The Tribunal's decision
27 The Tribunal had jurisdiction by reason of s 500(1)(ba). The Tribunal was bound in performing its functions and exercising its power to comply with Direction No. 65 - Visa refusal and cancellation under s 501 and revocation of a mandatory cancellation of a visa under s 501CA (Direction 65): s 499(1) and (2A) of the Act.
28 The Tribunal referred to the principles in [6.3] of Direction 65. It went on to consider the three "primary considerations" in Part C of Direction 65 and those of the "other considerations" which it considered relevant.
29 The Tribunal referred to the material before it, including the written statements and oral evidence given by the applicant and his partner, written statements by family members and friends and associates and the various records and documents relating to his offences. The Tribunal summarised the applicant's early history at T[18] to T[22]. That history is relevantly summarised at [1] to [3] above.
30 In respect of the protection of the Australian community from criminal or other serious conduct, the Tribunal considered the nature and seriousness of the applicant's conduct and the risk to the community should the applicant commit further offences or engage in other serious conduct.
31 As to the nature and seriousness of the applicant's conduct, the Tribunal's reasons included:
30. The applicant's criminal record, which is summarised in paragraphs 23 to 28 above, shows he appeared before the Courts (adult and children's) on 45 occasions from May 1987 to July 2017 and was convicted of more than 100 criminal offences. His record demonstrates an extensive and long-term pattern of repeated and serious offending from the age of 16 years.
31. The seriousness of the applicant's criminal behaviour is indicated by the sentences imposed by the Courts, which include periods of imprisonment in relation to 38 convictions. Between 2000 and 2017, the applicant has been incarcerated for a total period of over five years and ten months.
32. The applicant's criminal record contains repeated incidences of violence dating from May 1987, including convictions for assault occasioning actual bodily harm, assault, common assault, assault police and contravening apprehended domestic violence order. The police reports for these convictions describe the applicant's involvement in physical fights with people known to the applicant as well as strangers.
32 The Tribunal recorded that the applicant had received a letter dated 7 March 2012 from what was then the Department of Immigration and Citizenship stating his visa might be cancelled on character grounds because of his offending. The Tribunal also recorded the contents of a second letter to the applicant, dated 21 May 2012, which stated his visa would not be cancelled but contained a formal warning in the following terms:
Please note that visa cancellation may be reconsidered if you commit further offences or otherwise breach the character test in future. Disregard of this warning will weigh heavily against you if your case is reconsidered.
33 The Tribunal noted that the applicant continued to offend, as shown by five court appearances between 2013 and 2017.
34 The Tribunal concluded:
39. Considering the relevant factors set out in paragraph 13.1.1 of the Direction, I find that:
• The applicant's offences include committing serious and violent offences.
• The applicant has committed offences against police officers.
• The applicant's record of criminal offences shows he has been convicted of more than 100 offences in the adult and children's Courts over a period of 30 years. He has been in prison for a period of approximately five years and ten months between 2000 and 2017.
• There has been a cumulative effect due to the applicant's repeated offending and he has continued to offend despite repeated warnings from the judicial system.
• The applicant received a written warning from the Department in 2012 that any further offending would result in the cancellation of his visa.
• There is no evidence before the Tribunal that the applicant has ever provided false or misleading information to the Department.
40. I am satisfied that the frequency and cumulative effect of the applicant's criminal offending is a matter of very serious concern. I find that the nature and seriousness of his offending weighs heavily against him.
35 As to the risk to the Australian community, the Tribunal was not satisfied that the applicant would not reoffend if he were released into the Australian community. It concluded that the protection of the Australian community weighed heavily against revoking the cancellation decision: T[49]. In reaching this conclusion the Tribunal took into account that:
(1) the applicant submitted to the Tribunal that he was "easily provoked" and that much of his conduct was due to being "off his guts" on alcohol and drugs. The Tribunal considered the applicant's evidence to be "honest and raw": T[35];
(2) the applicant continued to offend despite a warning letter from the Department that his visa might be cancelled on character grounds under s 501 because of his offending: T[36] and [37];
(3) the applicant had engaged in frequent and serious criminal conduct: T[39];
(4) the applicant had opportunities to participate in rehabilitation programs, but - according to reports in 2003 and 2004 - had not completed programs, even when directed by the court: T[42]. He had however completed two programs in 2012: T[43]. The applicant has been assessed by the NSW Department of Corrective services to have a "medium/high risk" of reoffending: T[43];
(5) the applicant had submitted to the Tribunal that he had abstained from drugs and alcohol since February 2017 and intended not to relapse or reoffend: T[46]. The Tribunal accepted the applicant so intended, but placed minimal weight on that submission in view of his serious and frequent offending behaviour for more than 30 years, his limited participation in rehabilitation programs and counselling, and the lack of any objective evidence that the applicant had reformed or was unlikely to relapse: T[47].
36 In relation to the best interests of minor children, the Tribunal stated:
51. The applicant has a son and three grandchildren under the age of 18 years. The applicant's son, "G" was born in 2004 and currently resides with his mother (the applicant's ex-partner). The applicant's grandchildren were born in 2009, 2016 and 2017 and they reside with their mother (the applicant's daughter). The applicant also has two nieces under the age of 18 years who reside with their mother.
52. The applicant's evidence to the Tribunal was that his son "G" lived with him from March 2005 until the applicant went to prison in July 2009. "G" currently lives in Queensland with his mother (the applicant's ex-partner). The applicant has not seen "G" since 2009 but speaks to him on the phone once or twice a week. I accept the applicant has a parental role in relation to his son "G" despite his physical absence for the past nine years.
