FYI.

This story is over 5 years old.

VICE REPORTS

Australia's Biker Club Crisis

It's now tougher than ever to be a biker in Australia (or "bikie," as they're called Down Under).

It's now tougher than ever to be a biker in Australia (or "bikie," as they're called Down Under).

In 2013 Campbell Newman, premier of the state of Queensland, declared that 26 motorcycle clubs were to be classified criminal organizations. He then announced "the toughest laws in the nation," a set of strict anti-association laws aimed at snuffing out biker gangs altogether.

The new laws prohibited club members from meeting in groups larger than two, barred them from certain jobs, and forced anyone on a Harley to prove he wasn't a part of a criminal gang. This has made life difficult for all riders, and just about impossible for club members. It also drove an upswing of arrests for both.

So are the laws working? More importantly, do they make sense? We hung out with the president of Queensland's largest outlaw club, the Rebels, to see for ourselves.