NSW introduces legislation to seize and crush illegal ebikes
Penry Buckley
The NSW government will introduce legislation to give authorities powers to crush “throttle-only, high-powered e-motorbikes” to parliament today.
The laws, which were flagged last month, will give police and Transport for NSW officers the power to seize bikes operating at speeds more than 25km/h, before sending them to be crushed, even if bought in error. Officers will be able to use new roadside “dyno units” to test a bike’s speed.
The government says the changes are part of a safety crackdown amid a surge in injuries and an incident in which 40 or so e-bikes swarmed the Sydney Harbour Bridge last month. It will also introduce a minimum age to ride an ebike of between 12 and 16, which it has yet to decide. A two-day safety blitz last week saw 170 fines issued for illegal ebikes.
The transport minister, John Graham, says:
We don’t want to discourage safe and healthy ebike use, but we do want to discourage dangerous and illegal e-motorbike use – and these powers will do exactly that.
If it behaves like a motorbike, it’s probably illegal and could end up in the crusher. So the message is simple, don’t buy an illegal ebike.
Key events
AMA says online gambling causing ‘immeasurable harm”
Josh Butler
The Australian Medical Association says it is concerned about harm suffered by Australians from gambling and is urging the federal government to immediately respond to the report from late Labor MP Peta Murphy calling for a wagering ad ban.
As detailed above, today marks 1000 days since Murphy’s report was handed down in June 2023. But while communications minister Anika Wells remains in consultations with affected industries and stakeholders about further action on gambling, the government has still not responded to the report formally.
The AMA president Dr Danielle McMullen said online gambling was causing “immeasurable harm to Australian families.” She said a partial ban on wagering ads wouldn’t work and called for strong government action, citing Australians being among the highest amounts of gambling losses in the world, and expressing concern about vulnerable audiences – including children – being exposed to gambling ads.
The AMA demanded an immediate response to all 31 recommendations, including total advertising bans, an independent regulator, and child protection.
McMullen said:
One thousand days of inaction while online gambling companies flood sports broadcasts with predatory advertising is unacceptable.
Every day of delay means more Australians fall victim to an industry that profits from harm and despair.
1,000 days since Murphy report on gambling ad bans
Josh Butler
Today marks 1,000 days since Peta Murphy’s landmark report calling for a banning of gambling advertisements. Independent MP Kate Chaney will soon seek to introduce her own private member’s bill to legislate a gambling ad ban, frustrated with the government’s drawn-out process to respond to the report.
Chaney said:
This is a deeply disappointing milestone to be marking – 1,000 days of delay and inaction on reforms widely supported by Australians.
I’m doing the work, even if the government is not. My private member’s bill to end online gambling ads is needed to stop children and young people being groomed to gamble as they watch their favourite sports.
The government has still not responded to the report from Murphy, the late Labor MP who died in 2023 after a battle with cancer. Communications minister Anika Wells is consulting with sporting organisations, harm reduction advocates, media organisations and the wagering industry about further restrictions on gambling ads.
Chaney’s bill, which will be introduced next week in parliament, would seek to phase in a complete ban on advertising for online gambling ads over three years, including on TV, streaming services, social media and at sporting grounds.
I’ve been fighting for gambling reform for 1,000 days, and I’ll continue to keep the pressure on for as long as it takes the Albanese government to enact meaningful gambling reform.
NSW introduces legislation to seize and crush illegal ebikes
Penry Buckley
The NSW government will introduce legislation to give authorities powers to crush “throttle-only, high-powered e-motorbikes” to parliament today.
The laws, which were flagged last month, will give police and Transport for NSW officers the power to seize bikes operating at speeds more than 25km/h, before sending them to be crushed, even if bought in error. Officers will be able to use new roadside “dyno units” to test a bike’s speed.
The government says the changes are part of a safety crackdown amid a surge in injuries and an incident in which 40 or so e-bikes swarmed the Sydney Harbour Bridge last month. It will also introduce a minimum age to ride an ebike of between 12 and 16, which it has yet to decide. A two-day safety blitz last week saw 170 fines issued for illegal ebikes.
The transport minister, John Graham, says:
We don’t want to discourage safe and healthy ebike use, but we do want to discourage dangerous and illegal e-motorbike use – and these powers will do exactly that.
If it behaves like a motorbike, it’s probably illegal and could end up in the crusher. So the message is simple, don’t buy an illegal ebike.
Welcome
Good morning and welcome to our live politics blog. I’m Martin Farrer with the top overnight stories and then it will be Krishani Dhanji with the main action.
International Energy Agency chief Fatih Birol told 7.30 last night that the “world is facing the greatest global energy security threat in its history” and Australians are feeling the pain at the petrol pump. We’ll have more coming up.
It has been 1,000 days since the late Peta Murphy’s landmark report calling for a ban on gambling advertisements but ministers are yet to act. Independent MP Kate Chaney is planning her own bill to put that right. More coming up.
And New South Wales is following up on its promise to take illegal ebikes off the road. We’ll get a look at the legislation today as it’s due to be introduced in parliament.