Opposition senator Karina Goodridge backed the anti-gang bill in the Senate on Friday, while calling for a broad national education campaign and stronger community involvement, warning that key provisions could present legal and practical challenges if not carefully implemented.

Saying that help would be needed from churches and other organisations, Senator Goodridge agreed with the introduction of crime prevention programmes before calling for a wider public information initiative on the Criminal Gangs (Prevention and Control) Bill.

“We need to have more national public information campaigns that would target everyone, because, of course, the legislation is being passed now, but there would have been the persons before this legislation that would have been involved in gangs, whether in membership or in association.”