Andrew Leigh:
Thanks very much everyone, for coming along today. My name is Andrew Leigh, the Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities, and Treasury, and I’m really pleased to be joined by Peter Bourke from Bicycle Industries Australia and Stephen Hodge from We Ride Australia to announce that the Australian Government will be tasking the competition regulator, the ACCC to develop a national safety standard for e‑bikes.
E‑bikes can be a really valuable way of helping people to get around, encouraging people to take their first go on a bike or extending the cycling career of someone whose knees might be feeling a little shaky. But the problem we have right now is that there’s high‑powered e‑bikes that are too fast on the Australian roads, causing dangers to riders and to other people. And so, this new safety standard, which is supported by states and territories when we met last week in Darwin as Consumer Affairs Ministers, is going to be an important step forward in ensuring that the bikes that are sold in Australia are compliant with a clear safety standard.
The ACCC will begin its work with e‑bikes, but then will also look at other forms of e‑micromobility, such as e‑scooters. It follows on the important work that’s been done by Transport Ministers in putting in place an international standard that states and territories have agreed to, that governs what can be ridden on Australian roads. And I pay tribute to Minister Catherine King for her leadership of that initiative.
That work was about what can be ridden. This work is about what can be sold and ensuring that Australians have the confidence that when they buy an e‑bike, it’s safe and ensuring that people who don’t use e‑bikes aren’t put at risk by bikes that are too fast, overpowered, or easily modified in order to not comply with the Australian rules. I’ll hand over now to Peter and then to Stephen to say a few words about today’s announcement.
Peter Bourke:
Thank you very much. Peter Bourke, General Manager, Bicycle Industries Australia. The industry is delighted to be here with the Assistant Minister today to talk about the new regulations and standards. We believe that compliant e‑bikes are fantastic. They’re fantastic for transport, they’re fantastic for health, they’re fantastic for the economy, and they’re also fantastic for fun.
Today’s announcement will work towards aligning the states, aligning the federal government regulations so that we have consistency across importation definitions, sales regulations and road laws. So this process will give consumers confidence that the product that they are buying is safe, is high quality and it’s also legal and appropriate to be using on roads and paths around Australia. And we look forward to working with the department, with the ACCC, and with the Assistant Minister’s office to ensure that consumers and the community get the best outcomes and the best quality products that we can. Thank you.
Leigh:
Thanks Peter.
Stephen Hodge:
Thanks very much. Stephen Hodge, Director of National Advocacy for We Ride Australia. We’re really pleased to be here with the Assistant Minister today. This has taken months of advocacy and work with the Assistant Minister’s office to get to this point. The other thing to emphasise is not only that e‑bikes are hugely popular and people really see them as an option for their short local trips every day, but that it complements other measures that the Australian Government has taken, like the recent announcement also in the Budget, of a half a billion dollars to build the infrastructure for active transport to be a better option for more people around Australia.
So things are really going in the right direction, and echo what Peter said about the necessity to align import with sales regulations so that when people go into a shop – mums and dads and kids, they know they’re buying a bike that won’t put them into jeopardy. So we’re really strongly in favour of this measure, and thank the Assistant Minister for his attention and efforts on this score.
Leigh:
Terrific. Thanks David. Any questions?
Journalist:
Yeah Assistant Minister, can I just get you to clarify something? I could be wrong about this.
Leigh:
Sure.
Journalist:
I’m just asking for information. Isn’t the Commonwealth’s only lever here in what can be imported across the border? And isn’t the broader problem the modifications of these bikes? So, I hear what it is that you’re doing, but what power do you have to actually affect that part of the equation?
Leigh:
Consumer law works as a compact between the states, territories, and the Commonwealth, which is why it was important that we all came together in Darwin last week to agree on this. Consumer law affects what can be sold in Australia and retailers who do the wrong thing could face penalties of up to $100 million. We as the Commonwealth work collaboratively with states and territories through ensuring that what is sold complies.
And your point about modifications is really important because at the moment, what we’re seeing is e‑bikes coming into the country that are ostensibly compliant but can be modified in order to be non‑compliant. Getting in place a standard that deals with modification is going to be really important.
Journalist:
But that would be up to the states to administer that, right?
Leigh:
The consumer law is administered by the ACCC – the federal regulator, and by those state and territory fair trading bodies. So you’ll have you’ll have 9 bodies out there enforcing this new safety standard.
Journalist:
What’s the sort of timeline for the ACCC here in terms of developing the standards?
Leigh:
They’ll be moving early next year to release that standard.
Journalist:
So, sorry, moving early next year to start developing the standards or to release these standards?
Leigh:
To release the standard.
Journalist:
What did you make of the evidence before the Senate inquiry earlier in the week about betting companies exploiting people who are literally gambling addicts?
Leigh:
It’s very troubling evidence that’s come forward. We’ve got too many gambling ads on TV, which is why the government has announced the biggest crackdown on gambling ads that we’ve seen in Australia’s history. It builds on the work we’ve done through BetStop, and it is an important package which I would urge all members of the parliament to pass. It’s reasonable to have a discussion over the regulation of betting ads. What I don’t think is reasonable is to say that it is better to stick with the current system than to move with the significant package of reforms the Communications Minister has put forward.
Journalist:
However, in 2023 you actually publicly endorsed the Peta Murphy blueprint and you publicly called for a law to be called Murphy’s Law to be created, according to a media report I read. That would impose a complete ban on ads with a three‑year phase‑out. You must be disappointed that your Prime Minister doesn’t agree with you?
Leigh:
I think one of the reasons that we’re here is thanks to the late Peta Murphy and her committee report. She really worked to bring that issue into public prominence, and the government has then worked to engage with industry to come up with a package that we brought to the parliament. So this is an important package of reforms – the biggest crackdown on gambling ads that Australia has ever seen, and I would urge everyone in the parliament to vote for it.
Journalist:
So are you disappointed or not?
Leigh:
I think this is an important step forward. I think this is a critical set of reforms that will get many gambling ads off our screens, and it also deals with issues like jersey endorsements as well. It is a significant package of reforms that is before the parliament. The choice that crossbenchers and the Coalition have is whether they support the biggest crackdown on gambling ads that Australia has ever seen or whether they support the status quo.
Journalist:
Thanks.
Leigh:
Thanks everyone.