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As it happened: Brisbane on Wednesday, July 23

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‘Nobody wants to use a full-face helmet to get groceries’

By Felicity Caldwell

A scientist has rejected calls for private e-scooter riders to wear full-face helmets, despite the RACQ’s call to mandate them to reduce injuries to riders.

The motoring body argues that 65 per cent of riders turning up at Queensland’s emergency departments said they were wearing a helmet.

But scientist Arkadiy Matsekh, who appeared at Queensland’s e-mobility inquiry as an industry witness, said introducing them would put a lot of people off riding e-scooters.

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“The biggest danger to people on bicycles are not themselves – this is the heavy vehicles,” he said.

“Those who want to use them (full-face helmets), they are welcome.

“Nobody would want to use a full-face helmet to just try to get some groceries.”

Matsekh, who has cycled about 140,000 on Australian roads, said Europe did not have mandatory helmet laws.

“A piece of styrofoam on your head will not protect you from being hit (by a car),” he said.

“A major source of threat to vulnerable road users are, of course, vehicles, and we need to basically seek this cultural shift.”

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Today’s headlines

Thanks for joining us for our live coverage of news in Brisbane and beyond. We’ll be back tomorrow morning. In the meantime, catch up on the stories making headlines today:

An 18-year-old woman has become the third person accused of the murder of 57-year-old Sunshine Coast man Zdravko Bilic, who was fatally stabbed in a suspected break-in last week.

A technical review of the Fitzroy River Olympic rowing venue is about to begin, Premier David Crisafulli announced this morning as he visited the planned Rockhampton venue to mark seven years to the day until the start of the Brisbane 2032 Games.

The Nationals party is awaiting a review from one of its most pro-fossil fuel members before ditching its commitment to reaching net zero emissions by 2050, as leader David Littleproud argued it is an impossible goal to achieve.

NAB boss Andrew Irvine has made his first public comments since it was reported that investors had raised concerns about his management style and drinking at customer events.

New Australia coach Kevin Walters faces a battle to field his strongest possible side in the lead-up to this year’s rugby league Ashes series in England, as a slew of State of Origin stars contemplate defection to Samoa.

And when Ineke McMahon arrived home from school drop-off last Friday, she noticed something amiss in her front yard. Her lemon tree was not there. But the culprit had been captured on CCTV.

Woman charged with murder after death south of Brisbane

By Catherine Strohfeldt

A woman has had charges laid against her upgraded to murder, after a man she allegedly attacked near Logan in May month died in hospital.

Police found a man and woman, aged 18 and 40 respectively, unconscious inside a property along Marbura Court, in Daisy Hill, about 3pm on May 30.

The pair – who police said were known to one another – were transported to hospital and placed into induced comas. The 40-year-old recovered on June 1, but the 18-year-old died on June 4.

The woman was initially charged with attempted murder, which was upgraded to murder. She was expected to appear before Beenleigh Magistrates Court today.

Detective Senior Sergeant Daniel Cunningham said the case was incredibly tragic, and had resulted in a “complex and confronting investigation”.

“Our thoughts are with the young man’s loved ones and those in the community who continue to grieve this loss,” he said.

Student debt legislation introduced to parliament

By Nick Newling

Education Minister Jason Clare has presented a bill to cut 20 per cent from all student debts, the first bill presented by the Albanese government in its second term and a key election promise from Labor.

Clare said the reduction would take about $5500 from the average HECS debt, in a $16 billion spend for the government.

Education Minister Jason Clare introduces a bill to cut student debt.

Education Minister Jason Clare introduces a bill to cut student debt.Credit: Dominic Lorrimer

“Nurses, teachers, tradies, doctors, paramedics, engineers, architects, IT workers, AI experts: these are the Australians who will build Australia’s future, who are already building it, and this will take a weight off their back,” Clare said.

The bill also raises the minimum repayment threshold from $54,000 to $67,000 and reduces the amount that individuals must pay once they begin earning over the threshold.

Clare said the changes meant “you start paying off your uni degree when uni starts to pay off for you”.

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Watch: Deputy premier gives Brisbane 2032 update

Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie is speaking to media at the RNA Showgrounds in Brisbane.

Review set to start on Rockhampton Olympic rowing venue

By Cameron Atfield

A technical review of the Fitzroy River Olympic rowing venue is about to begin, Premier David Crisafulli announced as he visited the planned Rockhampton venue to mark seven years to the day until the start of the Brisbane 2032 Games.

Crisafulli said the Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority would conduct the review, which would start immediately.

But, ultimately, World Rowing would decide whether the Fitzroy was an appropriate venue for Olympic competition.

Rowing on the Fitzroy River in Rockhampton.

Rowing on the Fitzroy River in Rockhampton.Credit: Rockhampton Regional Council

Professor David Hamilton, the director of Griffith University’s Australian Rivers Institute, said the Fitzroy posed legitimate concerns for competition integrity.

The former rower said the sport was “very sensitive” to currents.

