, in this case Redlion Bus and Coach.
(o) Not applicable
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