[2020] AATA 5165
General information, not legal advice.
Administrative Appeals Tribunal of Australia
2020-12-22
Original judgment source is linked above.
(the Act). 2. The Applicant's visa was cancelled pursuant to s 501(3A) of the Act because the Applicant does not pass the character test by reason of his substantial criminal record and because he was serving a full-time term of imprisonment for an offence against a law of a State. 3. The application for review, made on 9 October 2020, was made in accordance with
s 500(1)(ba) of the Act which allows applications to be made to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal for review of decisions of a delegate of the Minister under s 501CA(4) of the Act not to revoke a decision to cancel a visa. The Tribunal is satisfied that it has the jurisdiction to review the decision.
(a) whether the Applicant passes the character test (as defined by s 501 of the Act); and
(b) if not, whether there is a "another reason" why the mandatory cancellation decision should be revoked.
8 February 2019, the Applicant was sentenced in the District Court of Western Australia to a term of imprisonment of six months for possession of stolen or unlawfully obtained property and to a term of imprisonment of 13 months for possession of a prohibited drug with intent to sell or supply (methylamphetamine).[3] The Applicant pled not guilty and was convicted after a trial.[4] The facts of the possession with intent offence were that on 11 February 2018 the Applicant was found in possession of 6.92 grams of high purity methylamphetamine which, the sentencing judge found, the Applicant intended to sell as part of a "commercial drug dealing enterprise".[5] The sentencing judge also found "beyond reasonable doubt that the money [the stolen or unlawfully obtained property] on count 2, $2150, was money from your past drug dealing".[6] 5. On 21 August 2019 the Applicant was given notice that his visa had been cancelled under s 501(3A) of the Act.[7] The visa was cancelled on the basis that the Applicant had a substantial criminal record as he had been sentenced to a term of imprisonment of more than 12 months for the offence of possession of a prohibited drug with intent to sell or supply and was serving a sentence of imprisonment on a full-time basis in a custodial institution, for an offence against a law of the Commonwealth, a State or Territory.[8] 6. On 11 September 2019 the Applicant requested revocation of the decision to cancel his visa.[9] 7. On 28 February 2020 the Applicant was sentenced in the District Court of Western Australia to a term of imprisonment of five years and 10 months for possession of a trafficable quantity of methylamphetamine with intent to sell or supply it to another.[10] The Applicant pled not guilty and was convicted after a trial.[11] The Applicant committed this offence on 13 September 2018 when he was on bail for the drug offences committed on 11 February 2018.[12] The facts of the offence were that the Applicant was caught by police with five ounces (approximately 142 grams) of high purity methylamphetamine whilst travelling with a drug dealer who was under police surveillance.[13] 8. On 1 October 2020 a delegate of the Respondent decided, under s 501CA(4) of the Act, not to revoke the decision to cancel that Applicant's visa.[14] 9. On 6 October 2020 the Applicant was notified of the decision not to revoke the decision to cancel his visa.[15] 10. On 9 October 2020 the Applicant lodged an application for review of the delegate's decision of 1 October 2020 with this Tribunal.[16]
The Minister must cancel a visa that has been granted to a person if:
(a) the Minister is satisfied that the person does not pass the character test because of the operation of:
(i) paragraph (6)(a) (substantial criminal record), on the basis of paragraph (7)(a), (b) or (c); or
(b) the person is serving a sentence of imprisonment, on a full-time basis in a custodial institution, for an offence against a law of the Commonwealth, a State or a Territory.
For the purposes of the character test, a person has a substantial criminal record if:
(c) the person has been sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 12 months or more; or
(d) the person has been sentenced to 2 or more terms of imprisonment, where the total of those terms is 12 months or more;
(1) This section applies if the Minister makes a decision (the original decision) under subsection 501(3A) (person serving sentence of imprisonment) to cancel a visa that has been granted to a person.
...
(4) The Minister may revoke the original decision if:
(a) the person makes representations in accordance with the invitation; and
(i) that the person passes the character test (as defined by section 501); or
(ii) that there is another reason why the original decision should be revoked.
