Well known English Doco producer Ross Kemp spent last November in Australia researching the 'Bikie Law' phenomenon.
He travelled up the East Coast mixing with a number of Australian 1% clubs and interviewing Cops and Politicians
to try and gain a balanced view. The last 3 minutes from 42.20 on kinda confirm what many have been saying all along.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ojvo0_OMJw&feature=youtu.be
I thought the fine sounded a bit rich too....but here it is on one of the Legislation websites.
"The Crimes Amendment (Consorting and Organised Crime) Act 2012 (NSW) introduced a range of measures ostensibly aimed at organised criminal gangs, including new ‘consorting’ laws which commenced on 9 April 2013.
Under section 93X of the Crimes Act 1900 (NSW), ‘habitually consorting with convicted offenders’ is an indictable offence with a maximum penalty of 3 years’ imprisonment or a $15 000 fine."
All good Soapbox, we both are in unique postions to know that the hype surrounding clubs is often not how its played out in reality. As you say phone calls sort most issues, sometimes they dont. The tribal nature of membership is ingrained and its unlikely to be replaced anytime soon, but the public displays of camaraderie for political purpose do in fact put opposites together for long enough for a respect to grow and those phone numbers to be exchanged, these things I too have seen myself.
But back to the original post, Ross Kemp and his crew were gobbsmacked that these types of Laws actually even exist...hence the slant of his doco....and considering he's the son of an english copper who's travelled and seen a bit of bad shit, Governments included, it is a perspective worth noting.