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
