High-profile deportee and Australian Football League (AFL) star Dustin Martin's father, Shane Martin, continues his battle to return to Australia, with local media revealing the ex-bikie was issued a certificate confirming his Aboriginality in 2016.
The revelation may give Martin, who was deported to New Zealand in 2016 on the basis of bad character, the grounds to return to Australia following the High Court's recent decision that Aboriginal people cannot be deported.
The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age revealed that Martin and his three sons were issued certificates by the Aboriginal Corporation of Tasmania confirming their Aboriginal heritage in December 2016.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the corporation confirmed Martin's grandmother was an indigenous woman who relocated to New Zealand from Tasmania.
Elder Lance Le Sage told the outlet that genealogy is confirmed through the evaluation of documentary evidence, oral history, ancestry research and whether the individual identifies and is accepted as Aboriginal.
Martin flew to Sydney International Airport on Sunday hoping to claim asylum, but was detained by the Border Force and sent back to Auckland on Monday morning. Newshub understands Martin's attempt to return was motivated by the High Court ruling one week ago.
An Australian Border Force spokesperson told the outlet that his "claims of indigeneity will be considered along with any evidence in support of these claims while he is offshore".
Both publications also obtained Martin's criminal history, which includes convictions of drug possession, burglary, resisting police, criminal damage, unlawful assault and being armed with intent during the early 1990s.
Martin's wife, three sons and two step-daughters all reside in Australia.
His manager Ralph Carr said neither Martin nor his son Dustin wanted to comment.
The High Court's decision has already seen the release of 31-year-old Kiwi Brendan Thoms after 501 days in prison based on his Aboriginal heritage.
