austlii:cth/ARTA/2025/837
General information, not legal advice.
ARTA
2025-06-25
Original judgment source is linked above.
I, Mohinish LAL acknowledge that I have received the Notice of decision to revoke visa cancellation under s501CA(4) of the Migration Act 1958. I understand that if I engage in further criminal or other serious conduct, this may again result in any visa I hold being cancelled on character grounds, and in this case my past conduct and previous relevant information held by the Department can also be reconsidered.
NATURE AND SERIOUSNESS OF THE APPLICANT'S CRIMINAL CONDUCT
About 1.20am on Friday the 13th of April 2018....the accused, Mohnish LAL was stopped by Police upon Narellan Road, Narellan for the purpose of a Random Breath and Drug Test. > > The accused breath test result was negative; the accused was then subjected to an oral fluid\ test, which subsequently produced a positive detention to Methamphetamines. ...In relation to the taking of drugs the accused stated, he smoked amphetamine on Tuesday. ...In relation to the accused's drivers licence, RMS and Criminal Records indicate the accused formerly held a Class C drivers licence....which expired on 29/9/2010. This licence is now endorsed DISQUALIFIED by court order from the 29/1/2014 till the 22/12/2018. The accused was convicted at Liverpool Local Court on the 25/10/2017 for the offence of Drive vehicle illicit drug present in blood etc - 1st offence, making the offence associated with this charge a subsequent offence.
About 5:08pm Thursday 22 March 2018 the accused, Mohinish LAL, drove a white coloured Volkswagen sedan, bearing New South Wales Number plates YBK-34-N, in an easterly direction along Endeavour Street CHATSWOOD. Upon reaching the intersection Anderson Street the accused was stopped for an offence dealt with by way of a penalty notice. ...Checks via systems kept by the New South Wales Roads and Maritime Services revealed the accused was once the holder of a New South Wales Class C driver license, number 15428246, currently endorsed DISQUALIFIED from 29-01-2014 to 22-12-2018. This disqualification was imposed at Liverpool Local Court on 29 January 2014 regarding a Drive With High Range Prescribed Concentration of Alcohol matter.
The facts of those offences are quite serious, and involve him hitting his partner several times with a belt and telling her to sit up straight. And, he threatened her again in relation to her bank account. That is the stalk and intimidate. When she did not provide access or provide him with money, he attacked her again with the belt. > > At one point he covered her mouth with his hand and covered her nose. He threatened to send an intimate photograph of her and there was a threat to kill. There cannot be any doubt that those series of offences were quite serious domestic violence offences. > > While on bail for those offences, he commits further offences against the same victim, a Ms Naidu who is here, supporting him as women who are the victim of domestic violence frequently do. They frequently still support, generally speaking, the male offender. On this occasion, on the 17th of November, he has, with his right hand in a back hand motion, slapped her across the > > side of the face, causing his knuckles to connect with her cheekbone. He has punched her in the right eye and shoulders, arms. > > He has grabbed her back, scratched her and began to hit her on the legs, with the tip of a metal pole. She has sustained a black eye, multiple bruises to her arms, cheek, legs and a split lip. He has then jumped on the bed, placed his right hand over her mouth and pinching her nose. This has caused her to have restricted breathing. She was unable to breathe for about 10 seconds. She moved her body. She was able to escape. She was unable to breathe, according to the facts. He has then shown her a mobile phone. Depicted on the screen are nude photographs of her, which he threatened to post on Facebook, on her account. A common offence. A really repulsive offence that this Court sees, very frequently. Then there is a rather more minor assault which is sequence 5 of that sequence. > > Then there is a further breach of an apprehended domestic violence order, when he is found in a motel room with the victim. He was hiding in the bathroom, clearly in breach of the Order. These are serious domestic violence offences. There is no doubt about that and two lots of them were committed while on bail for the initial lot of offending I referred to.
LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK AND MINISTERIAL DIRECTION 110
(1) Australia has a sovereign right to determine whether non-citizens who are of character concern are allowed to enter and/or remain in Australia. Being able to come to or remain in Australia is a privilege Australia confers on noncitizens in the expectation that they are, and have been, law-abiding, will respect important institutions, such as Australia's law enforcement framework, and will not cause or threaten harm to individuals or the Australian community.
(2) The safety of the Australian community is the highest priority of the Australian Government.
(3) Non-citizens who engage or have engaged in criminal or other serious conduct should expect to be denied the privilege of coming to, or to forfeit the privilege of staying in, Australia.
