CDC Regional Australia Division CEO Anthony Hopkins has called for “collection action” regarding the rise and danger of anti-social behaviour onboard public transport.
In 2024, the NSW Bus Industry Taskforce released a report that highlighted an increase in assaults and abuse directed against bus drivers. Physical assaults on drivers averaged approximately 10 per month at the beginning of 2023, rose to around 15 per month between April and October, peaking at 22 assaults in December 2023.
These incidents have however not been limited to NSW, with Metro Tasmania suspending specific evening services following an influx of rock-throwing incidents in the area and South Australia installing security screens in buses to combat a rise in aggressive incidents.
Conversation has been stirring regarding potential solutions to the growing issue, with Hopkins saying the resolution should not fall on operator’s shoulders.
“Anti-social behaviour on buses is a real issue — but blaming the bus operator misses the point. Bus companies provide a public service. They can install CCTV and safety screens, train staff, and work with local authorities, but they’re not the police,” Hopkins wrote on a recent LinkedIn post.
“Drivers are there to drive, not to manage dangerous or disruptive behaviour.
“Responsibility must lie with the individuals causing the issues — and with the broader systems in place to manage public safety.”
CDC Australia people and culture head Claire Mear says the company has been lobbying MPs and council in Victoria for the past two years, begging for increased police presence, CCTV and better lighting.
“All requests fell on deaf ears, now we have an increase in crime and anti-social behaviour plus a Police shortage,” Mear responded to Hopkins’ post.
“If we’d been listened to long ago, we could have been ahead of the game. Victoria’s lax bail laws didn’t help either.
“Whilst full responsibility lies with the agitators and criminals, our politicians are also responsible for failing.”
The federal government has not allocated specific funding to address these concerns, with the 2025 budget lacking direct support for bus safety or public transport security, focusing instead on broader infrastructure projects.
Efforts to combat anti-social behaviour on buses are primarily driven by state governments.
How are the states attempting to solve the issues?
South Australia has implemented some measures to address anti-social behaviour on public transport, including the installation of approximately 940 protective screens on Adelaide Metro buses to shield drivers from violent and unruly passengers.In 2023, an additional 23 passenger service assistants were employed to enhance security presence on Adelaide’s train network and a four-week operation resulted in over 1,500 cautions for fare evasion or inappropriate behaviour, with 161 incidents referred for prosecution.
Queensland
Last year, a $60.7 million Network Officer Program was introduced to reduce fare evasion and anti-social behaviour on buses. However, some bus companies, like Bus Queensland, have declined to participate.
The state-funded initiative would see more officers patrolling buses across the state, allowed to ask customers to produce valid tickets, identification and other information, issue warning notices and infringement notices for offences like fare evasion and direct customers to leave the premises or public transport.
Western Australia
Western Australia’s Public Transport Authority (PTA) has invested in high-level lighting, staffed major stations, and installed thousands of CCTV cameras across the network to enhance passenger and staff safety.
Tasmania
The Tasmanian Government announced an $8.1 million package for transit officers and safety measures back in 2023 that included the introduction of security screens for bus operators.
Victoria
Victoria Police’s STOPIT service, launched two years ago, allows commuters to report anti-social behaviour and sexual harassment on public transport via text. Since its inception, the service has received nearly 3,000 notifications, leading to over 60 police investigations and resulting in 33 people being charged with sexual offences.