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Meet the innocent victims of anti-bikie laws

This is the face of collateral damage in the wake of the Queensland Government’s anti-bikie legislation.
Kylie Sage arranges social motorcycle rides for women and organises the Queensland leg of the Black Dog Ride which this year raised more than $350,000 for mental health issues.
She’s now scared her social rides and the many charity rides around the state will dry up as her friends stay home for fear of being accidentally caught in the State Government’s misguided anti-bikie legislation that targets riders in groups of three.
“What about the sick children in hospitals? What are we going to tell them when the Christmas toy runs are abandoned this year because of this law?” she asks.
“What are we going to tell the people of regional towns when motorcycle tourists stop passing through and spending their money?”
Kylie and her riding friends have joined the “Motorcycle Freedom Riders” campaign to stop the discriminatory legislation.
An online petition is zeroing in on 3000 signatures since being launched on Friday and paper copies are now being circulated to regional locations and charities around the state thanks to members of the Motorcycle Riders Association of Queensland members.
When it hits a total of 10,000, the “Motorcycle Freedom Riders” will deliver the petitions to the Premier’s office. Times and locations will be announced closer to the date.
The government is expected to table its full suite of anti-bikie legislation tomorrow and the “Motorcycle Freedom Riders” don’t expect it to back down easily.
“Premier Campbell Newman probably believes he is backing a winning horse because the people of Queensland are scared of this perceived threat of heavily tattooed and dangerous bikies,” Kylie says.
“But I fear the only people who are going to be hurt are innocent riders like us.”
The “Motorcycle Freedom Riders” campaign has the backing of the Australian Motorcycle Council and Motorcycle Riders Association of Queensland.
Former World Supersport champion and MotoGP winner Chris Vermeulen has also sent a message of support: “I love riding motorcycles and especially riding with mates on all different forms of bikes. If we go out as a group of 3 or more on road bikes, off-road bikes or any other bikes we are going out to have fun which is enjoying our passion, motorcycles. That does not mean we are a ‘bikie group’ and involved in illegal activities any more than a group of cyclists or any other group of people together.”
So far, the United Australia Party has pledged support and the Greens have been vocal in their opposition to this part of the coming legislation.
A spokesperson for the Opposition said yesterday they could not comment yet as they had not seen the final version of the legislation which is expected to be tabled in Parliament tomorrow.
“We are in the dark as well,” he says. “We were supposed to have a briefing but that hasn’t happened, yet it’s being tabled tomorrow and they’re trying to get it through by the end of the week.
“There’s a real problem in this state with criminal organisations, of which non-law-abiding bikies are one; we have to get this legislation right and it runs the risk of not being right if we push it through without proper scrutiny.
“The worst thing is if it falls over in a legal challenge in the High Court.
“We haven’t been defending specific groups just yet but we did make some comments about (the issue of riders in threes being pulled over).
“We recognise that the attack should be on people who aren’t doing the right thing.”

  1. what a stupid law. the ones they are after, are the ones who dont care about laws, so this wont affect them anyway. stupid government. maybe we should pass a law that if more than 3 politicians are in the same area they are conspiring to cause treason and they can be gaoled??

  2. I think if you find a group of three or more politicians they are already guilty of being stupid

  3. Stupid legislation. There are already laws against carrying weapons, committing crimes, possessing/selling drugs, etc. No need to demonise and harass 99% of law-abiding citizen riders, just to catch the 1% gangster who is already breaking other laws. This is the thin end of the wedge to facism, backed by politicians and cops who love the power these laws will give them; also promoted by big media who love scare-stories about nasty gangster bikies, because it sells papers and boosts online views.

  4. the police and the govement are taking away our rights as people to be free go anywhere we want with who we want to go with just because we ride a bike with like minded people not gangsters its a JOKE ALL BIKE RIDERS HAVE RIGHTS TOO we should all and i mean all of us do a ride in every majour city at once three to a group and shut this GREAT FREE NATION DOWN and show we will stand up for what is right and just

  5. Surely the govt would have some kind of approval via application process in place or similar; such as the organisation applies to be exempt for that day and each rider that’s registered to be a part of the ride could receive a temporary permit which is checked by police prior to commencement. Along with advertising the event to the public like they currently do

    1. Really Belinda? Would you like to apply 3 weeks in advance for a police check every time you wanted to meet 2 friends (or your parents) for coffee? What if I am travelling to work and happen to get stopped at the same red light as another bike and a vespa? Then we could all be held at the roadside for questioning.

  6. In fact, statistics show that “bikies” are not a significant factor in criminality in Queensland. Further, not all people in Motorcycle Clubs are involved in crime – many have completely clean records. How about just finding and punishing the individuals who are committing crimes, whether they are bikies or not?

  7. Just another smoke screen to sway people away from the real issues in the state that are not being handled properly. Some police officers are drawn to the job for the ability to have some power that they normally would not have in any other part of their life……Everyone knows the type, the ones that get out of their car with an condacending attitude & a swagger as though they have just come out of a John Wayne movie !

  8. The presentation of a “Petition” is an indicator of “Delusion”. It shows that the people who sign it have lost understanding of who they are and who/what they are dealing with. The corpseoration euphemistically known as the Queensland Government is supposedly there to carry out the wishes of the people. I didn’t say ” to carry out the wishes of the corpseorate agents”. So when ” the people” want GovCo to carry out their wishes they need to tell them, not “ask” them. Forget about a “Petition” present a “MANDATE”. It’s not a request. It’s an INSTRUCTION. If people can’t get their head around this it will be jackboots rather than bikie boots that we will be hearing…..”First they came for the … then they came for the…”. BTW, even when a “petition” is received GovCo is not required “legally” to do anything about it. Check the history folks. Do you want to take the red one or the blue one ? It’s always up to you.

