This Bill would prohibit the Crown and its agencies from providing funds directly and indirectly to organisations that are run, administered or associated to gangs. The need for this Bill arises out of a concern that public funds could directly or indirectly end up in the hands of gangs by way of entities that are run by, or associated with, gangs being able to legitimately access funds through the Proceeds of Crime Fund. The law does not prohibit currently an organisation that is run, administered or associated with a gang from receiving funds from the Crown. The decision to grant funds to an organisation that has the involvement of a gang or gangs is unconscionable, the absence of a prohibition in the law on this matter has meant funding can be given to gangs to run programmes through organisations.

The Bill will require the Crown to take all reasonable precautions and will require the Crown to undertake due diligence to ensure public funds do not end up in the hands of gangs. By making it an offence to make funds available to gangs, without a reasonable excuse, the Bill will achieve the policy intent of ensuring the flow of public funds does not end up in the hands of gangs.