Premier Campbell Newman talks up bikie laws that cleaned up the Gold Coast but won’t back them beyond 2016

PREMIER Campbell Newman is hanging his party’s Gold Coast re-election ­campaign on the bikie crackdown — but won’t back the laws beyond next year.

PREMIER Campbell Newman is hanging his party’s Gold Coast re-election ­campaign on the bikie crackdown — but won’t back the laws beyond next year.

Labor this week confirmed that it would, if elected, change the laws, which ­effectively quashed gang crime in the city.

Mr Newman made the Coast his first campaign trail stop yesterday and flanked by Deputy Jeff Seeney and local MPs John-Paul Langbroek, Verity Barton and Michael Hart stopped at Broadbeach cafe Alto, where he moved within a backlit cloud of cameras and microphones.

The LNP leader referred to a public declaration by a ­senior gang leader, published on the front page of the Gold Coast Bulletin last October, as being a catalyst for the ­Government’s action to halt bikie crime.

NEWS: PARENTS BOOZING AS BOY ALMOST DROWNS AT GOLD COAST BEACH

The Bulletin front page story Campbell Newman said helped prompt his tough VLAD laws.

“It was here, only 18 months ago that we saw unacceptable scenes of violence by criminal motorcycle gang members, in a public space, on a weeknight, families trying to enjoy a great night out were frightened unnecessarily by criminals who brought their quarrels and squabbles into the public area,” he said.

“That was unacceptable. Also what was unacceptable was the declaration by criminal gang members that they ruled the streets — and that is why the Government moved.

“The Government moved with strong laws to actually deal with gangs, to make Queensland a safe place.”

However, when pressed on the future of the laws, which are due for review in 2016, he could not guarantee a re-elected LNP government would push to keep them.

“The laws will be, if we are re-elected we’ve committed, indeed it’s in the legislation that the laws will be reviewed in 2016 — that’s built into the legislation and I’ve always said that and that will happen if we’re re-elected,” he said.

Asked again if the laws would be in place post-2016 he could only say again that they would be reviewed.

Gold Coast Bikie Brawl between the Bandidos and Finks at Broadbeach last year. Picture: A Current Affair

Asked specifically if he planned to dismantle the VLAD laws next year, he was similarly evasive.

“We will look at the laws and their effectiveness and their appropriateness and we would look at the situation in relation to criminal gangs and their level of activity in the state,” he said.

“My position as Premier is that I want to run them out of Queensland.

“And that is a big ask.

“My ongoing mission, if I’m re-elected as Premier, is to continue the fight to throw them out of this state and I pledge to do that.”

At the staged cafe visit, Mr Newman also introduced himself to a couple and three young children, whose names were earlier provided to media by the Premier’s advisers, before sitting at their table and talking about education.

Other bemused cafe patrons took photos and videos on their phones as the ­Premier moved to another table where an elderly couple, also known to the Premier’s entourage, praised his Government’s actions to ­reduce crime.

Premier Campbell Newman starts his election campaign with a visit to the Gold Coast and Southern Cross Austereo on air with Gold FM. Picture: Adam Head

At a media conference afterwards, he flagged a series of election commitments which would be made by the party from Sunday.

He said there would be commitments to policing and infrastructure. “We’ll deliver announcements from ­Sunday on specific commitments — what different areas get,” he said.

“What places like the Gold Coast might get in terms of infrastructure, which I know people are probably dying to ask me today, but it will have to wait.”