Quad Bikes

In reply to Ms BEDFORD (Florey) (25 August 2021).

The Hon. V.A. CHAPMAN (Bragg—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Planning and Local Government): I have been advised:

Unfortunately, it is extremely difficult to obtain injury data for quad bikes as there are limitations with identifying specific product-related injuries using the hospital classification system, and access to hospital data is generally limited across some Australian jurisdictions, including South Australia. Consumer and Business Services continues to have discussions with key stakeholders to source more meaningful data.

In July 2020, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) published a factsheet on non-injury specific data which reported that nationally, approximately six people present to an emergency department and at least two people are admitted to hospital daily.

In relation to the number of quad bike deaths in South Australia, SafeWork Australia has reported that no deaths have occurred in the last three years.

A new national mandatory safety standard for quad bikes was introduced in October 2019 by the federal Assistant Treasurer, Hon Michael Sukkar MP, aimed at reducing the risk of injury or death to consumers who operate these vehicles for work or recreation. The new safety standard involves two stages and was introduced following a two-year investigation undertaken by the ACCC which found that there were safety issues with the current design of quad bikes, particularly general use model types, and that important performance and safety information about these vehicles were not being disclosed to consumers at the point of sale.

Stage 1 of the mandatory safety standard commenced on 11 October 2020 and requires that all new and imported second-hand quad bikes meet specified mandatory design requirements, and that important safety information is disclosed to consumers about the vehicles. The mandatory requirements for quad bikes include that:

they meet the specified requirements of either the US or European standard for quad bikes;

they have a clearly visible and legible rollover warning affixed to the vehicle;

information about the risk of rollovers is disclosed in the owner's manual or information handbook;

appropriate testing for lateral static stability be completed and a hang tag be attached to the quad bike showing the angle at which the vehicle tips onto two wheels; and

they have a spark arrestor that conforms to the appropriate Australian or US Standard.

Stage 2 will commence on 11 October 2021 and will require general use quad bikes to:

be fitted with, or have integrated into the design, an operator protection device; and

meet minimum stability requirements.

The Stage 2 requirements will not apply to quad bikes where the vehicles were ordered before 1 July 2021 and were not subject to a condition that they will be delivered after 31 December 2021. This exemption aims to help dealers who have experienced delays with receiving quad bike orders due to COVID-19.

Further information about the new mandatory safety standard is available at www.productsafety.gov.au/product-safety-laws/safety-standards-bans/mandatory-standards/quad-bikes.