Australian state to ban under-16s from riding electric mobility devices

Sydney, March 24 (IANS) Children younger than 16 will be banned from riding electric mobility devices in the Australian state of Queensland under new safety laws announced on Tuesday.

Queensland's state government said on Tuesday that it has accepted, or accepted in principle, all 28 recommendations made by a parliamentary inquiry into e-mobility safety, including the under-16 ban.

Brent Mickelberg, Queensland's minister for transport, said in a statement that the government will introduce nation-leading reforms to parliament within days to legislate the inquiry's recommendations.

Under the new laws, e-bike and e-scooter riders will be required to at least hold a Queensland learner driver's license, the minimum age for which is 16, to ensure they have knowledge of road rules.

The parliamentary inquiry found that 12 people were killed and 6,300 were injured in e-mobility-related incidents in Queensland in 2025.

"We are banning under-16s from these devices because the safety of kids is paramount," Mickelberg said on Tuesday.

The new laws will also introduce speed limits of 10 km per hour for e-mobility devices on footpaths and grant police additional powers to seize and destroy illegal devices and subject riders to random breath tests, Xinhua news agency reported.

Last year, Australia's world-first social media ban for under-16s came into effect, with 10 major platforms—including Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and X—required to prevent them from holding accounts.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that the government made the change to support children who have grown up with algorithms, endless social media feeds, and the pressure they bring. He also encouraged students to make the most of their school holidays rather than spending all their time scrolling on their phones.

Australia's teen social media ban had drawn significant international interest, with countries including Denmark, Malaysia, Brazil, Indonesia, and New Zealand reportedly considering similar measures.

--IANS

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