Government has tabled a bill introducing a curfew for teen bikers despite threats from rebel backbenchers to block it.

The Auxiliary Bicycles Amendment Bill 2009 will make it an offence for any person under 18 to ride a moped between midnight and 5 a.m.

And it will require 16 to 18-year-olds to complete a Project Ride road safety course before getting a youth licence.

Under 18s will also be barred from carrying a pillion passenger while non-residents under 18 will be barred from moped riding.

Bike rental companies will be barred from renting mopeds to under 18s without a valid youth licence.

The bill could have a rough passage with former Cabinet Minister Wayne Perinchief saying it was a form of social control.

He told The Royal Gazette recently: "Having given 18-year-olds the vote we are certainly not going to discriminate against 16-year-olds who are only two years short of legal majority to move freely about this Country at any time."

Responsibility must be given to young people and their parents, said the former Community and Cultural Affairs Minister, while giving Government the power of that choice had all the trappings of dictatorship.

Also tabled in the House yesterday was the Civil Airports Act 1949 which will give the Transport Minister power to grant leases of up to 21 years without parliamentary approval, while leases between 21 years and 120 years must go before the House.