Bikies will back state Labor at next state election OPPOSITION Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk will have the backing of exiled bikies across Queensland when she goes to the polls this year. Labor’s pledge to repeal and replace the controversial anti-bikie laws is likely to score her thousands of votes from not only disgruntled motorcycle gang members but also their families, associates and even charities that benefited from their fundraising, bikie chiefs say. United Motorcycle Council Queensland spokesman and Rebels leader Mick Kosenko said in a contest between Campbell Newman and Ms Palaszczuk, the bikies would back Labor. “We just want a government that will sit down with us and talk about the issues they have with motorcycle clubs,” he said. “We just want to be treated like a sporting club. We are a sporting club. We’ll go along with anyone – Labor, Katter, whoever will listen rather than treat us like criminals.” The Opposition plans to review the Vicious Lawlessness Disestablishment Act (VLAD) and replace the laws with new legislation that targets organised crime. The LNP intends to ramp up its laws by banning bikies from holding a licence to work in construction. Ms Palaszczuk said the current laws were unworkable and “in some cases are impacting on innocent Queenslanders” but Premier Campbell Newman said they were fair and had made the state safer. “Labor has it in their policy (to repeal the VLAD laws). They’re looking at laws that fight real organised crime – using police resources for real crimes – and not just terrorise people on motorcycles,’’ Mr Kosenko said. “(The LNP) sort of made up an extra crime targeting us. If they had put all that money into fighting real crime, it would definitely have dropped.” He said the laws had created extra work for police. “When we’d ride together, they used to keep an eye on us for things like DUI or outstanding warrants but that was all,” Mr Kosenko said. “They knew how to manage us and there was very little trouble. Now, because of these laws, the poor cops are thrown in the deep end.” He said the Rebels’ 13 chapters across Queensland alone would raise more than $50,000 a year for charities such as the Leukaemia Foundation, Redcliffe Hospital, schools and sporting clubs. Former Rebels sergeant-at-arms Mike Smith, whose two sons were placed in solitary confinement after being among the infamous Yandina 5 arrests on the Sunshine Coast in 2013, said the bikie laws were a “crime against humanity”. “Myself and my two sons can’t even have a beer together,” he said. “We can’t even drive in the same car together. “You want to know something sad? I voted for Campbell Newman.”. couriermail.au/news/queensland/bikies-will-back-state-labor-at-next-state-election/story-fnn8dlfs-1227174293782
Posted on: Sun, 04 Jan 2015 23:00:42 +0000
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