PROTEST & TV AD ON YOUTUBE

Sunday, November 4, 2012, 5:31:10 PM, you wrote:

MEDIA RELEASE

Please  find  the  attached  Media  Release from the Victorian Scooter
Riders  Association  (VSRA)  in relation to the Motorcycle and Scooter
Protest Rally held in Melbourne on the 29th October 2012.

Video  from  the Protest Rally is now also available on YouTube at the
four links below and contains content from the addresses made by:

Damien Codognotto OAM (Independent Riders Group)

Stephen Bardsley (Victorian Scooter Riders Association)

Luke  Donnellan  MP  (Victorian Shadow Minister for Roads, Road Safety
and the Transport Accident Commission)

Heather Ellis (Member of the Motorcycle Advisory Group)

John Voyage (Maurice Blackburn Lawyers)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5rTIODzzC8


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_jVKikON1k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayrfxCJzc1M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dB3Kw38ZtAU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEMaDP0KqeU

Regards
Stephen Bardsley
Spokesman - VSRA
0409 848 428

ANTI BIKIE LAW 5

A letter to the Premier of Victoria, The Hon Ted Baillieu MP. 

Have you sent a letter yet. Here's the email addresses:

ted.baillieu@parliament.vic.gov.au

and CC it to the Leader of the Opposition, The Hon Daniel Andrews MP

daniel.andrews@parliament.voc.gov.au

If you want me to run it on this blog (with or without ID) to encourage others to use our democratic system CC it to me too:

d.codognotto.oam@bigpond.com

The old saying "if you don't use it you'll lose it" applies very much to democracy.

Premier Baillieu,

I am writing to strongly object to the proposed anti-association bill. 

As a law abiding citizen I find it objectionable that people should be considered guilty by association when they have not broken any laws. I also find it offensive that a minority group should be singled out for such attention. If an ethnic group were persecuted in such a way there would be an outrage, so how is this different? Criminal activities occur through all people groups, not just so-called "bikies". 

I ride and know many people who ride. I find them caring and passionate people with a common interest. They have a genuine concern for family and disadvantaged children. This is not a "face" that they put on. It's not a once a year event they tag along to. It is a year round involvement. 

I have in the past spoken to people who belong to so called "outlaw motorcycle gangs." Does that make me a criminal? Are you going to arrest and incarcerate a grandmother who is heavily involved in her church and community and an Executive Officer in her Country Women's Association branch? Just because she speaks with someone who rides a motorcycle and belongs to a club?

I understand that criminals must face the due process of the law, but please! do not blacken the name of innocent people because they belong to or associate with a particular minority group. 

With regards,

Name withheld by request.
Victoria.

ANTI BIKIE LAW 4

MP  REPLIES
Mr Geoff Howard is the Member for Ballarat East in Victoria.

geoff.howard@parliament.vic.gov.au

******************************************************************

VICTORIAN MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT

Dear Parliamentarians.

The  Attorney  General's anti-bikie bill is like firing a shotgun at a
few  bad apples in a paddock full of good watermelons. Who will be hit
next?  Sporting  shooters?  Footy  clubs  with  a bad boy on the team?
Church or ethnic groups? This is a police-state law that will trap the
innocent but have little effect on serious crime.

The  Australian  Bureau of Statistics says 1.3 million Australians are
licenced  to  ride  motorcycles  &  scooters.  The  Transport Accident
Commission  says  80%  of riders are not club members. Police say just
7000  people  across Australia are members of targeted clubs and admit
that  not  all  of  them have criminal records. It is obvious that the
vast  majority  of  riders  are law-abiding citizens who more than pay
their way in society.

A  law  removing  the  right  to  free  association  will destroy many
community  service  activities.  Propaganda says TOY RUNS, Pink Ribbon
Rides  and  like  events,  are  spin to distract public attention from
violent,  criminal  behaviour.  That  is  more  than  a  lie  and it's
insulting.  I've  been  an  organiser  for major bike events since the
1970s  and  I've  never  seen criminal involvement in any of them just
hard working volunteers.

We  urge Members of Parliament to throw the anti-bikie law out because
it  won't  achieve  it's  aims and it removes rights that go to making
Australia  the great free country it is. Blitz serious crime by giving
police  the  resources  they  need  to  enforce  existing  laws not by
introducing this unjust law.

Damien Codognotto OAM
Spokesman
Independent Riders' Group
Melbourne
*************************************************************


Damien, 

I agree. 

This might seem to be a sign of strong action by some but, as you say all criminal activity is already illegal and police need the resourcing to enforce it whether it be amongst some 'bikies' or any other community members. 

As you also identify many people who could be described as 'bikies' are sound, law abiding people. 

Law applied by label is not the way to go. 

Regards 

Geoff Howard
MLA Ballarat East

ANTI BIKIE LAW 3

WRITE TO YOUR MP.  JOIN THE IRG.

This letter has been sent, in one form or another, to all Victorian Members of Parliament and various newspapers. I urge you to email the Premier and the Leader of the Opposition in Victoria to let them know your feelings about the anti-bikie bill introduced to state parliament this week.

