An historic photo of The Lodge - The official Canberra residence of the Australian Prime Minister and his family. Photo / Wikimedia Commons
CANBERRA - Men with links to bikie gangs could have infiltrated the prime minister's residence.
Late last year, four men arrived at The Lodge in Canberra saying they were maintenance workers, ABC Television reported today.
They were carrying documentation with them suggesting they had been cleared by the Department of
the Prime Minister and Cabinet.
"The police on duty ... were uneasy, given that the men were tattooed and dressed like bikies but they had what appeared to be legitimate documentation and it all checked out, so the police eventually let them into the grounds and into the care of Lodge staff," the ABC reported.
The men spent at least one hour inside the house and were unsupervised for much of that time.
"Only afterwards did the group's credentials and purpose come under suspicion.
"There is still some confusion over whether any maintenance was requested or indeed carried out and no clear answers on what the men were really up to."
The prime minister's office said it was not appropriate to comment on security arrangements at The Lodge.
Speaking after a bikie brawl at Sydney Airport left one man dead late last month, Mr Rudd said: "Bikie violence, bikie thugs and organised criminal activity, from my point of view, should have zero tolerance."
The prime minister said a parliamentary committee would investigate what national action was necessary to combat bikie violence.
Deputy Opposition Leader Julie Bishop said the issue raised serious concerns.
It will need to be established very quickly whether the men had a legitimate purpose for being at The Lodge and, if not, what their motive was for being there, she said.
"Not only is The Lodge the home of the prime minister and his family but it also hosts many international leaders and guests at high levels around the world so it does have, potentially, international significance," she told the ABC.
- AAP
