Police and Emergency Services Minister Dan Purdie expressed concern over the alarming rate of non-compliance.

“Numerous devices currently being used are not only illegal but also unlawful, featuring high power capabilities that match the speeds of motorcycles on our roads and pathways. Alarmingly, these are often operated without protective helmets,” he noted.

Any device surpassing these speed limitations will be categorized as an illegal road vehicle if operated outside private property.

According to a 2022 report from Bicycle Industries Australia, the importation of e-bikes into Australia saw a staggering increase, climbing from 9,000 units in 2017 to 200,000 by 2022.

“Children are increasingly urging their parents to buy them e-bikes as holiday gifts since their friends own them and they are perceived as entertaining,” he added.

“This indicates many e-bikes are either throttle-based or have been altered, rendering them non-compliant with the legal definition of an e-bike,” they explained.

“A lot of children are pestering their parents to buy them [e-bikes] for Christmas, because their friends have them and they are fun.”.

“This suggests that many of these e-bikes are throttle-based or modified and therefore appear to be non-compliant with the legal definition of an e-bike,” they wrote.

Enforcement gaps and difficulties

Authorities also faced difficulties identifying an unlawfully modified e-bike, Delbosc said, adding that bringing in electricians to test battery wattage for every suspected illicit modification would severely strain police resources.

Haghani’s research suggests children account for one in three Australian e-scooter fatalities, although he notes there is still no comprehensive national database to provide an authoritative figure.