You can use my letter as you see fit or write your own and email it to:

ted.baillieu@parliament.vic.gov.au

daniel.andrews@parliament.vic.gov.au



VICTORIAN MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT

Dear Parliamentarians.

The  Attorney  General's anti-bikie bill is like firing a shotgun at a
few  bad apples in a paddock full of good watermelons. Who will be hit
next?  Sporting  shooters?  Footy  clubs  with  a bad boy on the team?
Church or ethnic groups? This is a police-state law that will trap the
innocent but have little effect on serious crime.

The  Australian  Bureau of Statistics says 1.3 million Australians are
licenced  to  ride  motorcycles  &  scooters.  The  Transport Accident
Commission  says  80%  of riders are not club members. Police say just
7000  people  across Australia are members of targeted clubs and admit
that  not  all  of  them have criminal records. It is obvious that the
vast  majority  of  riders  are law-abiding citizens who more than pay
their way in society.

A  law  removing  the  right  to  free  association  will destroy many
community  service  activities.  Propaganda says TOY RUNS, Pink Ribbon
Rides  and  like  events,  are  spin to distract public attention from
violent,  criminal  behaviour.  That  is  more  than  a  lie  and it's
insulting.  I've  been  an  organiser  for major bike events since the
1970s  and  I've  never  seen criminal involvement in any of them just
hard working volunteers.

We  urge Members of Parliament to throw the anti-bikie law out because
it  won't  achieve  it's  aims and it removes rights that go to making
Australia  the great free country it is. Blitz serious crime by giving
police  the  resources  they  need  to  enforce  existing  laws not by
introducing this unjust law.

Damien Codognotto OAM
Spokesman
Independent Riders' Group
Melbourne
Tel: 03 9846 8621

d.codognotto.oam@bigpond.com

To join the Independent Riders' Group all you have to do is email me your name, post code and email address and I'll sign you up. It's free and you can withdraw at any time. Membership in the IRG does not interfere with membership in other organisations. The IRG reserves the right to refuse a membership without explanation.

Damien

ANTI BIKIE LAW 2

PROPAGANDA

This propaganda was placed on Crikey.com in 2006. It is probably a rehash of a story that appeared in Readers Digest in the 1990s.  Brumby from Heavy Duty Magazine asked me to write a response. The response is below.

In 2012 police are reviving the old hate campaign as Victoria introduces its' anti-bikie law.

heraldsun.com.au 

ANTI-BIKIE LAWS 1

DIRTY DEEDS
heraldsun.com.au 

The Baillieu Government introduced its' anti-association bill to the Victorian Parliament yesterday, Wednesday, November 14, 2012. State Attorney General Robert Clark MP expects the laws to be passed by the end of the year and to be working against motorcyclists by early 2013.

In my opinion this law will have a devastating impact on the motorcycle & scooter community Australia-wide. It may adversely effect other groups in society if they don't fit the nanny-state model but consider just one aspect of our lifestyle that will be directly effected virtually immediately.

Police are already rehashing the old propaganda that riders' good works like TOY RUNS and PINK RIBBON rides are just positive spin to cover our violence and drug dealing. A senior policeman was on the radio the other night spouting this hate propaganda.

If you are a motorcycle event organiser, let's say a TOY RUN, under Clark's law you risk serious bother. 1000 people turn up. Among them is a member of a banned organisation. Police photograph you chatting to the banned person, maybe selling them a TOY RUN badge. You may not be charged  but do you need uniforms at your door giving you a lecture on who you can associate with while the car-driving neighbours watch? There will be fewer and fewer volunteers prepared to take the risk of organising motorcycle & scooter events and a whole aspect of our lifestyle could disappear.

Please read the articles below. If you feel strongly about this police-state legislation email Premier Baillieu and cc the Leader of the Opposition, Daniel Andrews MP and the Independent Riders' Group at:

ted.baillieu@parliament.vic.gov.au

CC

daniel.andrews@parliament.vic.gov.au

d.codognotto.oam@bigpond.com

The Australian Bureau of Statistics says over 1.3 million Australians are licensed to ride motorcycles & scooters. The vast majority of Australians who ride are law-abiding citizens.

The Transport Accident Commission says that 80% of Victorian riders' are not in any sort of bike club.

The last Victoria Police estimate I heard was that about 7000 people were members of what police call OMGs (Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs) across the country. Just as not all police do the wrong thing, not all members of patch clubs are crooks.

Clark's anti-bikie law makes a community of over a million Australians second class citizens guilty by association. Its' a law Australians should be deeply ashamed of.

Damien Codognotto OAM
Spokesman
Independent Riders' Group
Melbourne

SPARE A FEW BOB FOR THE FATHER BOB DOCO

Father Bob and his crew do good work. Ghost Pictures are making a documentary about him. They need money to produce the footage they have already shot. Please invest in the doco if you can.

vimeo.com/51047623?action=share&post_id=100000228322018_367017843393293#_=_

Damien Codognotto OAM
Independent Riders' Group
Melbourne