Victorian Liberal campaign bus damages shop awning on debut

The first official day of the Victorian Liberal party's election campaign was marred by a minor collision involving the party's newly unveiled campaign bus. The vehicle, known as the Jess Express, reversed into the awning of a shopfront in Bentleigh, causing visible damage to the structure.

The large blue bus features a prominent image of opposition leader Jess Wilson and her slogan, A Fresh Start for Victoria. A warning directed at motorists on the rear of the vehicle reads, Dodging Labor's potholes. The bus was unveiled on Friday, twelve days after the Labor party launched its own red equivalent for its campaign.

The incident occurred when the bus was attempting to reverse into a parking spot on Centre Road. The vehicle was preparing for a street walk with Liberal candidate Tynan Putt when it struck the awning of a jewellery store. The shop was closed at the time of the collision, and no passengers on board were injured.

Witnessing the event, Wilson grimaced before making a lighthearted comment about the situation. She noted that the store owners would likely have an easy time identifying the party responsible, given that her face is displayed prominently on the side of the bus. The Liberal campaign team quickly contacted the store owners to provide their details. The bus itself sustained only minor scratches.

Hours before the collision, passengers on the bus, which included party members and reporters, received safety cards as part of the unveiling. The cards offered a guide to surviving twelve years of Labor rule. Instructions included advice to remain seated and brace for potholes, as well as to remain calm during financial emergencies. The cards also warned that passengers might experience motion sickness due to what they described as Labor's constant spin, urging them to look towards the fresh start on the horizon.

This incident is not the first time a campaign vehicle has caused logistical issues for a political party. During the final week of the 2025 federal election, a bus carrying Peter Dutton became stuck after mounting a raised concrete divider and bike lane barrier on Pitt Street in Sydney. The vehicle was immobilized for approximately forty minutes, leading to traffic diversions and delays to the opposition leader's schedule.

A similar mishap occurred during the 2023 New South Wales state election. Then opposition leader Chris Minns chose a zero-emissions bus for his campaign, but the vehicle broke down after hitting a speed bump in western Sydney. Minns later explained that he had forgotten to charge the bus the previous night. Reporters were subsequently moved to a replacement petrol-powered bus.

In 2022, the Victorian Liberals avoided a traditional bus and instead debuted the Ditch Danmobile, a 1970s-style ambulance adorned with political slogans. The stunt drew scrutiny from the Victorian Ambulance Union, with its head questioning the legality of using the word ambulance on a private vehicle without permission from the health department.

Current polling indicates that the Coalition is leading in the upcoming election. The latest Newspoll survey shows the Coalition ahead of Labor by a margin of 55 to 45 on a two-party-preferred basis. The Liberals are focusing heavily on the Bentleigh electorate, which is currently held by Labor MP Nick Staikos on an eight percent margin.

Bentleigh is widely regarded as a bellwether seat, having been won by the party that forms government in fourteen of the sixteen elections held since the seat was first contested in 1967. Candidate Tynan Putt identified cost of living and crime as the primary concerns for voters in the area. Victorians will head to the polls on 28 November to cast their votes.