 Good to go everyone. Well good afternoon. Today and over last night we have witnessed unacceptable violent behaviour particularly in the Gold Coast area and the message is enough is enough. We have seen this behaviour come to a highlight in the actions that particularly over the last couple of days and this particular violence as I previously said those perpetrating this type of violence had two choices early this year to change their behaviour or they'd go to jail. Now these people who want to bring violence, drugs and guns onto the streets of Queensland and particularly in the Gold Coast area have no more choices. They have no more choices in relation to their behaviour and I've now directed the commissioner to use whatever resources he has available or whatever he needs to bring this type of anti-social behaviour, violence, criminal activity in relation to guns and drugs to a conclusion in relation to violence on the Gold Coast. I have also today asked the commissioner as to what resources he needs in that particular area and we are going through those issues as we speak. Early this year we made a commitment to facilitate over 100 offices over the next four years to the Gold Coast. We have actually delivered 137 police officers in the last 12 months. We have ensured that the police helicopter is permanently stationed at the Gold Coast. We have made changes to legislation and ensuring we have the toughest firearm laws in the whole of Australia with mandatory sentencing ranging from one year to supply and trafficking up to five years. The Attorney General has also implemented unexplained wealth provisions and he'll talk about them and other measures shortly. We've also said that we'll increase the number of police across the state by 1,100. We've increased the task force on the Gold Coast from Task Force Vanguard with 10 highly regarded detectives, Task Force Hydra and also Major Crime Task Force. These task forces as well as the other resources and other actions by the commissioner will send the clear message to these people enough is enough. So from now on police will be knocking in their door. Police will be stopping them on the sides of the road and pulling them out of their vehicles and stopping their bikes. Police will now be ensuring that they will not be able to bring pain and suffering to the streets of the Gold Coast and police will also be pulling people who exhibit violent behaviour or have any to do with drugs or guns and ripping them from their restaurants and their hidey holes in the Gold Coast area. There is no choices. There is no options. The message is clear. The commissioner has been directed to immediately respond as well as make sure that he has a hard and a zero tolerance towards this type of behaviour. Also we have said that we will ensure that the Gold Coast community that people will be able to work, play and enjoy their safety the same as every other Queensland that already does. The Gold Coast is a great place and we want to make sure that the community as well as our most important hard working police officers can go about their duty and their task in a safe environment also. So we will be doing whatever it takes to bring the full force of the law to their doors to their happy times to ensure that they no longer feel safe in their beds or in their restaurants seats or on their bikes or in their cars. Commissioner if you would like to say a few words. No thank you minister and good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. Certainly last night's events on the Gold Coast would indicate that there are those still who think that they are above the law of this state and that is unacceptable. The minister has as he has said today directed me to take whatever actions necessary to ensure that these people are bought before the courts but at the same time that we deal with those people in a way which will show them that that type of behaviour is just no longer acceptable in this state not just in the Gold Coast but right across the state. Certainly any person who is intent on violence against another in this state will be targeted even more heavily from this point on than has previously been and to do that the government has promised the support for the Queensland Police Service whether it's money for overtime or whether it's extra officers certainly they have provided that assurance that we will have the the material and the people to do the job. In the near term what that means is as of right this afternoon we will have extra police on the Gold Coast from the southeast area we will do that tonight and we will ramp that up over the coming days and ultimately it is my hope that we will be able to establish a hub policing facility on the coast where we have a standing task force intelligence led to deal with any criminal behaviour but particularly anti-social and violent crime in that area and hopefully as has been my vision since becoming the commissioner we can roll out those types of facilities and teams right across the state. Commissioner some people might say crimes out of control on the Gold Coast and what's your response to that? I don't believe it is and I have full confidence in the management of the police on the Gold Coast and as I have full confidence in all police officers on the Gold Coast but there are times and last night was a classic example where out of the blue you get a group of people in teams on committing crime and being violent intimidating not only the general public but intimidating the police of this state that is unacceptable and we will go after those people hard from this point. But just before we go into any questions we're just going to make some just underlying statements first but just to finish that one off in the last 12 months from the operations we have already put in place over 724 charges have been laid against individuals in relation sorry 724 individuals relating to outdoor motorcycle gangs and violent behaviour have been charged with over 1000 offences so police have been doing great work and they continue to do great work. What we are doing is removing that line in the sand and sending the clean match message either be hay or you be gone from the streets of the Gold Coast. So attorney general thank you minister thank you commissioner thank you ladies and gentlemen ladies and gentlemen what we've seen over the last 24 hours of the Gold Coast and other parts of Queensland is concerning the police minister the commissioner and I have all spoken to the premier this morning and I can assure you