Anger over Kiwi facing deportation from Australia

Anger over Kiwi facing deportation from Australia

Australian border officials and police have detained an alleged bikie chief and ordered that he be deported to New Zealand on grounds of his poor character.

Kiwi Shane Martin - the father of an Aussie Rules star - is one of many bikies from New Zealand who've had their visas cancelled in the past two years.

But government officials aren't impressed.

Martin has always loved supporting his son, especially when he was drafted to the AFL in 2009.

But he couldn't be there for Dustin's game last week; he'd just been locked up and told he faced deportation.

His son's anger was evident on the field.

After the match Dustin posted a photo of his dad on social media, and his teammates had nothing to say to media.

Martin was arrested in Sydney.  Immigration Minister Peter Dutton now wants sent back to New Zealand.

"I took a decision based on the advice available to me to cancel the visa of Mr Shane Martin," he says.

He's allegedly a Rebels bikie chief. The arrest is part of an Australian government crackdown.

"We are going to continue this operation until we can wipe out outlaw motorcycle gangs, because they are the biggest distributors of amphetamines and illicit drugs in this country," Mr Dutton says.

Since mid-2014 the visas of dozens of outlaw motorcycle gang members in Australia have been cancelled or refused. Most of them are from New Zealand.

United Future leader Peter Dunne says testing people on their character is a step too far and he doesn't believe New Zealand government officials are being kept in the loop.

"I just think this is a very bad look for Australia. I think it's got a potential to escalate a tension between New Zealand and Australia that doesn't need to exist, and I think the Australians just need to start talking to us more closely about what they are planning to do --  or just be a bit more careful about how they apply their own law. "

Martin holds the right to appeal to the federal court against any visa cancellation.

His son's club says it will stand by him and his family.

Newshub.