A national electric bike crackdown has gathered pace but some critics say it will fail at the first speed bump without increasing police resources.
Queensland has become the latest government to pump the brakes on e‑scooters and e‑bikes, moving to ban children aged under 16 from using the devices under what’s been called nation-leading laws.
In reforms to be introduced in parliament this week, riders over 16 must hold at least a learner’s licence, police will be given powers to seize devices and speed limits are set to be lowered.
However, critics have slammed the government’s “ham-fisted” approach, saying ramping up e-bike penalties is pointless unless it is matched by extra resources and smarter policing.
“Bringing in newer, tougher penalties, that’s just smoke and mirrors,” Brisbane CBD Bicycle User Group’s Paul French said on Tuesday.
“If people aren’t going to get caught, those penalties are just pointless.”
Many of the devices causing problems were already illegal and the focus should be on enforcing existing laws more effectively, he said.
Advocates questioned the timing of the crackdown as people look toward cheaper transport alternatives during a global fuel crisis.
“There are many adults who are not eligible for a license who may benefit from e-bikes – this harms them,” said Kelly Bertolaccini, a transport engineering lecturer at Griffith University.
“No device on the road is more dangerous to other road users than cars – the answer is more and better infrastructure plus education.”
However, Queensland Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg said the new laws were “tough but fair”.
“This is about protecting community safety – we want to facilitate the legal and safe use of e‑mobility devices, while cracking down on unsafe and illegal use.”
Queensland Police will be granted more powers to randomly breath test riders and seize and destroy illegally used devices.
Help keep independent and fair Sunshine Coast news coming by subscribing to our FREE daily news feed. All it requires is your email at the bottom of this article.
Parents will be held liable if they allow underage children to ride, while retailers and shared‑scheme operators face fines if they enable unlawful use.
A 10km/h speed limit will also apply on shared footpaths to better protect pedestrians.
Queensland is the latest to crack down on e-bikes after more than 6000 hospitalisations were linked to e‑mobility devices between 2022 and 2025.
The state government endorsed 28 recommendations from a parliamentary committee’s 185-page report, following a nine-month probe that drew more than 1200 submissions.
Western Australia and Tasmania have placed restrictions on under-16s using the devices, with NSW weighing up an age limit.
Under legislation introduced to NSW Parliament on Tuesday, police and transport officers would be given powers to seize illegal e-bikes to be crushed.
If an e-bike is performing like a conventional motorbike in terms of power or speed, then it could be destroyed under the laws, which mirror those in place in WA.
NSW will become the first state to roll out roadside “dyno units”, which measure whether an e-bike can go faster than the 25km/h speed limit. The crushing powers would apply to all devices that breach the standards, even if bought in error, NSW Transport Minister John Graham said.
The legislative crackdown aligns with a heavier police response to dangerous e-bike use on the state’s roads. Fines were issued to 170 people in Sydney over two days last week.
Nationally, e-bikes were involved in the deaths of a dozen people in 2025, including several children.
