At 75 years of age the retired Melbourne pharmacist is still banging the drum to prompt the Victorian government to steer a safer path.

He started his campaign by 1979 when former premier Lindsay Thompson legislated for rear seatbelts in cars. Then in 1985, when his children started travelling on buses, he tackled the then prime minister Bob Hawke.

“I’d like to be still around to celebrate when the appropriate legislation is brought in,” he told The Standard during a visit to Warrnambool this week.

“It’s just plain stubborn inhumanity to allow school children to be transported in buses without seatbelts and sturdy seats.

“I’ve got no doubt that senior police, surgeons and safety groups all favour compulsory fitting of belts, but it’s not on the state government’s agenda.

“Our last two Victorian bad bus crashes were in western Victoria (Heathmere, April 2009 and Nullawarre, November 2009).

“And yet every week thousands of children still travel on crowded buses unrestrained.

“Victoria and NSW are the only states that have not made seatbelts in school buses compulsory.”

Yesterday Mr Hain went to Nullawarre to meet Sue Blake, whose daughter Emily received serious injuries in the 2009 crash on her way home from primary school.

Emily underwent extensive surgery and rehabilitation in Melbourne and still has learning difficulties caused by the crash.

“I presume seatbelts would have aided the children and prevented serious injuries,” Mrs Blake said. “It’s also ridiculous to think that bus seats could come off in a crash.”

She has written to federal Wannon MP Dan Tehan calling for seatbelts to be fitted to all buses.

Mr Hain accused Roads Minister Terry Mulder of Colac for dragging the chain.

“We got the brush-off from him,” he said.

“I’ve asked for a top-level meeting with VicRoads, the TAC, the Australasian College of Road Safety, surgeons, public servants and road trauma experts.

“Let’s get them all in the same room and thrash this out. I think we are almost there.”

He said it was estimated seatbelts and safe seat anchor points would cost $12,000 in new buses and between $30,000 and $40,000 for older buses.

“Since 1995 seatbelts have saved the lives of between 400 and 500 bus travellers involved in major crashes,” he said. “This represents a $1 billion saving in trauma-associated costs.”

pcollins@standard.fairf ax.com.au