Concerns have been raised after Robert ‘Waddy’ Wachtel — a guitarist for Fleetwood Mac singer Stevie Nicks — was allowed to enter Australia despite historic child pornography charges.
Wachtel, who was arrested in 1998 on suspicion of possession of child pornography and was placed on probation for three years after pleading no contest to the charges, entered Australia earlier this month ahead of a nation-wide tour with Nicks and the rest of her band.
Wachtel has toured Australia multiple times since 1998, and has never been denied a visa.
Since he returned to Australia earlier this month, there’s been some concern from fans online, including some criticism of Immigration Minister Peter Dutton.
@StevieNicks amazing last night at Hunter Valley. But how was lead guitarist Waddy Wachtel, convicted 1998 of possessing child porn, allowed in the country? @PeterDutton_MP https://t.co/UeYEvMhylg pic.twitter.com/3Eh9raXzYm
— Bryan Seymour (@BryanSeymour1) November 12, 2017
In a statement to Music Feeds, the Department Of Immigration & Border Protection said it wouldn’t comment on Wachtel’s case, but stated that it “takes very seriously its responsibility to protect the community from the risk of harm posed by non-citizens who engage criminal conduct or behaviour of concern”.
“There are strong provisions under the [Migration] Act to refuse or cancel a visa where a person is found not to be of good character,” the statement reads.
“Each case is assessed rigorously by the Department on its own merits.”
Wachtel was also allowed to enter New Zealand recently, with Immigration New Zealand telling Newshub that his visa was approved after they “took into the account the short duration of his stay in New Zealand and that he had been forthright in his convictions”.
Wachtel has already played a handful of Australian shows with Stevie Nicks this month, with two dates remaining in Melbourne and the Yarra Valley.
