Queensland scraps electric bus mandate, launches 630 bus mixed fleet procurement
By Eve
Queensland's Liberal National Party government has abandoned the previous Labor administration's zero emission bus commitment, replacing it with a 'Better Bus Build' programme to procure up to 630 new buses without specifying electric, gas or diesel requirements. The first vehicles are expected from the 2027 to 2028 financial year. Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg criticised the former policy, which had mandated all new TransLink funded buses in South East Queensland be zero emission from 2025 and regional Queensland from 2025 to 2030, calling it a fanciful pipedream.
Why it matters: The policy reversal removes a major electric bus procurement pipeline in Australia, creating uncertainty for charging infrastructure planners and vehicle suppliers who had anticipated hundreds of zero emission buses entering service. Contractors and CPOs targeting depot charging projects in Queensland now face an unclear technology mix and delayed timelines.