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Rebels speak out over new laws

Rebel Motorcycle Club members Bill Holgate (left), Mackay chapter president Don Trevethan and Dean Anderson outside their clubhouse at Racecourse.

 
Rebel Motorcycle Club members Bill Holgate (left), Mackay chapter president Don Trevethan and Dean Anderson outside their clubhouse at Racecourse. Tony Martin

A MACKAY bikie has slammed Premier Campbell Newman's "draconian" laws against outlaw motorcycle groups, saying the proposed legislation is against human rights and will just drive clubs "underground".

Rebels Motorcycle Club Mackay chapter president Don Trevethan described his club as a group of guys who work, pay taxes and "enjoy motorcycles".

"To me it's (about) mateship," Mr Tevethan said.

"We're just a motorcycle club… we enjoy motorcycles and having heaps of friends that come and drink with us and just the motorcycling side of it.

"There's three bikie clubs (in Mackay)… we all just respect one another.

"There are no problems here."

Mr Trevethan, a 60-year-old father of four and supervisor for a construction company, said under the proposed State Government laws all members of outlaw motorcycle clubs would be classed as criminals, whether they were involved in illegal activities or not.

"Ninety per cent of the blokes causing this stuff probably don't even own bikes," he said.

"The police have got to do the dirty work for Campbell Newman.

"With the police, they're only doing what they're told."

He said attempts to rid the state of bikie clubs would just drive members "underground".

"What he (Campbell Newman) wants to do and what he's allowed to do… hopefully it's all going to the High Court.

"Judges aren't going to let Campbell Newman tell them what to do.

"We're not going anywhere. Obviously things will have to change but we aren't going anywhere."

Mr Trevethan said the Rebels Mackay chapter had already contacted a barrister about the proposed legislation.

He said the club would fight the new laws through the judicial system and wouldn't consider confronting police.

"If they start hounding us here or trying to lock us up for any reason… as I've said, they've got no reason to lock us up in Mackay here, we'll fight it.

"If they lock one of our blokes up we're going to have a barrister there or a solicitor there straight away to get him out… and find out what he's locked up for.

"What would we do, threaten the police or something? No way in the world, that would be ridiculous to do."

He said police already had the power to arrest criminals for illegal activity and should be "doing their job" under the current laws in places like the Gold Coast.

"If you get locked up for a criminal offence then you deserve to be locked up," he said.

Read the full story in today's Daily Mercury.

 

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