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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-03-03 Daily Xml
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LICENSED VENUES, VIOLENCE

The Hon. P.L. WHITE (Taylor) (14:45): My question is to the Minister for Police. What are South Australian police doing to crack down on violence and disorderly behaviour in and around pubs and clubs?

The Hon. M.J. WRIGHT (Lee—Minister for Police, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (14:45): On 28 February of this year, the Hon. Gail Gago, Minister for Consumer Affairs, announced that from 1 March police would have the power to bar problem patrons from pubs and clubs under new laws introduced by the state government. Previously, only licensees have had the power to bar a person and it is understood that some licensees may have been reluctant to issue barring orders, particularly to patrons who appeared to be linked to outlaw motorcycle gangs, because of threats and intimidation.

These changes were specifically designed to give police and licensees greater powers to protect staff, patrons and the premises from violence and other criminal behaviour. I am extremely pleased to inform the house that just a few hours after the laws came into operation, police slapped barring orders on three outlaw motorcycle gang members.

The Commissioner of Police has advised me that during the evening of Sunday 1 March 2009, Crime Gangs Task Force members, in the course of their duty, attended the Stamford Grand Hotel in Glenelg and spoke to security members. Security stated that only a small number of patrons were in attendance and commented that there had been no behavioural issues over the past two weeks as there had been no outlaw motorcycle gang members in attendance.

Some hours later security contacted the Crime Gangs Task Force and advised that there were several members of the Rebels outlaw motorcycle gang inside the hotel. The Crime Gangs Task Force members entered the hotel and were immediately approached by one of the Rebels members, whose behaviour towards them was aggressive and abusive.

Police requested the Rebels members to move to another area. One member refused to comply with the police request and became so agitated that he had to be physically restrained. He was subsequently arrested for disorderly behaviour and resisting arrest. As a result of this incident, three barring orders were issued to three Rebels members not to attend the Stamford Grand Hotel in Glenelg for a three month period.

In 2005, this government introduced laws cracking down on crowd controller violence and organised crime associated with the security and hospitality industries. Back in 2002, bikie gangs had a huge influence on the crowd control industry, but as a result of action taken by this government this is no longer the case.

Now we have removed these thugs and criminals from the security industry, it is time we focused on barring them from licensed premises to make our pubs and clubs safer as well as stamping out drug dealing and other criminal behaviour at licensed venues.

Over recent years, South Australia Police have had considerable success in reducing serious assaults in licensed premises when barring orders have been served on outlaw motorcycle gang members and associates by licensees. These laws now make it easier for licensees who may have felt intimidated by bikies. We as a government will continue to work with SAPOL to ensure as many changes to the criminal law as necessary are made and that they are given the resources they need to crack down on the activities of these thugs on bikes.

Over the next 12 months we can expect to see new legislation introduced into parliament, including unexplained wealth, declared drug trafficker legislation and specific organised crime offences, as well as legislation to target those who sell hydroponics equipment to those who grow drugs. This government intends to do everything in its power to deliver the result that South Australians want—an end to the criminal operations of bikie gangs.

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