The Hon Andrew Leigh MP
Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury
E&OE TRANSCRIPT
RADIO INTERVIEW
ABC RADIO SYDNEY, AFTERNOONS WITH JAMES O'LOGHLIN
FRIDAY, 6 NOVEMBER 2026
SUBJECTS: Labor protecting Australians from unsafe e-bikes
JAMES O'LOGHLIN: So meanwhile, the ACCC is now undertaking consultation on supply of safe e bikes. So not looking at the drivers, looking at the machines and they will be proposing a safety standard under Australian Consumer Law to reduce, they say, injuries and deaths.
To tell us more, Dr Andrew Leigh, Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury joins us. Hi Assistant Minister, thank you for your time.
ANDREW LEIGH: G'day James, great to be with you.
JAMES O'LOGHLIN: It must be good in an intro to hear a different government getting bagged, not your own. I mean it is a state based issue, the licensing of drivers but what is the ACCC looking at?
ANDREW LEIGH: Well first of all, I defend what the New South Wales Government has done. I mean they've been quite clear in putting standards around power output: 500 watts, which will be half that in 2029, the motor can't assist you above 25 kilometres an hour and the throttle only mode cuts out at 6 kilometres an hour. So what we're doing now is putting in place a standard in terms of what can be sold. States and territories regulate what can be ridden, federal government has a role in getting a national safety standard in terms of what can be sold and ensuring that you're not buying a bike that isn't legal to ride on the road.
E bikes are terrific for older people who are extending their cycling careers but I share your view James, that youngsters ought to be pedalling themselves around - as you and I did when we were little tackers - and having young people on what are effectively motorbikes with pedals is a danger to themselves and also to the community.
JAMES O'LOGHLIN: So what are the things the ACCC is going to look at when making its decision on, as you say, what can be sold? What are the factors? And there is a big difference, isn't there, between, well at the moment, an eight year old driving one and someone who's earning their livelihood as there are hundreds and hundreds of people in New South Wales doing it, using an e bike delivering food and all sorts of other things?
ANDREW LEIGH: The principal idea is that an e bike should be a bicycle with a boost, not a motorcycle in disguise. That means they will be looking at issues such as the power output, the point at which the motor cuts out and also modifiability. We've got this real problem right now where some of the bikes that are being sold are compliant when you wheel them out the store but then can be easily tweaked and there's even the sale of conversion kits. So that's another issue that the ACCC will be looking at. It's about ensuring that we have the benefits of e bikes without the dangers to the community and we know that there's been accidents and deaths right across the country. The ACCC says that a minimum cost of that is $28 million a year, but probably much more.
JAMES O'LOGHLIN: I know! So we'll get back to what is your jurisdiction in a moment, and I know this isn't your jurisdiction but you know more about government than me. Do you understand why it's taken the – and we did ask the New South Wales Transport Minister to come on, but he was unavailable – do you understand why it's taken the New South Wales state Government 9 months and counting to work out whether e bikes should be banned for those under 12, 13, 14, 15 or 16? It doesn't seem that complicated a question to me?
ANDREW LEIGH: Well, what they have done is what's in line with the rest of the states and territories which is to set limits around power output, speed limit and throttle rules. They're the primary things that the state and territory transport ministers agreed to do under Catherine King's leadership when they came together. Most other jurisdictions do not have age limits that go alongside that. And really, the biggest challenges James, come with these overpowered bikes. So I think the New South Wales Government has acted on the primary harm there.
JAMES O'LOGHLIN: I respectfully disagree. Like, I've nearly been swiped by, I reckon a dozen teenage boys, I haven't been swiped by anyone delivering dinner, that's just me. Margaret Throsby might have had a similar experience unfortunately, ended up in hospital for 2 weeks. I mean, you know, she's…
ANDREW LEIGH: Oh, yes. Absolutely, yeah. But that harm can be caused by people of any age. And so that's why the road rules are so important and why it's important for the Commonwealth to do our own part in regulating what can be sold.
For parents who are considering putting a bike under the Christmas tree, like you James, I would very much like those parents just to consider buying their kids a bike without a battery rather than thinking that putting your son or daughter in the hands of a motorised device is going to be a good thing. We know that too often the ‘e’ in e bike tends to stand for emergency department rather than electric. They're just causing too many accidents on the roads.
