BIC conference brings all together

Through two stimulating days of discussions and the crowning of the industry’s national awards, BIC’s 2025 national conference in Perth had it all for Australia’s bus and coach sector

The Bus Industry Confederation (BIC) once again brought the entirety of Australia’s bus and coach industry together at its national conference. The 2025 edition saw Australia’s largest bus and coach industry event descend upon Crown in Perth, with the two day event centred around the theme of ‘unity, collaboration and harmonisation’. The message was made clear by BIC executive director Varenya Mohan-Ram on the opening morning.

“Fundamental to our strength is unity, as it’s only through a united front that bus and coach can advance from follower to leader in the national conversation,” he said.

The two-day program covered industry reform, safety, the latest on zero-emissions buses and associated infrastructure, industrial relations, workforce, finance and other up-to-the-minute issues impacting the sector.

Proceedings kicked off with the Volvo welcome reception on October 29, with Noongar Elder Walter Macguire on stage the next morning to perform Welcome to Country, while BIC chair Anthony Hopkins also welcomed attendees to the conference. This opening session saw speakers immediately take a more pressing tone, calling on policy makers to come to the party and ensure the industry receives the regulatory help it needs to evolve. Western Australian minister assisting the minister for transport Jessica Stojkovski highlighted the state’s latest developments, while National Heavy Vehicle Regulator CEO Nicole Rosie impressed the crowd with an in-depth look at the regulator’s changing focus on risk-based approaches. Outside of the bus talk, four time world champion boxer Danny Green had the crowd engaged and laughing throughout his keynote speech to wrap up the morning’s proceedings.

In the unity session, Mohan-Ram was back to provide an update from BIC on current and future affairs, before a panel involving QBIC executive director Jason O’Dwyer, TasBus general manager Luke Doyle, BusVic leader Peter Kavanagh, Bus SA executive director Craig Spurr, BusNSW executive director Matt Threlkeld and BusWA leader John Ditchburn had an earnest chat about the latest issues impacting their jurisdictions. A key takeaway was the power that unification has in all parts of the nation’s bus industry.

“We welcome more industry-wide projects coming in the future, as this inclusion is beneficial for all,” Threlkeld said.

In the afternoon, the health and safety session started with consultant John Lee chairing conversations on ways various parts of the industry can ensure safety. This ranged from workplace safety and risk discussions to mental health chats, covering a wide scope of what health means in the modern bus industry.

The final session on the opening day was about harmonisation, with BIC/APTIA national industrial relations manager Kirsten Jongsma opening with a chat about multi-bargaining enterprise agreements alongside QBIC’s Jason O’Dwyer, TWU WA branch secretary Tim Dawson and Fair Work Commission deputy president Melanie Binet.

That night, BIC hosted the evening gala event. Jointly sponsored by Irizar and Scania, Steve Heanes and Manfred Streit used their time on stage to call on governments and the industry to do more for associations and members of the sector. The night then transitioned to the announcement of BIC’s five national bus industry awards.

Coinciding with the association’s national industry conference’s first day, the gala dinner saw around 400 people attend. The five winners were crowned, starting with the national achiever of the year award.

The award went to June Thretheway from Transport for Brisbane, who also took home a Queensland Bus Industry Council (QBIC) award earlier this year for her involvement in the massive Brisbane Metro project over the past year.

“Metro is a huge, innovative and courageous project – I’ve played a small role, so this is for all the innovators who worked tirelessly to pave the way for the future,” she said.

The national safety award for 2025 went to New South Wales and Queensland based operator Premier Transport Group, with John King accepting the award on behalf of the operator. In the national environment and innovation award, the winner was Pete White, director of Bus Stop Sales, for his commitment to sustainable bus and coach models.

The highly anticipated national driver of the year award went to a Western Australian local, with Julie Morfitt from Buswest Mandurah taking home the top prize. Finally, the national youth of the year award went to Busways’ Drew Miante.

In the aftermath of the evening’s events, the industry was back in full force the next morning for the second and final day of the conference. The morning started with a discussion on power courtesy of guest speaker AI researcher Gihan Perera about being fit for the future, while INIT SE’s business development director Paul Gwynn talked about AI in public transport. The likes of EnergyAustralia’s Jack Kotlyar, KPMG’s Michael Gunner and Curtin University’s Professor Peta Ashworth all discussed future power and policy.

Following this, the collaboration session included the likes of Counsel House’s Kieren Ash, Piper Alderman’s Maria Capati, Pitcher Partner’s David Fennell and Trapeze Group’s David Eason talking about government contracts and tenders before delegates split into either a training and technology session or an innovation session in what was a busy two days for the industry.