Erin Molan speaks out over father dramas

CHANNEL 9 star Erin Molan has spoken out about a widespread media portrayal of her family after outspoken comments from her venerated dad.

Erin Molan speaking on Channel 9.

CHANNEL 9 star Erin Molan has hit out at the treatment her father has received in the wake of his controversial comments surrounding Australia’s immigration strategies.

Retired Major General Jim Molan on Monday told 3AW Radio he advocates the suspension of migration from certain “extremist” Islamic nations.

It comes after Molan last year declared Australia’s border policy has been a success during a Q+A special on asylum seekers on the ABC.

The awarded military leader helped design the Operation Sovereign Borders policy which has been heavily criticised by human rights advocates for the treatment of asylum seekers on Christmas Island, Manus Island and Nauru.

His latest declaration — that Australia should suspend immigration from certain countries in a move similar to the one President Donald Trump has attempted to introduce to the US — was widely reported by media outlets linking his comments to his daughter.

The Footy Show’s Erin Molan with her father retired Army general Jim Molan.

Erin Molan on Tuesday hit out at the many media reports that focused on Jim Molan’s link to his celebrity daughter rather than his immigration policy.

She told Brisbane’s Hit 105 she could not believe her father was being overshadowed by her fame.

“God, he has done far more than I have ever done or will ever do in my career and he is so distinguished and he served this nation in the military,” she said.

“He’s one of our most decorated soldiers. I just think, ‘Erin Molan’s father?’ That’s actually just ridiculous. Mind you it is kind of cool because I’m like, ‘Hey Papi. You ain’t nobody but my dad’. So I do kind of give him stick.

Erin Molan arrives at the 59th Annual Logie Awards in April. Picture: Getty

“You know what, in the kind of publications that matter, they’d never refer to him as my dad. They would refer to me as his daughter.”

In the wake of the London terrorist attacks in which seven were killed, Mr Molan called for a “zero tolerance” approach to terrorism and believes Australia should consider giving up the right to a trial before jail.

“Terrorists are either first or second generation refugees,” he said.

“It’s time to give up even more rights, we can decide to do that before that bad event or after the bad event.

Retired Major General Jim Molan with his daughter Erin. Picture: Gary Ramage

“I think the first thing that we’ve got to give up is habeas corpus. There is an option for us to suspend that, but society won’t approve of that until after the big event.”

Mr Molan said Australian lawmakers should consider allowing courts to detain suspects before authorities had gathered enough evidence.

“Review what the intelligence is and make a determination for the person to be arrested and incarcerated for a period of time,’ he said.

“It’s not just we the society that doesn’t get killed, it’s the individual that may be finding themselves over their head and being killed or going to jail forever,’ he said.

‘The benefit of it is, you may break a chain of events.

“The logic of suspending migration from extremist influenced countries is undeniable.

“We should not bring to Australia a class of people who may have a tendency to become terrorists in the future.

“If you’re in Australia now, your rights are inalienable, unless we go for something like suspending habeas corpus.

“It all comes down to the government to protect us.”