Gangland war playing out on south western Sydney streets

 

The O'Farrell Government is refusing to crackdown on the gangland war playing out on south western Sydney streets – after 48 drive by shootings in just nine months, Shadow Police Minister, Nathan Rees said today. "The O'Farrell Government is sitting on its hands when it comes to drive by shootings and allowing bikie gangs to run riot in Sydney streets," Mr Rees said. "Last night's latest shooting saw a bullet narrowly miss a baby's cot. It is only a matter of time before an innocent bystander is killed. "Instead of taking action to fight the drive by shootings plaguing our suburbs, the O'Farrell Government has refused to introduce laws to outlaw bikie gangs involved in organised crime and failed to properly resource our police. "Instead of replacing the tough gang laws introduced following the bikie murder at Sydney Airport in 2009 and overturned by the High Court, the O'Farrell Government has sat on its hands and done nothing. "This inaction has left police without special powers to prohibit bikie gangs involved in criminal activity and stamp down on these drive by shootings." Mr Rees said the O'Farrell Government's decision to leave south west Sydney police stations understaffed showed they weren't taking the shootings seriously. "One third of these shootings occurred when the O'Farrell Government left 11 out of 15* central and south west Sydney Local Area Commands at below authorised strength late last year," Mr Rees said. "It defies belief the O'Farrell Government would leave south west Sydney police understaffed and under resourced when officers are being forced to battle a new drive by shooting almost every night. "Even the head of the Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research, Don Weatherburn says the recent spate of drive by shootings is the worst he has seen in a decade. "Sydney families should not have to turn on the news each morning, only for another drive by shooting to be flashed all over their screens. "The former Labor Government left NSW with all 17 major crime categories either falling or stable and the largest and best resourced police force in the country. "Drive by shootings have already risen by 20 per cent under the O'Farrell Government and are clearly out of control. We should not have to accept crime rates going backwards."