austlii:cth/FedCFamC2G/2025/1209
General information, not legal advice.
FedCFamC2G
2025-08-01
Original judgment source is linked above.
FEDERAL CIRCUIT AND FAMILY COURT OF AUSTRALIA (DIVISION 2)
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).
(a) The applicant was born in India in 1969. His family had strong religious affiliation in Islam, his family being one of the religious devotees in Hyderabad;
(b) From the time of his birth, the applicant's family was oppressed by Hindu cadres.
(c) In 1990, he joined the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadu Muslimeen Party (AIMIM). His father contributed money to the AIMIM. Because of this, cadres of the Barathi Janata Party (BJP) always tried to ruin his family. On a number of occasions, they ransacked and looted his family house.
(d) He attended numerous party programs initiated by the AIMIM. He eventually became a leading activist for the party in 2004. The applicant worked for AIMIM candidates in elections and eventually won. In 2009 assembly elections, the applicant campaigned again for the same AIMIM candidate. Again in 2014, the applicant worked for the same AIMIM candidate.
(e) The applicant's shop was vandalised after the 2014 election, and an employee was injured. He believed "TDP and BJP activists were involved". He did not report this incident because Muslim people are not treated well by the police.
(f) In India, he was targeted as a devotee Muslim and because he was an activist of the AIMIM party. Due to the 2014 incident, along with other cruel and discriminatory behaviour, he was compelled to leave India. He believed he was a "captive in [his] own land" and there was no protection from the Government.
Judicial review application and procedural orders
Matters raised orally at the hearing by the applicant
(a) In so far as the applicant is complaining about the lack of an interpreter at the delegate's interview, this Court does not have jurisdiction under s 476 of the Act to review the delegate's decision as it was a "primary decision" within the meaning of s 476(4)(a) of the Act, and thus not reviewable by this Court.
(b) In so far as the applicant is seeking to give a reason why he made inconsistent statements at the Tribunal hearing, because of the absence of an interpreter, then that argument must be rejected. Ms Wilford submitted the only evidence of what had occurred at the Tribunal hearing was the Tribunal's decision record (there being no transcript of the hearing in evidence). Ms Wilford submitted that the decision record does not contain any evidence that the applicant's representative, or the applicant himself, either had translation issues, or that the applicant could not understand the questions he was being asked by the Tribunal member.
(c) In relation to paragraph [48] of the Tribunal's decision, that paragraph merely contains a summary of the evidence given by the applicant to the Tribunal, and what the applicant told the delegate, it does not show the applicant issues with translation.
(d) There was no other information in the Court Book which was before the Tribunal which could suggest that the applicant had translation issues.
Consideration of matters raised by the applicant orally at the hearing
The Tribunal sought the applicant's explanation in the hearing as to why the original written statement makes claims which are not true. The applicant did not provide an explanation other than to indicate that it must be a mistake or misunderstanding. In the interview with the delegate when this inconsistency was put to the applicant, he indicated that it must be due to a miscommunication with his agent who prepared the application.
I certify that the preceding seventy-five (75) numbered paragraphs are a true copy of the Reasons for Judgment of Judge Cleary.
FFX19
Minister for Immigration and Citizenship [2025] FedCFamC2G 1209
(1999) 197 CLR 510
(1990) 170 CLR 1
(2022) 289 FCR 21
(2024) 98 ALJR 610
(2011) 241 CLR 594
(2010) 243 CLR 164
(2004) 144 FCR 1
(2003) 211 CLR 476