I think the Greens are right about these anti-consorting laws being ridiculous.  Today at a sleepy seaside suburb I visited, the police were everywhere picking up anyone and everyone.  They cleared the beaches of any homeless or shabbily dressed people and warned them not to sit in groups any longer.

They were patrolling the streets and investigating anyone who looked suspicious.  Cars were randomly pulled up and investigated and men going about their usual work duties were being interrogated on the street.  It was unbelievable.

Out of curiosity I spoke to a couple of people who had been told not to sit down anywhere and they said it was because the police were only hassling people who couldn't argue back.  It means the police will have their quota of investigations for the day without confronting danger.

It was obvious right from the start these were only "feelgood" laws designed to make the NSW government look busy.


The Australian Crime Commission and Queensland's Crime and Misconduct Commission have aired misgivings about the legislation in their fight against the gangs.

The ACC, in a submission to a joint federal parliamentary committee, last year warned that there was a "clear risk" that intelligence and crime-busting efforts would be sidetracked to prove suspected bikies were part of a gang.

While the ACC said the legislation could be disruptive to the well-structured and easily identifiable outlaw motorcycle gangs, it could also drive them underground.

The crime-fighting and anti-corruption body also warned that "anti-consorting" legislation that previously existed in Queensland had led to corruption. "In 1962, the police licensing branch was given responsibility in policing all metropolitan prostitution, out-of-hours liquor trading, gaming and SP bookmaking," the submission said.

"The oversight of so much crime by a clique of police engendered conditions in which corruption flourished."

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25277264-5006786,00.html

The police should be given a citizen's arrest for behaving in this manner.

I think the greens are right too. I don't think the laws will help much, but would be prone to abuse. It is just wrong to arrest someone for hanging out with the wrong person. If the police can't arrest them for a real crime, they need to try harder, not make something up to arrest them for.

mantra wrote on Apr 3^rd, 2009 at 10:50am:

They cleared the beaches of any homeless or shabbily dressed people and warned them not to sit in groups any longer. They were patrolling the streets and investigating anyone who looked suspicious.

And that is EXACTLY what the police should be doing EVERYWHERE all the time.

DILLIGAF wrote on Apr 4^th, 2009 at 11:22am:

mantra wrote on Apr 3rd, 2009 at 10:50am:   They cleared the beaches of any homeless or shabbily dressed people and warned them not to sit in groups any longer. They were patrolling the streets and investigating anyone who looked suspicious. And that is EXACTLY what the police should be doing EVERYWHERE all the time.

Since when did the beach only become inclusive to those who are well dressed?

Police patrolling a quiet suburb mid morning where there has never been any indication of bikie or unlawful activity and achieving nothing apart from harrassing the most vulnerable in our society is pathetic.  You wouldn't find them doing the same thing late at night or in the early morning outside clubs, casinos or pubs where there is always violence and illegal activity occurring.  It just seems they're taking the easy option, yet doing what they're told.  Obviously confronting "outlaws" is dangerous when they can give the same interrogation to some enfeebled unfortunate and stay safe.