Mr DAVID MEHAN (The Entrance) (12:06): I address my question to the Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading. Will the Minister please update the House on the Minns Labor Government's work to protect consumers from the safety risks posed by lithium ion battery powered products?
Mr ANOULACK CHANTHIVONG (Macquarie Fields—Minister for Better Regulation and Fair Trading, Minister for Industry and Trade, Minister for Innovation, Science and Technology, Minister for Building, and Minister for Corrections) (12:07): I thank the member for The Entrance for his question and his keen interest in consumer protection issues. I firstly acknowledge there has been another tragic death this week at a Guildford house fire that is believed to have been caused by an exploding e‑bike battery. A young man has lost his life. All members of this House extend our sincere condolences to his family during this very difficult time. It is just awful to hear about these types of tragedies. We know that e‑bikes and e‑scooters will continue to grow in popularity, and they are being made more accessible and available to so many consumers across New South Wales.
We need to do more to make sure these products are safe. That is why the Minns Labor Government has implemented nation‑leading safety standards and consumer protections in relation to these products. We know there is an increasing risk of fires from products that are built with low‑quality components or are used or charged incorrectly. Fire and Rescue NSW data shows that e‑vehicle products caused 193 fires between 2022 and 2025. The rate of fires caused by those devices continues to significantly increase each and every year. Those disturbing figures are why the Government has moved quickly to introduce a raft of regulatory changes in the past six months. We are serious about protecting lives and property from the devastating damage that can be caused if lithium ion products are unsafe or used incorrectly. We have introduced two separate standards to help to protect the residents of New South Wales.
Just yesterday, in a nation-leading first, a new information standard for e-bikes and other vehicles came into effect. The information standard will keep consumers informed of safety risks from those products, and how those risks can be mitigated or avoided. It covers issues like product safety information, fire safety and emergency procedures, product end of life and storage, electrical safety, and advice on road rules. The information standard is complemented by new product safety standards that have been in effect since 1 February this year. The safety standards will protect consumers from fire risk by ensuring e-vehicles and their batteries and chargers are only built with safe and compliant components. The introduction of both standards this month puts the Minns Labor Government at the forefront of regulating lithium ion battery powered products in the nation. I am pleased to inform the House that, over the next 12 months, the Government will continue to ramp up protections against unsafe lithium ion products. [Extension of time]
New testing and certification requirements will come into effect from August this year, and new labelling requirements will come into effect from February 2026, creating a combined, multi-phase regulatory framework to keep our consumers safe. Sellers who do not meet the strict new safety standards can and will be fined up to $825,000. I am pleased to advise the House that this Government is setting a best practice example for other jurisdictions across the country to follow. I initiated discussions with my ministerial colleagues from across the country, and New South Wales is now leading a working group to pursue a national approach on the safe use of lithium ion battery products. Our increased regulation is backed by education campaigns led by Fair Trading, SafeWork, Fire and Rescue, the Environment Protection Authority and Transport for NSW. The Minns Labor Government has cemented New South Wales as Australia's leading jurisdiction for the regulation of lithium ion powered e-bikes, e-scooters and similar products. Our new safety standards will drive up the quality of those products and help better protect consumers, their homes and their property.
