Cage Fight: Bikie VLAD laws — new laws or new wars?

THE bikie wars are far from over. And there is an obsessional campaign to wipe Campbell Newman’s laws from the slate, says Des Houghton.

• Bikie laws Queensland: Anti-association laws to be axed
• VLAD laws: Queensland police worried about changes
• VLAD laws: Bikie laws - don’t fix what’s not broke
• Bikie VLAD laws: South Australia says laws have made it safer

HARD-hitting columnist Des Houghton backs up his opinion on politics and issues affecting Queensland in Cage Fight.

DES HOUGHTON WRITES ...

THE bikie wars are far from over.

And there is an obsessional campaign to wipe Campbell Newman’s laws from the slate.

A whole new set of laws will replace the ones introduced by the Newman government after a review by retired judge Allan Wilson and a special taskforce.

Around 57 recommendations still have to run the gauntlet through Cabinet. It seemed to me the taskforce seemed more concerned with the civil liberties of drug peddling criminals than public safety.

We now know the Palaszczuk government plans to smash the Newman government reforms that drove many bikie thugs interstate. The Premier said Labor would ditch the VLAD laws and adopt a NSW-style consorting laws in place of the controversial association laws.

And convicted gang members would be put on Control Orders similar to those used in cases involving terrorists or repeat serious sexual offenders.

BIKIE LAWS: Palaszczuk’s plan for new bikie laws

SECRET SUBMISSION: Bikie gangs expected softer stance under Labor

Exactly how it will all work remains unclear. At least 124 members quit the criminal gangs since VLAD was introduced two years ago. And there was a steep decline in violent gang crime.

Just to muddy the waters further, a report by the Crime and Corruption Commission warns of violent clashes between re-emerging gangs, especially on the Gold Coast.

Palaszczuk denies said she was weakening the crime laws. Nevertheless it seemed to me she was hellbent on completing Labor’s mission of purging Campbell Newman’s memory from Queensland.

Vengeful Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath confirmed this when she criticised the Newman government crackdown with rather intemperate language.

She said Newman was all about “exploiting fear for political gain rather than facing the real challenge of combating organised crime.”

I disagree. There were riots and innocents shot in the crossfire when bikies went to war.

Tell me what you think. Our debate starts at 7am.