Bandidos Outlaw Motorcycle Gang: Perth bikies applying to open ‘motorcycle-themed men’s shed’ in Willetton

A notorious bikie gang accused of leading police on a dangerous freeway pursuit are claiming their Perth clubhouse is a “motorcycle-themed men’s shed” in a desperate bid to stop it being shut down. The Bandidos Perth Chapter has lodged a development application with the City of Canning seeking retrospective approval of its clubhouse, on Kembla Way in Willetton, following a raid by police in May last year which drew the attention of council authorities. In its application, prepared by Planning Outcomes WA, the bikie club seeks approval to host 60 members or family at the ‘men’s shed’, with up to 100 guests for occasional events, which won’t be open to the public. The Bandidos propose to operate the club between 8am-10pm Monday to Friday for deliveries, occasional cleaning and set-up, while on weekends the meetings will run from 5.30pm on Fridays to 6pm on Sundays. Motorcycle fans will have access to a bar that is BYO and the club hopes to apply for a liquor licence in the future, according to the application. To reassure authorities, the Bandidos have included a disclosure that: “there are not, and will not be, any firearms or firearm safes on the premises,” and have urged council staff in deciding whether to approve the application to consider their “human right under international treaty to freedom of association”. “There is an understandable tendency at first glance to regard the Bandidos MC as an ‘outlaw gang’ and therefore planning approval cannot or should not be granted for their clubrooms,” the application says. “However, the fact is that the mere existence of the club is not illegal.” The Bandidos have said they are willing to meet with neighbours to discuss any proposals outlined in the application, but it’s understood some businesses have been too scared to oppose the development application amid fears bikies would track them down. It’s a bold rebrand for the club, which in January saw 18 members charged by police, and their bikes seized following an alleged dangerous pursuit on the Kwinana Freeway. The Bandidos are an identified organisation under WA criminal law but their planning application makes clear that their ‘men’s shed’ proposal is “considered to clearly meet the scheme land-use definition of ‘club premises’.” The Planning and Development (Local Planning Schemes) Regulations 2015, which will be used to asses the Bandidos application, states a club premises means it is “used by a legally constituted club or association or other body of persons united by a common interest”. In their application, the Bandidos MC claim they are “clearly a body of persons united by a common interest of motorcycles”. “If any crimes have been committed, or will in the future (crystal-balling), it is the individuals (not the club) that are investigated by WAPOL (not local government), they have legal rights to procedural fairness, and are presumed innocent until found guilty by a court.” Former police officer, turned City of Canning Mayor, Patrick Hall, strongly objects to the gangs’ application but admits his “hands might be tied” if it abides by planning laws. He says the State Government must intervene and update the planning laws which could ultimately give the green light for the gangs hangout. “We can’t do this by ourselves. We need a full-court press,” Mr Hall said. “We are standing up against a national, if not international crime gang. If the planning application complies with the current laws, it is likely to pass.” Mr Hall said the definition of what constitutes a club premises under planning laws needed to be reviewed urgently. “You can’t have WA claiming to have the toughest anti-consorting laws in Australia, but at the same time, allow it to happen behind closed doors,” he said. “It wasn’t the government’s intent for this to happen, but the door needs to be shut on it. “We need to use every lever available to us to stop this . . . we need to give these gangs no place to hide.” WA Police Commissioner Col Blanch told The West Australian recent court decisions involving bikies demonstrates the harm OMCG’s inflict on the community. This includes the guilty verdict against Mongol David Pye following the sniper assassination of Rebels boss Nick Martin and a 16-year jail term for former Mongols president Marius Sabau on drug offences. “We have just had a bikie found guilty of murdering someone in our community because of bikie politics,” Mr Blanch said. “We have just had a former president of an outlaw motorcycle gang sentenced to almost 20 years in prison for peddling illicit drugs, which cause immeasurable harm in our community. “Local councils, just like police, have a responsibility to keep their community safe. I trust that will form a large part of their decision making.” If the Bandidos development application meets the requirements of the planning laws but is rejected by the council they could successfully fight to have the decision overturned by the State Administrative Tribunal. A 2016 SAT ruling set aside the Town of Victoria Park’s refusal of retrospective planning approval for a Rebels motorcycle gang club house. Mr Hall said if it were to be taken to the SAT, he hoped a “landmark” ruling would prevent identified organisations from establishing clubhouses ever again. The Bandidos ‘men’s shed’ on Kembla Way first drew the attention of police and council staff last year when community members reports seeing “patched” members gathering from around Australia near the venue. Following the raid, two people were charged. Mr Hall took to social media at the time to say it was the first he had heard of the outlaw gang gathering in the city. A planning application was subsequently lodged after a directions notice and a building order for land-use and a sea-container on the property, was issued by council. The Canning Council is due to consider the application at its April meeting.