Page 432 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 20 February 2019
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“As a result of recent bikie violence in New South Wales, highlighted by the murder of a bikie at Sydney Airport, the New South Wales Government is now looking at strong anti-bikie laws. Others are calling for uniform laws across Australia and the Prime Minister has called for zero tolerance.
“I am concerned that the Stanhope Government’s soft approach to bikie gang members may create a safe haven for bikies if we fail to follow any moves made by New South Wales and other jurisdictions.
“Only today, Police Minister Simon Corbell defended not giving ACT Police officers adequate powers by referring to South Australia’s anti-bikie laws as draconian. We know however that those laws have been successful and I would challenge the Minister to put the case that as a community we should be instituting statutory protections for bikie gangs as he is suggesting.
“The community needs a guarantee from the Government that they will stay in step with any changes of New South Wales law and prevent the ACT from becoming an oasis for bikie violence.”
That was in March 2009. As we know, that is exactly what happened. And it has happened on this government’s watch. We were warned that this would happen. For the record, others have noticed. I quote from an editorial in the Canberra Times:
As matters stand Canberra is now … a safe haven for these gun-wielding thugs who have fled across our border to avoid being persecuted elsewhere. Pity the terrified residents of Canberra suburbs listening to assault rifles being fired meters from their homes …
That has to change and change now—these are not the signals we want to send to lawless individuals. This is not a problem the Barr government can leave in the “too hard” basket any longer.
Of all the commentators we should be listening to, the most senior is the previous Chief Police Officer. When she was the assistant commissioner, our previous CPO agreed that the lack of Canberra’s anti-consorting laws made Canberra a haven for bikies. I will quote Justine Saunders, the previous Chief Police Officer. On the ABC on 6 March she said:
I believe that’s a factor in the decision to come here and undertake their activities.
She is also on the record as saying:
I think the key benefit of anti-consorting laws, noting that’s not the only solution, is that it’s a preventative tool …
It’s about dismantling, disrupting and preventing rather than responding.
Lastly, she said:
If there’s something that keeps me awake at night, it’s gangs in Canberra …
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