Labor to oppose bikie colours legislation
Labor will oppose
legislation banning bikies from wearing
insignia saying it does not go far enough to
target organised crime in Tasmania.
Labor’s police
spokesman Shane Broad said the government’s
plan to ban outlaw motorcycle gang
colours would not address the much wider
issue of organised crime and gave the Police
Minister too much power.
Dr Broad said while
Labor was fully on board with the move to
curb the criminal activities of outlaw
motorcycle gangs, the government’s Police
Offences Amendment (Prohibited Insignia)
Bill, to be debated in state parliament next
week, does not target the wider scope of
organised crime.
“The fight against
organised crime in Tasmania needs to be
much, much broader including, but not
limited to, outlaw motorcycle gangs,” Dr
Broad said.
“Tasmania cannot be
allowed to become a haven for criminal gangs
especially when dealing with the impact of
drug trafficking.
“But it is silly to
think banning bikie colours will solve the
problem.”
Dr Broad said the bill
to be debated in the House of Assembly does
not adequately address organised crime.
Dr Shane Broad
“It is an appalling
piece of legislation,” he said.
“While the
distribution of illicit drugs should be a
core focus of any clamp down, the Liberals
with their proposed legislation are ignoring
the fact that the underworld has a broad
scope.
“It can involve
extortion rackets to white collar corporate
scams, to youth and street gangs, to the
production and distribution of pornography
and child exploitation material.”
“Instead of pretending
that banning the wearing of colours will
solve all of Tasmania’s drug and crime
issues, the government should be following
the lead of other states by drafting
comprehensive organised crime legislation.
“Banning insignia
should be part of a comprehensive toolkit
available to police – not the
be-all-and-end-all – and increased powers
should be activated after evidence is tested
in a court.
Labor also argued the
legislation gave the Police Minister too
much power.
“There is no court
process and no appeals and it doesn’t even
mention drugs,” Dr Broad said.
“If enacted, the
Minister could ban almost anything that
displays any insignia or logo of almost any
organisation, with no due process, evidence
or court action required.”
Dr Broad said
importantly, the proposed laws did not
address the need for increased tools police
need to undertake a comprehensive organised
crime operation, including an increased
investment in specialist skills to catch
criminals and take away the profits of their
crimes.
Civil rights groups
have criticised the legislation and
the Australian Lawyers Alliance said it was
a violation of human rights.