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House of Assembly - Fifty-First Parliament, Third Session (51-3)
2009-05-13 Daily Xml
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REBELS MOTORCYCLE CLUB

Mr BIGNELL (Mawson) (15:23): Will the Minister for Police provide details about the South Australian police operation known as Operation Capital conducted during the recent Rebel outlaw motorcycle gang's national run?

The Hon. M.J. WRIGHT (Lee—Minister for Police, Minister for Emergency Services, Minister for Recreation, Sport and Racing) (15:23): The recent Rebels outlaw motorcycle gang national run saw more than 200 police officers from across the metropolitan area utilised before, during and after the run. A strong police presence resulted in three reports, 45 traffic infringements, 44 defects, three people reported for drink driving and one for drug driving.

Police were well prepared for the arrival of interstate Rebel members. Australian Federal Police were out in force at Adelaide Airport where they identified 195 inbound passengers believed to be Rebels members or associates while South Australian police established vehicle, licence and defect stations on the Princes Highway, Tailem Bend and the Sturt Highway, Nuriootpa.

While Rebels president, Alex Vella, denied bikie gangs were havens for criminals, information from SAPOL tells a different story. Since November 2007, the Crime Gangs Task Force has led a number of operations targeting members and associates of the Rebels. As a result, in a two year period, the Crime Gangs Task Force has made 14 arrests, issued 33 barring orders, seized 37 firearms and over 17,000 street deals of illicit drugs such as ecstasy and amphetamines.

On 1 May, 120 Rebels participated in the run to Parliament House to protest against this government's serious and organised crime legislation. While the Rebels were claiming this was going to be a large-scale protest to be supported by other outlaw motorcycle gangs, the protest attracted only 62 other bikes, including a small representation from other outlaw motorcycle gangs, with some gangs having no presence at all.

Following the run, the South Australian Rebels chapter organised a gathering with a number of marquees and mobile coolrooms within the grounds of their clubrooms at Old Noarlunga. Information sourced by SAPOL from those in attendance at the gathering suggested that disorganisation by the SA chapter of the Rebels and overt police attention contributed to the cancelling of the proposed ride to Victor Harbor on the Saturday.

The following day, Rebels members commenced departing the state through Adelaide Airport as well as by road. SAPOL established vehicle and driver checking stations as well as drug and random breath testing stations in the area of the clubrooms. The majority of motorcycles that passed through the checking stations, which had been brought in from other states, were defected for noncompliance with Australian road rules.

The tactics used by SAPOL during these types of runs are there to maintain good order, public confidence and the safety of all concerned with minimal disruption to the public. It is SAPOL's intention to continue to have a strong police presence at similar events. Such a presence will reinforce to outlaw motorcycle gang members and the broader community that the activity of such groups is not beyond the law.

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