“You don’t take chances”: Scott Morrison reveals security fears for daughters after bikie gang crackdown
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has gotten surprisingly candid about the security detail that was needed for his family when he expelled a key gang leader from Australia.
In an exclusive interview with Sky News, Morrison told Graeme “Richo” Richardson that an increase in security was needed after he banned Rebels bikie gang boss Alex Vella from the country.
As Morrison was Immigration Minister at the time of the ban in 2014, he cancelled Vella’s visa three days after the bikie boss known as the “Maltese Falcon” left Australia for overseas.
Richardson asked Scott Morrison and his wife Jenny if they ever stayed in the Sutherland Shire, but Morrison said that they didn’t.
“The whole security bandwagon is, well, it’s quite inconvenient to my neighbours,” he said.
He then went onto explain what happened when he moved on the Rebels gang boss in 2014.
“When I was Immigration Minister we had, sadly, had to have full time security there for a quite long period of time...there was some amendment and changes made to the house at that time,” Mr Morrison said.
“That was when we kicked out Vella, the head of the bikie gang.
“And for some time we had, and even the kids on that occasion.
“Now thankfully nothing came of that, but when you are dealing with outlaw motorcycle gang bosses, you don’t take chances.”
At the time, Morrison’s daughters were four and six years old.
Vella had lived in Australia for decades and had a wife and children living in Sydney. However, he never became a citizen and is threatening a legal challenge to having his visa cancelled.
Despite the Rebels gang boss and many of his friends and family raising money and campaigning for Vella’s, Morrison remains firm in his decision.
“I stand by my decision to cancel his visa and I stand by the decision not to review that decision.
“He is in Malta and according to our government’s policy, that’s where he will stay.
“They can pursue this through the courts, and they will do that no doubt.
“It is not the government’s plan or policy or demeanour to give this character a visa.
“We cancelled the visa that Labor renewed when it came to Mr Vella and I stand by that 100 per cent.”