PARENTS of new students attending schools in parts of Wyndham will be unable to access a transport subsidy from next year.
Under changes to a conveyance allowance received by students who rely on private buses or cars to get to school, eligibility boundaries will reflect alterations to the urban growth boundary.
Students attending private and government schools in Tarneit, Truganina, Point Cook, Hoppers Crossing and Werribee will miss out on the subsidy. Those living in Williams Landing, Little River and Laverton North remain eligible, as their suburbs are deemed to have inadequate public transport options.
Students whose parents hold a veterans affairs gold card, health care card or pension card will continue to receive the allowance regardless of where they live.
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Education Minister Martin Dixon said the changes would make the system fairer.
“While parents have the primary responsibility of transporting their children to and from school, the conveyance allowance is about providing targeted additional support to families in most need. The changes mean the conveyance allowance will more accurately reflect public transport availability and a family’s financial situation.”
But Wyndham principals disagree.
At Westbourne Grammar School, 857 students who rely on private buses to get to and from school will be affected.
Principal Meg Hansen said public transport was not an option for many students, with the school serviced by one public bus that went to Laverton station every 45 minutes. As reported by the Weekly, students at Suzanne Cory and Tarneit Senior College struggle to catch public transport to school. Suzanne Cory students are forced to walk from Hoppers Crossing station because the only public bus to the school runs at 40-minute intervals. For Tarneit students, there is no bus stop nearby to get to school.
Independent Schools Victoria chief executive Michelle Green said poor public transport in growth corridors would make it difficult for students and could lead to reduced enrolments.
