Queensland and Western Australia block national anti-gang laws

The Australian has reported that gang crime and unexplained wealth laws will not be referred to the Commonwealth just yet as states and territories at the recent Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting in Canberra failed to reach agreement on handing over powers to the federal government.

Whether or not to refer law making power for laws designed to combat gangs and organised crime will now depend on further negotiations between officials, police and attorneys-general.

The COAG meeting concluded with South Australia, Tasmania, and NSW agreeing to support the Prime Minister’s push for national anti-gang laws; however, Queensland and Western Australia opposed to the changes.
 

Ms Gillard's proposed laws involved the states referring some of their powers to the commonwealth in addition to giving courts the power to declare gangs a criminal organisation and execute control orders on selected members.

Ms Gillard also asked states to approve national unexplained-wealth laws, which would give police more power to seize cash, cars and houses belonging to alleged organised criminals.

NSW Primer Barry O'Farrell said he was delighted that COAG was considering national gang laws.

"Outlaw motorcycle gangs don't operate within one state," he said to reporters in Canberra before the COAG meeting.

"They do cross borders, so do the drugs and the other things that they trade in."

Read the article here.
 

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