- More than 100 illegal e-bikes and e-scooters were seized and 420 infringements issued, in first 10 days of new nation-leading laws.
- The Crisafulli Government’s new laws target dangerous e-bike riders, illegal high-powered e-bikes and e-scooters and unlawful behaviour.
- Labor voted against the laws Queenslanders called for, opposing stronger reforms to clamp down on dangerous e-bikes and e-scooters, putting the community at risk.
- The Crisafulli Government is making Queensland safer after a decade of neglect under Labor.
More than 100 dangerous and illegal e-bikes and e-scooters have been seized under the Crisafulli Government’s tough new e-mobility laws, with offenders warned the crackdown is only just beginning.
A total of 103 illegal e-mobility devices have been seized by police and 420 traffic infringement notices have been issued to riders across Queensland under the new nation-leading laws.
The laws target dangerous riding behaviour, illegal high-powered devices, speeding, drink riding, helmet offences and other unlawful conduct, and give police the ability to seize and destroy illegal devices, conduct random breath testing of riders in public places and issue tougher penalties for dangerous offences.
After Labor spent a decade allowing illegal high-powered devices to proliferate, the Crisafulli Government has delivered the toughest e-mobility laws in the nation to back police and restore safety on Queensland roads, footpaths and shared pathways.
The former Labor Government left police ill-equipped to enforce regulations, while they introduced a botched subsidy scheme, wasting $2 million in taxpayers’ money, and turned a blind eye to the rise of illegal high-powered devices.
Minister for Police and Emergency Services Dan Purdie said there was no excuse for riders who ignored the law.
“The free ride is over – if you’re riding an illegal e-bike or e-scooter, putting pedestrians at risk or treating public spaces like your own racetrack, expect to be caught,” Minister Purdie said.
“After Labor turned a blind eye and put more of these illegal e-bikes on our streets, we’ve given police the laws needed to target reckless riders and protect Queenslanders.”
Minister for Transport and Main Roads Brent Mickelberg said the reforms struck the right balance between supporting responsible riders and targeting dangerous behaviour.
“The Crisafulli Government’s reforms are practical, enforceable, and get the balance right between keeping Queenslanders safe from those doing the wrong thing, while backing those who do the right thing,” Minister Mickelberg said.
“We said we would make the tough decisions to deliver our nation leading e-mobility laws, and the early evidence shows those decisions are already starting to pay off.
“By contrast, after calling for a knee jerk reaction, Labor voted against our laws – and instead of voting to give police the powers they need, and they voted to back the hoons and hooligans terrorising Queenslanders.”
Queensland Police Assistant Commissioner Rhys Wildman said that the results highlighted the importance of the operation’s strong presence across the State.
“Operation Surety is about detecting, intercepting and deterring dangerous riding behaviours, and making it clear to Queenslanders that unsafe behaviour will not be tolerated,” Assistant Commissioner Wildman said.
“It is disappointing to see more than 400 riders charged for reckless behaviours in just under two weeks; however, this reinforces how important it is that our officers are out every day disrupting these dangerous behaviours and ensuring riders understand their responsibility while making our roads and public spaces safe.”