JAMES O'LOGHLIN: I'm talking to Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury, federally, Andrew Leigh, about an ACCC Inquiry, not into the licensing of e bikes – that's a New South Wales state Government responsibility. But to what sort of vehicles can be sold on New South Wales roads. You explained the distinction very well in that you said that the federal government – correct me if I am wrong – the federal government regulates what can be sold, the state government regulates what can be ridden on its roads. Are they overlapping Venn diagrams and if so, do you need to work with the various state governments to ensure you're not coming up with different standards?
ANDREW LEIGH: Yeah we do. The competition and consumer laws are a compact between states and territories because of the way our Constitution is written. So part of this consultation will also involve engagement with states and territories. We need to bring them on board, and of course they have done the lead work around the road rules, as you pointed out before.
JAMES O'LOGHLIN: Yeah. And so tell me how this ACCC Inquiry will work. There's a period of consultation, so if people are interested in that what do they need to know, and well then, how quickly will they, you know, will they beat the record of the New South Wales state Government on the age limit 9 months and counting, do they have a time by which they have to report back by?
ANDREW LEIGH: Well, the consultation will be open until the end of the month. People can go to accc.gov.au. One of the things that the ACCC is looking at is whether the global standard, EN15194, ought to be applied in Australia. If you go into most bike stores you'll see e bikes which typically have an EN15194 sticker on them. So the reputable bike stores that I've spoken to are going to be very happy about having a consistent standard. It's some of the fly by night retailers and the online platforms which have been selling e bikes that are not compliant with New South Wales road rules – they're the ones that will be brought into line. So we should still get that benefit of e bikes in extending micromobility and extending cycling careers without the danger to pedestrians and riders.
JAMES O'LOGHLIN: Would you agree with the proposition that – and again, state government issue – but would you agree with the proposition that every vehicle on roads with a motor should have a number plate so if they do anything wrong, they're accountable?
ANDREW LEIGH: Yeah, I mean that's the approach that Queenslanders have taken. They've had a much more stringent crackdown, but you know, when I talk to say a 70 year old cyclist who wants to extend their cycling career and decides that a bike with a battery allows them to join the bunch ride with their friends, I'm not sure in that case we want to say that they have to be brought within a licensing system. It might be a layer of regulation that just goes a little bit too far.
Again, it’s a state and territory issue and the states and territories are approaching it in different ways but I'm also looking at how we get the very best out of e bikes. I'm not anti e bike, I've seen it really transform the life of someone who lives in a hilly area and is getting on in years and wants to stay on a bike. The key is to have that benefit but take away the dangers of hoons on overpowered electric motorbikes.
JAMES O'LOGHLIN: Yeah, I mean you're right – it is a nuance. I hope you don't mind Assistant Minister, if I take a call from Andrew?
ANDREW LEIGH: Yeah, please.
JAMES O'LOGHLIN: Andrew, go ahead.
ANDREW (CALLER): Hi, I'm from Waverley. We've got a petition going to get hi vis vests made mandatory because, you know, even in the daytime in some of the streets you don't see these riders because they're all wearing black and we need hi vis vests, they're $5, they're cheap, and they should be made mandatory for the safety of all bike riders and the poor drivers that have to avoid them.
JAMES O'LOGHLIN: Yeah. Yeah, Assistant Minister, thoughts on that?
ANDREW LEIGH: Andrew, it sounds as though you're focusing on something which is going to make e bikes as unfashionable as possible for young people, so I certainly like the clever thinking in that. Again, a matter for the states and territories. It would be a challenge in terms of how you administer it. I'm not aware of other instances in which we mandate a particular item of clothing for riding a bike. We do of course mandate helmets and so it's a possible way for states and territories to go.
JAMES O'LOGHLIN: I mean, I presume all the road stuff isn't as big a deal in your home town of Canberra because, well, there's more money spent in Canberra on bike paths than some places in Australia on roads, right? They have a wonderful bike path network.
ANDREW LEIGH: Well one of the real challenges, James, we've had is people riding e bikes along those bike paths where people are just taking a stroll.
JAMES O'LOGHLIN: Yeah.
ANDREW LEIGH: So I was talking to a woman recently who had her leg broken when she was hit by a teenager on an e bike. This is really an issue in Canberra as it is elsewhere. We've had people sent to hospital and killed with e bike accidents. So even in the part of Australia which is a cyclist's Mecca, e bikes have been a challenge for us as well.
