CONSORTING LAWS IN VIC AGAIN

Dr Meredith Doig at the 2015anti-association law protest in Melbourne.

 Subject: New Victorian anti-consorting laws to stop bikies and criminals meeting in person or online.

 Date: Mon, 31 Aug 2015 07:40:13 +1000

OUTLAW bikies and criminals will be banned from hanging out together or interacting online under tough new anti-consorting laws.

In an unprecedented crackdown on organised crime in Victoria, new legislation will allow police to stop ­people convicted of a crime from associating at the pub, at clubhouses or even on social networking sites such as Facebook.

The move is expected to cripple criminal networks across the state, with anyone caught flouting the new rules facing three years in jail and $54,600 in fines.

The latest round of anti-bikie legislation allows Victoria Police to
issue a warning about consorting and, if the directive is ignored
multiple times, charges can be filed.

Attorney-General Martin Pakula said the move would help disrupt
organised crime networks and the supply of ice in Victoria.

“Crime gangs are becoming more sophisticated, particularly in terms of recruiting new members online and on social media,’’ he said.

“These anti-consorting reforms give police the powers they need to
disrupt and dismantle criminal gangs. The law will ensure that Victoria has modern consorting provisions that keep up with the sophisticated forms of organised crime facing us in 2015.’’

The Criminal Organisations Control Amendment (Unlawful ­Associations) Bill 2015 will be introduced to Parliament this week. The move will bring Victoria’s rules into line with New South Wales, which tightened restrictions in 2014.

The new laws will also give new powers to the elite Echo taskforce,
which has already ramped up its crackdown on outlaw motorcycle gangs in the past 12 months.

The group has conducted several raids, which have uncovered a trove of guns, bullets, exotic weapons, drugs and hundreds of thousands of dollars cash inside clubhouses or associates properties.

Sources revealed their ­actions saw the Comanchero bikie gang lose their status as Victoria’s most powerful org­anised criminal gang after coming under pressure in April.

The gang was forced to shut clubhouses in South Melbourne and Hallam after police charged members with hundreds of offences.

300 people turned out on a wet, winter's day in melbourne to protest against anti-association laws.

Earlier this year new police commissioner Graham Ashton warned
Victoria’s anti-consorting laws must be beefed up to stop bikie gangs going across state borders to flout weaker penalties.

The latest overhaul is expected to signal Victoria is not a haven for
clubs operating outside of the law.

It is understood bikie gangs are key players in the supply of ice in
Victoria. The new lab will allow chemical profiling of drugs found in raids, helping authorities to map the territories occupied by major drug syndicates. On Saturday, dozens of people attended the Hell’s ­Angels international anniversary party in Heidelberg.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/law-order/new-victorian-anti-consorting-laws-to-stop-bikies-and-criminals-meeting-in-person-or-online/story-fni0fee2-1227505353010

FILMING FOR TV

Temporary Australians Filming in Melbourne This Saturday September 5.

Hirsty and Tim will be filming at Harley City on Sydney Road Brunswick from 9am till 2pm. 

Come and join the fun at the Harley City Show n Shine from around 11am. 

See you there.

Harley City Webbanner.png

GOLDEN DRAGON RALLY

 http://centralcoastriders.ulyssesclub.org/RidesSocialEvents/tabid/318/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/15473/2nd-October-2015-Golden-Dragon-Rally.aspx

MOTORCYCLES NOT INCLUDED

I WAS JUST WELCOMED TO RACV ENEWS.

enews@racv.com.au

http://www.racv.com.au/wps/wcm/connect/racv/internet/primary/home

The cover shot was a Daddy checking his little girl's bicycle.
There was a bit on a V8 race car.
There were stats on burglaries in Northern Victoria.
There was a bit on Father's Day.
A magician.
Hot air balloons.
Cops.
A bicycle again.
Phone apps.
A car test.
Farm dogs.
Wine awards.
A pet hotel(?!?)
The Royal Melbourne Show.
Discount electricity.
Travel ads.
Hacker alerts.
Family cars comparo.
Competitions.
Ferries and cruise ships.
The Sydney experience.
The Victorian Tourism Awards.
A new book.
A tulip festival.
Pixels the movie.
Sleep and breathing problems.
And various ads for socks, cameras and computers.

WOW!

But if you're a Daddy in a motorcycle or scooter family, regardless of RACV membership fees or your vehicle insurance, you don't get to read anything about motorbikes or even see one in the background of this RACV enews pictures.

