OFF THE WIRE
Proposed laws to allow police to strike pre-emptively against criminal bikie
gaxxx could also be used to target environmental groups or unions who frustrate
the government, the lawyer for a Victorian motorcycle club says.
Tramps
Motorcycle Club lawyer John Suta described the laws as a glorified public
relations campaign that could be open to abuse.
'Our criminal justice
system is sufficient to deal with crime. Why do we need these laws?,' Mr Suta
said.
'They're unnecessary, they're politically motivated and
reactionary.'
The legislation introduced into state parliament on
Wednesday gives police the power to apply to the Supreme Court to order criminal
bikie gaxxx and other gaxxx to be declared banned.
Once an organisation
is declared illegal, the court can make control orders banning members of that
group from associating or participating in gaxxx activities.
Mr Suta said
the Wangaratta-based Tramps have around 25 members and no connection to criminal
activity but were the type of group who could be hit by the laws.
He said
the Baillieu government could also close down other groups at its discretion if
the laws were passed.
'The government has made it clear these laws just
don't target bikies, they can target other organisations as well so if the
government doesn't like an environmental group of a union they can apply these
laws to those organisations,' he said.
The Law Institute of Victoria
(LIV) has also criticised the legislation, casting doubt on whether it would be
legally enforceable.
But a spokesman for Attorney-General Robert Clark
said the LIV's criticism was 'baseless conjecture'.
'The LIV's claim that
the legislation will make lawful meetings a criminal offence is absurd,' he
said.
'The government does not want Victoria to become a haven for
criminal bikie gaxxx, something which the LIV's views would see
continue.'
http://www.skynews.com.au/national/article.aspx?id=816378
