Tasmania’s police union have called on the Labor Party rethink its opposition to legislation banning bikies wearing insignia.
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Police Association of Tasmania acting president Gavin Cashion said the new laws were designed to target the criminal underworld, specifically outlaw motorcycle gangs.
“We are disappointed that the Labor Party seems to be playing politics and they are ill-informed,” Mr Cashion said.
“We’d like to see all parties on the same page and push this through.
“It’s based on good intelligence and data.”
Labor is opposing the legislation, to be debated next week, saying it does not go far enough and gives the Police Minister too much power.
Mr Cashion said Tasmania had relatively low level organised crime.
“Tasmania Police can deal with the ‘criminal families’ using our current legislative frameworks and resources,” he said.
“What we are not equipped to deal with is the growth of outlaw motorcycle gang activity in Tasmania.”
Mr Cashion said the association and its members had 100 per cent faith in the Police Minister to exercise the powers bestowed upon him.
He said under the legislation the Minister did not have “unfettered powers.”
“To refer to the legislation as ‘appalling’ is an insult to our members who have assisted in its development,” Mr Cashion said.
“It is also hypocritical to advocate that Labor’s position that ‘Tasmania cannot be allowed to become a haven for criminal gangs’ yet openly oppose legislation targeting the problem.
“This legislation is the starting point and many parts of it are modelled on other jurisdictions.”
Mr Cashion said there were currently new national unexplained wealth laws being considered and a new national intelligence database that would allow tracking of all criminals from state to state.
“The government don’t need to develop a raft of new state laws, just support the national laws that are coming,” he said.
Mr Cashion hit back at civil rights groups and the Australian Lawyers Alliance who have described the legislation as a violation of human rights.
“Outlaw Motor Cycle Gangs, who are the target of these laws, violate the human rights of law abiding citizens time and time again,” he said.
“They are well organised businesses with well-funded legal advisors.”