Submission to State Development, Infrastructure and Works Committee in relation to the Inquiry into E-mobility safety and use in Queensland

This submission will deal with the issues around e-mobility safety and use in Queensland, with the following terms of reference:

That the State Development, Infrastructure and Works Committee inquire into and report to the Legislative Assembly no later than 30 March 2026 on:

1. Benefits of e-mobility (including both Personal Mobility Devices (PMDs), such as e-scooters and e-skateboards, as well as e-bikes) for Queensland;

2. Safety issues associated with e-mobility use, including increasing crashes, injuries, fatalities, and community concerns;

3. Issues associated with e-mobility ownership, such as risk of fire, storage and disposal of lithium batteries used in e-mobility, and any consideration of mitigants or controls;

4. Suitability of current regulatory frameworks for PMDs and e-bikes, informed by approaches in Australia and internationally;

5. Effectiveness of current enforcement approaches and powers to address dangerous riding behaviours and the use of illegal devices;

6. Gaps between Commonwealth and Queensland laws that allow illegal devices to be imported and used;

7. Communication and education about device requirements, rules, and consequences for unsafe use; and

8. Broad stakeholder perspectives, including from community members, road user groups, disability advocates, health and trauma experts, academia, the e-mobility industry, and all levels of government