(1) The Minister may give written directions to a person or body having functions or powers under this Act if the directions are about:
Under subsection 501(3A) of the Act, the decision-maker must cancel a visa that has been granted to a person if the decision-maker is satisfied that the person does not pass the character test because of the operation of paragraph (6)(a) (on the basis of paragraph (7)(a), (b) or (c) or paragraph (6)(e)) and the non-citizen is serving a sentence of imprisonment on a full-time basis in a custodial institution, for an offence against a law of the Commonwealth, a State or a Territory. A non-citizen who has had his or her visa cancelled under section 501(3A) may request revocation of that decision under section 501CA of the Act. Where the discretion to consider revocation is enlivened, the decision-maker must consider whether to revoke the cancellation given the specific circumstances of the case.
(1) The Government is committed to protecting the Australian community from harm as a result of criminal activity or other serious conduct by non-citizens. The principles below are of critical importance in furthering that objective, and reflect community values and standards with respect to determining whether the risk of future harm from a non-citizen is unacceptable.
(2) In order to effectively protect the Australian community from harm, and to maintain integrity and public confidence in the character assessment process, decisions about whether a non-citizen's visa should be refused or cancelled under section 501 should be made in a timely manner once a decision-maker is satisfied that a non-citizen does not pass the character test. Timely decisions are also beneficial to the client in providing certainty about their future.
(3) The principles provide a framework within which decision-makers should approach their task of deciding whether to refuse or cancel a non-citizen's visa under section 501, or whether to revoke a mandatory cancellation under section 501CA. The relevant factors that must be considered in making a decision under section 501 of the Act are identified in Part A and Part B, while factors that must be considered in making a revocation decision are identified in Part C of this Direction.
(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 non-citizens 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 Australian community expects that the Australian Government can and should refuse entry to non-citizens, or cancel their visas, if they commit serious crimes in Australia or elsewhere.
(3) A non-citizen who has committed a serious crime, including of a violent or sexual nature, and particularly against women or children or vulnerable members of the community such as the elderly or disabled, should generally expect to be denied the privilege of coming to, or to forfeit the privilege of staying in, Australia.
(4) In some circumstances, criminal offending or other conduct, and the harm that would be caused if it were to be repeated, may be so serious, that any risk of similar conduct in the future is unacceptable. In these circumstances, even other strong countervailing considerations may be insufficient to justify not cancelling or refusing the visa.
(5) Australia has a low tolerance of any criminal or other serious conduct by people who have been participating in, and contributing to, the Australian community only for a short period of time. However, Australia may afford a higher level of tolerance of criminal or other serious conduct in relation to a non-citizen who has lived in the Australian community for most of their life, or from a very young age.
(6) Australia has a low tolerance of any criminal or other serious conduct by visa applicants or those holding a limited stay visa, reflecting that there should be no expectation that such people should be allowed to come to, or remain permanently in, Australia.
(7) The length of time a non-citizen has been making a positive contribution to the Australian community, and the consequences of a visa refusal or cancellation for minor children and other immediate family members in Australia, are considerations in the context of determining whether that non-citizen's visa should be cancelled, or their visa application refused.
In deciding whether to revoke the mandatory cancellation of a non-citizen's visa, the following are primary considerations:
(1) Decision-makers must take into account the primary and other considerations relevant to the individual case. There are differing considerations depending on whether a delegate is considering whether to refuse to grant a visa to a visa applicant, cancel the visa of a visa holder, or revoke the mandatory cancellation of a visa. These different considerations are articulated in Parts A, B and C. Separating the considerations for visa holders and visa applicants recognises that non-citizens holding a substantive visa will generally have an expectation that they will be permitted to remain in Australia for the duration of that visa, whereas a visa applicant should have no expectation that a visa application will be approved.
(2) In applying the considerations (both primary and other), information and evidence from independent and authoritative sources should be given appropriate weight.
(3) Both primary and other considerations may weigh in favour of, or against, refusal, cancellation of the visa, or whether or not to revoke a mandatory cancellation of a visa.
(4) Primary considerations should generally be given greater weight than the other considerations.
(5) One or more primary considerations may outweigh other primary considerations.
