Home›Questions on Notice›QoN 746

❓ Hon Steve Martin seeks clarification on bus electrification modelling, following an unsatisfactory initial response. The Minister acknowledges solar alone is insufficient, relying on grid electricity for the electric bus rollout.

AnsweredQoN 746Legislative Council

Asked

21 October 2025

Member

Hon Steve Martin

Portfolio

Transport

QuestionView source ↗

I refer to the Minister's answer to question on notice 607, which stated "I am unaware of the quote the Member has referred to" and provided no further answer. I note the one month wait for this response from the Minister, and I advise that the direct quote in question 607 was from an answer to pre-hearing Legislative Council Estimates questions signed by the Minister ahead of Public Transport Authority hearings and referred to Budget Paper 2, page 591, "bus electrification", and I ask: (a) having been provided with further detail about the referred to Estimates question, can the Minister now please provide answers to the following questions contained in question 607: (i) can the Minister provide the modelling or report outlining the calculations used to come to this conclusion; (ii) does this modelling factor in potential declines in excess power into the grid due to the uptake of home battery systems; and (iii) if yes to (ii), what is the assumed impact?

AnswerView source ↗

Answered

2 December 2025

Responded by

Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Transport

Response time

9 days

(a) The trial at the Joondalup bus depot showed that solar systems installed at bus depots wouldn’t produce sufficient electricity to charge the whole fleet of buses based there.
The electric bus rollout will be supported by electricity generated across the grid.

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