00:00 Ali Finnis has a disability that makes it hard to walk long distances and struggles
00:06 to get around Mount Gambier without a driver's license.
00:09 But the bus isn't an option either.
00:11 I, instead of using the bus, rely very heavily on my family to drive me around.
00:20 I've also relied on friends and even the kindness of strangers in the past.
00:26 On the northern edge of town, the Holmont Estate retirement village is a long way from
00:29 a bus stop.
00:30 A kilometre and it's not flat ground, they've got to go uphill, downhill and then to get
00:35 there and get the bus, where it's just so inconvenient.
00:39 The community had to raise the funds for its own bus service.
00:42 We feel like we're beating our head against a brick wall, you know, we feel like we're
00:46 the poor cousins in the country.
00:49 A council report said the bus system was contributing to high levels of social exclusion experienced
00:54 by the most vulnerable in the Mount Gambier community and called for major improvements.
00:59 Private operator Keolis Downer has signed on to manage the network for another eight
01:02 years and the Mayor wants to see it expanded and start running after hours and on weekends.
01:07 I hope, between the two of us, we can advocate to the government for a more comprehensive
01:14 service to suit the needs of the community today.
01:17 The Transport Minister Tom Koutsantonis was highly critical of Keolis Downer when it was
01:21 bidding to run Adelaide's train services.
01:23 But the Transport Department says Keolis Downer has worked well with the government to run
01:27 country services in South Australia for many years.
01:29 [BLANK_AUDIO]
