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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2008-11-25 Daily Xml
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ORGANISED CRIME

Mrs GERAGHTY (Torrens) (15:29): My question is to the Premier. Will the Premier update the chamber about the state government's efforts to tackle serious and organised crime, particularly in relation to criminal bikie gangs?

The Hon. M.D. RANN (Ramsay—Premier, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Social Inclusion, Minister for the Arts, Minister for Sustainability and Climate Change) (15:30): I am pleased to answer the honourable member's important question. I can remember her historic campaign in 1994 to become a member of this parliament, when she took me doorknocking and I actually doorknocked an outlaw motorcycle gang member. Even then, I have to say that I learned words that were somewhat unusual.

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The Hon. M.D. RANN: I am asked by the deputy leader whether he has been arrested; well, let us talk about that. Automatic assault rifles, ballistic vests, thousands of rounds of ammunition, over 50,000 deals of illicit drugs, and more than half a million in cash have been seized by the Crime Gangs Task Force in its first year of operation. This is a specialised anti-bikie squad which has also made more than 200 arrests and reports of outlaw gang members and their associates—clearly proving that this task force is hitting criminal bikie gangs right where it hurts.

The task force is a 44-member strong unit of investigators, general duties patrols, undercover officers, Star Group officers and traffic police working in teams to target crime gangs. Launched in November last year—so those 200 arrests were from its launch in November last year—the Crime Gangs Task Force has expanded SAPOL's operations and intelligence-gathering capabilities to home in on criminal bikie gangs and their associates.

The Crime Gangs Task Force took over from the highly successful Operation Avatar, and, with the help of this government's extra 440 officers who have been recruited, SAPOL has been able to double the number of officers cracking down on criminal gangs and their associates. As part of its team-based approach, the Crime Gangs Task Force works in close connection with other areas of SAPOL, including local service areas, crime service and operations service branches.

The Crime Gangs Task Force continues to actively police criminal bikie gang activities, including mass bikie runs and associated events held throughout the state. Historically, outlaw bikie gang members involved in such runs have largely ignored complying with road rules, using their numbers, presence and reputation to force their way through intersections—often at the peril of themselves and other motorists. This simply will not be tolerated.

During a recent run, SAPOL deployed over 150 officers drawn from the Crime Gangs Task Force, northern and southern operations, crime services and traffic, and also utilised the Adelaide Bank helicopter to police and monitor the ride. During these runs SAPOL strictly enforces the law, requiring riders to submit to random breath and drug testing. These tactics work to ensure good order, public confidence and the safety of other road users and, as a result, I am advised that there has been a significant reduction—in fact, by almost half—in the number of gang members taking part in bikie runs. They do not like the random drug testing.

These gangs present the most serious threat to South Australia of any organised crime group due to their involvement in all facets of crime. That is the very reason this government introduced laws to disrupt the criminal activities of bikie gangs, dismantle their crime networks, and discourage others from trying to set up here in South Australia. I am pleased that the Western Australian police commissioner is urging that government to adopt our laws—although I have to say that I did laugh when I saw Victorian commentators saying that these laws would not be tolerated in Victoria because they would impinge on the bikies' human rights. We kind of expected that.

Over the next four years we will dedicate almost $14 million towards enforcing these tough new laws and securing more convictions. The new laws—which restrict the activities of criminal organisations, their members and associates, including liaising with each other, possessing dangerous weapons and attending specific locations—will help police in preventing crime through targeted disruption.

However, by no means will we be stopping there. Over the next 12 months we can expect to see new legislation introduced into parliament, including measures that will give prosecutors the authority to seize the ill-gotten profits and assets of drug traffickers, as well as new laws to give police enhanced covert investigation powers. The government intends to continue to do everything in its power to deliver the result South Australians want, which is to keep the pressure on these bikie gangs, keep locking them up, keep confiscating their drugs, and keep confiscating their weapons.

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