Penny Finally Drops For The Premier

Media Release.

 

Deputy Opposition Leader, Tim Mulherin, has welcomed the Premier’s belated acknowledgement of the need to attack bikie gangs as organised crime networks.

 

“When the former Labor Party government introduced its Criminal Organisation Act in 2009 the then Opposition LNP complained long and loud that it did not single out or specifically reference bikie gangs,” Mr Mulherin said.

 

“In their rush to play cheap politics by opposing the law they could never understand that the Act covered criminal organisations and serious criminal activity and did not exclusively target bikie gangs."

 

“That was one of the Act’s greatest strengths and recognised the fact bikies run crime organisations similar to other crime networks and need to be treated as organised criminals."

 

“The LNP attacked Labor’s legislation in 2009 on the grounds it affected civil liberties."

 

“That bungled attack was compounded by Jarrod Bleijie when he was Shadow Attorney-General in 2011 and told anyone who would listen — including bikie gangs and other crime networks — that he would look at repealing the Criminal Organisation Act if elected."

 

“As late as April 2012 the Premier was dismissing suggestions for following the NSW O’Farrell Government’s plan to ban gang colours from licensed premises. Mr Newman refused to follow suit after likening the move to penalising people for wearing football jerseys. That’s how seriously he took the issue then.”

 

Mr Mulherin said the Premier should check his key Cabinet Ministers such as Mr Bleijie to see if they still opposed the Criminal Organisation Act that had survived a High Court of Australia challenge and was now one of the key planks of the Newman Government’s assault on crime.

 

“The debate on the Criminal Organisation Act in November 2009 makes fascinating reading and reveals the LNP’s hypocrisy and political expediency by opposing the law they now claim as all their own work,” he said.

 

Mr Mulherin said current Newman Government Ministers did not hide their opposition to the Labor Party government’s efforts to tackle organised crime:

 

·         Lawrence Springborg: “This [Criminal Organisation] Bill is a repugnant attack on the rights and liberties of individuals and will not be supported by the LNP.”

Hansard Page 3594, 25 November 2009

 

·         Jarrod Bleijie: “This Bill is an attack on the right of freedom of association.”

Hansard Page 3621, 25 November 2009

 

·         Tim Nicholls: “What do we have now with the Criminal Organisation Bill 2009? We have legislation that strikes directly at the heart of the fundamental principle of freedom of association.”

Hansard page 3677, 26 November 2009

 

·         Tracy Davis: “There is little evidence to support the contention that these laws will work—quite the contrary. On the other hand, there is clear evidence that the right to association is at risk.”

Hansard Page 3702, 26 November 2009