Anger mounts in Queensland
Proposed legislation to ban “outlaw bikies” from riding in groups of three or more could have civil liberty implications for the entire motorcycle riding communityQueensland’s attorney-general Jarrod Bleijie is on the back foot, denying reports that the Newman Government’s crackdown on criminal motorcycle gangs will also target innocent riders
After a whirlwind 24 hours on mainstream and social media in Queensland, with some commentators raising the spectre of a “return to the police state” as the government’s war on bikies intensifies, Mr Bleijie released a statement last night, which read in part:
“This legislation will target only criminal motorcycle gang members. Other law abiding motorbike riders have nothing to worry about. Limiting these gangs’ ability to ride in big groups would make running their criminal enterprises more difficult and it would help prevent the kind of mass intimidation we saw at Broadbeach.
“It would also ease the disruption they cause during their annual runs. Our tough laws will stop criminal motorcycle gangs from using their numbers to strike fear and intimidation in the community while allowing Queensland’s innocent riders to enjoy riding freely and safely.”
Earlier, Mr Bleijie said that “law abiding” motorcycle riders will be swept up in the new legislation, which is currently before state cabinet with a final announcement expected within a fortnight. According to reports, the normal parliamentary committee process which scrutinies new laws will be bypassed in this case, and go straight to a vote when parliament resumes sitting on Tuesday, October 15.
"There will be some disruption to law abiding motorbike riders but we want to avoid the disruption as best we can but the police have a job to do," Mr Bleijie was quoted as saying in the Courier-Mail.
Recreational motorcycle groups are livid, with the proposed legislation having the potential to disrupt charity riders. To that end, riders are planning a day of civil disobedience during which they would deliberately ride in groups, wasting police time by forcing officers to check their licenses and bikes.
One such protestor, Brisbane-based motorcycle scribe, Mark Hinchliffe, is inviting riders to meet him in Canungra at 9:00am on Saturday, October 12. It’s not a protest ride per se – only a meeting of concerned riders. Look out for Mark with a MotorbikeWriter.com helmet and riding an R 1200 GS.
The Police Powers and Responsibilities and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2013 was first introduced into parliament on Thursday, September 12.
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