Labor’s soft bikie laws in spotlight after Gold Coast shooting linked to two Aussie and Kiwi gangs
Police sources late yesterday confirmed the 18-year-old suspect in the killing was linked to a notoriously violent New Zealand-based outlaw motorcycle gang.
Jason Boyd, a 41-year-old Nomad associate, could not be revived by paramedics after being shot at 8.45am yesterday.
HOW SHOOTING UNFOLDED AMONG $15M MANSIONS
Police began a manhunt for an 18-year-old man of Pacific Islander appearance.
“The young bloke was linked to Black Power. There was a heated discussion between the two,” a police source said.
“This was in Nomads turf (at Nerang).
“They’re full on at the moment.”
GUN FIRED AFTER NIGHT OF PARTYING
The Gold Coast Bulletin understands Boyd died from a single bullet to the heart.
The shooting at a waterfront property in Riverbend Avenue happened against a backdrop of the Government being accused of going soft on gangs and “rolling out the red carpet” for bikies.
Police and prison sources suggest Black Power, which first emerged in Queensland in 2015, has begun moving south from its Logan base, targeting youths at Coomera, Pacific Pines and Southport.
A bikie source told the Bulletin: “You might not be getting a new police station on the northern Gold Coast but you might get a government-sanctioned bikie club. I think you will see them opening a Coomera chapter of Black Power.”
The former Newman Government’s tough VLAD laws, which closed down bikie clubhouses, saw the Finks abandon the northern Coast after controlling the Surfers Paradise strip through to Labrador and Jacobs Well.
Labor late on Tuesday night in State Parliament was accused of giving an early Christmas gift to Coast bikie gangs after the two Katter Party MPs and independent MP for Cook, Billy Gordon, supported the Government’s Serious and Organised Crime Amendment Bill.
The Opposition warned that bikie clubhouses would reopen, bikies could carry weapons and the gangs start to operate licensed premises.
Black Power has been active on social media, with members encouraged to wear patches in public. Their New Zealand rivals are the Mongrel Mob.
Coomera MP Michael Crandon revealed he had discussions with police about six months ago as it became obvious Mongrel Mob members had begun recruiting in his electorate.
“I haven’t heard about Black Power but I’ve heard about the Mongrel Mob,” Mr Crandon said.
“They definitely have a presence on the northern Gold Coast but not in a big way. They are putting their feelers out. That was confirmed to me by police.
“Obviously we have Pacific Islanders and Maoris. That’s the issue with this Government.
“These guys (in the gangs) have an opportunity to attract those young blokes who are disenfranchised.”
Some of the new members have moved up from Sydney’s tougher suburbs where they had established crime links, the source said.
Bikie Taskforce Maxima boss Detective Superintendent Mick Niland said his team was monitoring the activities of both gangs.
“We are aware of their existence and have taken action last year and this year in relation to different investigations regarding Black Power,” he said.
“Last year a number of Black Power members were deported as they did not have Australian visas.
“This is a real consequence many of these members face.
“At this stage they are predominantly active in Logan and surrounds and they are active on social media and we have officers who monitor that.”
Det Supt Niland said he was aware of historic rivalry between the Mongrel Mob and Black Power.
“We are watching all members of gangs but if a member of the public sees members in colours they should contact police immediately — we want to know,” he said.
“We will continue to exploit every opportunity to target outlaw motorcycle gangs and organised crime.”
MINISTER TO MEET MAYOR TO DISCUSS BIKIE LAWS
NEWPolice Minister Mark Ryan and Mayor Tom Tate will meet for the first time next week to discuss Labor’s much-criticised new anti-bikie laws.
Mr Ryan, in a speech in State Parliament on Thursday defending the Government’s new Serious and Organised Crime Legislation Amendment Bill, indicated he was prepared to meet with the mayor.
“Mayor Tate is a strong advocate for his local community and I get that,” Mr Ryan told Parliament.
“I am keen to meet with him and work with him.
“The Palaszczuk government’s investment in frontline policing will be backed by our strong new laws — laws designed to disrupt and dismantle organised crime and outlaw motorcycle gangs right across Queensland.”
Cr Tate in October had warned the Coast would be plunged into a climate of fear because Labor’s new laws could lead to a crime wave by outlaw motorcycle gangs.
In a letter tabled to the Legal Affairs and Community Safety Committee, he said he had serious concerns about the repeal of the Vicious Lawless Association Disestablishment (VLAD) Act by the proposed “softer” laws.
“We were a city under siege. But the VLAD law stopped them (the bikies) dead in their tracks. Nothing else had worked but that did,” he wrote.
The mayor yesterday indicated a meeting had been arranged with Mr Ryan.
“It’s already in my diary. We will meet next week,” he said.
The shooting at Carrara yesterday involving bikies has further sparked the fears of the mayor, MPs and many Coast residents that bikies will again run rampant on the Glitter Strip.
Cr Tate is LNP-aligned and close to State MP Sid Cramp, who wants more police resources and a commercial policing hub at Pacific Pines.
Mr Cramp said yesterday residents were concerned about bikies opening up new clubhouses but were reluctant to speak publicly about the new laws.
“It’s clearly weighing on the minds of locals,” he said.
“The bikies have locals so scared.
“It’s a real concern when the public won’t speak up.”
Aware of the criticism, Mr Ryan made a statement to the House in which he specifically addressed policing on the Glitter Strip.
“Our commitment to the Gold Coast is rock solid,” he told Parliament.
“Since we came to government, 24 additional police officers have hit the beat on the Gold Coast.
“We funded the priority rollout of 300 body-worn cameras to frontline police on the Gold Coast last year.
“We have new police leadership on the Gold Coast delivering great results and delivering a boost in confidence to the people of the Gold Coast and our frontline police officers.”