http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/central/melbourne-bikers-to-step-up-campaign-against-queenslands-antibikie-laws/story-fngnvlpt-1226773973104 Melbourne bikers to step up campaign against Queensland's anti-bikie laws
OUTLAW motorcycle riders stood side-by-side with church leaders in Melbourne to protest Queensland's tough anti-bikie laws on Sunday. Spring St rumbled to the sound of more than 1000 motorcycles as independent and patch-wearing bikers, including members of outlaw motorcycle group the Rebels motorcycle club - one of 26 clubs targeted in Queensland - joined the peaceful rally.
Freedom Riders Victoria spokesman Dale Maggs said Queensland's anti-association laws unfairly affected all motorcyclists and scooter riders, allowing police to stop and question groups of three or more riders.
Similar legislation was ready to be tabled in Victoria, he said.
The Australian Crime Commission recorded 4483 members of 44 active outlaw motorcycle gangs nationally in 2012; representing 0.6 per cent of the 744,000 registered motorcycles on Australian roads.
God Squad founder Dr Reverend John Smith, who has worked in the biker scene for 43 years, said a minority of "so called" outlaw club members were involved in organised crime.
Rev Smith told the crowd anti-bikie laws set a dangerous precedent, and could prevent law-abiding family members from contacting each other, while Victoria Police already had laws to pursue organised crime.
"Our parliaments, since 9/11, have gradually gone down that slippery slope in terms of human rights," Rev Smith said.
Motorcycle clubs served the community, he said.
"Edgy guys, if they were just footloose and fancy free would be far more trouble than if they were in a disciplined club where their colours meant they had to behave and obey certain internal rules," Rev Smith said.
"I know there are brothers who do the wrong thing … there's a few in the military who do the wrong thing too … should we label the military as a criminal organisation?" he said.
Father Bob Maguire AM paid tribute to motorcycle clubs' charity work and earnt raucous applause for his bikers' Waltzing Matilda: "Once a jolly biker, seated on his mean machine, under the sign of the Southern Cross …"
Handwritten notes from Father Bob Maguire’s version of Waltzing Matilda. Source: Supplied
Harley Owners Group (HOG) member Stuart told Leader anti-bikie laws targeted 0.3 per cent of Australian crime, referring to research presented by Victoria University Adjunct Professor, Dr Arthur Veno.
"All these guys … all most of us want to do is ride and enjoy ourselves," he said.
"Every time you want to ride with three people it's a gang? That's ridiculous. There's the Ulysses clubs, there's HOG clubs, there's Christian movement clubs, there's even scooter clubs and we're all tarred with the same brush and it's just not right.
"They're using bikers and bikies as an excuse to bring in laws that are against civil liberties and human rights," he said.
Independent Riders Group spokeswomen Cate Hughes said recreational motorbike riders generated about $724 million in tourism for Victoria annually, mostly in regional areas; which could be lost if riders abandoned the sport.
Last year's annual general meeting for the Ulysses Club, where full members must be over 50 years of age, netted $4 million for Mildura, Ms Hughes said.
A motorbike's limited storage meant riders spent up on accommodation, food, fuel and entertainment during day- and overnight- trips, she said.
Rally organisers planned to step up their campaign in the lead-up to Victoria's 2014 state election.