Case Law Updates

Federal Court (Full Court): Applicant did not appear at FCCA hearing, which dismissed a judicial review application under r 13.03C(1)(c) of the Federal Circuit Court Rules. FCCA assessed application for reinstatement of the judicial review application under r 16.05(2)(a), taking into account only one aspect of potentially relevant considerations: whether it was in the interests of the administration of justice to do so. FCCA refused to reinstate. Appellant applied to the Federal Court for leave to appeal the FCCA's decision, arguing that FCCA's failure to take into account other considerations amounted to error.

Federal Court (Full Court). Was the standard of protection in s 36(2B)(b) "satisfied by a conclusion that the State authority in question operates an effective legal system for the detection, prosecution and punishment of acts constituting serious harm", regardless of the circumstances of the individual non-citizen? The Applicant sent the FCCA a time extension application on 2 July 2019, but was only accepted for filing by the Registry on 1 August 2019? Was the application nevertheless deemed to have been filed on 2 July 2019?

Federal Court (Full Court). In deciding whether it was in the national interest to grant a visa, was the Minister obliged to take into account the legal consequences of his decision, "particularly when those consequences have implications not only for an applicant but also for the nation"? Is there a "necessary inconsistency between being satisfied that the appellant is not a danger to Australia’s security for the purpose of s 36(1C) and not being satisfied that it is in the national interest to grant him a SHEV for the purpose of Sch 2 cl 790.277"?

Federal Court. Gleeson CJ and Gummow J held in Jia Legeng that an allegation of actual bias must be "distinctly made and clearly proved". Does the same principle apply to an allegation of apprehended bias? Is the IAA required to "give notice of its receipt of a reference of a fast track reviewable decision or state that it would review the decision within a certain period of time"? Is the IAA authorised to make a decision at any time after a decision has been referred to it?

Federal Court. Does the term 'immediate family' under cl 14.2 of Direction 79 include parents? If a decision-maker finds one of the factors in Direction 79 in favour of a non-citizen, but the weighing exercise called for by s 501CA(4) nevertheless results in a finding that there is not 'another reason' to revoke a mandatory visa cancellation, can an error in assessing that factor be material in that, had it not been made, additional weight could have been placed on that factor, which could have tipped the scales in the non-citizen's favour?

High Court. Is the Minister required under ss 54(1), (2)(c), 55(1) or 56(1) to consider relevant information given or gotten at an interview? Is "compliance by the Secretary of the Department with the consequent procedural duty to give to the Authority specified categories of "review material" [under 473CB] affected by errors in the translation of words spoken during the protection interview"? Can IAA make a jurisdictional error if it relies on misinterpretation and does not invite applicant to an interview or does not exercise its powers to get and consider new information which might address the misinterpretation?

Federal Court. Although the chapeaux in para 12(1) of Direction No 75 and para 10.1 of Direction No 65 refer to a decision whether to cancel a visa, are those paragraphs are about whether to refuse a visa? Although Direction No 75 is not binding on the Minister personally, is it reasonable to expect that the Minister, as a model litigant, would follow the procedure mandated for his surrogates in that direction? Does the prospect of indefinite detention no longer arise by reason of the insertion of s 197C? If so, does that mean that non-refoulement obligations will no longer be considered?

Federal Court (Full Court). Is the word “should” in para 8.4(4) indicative of a requirement that must be followed (i.e. that is mandatory)? Is it doubtful that the Tribunal can permissibly have independent regard to community expectations as assessed by it, given the Direction’s express provisions with regard to that subject which can be expected to cover the field?

Federal Court (Full Court). This non-migration decision which might have consequences for migration decisions. Can it be said that a decision under s 11(6) of the CERP Rules not to exercise the "later time" discretion, made in the context of a decision that a person is not entitled to a jobkeeper payment because they did not have an ABN on 12 March 2020, does not fall within s 13(2)(a) of the CERP Act? If so, did s 43 of the AAT Act nevertheless give the Tribunal the power to exercise the "later time" discretion?

Federal Court (Full Court). Can it be said that, "where special circumstances are present by way of a public interest element, the appropriate disposition is that there be no order as to costs"? Is the FCA's discretion to award costs "unfettered except for the fact that it must be exercised judicially"? Is it "extremely rare for the successful party to be ordered to pay the unsuccessful party’s costs"? Are "delay and increased expense brought about by improper conduct in the course of the litigation ... highly relevant factors in the discretion to depart from the usual order as to costs"?