Queensland’s controversial proposed e-bike and scooter laws should be walked back to ensure they do not discriminate against law-abiding riders without a driver’s licence, parliament has been told.
The report of a government-controlled committee tasked with scrutinising the bill has also called for a 10km/h speed limit on shared paths to only be applied to footpaths in “high pedestrian areas”.
Investigation into a mechanism to allow the removal of age and licensing rules in some public areas is also suggested, as is a workaround to ensure existing e-bikes are not unintentionally made illegal.
State development, infrastructure and works committee chair Jim McDonald said the proposed changes would give the state a “clear and practical framework to make e-mobility use safer for all … whilst promoting riding opportunities with minimal and appropriate restrictions”.
But Labor opposition members, in a statement of reservation, said the party could not support the bill even with the proposed changes, calling for it to be dumped and reworked with key stakeholders.
“While it is noted there have been recommendations made in the committee report, they only partially address the issues raised by Queenslanders and do so inconsistently,” the Labor MPs wrote.
“This creates a real risk of unintended consequences”.
More to come
Matt Dennien is a reporter at Brisbane Times covering state politics, parliament and the public sector. He has previously worked for newspapers in Tasmania and Brisbane community radio station 4ZZZ. Contact him securely on Signal @mattdennien.15Connect via email.From our partners
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