OFF THE WIRE
NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell has accused the prime minister of seeking to score "cheap political points" with her plans to roll out uniform national bikie laws.Julia Gillard has ordered the drafting of anti-bikie laws as an "urgent priority" ahead of a meeting of state and federal justice ministers next week, News Ltd reported on Thursday.
The move follows NSW's failure to list gang related crime on the agenda for the meeting, the paper said.
Mr O'Farrell has hit back, claiming the state government has consistently raised the issue.
"The prime minister is wrong," he said in a statement on Thursday.
"The NSW government is very concerned at the lack of progress on a national approach to bikie laws and has consistently raised the issue."
Mr O'Farrell says his government spoke about the concerns at the November Standing Council on Law and Justice meeting, as well as at the November Senior Officers meeting.
"I was so concerned at the lack of progress that in January this year I sought an urgent meeting with the prime minister, which she declined," he said.
The premier added that the passage of bikie laws in state parliament last week demonstrated his government was acting decisively.
"We wish the Gillard government would treat the issue with the same urgency and importance," he said.
"Instead of seeking to score cheap political points, the federal government should look at the facts and take action."
News Ltd said it had obtained a series of letters between Mr O'Farrell and Ms Gillard, dating back to July last year, which revealed a standoff was to blame for the delay to national anti-bikie laws.
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=8439370
