THE State Government's bikie crackdown was thrown into the spotlight in Cairns again yesterday when members of five local social motorcycle groups met with District Officer Chief Superintendent Paul Taylor to discuss the new bikie laws.

Superintendent Taylor joined presidents and club members from the Vietnam Veterans, the Veterans, the Patriots, the Ulysses and the Harley Owners Group at Harley Magic with the aim of alleviating their concerns regarding the current police operation.

The group heard that police targeting of motorcycle gangs was traditionally a specialist area, and Cairns was home to a number of junior police with little experience recognising and targeting criminal motorcycle gangs.

"We're educating local police about the difference between criminal and social motorcycle riders. It's an ongoing education and it's a matter of being a little bit patient on both sides while we do," Supt Taylor said.

He described local riders' relationships with police as "excellent" and the mood of yesterday's meet as "pretty cordial".

Cairns president and state vice president of the Patriots, Mark Proud, said the mutual concern was maintaining the ability to ride when and where desired without fear of being wrongfully targeted.

He recalled several cases of being pulled up in the crackdown's early stages by young police officers like those Supt

Taylor described as being in training, but their education combined with the day's discussion would "put things on the right track".

"Now that the lines of communication are open for direct access to the people we need to contact we don't see any major points of concern going forward," he said.

A member of the Veterans, identified as "Chocko", recalled how he was pulled over by police 12 times in one week during the early stages of the crackdown, but an education process among those on the taskforce had caused an attitude change to the situation from both parties by the end of the week.

Federal Member for Leichhardt Warren Entsch commended Supt Taylor for holding the meet, describing the combination of police, clubs and business as one that would achieve positive outcomes and promote understanding of the motorcycle groups.

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