The first meeting of Commonwealth, State and Territory Consumer Affairs Ministers in Darwin in more than 20 years has agreed to ask the ACCC to develop a new safety standard for e-bikes.
Meeting chair and NT Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby said the move is part of a broader push to address safety risks associated with e-micromobility.
“The new safety standard will be developed in consultation with States and Territories, Transport Ministers and Electrical Safety Ministers,” Minister Boothby said.
“The outcomes of the Consumer Affairs Ministers meeting reflect a shared commitment to strengthening consumer protections, improving product safety and ensuring our regulatory frameworks keep pace with emerging risks and changes in the economy.”
Ministers attending the meeting included Minister Boothby, federal Assistant Minister for Productivity Dr Andrew Leigh, NSW Minister for Fair Trading Anoulack Chanthivong, WA Attorney General Dr Tony Buti, Tasmanian Minister for Consumer Affairs Guy Barnett, and ACT Attorney General Tara Cheyne.
Ministers acknowledged progress on key reforms under the Australian Consumer Law, including work to address unfair trading practices, strengthen the consumer guarantees and supplier indemnification regime, and enhance product safety protections including in relation to e-micromobility devices.
Ministers also heard directly from consumer representatives on issues of concern to Australian consumers. This included emerging risks in product safety relating to unsafe products being sold online, and that CHOICE had submitted its second designated complaint to the ACCC on this issue, the digital economy and ongoing cost of living pressures.
The meeting heard about emerging risks, including practices relating to ticket sales and artificial intelligence (surveillance pricing and agentic commerce).
Officials at the meeting were asked to further investigate safety issues associated with the importation and use of coloured sand and report back to Ministers.
“Ministers also commenced discussions on priorities for 2027, recognising the importance of maintaining a forward-looking and coordinated national agenda, whilst continuing to progress a comprehensive program of work in the second half of 2026,” Ms Boothby said.
“Ministers affirmed that a holistic review of the product safety framework and laws, including general safety protections and updated definition of supplier, was a priority area for reform. Ministers agreed this body of work should be elevated as the next priority in the sequence of work requiring urgent progress.”
