Hon Murray McCully, Acting Minister of Immigration

Two Australian members of the Hells Angels gang who flew to Wellington have been refused entry to New Zealand, Acting Minister of Immigration Hon Murray McCully confirmed today.

One Australian man in his forties arrived on an Air New Zealand flight from Sydney on Tuesday at about 2.45pm and on being refused entry flew back there at about 3.30pm the same day. The second man arrived from Brisbane at about 12.25am this morning. He was held in Police custody on being refused entry until he flew to Sydney at 7am.

The men are believed to have travelled separately to this country to attend a New Zealand Hells Angels Convention in Wanganui this weekend.

Mr McCully said each man was refused entry to New Zealand because the Immigration Act includes provisions banning criminals and members of criminal organisations from entering New Zealand.

Police had confirmed that each man was a member of a Hells Angels chapter, and had advised it was a criminal organisation, Mr McCully said.