The Liberals plan to introduce legislation in Parliament to ban certain outlaw motorcycle groups from wearing club colours in public. Police Minister Rene Hidding said for gangs to be considered for the ban, they would first need to be identified by police and their request passed on to Parliament for approval. Mr Hidding said the proposed laws were intended to curtail drug distribution by certain outlaw motorcycle gangs in the state. "We will ban the wearing of bikie colours which are used to recruit young Tasmanians as users and dealers and to intimidate, influence, promote and mark out territory,” he said. "By banning the wearing of these colours in public, this will assist police to curtail dangerous gang activity. Mr Hidding said the proposed laws would not impede on law-abiding motorcycle clubs or individual motorcyclists, nor would it be a segue into the introduction of anti-association laws. Queensland several years ago introduced laws that made it illegal for a person to mix with two or more outlaw motorcycle club members who held convictions after being asked by police not to do so. The controversial laws were abandoned in 2016 and replaced with other legislation which targeted bikies, including laws that prohibited certain club members from wearing their colours in public places. Tasmania Police last year said it believed the Bandidos were looking to set up a chapter in Launceston to compliment one established in East Devonport. State Parliament last year passed new anti-fortification laws which gave police power to remove defence walls and other fencing around homes they believed were connected to illegal activity. The state also has unexplained wealth laws, introduced in 2014, which allows police to seize property believed to be a profit of crime. Police Association of Tasmania president Pat Allen said he supported the new proposed laws. “The proposed laws are all about telling these sorts of gangs that Tasmania is not open for business,” he said. “We have seen an influx of these people recently coming to Tasmania and trying to set up chapters here. “These are illegal organisations, not social motorcycle clubs. “If people think these gangs are not involved in organised crime, then they have their heads buried in the sand.”
The Liberals plan to introduce legislation in Parliament to ban certain outlaw motorcycle groups from wearing club colours in public.
Police Minister Rene Hidding said for gangs to be considered for the ban, they would first need to be identified by police and their request passed on to Parliament for approval.
Mr Hidding said the proposed laws were intended to curtail drug distribution by certain outlaw motorcycle gangs in the state.
"We will ban the wearing of bikie colours which are used to recruit young Tasmanians as users and dealers and to intimidate, influence, promote and mark out territory,” he said.
"By banning the wearing of these colours in public, this will assist police to curtail dangerous gang activity.
Mr Hidding said the proposed laws would not impede on law-abiding motorcycle clubs or individual motorcyclists, nor would it be a segue into the introduction of anti-association laws.
Queensland several years ago introduced laws that made it illegal for a person to mix with two or more outlaw motorcycle club members who held convictions after being asked by police not to do so.
The controversial laws were abandoned in 2016 and replaced with other legislation which targeted bikies, including laws that prohibited certain club members from wearing their colours in public places.
Tasmania Police last year said it believed the Bandidos were looking to set up a chapter in Launceston to compliment one established in East Devonport.
State Parliament last year passed new anti-fortification laws which gave police power to remove defence walls and other fencing around homes they believed were connected to illegal activity.
The state also has unexplained wealth laws, introduced in 2014, which allows police to seize property believed to be a profit of crime.
Police Association of Tasmania president Pat Allen said he supported the new proposed laws.
“The proposed laws are all about telling these sorts of gangs that Tasmania is not open for business,” he said.
“We have seen an influx of these people recently coming to Tasmania and trying to set up chapters here.
“These are illegal organisations, not social motorcycle clubs.
“If people think these gangs are not involved in organised crime, then they have their heads buried in the sand.”
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