Dusty’s dad’s does not want deportation fight to distract son

DUSTIN Martin’s exiled dad Shane has defended his former life as Rebels bikie, saying it was nothing like the TV stereotype and they ‘just hung out and rode Harleys’.

• LIVE: Follow all the news on Tigers, Geelong Qualifying Final

DUSTIN Martin’s father Shane says that he wants to make sure that his deportation fight does not distract his son from tonight’s clash against the Cats.

The former bikie today opened up about how he had been parted from his new bride when he was kicked out of Australia, and claimed he had been targeted because of his Richmond star son’s fame.

He spoke of his days as a Rebels chapter boss, saying they were hardworking and law-abiding men nothing like those shown on television shows like Sons of Anarchy.

A new law was created this week to keep Shane Martin out of Australia after the government lost a High Court legal challenge.

Shane Martin told the Herald Sun from New Zealand today that he was disappointed to be locked out of Australia but that it wasn’t about him.

“I don’t want this to affect my son’s football, that’s what’s important at the moment,” he said.

More: Dusty v Danger crazy stats showdown

Dusty’s untold story: From Castlemaine to the MCG

Martin says the charges brought against him weren’t all they were made out to be. Picture: Adam Taylor

Dustin Martin will line up for the Tigers in front of 95,000 people at the MCG tonight.

He will be a crucial player for Richmond and his clash with Geelong midfielder Patrick Dangerfield will be one of the highlights of the game.

Shane Martin had expected to be back in Australia next week after two men accused of being Rebels bikies won a High Court decision against their visa cancellations on Wednesday.

But Immigration Minister Peter Dutton had rushed through a new law on Tuesday that meant his decisions to deport people made under Section 503A of the Migration Act could not be challenged.

The Federal Government began a crackdown on people born outside Australia who were linked with bikie gangs in 2014.

Dustin Martin during Round 23. Picture: AAP Image/Julian Smith

“We just hung out and rode Harleys”

Shane Martin’s visa was revoked in 2016, just a week after he was married to his wife Adriana.

“We are two people who are in love, just married and now they’re forced to live in separate countries,” he said.

“I’m not looking for sympathy, I just want justice.”

Shane Martin said he had left the Rebels before he was married, so he was shocked at his deportation.

He had been a president of the Rebels chapter in Camden, Sydney.

But he said he kept his members under strict control and that they were not involved in criminal activity.

“We just hung out and rode Harleys,” he said.

“All of my blokes worked, I wouldn’t allow anyone who didn’t work in my chapter.”

Shane Martin has been refused re-entry to Australia.

Dustin Martin arrives back from New Zealand at Tullamarine. Picture: Jay Town

Shane Martin said that people had the wrong idea about bikies because they had been watching too many crime shows on television.

“They’ve been watching too much Sons of Anarchy, it’s nothing like what people think,” he said.

He said there were some bad people in bikie clubs, but added that there were some paedophile priests in the Catholic Church.

“Bikies look like saints compared to paedophiles,” he said.

“They want to make an example out of me because of Dustin”

Shane Martin does have a criminal record, but had never done any jail time until he was sent to prison while awaiting his deportation. Normally people are sent to a detention centre while awaiting deportation.

He said he was never involved in any drug trafficking.

Shane Martin said he believed he had been targeted because of his son’s high profile.

“They want to make an example out of me because of Dustin’s profile, that’s all I can think of,” he said.

“It gives the politicians a high profile AFL father.”

Dustin Martin's father Shane Martin appears on the Footy Show live from Auckland. Picture: Channel 9

But Shane Martin said that he was finding it hard to be away from his children, Tyson, 28, Dustin, 26, Bronson, 21, and stepdaughters Emma, 17, and Alana, 15.

“I love them like my own,” he said of his stepdaughters.

He said his children, including soldier Bronson, had been overlooked.

“They don’t mention my son who went to fight for this country in Afghanistan, he’s been putting his life on the line that’s bigger than being an AFL player,” he said.

Shane Martin said that he agreed the government should remove people who were a threat to Australia, but said they had the wrong man.

“I understand what the government are doing but go for the people who are a threat to Australia, but they should target the right people,” he said.

[e-mail]