OFF THE WIRE
The NSW Government and Opposition are pointing the finger at each other over the lack of laws targeting bikie gangs.
The New South Wales Opposition has accused the state's Attorney-General of taking too long to fix laws targeting bikie gangs.
Greg Smith promised to fix the legislation after it was struck down by a High Court decision in June.
The Criminal Organisation Control bill was meant to allow motorcycle gangs to be declared illegal organisations.
Gang members could then be jailed for associating with each other and prevented from working in certain jobs.
The bill also gave the NSW Crime Commission the power to seize assets from members.
But the court ruled in June in favour of Sydney-based Hell's Angels bikie club member Derek James Wainohu.
The court ruled that the laws undermined the NSW Supreme Court and were outside the legislative powers of State Parliament.
Opposition spokesman Nathan Rees says the Government needs to move quickly to rectify the situation.
"Greg Smith, the Attorney-General, said that he would fix the legislation and to date he's done nothing," Mr Rees said.
"He's sat on his hands and we're now in a situation that unless he manages to introduce it this week, the people of NSW will remain unprotected from criminal activity arising from bikie gangs across our state, probably until February next year.
"It's not good enough."
The legislation was introduced to State Parliament under the former Labor government, when Mr Rees was premier.
Mr Smith says he will not be rushing the process, but instead ensuring a solution is constitutionally sound before putting it before Parliament.
"Nathan Rees' solution didn't save one person. I mean it was the beefing up of the police task force that led to many arrests and a whole number of prosecutions," Mr Smith said.
"This other legislation is important for the future but we want to get it right and he stuffed it up."
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-10-20/bikie-gang-laws-delay-feared-in-nsw/3580550/?site=newcastle
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