  9. These laws are barbaric. Totally unjust and discriminating. The good for the charity rides we do, the money we raise for children’s hospital, breast cancer, homeless etc etc is at risk as is our civil liberties. We are not criminals because we ride a motorbike; we are hard-working everyday citizens who enjoy riding our motorbikes with our friends.
    What about the bar room brawls and street fights every weekend by the drunken teenagers, the public brawls on football fields, the drug abuse in organised sport and the corruption of police and politicians? Wake up. If you put these outlaws in cars without their patches, you will have no idea where they are or what they doing.

  10. All we keep hearing, is how Mr. Newman has the intel that a certain % of outlaw club members are involved in criminal activity, not all, but a %….I think the majority of rational, educated people would agree that this is the case. ( the same situation as probably a lot through a cross section of the community ).

    My question is this….There are two options as I see it,

    1: IF this intel actually exists & is accurate why isn’t the police force following it up & arresting those committing those crimes? You have the proof, the people involved, & the laws, what’s the hold up??

    @: The intel doesn’t exist, or isn’t accurate, or worse, is just an ” I think they’re all criminals” type of scenario, in which case the police need to do more homework & get to the first scenario.

    Pulling over ordinary motorcyclists as a show of strength to say “we run the show” not outlaws is not helping anyone, because

    1: It shows the police in a weaker light, that it is easier to pick on innocent citizens rather than doing the hard yards.
    2: What motorcyclist is then willing to help the police if they are harassed?
    #: Now the average citizen is starting to question the bullying tactics of every level of officialdom.

    Like I got told recently, ” The cops aren’t giving us a hard time, they’re giving you guys a hard time because it’s easier for them to do that, so they are seen to be doing something!” ( omg member ).

    Somehow I think that comment is very relevant !!

  11. Referring to someone who won a single race one time, due to extraordinary circumstances, as a “MotoGP winner” is a bit rich innit?

  12. Correct me if I am wrong! but isn’t this legislation designed for outlaw motorcycle gangs who have been nominated as criminal gangs as a result of criminal activity? How does a charity ride suddenly get named as an outlaw motorcycle gang with criminal roots.
    I ride a bike, I ride with groups, I ride a lot. I don’t look like a bikie, I don’t act like a bikie, and guess what, I haven’t been stopped yet, and even if I do, let the police do there job in cleaning the place up, answer the questions bid them farewell and keep riding.

    Is this charity ride one of the “Queensland’s anti-association laws criminalise all members and associates of 26 bikie clubs”

    If the charity ride isn’t one of the magic 26, get out on your bike and enjoy.
    Have alook through newspaper clips the last few years, shootings, stabbings, murders,e ars cut off, tattoo shops set on fire and it goes on. Bikie turf wars with no respect for the public at all.

  13. There are so many laws in this country that discriminate, this law is beyond a joke. Why target groups of “Bike” riders. The law know who the Bikie gangs are , they also know who the HOON car drivers are. How long will it before people can’t congregate together for a BBQ, or a few drinks at the beach or pub. We are supposed to be the lucky country.
    I joined the army years ago too fight for our freedom. Now the question is …. What Freedom do we have?

  14. Any of the 26 prescribed outlaw club members deserve to be seen as innocent until proven guilty, not just social riders, it’s how the law is supposed to work!

  15. The laws have been seen by many people as a farce from the beginning and any law that makes you guilty by association is wrong no one wants people treated differently under the law. Mr Newman is very foolish if he thinks he can sell these laws he is not living in the real world. A few red necks do not a state make and people do have brains Mr Newman and you are a fool to think we are happy with this rubbish. A bully is still a bully even if he runs a State!

  16. George wrote ” I haven’t been stopped yet, and even if I do, let the police do there job in cleaning the place up, answer the questions bid them farewell and keep riding.” So why would you have been pulled up George? For riding a bike? And what would those questions be? Where are you going? Who are your friends? What are you wearing? If you think I am being ridiculous, then have a look at the video of the guy being harassed by 13 cops whilst filling his bike with fuel. It won’t be hard to find.
    You seem to have missed the point of peoples anger completely. You make be ok with bending over and taking one in the arse but the rest of us are not. This legislation is a death by a thousand cuts. And if I hear one more time “the police are just doing their job” I will scream. The guards at Auschwitz were just doing there job too

  17. George wrote ” I haven’t been stopped yet, and even if I do, let the police do there job in cleaning the place up, answer the questions bid them farewell and keep riding.”
    ….and is that opposed to the cops not doing their job pre- VLAD? This whole ‘anti- biker’ thing by the cops/ government/ media, is one of the biggest slight of hand moves by a government in history. The sheeple who keep spewing out the propaganda about clubs, have most likely never had any thing to do with them and are only believing the crap that the police feed their puppet newspapers. If something has happened involving a clubber, it’s blown way out of proportion. It’s really sad to see how the powers that be (media included), have dumbed down society!

  18. Like I’ve said before, if you have all the info & proof, why haven’t you gone & arrested the people involved ??? What exactly is the hold up ?? None of the powers that be will answer this simple question…why ?

  19. Well done Ladies, keep up the momentum. You remind the greater public that just like your men, you are innocent people who are being punished because some politican doesn’t like the looks of them. Keep getting in their faces, and stay there. We need to make you household names across the country.

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