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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be shocked by this?

63 replies

AwfulMaureen · 27/01/2014 22:16

Queensland have made it illegal to fraternize with bikers or Bikies as they're known in Australia.

They have...really. Now I know that Aussie bikers have a large criminal population among their numbers...gangs, guns etc...but really! A State that tells it's population "If you fraternize with Bikies you will be arrested."

That's WTF!!

What if a child or teen had a Dad or a Mum who was in a bikers gang? What about those who aren't criminal? As far as I cans see, if the biker has his or her "Colours" on then you can't talk to them or mix with them at all and they are going to have separate prisons for them too!

Shock and double Shock Is it me..AIBU or can you just NOT tell people this type of shit is law?

OP posts:
Spaghettio · 28/01/2014 09:45

There are issues all over the world regarding racism and with different races being treated badly. WHY is it always Australia that gets picked on (on MN)? Honestly I don't understand why one country gets singled out ALL THE TIME when it happens in lots of countries. I'm not saying it is right, it's clearly not, but can we stop the Aussie bashing please?

Grennie · 28/01/2014 09:49

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24516187

This makes it clear that the laws are aimed at convicted criminals. These are organised criminal gangs. So banning them from wearing colours i.e. public signs of their gang, gathering together in public places and running tattoo parlours is all proportionate. Moreover since the introduction of these laws 2 and a half months ago, crime has dropped significantly.

Grennie · 28/01/2014 09:51

Spag - It is because a lot of British people visit Australia, have relatives in Australia and think of emigrating there. That is why people talk about it more than some other countries. Although I do think the level of racism is breathtaking.

Original poster
AwfulMaureen · 28/01/2014 09:52

Grennie yes but they weren't DOING anything. And what about the librarian arrested for having a drink with some biker friends?

Spag I can bash the Queensland wankers who've done this if I like! My DH is Australian, my kids are half Australian and I'm thinking of living there!

It's not "Bashing" anyway...it's discussion/

OP posts:
Spaghettio · 28/01/2014 09:56

So do I, Grennie. The racism is scarily widespread in rural areas especially. I'm originally from Australia but haven't lived there for a long time. Because of that I don't feel I have the right to criticise the politics or laws as I'm not aware of the full situation there. But obviously other people are happy to comment on other countries. Wink

I'm just amazed at the amount of threads criticising it, in contrast to threads on other countries. Confused

Original poster
AwfulMaureen · 28/01/2014 10:00

Spag I have no affiliation with any other country. Shall I start a random thread about a country my children are not connected to?

OP posts:
Spaghettio · 28/01/2014 10:02

If you're thinking if moving there Maureen, good luck to you. You don't sound like you like it very much (even if you are related to Aussies).

hazchem · 28/01/2014 10:08

If this is what bothers you Australia has very little in the way of protection for the people in terms of freedom of speech and human rights then there are much bigger fish to to fry then anti bikey laws. What about manus and christmas island?

NynaevesSister · 28/01/2014 10:18

Two pages of posts and not one Mad Max joke? :D

Grennie · 28/01/2014 10:19

Maureen, they were convicted criminals who are members of a criminal gang, who were gathering in a public place. That is illegal.

ProfessorSkullyMental · 28/01/2014 10:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

hazchem · 28/01/2014 10:30

NynaevesSister Yep that is all that has happened in Australia in over 60000 of continuous culture.

Next time someone debates a law change in Britian shall I ask about Four weddings and a Funeral ?

Spaghettio · 28/01/2014 10:31

There are actually two types of motorbike riders in Australia.

Bikies are the criminal gangs that murder and rape people and distribute drugs.

Bikers are the normal everyday people who enjoy riding motorbikes and have been known to ride to raise money for charities and are generally nice people.

This law will not affect law-abiding citizens - just the criminal gangs.

NynaevesSister · 29/01/2014 10:08

Jeez Hazchem guess Aussies don't have much of a sense of humour then. And sure make a Four Weddings and a Funeral joke. But you'd better be quick. Russell Brand is hogging all the most important political debates here at the moment and being a comedian by profession he usually gets the jokes in first.

This is AIBU right and not 'only serious political discourse please we're Australian and don't like having anyone make a joke about our politics'.

hazchem · 29/01/2014 21:17

Go on call me a racist too then. We can play why I hate aussies bingo

a1992 · 29/01/2014 22:05

I lived in Queensland until the beginning of this month, but yes they are targetting anyone that rides a bike, not just bikie gangs.

