Minister for Police and Community Safety
The Honourable Jack Dempsey
Newman Government cracking down on bikie gangs
As part of the Newman Government ‘s commitment to crack down on organised crime and outlaw bikie gangs, Police Minister Jack Dempsey has announced that the Criminal Organisation Act will be used for the first time today.
He said the Queensland Police Service had applied to have the Finks Motorcycle Club’s Gold Coast chapter declared a criminal organisation.
The application was made to the Supreme Court.
If successful, the Act enables a criminal gang to be declared illegal and therefore able to be broken up.
There are also significant and wide-ranging penalties for those involved.
Mr Dempsey said this was the first use of the Act which was introduced by the previous Labor Government two and half years ago.
“The former State Government boasted about the Act when they first introduced it in 2009 but it was never used against alleged organised criminal gangs,” Mr Dempsey said.
“While the LNP has been critical of these laws in the past, we will do everything we can to crack down on these gangs and protect the community.
“As part of a multi-pronged approach, the Newman Government is also currently drafting minimum mandatory prison terms for firearm offences, unexplained wealth laws and significantly increasing the number of detectives involved in investigating organised criminal gangs.
“We will use the Criminal Organisation Act in the interim until new laws and penalties can be passed through Parliament.”