(a) Applicant's Statement of Facts, Issues and Contentions, received on 23 November 2020 (Exhibit A1);
(b) handwritten statement of the Applicant addressed to Deputy President Boyle, received by the tribunal on 23 November 2020 (Exhibit A2);
(c) handwritten statement of the Applicant, titled "Responce [sic] to criminal Record", received by the tribunal on 23 November 2020 (Exhibit A3);
(d) handwritten statement of the Applicant, titled "Reoffending Plan", received by the tribunal on 23 November 2020 (Exhibit A4);
(e) letter from Rebecca Jones, registered psychologist, dated 26 October 2020 (Exhibit A5);
(f) letter from Robert Haywood, provisional psychologist at Collie Family Centre, dated 13 October 2020 (Exhibit A6);
(g) letter from principal of A's primary school, dated 15 October 2020 (Exhibit A7);
(h) statutory declaration of Shane Robins, sworn or declared on 20 September 2018 (Exhibit A8);
(i) handwritten statement of the Applicant's wife, received by the tribunal on 23 November 2020 (Exhibit A9);
(j) handwritten statement of the Applicant's mother, dated 1 November 2020 (Exhibit A10);
(k) handwritten statement of C, the Applicant's daughter, received by the tribunal on 23 November 2020 (Exhibit A11);
(l) statement of J, the Applicant's daughter, received by the tribunal on 23 November 2020 (Exhibit A12);
(m) handwritten statement of the mother of the Applicant's four older children, dated 15 November 2020 (Exhibit A13);
(n) statement of the Applicant's previous employer, dated 1 November 2020 (Exhibit A14);
(o) letter of support from Father Brian Newing, Bunbury Prison coordinating chaplain, received by the tribunal on 27 November 2020 (Exhibit A15);
(p) section 37 G-documents, G1 to G32, comprising 136 pages (Exhibit R1);
(q) summonsed material, comprising 202 pages (Exhibit R2); and
(r) Respondent's Statement of Facts, Issues and Contentions, with annexed criminal history, dated 6 November 2020 (Exhibit R3).
s 501(6) of the Act. Under s 501(6)(a) of the Act, a person will not pass the character test if the person has "a substantial criminal record". This phrase, in turn is defined, relevantly to this case, in ss 501(7)(c) and 501(7)(d) (see [16] above) which provide that a person will have a substantial criminal record if they have been sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 12 months or more or have been sentenced to two or more terms of imprisonment totalling 12 months or more. 2. The Applicant has been sentenced to a term of imprisonment in excess of 12 months as well as two or more sentences totalling more than 12 months. As a result, the Applicant has a substantial criminal record as defined in s 501(7) of the Act and, therefore, does not pass the character test.[18] The only issue for consideration is whether there is a reason to exercise the discretion to revoke the cancellation of the visa under s 501CA(4)(b)(ii) of the Act (see [17] above).
IS THERE ANOTHER REASON WHY THE ORIGINAL DECISION SHOULD BE REVOKED? (SECTION 501CA(4)(B)(II))
First primary consideration: Protection of the Australian community from criminal or other serious conduct (para 13(2)(a))
(1) ... should have regard to the principle that the Government is committed to protecting the Australian community from harm as a result of criminal activity or other serious conduct by non-citizens. Remaining in Australia is a privilege that Australia confers on noncitizens in the expectation that they are, and have been, law abiding, will respect important institutions, and will not cause or threaten harm to individuals or the Australian community. Mandatory cancellation without notice of certain non-citizen prisoners is consistent with this principle by ensuring that serious offenders remain in either criminal or immigration detention while their immigration status is resolved.
(2) Decision-makers should also give consideration to:
Nature and seriousness of the conduct (paragraph 13.1(2)(a))
In considering the nature and seriousness of the non-citizen's criminal offending or other conduct to date, decision-makers must have regard to factors including:
(i) Driving related offences - speeding (X5), no licence (X11), failing to give way, reckless driving (X2), dangerous driving (X2), contravening temporary vehicle licence, portion of body protruding, failing to transfer vehicle, permitting person to drive vehicle contrary to work order, demerit points licence suspension, driving under the influence, driving with excess 0.08%, failing to stop when called upon, driving an unlicensed vehicle (X2), driving a vehicle or permitting vehicle to be driven with false number plates (X2) and failing to accompany police - a total of 34 convictions;
(ii) Public order related offences - stealing (X3), disorderly conduct (X9), disorderly obscene language (X3), resisting arrest (X4), common assault, threatening behaviour, damage, street drinking, hinder police and burglary and commit offence - a total of 25 convictions; and
(iii) Drug related offences - possession of cannabis (X2); possession of cannabis with intent to sell or supply, possession of prohibited plant, possession of prohibited drug with intent to sell or supply, possession of trafficable quantity of methylamphetamine with intent to sell or supply and possession of stolen property -[19] a total of 7 convictions.
