Youth Parliament calls for more regional public transport across South Australia

Member of government, Telisa Minami, speaking in opposition to the bill.

Photo: YMCA SA Youth Parliament Media & Communications

Young leaders from across South Australia have come together and passionately debated improvements to regional public transport during the recent Youth Parliament session. The bill, aimed at improving access to services, work, and social opportunities for rural and regional South Australians, was presented in Parliament House as part of the 29th sitting of the YMCA SA Youth Parliament program. This bill seeks to address the disparity in transport accessibility between urban and rural areas, fostering social inclusion and economic growth in regional communities.

Members of the government emphasised the importance of fair access to transport for all South Australians and the need for this bill, stating, "South Australia is falling behind transport infrastructure development. This bill will bring rail-oriented towns to life once again." The proposed plan includes expanding bus and rail services in the Barossa, Northern Adelaide Hills regions, and others, as well as introducing new routes between Adelaide and coastal towns like Victor Harbor.

The opposition acknowledged the benefit this bill would bring, but criticized the long-term benefits of investing in regional infrastructure. "This bill fails to consider economic costs… it would not be economically viable, and this is why they were not viable in the first place." "Most towns don't have train stations, there are no provisions for maintenance, there's no success metrics for these stations, there's no consideration taken for the land these regions are on.". The opposition remarked, "the regions don't need saving, how does the government know the demand for these trains.”. However, throughout the debates, the bill gained opposition support, with the opposition stating that the bill “will allow the regional[s] [residents] to live in their beautiful regions while alleviating their cost of living.” His bipartisan support highlights the significance of the issue for young leaders across the Youth Parliament.

Experts suggest that enhanced public transport could lead to reduced carbon emissions, decreased traffic congestion, and economic growth in rural areas, with the Youth Parliamentarian government stating “ 70% of road deaths in SA have been on country roads, [meaning] our railways are a safer means of transporting young people.”

The recent Youth Parliament session in South Australia has brought to light the pressing need for improvements in regional public transport, as young leaders passionately debated a bill aimed at enhancing access to services, work, and social opportunities for rural residents. Despite opposition concerns the bill later passed with overwhelming positive votes, highlighting its significance for Youth Parliamentarians. 

For more information on the YMCA SA Youth Parliament program and to access the full draft bill, visit the official website. 

Originally published on The Y South Australia.

 The YMCA SA Youth Press Gallery is a program for young people aged 15-17, where they gain valuable experience serving in the Press Gallery for the 2024 YMCA SA Youth Parliament. Youth Press Gallery members develop and distribute articles about the Youth Parliament and the issues being debated, and have their work published.