(4) The Australian community expects that the Australian Government can and should refuse entry to non-citizens, or cancel their visas, if they engaged in conduct, in Australia or elsewhere, that raises serious character concerns. This expectation of the Australian community applies regardless of whether the non-citizen poses a measurable risk of causing physical harm to the Australian community.
(5) Australia has a low tolerance of any criminal or other serious conduct by visa applicants or those holding a limited stay visa, or by other non-citizens who have been participating in, and contributing to, the Australian community only for a short period of time.
(6) With respect to decisions to refuse, cancel, and revoke cancellation of a visa, Australia may afford a higher level of tolerance of criminal or other serious conduct by non-citizens who have lived in the Australian community for most of their life, or from a very young age.
(7) Decision-makers must take into account the primary and other considerations relevant to the individual case. In some circumstances, the nature of the noncitizen's conduct, or the harm that would be caused if the conduct were to be repeated, may be so serious that even strong countervailing considerations may be insufficient to justify not cancelling or refusing the visa, or revoking a mandatory cancellation.
(8) The inherent nature of certain conduct such as family violence is so serious that even strong countervailing considerations may be insufficient to justify not cancelling or refusing the visa, or revoking a mandatory cancellation, even if the information available at the time of consideration suggests that the non-citizen does not pose a measurable risk of causing physical harm to the Australian community.
(1) protection of the Australian community from criminal or other serious conduct;
(2) whether the conduct engaged in constituted family violence;
(3) the strength, nature and duration of ties to Australia;
(4) the best interests of minor children in Australia; and
(5) expectations of the Australian community.
a) legal consequences of the decision; > > b) extent of impediments if removed; > > c) impact on Australian business interests.
(a) whether the Applicant passes the character test, as defined in s 501 of the Act; and
(b) if not, whether there is another reason why the original decision should be revoked,
Protection of the Australian community from criminal or other serious conduct - 8.1 of Direction 110
(a) the nature and seriousness of the non-citizen's conduct to date; and > > (b) the risk to the Australian community, should the non-citizen commit further offences or engage in other serious conduct.
The nature and seriousness of the applicant's conduct to date - 8.1.1 of Direction 110
(a) the nature of the harm to individuals or the Australian community should the applicant engage in further criminal or other serious conduct; and
(b) the likelihood of the applicant engaging in such conduct, taking into account information and the risk of the applicant reoffending of any demonstrated rehabilitation (8.1(2)).
" I take full responsibility for my crimes and I am truly sorry and ashamed of my past actions. I know that domestic violence is wrong. I want to become a domestic violence counsellor. I was exposed to domestic violence as a child and know the impact it can have. Unfortunately, I was suffering from severe mental ill-health at the time of the incidents."
Conclusion on the protection of the Australian community
Family Violence committed by the non-citizen - 8.2
(a) there is information or evidence from independent and authoritative sources;
(b) indicating that the non-citizen is, or has been, involved in the perpetration of family violence; and
(c) the applicant has been afforded procedural fairness.[15]
This primary consideration is only relevant where an applicant has been convicted of an offence that 'involve[s] family violence' or there is credible information or evidence before the Tribunal that they have been 'involved in the perpetration of family violence'. > > The first note to cl 4 of the Direction indicates that a number of terms used within the Direction are defined in section 5 of the Migration Act. The term "family violence" is defined in cl 4 (1) of Direction no. 110 (and in contrast with Div 1.5 of the Migration Regulations) as meaning 'violent, threatening or other behaviour by a person that coerces or controls a member of the person's family (the family member), or causes the family member to be fearful'. The definition gives examples of such behaviour, including an assault. > > The same definitional clause of Direction no. 110 also provides that, for the purposes of considering whether family violence has been committed under the Direction, 'member of the person's family ... includes a person who has, or has had, an intimate personal relationship with the relevant person'. This definition is inclusive. It also contrasts with the visa concept of a 'member of the family unit' or 'member of the same family unit', which are defined terms under the Migration Act and Regulations. > > The Tribunal is required to make an assessment of whether the persons identified as victims of the relevant conduct or offending are 'family members'. Other than with respect to the explicit inclusion of persons with whom an applicant has, or has had, an intimate personal relationship, Direction no. 110 does not contain a definition of 'member of the person's family'. The Courts have indicated this term is not to be narrowly construed. The Full Court of the Federal Court of Australia at [124] of their judgment in Deng v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs [2022] FCAFC 115; (2022) 293 FCR 509 (Deng) observed