Turning temporarily imported bike into a "roadworthy" one in NSW - just silly!

[Margus]

We got our Estonian-registered bike imported into Australia (Sydney) under a Carnet just last week and are now trying to figure out how to ride around the country in a lawful way. It seems that one thing that is required in almost the whole country is the Compulsory Third Party insurance (CTP) for bodily injury. Australian Automobile Association's (AAA) web page suggests that it should be provided by the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA). RTA in NSW, however, says that they absolutely do not deal with CTP and that we should address insurance companies instead. Different insurance companies that we've contacted only provide insurance for vehicles that are registered in Australia. We are not intending to register the bike here since we're here on a temporary basis only.
This whole thing is quite confusing, since today we met a biker from Germany (whose bike has German licence plate) who had shipped his bike from Singapore to Darwin, and he said he got his "green slip" (goes for CTP, I suppose) from a motor regisrty in Darwin. Well, it is obvious that different states here have different requirements and that since NSW does not require foreign registered bikes to have any sort of permits or insurance it does not offer one either. But soon we'll get to Queensland and it appears from AAA web page that there one should have insurance to travel on their roads. Also, to get any sort of insurance, companies ask for the number on the "pink slip" (roadworthiness certificate), but those slips are only issued to registered vehicles, and we were directed to go to some place which offers "blue slips" (whatever they are for), but in order to get one, you have to have some sort of approval from Canberra. That does sound too complicated to be reasonable.
Thus, my question is: has anyone ever obtained CTP in NSW, and what steps did you go through to get one?

[Dave Milligan]

Originally Posted by Margus

Thus, my question is: has anyone ever obtained CTP in NSW, and what steps did you go through to get one?

For a start I'm an Aussie resident and therefore my bikes CTP is included in my VICTORIAN Rego and it covers me for the whole of Australia.

As a visitor you have to buy CTP in each state you travel to, but it's a PITA.

In Victoria you buy it from VIC Roads - can't remember the technical term for it. In NSW you buy it from one of the NSW insurance providers and I think it's the same in QLD. For the rest of Australia I don't know, but I do know it's a stupid system.

Why they can't have one CTP policy for visiting vehicles and that policy covers all states, is beyond me.

[Mike.C]

I would call NRMA insurance division to see if you can take out a policy without actually having Oz rego. If they will sell you a policy (it's cheap) it will cover you in all states and territories.

You could also call any one of the other insurance companies that offer CTP but NRMA should also be able to advise about the combination of Carnet and Insurance, don't ask the state rego departments - you will inevitably deal with someone either behind a counter or on the phone who has no idea.

[clintnz]

Hi Margus

You can easily get full insurance from Swann for a foreign vehicle in Oz. No pink slip number required. We just got it with monthly payments then cancelled when we left. Most other insurance companies, including NRMA will not insure foreign vehicles.

We got the Vicroads TAC permit for the time we were in Vic, it was only $30 or so for 2 weeks but if going again I would not bother - It's so hard to find out what is required I am sure the police would have no clue that a TAC is required for foreign vehicles when it isn't needed for out of state ones.

There was also some permit supposedly required for South Aus but the SA transport dept didn't really seem to know the details & suggested that we call into an office when we got there - We decided that if head office in Adelaide didn't know, the office in little Port Augusta probably didn't know, & the SA police definitely wouldn't know so we didn't bother.

Cheers
Clint

[Margus]

Thanks for that mates.

I'll try that Swann for a starter.

[flying biker]

I'm surprised by your comment that NSW doesn't require foreign vehicles to have third party personal injury insurance.

In NSW (and I imagine it's the same throughout Australia) it's an offence for an unregistered and uninsured (as in CTP) vehicle to use a public road, just as it's an offence for any unlicensed person to drive on a public road.

It seems strange that a foreign vehicle would be exempt from a law that pertains to all local vehicles. Then again we all know the law can be an ass.