OFF THE WIRE
tvnz.co.nz
Australia's formidable motorcycle gang, The Rebels, are slowly working their way into New Zealand, using a fundraiser for the Canterbury Earthquake as their launching pad this weekend.
"I lost a family member down there [in the Christchurch quake] and a lot of us have lost somebody. We all put together this event. This is a fundraiser and we're going to help out," said Rebels member Phil.
The group say they are on our turf for an admirable cause, but police believe it is nothing more than a publicity stunt.
"If they're doing something it won't be for the good of the community, that's for real. From my perspective, it's a publicity stunt," Whangarei area commander Paul Dimery said.
"There's nothing redeeming about them. They're criminals and that's all they are."
The Australian motorcycle gang claim they are just a social riding group. "We're just a social group riding motorbikes, that's all we are, and they class that as a gang," said Phil.
"It's been a bit of overkill by the police."
The gang set up in Whangarei just over a month ago and left the area yesterday on a charity run.
But police, who have been on alert since earlier this year when the gang first tried to move in on Kiwi territory, have already arrested one member for dangerous driving.
The group insists it is settling into its new home and has got a lot of public support.
"There's a lot of stuff in the media but I don't know who writes that stuff," said Phil.
The Rebels say they don't understand why Whangarei police think they are in the country to recruit, and claim they are just helping troubled youth in the area.
"We've set up a training gym to help get the young guys off the streets," Phil said.
But while they may be determined to dig in, the police are just as intent on turfing them out.
"New Zealand is a really safe community - why would we be intimidated by a bunch of criminals? I'm sure they're not too happy with me but life's tough really," said Dimery.