Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk vows pressure will stay on bikies as vote on VLAD laws nears

PREMIER Annastacia Palaszczuk has declared there will be “no let up” on bikie gangs ahead of a crucial meeting to decide the fate of the VLAD laws.

Undated pic of Gold Coast Hells Angels chapter (Supplied by Geoff Chambers)

PREMIER Annastacia Palaszczuk has declared there will be “no let up” on bikie gangs in Queensland ahead of a crucial Cabinet meeting tomorrow to decide the fate of the state’s controversial bikie laws.

Ms Palaszczuk and her Ministers will tomorrow, during the Cabinet meeting, receive a briefing from Police Commissioner Ian Stewart on the latest police intelligence on organised crime including bikie gangs.

They will then agree on an interim response to the 419-page bikie law taskforce’s review which was delivered on Thursday to Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath by the taskforce chairman, retired Justice Alan Wilson.

The Government has been warned that bikies are looking to regain a foothold.

The Government has come under pressure from the LNP and police officers not to weaken the laws. Ms Palaszczuk insists that any changes the government considers will be designed to strengthen them.

“We expect a comprehensive briefing from the Police Commissioner and police intelligence reports concerning organised crime in Queensland,” she said.

“We all want the community to be safe.

“There will be no let-up on criminal bikie gangs. I can only repeat, the Government will maintain a hard-line approach to organised crime across the board. So, it is imperative we have tough laws in place that effectively crack down on all forms of organised crime, to protect Queenslanders.”

Ms Palaszczuk said Crime and Corruption Commission chairman Alan MacSporran QC, who warned in a secret submission to the taskforce that bikies were looking to regain a foothold in Queensland, would also be consulted with the CCC to be asked to give its views on the government’s response.

Retired Justice Alan Wilson delivers his recommendations to Attorney-General Yvette D'Ath. Pic: AAP

She said she also wanted to ensure that the laws were “workable, enforceable and secure convictions for crime bosses as well as criminal bikies”.

“We will work across our police force, CCC and with other jurisdictions to do all we can to continue the fight against this form of organised crime.

“That’s why we need to continue to co-operate with other jurisdictions to tackle all forms of organised crime, including international crime syndicates,” she said.

Ms Palaszczuk said she had asked Attorney-General Yvette D’Ath and Police Minister Bill Byrne to present the findings of retired Justice Wilson’s review to the next Law, Crime and Community Safety ministerial council “to ensure that international criminal activity gets the highest attention”.