Bikies to be bounced from clubs

Nightclub shootings have spurred an $800,000 review of Victoria’s private security industry as the government seeks to weed out criminal elements such as outlaw bikie gangs.

The Andrews Government will launch an $800,000 ­review to “weed out” organised crime from the private security industry.

A wide-ranging probe will investigate if the regulation of security guards, bouncers and private investigators is strong enough to keep out the criminal element.

Government reports have found the industry “vulnerable to infiltration through organised crime groups”.

Victoria Police has warned that bikie gangs are aggressively expanding their influence into the security industry, with a spate of shootings at nightclubs thought to be over control of the clubs’ bouncers.

A Victorian Law Reform Commission report claimed bikie gangs want to infiltrate club and pub security so they can supply drugs in venues.

Police Minister Lisa Neville says a review will weed out criminal elements in the security industry. Picture: AAP

Police Minister Lisa Neville said the review would protect security workers and weed out criminal behaviour.

“We’ll work closely with Victoria Police and key stakeholders to make sure our security workers are valued and respected, as well as paid properly and treated fairly,” Ms Neville said.

The Herald Sun has been told of one crowd controller involved with two outlaw motorcycle gangs.

“How can he hold a licence with that type of history?” an industry source said.

A venue operator said one major bikie-run operation had gone through various incarnations after regulators caught up with it.

He said whoever controlled entry and exit into venues could corner the drugs market inside, which gangs were unlikely to cede without a fight.

MORE: SECURITY CONTRACT SCRAPPED AFTER SHOOTING

BANNED OUTLAW BIKIE GANG RESURFACES

Anti-bikie detectives are part of an investigation into the April 14 killing of security guard Aaron Khalid Osmani and clubber Richard Arow outside the Love Machine nightclub. It is not known if their shooting was motivated by a dispute over control of the club’s security.

In 2016 the anti-bikie taskforce investigated a series of shootings at popular South Melbourne strip club Kittens, which were believed to have been sparked by friction over who ran security.

Security guards and private investigators must be licensed. As of June this year, there were 36,801 private security licences and registrations in Victoria.

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