Liberal bus strikes shop in Bentleigh

A blue campaign bus for the Victorian Liberal party crashed into a shop awning in Bentleigh on Friday. The incident occurred during the party's first official day of campaigning. The vehicle, named the Jess Express, reversed into the storefront while the driver attempted to park on Centre Road. No passengers were hurt, and the shop was closed at the time.

The bus features a large image of opposition leader Jess Wilson and her slogan, A Fresh Start for Victoria. The rear of the vehicle displays the text Dodging Labor's potholes. The party unveiled the bus twelve days after Labor launched its own red campaign vehicle. The collision happened just as the team prepared for a street walk with Liberal candidate Tynan Putt.

Wilson witnessed the accident and made a comment about the situation. She suggested that store owners would have an easy time identifying the responsible party because her face is displayed prominently on the side of the bus. The Liberal campaign team contacted the jewelry store owners immediately to provide their details. The bus itself suffered only minor scratches.

Hours before the crash, passengers on the bus received safety cards during the unveiling. The cards provided a guide to surviving twelve years of Labor rule. Instructions told readers to remain seated and brace for potholes. They also advised staying calm during financial emergencies and looking toward the fresh start on the horizon to avoid motion sickness from Labor's spin.

Political vehicles have faced mechanical and logistical problems in recent elections. During the 2025 federal campaign, a bus carrying Peter Dutton got stuck on Pitt Street in Sydney for about forty minutes after mounting a concrete divider. In 2023, Chris Minns's electric campaign bus broke down in western Sydney after hitting a speed bump. Minns said he had forgotten to charge the vehicle the night before. In 2022, Victorian Liberals used a 1970s-style ambulance called the Ditch Danmobile, which drew questions from the ambulance union about the legality of the name.

Current polling shows the Coalition leading the upcoming state election. A Newspoll survey places the Coalition ahead of Labor by 55 to 45 on a two-party-preferred basis. The Liberals are focusing on the Bentleigh seat, currently held by Labor MP Nick Staikos with an eight percent margin. Bentleigh has been a bellwether seat, going to the governing party in fourteen of sixteen elections since 1967. Putt cited cost of living and crime as key local issues. Voting takes place on 28 November.