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Bikies protest over plan to outlaw clubs

LOUISE HALL

June 23, 2010 - 2:01PM

A group of bikies, dressed in club colours, converged on NSW Parliament today to protest against a plan to have motorcycle gangs declared criminal organisations.

More than 30 members of the United Motorcycle Council - formed after a deadly brawl at Sydney Airport in March last year - gathered to present their plea against the anti-association laws.

Within weeks of the killing of Anthony Zervas at the airport, the government introduced legislation allowing the police to apply to the Supreme Court for an order to have a bikie gang declared a criminal organisation.

 

So far, no such declaration has been made, but the Herald reported in March that one of the two clubs involved in the airport brawl - the Hells Angels and the Comanchero - was expected to be a target of the new law.

The council's chairman, Mark Maroney, led the delegation to parliament this morning to deliver the letter to the Attorney-General, John Hatzistergos.

The bikies say the laws could apply to any group in society, not just outlaw motorcycle gangs.

"Our concerns about the laws is that it involves everybody," Mr Maroney said.

"The governmet is hoodwinking people to believe its only for bikers. Once it gets in the government can try and control everybody in NSW."

Mr Maroney, also known as "Ferret", said 18 motorcycle clubs wanted the government to repeal to Crimes (Criminal Organisations Control) Act and Amendments 2009.

"We'd like the anti-association laws debated. They weren't debated when they first came in over a year ago. They were rushed through parliament. We want them to listen to us and we're ready to debate them now," he said.

"We've talked to politicians privately that said had they known exactly what the anti-association laws contained they would not have voted for it."

Three of the bikies, including Mr Maroney, were allowed to enter Parliament House to hand deliver the letter to a representative from Mr Hatzistergos' office.

Police from Strike Force Raptor were on hand throughout the event.

 

 

Bikies want banning law lifted

GEESCHE JACOBSEN

June 23, 2010

AS POLICE work on a plan to ban an outlaw motorcycle club in NSW, a group of bikies will appeal today to the government to reconsider the laws.

Thirty members of the United Motorcycle Council - formed after a deadly brawl at Sydney Airport in March last year - are seeking a meeting with the Attorney-General, John Hatzistergos, to present their plea.

Within weeks of the killing of Anthony Zervas at the airport, the government introduced legislation allowing the police to apply to the Supreme Court for an order to have a bikie gang declared a criminal organisation.

 

So far, no such declaration has been made, but the Herald reported in March that one of the two clubs involved in the airport brawl - the Hells Angels and the Comanchero - was expected to be a target of the new law.

Mark ''Ferret'' Maroney, the chairman of the motorcycle council and a member of the Finks Motorcycle Club, wants a public debate about repealing the legislation which, he says, was introduced without ''transparency and accountability''.

The council says the law ''has been widely condemned as flawed and undemocratic''.

Two bikies from each of the clubs represented by the motorcycle council are expected to arrive at State Parliament today to appeal to Mr Hatzistergos.

 

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