OFF THE WIRE
Queensland will not bow to federal pressure to hand over any of its
powers in its fight against criminal motorcycle gangs – or anything
else.
The Australian newspaper has reported federal Justice
Minister Michael Keenan has begun work on reforming the Commonwealth's
unexplained wealth laws, which could override similar state laws.
But
Premier Campbell Newman, who has promised the "toughest laws in
Australia" to fight against organised crime activities, said Queensland
would not back down.
"We will not be referring state powers in this matter," he said.
"We believe in the federation operating in the way the founding fathers intended, which is competition between the states.
"We
want the best possible business environment, we want the safest
possible community, and I am not going to ever agree to things which
prevent the government of Queensland delivering the best possible
outcome for Queenslanders."
A 2012 joint parliamentary committee
examining the federal laws made 17 recommendations to improve them. They
included "referral powers" from the states and territories.
However,
Mr Newman said he had spoken to federal Attorney-General George Brandis
on the phone on Wednesday morning and he had been assured "this isn't
the case".
But it wouldn't matter if it was, Mr Newman said, because Queensland would not willingly hand over its legislative powers.
"We don't think that all the smart people are in Canberra," he said.
"We
think there are plenty of smart people in Queensland who are capable of
coming up with laws that are appropriate to deal with criminal gangs."
The state government passed its own unexplained wealth laws in May this year.
Under
the tightened laws, the onus is on the accused to prove how they
obtained their wealth, not on the state to prove it is the result of
criminal activity.
Convicted drug traffickers will be forced to
forfeit all their property, including gifts from six years ago,
regardless of whether it was obtained legally or not.
The government will also rush through anti-racketeering legislation next week, bypassing the parliamentary committee process.
http://www.baysidebulletin.com.au/story/1831101/queensland-vows-to-resist-federal-bikie-laws/?cs=12
