Laws to combat organised crime debated

The Criminal Organisations Control Amendment Bill 2024 aims to strengthen Victoria’s unlawful association scheme, introduce a new serious crime prevention order and prohibit the public display of gang colours.

In his second reading speech Anthony Carbines, Minister for Police and Minister for Crime Prevention, said that there are 26 individual recognised outlaw motorcycle gangs operating in Victoria with around 2,000 gang members and associates.

“ 'We have become the Switzerland of the country when it comes to being neutral territory where outlaw bikies feel safe to operate.'    ”

Michael O’Brien, Shadow Attorney-General

He told the Legislative Assembly that Victoria Police had identified links betweem bikie gangs and other organised criminal groups ‘with consistent attacks on tobacco stores and related businesses, fraud activities, and a wide range of other serious offending’.  
 
‘The objective of the unlawful association scheme is to prevent and inhibit the criminal conduct of criminal groups or criminal networks, by preventing associations that may lead to this conduct,’ he said. 
 
The new provisions will ban the public display of the insignia of certain criminal groups, including on clothing or jewellery and displaying it on signs, flags or vehicles. 
 
The legislation also bans members of specified organised crime groups from entering Victorian Government worksites and makes it easier for police to issue unlawful association notices. 
 
Shadow Attorney-General Michael O’Brien said Victoria had become a haven for criminal organisations.  
 
‘Other states have cracked down on outlaw motorcycle gangs. Victoria has failed to do it. We have become the Switzerland of the country when it comes to being neutral territory where outlaw bikies feel safe to operate.'   

He said the opposition did not object to the new powers but ‘with any exceptional powers there must be accountability for them, there must be responsibility for them.’

“ ‘That is $60 billion that could be going to better the lives of the Australian community.' ”

Nina Taylor, Member for Albert Park

He moved amendments to provide for a review of the new provisions after three years. 
 
Member for Albert Park Nina Taylor said Australian Institute of Criminology figures suggest serious and organised crime costs Australians up to $60 billion each year.  

‘That is $60 billion that could be going to better the lives of the Australian community instead of, as has been discussed in the chamber, trafficking drugs and firearms and the other very drastic and dangerous activities that can be associated with such activity,’ she said. 

Martin Cameron, Member for Morwell said there was a need to address organised crime infiltrating the construction workforce. 

'They do rip a lot of money out, at the end of the day, of our big builds. We need to make sure that when we discover these particular things going on we can activate these laws to make sure that we can stamp them out, and that is what this is all about,’ he said. 

The full debate can be read in Hansard of September 12 with debate resuming in the afternoon.