[2016] AATA 8
General information, not legal advice.
Administrative Appeals Tribunal of Australia
2016-01-14
President Dr P
Original judgment source is linked above.
"there is no evidence that the applicant or his nominee were advised not to report earnings. It is... unlikely that the applicant was advised not to report any earnings or a change in earnings".
The Secretary may waive the right to recover all or part of a debt if the Secretary is satisfied that:
(a) the debt did not result wholly or partly from the debtor or another person knowingly:
(i) making a false statement or a false representation; or
(ii) failing or omitting to comply with a provision of this Act, the Administration Act or the 1947 Act; and
(b) there are special circumstances (other than financial hardship alone) that make it desirable to waive; and
(c) it is more appropriate to waive than to write off the debt or part of the debt.
"actual knowledge, rather than constructive knowledge... to be ascertained by reference to the statements of the person as to his or her actual state of knowledge at the time to events surrounding the false statement or the act or omission".
"Taking into account Mr Callaghan's knowledge of the notice and of his having read at least one of them, I find that he had an obligation to advise of a change in Mrs Callaghan's income. Therefore, when he failed to advise of the change he knowingly omitted to comply with a provision of the Act".
"must accept some responsibility for her actions as [being careless] is simply not good enough... when the funds of the public purse are concerned".
"something to distinguish [the] case from others, to take it out of the usual or ordinary case".
"whether [the applicant's] character is such that it would be unjust, unreasonable or otherwise inappropriate on the part of the Commonwealth to recover the debt".
"s 1237AAD does not require an intention to defraud, all that is required to make the ameliorating discretion of the section non applicable is the intentional making of a statement or representation with knowledge of its falsity".
"The qualifying adjective [of special circumstances] looks to circumstances that are unusual, uncommon or exceptional. Whether circumstances answer any of these descriptions must depend upon the context in which they occur. For it is the context which allows one to say that the circumstances in one case are markedly different from the usual run of cases. This is not to say that the circumstances must be unique but they must have a particular quality of unusualness that permits them to be described as special".
I certify that the preceding 78 (seventy-eight) paragraphs are a true copy of the reasons for the decision herein of Deputy President Dr P McDermott RFD
..............................[Sgd].........................
[1] Exhibit 1, T Documents, T 6, pages 77-83. Authorised Review Officer decision and notes dated 12 August 2014.
[2] Exhibit 1, T Documents, T 2, pages 12-12. Social Security Appeals Tribunal decision dated 17 October 2014.
[3] Exhibit D, para [5]. Statutory declaration of Tobias Love dated 17 June 2015.
[8] Exhibit A, T Documents, T 11, page 94; T 21, page 223.
[9] Respondent's Statement of Facts, Issues and Contentions, page 2, para [7].
[10] Exhibit A, T Documents, T 20, page 221. Document list and selected file notes.
[12] Exhibit A, T Documents, T 4, page 62. Employment report dated 25 November 2013.
[13] Exhibit A, T Documents, T 5, page 68. Employment report dated 15 April 2014.
[15] Exhibit A, T Documents, T 20, page 217. Document list and selected file notes.
[16] Exhibit A, T Documents, T 25, pages 241. Letter to applicant dated 10 July 2014.
[17] Exhibit A, T Documents, T 20, page 216. Document list and selected file notes.
[18] Exhibit A, T Documents, T 7, page 84. Authorised Review Officer decision and dates dated 12 August 2014.
[19] Exhibit A, T Documents, T 2, page 12. Decision of Social Security Appeals Tribunal dated 17 October 2014.
[20] Exhibit C, para [4]. Report of Dr Scott Bell dated 20 August 2015.
[23] Exhibit D, para [56]. Statutory declaration of Tobias Love dated 17 June 2015.
[26] Exhibit E, para [3]. Statutory declaration of Tobias Love dated 20 August 2015.
[34] Exhibit F, para [25]. Statutory declaration of Kathryn Duce dated 17 June 2015.
[37] Respondent's Statement of Facts, Issues and Contentions, 4 June 2015, page 9, para [44].
[38] Exhibit A, T Documents, T 25, pages 264-408. Letters to applicant and nominee dated between 25 September 2009 and 8 December 2012.
[40] Exhibit F, para [26-29]. Statutory declaration of Kathryn Duce dated 17 June 2015.
[45] Exhibit D, para [39]. Statutory declaration of Tobias Love dated 17 June 2015.
[47] Exhibit F, para [31]. Statutory declaration of Kathryn Duce dated 17 June 2015.
[48] Exhibit D, para [46]. Statutory declaration of Tobias Love dated 17 June 2015.
[51] Exhibit A, T Documents, T 20, page 221.Document list and selected file notes.
