Groups claim anti-bike laws would unfairly target Aboriginal people
Critics of proposed new Victorian laws aimed at banning bikie gangs from wearing club colours would restrict political expression and unfairly target Aboriginal people.
Police & Courts
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Lawyers say new laws to crack down on bikie gangs would restrict political expression and unfairly target Aboriginal people.
The new anti-association legislation will aim to ban wearing of club colours and prohibit designated convicted criminals from associating with each other.
Police have been concerned for years that Victorian laws restricting bikies are lagging behind other states.
They say this has led to outlaw motorcycle gang members relocating here and club “runs” being held here more than other jurisdictions.
But a joint statement from the Australian Lawyers Alliance, Liberty Victoria, Inner Melbourne Community Legal, the Police Accountability Project and the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service says the laws go too far.
Lawyer and ALA spokesman Jeremy King said such change needed stronger oversight than the plan to have it provided by the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission.
Mr King said IBAC was already under too much strain and that a police ombudsman was needed to ensure powers were being properly used.
“It is very concerning that people will lose the right to be able to associate with anyone they would like, to wear a uniform as a member of a particular organisation and to even travel to certain places here and abroad,” Mr King said.
“Crime exists in all social groups. We know that so-called anti-association laws targeting bikie gangs have been abused in other jurisdictions in Australia.”
The Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service says it has contacted the State Government arguing the laws would target Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their cultural practices.
Its CEO Nerita Wright said there were several areas of concern.
“We’re concerned that, despite proposed legislative protections, in practice police might target a group of Aboriginal people wearing the colours of the Aboriginal flag using the proposed laws.
“We’re also concerned that orders under the proposed laws might limit the ability of Aboriginal people to engage in cultural practices such as sorry business or other community gatherings with a cultural element.”
Ms Wright said broad exemptions should be in place so Aboriginal people could define what their culture was.
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