Special Ultra-Secure Prisons for Bikie Gang Members in QLD
Wednesday 16 October 2013 @ 9.56 a.m. | Crime
Queensland has responded to the continued rising of bikie gangs with a tough new approach that would see convicted bikie gang members imprisoned in an ultra-secure facility at Woodford Correctional Centre. The centre will house the highest risk members of criminal motorcycle gangs as part of the Newman Government’s crackdown on organised crime.
Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie said these measures were absolutely necessary given that bikie gang members posed significant risks, even when behind bars:
“These criminals use their time in prison to recruit new members and continue criminal activities including the distribution of drugs and intimidation of prison staff.”
The Premier of Queensland, Mr Campbell Newman said that the criminals housed in these new prisons would face an unprecedented level of monitoring while in prison. Mr Newman announced that he makes no apologies for making it harder on these convicted criminals and insists that he will continue to be tough on these criminals, whether they are on the streets or in prison.
In prison, criminal motorcycle gang members will face:
- Restricted hours out of their cell (potentially as little as one hour a day)
- Increased drug testing
- Frequent, proactive cell searches
- Only one hour non-contact visits with family members per week
- No TVs in their cells
- No access to gymnasium facilities
- All phone calls, other than to legal representatives, will be monitored by intelligence staff
- Mail to be opened, searched and censored.
The new laws were passed with bipartisan support after a marathon session in State Parliament overnight, with three separate bills adopted just before 3:00am. The legislation specifically names 26 "criminal organisations", including the Bandidos, Finks and Mongols.
Campaigners in Queensland have responded to this stating that the State’s response outweighs the crime of being a bikie.
The Australian Human Rights Commission described the new laws as a possible breach of Australia’s human rights obligations.
Meanwhile, Queensland Law Society spokesman Kurt Fowler says the new laws have serious ramifications:
"We're still working our way through the legislation having not having received any copies of it till very late last night, but the Law Society is concerned the normal consultation process has not been followed...Parliamentary review process has not been followed - there's been little to no consultation before these quite serious laws have been passed, which affect people's liberty."
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