... Licensing rules are in place to ensure drivers are suitably qualified and responsible in order to protect innocent road users from harm. Additionally, as well as these types of licensing related offences, the Applicant also has convictions for driving under the influence of alcohol (2008), reckless driving (2008) and driving under the influence of an illicit drug (2014). Member Webb, in Apire and Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2014] AATA 193 stated at [16] that "...driving a motor vehicle without a license while under the influence of alcohol is a serious matter that should not be trivialised or passed off too lightly."
COUNSEL: I can take you to that. It's at page 52. Your explanation there was - it says:
At the time of being stopped, the accused was aware that he was subject to a fine suspension.
APPLICANT: Yes.
COUNSEL: Yes. So you knew you were subject to a fine suspension on that occasion, didn't you?
APPLICANT: Yes.
COUNSEL: Yes. And you drove anyway?
APPLICANT: No. I didn't know I was subject to fines and - you don't know what day you're going to lose your license. It doesn't say, "You've lost your - you're going to lose your license on this day" when you're under fine enforcement. You could miss a payment and still have your license and just carrying on paying the payments next week. Or you could miss a payment and you lose your license.
...
TRIBUNAL: So, the statement there on page - have you got page 52 in front of you?
APPLICANT: Yes.
TRIBUNAL: That says:
At the time of being stopped, the accused was aware that he was subject to a fine suspension.
Are you saying that's not correct?
APPLICANT: I didn't agree with that, no. I wasn't aware that - I remember exactly where it was. It was on the side - it was near Yarloop on the - and I pulled up on the side of the highway when I was pulled over. And I got straight on the phone and got my license reinstated within 20 minutes. If I would have known I was under fine suspension, I would have done it before then to get my license reinstated.
Count 1 relates to 6.92 grams in total of methylamphetamine at a purity of some 81 per cent. That's plainly a very high level of purity. I find beyond reasonable doubt that the money on count 2, $2150, was money from your past drug dealing. The maximum penalties are respectively 25 years imprisonment and seven years imprisonment. ...
Nor are you able to realistically contend for any remorse or insight given the fact that the matter was contested. There is a commercial aspect to your offending which aggravates the offence in respect of count 1 and makes it a serious drug offence. ...
And in your case, I'm quite satisfied that the purpose of selling at least some of the 6.92 grams would have been to finance the acquisition of further methylamphetamine for your heavy habit that plainly existed at that time. ...
And in assessing the seriousness of drug offences, the fact that the conduct on this particular occasion was not an isolated transaction, but part of a commercial drug dealing enterprise, in the sense that I've explained it to be, is a relevant circumstance that aggravates the seriousness of the offending. Circumstances which indicate previous drug dealing, the clipseal bags, the highly accurate digital scales, are relevant also as to whether and how much of the drugs were to be sold for profit, and the surrounding circumstances are also relevant to the weight to be given to personal deterrence. ...
I find that you were at the relevant time a street-level dealer in quantities of up to and including seven grams... in terms of the quantities you would dealt with, and you were a street-level dealer to fund a habit which, I am quite satisfied, you would have been completely incapable of sustaining unless you dealt in the same substance for profit.
I'm also quite satisfied that notwithstanding your evidence, you have not formed the view that you were going to go cold turkey and stop using methylamphetamine at that particular time. It's not necessary to make a precise finding as to how long you had been in the business of dealing methylamphetamine at that particular level for, but clearly the offence for which you have been convicted is not a one-off, isolated aberration.[26]
2020 conviction
You were, between June and early September 2018, an integral part of a drug distribution network that was being conducted by Shane Robins. At the time, you were addicted to methylamphetamine and you would peddle small amounts of methylamphetamine on behalf of Robins to enable you to finance your own addiction.
