Bikie crackdown laws clear hurdle

THE State Government’s contentious anti-bikie legislation has passed through the lower house of Parliament, despite attempts by Labor to force amendments.

The Police Offences Amendment (Prohibited Insignia) Bill makes it illegal for a person to display a piece of clothing, jewellery or other accessory of a “prohibited organisation”.

It is intended to disrupt outlaw motorcycle gangs by preventing their members from wearing their club “colours” and other insignia.

The laws have been opposed by Labor, the Greens and civil libertarians as being too broad.

Police Minister Michael Ferguson hailed yesterday’s passage of the legislation as the Government delivering on an election promise to keep the community safe from organised crime.

“This Bill was a clear chance for Labor to drop their soft-oncrime approach, which saw them vote against tougher sentences for child sex offenders,” he said.

“Unfortunately, they blew it, siding with organised crime gangs to splash their opposition to the Bill all over newspapers last week, and today trying to force the Bill to be withdrawn — exactly what outlaw motorcycle gangs would want to happen.”

The Bill was passed with the support of the casting vote of Speaker Sue Hickey, who said she had listened to the advice of state, federal and Queensland police.

“The Tasmania Police force needs to have all possible legal and technical remedies and avenues available to them, to control those organisations that wish to perpetrate a range of criminal activities, upon our communities,” she said.

The Bill faces an uncertain future before the Upper also showed House, where several members have expressed concerns about the wide powers it gives to the police minister.

Labor’s Police, Fire and Emergency Services spokesman Shane Broad said Labor maintained its position the Bill needed to be scrapped and entirely rewritten.

“The Hodgman Liberal Government must go back to the drawing board,” he said.

Mr Broad said a request for a meeting with the Premier to discuss redrafting the Bill had been ignored.

“While Labor supports the intent of the Bill, we have reservations about the powers of the minister and the lack of an appeals mechanism.

“Our position remains that the fight against organised crime in Tasmania needs to be much, much broader including — but not limited to — outlaw motorcycle gangs.”