Criminology Research Council grant ; (14/84)
The first report, Dynamics of Collective Conflict, comprises seven working papers dealing with various aspects of the Bathurst riots - history, dynamics of conflict, media representation, functions of the criminal law and policing. The report concluded that the riots of 1980, 1981, 1983 and 1985 were part of the institutionalisation of conflict and that they took the form of ritualised games. Court records over a twenty-five year period showed little change in the characteristics of persons arrested at the races, even though the police had assumed a larger role in crowd control over this period. Public disorder at Bathurst had become increasingly focussed against the police presence, with the contest over public space and the exercise of force being seen as a struggle for authority. the authors suggested that the police themselves had become the group that was threatened by such disorder. The authors also concluded that both the newspaper and television coverage of the Bathurst races involved considerable distortion and contributed to public alarm about the riots.
The second report, Policing the Bathurst Motorcycle Races, included the results of a survey of the attitudes of motor cycle riders in both New South Wales and Victoria. This showed that a high proportion were well educated, held responsible jobs and had a high level of disposable income. They saw the law, government and the police as the major obstacle to their enjoyment of the motor cycle lifestyle. Some significant differences were found between riders from New South Wales and Victoria in their attitudes to the police, with the former having less favourable or positive attitudes than those from Victoria.
This report also included the results of an observational study that was conducted at five motor cycle events in New South Wales and Victoria. This study concluded that high visibility policing resulted in higher anti-police sentiment, reduced crowd enjoyment, lower attendance figures and lower financial returns to the organisers. A lack of restriction on the availability of alcohol was seen as being closely associated with high crowd rowdiness. The report concluded with a number of specific recommendations that aimed to reduce public disorder at the Bathurst Races and elsewhere.
The first report was further developed and later published as a book entitled Dynamics of Collective Conflict: Riots at the Bathurst Bike Races by Chris Cunneen, Mark Findlay, Rob Lynch and Vernon Tupper, The Law Book Company, 1989.