the premier is just as concerned and that's why we're going to take the stand we are today. Today is the day that we are saying enough's enough today is the day the government is drawing a line in the sand and saying to outdoor motorcycle gangs and those engaged in criminal enterprise in Queensland you have had your day and no longer in Queensland the government will give the support necessary to the police to ensure they can do their job effectively but it's important to say in the last 18 months some of the toughest provisions in the nation have been implemented by this government we have the toughest unexplained wealth laws that have just two weeks ago in fact started we haven't had anyone before the court at the moment but when the bikeies and the outdoor motorcycle gangs and those engaged in criminal activity will be have the full force of those unexplained wealth laws they will know what's hidden we've always said we have to go after the misdeeds of the criminal underworld and the organizations the unexplained wealth laws the drive trafficking serious drug trafficking declarations are all attempted to stop the misdeeds and follow the money truck when someone the police or the CMC has now a reasonable suspicion that someone is engaged in criminal activity and they have to then make an application to the Supreme Court the person then has the owners to explain where they got the wealth from if they can't explain where they derive their wealth from then every asset that person owns will be confiscated by the state and those convicted of drug serious drug trafficking as well we've also introduced as the Honourable Police Minister said the toughest gun wars in the nation with respect to a mandatory minimum sentence of one year of imprisonment if you're found to have an illegal firearm in your possession in the car we've doubled the penalty for some serious crimes we've also introduced a mandatory non parol period a new offence of murdering a police officer in this state of 25 years that's just the start and what we say today drawing this line in the sand saying enough's enough this government will look at and do whatever is necessary to respond to those engaged in criminal enterprise in the state only three weeks ago i met with the Solicitor General Walter Sofronov and we are devising a plan an innovative strategy to look at other jurisdictions of how we can tackle the unlawful and organized crime issues across the state and very invited to stop the Gold Coast we have elements of this across Queensland so it's not just attacking this issue of the Gold Coast it's south east Queensland and beyond we're looking at particular laws that the United States have introduced racketeering laws which they call RICO RICO they have severe punishments and penalties for a series of things like robbery your lawful assaults and things like that we're looking at those legislation we're looking at what New South Wales have done with respect to banning in colours from the nightclub district we're looking at laws with respect to banning through the control orders with the criminal organization act control orders with respect to what criminal organizations can in fact own because we know that the criminal organizations filter their money they cite their money all around the world and i congratulate the police on doing the work they've done we've had a we've got one particular matter before the court and the criminal organization act which we ought not talk too much about because it's still before the court but these are the sorts of tough measures that the government will introduce but the message is clear if we've got to do more we will and we're certainly saying today enough's enough we're drawing a line in the sand and we'll do all the laws necessary to protect queensladers look what we did when being before we got into government we recognize that there was issues not just right not just in the gold coast but right across the the state in relation to lower and order we set about bringing out forward the toughest laws but making sure that police had the resources we conducted the review and the commissioner brought in the hold review the queen's police service and now the kill to review we've had 20 years of neglect in relation to having laws in place and as we know as also not having the resources in place to match community expectations in relation to law and order so what did we do we said that we're bringing 1100 police officers just even for the gold coast alone we made a commitment for 100 officers over four years we actually completed that and put 137 officers into that region in 12 months period so it's not just about police officers it's about ensuring that they have the resources as well we brought forward the government wireless network a half a billion dollars in network technology that actually allows emergency services and police to talk together what we'll be starting up and the commissioner go into that shortly is the highlighting of the mobile data for the first time in Queensland which will put police and emergency services ahead of the illegal and criminal elements in Queensland so what that will do will add extra time for those officers on the street we've made sure that we brought forward the police helicopter remember the previous government said that they'll never have a helicopter we've made sure that we've had a one helicopter on the gold coast and we'll be bringing the next helicopter next year that's 18 million dollar commitment there's been 20 years of neglect in the last 12 months just in relation to outlaw motorcycle gangs operations from what we put down there in relation to the three task force that have been on the ground 724 individuals have been charged with over a thousand offenses and that is about police getting out there today we have seen obviously all overnight we have witnessed a series of violent acts and that when we've said previously that they had choices well today there is no choices police will be making sure the criminal activity on the gold coast that these criminals will no longer sleep safely in their bed or have the peace of mind to think that they can go out willing nearly bringing violence or drugs onto the streets of the gold coast police have been knocking down there or police will be ripping them out of restaurants and they'll be making sure that they intercept their whatever type of vehicle they are on the road and I make no apologies for that and that's why today I've directed the commissioner to take the hard stance and an immediate