Vic Police chief bags SA bikie laws

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The Adelaide Advertiser (South Australia) | 26 June 2008

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,23923536-5006301,00.html

VICTORIA’S police chief is warning SA’s tough new anti-bikie gang laws will lead to increased conflict between police and bikies and drive them underground.

Police Commissioner Christine Nixon says the laws will “merely drive the visible appearance of organised motorcycle gangs (OMCGs) underground, where the criminal activity will continue to function”.

“Rather than displacing OMCG organised crime activity from SA, it is likely the new laws will increase police-OMCG conflict,” she said.

“Victoria Police does not support proposals intended to deal with OMCG members in a similar manner to that of terrorist groups by prohibiting groups and individual association between declared persons.”

In her submission to a federal parliamentary crime inquiry, Ms Nixon also says the SA laws would probably breach Victoria’s charter of human rights.

SA Police has disagreed with the comments, with a spokeswoman for Police Commissioner Mal Hyde saying police believed “our legislation will be highly effective in disrupting serious criminal behaviour”.

‘”SAPOL can’t understand Chief Commissioner Nixon’s opinion these criminals will be driven underground, as serious organised criminals already go to great lengths to keep their criminal activities secret,” she said.

Queensland’s Crime and Misconduct Commission also has questioned the effectiveness of the SA laws.

Bikie gang expert Dr Arthur Veno has called for an independent crime commission in SA to oversee the implementation of the new laws.

Their views are contained in submissions to the inquiry into laws to outlaw serious and organised crime groups. The committee is expected to take evidence in Adelaide early next month.

State Parliament passed the new laws last month after an extensive debate and protests from lawyers and civil libertarians.

The tough anti-bikie laws make it an offence for outlaw motorcycle club members or people with criminal records to meet more than six times a year. They also significantly widen police powers to deal with bikie gangs.

A recent bikie funeral in Adelaide for Gypsy Jokers president Wayne “Chiller” McGrath, attended by more than 300 people, might have been declared illegal under the ne ...

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