Legal advocacy groups have slammed the Victorian government's new anti-gang laws and warned of unintended consequences.
The state Labor government introduced legislation to parliament on Tuesday granting police powers to issue "unlawful association" notices to individuals as young as 14.
A statement from Attorney-General Martin Pakula said the legislation is designed to help police prevent serious offending by outlaw motorcycle gangs, organised crime families and small numbers of violent young people.
"The minimum age of a person that may be subject to a notice not to associate with a convicted offender will be reduced from 18 to 14 years, regardless of whether the person receiving the notice has a criminal conviction," the statement said.
Mr Pakula said, "we're strengthening these laws to give police the powers and resources they need to disrupt serious organised crime and keep the community safe".
"These laws include important safeguards to protect children, Aboriginal people and other vulnerable Victorians."
But groups from across the state - including the Federation of Community Legal Centres, the Human Rights Law Centre, Victorian Council of Social Service and Fitzroy Legal Service - are calling for the laws to be abandoned.
Director of strategy, policy and engagement at the Federation of Community Legal Centres Melanie Poole told SBS News the new laws represented a "dangerous overreach" by the Victorian government.
Ms Poole said Daniel Andrews' government was "responding to political pressure" around so-called 'African gangs' and "acted hastily" with these measures.
"We have previously commended the Andrews government for not caving in to racism. It is unfortunate that it now seems to be playing into this ... It's electoral pressure," she said.
"If introduced, these unfair laws will affect the freedom of all Victorians. These laws will introduce 'guilt by association' into Victoria."
Ms Poole added that "racially-vilified and other maginalised groups" could be disproportionately affected by this "sweeping extension of police power".
While director of legal advocacy at the Human Rights Law Centre Ruth Barson said the laws were "dangerous, excessive and rushed".
"If these laws pass, the rights and freedoms of all Victorians will be affected. Nobody wants to live in a police state," she said.
In Queensland, the Newman government was defeated after attempting to introduce similar laws in 2015.
But the statement from Attorney-General Martin Pakula said the Independent Broad-Based Anti-Corruption Commission (IBAC) will be given a new oversight role, reviewing notices and monitoring the operation of the scheme.
And Police Minister Lisa Neville said the laws would help prevent the spread and development of criminal networks.
"The biggest harm in our state are from those who traffic drugs, firearms, who are leading some of the home invasions, who are incorporating young people in these criminal networks," she told reporters.
Media coverage around so-called 'African gangs' has sparked a war of words between Premier Daniel Andrews and senior federal government figures, including Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton.
Victorian Minister for Police Lisa Neville speaks to the media. Source: AAP
The death of African-Australian Laa Chol, 19, during a party in a Melbourne residential tower block on Saturday has been seized on by politicians to re-ignite the 'African gangs' issue, despite police ruling out gang involvement.
A boy, 17, has faced court charged with her murder.
"There has been a tragic loss of a young life, we've seen this week," Mr Dutton told reporters on Tuesday, continuing his efforts to link Ms Chol's death with gang activity.
"There have been a great number of people that have fallen as victims of crime to these African gangs and it's unacceptable."
He blamed weak Victorian laws for allowing a problem with Sudanese gangs which he said doesn't exist in NSW, Adelaide or Brisbane.
State Liberal opposition leader Matthew Guy said Labor's law copied a Liberal idea from 2015.
"When I introduced changes at the start of the year, the government criticised them and now they've copied them," he told reporters.
Additional reporting: AAP