stance in relation to this type of criminal activity we've already engaged with the gold coast city council previously we've engaged with community members we've also made sure that you know we've had a a long term and a short term response this action that we announced today will be ongoing until the community and the government can visibly see a reduction in the type of serious crime involving particularly drugs and and guns we're hearing 200 geeks like yous are on the way to Queensland at this point sure you guys at least intend to deal with that tonight this is probably going to be a blowback attack not necessarily but I don't necessarily agree with your assessment of that but we'll be prepared for any contingency certainly part of this and I'm very grateful to the government basically saying that the resources that we need will now be made available and that means extra people down the coast and certainly that greater vision of getting more police out from behind this on the street where people want to see them the community want to see that that's what we're that's what I have promised to deliver and that was why we restructured the organisation earlier this year and that's why now the Kilty review is building on that restructure we've also introduced a borderless policing approach what you would have seen in Logan just recently as well as down the gold coast so whilst we're addressing the the immediate response and what has happened overnight what we're also addressing is the medium and long-term response and that's why we've always had the long-term strategies and the Attorney General here with the introduction of laws that has already started to have work on but we'll continue to bring them forward to ensure that police have obviously the laws but also the laws that meet community expectation The problem with putting police officers out on the streets seems to be that they're all put up for attack commissioner what else is the occasion to put my names and what messages have you exchanged? Just prior to that obviously we identified that right in the first instance when we've came to government we increased the penalties for a serious assault on a police officer from seven years to 14 years they were actually opposed by the opposition the Attorney General has just stated that we've brought in mandatory sentences in relation to the death of a police officer now an assault or a death of a police officer is an assault on the community and that reflects the community expectations to ensure that we have serious penalties from a government side from me as Minister I have said that I'd look at the assault police regulations over the next 12 months see how those expectations are being met during the judicial system and then I would look at further types of even mandatory sentencing not just for police but right across the board for emergency service workers and other particular individuals in community who experience serious violence attacks but for day to day does she come from? No thank you. No thank you Minister. Certainly if I can take the last question first Sergeant Gary Hammeray is in good spirits I spoke to him last night he's a wonderful officer I've known him probably all his career as I've known his brother who is also a police officer and I've also spoken to his son Aaron to assure them that they have our full support these are very difficult times for police officers when they're involved in this type of violent event there is nothing that I can do personally to stop the fate of a serious offense like that occurring somewhere in Queensland this time it occurred on the on the Gold Coast we can train our police we can equip them we can provide extra police out there but occasionally and that is a sad reality of policing that police put themselves at risk for the benefit of the community and that's exactly what Gary did that night and other officers and I've also spoken to the officer who was with him at the time they go out to do their job to keep our community safe and unfortunately there are those times where fate deals are very deadly hand thankfully and gratefully on this occasion our officer is safe and he'll come through virtually without any physical aftermath from it but what the government has made clear to me we now have the wherewithal to go and put police out there in numbers to show any criminal that they are not safe wherever they are that if they're intent on committing violence they will be dealt with lawfully but firmly by the Queensland police it's the other point could I just make a point with the question you made before about you know why why now this government's been in for 18 months we have done more in the law and autosphere and having the toughest penalties in the country in the last 18 months than the former labour government did in 20 years they had 20 years to sort these issues out and they didn't every week in Parliament we've got tough new measures going through this is really a further extension of the tough measures we've had in the last 18 months and there is not a day that goes by well I don't pick up some form of media outlet and see that the civil libertarians are attacking this government on our law reforms are being too tough well we are unapologetic we're unapologetic because we're on the side of Queenslanders and these new laws that we're looking at announcing today in terms of the the other elements we're going to be putting on criminals and their organisations using the unexplained wealth laws the criminal organisation act it's really an extension of the laws that we've passed in the last 18 months so it's a continuation of the government's crackdown on these sorts of criminal activities and enterprise in the state look that's what we've taken up with the commissioner currently we have got policing on the streets as we speak we've got a number of task force we've had other task force available whether it be in Cairns and Townsville already but it is all part of the overall review that the commissioner implemented in relation to borderless policing one of the main aspects and I'll get the commissioner to comment in relation to that is a hub and spoke model for policing ensuring that we have a major task force at any given time to to deal with issues not just on the Gold Coast but right across south east Queensland and that's the type of thing we're working for the commissioner obviously will be getting back with to me in relation to any form of commitment and I have made the commitment and as well as the premier