Damien
IRG 

HERALD SUN OMITS MOTORCYCLES AGAIN

MELBOURNE'S HERALD SUN NEWSPAPER has left motorcycle &
scooter riders out of an important article on a serious city transport problem ...
Hoddle Street / Punt Road. It seems ther Herald Su8n is only aware of
motorcycle & scooter riders if they are selling ice or doing 190 kph through
David Jones.

The Independent Riders Group has emailed Minister Donnellan to send us
details on making submissions to the two inquiries mentioned in the article.

RACV MANAGER OMITS MOTORCYCLES

August 19, 2015. 

THE EDITOR 

THE HERALD SUN 

MELBOURNE 

Dear Sir/Madam. 

The following is some of the Independent Riders Group reaction to the RACV column in last Friday's 

Herald Sun. 

In spite of the fees and premiums paid to the RACV by motorcycle & scooter riders who mostly use 

cars too, the RACV does not give riders a fair go. 

Royalauto could do must more to educate drivers that they benefit directly from safe motorcycle & scooter commuting. Traffic filtering eases traffic congestion and you can park at least five bikes in a single car bay. 

Riders are legitimate road users who pay their road taxes and charges, fund their TAC insurance, are 

trained to a high standard and can be identified. The vast majority are law-abiding citizens who deserve 

better from the Herald Sun and the RACV. 

Damien Codognotto OAM 

Independent Riders Group 

################################################################################## 

Hi Damien, 

Great letter. Keep the pressure on. 

H 

We know the RACV intentionally ignores motorcycles at every 

opportunity, as I have said before, whenever an initiative is discussed 

or introduced for bicycles, it should also be considered for Motorcycles. 

The RACV is irresponsible in the way it excludes motorcycles from 

any discussion and so denies many opportunities to reduce congestion and improve 

travel time for all road users. 

Regards 

S 

############################################################################### 

Royal Auto Club of Victoria Public Policy General Manager Brian Negus again snubbed the motorcycle community in a Herald Sun article on August 14. See attached. 

The article suggested solutions to traffic congestion problems in Hoddle Street and Punt Road in Melbourne. 

He talked about everything that moved in that car-jammed carriageway except motorcycles & scooters. 

This, in spite of the fact that RACV representatives sit on committees with bike reps like the Motorcycle Advisory Group at VicRoads. 

This, at a time when the VicRoads trial permitting motorcycles & scooters to use bus lanes has been 

successful, when traffic filtering is about to be legitimised and when the City of Melbourne Motorcycle Plan 2015-18 recommends investigating new stop lines for bikes to improve traffic flow, Action M8. 

I do not believe this was a deliberate snub. I think the RACV's problem with motorbikes is similar to 

VicRoads'. I think it's ignorance overlying prejudice. Motorcycles & scooters are simply not considered 

to be anything but a traffic liability by those in the lofty, insulated upper levels of those organisations. The problem is systemic. 

If we want the motorcycle & scooter community to be treated as legitimate road users and road safety stakeholders, we have to change the system. Go see your MP! 

www.parliament.vic.gov.au

Damien Codognotto OAM 

Spokesperson 

Independent Riders' Group (IRG) 

MOTORCYCLE FIRST AID COURSES IN VICTORIA

Spring is nearly upon and our thoughts turn to riding. ASMA wanted to update on whats happening in the next few months. View this email in your browser Motorcycle First Aid ™ ASMA has registered and Trade Marked ( ™ pending)                           "Motorcycle First Aid." ASMA did this to reflect what we do in our core mission. Accident Scene Management Australia ltd is still a Not for Profit organization and registered charity, but it will be trading also under the Name of Motorcycle First Aid.™ ASMA is also in the process of training new trainers to service NSW, QLD, WA and Tasmania. We are pleased with the High Quality of Motorcyclists wanting to become Trainers for ASMA and we look forward to their contributions to the motorcycle community.   During the Winter we all had dreams of being able to ride somewhere "nice' soon we can follow our dreams. For those in the warmer climates, the riders of the southern states are envious. Parked Motorcycle Syndrome is a real thing.   Spring Class updates. ASMA in association with  RoadSafe Central Victoria, has been successful in obtaining a grant from TAC, to train another 100 Victorian riders this spring. In this grant we will also be training at least 50 CFA and SES personal that work in rural areas where motorcycles frequent. In some of the areas we like to ride, the local CFA are the first emergency service responders so it seems appropriate that they know the best practice skills in dealing with a motorcycle trauma victim. ASMA thanks to ongoing support of TAC and RoadSafe Central Victoria. Funded Course have a registration fee of $30.00 and places are limited   .   Victorian TAC Funded Dates are: September 13th, London Tavern  South Caulfield Public Course. September 27th, Sale, Emergency Services October      24th, Bendigo, Emergency Services October      25th, Bendigo Public Course To Be Scheduled Mount Macedon Public Course Echuca Public Course. Bookings and details available at www.asma.org.au Tasmania is a motorcycle haven and ASMA will be conducting "a Crash Course for the Motorcyclist™" there for the first time. ASMA will also conduct the Motorcycle First Aid Lite course. a non accredited lite course . These Courses are scheduled for November 14th and 15th.   Copyright © 2015 Accident Scene Management Australia ltd, All rights reserved. Your name has been added to this list , as you have participated in an ASMA course, event or have ticked our mail list on our website Our mailing address is: Accident Scene Management Australia ltd P.O.Box 160 Murchison, Victoria 3610 Australia Add us to your address book Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list

