Family’s plea as Adelaide Descendants bikie brothers Tom and Perry Mackie face deportation ‘within days’

The family of Descendants bikie gang leaders Tom and Perry Mackie have launched a plea to social media for them to stay in Australia as their deportation looms.

Descendants outlaw bikie gang founders Tom, 70, and Perry, 68, Mackie are set to be deported to New Zealand “within days” but their family has launched an emotional video plea saying they will leave behind 34 devastated children, grandchildren and great grandchildren after five decades living in Australia.

They say the brothers have no family in New Zealand where they were born and “have committed no crime.”

The family posted a video to social media featuring individual family members saying “Australia is their home” and are pleading for Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke to intervene — which he has declined to do.

The brothers have been in detention for almost five years as multiple court challenges have played out.

Descendants bikie founder Perry Mackie.

Descendants bikie founder Tom Mackie.

The then home affairs minister Peter Dutton cancelled their visas “in the national interest” amid claims the men played a role in “unifying other outlaw bikie gangs, such as the Hells Angels, Finks and Gypsy Jokers, against anti-biker legislation.”

The decision took into account their criminal records, the criminal activities of their gang and their vocal opposition to South Australia’s anti-bikie laws when introduced in 2008.

The men’s lawyers argued their conduct was political opposition.

The Mackies were taken into custody at their Adelaide homes on December 22, 2020 after their temporary visas were cancelled on character grounds and have been held in the Broadmeadows Immigration Detention Facility in Melbourne.

Tom and Perry Mackie (pictured) were detained under Section 189 of the Migration Act 1958 and have been placed in immigration detention pending their removal to New Zealand. Picture: Supplied

A 2021 federal court challenge was lost, as was a 2022 appeal to the Full Court of the Federal Court.

Later in 2022 the High Court dismissed their special leave application to have the decision overturned, leaving them no other avenue of appeal. At that time they were expected to be deported within days.

However, in September 2023 they made a last-ditch appeal to the federal government under the Migration Act which gives the minister discretion to intervene.

It followed relaxation of the policy of deporting foreign visa holders convicted of serious crimes or those deemed to be of bad character following talks between Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

Tom’s daughter Maddison Mackie said the men are being deported to a country they barely know “within days.”

“They have 10 children, 21 grandchildren and three great grandchildren – multiple of them from Aboriginal bloodlines — all Australian citizens,” she said.

“They have committed no crime but are about to be deported for bad character, with no arrest or charge.”

Ms Mackie said it was “cruel” to have locked the men away for almost five years without facing charges.

“The whole family is from Adelaide, my mum has been flying over to Melbourne every two weeks for five years to visit dad,” she said.

A Department for Home Affairs spokesman said the department does not comment on individual cases, noting all non-citizens who wish to travel to, enter or remain in Australia must satisfy the requirements of the Migration Act 1958 and the Migration Regulations 1994, including identity, health, character and security requirements.

“The Australian Government takes seriously its responsibility to protect the community from the risk of harm arising from non-citizens who choose to engage in criminal activity or other serious conduct of concern, including outlaw motorcycle gangs and organised crime,” he said.

Originally published as Family’s plea as Adelaide Descendants bikie brothers Tom and Perry Mackie face deportation ‘within days’