NO WORD YET

THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S ANTI-ASSOCIATION LAWS were due to go to the Victorian Parliament on Tuesday, August 5, 2014. The second reading of the bill in the Lower House was stopped when the Parliament took the winter break. Wade Noonan MP was speaking against the bill. I'm told the debate resumed last night and was a shambles.

This anti-association law is very dangerous and the AG Robert Clark MP is being very secretive about the details. The AG is my MP. I have visited his office in Box Hill in person as a voter in his electorate asking for a meeting.

I have visited his office as Spokesman for the Independent Riders Group in Melbourne briefed his staff and hand-delivered a letter requesting information on definitions, time limits and safe guards for law-abiding citizens. Scroll down the blog for the transcript of the AG's attack on the motorcycle & scooter community in the Victorian Parliament.

The AG's law is obviously and publicly targeting bikies. But is that the only type of organisation he is targeting? He said in Parliament that if  2 or more members of a declared bikie gang leave and join another organisation, the new organisation is deemed to be involved in serious criminal activity without the need for further proof! If that is true, it seems to me, the consequences are that the presumption of innocence until proved guilty is gone and that the club scene is gone.

Volunteer clubs say, BMW Owners or the Ulysses Club or Melbourne Street Riders will have to check the records/histories of every member and membership applicant which raises privacy issues. And with industry clubs like the Harley Owners Group, Honda Riders Club and so on, will the whole business be deemed to be involved in serious criminal activity? The AG isn't saying. He apparently wants to get his law passed so state powers over citizens increase dramatically.

And, what of time limits? If a person leaves a declared organisation in 2014 then wants to get back into a different part of the bike scene in 2020 or 2025, is that person still deemed to be a serious criminal. The AG isn't saying.

Then there's cost? What is the way for a motorcycle or scooter club to get off the declared list if falsely accused or if 2 or more riders from a declared club join without the committee being made aware of their past? the AG isn't saying. He is saying that anyone who disputes his police regarding his anit-association law pays their own costs. How many motorcycle or scooter clubs can afford lengthy and expensive court cases?

Are the definitions in the bill loose enough to target other "enemies of the state"? Will the AG's anti-association law be used against unions for example. No word on that yet.

This letter was written to an IRG member. It tells us little but that the threat is very real. The AG has not done the IRG the courtesy of any sort of reply, let alone answering our questions.

These emails came in this morning. If anyone can get in to the public gallery today, please do.

Sent: Wednesday, August 06, 2014 9:46 AM

Subject: Re: ANTI ASSOCIATION LAW?

Morning Damien, yes, Henry was there, and I had a couple of missed messages from him on Facebook, and a missed call on my mobile.  Was out to it for the day with another migraine.

This is from yesterdays Minutes . . .

Bills debated Second reading debate continued
Criminal Organisations Control and Other Acts Amendment Bill 2014

Powers of Attorney Bill 2014. 
The Assembly did not pass any bills
Government business program
Bills the Assembly will complete by 4.00 pm on Thursday 7 August 2014
Criminal Organisations Control and Other Acts Amendment Bill 2014
. . . and this is where it is on todays agenda . . .

AGENDA ITEM 13. CRIMINAL ORGANISATIONS CONTROL AND OTHER ACTS AMENDMENT BILL 2014 —

Second reading — Resumption of debate (Mr Wynne).
Still be worth going there, but probably not until later in the day, or tomorrow?