Bikies put differences aside

NSW biker gangs have rallied against recently introduced criminal organisation laws, forming the United Motorcycle Council of New South Wales at an inter-gang meeting at Rebels Clubhouse in Leppington in Sydney’s South West.

The spokesman for the group, known as “Fish” from the God Squad club, said the meeting was to make the point that bikie violence was under control. “We’re here to assure the public that there’s no ongoing disputes in motorcycle clubs,” he told the ABC.

Geoffrey Nicholson QC, legal spokesman for the Council, said the purpose of the meeting was to “bring some objectivity into the picture and to also comment upon the biker legislation the state government has passed.” (AAP). He called the laws “unfair” and said they have the potential to unjustifiably curb freedom of speech and free association.

Nicholson is not alone in his concerns, with discontent growing in the academic and legal community. NSW Director of Public Prosecutions, Nicholas Cowdery, launched a scathing attack on the Crimes (Criminal Organisations Control) Act 2009 on the DPP website. His report emerged after the NSW Government passed new anti-biker laws last week, criminalising ‘recruitment’ into a ‘criminal organisation’ with a penalty of up to five years’ imprisonment.

Cowdery said the laws demonstrate “another giant leap backward for human rights and the separation of powers – in short, the rule of law in NSW”.

He criticised the breadth of the laws, pointing out the legislation “is not confined in its terms to ‘outlaw motorcycle gangs’ and its potential reach is much broader… This legislation could be applied to any, even small, informally organised groups.”

The laws also circumvent normal rules of evidence and are lacking in formality. “Are organisations to be declared on the basis of hearsay, or a police intelligence officer’s ‘hunch’, or a report of an anonymous telephone call?” asked Cowdery.

Meanwhile, 600 bikies from several clubs including the Finks, Gypsy Jokers, Rebels and Hells Angels converged upon the South Australian Parliament last week, in an act of resistance against similar anti-biker legislation in that state.

Members from the several gangs met at the Colac Hotel in Port Adelaide before moving through the streets of Adelaide on a ‘freedom ride’, eventually presenting a petition against the laws to Democrats MLC David Winderlich at Parliament House.

The day passed without violence, despite the bitter rivalries and strong police presence.

Premier Mike Rann dismissed the protest, saying there was “fat chance” the laws would be scrapped. “We are talking about drug dealers on wheels and we are not going to bend or break because of some sort of protest,” he said.

– By Joseph Hull