  • I am aware of serving military that have been harrased because they dare ride a bike.
  • A gentleman was arrested for doing his job, delivering a pizza who turned out to have bikies there, and because his wife's 2nd cousin (or something like that) is a gang affiliated she can not see him even though she has never meet the cousin.
  • They have introduced a law where if you are considered to be involved in bikie activity they can take your stuff they do not even have to prove it.
  • They have introduced that you get extra time on your prision sentence just for being a bikie, so going away for something minor could result in you getting a longer sentence then a murderer or rapist.
  • They are trying to dictate to judge about sentences, (i object quite strongly to this)
  • they are introducing a panel to try suspected bikies they dont even have to prove it and you do not get to know who is on this panel.

So know they aint just dealing with "criminal gangs" as people put it but harrasing a whole lot of others as well.

a1992 · 29/01/2014 22:10

and sorry but Spag it is effecting Bikers and anyone they deem to have associated.

and another thing, they are apparently considering or have brought in that if you were ever in a bikie gang, you will lose your licence to practice ie electical, plumbing, builder etc. Or in fact are deemed to have associated with.

So if you have changed your life around you are f**ked, or deemed to have associated (which by the way they do not have to prove) so alot of families will be affected. And what ever happened to innocent until proven guilty, you ride a moterbike in queensland and you lose your rights as you will be watched, stopped etc

JassyRadlett · 29/01/2014 22:17

I'm from Queensland. Plenty of Queenslanders (including pretty much the whole of the judiciary) think this is abhorrent. But because Queensland has a unicameral Parliament and the Newman government was elected in a landslide (notably not in this platform, or anything like what they've subsequently implemented), they have no qualms about pushing through such laws as they are pretty much guaranteed two or three terms.

Which means I won't be moving home for a long, long time. Curiously for a Conservative government they look set to wreck the economy, too.

hazchem · 29/01/2014 23:17

I've been thinking on this one over night and I have changed my mind. It's a similar law to an anti prostitution law that QLD used to have which meant you couldn't make money off prostitution so people like taxi drivers could be prosecuted for "pimping".

I think, now, that this law is part of the strange turn Australia is taking in terms of returning to a 1950s nostalgia.

Original poster
AwfulMaureen · 30/01/2014 11:40

Hazchem I've always thought they were doing pretty well a that already! Grin It feels very old fashioned in some parts of Oz...not talking the major cities or suburbs of course.

OP posts:
Spaghettio · 30/01/2014 12:50

Sorry - I didn't realise it was so widespread. Unfortunately I assumed that the government would do this fairly and only punish the guilty.

I've not lived in Australia for nearly 12 years - and it seems to have changed A LOT in that time. I'm happy to only visit my family now - not even contemplating returning there permanently.

Squirrelsmum · 30/01/2014 13:06

FTR it was QLD police that fined the motorist for driving 1klm over the speed limit.
I have friends that ride and they are harassed, really harassed, for riding their bikes in QLD. There is a youtube clip floating around filmed by a guy out for a Sunday ride, he was pulled over at the petrol station, there were at least 4 cop cars there, a dozen police officers. His "crime" was wearing a leather vest.
The shootings and what not are being done by "Nike Bikies" half of them don't even own a bike and if you want to get to the guts of it, being bikies has nothing to do with it, most of it is racially motivated. They just lump them under one name, much the same as any dog that attacks a person is automatically a pitt bull.
The criminal association mentioned up thread... Say 15 years ago in your young and crazy days, you got into trouble with the law, you got into a fight, or were at a protest that turned violent and you ended up with an assault conviction, other than this one incident you have been a law abiding citizen, not so much as a speeding ticket and today you and 4 of your friends decide to have a picnic in the park with your young children. Your friends are now associating with a known criminal. That is a mandaory gaol sentance for them. Yes it is that bad.

Original poster
AwfulMaureen · 30/01/2014 13:49

Thanks for the extra details Squirrel it's like Deep South America 50 years ago for God's sake!

OP posts:
hazchem · 30/01/2014 22:30

To add more the the 50s nostalgia paranoia it appears we are going to start rounding up asylum seekers and enforcing codes of conduct UK telegraph

a1992 · 30/01/2014 23:08

Squirell I so agree it is getting beyond stupid, ie 5 cop cars pulling over one person riding a bike.

And very much agree alot of crime is getting labled as bikie done as well it makes them look good cracking down on anyone who rides a bike as don't you know its them that does the crime.

In all honesty the government needs a wake up call in Queensland, and I believe the UN has deemed them extreme and naive, as well as taking away rights and freedoms. Let alone the judges in queensland don't really agree on it either

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