Wednesday, 28 August 2024

Ministers statements: organised crime

Anthony CARBINES (Ivanhoe – Minister for Police, Minister for Crime Prevention, Minister for Racing) (14:05): I am very pleased to say that the Victorian Labor government will be announcing some further crackdowns on organised crime and bikie gangs, with some of the toughest laws in Australia. Unlawful association schemes, serious crime prevention orders and of course the banning and confiscation of outlaw motorcycle gang colours in our state are some of the serious matters that we are bringing before this Parliament and some of the new announcements of policy decisions that our government is making. We have already beefed up the confiscation of assets and unexplained wealth in this state. We have made those changes to the law. We are also outlining that proscribed organisations and their members will be banned from building sites and other government worksites so that those sites are free from the influence of those criminal gangs and organised crime.

Can I say also that those serious crime prevention orders will allow the Chief Commissioner of Police to make sure that those who are involved in serious criminal behaviour will be able to be prohibited from leaving the state. They will not be able to have firearms. They will not be able to have certain amounts of cash. These are the significant changes that we are making to the law that are in response to claims and requests from Victoria Police to continue to put the finger on crime, particularly around organised crime, to disrupt and dismantle it in this state. Our $4.5 billion investment in Victoria Police ‍– the largest police service in the country – is making sure that they have, through the VIPER Taskforce and Taskforce Lunar, what they need to disrupt and dismantle crime, make hundreds of arrests and lay thousands of charges.

Can I say in particular for organised crime in relation to wearing gang colours in outlaw motorcycle gangs, we know they do that to recruit members and they do that to intimidate Victorians. We will ban the wearing of those colours here in Victoria, and we will be able to confiscate those colours when they are worn by outlaw motorcycle gangs. The test for those opposite, who did not back Victoria Police and tougher bail laws, is that when we put the bite on crime we want to have a bite with the mobsters and the lobsters. That is your form.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, ministers statements are not an opportunity for cabinet leakers to attack the opposition.

The SPEAKER: There is no point of order.

Anthony CARBINES: Only the Allan Labor government can be trusted to keep the community safe.