AUSTRALIA - Labor vows to ban bikie tattoo parlours if it wins South Australian election in March

OFF THE WIRE
BIKIE gang members and their associates will be banned from operating tattoo parlours and there will be increased sentences for a range of serious offences if Labor wins the March 15 poll.

Premier Jay Weatherill will on Sunday unveil the new policies, which are included in a range of new community safety initiatives, at Labor’s campaign launch at the Adelaide Oval.

Other initiatives include increased monitoring and restrictions on convicted child sex offenders when released from prison, renewed moves to target the assets of major drug traffickers, the reinvigoration of the successful Neighbourhood Watch crime prevention program, introducing an online service for victims to track the investigation and movement of their case through the courts, and laws preventing dangerous offenders from changing their name when released from prison.

Mr Weatherill said the package of initiatives was designed to build on those introduced by Labor over the past 12 years that had “significantly reduced crime and increased community safety.’’

“Delivering a safe community is the first thing for government and this has been a key priority of this government for the last 12 years. It will remain a bedrock of our policy in the future,’’ he said.

While Mr Weatherill would not divulge what offences would be targeted for increased sentences until closer to the poll date, he said the community remained concerned at the sentences imposed for some crimes.

“Notwithstanding the fact we have strengthened SA’s sentencing regime so that on average they are 37 per cent longer than when we came into government and we have the longest aggregate sentence lengths in the country, there are still some concerns we need to be vigilant about in particular cases,’’ he said.

If re-elected Labor would extend SA’s already stringent laws to control bikies to prohibit them from owning tattoo parlours. Such a move would directly impact many gang members in SA who operate high-profile tattoo parlours.

Mr Weatherill said that ban would also be extended to gang members operating pawn shops.

“SA police have taken a leadership role in the disruption of the activities of outlaw motorcycle gangs and we have to be vigilante as they change their business models and change their tactics,’’ he said.

“Every time they make a move we are there watching them and add a legislative response when its appropriate to cover off on that.’’

While Labor has previously been thwarted from directly attacking the assets of major drug traffickers by the Opposition blocking such legislation on three occasions, Mr Weatherill said Labor was “determined’’ to pursue such laws.

“This will be a key election issue. It represents an active point of difference between us and the Liberal party,’’ he said.

He also stated that ongoing concern over the presence of convicted sex offenders in the community would see increased restrictions placed on them if Labor was re-elected.

A further 200 GPS tracking devices would be provided to Correctional Services to monitor such offenders and control orders would be introduced that would dictate their movements within the community even once their parole periods had expired.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/labor-vows-to-ban-bikie-tattoo-parlours-if-it-wins-south-australian-election-in-march/story-fnii5yv7-1226828217629