Queensland’s Labor opposition demands an investigation by the Crime and Corruption Commission into potential fraud linked to an e-mobility rebate program launched during its time in government.
Background on the Rebate Scheme
The program, announced just before the 2024 state election, offered $500 rebates for e-bikes and $200 for e-scooters to promote active transport. Eligible e-scooters required speed limits of 25 km/h, while power-assisted e-bikes were capped at 200 watts and electric-assisted cycles at 250 watts, with riders needing to pedal for power activation.
The $2 million initiative launched on September 23, 2024, entering a caretaker period a week later, and concluded on October 25, the day before the election.
Revelations of Illegal Purchases
Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg disclosed that approximately 20 percent of rebates funded illegal devices. Among 3,265 subsidized e-bikes, 693 proved non-compliant, and of 1,508 e-scooters, 141 violated regulations.
Shadow Treasurer Shannon Fentiman emphasized that strict guidelines were in place, attributing approvals to departmental shortcomings. “These bikes should never have been approved, raising serious questions about why the Department of Transport and QRIDA allowed funds for illegal purchases,” she stated.
Fentiman outlined three immediate actions for the minister: impose fines on recipients and seize illegal devices, scrutinize departmental processes, and implement safety measures to address the issue. “This is fraud—let’s call it what it is—so the matter must be referred to ethical standards or the CCC,” she added.
Government Response
Mickelberg rejected shifting blame to public servants, holding former Transport Minister Bart Mellish accountable. “The government bears ultimate responsibility,” he said. “Labor rushed the rollout for electoral gain, neglecting to ensure compliance with its own rules.”
He stressed that proper planning could have directed support solely to legal devices, describing it as a basic expectation for such initiatives.
