Calls to stop shock boating fee hikes in Australia grow

The leisure boating industry in Australia is calling on the Minister for Transport to intervene and ask Transport for New South Wales (NSW) to abandon its surprise boating fee hikes, which are planned to come into effect in July 2024.

In May, MIN reported that Transport for NSW planned a slue of boating fee increases, which include $900 more for a ten-year personal watercraft, which would now cost $1961.  

Transport for NSW’s move to increase a wide range of boating fees from 1 July will deliver a windfall for the department in extra revenue, according to the Boating Industry Association (BIA). 

BIA spokesperson Neil Patchett says there are concerns about the way that Transport for NSW is claiming that these increases will only be modest for the majority and that they are necessary to fund the departments work in safety. 

“Transport for NSW already charges the highest fees in the nation for people to go recreational boating,” Patchett says. “Claims increases are mostly no more than $35 masks the fact that, as an example, a three-year general boat driver licence will go up by 19 percent. This is more than triple what the CPI figure should be and some of the fee increases go as high as 88 per cent.

“Compounding the concern is the lack of appropriate consultation. For the first time in more than 20 years, Transport for NSW has gone against its own policy which is to adjust fees in line with CPI (5.89 per cent). The new fees will result in tens of millions of dollars in extra revenue from the boating public, made up of everyday Australian families trying to make ends meet in a cost-of-living crisis.”   

When considering the above example, BIA notes that if the current number of boaters in NSW took up a three-year general boat and PWC licence, revenue from these licences alone would climb to $53 million a year. These are just two fee items on a schedule of 13 fees changed to waterways users. 

The new plan impacts the full range of boating fees in NSW. Some examples are: 

 PWC licence fee increases in NSW from 1 July 2024: 

• One year PWC licence: was $210, now $245 (up 17 per cent) 
• Three year PWC licence: was $460, now $662 (up 44 per cent) 
• Five year PWC licence: was $720, now $1042 (up 45 per cent) 
• Ten year PWC licence: was $1043, now $1961 (up 88 per cent) 

The NSW PWC licence fees compare to $124 for a lifetime licence for a PWC in Queensland, and $45 for a one-year licence for a PWC in Victoria.   

General boat licence fee increases in NSW from 1 July 2024: 

• One year Boat licence: was $69, now $77 (up 12 per cent) 
• Three year Boat licence: was $185, now $220 (up 19 per cent) 
• Five year Boat licence: was $292, now $351 (up 20 per cent) 
• Ten year Boat licence: was $521, now $679 (up 30 per cent) 

“The Boating Industry Association is the peak body that represents hundreds of small businesses across New South Wales. There are significant concerns coming from industry and public about the ramifications that these record-breaking fee increases will have on businesses and boating. The potential that people will be pushed out of leisure boating is very real. If families are priced out of this form of recreation, it will put jobs at risk across the boating sector.” 

The industry employs more than 30,000 people in Australia with a substantial number in NSW.  

Ethan, an apprentice marine mechanic employed at a marine business in North-West Sydney, says: “I love being a marine mechanic and it is actually quite hard to get an apprenticeship in this area. If there is a downturn in the sales of boats and jetskis because of the higher fees, then there will be fewer opportunities for boat shops to employ apprentices like me.”