Queensland Premier Campbell Newman says he will consider using Labor laws that his party opposes to crack down on bikie gangs.
The double shooting of a man, linked to an outlaw bikie gang, and an innocent bystander at a Gold Coast shopping centre on Saturday has reignited debate about measures to deal with gang violence and organised crime.
Both victims are recovering in hospital while the search for the gunman continues.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
A Gold Coast tattoo parlour was also sprayed with bullets earlier in the week.
Mr Newman on Sunday said the Liberal National Party (LNP) government will consider "using the laws it inherited from the Labor party" to declare it illegal to associate with or be a member of particular bikie gangs.
He refused to say which groups would be targeted.
Mr Newman acknowledged he and his party had on numerous occasions criticised Labor's Criminal Organisation Act, which empowers Supreme Court judges to make "declarations" at the request of the police commissioner.
It is understood no such declarations have been made and no charges have been laid since the legislation was passed more than two years ago.
"This is Australia. We don't put people in jail for wearing leather jackets, having tattoos or a particular hairstyle," Mr Newman told reporters in Brisbane.
"Nevertheless, we will give it a go.
"We have now a situation where the police commissioner can say that this particular group have been involved in the activities we've seen in the last 10 days."
He said the laws would be used as a short-term stopgap to protect the community.
"The parliament does not sit until May 15 and so we will use every single, possible mechanism to deal with the activities of these criminals.
"But we don't have confidence because (similar) laws have been challenged interstate."
Mr Newman reaffirmed his government's commitment to repeal the anti-association laws in favour of legislation that targets people who accumulate unexplained wealth.
"We're going to do everything to send a message to these crims that their activities will not be tolerated."
Police Minister Jack Dempsey said people who had done nothing wrong had nothing to fear.
"But criminals who think they can come on to the streets of Queensland and commit illegal activities, and make a profit from the grief of others, have got another thing coming," he told reporters.
He and Mr Newman announced the state government would provide an immediate injection of $750,000 to the Queensland Police Service.
Twenty detectives will be immediately redeployed to the Major and Organised Crime Squad and the outlaw motorcycle gang taskforce known as Hydra.
"We will be bringing in hand-gun laws that will be the toughest in the nation that will see minimum mandatory sentences," Mr Newman said.

