austlii:cth/FedCFamC2G/2025/575
General information, not legal advice.
FedCFamC2G
2025-04-23
Judge J
Original judgment source is linked above.
FEDERAL CIRCUIT AND FAMILY COURT OF AUSTRALIA (DIVISION 2)
MINISTER FOR IMMIGRATION AND MULTICULTURAL AFFAIRS
Note: The form of the order is subject to the entry in the Court's records.
Note: The Court may vary or set aside a judgment or order to remedy minor typographical or grammatical errors (r 17.05(2)(g) Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 2) (General Federal Law) Rules 2021 (Cth)), or to record a variation to the order pursuant to r 17.05 Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 2) (General Federal Law) Rules 2021 (Cth).
(1) Subject to subsections (2) and (3), the Tribunal must:
(a) give to the applicant, in the way that the Tribunal considers appropriate in the circumstances, clear particulars of any information that the Tribunal considers would be the reason, or part of the reason, for affirming the decision that is under review; and
(b) ensure as far as is reasonably practicable, that the applicant understands why it is relevant to the review, and the consequences of it being relied on in affirming the decision that is under review; and
(c) invite the applicant to comment on or respond to it.
It is submitted that we and the Applicant are unable to attend the hearing in person today. We have already made the compliance of the Honourable Court orders dated 28th May 2024. We have submitted an amended application and the written submissions on 14th August 2024. It is requested to kindly adjourn the hearing for future date.
Thanking you in anticipation.
(2) The Court or a Registrar may vary or set aside a judgment or order after it has been entered if:
(a) first, whether there is a reasonable excuse for the party's absence;
(b) secondly, the existence and nature of any prejudice that might flow to the other party from the reinstatement, and how any such prejudice may be alleviated; and
(c) thirdly, whether the application for reinstatement has a reasonable prospect of success in the substantive proceeding, with the grounds to be taken at an impressionistic level: see MZABP v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2015] FCA 1391; (2015) 242 FCR 585 at [62] per Mortimer J and DHX17 v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs [2020] FCAFC 127; (2020) 278 FCR 475.
...that whatever assistance that may be gleaned from earlier judicial decisions considering the discretion to set aside orders made in the absence of a party, those authorities can only operate as a guide to the exercise of the discretion in r 16.05...
...
I do declare that I could not attend the hearing on 11 September 2024 due to unforeseen and spontaneous personal circumstances that was not under my control.
I do declare that Lawyer also could not attend the hearing as the adjournment was not granted for the hearing.
...
(1) the applicants and their solicitor were provided substantial notice of the date, location and format (i.e. in-person) of the hearing, being from at least 28 May 2024;
(2) on 5 September 2024, the Court declined Mr Warraich's request to appear by video link and outlined that:
(a) a practitioner seeking to appear via electronic communication should apply by submitting to Chambers a 'Request to attend by electronic communication' form no less than 28 days before the date of hearing; and
(b) Mr Warraich's request to appear by video link was not made in the proper form, nor was any evidence provided as to the necessity to appear electronically.
(3) Mr Warraich did not respond to the Court's email of 5 September 2024 until the day of the hearing, less than two hours before it was to proceed, when he sought an adjournment as he and the applicants were unable to attend the hearing in person that day. Mr Warraich did not provide any explanation or evidence as to the reasons that he or the applicants could not attend the hearing.
Prospects of success of the substantive application
PARTICULARS
(a) The AAT has committed jurisdictional error by failing to consider mandatory criteria specified under the Ministerial Direction 69 and deciding the matter by excluding the information favored the applicant.
(b) The Learned Tribunal member fell into jurisdictional error when the Tribunal failed to consider several mandatory considerations as specified in the Ministerial Direction. The Tribunal completely ignored mandatory concerning the applicant's circumstances and which related to other relevant information provided by the applicant, in this matter, the circumstances which explained the applicant's study plan and future endeavours.
FAILED TO TAKE RELEVANT CONSIDERATIONS
PARTICULARS
(a) The AAT failed to take relevant considerations, and unreasonably decided that the academic progress would not assist the applicant in future endeavors. The Tribunal also not justified in Evaluation of the whole academic progress and the future value of the proposed course.
