https://xavierquinlan.journoportfolio.comRSS Feed for Xavier QuinlanenThu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 +0100https://media.journoportfolio.com/users/505196/images/a09b43c5-0b98-49d0-ae47-798350e6a2ec.jpegLara parent Lauren McCormick and her son Jasper outside their home, where they spoke about school bus safety concerns. Note. Photograph by the author, 2026. LARA — Parents in Lara are calling for safer and more reliable school bus services, as students continue to face overcrowding and communication issues while travelling to school. The concerns come after St Joseph’s College Geelong principal Tony Paatsch publicly pushed for stronger safety standards for secondary school students across the Geelong region. Reports earlier this year said some Geelong school buses had students standing in aisles while travelling at high speeds, with Paatsch warning that current capacity arrangements were unsafe. However, Lara’s parent Lauren McCormick, has added that further issues, such as communication, have made the issue more stressful for families. “There have been times where the bus broke down, there was no communication, and the boys were just left at the bus stop”. McCormick said parents were also worried about student safety following the fatal Stonehaven school bus crash west of Geelong in August 2025. The crash killed 12-year-old Christian College Geelong student Milla Killeen and injured others after a bus carrying students rolled near the Hamilton Highway and Friend in Hand Road. “Everywhere else has safety standards, so I don’t see why our kids, who are our biggest investments, aren’t kept to the same standards” For families already dealing with rising living costs, McCormick said unreliable buses could also place extra pressure on parents who may need to drive children to school. “It adds another stress to the component of life and work as well. Especially if both parents are working and you’ve got other siblings that need to be dropped off at other schools as well” Her son, Year 7 student Jasper McCormick, said younger students were often left with the least space on crowded buses. “The bigger and older kids have the back of the bus, so we younger Year 7s have to stand up most of the time” Jasper also noted that Sacred Heart College Students share a bus with St. Joseph’s College students “That causes a bit more chaos with the crowded aspect” To conclude, Laura has asked for the major changes, including asking for head checks and specific buses for St. Joseph’s College students “I think we all pay enough in our rates and school fees, to, yeah, make another bus viable”. CBC Geelong was contacted for comment regarding these safety concerns, but did not provide a response before publication. Contacts Lauren McCormick 0422 067 304 Jasper McCormick 0448 113 332Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 +0100https://media.journoportfolio.com/users/505196/images/a09b43c5-0b98-49d0-ae47-798350e6a2ec.jpeghttps://media.journoportfolio.com/users/505196/images/d1f8aabc-bc46-4855-87e6-fe26db2af92f.jpegTue, 19 May 2026 00:00:00 +0100https://media.journoportfolio.com/users/505196/images/d1f8aabc-bc46-4855-87e6-fe26db2af92f.jpeghttps://xavierquinlan.journoportfolio.com/articles/how-emily-mccracken-found-comedy-in-ordinary-life/Wed, 29 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0100https://xavierquinlan.journoportfolio.com/articles/how-emily-mccracken-found-comedy-in-ordinary-life/https://media.journoportfolio.com/users/505196/images/ee78cb12-0425-452d-9b52-339fde6e2324.jpegMon, 29 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0100https://media.journoportfolio.com/users/505196/images/ee78cb12-0425-452d-9b52-339fde6e2324.jpeg