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Bikies and bikers

Concern tends to split along party lines, which is interesting as the proponents of these measures are generally Labor governments. Overall, using a sample where voting intentions have been normalised to mirror those in the general community, there is "on-balance" lack of concern to the issue of bikie gangs. With the figures for both "concerned" and "unconcerned" below fifty percent with 24% in the middle, this is not a "barbeque stopper".

The table below shows that when considering legislation the overall percentages don't change much, but that the intensity of support for the legislation is higher than concern about bikies would suggest. So, while only16% of Liberal voters are "very concerned" about bikies, 27% "strongly agree" with the legislation. The 11 percentage point difference appears to be made-up from the ranks of those who are concerned, meaning 49% overall support the legislation.

Percentage concerned about bikie legislation

Greens Labor Liberal Total
Strongly agree 3% 13% 27% 17%
Agree 10% 17% 22% 18%
Neither agree nor disagree 10% 21% 19% 19%
Disagree 27% 23% 17% 21%
Strongly disagree 49% 24% 16% 24%
Unsure 0% 2% 0% 1%
Grand Total 100% 100% 100% 100%
Total agree 14% 29% 49% 35%
Total disagree 76% 47% 32% 45%
Net agree -63% -18% 16% -10%

What is shaping different attitudes on this issue?

There seems to be a fundamental split between those who take a utilitarian approach and those who take an in principle stand.The utilitarian approach can be summed up as "Bikies are a small part of crime, and their violence is mainly directed at each other. They don't directly affect me. This issue is a beat-up by the media and politicians. Current laws are being used to prosecute them, therefore what we have is working, and the problem is not so great that we need to consider curtailing civil liberties." The in principle approach is "Bikies call themselves 'outlaws' and commit crime. We must combat crime wherever we can, and someone who consciously puts themselves outside the law does not deserve the protection of it. The government should do whatever it must to bring them into line, and as they are a fringe group any curtailment of civil liberties will have little or no effect on me."

A common theme appears to be the low regard in which bikies are generally held by both supporters and opponents which probably explains why this is not a "hot" issue.

The Leximancer Map below graphically shows how the various attitudes mesh (click on it for a full-size version).

Bikies_Special_Legislation_May_09_500x376.jpg

Concepts associated with those who strongly agree with the legislation are "bikie", "action" and "order". "Order" is "Law and Order". This is an uncompromising , take no prisoners approach - act now: special legislation against gangs for law and order. Underlying it is an almost visceral dislike of bikie gangs.

Concepts associated with those who strongly disagree are "current" and "rights". They believe that current laws are adequate and working, and they are concerned about civil liberties. They believe this is a "knee-jerk" reaction. The theme "criminal" is more or less common to all groups. It is concern about the threat to "people" a belief that "it's time" or a belief that "existing laws" are good enough to "deal" with bikies.

Verbatims

"The media highlights and exaggerates the reality and potential for criminal activity from theses groups. A recent surge in charges against bikies shows that existing policing policy and legislation is more than adequate. I am worried about the broader civil libertarian aspects of the proposed moves to criminalize association."

"Bickie gangs have been around for decades doing what they do. More people die jumping from the Westgate bridge why is this not being attended to by the government."

"Bikie gangs seem to be more of a threat to each other than to members of the public who are not within their social sphere."

"There are criminals in bikie gangs and out of bikie gangs. I am a motorcyclist in some riding clubs but am not in a criminal club. SO why punish me?"

"bikie activity just driven more undergound, same problems."

"It's a furphy. White collar criminals damage our society much more intensely, more pervasively, more insidiously."

"It is exaggerated. Im more concerned with drunk and agressive drivers and raod rage"

"It's a headline-grabber, nothing more. We already have criminal laws that are entirely adequate; to see laws made to target a specific group makes me uneasy."

"Criminal Bikie gangs have been a blight on society for ages and need to be cracked down on"

"Drugs, thugs & silly buggers with firearms need putting down"

"I think the bikies liberties are being violted also but find them very dangerous."

"Any organised crime is of concern. Some bickie gangs need the attention that is being given them but there are also other areas of organised crime that could do with this attention. Beating up the bickies will not solve all the community law and order problems."

"In a free land, misfits have freedom and abuse it. people who live off others by the proceeds of crime deserve stiff penalties."

"I am not frightfully concerned but generally I don't think we clearly define our expectations of civilised behaviour and as our country gets bigger in terms of population we really have to clearly set limits and parameters not just for outlaw bikie gangs but in a whole lot of ways e.g. drinking and gambling legislation etc."

"These people decribe themselves as ""outlaw"" motor cycle groups. Let them be treated as such."

"I think law and order needs to be maintained across all demographics of society. We do not want Australians living in fear for their safety."

"I believe much of the organised crime and drug distribution networks is facilitated through bikie gangs and don't understand why a group designated as 'outlaw' is able to exist at all, other than by soft justice and hamstrung law enforcement authorities and other government bodies."

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Comments   

 
+1 #1 Commentdee 2009-11-02 23:43
I feel the outlaw bikie gangs as they call them are actually nice people if you see past their colours. They are no different to anyone else they may have bad ones in the gang but you get bad ones anywhere. I feel they should be left alone, they sort their own problems out and don't involve others unless the others get themselves involved. I am not scared of them one bit and I am just a normal female. Media and government needto wake up to themselves
 
 
+1 #2 CommentBen 2010-02-02 23:18

ALL YOU PEOPLE NEED TO TAKE YOUR HEADS OUT OF THE SAND AND WAKE UP. 
The bad ones as DEE has put IT is a joke, yes there are bad everywhere and if you run an organisation where BAD people arent wanted then eventually the BAD ones commit missconduct or crimes and are sacked expelled or if its the general public your in jail quicker than you can blink. so tell me why we should all turn a blind eye just because he/she are part of a TERRORIST organisation and that is exactly what they are! When your way of doing business is to instill fear and terror to gain what you want in life your ARE a TERRORIST and should fall under the terrorist legislation if the govenment had any guts.


