Calls for shake-up of anti-bikie laws after shock police stat

The state goverment’s anti-bikie legislation has been blasted as “weak” after the number of charges it’s behind were revealed.

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There are calls for a shake-up of Queensland’s anti-bikie legislation after the state government’s “tough” consorting laws have only netted 34 charges in seven years.

Data obtained by The Courier-Mail reveals Queensland Police issued about 2000 consorting warnings to bikies across the state, but just 34 people have been charged with the offence since the legislation passed in 2017.

The consorting laws were meant to be the centrepiece of Labor’s Serious and Organised Crime legislation which replaced the controversial VLAD laws introduced by the former Newman government following the 2013 Broadbeach bikie brawl on the Gold Coast.

The offence relates to anyone having intentional contact with two or more recognised offenders and also includes the ability for officers to give out warnings before charges.

Opposition spokesman for Police Dan Purdie said the laws were watered down.

“The dedicated organised criminal motorcycle gang task force - Maxima - is operating with half their original staffing numbers,” Mr Purdie said.

“Police are fighting the rising tide of bikies with both hands tied behind their back thanks to Labor’s weak laws.”

A Rebels motorcycle member. Picture: John McCutcheon / Sunshine Coast Daily

In 2023 just seven people were charged with consorting, compared to four in 2022, 15 in 2021, four in 2020 and one in 2019.

Up until April last year, 2073 consorting warnings had also been issued.

Organised Crime Gangs Group Detective Superintendent Troy Pukallus said he would always be open to a conversation with the government proposing changes to make their work more efficient.

“We will always advocate, regardless of what we think of the current legislation, we will always advocate for legislation which improves what we do, and what makes our job - and the job of front line police - easier.

“We would always be open to discussions with the government, or at least proposing changes that would make our work more efficient or more effective.”

He said officers stopped issuing warnings for several months in 2022 in the wake of a court decision poking holes in the case.

“We had to stop issuing warnings for a certain period of time until we could see … what the court would accept based on that decision going forward,” Supt Pukallus said.

Supt Pukallus said issuing warnings let bikies know police were watching.

“There’s a time and place for it, it’s just a constant thing to keep them on notice

“We will always have our foot on their throat, it’s just a matter of when you push a little bit harder, and consorting is one way of doing that.”

The Organised Crime Gangs Group have charged 4903 people on more than 17,000 offences since 2019, a large majority of those in the South Eastern region which encompasses the Gold Coast.

Supt Pukallus said more than 30 per cent of the state’s bikie population resided in this region.

Police Minister Mark Ryan said relentless pressure on members has seen many leave the patch behind.

“Queensland has the strongest, most comprehensive laws targeting outlaw motorcycle gangs,” he said.

“The benefits for the Queensland community are demonstrated in the networks being dismantled through the warnings and operations and their inability to meet

“The successes are seen in the impact on criminal syndicates, in particular OMCGs inability to meet, make contact and associate.”