[52] Exhibit D, para [44]. Statutory declaration of Tobias Love dated 17 June 2015.
[53] Exhibit A, T Documents, T 20, page 221.Document list and selected file notes.
[55] Exhibit D, para [47]. Statutory declaration of Tobias Love dated 17 June 2015. Exhibit A, T Documents, T 20, page 218. Document list and selected file notes.
[56] Exhibit A, T Documents, T 4, page 62. Employment report dated 25 November 2013.
[57] Exhibit A, T Documents, T 5, page 68. Employment report dated 15 April 2014.
[58] Exhibit A, T Documents, T 13, page 107. ADEX debt explanation. See also T 20, page 220. Document list and selected file notes.
[60] Exhibit A, T Documents, T 25, page 251. Letter to applicant dated 1 May 2014.
[61] Exhibit A, T Documents, T 20, page 217. Document list and selected file notes.
[63] Applicant's Statement of Facts and Issues in Contention, page 1, para [6].
[65] Applicant's Statement of Facts, Issues and Contentions, page 1, para [8].
[67] Respondent's Statement of Facts, Issues and Contentions, 4 June 2015, page 12-13, para [51].
[68] [1996] AATA 413; (1996) 45 ALD 435 at 445 at [48].
[69] Social Security (Administration Act)1999 (Cth); Respondent's Statement of Facts, Issues and Contentions, page 13, para [55].
[70] Respondent's Statement of Facts, Issues and Contentions, 4 June 2015, page 13, para [55].
[71] Re Callaghan and Secretary, Department of Social Security [1996] AATA 413; (1996) 45 ALD 435 at 445 at [48].
[72] Applicant's Statement of Facts, Issues and Contentions, 27 August 2015, pages 2-3, para [11].
[74] Applicant's Statement of Facts and Issues in Contention, 27 August 2015, page 3, para [13].
[81] Applicant's Statement of Facts, Issues and Contentions, 27 August 2015, page 4, para [17].
[82] Respondent's Statement of Facts, Issues and Contentions, 4 June 2015, page 14, para [57].
[84] Applicant's Statement of Facts, Issues and Contentions, 27 August 2015, page 4, para [17]; Respondent's Statement of Facts, Issues and Contentions, 4 June 2015, page.14, para [57].
[85] [1995] FCA 1708; (1995) 40 ALD 541 at 545.
[86] Applicant's Statement of Facts, Issues and Contentions, 27 August 2015, pages 4-9.
[90] Applicant's Statement of Facts, Issues and Contentions, 27 August 2015, pages 4-6; Exhibit C, Report of Dr Scott Bell dated 20 August 2015.
[91] Applicant's Statement of Facts, Issues and Contentions, 27 August 2015, page 9, para [45].
[92] Respondent's Statement of Facts, Issues and Contentions, 4 June 2015, page 15, para [58].
[94] Applicant's Statement of Facts, Issues and Contentions, 27 August 2015, pages 6-7.
[100] Respondent's Statement of Facts, Issues and Contentions, 4 June 2015, pages 7-8.
[101] Applicant's Statement of Facts, Issues and Contentions, 27 August 2015, page 9, para [45].
[102] [1998] AATA 626 at [21].
[103] Applicant's Statement of Facts, Issues and Contentions, 27 August 2015, page 19, para [45].
[104] Social Security (Administration Act) 1999 (Cth) s 1237AAD.
[109] [2003] AATA 466; (2003) 74 ALD 204 at 209 at [33].
[110] Re Callaghan and Secretary, Department of Social Security [1996] AATA 413; (1996) 45 ALD 435 at 445 at [49].
[112] [2001] AATA 72; (2001) 65 ALD 553 at 566 and 569.
[113] [2011] AATA 162 at [82].
[115] [2005] AATA 745 at [31].
[117] [1997] FCA 1565; (1998) 82 FCR 154 at 162.
Re Callaghan and Secretary, Department of Social Security [1996] AATA 413; (1996) 45 ALD 435
Backhouse and Secretary, Department of Family and Community Services [2000] AATA 139
Groth v Secretary, Department of Social Security [1995] FCA 1708; (1995) 40 ALD 541
Severino and Secretary, Department of Family and Community Services [2005] AATA 745
William David & Ann Dora Moore, Secretary, Department of Social Security [1998] AATA 626
Balancio v Department of Family and Community Services [2003] AATA 466; (2003) 74 ALD 204
Re Secretary, Department of Family and Community Services and Jonauskas [2001] AATA 72; (2001) 65 ALD 553
Hogan v Secretary, Department of Employment, Education and Workplace Relations [2011] AATA 162
(1998) 82 FCR 15
(1998) 82 FCR 154