VLAD High Court Challenge launched

The United Motorcycle Council (UMC) – a coalition of 17 Queensland bike clubs -- has officially put up its fists in the fight against the Queensland government's brutal Vicious Lawless Association Disestablishment (VLAD) legislation, lodging a High Court challenge in Brisbane today.

The action will be led by barrister Wayne Baffsky, who will challenge sections of VLAD, along with amendments to Queensland's criminal code.  Baffsky previously led the 2011 High Court case which threw out a New South Wales Government law that criminalised the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club.

The VLAD laws includes a ban on patched members riding in groups of three or more, and an extra 15 to 25 years on their sentence if an offence is gang related.  Those who end up in jail are also kept in solitary confinement for 22 hours a day.  Baffsy will also argue that VLAD impinges on the right to free speech and breaches a number of constitutional principles.

“Too many people are suffering at the end of the day for laws which are, in my view and in many other people's view, absolutely unnecessary and brought in under a false premise,” said Baffsky.

“A relatively minor fight in Surfer's Paradise has resulted in some incredibly harsh laws, yet there's been other people committing much more serious crimes who seem to have escaped the Government's attention.

“We can see how these rights can affect other citizens as well if the Government chooses to use these acts against other groups, for example the Greens, or protestors or some other group that offends the government of the day's political sensibilities.

“The grounds of appeal may involve freedom of association and freedom of speech, particularly the right to communicate on government political matters and the right to associate. You can also assume that we will be challenging some of these laws based on our international obligations.”

The Bikesales Network will be following the challenge with a keen eye, so standby for regular updates.