Under the new laws, Police will be able to respond to the threat of street gangs in a similar manner to that of outlaw bikie groups. The legislative scheme is designed to proactively disrupt the criminal activities of street gangs and divert people away from gang membership.

A court will be empowered to declare that a particular group is a street gang. The Commissioner of Police will be able to seek orders from the court in relation to individual street gang members, with both the Youth and Supreme Court able to impose conditions on members with tough penalties applying to anyone found in breach of those conditions.

The laws also create a new standalone offence for adults who recruit new members for street gangs, with higher penalties for gang members who recruit children.

The Government will now be working with both SA Police and the courts to bring the new laws into effect as soon as possible.

It comes in the same week the Government has introduced legislation to tighten provisions targeted at youths who repeatedly commit serious offences, with tougher penalties applying to them.