Read the full story.

‘Nobody wants to use a full-face helmet to get groceries’

By Felicity Caldwell

A scientist has rejected calls for private e-scooter riders to wear full-face helmets, despite the RACQ’s call to mandate them to reduce injuries to riders.

The motoring body argues that 65 per cent of riders turning up at Queensland’s emergency departments said they were wearing a helmet.

But scientist Arkadiy Matsekh, who appeared at Queensland’s e-mobility inquiry as an industry witness, said introducing them would put a lot of people off riding e-scooters.

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“The biggest danger to people on bicycles are not themselves – this is the heavy vehicles,” he said.

“Those who want to use them (full-face helmets), they are welcome.

“Nobody would want to use a full-face helmet to just try to get some groceries.”

Matsekh, who has cycled about 140,000 on Australian roads, said Europe did not have mandatory helmet laws.

“A piece of styrofoam on your head will not protect you from being hit (by a car),” he said.

“A major source of threat to vulnerable road users are, of course, vehicles, and we need to basically seek this cultural shift.”

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Olympic swimming centre to blow out by $500 million

By Cameron Atfield

Premier David Crisafulli insists the cost of delivering the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games will not extend beyond its budgeted amount, despite expectations the cost of the planned National Aquatic Centre – which was not recommended in the 100-day review – will come in at more than $1 billion.

Games Independent Infrastructure and Coordination Authority chairman Stephen Conry told News Corp the cost of the NAC, which was initially claimed to cost $650 million, would in fact cost closer to $1.2 billion.

Speaking in Rockhampton this morning, Crisafulli said the total cost of Games delivery would be contained within the $7.1 billion envelope, jointly funded by the state and federal governments.

Render of the proposed National Aquatic Centre at Victoria Park.

Render of the proposed National Aquatic Centre at Victoria Park.Credit: Archipelago

“Swimming Australia put forward a costing to us,” he said.

“We did a review, and the cost that we put forward as part of the $7.1 billion reflects the amended cost that we would use.

“My commitment to Queenslanders, and indeed the federal government partnering with us, is the total cost of the venues are $7.1 billion, just as we said it would be.”

Laws cracking down on compliant bikes while illegal e-bikes flood Queensland

By Felicity Caldwell

While there’s a lot of community concern about e-bike hoons, an expert says current regulations are restricting compliant manufacturers while the market is flooded with unregulated devices capable of 1500 watts or more.

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To be used in public, an e-bike must be predominantly pedal-powered, with a small electric motor providing assistance only, up to 250 watts, and the motor must cut out at 25km/h.

It is not illegal to sell high-powered devices in Queensland, but they are supposed to only be used on private property.

Speaking before Queensland’s e-mobility inquiry yesterday afternoon, Foucault Dynamics chief scientist and director Arkadiy Matsekh said high-powered devices, which are currently illegal to ride on public roads or paths, are also often not put together correctly by users, creating the risk of mechanical failure.

The solution isn’t, of course, restricting legitimate users further, but modernising our regulatory framework.

We need graduated classification, like Europe, thus distinguishing between different power categories.

For standard bicycles, anything with continuous mechanical power output above 500 watts should be classified as a motor scooter or motorcycle and regulated accordingly.

Cargo bicycles with significant load capacity beyond 1000 watts, with separate regulation, likely including mandatory speed limitations, as these devices will become essential for replacing car trips and urban logistics.

Matsekh said authorities should also consider removing speed limits, or setting them higher at 32 to 35km/h, arguing the 25km/h limit created “significant user discomfort” and often pushed people to try to circumvent restrictions, increasing demand for illegal components.

The great Queensland lemon heist

Thieves are turning to sour tactics in Brisbane, with one mum reporting a stolen lemon tree – roots and all.

Ineke McMahon arrived home from school drop-off on Friday, and noticed something amiss in her front yard. Her lemon tree was missing.

After reviewing her home security footage, she identified the culprit.

CCTV shows a woman removing a lemon tree from a Brisbane footpath.

CCTV shows a woman removing a lemon tree from a Brisbane footpath.

“This is the car. It goes past and then turns around and comes back,” she said in a video shared with Today.

“Twenty seconds later, here comes the lady and pulls out my tree and runs off with it.”

Read more and watch the full video.

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Catch up on Brisbane Times’ social activity

By Brittney Deguara

If you’ve been doom-scrolling recently, you may have already seen these, but if not, here’s a quick wrap of what our social team has been doing of late.

Shopping centres and nightclub districts are where Queensland police are finding most weapons. Watch more on TikTok.

Here’s what Brisbane Lions’ Jaspa Fletcher had to say about staying with the club.

And finally – have you heard about the sewage being discharged into the Brisbane River? Nine News reporter Josh Bavas had the exclusive.

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Original URL: https://www.watoday.com.au/national/queensland/brisbane-news-live-how-e-bike-battery-fires-are-starting-20250722-p5mgt1.html