53. The applicant has not met his youngest grandchild and has not seen his older grandchildren or nieces since he was incarcerated in 2017, although he maintains contact via telephone and social media. Each of these children resides with their mothers. There is no evidence before the Tribunal that the applicant plays a "parental" role in the lives of his grandchildren or his nieces, although I acknowledge the applicant's submission that his family, including his nieces and grandchildren, is "close".
54. While I find this primary consideration weighs in favour of the applicant, I do not place substantial weight on this consideration because the children also have parents and other family members present in their lives.
37 In relation to the expectations of the Australian community, the Tribunal considered the positive contributions the applicant had made to society and weighed these against his adverse and antisocial behaviour. Its reasons included (footnotes omitted):
57. The applicant has resided in Australia since 1972. All his known family members reside in Australia including his aunts and uncles, cousins, siblings, step-siblings, children, partner, step-children and grandchildren.
58. The applicant had an extremely difficult upbringing, which resulted in him leaving his family home when he was 12 years old and finishing high school at year 8. The applicant has had occasional "cash-in-hand" jobs but mostly relied on Centrelink benefits for the past 30 years. He has undertaken some volunteer work assisting at the Salvation Army and serving meals to homeless people.
59. The applicant's partner is an Australian citizen. She gave evidence to the Tribunal about their relationship for the past eight years. She said she suffers from generalised anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder and relies heavily on the applicant for emotional support. She visits him at Villawood several times a week and speaks with him on the phone "all the time". It was clear from the evidence of both the applicant and his partner that they have maintained a close and supportive relationship.
60. The applicant's partner has six children, aged from 29 years to 11 years old, and four grandchildren. Her children do not reside with her but live close by, apart from her youngest child who lives with his father. The older son of the applicant's partner, who is 20 years old, provided a written statement dated 15 September 2018. He referred to the applicant as "a father figure" to him and stated that if the applicant is deported, "it would be like losing another father [as he] has emotionally helped me through life and replaces the father that I don't have".
61. The applicant also provided character references from his aunt, sister and a friend. The reference from his aunt confirmed the applicant's statements about his childhood, noting he "grew into a life of crime and drugs". Statements from the applicant's sister and friend confirm the applicant's role in the lives of his family and friends as a "kind, big hearted, genuine man".
62. I also have regard to the applicant's statement that he is a "product of Australia". In view of the nearly 47 years the applicant has lived in Australia, I accept that he and the life he has led has been shaped in part by his experiences within the Australian community.
63. There is no question the Australian community would have extensive empathy for the applicant due to the significant length of time he has lived in Australia and his substantial extended family in Australia, including children, with whom he has close relationships. However, this must be weighed against the applicant's behaviour of committing serious and violent offences over a period of 30 years and his continued disregard for the Australian law and judicial system after he was warned in 2012 that this behaviour would result in the cancellation his visa.
64. In assessing all the relevant evidence against the requirements of the Direction, I find the applicant's circumstances do not excuse his criminal offending. On balance, I am satisfied the third primary consideration counts against revoking the mandatory cancellation of the applicant's visa.
38 As to the "other considerations" referred to in Direction 65, the Tribunal considered the "strength, nature and duration of [the applicant's] ties to Australia" and the "extent of impediments if the applicant is removed". There was nothing before the Tribunal indicating that 'international non-refoulement obligations' were relevant or that it was relevant to consider the 'impact on Australian business interests' or the 'impact on victims'.
39 As to the ties to Australia, the Tribunal stated:
68. The applicant has lived in Australia for nearly 47 years. He arrived as a baby with his parents and has never returned to the United Kingdom. The applicant has demonstrated extensive family ties to Australia through his aunts and uncles, cousins, siblings and step-siblings, children, grandchildren, partner and step-children. He views Australia as "home".
69. However, I must place less weight on this consideration because of the applicant's limited positive contribution to the Australian community over the past 30 years.
70. I am satisfied that the applicant has strong family and social ties to Australia. I find consideration of the applicant's ties to Australia weighs strongly in his favour.
40 As to impediments if removed, the Tribunal stated:
72. The applicant is 47 years old and told the Tribunal he has no health problems. There is no language or cultural barriers to the applicant returning to the United Kingdom and obtaining employment. I am satisfied that, as a citizen of the United Kingdom, the applicant would have access to a public health system and social welfare. However, I accept the applicant's evidence that he knows no one in the United Kingdom and would therefore have no informal social or economic support networks to rely on. His partner's evidence was that she could not financially afford to move to the United Kingdom nor leave her children and grandchildren in Australia, so the applicant's removal from Australia would permanently separate them.
73. I find there are some impediments, in addition to being removed from his family in Australia, which would affect the applicant commencing a life in the United Kingdom. I am satisfied that this consideration weighs for revoking the decision to cancel the applicant's visa.
41 The Tribunal concluded:
74. The first and third primary considerations weigh heavily against the revocation of the cancellation decision. The second primary consideration weighs for the applicant but, for the reasons set out in paragraph 54 above, I place minimal weight on this consideration.
75. In regard to the other considerations, I find both the applicant's ties to Australia and the impediments to his removal from Australia weigh for revoking the cancellation of the applicant's visa.
76. Noting the requirement that primary considerations should be given greater weight than the other considerations, I am satisfied on balance of the primary and other considerations that it is not appropriate to revoke the decision to cancel the applicant's visa.