Palaszczuk To Extend Anti-Bikie Bans

$37m To Target Organised Crime  The State Government will provide an extra $37.4 million over four years to boost the response to serious organised crime in Queensland. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the package was in addition to the Budget boost for the Queensland Police Service last year and the $3.2 million allocated to improve investigations into child exploitation. The extra funding will be part of the next State Budget to be delivered on June 14. The funding package announced today includes: • $20m over four years for police to specifically target serious organised crime; • $12.1m over four years to provide more resources for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. The funding will provide an extra 26 full-time equivalent staff; and • $5.3m over three years to establish an independent crime statistics body to collect data and monitor organised crime, as well as impacts and trends across all crime types. The extra funding for police is in additional to another $20 million allocation over four years in last year’s Budget to target crime hotspots, such as organised crime, alcohol-fuelled violence, and drugs, particularly the prevalence of ICE.

April 4, 2016

Instead of winding back the Newman Government’s controversial anti-VLAD laws, the State Government intends to ramp up some provisions that target members of outlaw motorcycle clubs.

Cabinet resolved on Monday that the ban on bikies displaying colours would be extended from the current ban in licensed premises to encompass all public places.

This would mean that members of outlaw clubs would no longer be able to wear colours at events such as the anti-VLAD concerts staged at Wooroolin in 2014 and 2015.

The State Government also intends to ensure all outlaw motorcycle clubhouses remain closed.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the new regime of laws would tackle serious organised crime in Queensland.

“These laws will form the strongest and most robust serious organised crime legislation in the nation,” she said.

“Our planned regime will give the police and our courts workable, enforceable laws to convict those involved in all forms of serious crime.”

Ms Palaszczuk said outlaw bikers comprised only a portion of the threat that criminal organisations poses in this State.

“However, they are a very visible and intimidating part of organised crime,” she said.

“Queenslanders deserve to know that their safety is protected by strong laws – operationally strong enough to combat every form of organised crime, and legally strong enough to secure convictions that won’t be overturned.”

She said the new laws would retain elements of the 2013 laws and 2009 Criminal Organisations Act that had been found to be effective.

“They will replace those that are compromised, vulnerable to challenge or ineffective, and build on the robust and effective legislation already in place in other jurisdictions,” she said.

“They will empower police to bring down individuals in criminal organisations, be they child sex predators, drug traffickers, boiler-room fraudsters or outlaw motorcycle gangs.

“The gangs can expect no let-up from the police and prosecutors. I want more convictions, not less.”

Current laws will remain in place until the new legislation is enforced.

Cabinet committed to a new regime that would include:

• Targeted consorting laws

• New organised crime control orders

• Additional jail sentences with mandatory provision for serious organised crime

Ms Palaszczuk said the proposed package would overcome serious flaws in the 2013 legislation, including the risk identified by Taskforce Chair Alan Wilson QC that “in their current form the offences will be difficult to prosecute successfully and may be Constitutionally invalid”.

The State Government intends to introduce its new organised crime legislation by August 2016.

  Police