increase font size
With just a month to go before all new and secondhand imported ATVs bikes sold in Australia must be fitted with operator protection devices (OPD) and meet minimum stability requirements, one in six quad bikes for sale through dealerships do not meet the new national safety standards.
State and territory consumer protection agencies have been conducting surveys to examine whether suppliers were complying with stage one requirements of the Quad Bike Safety Standard, which has been in place since October 2020.
Surveillance took place in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia at dealerships which included all major quad bike brands, alongside some of the less well-known marques.
Under stage one of the Quad Bike Safety Standard, all new and imported second hand quad bikes sold in Australia must be tested for lateral static stability and have a hang tag attached to them showing the angle at which the quad bike tips onto two wheels.
They are required to carry a roll over warning label on the bike and the owner's manual must also include roll over safety information.
ACCC deputy chairman Mick Keogh said, "although roughly one in six machines, were not compliant with the safety standard, suppliers have so far cooperated with our investigations and taken steps to fix problems, including recalling non-compliant bikes where necessary".
Suppliers who fail to comply with a mandatory safety or information standard can be found guilty of a criminal offence, with a maximum fine of AU$500,000 for individuals of AU$10 million for body corporates.
When stage two comes into effect from October 11, all new and secondhand imported quad bikes sold in Australia must be fitted with operator protection devices (OPD) and meet minimum stability requirements.
These requirements have been a contentious topic for a number of years and have led to the withdrawal of several brands from the Australian quad market, with Honda, Yamaha and Suzuki planning to exit the market when stage 2 comes into force, following Polaris who have already left.
In contrast, the Australian distributor of CRMoto, Mojo Motorcycles, are one of the companies that have opted to continue supplying ATVs, meeting the stage two requirements early and fittin OPDs as standard across its entire range.
While Nokia is more likely recognised for mobile devices, a major investment of €70m (NZ$126m) by global farm machinery brand AGCO at its facility in Linnavuori, in Nokia, will see the plant establish a new laboratory for testing combustion engines running on alternative fuels, alongside a range of electric solutions, including hybrids, fuel cells and high-voltage battery technology.
Evan Paxton and his family at Riverview Farms, Dargaville, are one of New Zealand’s leading suppliers of kumara.
There can't be many heavy metal fans who haven’t heard of Basildon, situated about 40km east of London and originally created in 1948 to deal with the population boom after the Second World War.
Think of a RAM 1500 or a Chevrolet Silverado and compare them to a Ranger or a Hilux: One is obviously a truck, and the other is a ute.
With effluent management never far from the thoughts of legislators and farmers becoming increasingly aware of the nutrient values of dairy effluent, innovate ideas for the convenient storage and subsequent discharge are always of interest.
The country’s 4200 commercial fruit and vegetable growers will vote from May 14 on a new HortNZ levy.
Meat processor Alliance Group is asking farmer shareholders to inject more capital in order to remain a 100% co-operative.
A vet is calling for all animals to be vaccinated against a new strain of leptospirosis (lepto) discovered on New Zealand dairy farms in recent years.
Dairy
Rural banker Rabobank is partnering with Food Rescue Kitchen on a new TV series which airs this weekend that aims to shine a light on the real and growing issues of food waste, food poverty and social isolation in New Zealand.
Telco infrastructure provider Chorus says that it believes all Kiwis – particularly those in the rural areas – need access to high-speed, reliable broadband.
