Nomads plan national run for Tasmania to test new anti-gang laws

An outlaw motorcycle club is looking to grow its presence in Tasmania and would be interested in holding its national ride in the state – if riders could wear their club colours.

Nomads bikies have set up in Tasmania and have been flying their colours in public. Picture: SUPPLIED

THE Nomads Motorcycle Club is expanding in Tasmania and could hold the club’s national run here if the Hodgman Government’s new anti-bikie-colours laws do not stymie those plans.

In 2018, there was speculation the Nomads, an outlaw club with a presence in NSW and South Australia, was looking to form chapters in Tasmania.

On Tuesday, the club’s Tasmanian president said the Nomads had formed a branch in Hobart two years ago and wanted to set up a chapter in Devonport.

The Nomads have joined other outlaw clubs in Tasmania, including the Devil’s Henchmen, the Black Uhlans, the Outlaws, the Rebels and the Bandidos.

The Bandidos held their national run here in 2017 under tight police surveillance.

The Nomads say they have no issue with any of the clubs in Tasmania and the community had nothing to fear from their expansion.

“Not one member has been charged with any offences in those two years we have been here,” he said. “One Devonport bloke faced old charges from before he was a Nomads member but that’s it. We have been out on rides in the community and have been well received. The kids always like to check out the bikes.”

Police keep an eye on the Bandidos motorcycle gang as they arrive in Burnie for their national ride in November 2017. Picture: CHRIS KIDD

While he would not say how many members the Nomads Tasmania chapter has, the president said there were enough for the club to fall foul of the state’s new consorting laws.

The Mercury revealed this week that more than two dozen bikers had been served with anti-consorting notices since the legislation came into force in September last year.

Tasmania Police said it was aware of the presence of a Tasmanian chapter of the Nomads outlaw motorcycle gang.

“Our priority is to support and protect Tasmania’s law abiding citizens from organised criminality and we will continue to monitor and hold criminal organisations to account,” Detective Acting Inspector Nikala Parsons from the Serious Organised Crime Unit said.

When talk of the Nomads moving into Tasmania began, there was speculation a local chapter would be made up of a hotchpotch of former members of other outlaw clubs. But that is the not the case, the president said.

“One member is an ex-Rebel but no others are from other clubs,” he said. “We have no issues with any other clubs nor they with us. We are waiting to hear dates for the national run and it would be great to have it in Tasmania,” he said.

“It depends if the police let us wear colours. In Queensland we are riding with colours again so the laws all seem a bit silly.”