BIA meets government over ‘skyrocketing’ boating, jet ski costs

The Boating Industry Association announced on Friday it had met with Transport for NSW, which flagged the fee changes in a surprise announcement just over a week ago, to directly raise its concerns over the planned fee increases that, in particular, hit jet ski owners the hardest.

Under the planned changes, the cost of a 10-year personal watercraft licence doubles to almost $2000, with even annual, three- and five-year licences hit with similar rises.

BIA president Neil Pratchett said the group had received “messages of alarm” from both those working in the industry, as well as those using the products they sell.

 “BIA has had a positive and productive relationship with Transport for NSW and we want it to stay that way,” Patchett said.

“Most of the fee increases are based around CPI but that is not the main issue; the problem is a number of fees have skyrocketed well above CPI, some are up more than 80 per cent and largely aimed at PWCs.”

Alex Broduas, the Asia-Pacific public affairs and government relations lead for BRP, the parent company of jet ski maker Sea-Doo, joined the meeting as a member of the Personal Watercraft Distributor Association to “reinforce the concerns of brands such as Sea-Doo, Kawasaki and Yamaha”, the BIA said.

“We feel the PWC industry is being singled out unfairly for substantially different licence fee increases,” Broduas said.

“We hope Transport for NSW heard our concerns and will respond accordingly.”

The BIA said it had also written to NSW Transport Minister Jo Haylin “with a plan to ease industry and public concern”. It added that it was waiting for a response.

The new fees, which cover boat and jet ski licencing, registration and public moorings, are scheduled to come into effect from July 1.

The high fee increases for jet ski riders have been attributed to what Transport for NSW claims are the higher costs of policing jet ski use in the state.

“We understand that no one likes a fee increase, but this is a necessary change to ensure NSW Maritime can continue conducting safety-critical activities on our waterways,” Transport for NSW maritime executive director Mark Hutchings said.

Most of the planned boat-based fee rises have increased in line with the consumer price index, which is used to keep fees relevant to economic conditions.

Under the planned changes, the cost of an annual jet ski licence rises by $35 to $245, compared with an $8 price rise to $77 a year for a boat licence.

Likewise, the cost of registering a boat is planned to rise by $14 to $89 a year, an 18 percent increase, while for a jet ski, it jumps by $183 to sit at $483 – a 61 percent increase.