Mandatory seatbelts on school buses too costly: Govt
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The Queensland Government says it will not make seatbelts mandatory on all school buses.
Transport Minister John Mickel says it is difficult to retro-fit old buses with seatbelts, but he says the Government is subsidising the cost of seatbelts on new buses.
The Transport Workers Union wants seatbelts fitted in all school buses, after a truck ran into the back of a school bus near Gympie on Tuesday, injuring 13 students.
But Mr Mickel says that would be impractical and costly.
"Now the reason for that is simply there's 2,500 school buses in Queensland," he said.
"To fit every school bus in Queensland with a seatbelt, the amount given to me is more than $1 billion.
"Now obviously, taxpayers would have to fund that."
