Sep 9, 2009
Senator attacks police war on gangs
Senator attacks police war on gangs
Paul Maley | April 15, 2009
Article from: The Australian
THE head of a federal parliamentary committee on organised crime has lashed out at the police war on outlaw bike gangs, saying it was a "distraction" from the fight against the Mr Bigs of the drug trade.
Category: United Motorcycle Council News (UMC)
Posted by: admin
In comments that put him sharply at odds with Attorney-General Robert McClelland, Labor senator Steve Hutchins said the threat posed by bikies did not justify the nationwide introduction of tough anti-bikie laws already in force in NSW and South Australia.
Senator Hutchins said while bikies were involved in the distribution of drugs, police should be focused on the kingpins of the drug trade.
"We've heard people that have a Rolls-Royce for summer and a Rolls-Royce for winter and they're in the social pages of the Sydney papers," Senator Hutchins told The Australian yesterday. "To me, I find them far more objectionable than some boofhead bikie.
"That's where we should be putting our resources, not the corporals and the sergeants, but the colonels and the generals."
The push to nationally harmonise the South Australian and NSW anti-bikie laws has been prompted by a spate of violence among the gangs, including the bashing death of Hells Angels associate Anthony Zervas at Sydney airport last month.
Mr McClelland, along with several top law-enforcement officials, has warned that if the legislation is
not adopted nationally, bikies will move to states with the softest laws.
The issue is expected to dominate
a meeting of the Standing Committee of Attorneys-General in Canberra tomorrow.
Senator Hutchins chairs the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the Australian Crime Commission.
Part of the committee's work has been to examine the application of
the South Australian anti-bikie laws.
Under the laws, now in force in NSW as well, police can apply to have gangs proscribed and take out "control orders" to prevent members from consorting with one another.
They have been strongly criticised by civil liberties groups.
Senator Hutchins questioned the severity of the bikie threat. Referring to the death of 29-year-old Zervas, he said: "From my point of view, bikies beating to death some bloke at Sydney airport, do you really see that as some sort of covert criminal operation? They weren't even in colours.
"I think police around the country have got enough authority to deal with this. I don't think they need specific legislation on it, and I never thought they have."
Senator Hutchins stressed he was not speaking on behalf of the committee. His strong comments put him at loggerheads with a group of senior police officials who have backed the laws. They include ACC chief executive officer John Lawler and Queensland Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson, who on Monday said he would welcome legislation aimed at dismantling the gangs.
However, just two weeks ago Mr Atkinson said the "jury was still out" on the South Australian laws.
"To date, the laws we have in Queensland have been adequate (to deal with outlaw bikie gangs) but we always want to do better," he said.
Senator Hutchins said while bikies were involved in the distribution of drugs, police should be focused on the kingpins of the drug trade.
"We've heard people that have a Rolls-Royce for summer and a Rolls-Royce for winter and they're in the social pages of the Sydney papers," Senator Hutchins told The Australian yesterday. "To me, I find them far more objectionable than some boofhead bikie.
"That's where we should be putting our resources, not the corporals and the sergeants, but the colonels and the generals."
The push to nationally harmonise the South Australian and NSW anti-bikie laws has been prompted by a spate of violence among the gangs, including the bashing death of Hells Angels associate Anthony Zervas at Sydney airport last month.
Mr McClelland, along with several top law-enforcement officials, has warned that if the legislation is
not adopted nationally, bikies will move to states with the softest laws.
The issue is expected to dominate
a meeting of the Standing Committee of Attorneys-General in Canberra tomorrow.
Senator Hutchins chairs the Parliamentary Joint Committee on the Australian Crime Commission.
Part of the committee's work has been to examine the application of
the South Australian anti-bikie laws.
Under the laws, now in force in NSW as well, police can apply to have gangs proscribed and take out "control orders" to prevent members from consorting with one another.
They have been strongly criticised by civil liberties groups.
Senator Hutchins questioned the severity of the bikie threat. Referring to the death of 29-year-old Zervas, he said: "From my point of view, bikies beating to death some bloke at Sydney airport, do you really see that as some sort of covert criminal operation? They weren't even in colours.
"I think police around the country have got enough authority to deal with this. I don't think they need specific legislation on it, and I never thought they have."
Senator Hutchins stressed he was not speaking on behalf of the committee. His strong comments put him at loggerheads with a group of senior police officials who have backed the laws. They include ACC chief executive officer John Lawler and Queensland Police Commissioner Bob Atkinson, who on Monday said he would welcome legislation aimed at dismantling the gangs.
However, just two weeks ago Mr Atkinson said the "jury was still out" on the South Australian laws.
"To date, the laws we have in Queensland have been adequate (to deal with outlaw bikie gangs) but we always want to do better," he said.