I feel whilst the a legislation to break down these gangs will most likely go through it is going to be up to the JUGDES IN OUR COURTS to uphold these laws and at a guess they will not.
Judges, police, and even government officials are part of these outlaw clubs make not mistake about it.
when you get extorted your family threatened and you go to the police with video evidence and have lost your business to them.
They get a slap on the wrist a good behaviour bond take your business and you are left 100,000 out of pocket with no restitution just a warning from the police not to go public or give a copy of the tape to the media or they will come after you.
THIS ALL HAPPENED TO ME AND MY FAMILY AT THE HANDS OF THE GLADSTONE QLD CIB and the BLACK UHLANS OUTLAW MC GLADSTONE.
I am 100% sure some CIB Police are in bed with them. The government is and has been aware of them for years and years yet only start to pretend do something about it when its broadcast publicly. Had the sydney airport incident not happened they would have been allowed to continue to grow and continue to destroy lives with DRUGS.
AS FAR AS PEOPLE JUMPING OF BRIDGES GRAHAM at least that is there freedom of choice to jump, then there are all the drug overdoses, young teen girls forced into prostitution, rapes, extortion, murder, gun running, cultivation and drug cooking labs, THE LIST GOES ON AND ON.
EXTERMINATION OF THE CLUBS IS THE ONLY ANSWER OR ALL OF US MIGHT ASWELL BECOME PIMPS AND DEALERS OURSELVES if the government doesnt give a **** lets all get a cut of the wealth then.

 
 
0 #3 CommentBENNO 2010-02-03 00:04

I do believe the story below sets the precident for any member of the public that has ever been threatened by an outlaw club member to carry a firearm to defend he/her and thier family i know i have printed this off and filed it away.


A bikie threatened to kill a police officer and his family during a dawn police raid on his home, a Melbourne court was told today.


The claim came as three other Outlaws Motorcycle Club members avoided jail after pleading guilty to assaults in hotels south-east of Melbourne last year.


During one of 14 police raids on Outlaws' homes early on December 16, Corey Phillips, 29, of Bittern, told a police officer he had ways of finding out where he lived, Melbourne Magistrates Court was told.


"I am going to kill you, your f***ing family and anyone who knows you, c**t," Phillips allegedly said during the raid on his Mornington Peninsula home.


"You're the biggest one here so I will break your f***ing jaw."


The court was told the senior constable was shaken by the threats and took off his badge after Phillips said he had read his name.


The officer was later allowed to carry a police weapon when off duty to protect himself and his family.


Phillips faces charges including making threats to kill, intentional injury and firearms offences.


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Three other Outlaws - Bradley Rixon, 39, and Leon Murphy, 29, of Hastings and David Mathers, 36, of Tyabb - today received suspended jail terms for their role in two assaults in local hotels.


They were arrested when about 105 police simultaneously raided the houses across Mornington Peninsula, seizing firearms, cannabis and Victoria Police epaulettes.


In the first assault, the bikies allegedly attacked a man in the Rosebud Hotel on August 1 after accusing him of selling drugs.


They allegedly blocked security cameras as Mathers, Rixon and a third man punched him in the head and kicked him in the ribs.


Murphy was also charged over a separate "payback" attack at the Westernport Hotel on December 9, when he knocked out a man he claimed assaulted him three years earlier.


During the raids police allegedly found Christmas cards bearing a photo showing the bikies posing with guns.


Magistra te Duncan Reynolds said gang members seemed to glorify firearms, and had a "flippant disregard" of the responsibilitie s that came with owning them.


He sentenced Rixon, Murphy and Mathers to 11, nine and seven months jail respectively on charges of intentionally causing injury and firearms offences.


All sentences were suspended for two years.


Phillips was ordered to reappear in the same court in August.

 
 
-1 #4 black uhlans- a bunch of fag in leather kirks 2011-04-23 22:52
black uhlans- a bunch of fag in leather pants
 
 
-1 #5 i was in a relationship until recently wkay 2011-08-16 04:35
i was in a relationship until recently with someone who has ties with the uhlans. Long story short i was assaulted and me and my kids taken away, now at 12:15 this morning i get a short message from my exs son saying 'hide'. Should i take this seriously?
 
 
+1 #6 Probably Kay, just to be on the safe sidGraham Young 2011-08-16 06:48
Probably Kay, just to be on the safe side. But this isn't the sort of site to come to for advice on these sorts of matters.
 
 
0 #7 Anti-Bikie LegislationBikieRoars 2012-10-17 20:17
The utilitarian approach to dealing with bikie gangs sees them as a non-threat to mainstream society, only a threat to themselves. I think this is a much more realistic view than what the media and television have broadcast, especially in the last few years. There has been more drastic anti-bikie legislation come about recently which seeks to break down the power of bikie gangs by removing their right to display club logos, patches and insignia. I believe we are seeing a shift from utilitarian approaches to a more principle stand against bikies.
LH - Bikie Roars
 
 
0 #8 think againGrey Fox 2012-12-04 01:40
News reports are so inacurate. You guys dont have a clue.