Gang laws highlight Labor’s decade of failure

Hon Stephen Wade MLC

Shadow Attorney General
Shadow Minister for Justice

Gang laws highlight Labor’s decade of failure

Today’s tabling of anti-gang laws highlights Labor’s decade of failure on outlaw motorcycle gangs.

Labor’s failure on motorcycle gangs has resulted in:

• A 10 per cent rise in gang membership over the past three years
• 2½ years of failure to bring back the SOCCA legislation following the Supreme Court ruling[1]
• 8 months of failing to process legislation they now say is urgent[2]
• No fewer bikie fortresses
• More gangs – the New Boyz and Comancheros join South Australia’s growing list of outlaw gangs.
• More dangerous gangs – more public and riskier behaviour
• More fear – South Australians feel the least safe of any other state walking around at night

“Bikies don’t respond to opinion polls or hollow threats. It’s time to stop talking tough and time to be tough,” Shadow Attorney-General Stephen Wade said

The Parliament has already given the Labor Government laws that are being not being fully utilised, including:

• Public Safety Orders – have only been used twice in the last two years (SOCCA, s.23 - prohibit a group from a specified area).
• Firearms Prohibition Orders – only 24 OMG members have orders against them, which is less than 10 per cent of the 274 members of outlaw motorcycle gangs. Neither Vince Focarelli or Rezgar Mohammadi have a firearms prohibition order on them[3].
• Intensive enforcement of general laws - Victoria Police’s Taskforce Echo has successfully modelled intensive enforcement.

As Director of Public Prosecutions Stephen Pallaras said, “The phrase ‘get tough’ means absolutely nothing; it means making a lot of noise.  What we need to do is get effective.” [4] 

“Labor’s ‘tough’ talk is just noise – if it doesn’t work, it is weak,” Mr Wade said.

“Labor’s SOCCA ‘repair’ Bill table today is more of the same and commits SA to more gang violence.” 

DPP Stephen Pallaras also noted that “a continuation of what we’ve been doing … will produce exactly the same result.” [5]

“Labor needs to realise that these problems can’t be managed by glib media statements. We need a serious rethink about the strategies for dealing with outlaw bikies,” Mr Wade said.

“The Liberal Opposition will thoroughly scrutinise the legislation tabled today and are meeting with senior police next week to be fully briefed on the situation.”