...
- It is submitted that Learned Tribunal fell in jurisdictional error as just affirming the decision without considering the personal reasons of the applicant and ignored very peculiar circumstances of the Applicant at the time of review.
- The Learned Tribunal failed to consider previous academic progression and achievements made by the applicant. The Learned Tribunal just affirmed the delegate's decision on another ground without considering the overall situation of the applicant.
- The Learned Tribunal member fell into jurisdictional error when the Learned Tribunal failed to consider several mandatory considerations as specified in the Ministerial Direction.
- The Learned Tribunal completely ignored mandatory criteria concerning the Applicant's circumstances and which related to other relevant information provided by the Applicant, in this matter, the circumstances which explained the Applicant's study plan and future endeavors.
- The Learned Tribunal has committed jurisdictional error by failing to consider mandatory criteria specified under the Ministerial Direction and deciding the matter by excluding the information that favored the applicant.
- The Learned Tribunal also not justified in ignoring the whole academic progress and the future value of the proposed course.
The applicant is a genuine applicant for entry and stay as a student because:
(a) the applicant intends genuinely to stay in Australia temporarily, having regard to:
(i) the applicant's circumstances; and
(ii) the applicant's immigration history; and
(iii) if the applicant is a minor - the intentions of a parent, legal guardian or spouse of the applicant; and
(iv) any other relevant matter; and
(b) the applicant intends to comply with any conditions subject to which the visa is granted, having regard to:
(i) the applicant's record of compliance with any condition of a visa previously held by the applicant (if any); and
(ii) the applicant's stated intention to comply with any conditions to which the visa may be subject; and
The applicant has undertaken similar courses of a similar standard since his arrival and at the time of writing has made little academic progress. In the Tribunal's view the applicant has sufficient qualifications to undertake his proposed business in his home country if that is in fact what he proposed to do. If the applicant were to be granted this Student visa to undertake his current enrolment which will be completed in May 2022, the applicant will have resided in Australia for fourteen years from the time of his arrival in Australia. The Tribunal does not accept that this additional study will provide increased remuneration or assist the applicant to obtain or improve employment opportunities based on his current plans, and so places little weight in the applicant's favour in this regard.
Details of the applicant's studies were provided by the applicant's immigration agent including previous studies and current Certificate of Enrolment detailing current enrolment at the Australian National College studying for a Diploma in Marketing commencing 8 May 2019 and which will be followed by an Advanced Diploma in Marketing finishing 8 May 2022. The applicant seems intent on continuing his study despite his current course being an Advanced Diploma ion Marketing and communications, which will be of little benefit to his business plans and contrary to his working in a garage or workshop.
Legal unreasonableness involves a "necessarily stringent" test: SZVFW at [11] (Kiefel CJ); Minister for Immigration and Citizenship v Li [2013] HCA 18; 249 CLR 332 at [108] (Gageler J). It involves a conclusion by the Court on review that "that 'no sensible [Tribunal] acting with due appreciation of its responsibilities' could have taken" the decision that was made, or exercised the power in the way it was exercised: SZVFW at [69] (Gageler J), citing Li at [71] (Hayne, Kiefel and Bell JJ), quoting Secretary of State for Education and Science v Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council [1976] UKHL 6; [1977] AC 1014 at 1064.
(a) the interpreter for the Applicant's mother was formal and authoritarian and did not speak in the mother's dialect. It was submitted that the Applicant's mother was scared and confused; and
(b) the applicants intend to return to India to start a business after completion of the Applicant's studies. The second applicant holds an MBA and will help the Applicant with his business on their return to India.
...in view of the difficulties in the phone conversation, the translation and the last minute arrangements (for which our client is grateful that the Tribunal did make the effort) we submit that the Member's interpretation that the "family have formed the view that you and Mrs Bhopal will not be returning to India and will make your life in Australia" may not be entirely accurate.
I certify that the preceding eighty-eight (88) numbered paragraphs are a true copy of the Reasons for Judgment of Judge J Young.
Bhopal
Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs [2025] FedCFamC2G 575
(2020) 278 FCR 475
(2015) 242 FCR 585