ACT police push for anti-consorting laws to tackle rising bikie gangs
ACT's police chief is backing anti-consorting laws to combat five outlaw motorcycle gangs with about 45 members.
ACT police chief Scott Lee says anti-consorting laws are needed. They would disrupt outlaw motorcycle gangs in Canberra.
The ACT has five gangs: the Bandidos, Hells Angels, Finks, Comancheros, and former Rebels. About 45 members and 20 associates operate there, up significantly in recent years.
Most other Australian states have these laws. But the ACT has resisted them, saying they clash with the Human Rights Act.
Police say the gangs are complex and traffic drugs. The ACT government has proposed laws to ban gang colours and search for guns without a warrant.
- Scott Lee
- ACT Chief Police Officer
- Since the early 2010s
- When Rebels patched over
Why it mattersThe growing bikie presence in Canberra creates public safety concerns and drug trafficking risks that police argue require stronger legal tools.
AustraliaCanberra residents may soon see new laws restricting gang activity, and the ACT government faces pressure to balance police powers against civil rights.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 5 h ago
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