The Boating Industry Association of Australia has launched an official petition calling on the NSW Government to stop the astronomical increases to boating and Jet Ski licence fees.
As previously reported, the NSW Government is poised to reset its own benchmark for the most expensive Jet Ski licence fees in the world.
From 1 July 2024, the NSW Government has proposed the following increases.
Proposed Jet Ski licence fee increases in NSW from 1 July 2024:
- 1 year Jet Ski licence: was $210, now $245 (up 17 per cent)
- 3 year Jet Ski licence: was $460, now $662 (up 44 per cent)
- 5 year Jet Ski licence: was $720, now $1042 (up 45 per cent)
- 10 year Jet Ski licence: was $1043, now $1961 (up 88 per cent)
The NSW Jet Ski licence fees compare to $124 for a lifetime licence for a Jet Ski in Queensland, and $45 for a one-year licence for a Jet Ski in Victoria.
Proposed boat licence fee increases in NSW from 1 July 2024:
- 1 year Boat licence: was $69, now $77 (up 12 per cent)
- 3 year Boat licence: was $185, now $220 (up 19 per cent)
- 5 year Boat licence: was $292, now $351 (up 20 per cent)
- 10 year Boat licence: was $521, now $679 (up 30 per cent)
The NSW Government said the increases are in response to a 44 per cent surge in the number of Jet Ski licence holders over the past five years.
However, the increase in Jet Ski licence holders means the NSW Government has already received a 44 per cent boost in revenue from this part of the boating sector.
The Boating Industry Association is calling on policymakers to increase fees by the cost of inflation (or CPI, the Consumer Price Index), as the NSW Government has done for the past two decades.
The current rate of CPI is 5.89 per cent but the NSW Government has proposed increases of between 17 and 88 per cent to Jet Ski licence fees.
These increases are despite the fact that NSW already had the most expensive Jet Ski licence fees in the world – and neighbouring states Queensland and Victoria have decided to not apply CPI increases this year due to general cost-of-living pressures.
To have your say in the Boating Industry Association petition against record high Jet Ski and boat licence fee increases, click the link below.
HAVE YOUR SAY: Petition against record high NSW Jet Ski licence fees
All our coverage so far on the NSW Government’s radical Jet Ski licence fee increases
MORE: Our open letter to the NSW Government: please reconsider Jet Ski licence fees
MORE: NSW Maritime already has more Jet Skis, boats and safety officers than QLD, so why are our fees going up?
MORE: Renewed calls for urgent review into NSW Jet Ski licence fee increases
MORE: How to have your say and contact your local government representative
MORE: Jet Skis by the numbers: NSW, QLD and VIC data compared
MORE: Jet Ski injury statistics at odds with logic behind fee increases
MORE: Boating sector ‘blindsided’ by licence fee increases
MORE: NSW proposes world’s highest Jet Ski licence fees