has made the commitment that we will assist police officers in whatever they need to ensure that the criminal elements on the Gold Coast but right across Queensland simply no no right now that there is no choices that they have to change their behaviour but is there any limit for the amount that you have prepared to spend on on these new measures well that's what we'll be discussing with the commissioner over the rest of today as I have this morning to ensure that we have the best possible resources in place we already have the best police force in the whole of Australia we have the most highly skilled police officers in the whole of Australia we have one of the most highly regarded commissioners but what we have said is as a government is that we firmly stand with our police officers to ensure their safety on the streets who are protecting our most vulnerable citizens when people try to bring violence so we will ensure that police have whatever resources they need to tackle not just the Gold Coast issue but the whole of the state in relation to issues that may arise from time to time when you look at the overall changes that the Queensland police service has already gone through now you've got to bear in mind that we have become we have you know have become and are becoming a very a very professional service in relation to how we go about our activities when you think of the IT side of it you know police now will have a greater IT than any other state in some ways we've actually leaked frog the last 15 years in relation to technology and that's why we've got a commissioner with great standing who is completely a fey in that area to to bring forward those changes and that will help police on the street it won't just help police it'll help communities as well the my police blogs have been released only six months ago and they're recording over 16 million hits it's another way of engaging the community I've gone and spoke to other leaders down the Gold Coast and it's not just a Gold Coast issue it is right around across the many regions of the state is how communities engage with each other it is the fear of crime and the fear of crime that the work that the media does is remarkable it is fantastic how it is able to to be able to get the message out I must compliment them for all across the whole state for the great work they do but we've got to make sure that we we obviously work in with the police and the community we're going to do that commissioner well we're talking about the Gold Coast tonight how many extra officers are going down tonight and over the coming days there's at least 10 crews general crews that will be there but that's general crews there are a range of other support mechanisms that I'm not going to specifically identify numbers or who but this will ramp up over the coming week and my intention is to have a full task force within a week on the coast obviously it's no good us just jumping jumping the gun and putting police out there without a specific target we will be targeting specific types of crimes and criminals we're always looking at different ways of making the job safer for our police and on that note I mentioned the technology that the minister launched only a month or so ago giving our police access to our major operating systems so that they can be talking to a person at the same time through an iPad or a tablet of some sort or their smartphone technology being able to look at a photo of that person on our records to decide whether they're talking to someone who's wanted who's got flags against them or alarms alerts against them for violence to make their jobs safer and that's what technology is just an enabler it doesn't do the police work but it makes it safer for our officers and quicker well it depends what sort of body armor you're talking about I mean there is an issue here in terms of our our interaction with the community the gold coast is an inherently safe environment there are specific incidents that occur like last night that needs specific responses our job is to make sure that we've got the right people in the right place to deal with those and we will attempt attempt to do that by putting the extra resources in initially and then it will be a much more targeted approach but key today is what the minister has directed me to do and that is to target these criminals where they live where they work and that's what we'll be doing. Any other questions? Most certainly not we even before I had 20 years in the police before getting into politics and that you can certainly see not not just in the gold coast but right around the state and for me as a minister the great opportunity is actually being a portfolio to bring a great deal of practicality to actually on the ground policing and working with the commissioner is you know is a great opportunity and because of that that's why first up we said I had the opportunity to 1100 new police when you think of the gold coast we said we deliver 100 police in four years we actually delivered 137 across the region within the first 12 months and that's what we're saying it's not just a it's not just a a man you know a body number response it's about a whole collective response to make sure we target those individuals the violent people the drugs and the guns and that's what we're doing. Okay, what's everybody sharing? A lot of audience and part of that you all just asked some specifics about last month so there's bandidos and another group things? Certainly the the main people involved with bandidos we are very much aware of that and obviously we have a process in place to follow up on all the days. What the probably the most concerning aspect of that was the fact that they were prepared to wear their colours in in open view in a public place but then to follow up by going to the police station to Southport Watch House to try and protest the fact that members of the club had been arrested and certainly further arrests were made at the at the Watch House as a result of that. Police will not be intimidated by these people they will do their job. Did you know that the bikers who were there last night the police responded very quickly? I'm sorry your question. Did police know that the bikers were there last night? We found out very very quickly that the the bikers had turned up there yesterday. Is it true? I haven't I I haven't heard of that assessment but certainly I'll be checking with my people obviously there's a range of things happening today operationally to deal with this. Thank you very much.