Bikies to be banned from wearing ‘colours’ in Victoria under proposed law change

The Andrews government is planning to ban bikie gangs from wearing their club colours, including insignias, in any public forum.

The Andrews government is working on banning bikies from wearing club “colours” as part of a raft of new anti-gang laws on the agenda.

Victoria Police has tabled a wish list with the government including the crackdown on outlaw motorcycle clubs wearing colours – the patches or badges bearing their motifs – in any public forum.

Police believe a colours ban, with penalties including jail terms and heavy fines, would rid the state of the flood of “national runs” held here annually.

For more than a decade the nation’s big six outlaw motorcycle gangs – the ­Comanchero, Hells Angels, Mongols, Finks, Bandidos and Rebels – have descended on Victoria to hold their runs due to its more lax laws.

It has led to the gangs dubbing Victoria “Switzerland” – a reference to being a neutral jurisdiction.

The bikie convoys are a show of power and a major recruitment driver for the clubs.

There are new laws on the agenda to target bikies in Victoria. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

But if the gangs are banned from wearing colours or associating with other gang members who are convicted criminals, the runs will take a major hit.

The colours ban and several other anti-gang initiatives were raised in a meeting between senior police and government officials late last year, held to discuss the revamping of Victoria’s Criminal Organisations Control Act (COCA) 2012.

The government is now considering the wish list and new laws could be introduced by the end of the year.

If passed, they will bring Victoria into line with all other states, which have taken strong anti-bikie measures.

A Victorian government spokesman said: “We commissioned the stage 2 Review of Victoria’s Criminal Organisation Laws to ensure the laws on organised crime in Victoria are as strong as possible.

“We’ll continue to work through the recommendations with Victoria Police to give them the tools they need to continue to deal with criminal behaviour.”

The nation’s big six outlaw motorcycle gangs – Comanchero, Hells Angels, Mongols, Finks, Bandidos and Rebels – have descended on Victoria. Picture: NCA NewsWire

Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania have bans on either club colours or insignias and jail terms for breaching “consorting” laws.

WA’s Attorney-General has even warned bikies they will need make-up on their faces after banning club tattoos and clothing.

South Australia has also taken a strong anti-bikie stance with 10 outlaw motorcycle clubs becoming “declared organisations”.

Comanchero member Tarek Zahed moved to Victoria after coming under a NSW control order, which severely restricted his activities there.

Gangs have dubbed Victoria ‘Switzerland’. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Other states have bans on club colours and insignias.

Zahed was shot 10 times at a Sydney gym, where his brother was killed, after ­returning to Sydney for a visit in May last year.

Although COCA laws in Victoria allow the chief commissioner to apply to declare a gang a criminal organisation or take out prohibitive control orders, they have never been used.

Victoria’s Human Rights Charter has been previously cited as an impediment to using these options.

Both the riders and police agree there has been virtually no trouble on the well-­organised runs regularly made to Victoria in recent years.

Bikie convoys are a show of power and a major recruitment driver for the clubs. Picture: Simon Dallinger

But organised crime ­investigators say the gatherings are really vehicles to promote the gangs to potential members and demonstrate their muscle to the broader community.

“It shows strength, which is used by these groups to ­impress on other people how dangerous they can be,” one said. “They’re serious organised crime groups.”

One veteran bikie admitted a colours ban would “make the path bumpy”, but defiantly added “they’ll never legislate them out of existence”.

“All they’ll be doing is driving them further underground,” he said. “Take his colours from him and he’s just a bloke riding down the road.”

Several venues in Victoria, such as Crown casino, ban colours.

Bikies are also prohibited from wearing colours at major events.

Though no time limit has been put on decisions on the harsher measures, it is understood the government, police and the Department of Justice and Community Safety will work together to review COCA laws.

The introduction in 2018 of firearms prohibition ­orders, which allow police to search those subject to the orders without warrants, has been viewed as one of the most successful clamps on bikies and their activities.