The New South Wales and Victorian governments have teamed up to push their federal colleagues towards urgent reform of the flawed legal controls that have plagued the development of the e-bike sector and resulted in numerous battery fires, and now, a proposal to ban e-bikes from trains.
The transport portfolio ministers in both states have jointly written to the federal minister responsible for consumer affairs and product safety regulation, demanding that rules controlling e-scooter and e-bike importation, sale and use in Australia are safe and fit for purpose, particularly in relation to speed potential and battery safety.
The rare joint approach by the two states signals the seriousness of the crisis facing the e-bike sector since the regulatory standards were gutted under the previous coalition federal government.
The correspondence was addressed to Dr Daniel Mulino, Assistant Treasurer, Minister for Financial Services, and copied to Treasurer, Dr Jim Chalmers, and to Catherine King, Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government.
The signatories were Gabrielle Williams, Victorian Minister for Transport Infrastructure and Minister for Public and Active Transport, John Graham, NSW Special Minister of State, Minister for Transport, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Music and the Night-time Economy, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Legislative Council, and Jenny Aitchison, NSW Minister for Roads and Minister for Regional Transport.
The ministers cite the difficulty that the states have in enforcing rules around speeding and device compliance, and the consequences of battery flammability.
They say poor battery quality has required them to consider a temporary ban on lithium-powered devices on public transport.
In the absence of appropriate battery standards for e-bikes and personal mobility devices, the risk to public safety of poor-standard, highly flammable batteries will continue to grow as sales and use increase, they say.
"Given the risk to the community and the enforcement challenges jurisdictions face, we are seeking your support to urgently take action to strengthen product safety requirements and import restrictions for personal mobility devices and e-bikes in line with a similar request directed to Minister King by the Queensland Government,” the Ministers wrote.
"We would welcome the opportunity to discuss how States and Territories can work with the Commonwealth to urgently improve safety while enabling the availability of affordable, low-emission and congestion-reducing transport options.”
Bicycle Network has insisted to government that the underlying problem of poor regulation must be addressed, and we welcome this initiative by the two leading states.
Separately, Australia’s bike sector organisations have also jointly written to the federal government asking for the restoration of proper standards for e-bikes.
The group has also been co-ordinating what has been a very strong national response to the consultation underway to consider the e-bike train ban proposals.
Bicycle Network CEO Alison McCormack said: “There are hundreds of thousands of Australians whose lives can be greatly enhanced by using e-bikes for commuting, local trips, recreation and touring.
"But consumers need assurance that their products are safe and reliable, with service and spare parts available.
“Like all electrical products they should be built to exacting standards established by government regulation and supplied by trustworthy brands that stand behind their products."
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