JAMES O'LOGHLIN: Yep. Diane's on the line. Go ahead, Diane.
DIANE (CALLER): Oh, hi James. Look, I just get a bit upset about the fact that the two types of e bikes are lumped in together. There's the ones with the throttle that you don't have to pedal and they can go, you know, they can vary them to go very fast. Then there's the ones that have a battery motor that gives a bit of assistance. Sydney is very hilly. I live in Northbridge and there's quite a few hills for me to get out of Northbridge and just having that electrical assistance just to get up the hills.
JAMES O'LOGHLIN: Yeah.
DIANE (CALLER): I don't go at speed and I mean it's considered the same as an e bike that doesn't need to be pedalled and can cause a huge amount of damage.
JAMES O'LOGHLIN: Yeah, it's a good point. I've never nearly been swiped…
DIANE: There should be two names.
JAMES O'LOGHLIN: I've never nearly been swiped by you, Diane. Assistant Minister, thoughts on that?
ANDREW LEIGH: To Diane's question, the New South Wales road rules say that if you're riding an e bike, then it needs to have throttle-only operation that cuts out at 6 kilometres an hour. So the motor itself can take you up to 6 kilometres an hour, beyond that you need to be pedalling. That is the standard for bikes that can be ridden on New South Wales roads.
JAMES O'LOGHLIN: Yeah. Thank you for that. Paul is on the line. G'day Paul.
PAUL (CALLER): Hi James, how are you?
JAMES O'LOGHLIN: Good, go ahead.
PAUL: We're an average family. We live on the Northern Beaches and in the Hawkesbury. We've got three children under 18. We've got some regular bicycles, we've got some e bikes, we've got some e skateboards and I think the solution is not that difficult. Instead of ignoring the problem and destroying the children's bikes, we should be licensing them and educating them because in the long run I think that's the only way to embrace the new technology, give children more mobility considering our public transport is not very good or non-existent in the Hawkesbury and children will respect the opportunity they have to get a licence and the majority of them will abide by the rules and it's something they can be proud of.
JAMES O'LOGHLIN: And can I ask, Paul, why when you're buying stuff, you know, BMX bikes, bikes, skateboards, et cetera, you decided to make them ‘e’?
PAUL: Oh, absolutely. The Hawkesbury, it's a hilly area. We've got Bells Line of Road, which is an 80 kilometre zone and 60 in some areas and the same on the Northern Beaches in Collaroy – it's very hilly. So by giving them a throttle they can get up those hills and they can move around with much more freedom than they have now.
JAMES O'LOGHLIN: Yeah. The problem with what you say, Paul, is that I wanted this to be really black and white. I don't like them, they're bad. But people keep finding exceptions to that and good reasons why they can be really good, particularly people with mobility issues and particularly people with, you know, who live in hilly areas and so I totally get that. So thank you very much for your contribution.
Andrew Leigh, look we'll watch this with interest. Before you go, yesterday, you know, you are the Assistant Minister for Productivity so I wanted to raise this with you. Yesterday we opened the afternoon show on Productivity Commission. The reasoning behind it was that we're always being taught to be more productive, that it's good for the economy but sometimes we just need a rest and need to find ways of not looking like we're lazy but just spending some time at a photocopier or doing a lap of where we were and I just wonder if you, as the Assistant Minister for Productivity had any ways in which you find little ways to be unproductive without looking lazy in your very, very busy and important job?
ANDREW LEIGH: I love the question, James. For me it's about productive procrastination. So can you have a task which is something that you're going to switch to when you're procrastinating from something else, which is not doomscrolling but is actually going to tick something off your list. So think about the back up task, whether it's putting together the Christmas card list or doing the online shopping, that you can move to when your brain doesn't want to do the number one task, but at least you're doing task number two, number three or number four.
JAMES O'LOGHLIN: I think it's very impressive that our Assistant Minister for Productivity, even when he is being unproductive, is being productive in another way. Thank you very much for your time.
ANDREW LEIGH: Lovely to chat James, thank you.
JAMES O'LOGHLIN: Andrew Leigh, Assistant Minister for Productivity, Competition, Charities and Treasury.
ENDS