R.I.P. Motorcycle Gangs (a Poem of Protest)

A senior barrister, Stephen Keim, says Queensland's anti-bikie laws make the state look ridiculous.

The barrister said the government's Vicious Lawless Disestablishment Act (VLAD), which makes a gathering of three or more bikies or their associates unlawful, was aptly named.

"It may well impale the hopes and dreams of generally law-abiding families on a stake of injustice," Mr Keim told the Australian Lawyers Alliance (ALA) Queensland conference, referencing Vlad the Impaler.

He argued the laws, which impose mandatory minimum sentencing of 15 to 25 years, breach article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil Rights and other human rights principles.

The Queensland State Government under the control of the Premier Campbell Newman has recently exercised its power to introduce new laws to crack down on Motor Cycle Gangs in an attempt to stop gang related violence and illegal drug trafficking and money laundering through biker owned tattoo parlours.

While most Queenslanders welcome a reduction in those types of crimes, the new laws seem to be a discriminatory violation of rights and a return to the dark ages. Queensland is on the brink of becoming a police state. Even most magistrates refused to enact the new laws which they felt were unethical. The Government has therefore appointed a handful of magistrates willing to preside over these cases.

One of the laws states that no group of three or more people with known links to motorcycle clubs are allowed to meet in public. Another is that members of motorcycle clubs are no longer allowed to own or run tattoo parlours. A number of innocent people (including girl friends) have already been incarcerated as a result of the new laws.

To make matters worse, pink prison uniforms have been introduced to be only worn by convicted bikers to humiliate them and make them stand out from other prisoners. As well as this, the Government is considering banning cigarettes in prison.

Most clubs have been travelling over the New South Wales border to hold their meetings, but there have already been a number of protests, one involving over 2000 bikers in Brisbane.. It was only by meeting in a number that big that they could avoid being arrested. The police couldn't arrest them all.

No more congregating

In groups three or more.

Don't you know Mr Biker,

It's against the new law?

If you are a biker

And belong to a club,

You must now burn your colors

You dishonest grub.

You can't meet in public

For even a beer.

Your type isn't welcome

In Queensland you hear?

You now have to register

Every tattoo,

Each inked inch of skin

Belonging to you.

Then if you're arrested

And thrown in the clink,

The thing that awaits you

Is an outfit of pink.

And if you're a smoker

I'm afraid you will suffer,

'Cause prisons in Queensland

Are free of the 'puffer'.