This seems like a sensible but odd carveout. The law is essentially legalising e-scooters on shared paths, and bike lanes on roads with no more than 20km/h. The proposition does not allow them on footpaths, which you’d think would be the most relevant place. Personally, I’m surprised they wouldn’t allow them on footpaths but no more than 5 km/h in heavy pedestrian areas (anywhere a car would have to do 40 km/h or less), especially since you could potentially require shared e-scooters to enforce this speed with GPS.
In Victoria, there’s a number of paths designated for both pedestrians and cyclists. They’re incredibly shit for both parties IMO. Kids, dogs and idiots ruin the experience, I prefer to cycle on the road with cars who are more predictable and follow the rules better. We really need to be building separate walking and a bike/microtransit paths.
I assume it’s the same in Sydney but I have no experience there.
Shared paths are good on low volume recreational paths. For serious commuting or paths where there’s large numbers of people, they’re shit.
They’re not too bad in my part of Sydney, though you do get the occasional teenager or delivery rider zooming through on an e-bike that has probably had the limiter removed/bypassed.