VICTORIAN FILTERING LAW IN SEPTEMBER 2015

Motorcycle & scooter stop[ line photographed by Georges Gouron in Spain. 

VICROADS is writing traffic filtering rules for motorcycle & scooter riders. They are supposed to become law in September 2015. Consultation has been less than satisfactory.

VicRoads are supposed to keep things that are done legally now legal. BUT, there is talk about a ban on filtering in 40 kph zones which would wipe out filtering in Melbourne and an increasing number of Victorian cities and urban areas negating all traffic flow benefits in those areas and giving police another fine for riders riding safely.

They wouldn't do that, would they? Well against all common sense they made switching your headlight off in daylight an offence based on opinion, NOT fact. It was pointed out that they could have found out with a phone call, that most motorcycles & scooter sold in OZ for over 20 years do not have light switches. They did not want to talk about it, let alone repeal their blunder. So don't be too confident they will get filtering laws right.

There was also talk of banning L & P platers from filtering and a ban on filtering near large vehicles like slow or stopped buses and trucks.

The IRG has been lobbying for new European style stop lines to separate cars from two-wheelers and two-wheelers from pedestrians. The Melbourne Motorcycle Plan 2015-18 calls for an investigation of new moto stop lines.

Get in touch with you MP and tell him/her you want VicRoads to release the draft of the filtering rules before they become law to avoid another lights-on blunder and get a lot of commuters fined big bucks for doing the right thing. Ring their office or send an email. Don't complain about bad laws if you don't do anything to stop them.

www.parliament.vic.gov.au/members

Damien
IRG

NEWCASTLE TOY RUN

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bikers-for-Kids-Newcastle/111037225658041

MARSHALS NEEDED IN VIC

L to R: Elle, Craig, Chris and Damien at Muleta's discussing marshals for the RIDE TO CONQUER CANCER.

MARSHALS NEEDED

THE RIDE TO CONQUER CANCER is a 2 day cycling event , benefiting the Peter Mac 
Cancer Centre in Melbourne. The idea is that a lot of people raise money to work & sweat, 
pedalling round the Mornington Peninsula on October 24 & 25, 2015.

The organisers need 40 marshals on motorcycles & scooters to shepherd the pushies. It's a 
good cause. It will be a fun weekend. This is information on what you get and what you do for it.

Please apply early to be a marshall on the RIDE TO CONQUER CANCER.

Marshals are part of a MOTO SAFETY TEAM. Marshals are insured as volunteers. You 
need a full bike licence and a street legal motorcycle or scooter. A traffic management ticket 
and/or first aid certificate helps but is not necessary.

The RIDE TO CONQUER CANCER starts and ends in Albert Park. It covers 
200 kms to Mornington and back.

Day one route:  www.ridewithgps.com/routes/4762932

Day two route:  www.ridewithgps.com/routes/4791775

There will be a MOTO SAFETY TEAM meeting on the Friday night and an early start on 
Saturday morning for a last-minute briefing. A crew t-shirt, ID and a marshal's hi viz vest 
are supplied.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner are supplied on day one.

Breakfast and lunch are supplied on day two.

Pushbike and motorcycle & scooter riders can camp Saturday night in Dallas Brooks 
Park in Mornington. Marshals can camp free of charge if they want to stay overnight. A 
truck will carry extra gear like tents and sleeping bags so the bikes don't have to carry a lot 
on the ride. Secure motorcycle & scooter parking is provided.

Since Saturday nights were invented for saturnalias, there will be a knees up with two bands. 
Marshals get into the party and get the first beer free.

To be a marshal on the RIDE TO CONQUER CANCER call the volunteer

coordinator, Elle, on 0402 288 757. Elle is the good looking one in the picture. Craig Davis is 
the Chief Marshal.

www.conquercancer.org.au

Damien

IRG

BIKE TOURS FROM THE UK

www.cruisingmotorcycletours.co.uk

TOY RUN 2015 - LUNA PARK MELBOURNE