Motorcycle clubs confident over High Court challenge to Queensland VLAD laws
The United Motorcycle Council (UMC) says its lawyers are still confident of overturning Queensland's anti-bikie laws despite more states and territories pledging their support for the State Government's measures.
Attorneys-General from five states and territories along with the Commonwealth are backing the Vicious Lawless Association Disestablishment (VLAD) legislation.
The UMC, representing 17 Queensland clubs, lodged its High Court challenge against more than a dozen sections of the legislation back in March.
The High Court will next week begin a hearing into whether the laws are constitutional.
The campaign is being led by barrister Wayne Baffsky, who successfully overturned similar laws in New South Wales in 2011.
The UMC's Michael Kosenko said it would be a costly but worthwhile legal battle.
"We've got to win this thing," he said.
"We've had limited funds. We've probably spent close to $1 million now and I'm sure the Government's spent 10 times that preparing to fight us.
"They know these laws are wrong and they're going to spend every dollar they've got to make them stick."
Queensland Local Government Minister David Crisafulli said the support of New South Wales, Western Australia, Victoria, South Australia and the Northern Territory was a vindication for the state's position.
"That's tremendous, and I hope it's a sign that what we are doing is in the interests of everybody," he said.
"This has always been about one thing, and that is creating a safer community and the fact that right across the board states are joining us shows that we've been on the right track."