that in the absence of a definition: > > The question is therefore left to be determined on the basis indicated above, namely by reference to the text, context and purpose of the expression "member of a person's family". We agree with the primary judge (at [156]-[157]) that the expression should not be narrowly construed and that it could extend (depending on the circumstances) to a person who is in an intimate relationship with the person. > > In Dore and Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs [2022] AATA 1750, the Tribunal had regard to the definition of 'family member' in the Family Law Act 1975 (Cth) (Family Law Act) in applying the family violence considerations. While accepting the Tribunal's assessment is not constrained by the definition of family members contained in the Family Law Act, the Tribunal considers the definition is useful in understanding the sorts of relationships which may be considered to fall within the expression of family members under the Direction noting in particular that this however includes extended family members of a person and a person's married or de facto partner or former married or de facto partner. > > Section 5G of the Migration Act provides that, for the purposes of the Act, the members of a person's family and relatives of a person are taken to include the following: > > de facto partner of the person; > > someone who is the child of the person, or of whom the person is the child, because of the definition of child in section 5CA; > > anyone else who would be a member of the person's family or a relative of the person if someone mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b) is taken to be a member of the person's family or a relative of the person. > > ... > > The term "intimate personal relationship" is not defined within Direction no. 110 or the Migration Act and Regulations. Therefore, the ordinary meaning of the words should be adopted. The Tribunal notes that whilst many intimate personal relationships will involve a sexual relationship, this is not a requirement. It can also include relationships where some other form of personal or emotional intimacy exists. In any event, that definition is not exhaustive and would not exclude persons who in the ordinary meaning of the words would be considered members of the person's family.[17]
Strength, nature and duration of ties to Australia
Best interests of minor children in Australia - 8.4
The Australian community expects non-citizens to obey Australian laws while in Australia. Where a non-citizen has engaged in serious conduct in breach of this expectation, or where there is an unacceptable risk that they may do so, the Australian community, as a norm, expects the Government to not allow such a non-citizen to remain in Australia.
The Australian community expects non-citizens to obey Australian laws while in Australia. Where a non-citizen has engaged in serious conduct in breach of this expectation, or where there is an unacceptable risk that they may do so, the Australian community, as a norm, expects the Government to not allow such a non-citizen to remain in Australia.
(a) a prohibition on applying for other types of visas under s 501E of the Migration Act (other than a protection visa or a bridging (removal pending) visa);[20]
(b) refusal/cancellation of other visa applications/visas under s 501F of the Migration Act; and
(c) the possible application of periods of exclusion and special return criteria under
s 503 of the Migration Act and SRC 5001 and 5002 in Sch 5 to the Migration Regulations. This includes permanent exclusion where SRC 5001 applies unless the Minister acts personally to grant a permanent visa to the person.
[9] Bartlett and Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2017] AATA 1561 [43]-[45] and QJYD and Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs [2021] AATA 1 at [51]
[14] Deng v Minister for Immigration , Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs [2022] FCAFC 115 at [126] (Farrell, Moshinsky and Burley JJ) and Deng v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs [2021] FCA 1456 at [155] Halley J.
[15] CRNL v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs [2024] FCA 1482
[16] 2024/5629, 24 October 2024, unpublished
[17] See also MBBG and Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (Migration) [2025] ARTA 53 (31 January 2025) (unpublished)
[18] Ismail v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs [2024] HCA 2; see ASFIC at [16].
[19] Direction, cl 9.1(1). See also NBMZ v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2014] FCAFC 38; (2014) 220 FCR 1, [3], [9]-[10]; Taulahi v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2016] FCAFC 177; (2016) 246 FCR 146, [84], [88].
[20] See also Migration Act s 46(1)(d).
[21] Statement Applicant, undated, [4]
Aghbolagh
Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs
Aghbolagh v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs [2023] FCA 43
Deng v Minister for Immigration , Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs [2022] FCAFC 115
Deng v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs [2021] FCA 1456
FHHM v Minister for Immigration [2022] FCAFC 19
MBBG v Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (Migration) [2025] ARTA 53 (31 January 2025)
NBMZ v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2014] FCAFC 38; (2014) 220 FCR 1
NZYQ v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs [2023] HCA 37
Suleiman v Minister for Immigration [2018] FCA 594
LDKT v Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs [2024] ARTA 405
Taulahi v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2016] FCAFC 177; (2016) 246 FCR 146
(2014) 220 FCR 1
(2016) 246 FCR 146
(2022) 293 FCR 509