You would introduce customers to Mr Robins, or you would peddle drugs that had been provided to you on tick by Mr Robins and it is in that context that on 13 September 2018, you agreed to accompany Mr Robins to Perth, to obtain a significant quantity of drugs for Mr Robins. At the time, Mr Robins was the target of a police operation and there was interception of his mobile telephone services, and those of his girlfriend, and during the course of that, police came across your involvement in Robins' drug dealing activities.
And the telephone intercept product revealed the extent of your involvement in those activities. And so it was, on 13 September 2018, that your movements from Bunbury to Butler in the north suburbs of Perth, and back to Myalup - on your way back to Bunbury - were under constant police
surveillance. You accompanied Mr Robins in his vehicle. You were the passenger he drove. The vehicle stopped eventually in Northbridge and picked up a third man who, it would seem on all the evidence, was there to direct Robins and you to the house in Butler.
When the car reached the house in Butler, Robins and the third man went inside the house to collect the drugs, you remained outside. And then Mr Robins returned with the third man and, at the time, Mr Robins was carrying the Hungry Jack's cup in which there were five ounces of methylamphetamine. Unusually, each ounce weighed exactly 28 grams and was of a relatively high purity. Mr Robins then drove the third man to a location near Manning and dropped him off, and the two of you then proceeded south, where you were stopped at Myalup and the drugs were seized by police.
The gravity and seriousness of your offending, Mr Pokrywka, is reflected in the statutory maximum penalty, which is now life imprisonment for a trafficable quantity of methylamphetamine. That's how serious Parliament views this particular drug, which has caused so much misery and destruction in our community. There are aggravating features to your offending. ... Firstly, at the time of the commission of this offence, you were on bail for similar drug-related offending committed on 11 February 2018.
You are yet to stand trial on that, but you were on court bail for possession of methylamphetamine will intent to sell or supply it to another, and possession of stolen or unlawfully obtained property. It's clear - and I'm satisfied beyond reasonable doubt - that you were involved in this activity on 13 September 2018 for commercial gain. From all the evidence that I've heard in this case, it's clear that you would have got something out of the five ounces for your own purposes, to satisfy your own habit and it would save you putting in your own money, because the evidence revealed that you would peddle drugs on behalf of Mr Robins to fund your own habit and you had a raging habit at this point in time.
A further aggravating factor is the significant quantity of drug involved. Five ounces of methylamphetamine. And their purity is also a factor, because it meant the drug could be cut further and further, and spread further and further in the community. A further aggravating factor is that your actions were deliberate. It's clear from the phone call, you were so eager to assist this drug dealer.[27]
I was in the vehicle for fun. The drugs in question were not for me or Mr Robins, as I later found out. Mr Robins was picking them up to pay a bill he owed. In my trial, there was nothing pointing to my knowledge or involvement. There was no DNA evidence ...
I strongly dispute the way my trial was defended ... I have a sworn statement from Mr Robins stating, I had nothing to do with it. ...
... In saying this I no way deny the fact that I was in a vehicle while a crime was being conducted, of which it is and has been [sic] a hard lesson to learn, and will never again allow myself to be put in this position again.
COUNSEL: But you did deal methamphetamines for Mr Robins?
APPLICANT: I didn't deal so much for Mr Robins, I would get a little quantity off him, and use that to support my own habit, and sell as - sell it to pay for what I had got off him. Half the time I never paid for it because I used to smoke it all.
COUNSEL: You would also introduce customers to him?
APPLICANT: Yes, I would be lying if I said I hadn't introduced a couple of customers to him, but they were only idiots like me.
COUNSEL: And were they also low level drug dealers?
APPLICANT: I think they were just users.
COUNSEL: You accompanied Mr Robins to - is from Bunbury to Butler?
APPLICANT: Yes.
COUNSEL: - - - on that day that you were picked up?
APPLICANT: Yes.
COUNSEL: And then you went back to Myalup?
APPLICANT: We were heading back to Bunbury when we got picked up in Myalup, yes.
COUNSEL: Yes, and that's because Mr Robins was under police surveillance at the time, wasn't he?
APPLICANT: Yes, yes.
COUNSEL: And he was also - he had his phone tapped?
APPLICANT: Yes, yes.
COUSEL: And that's how the police knew that you had an involvement with him in dealing methamphetamines as well, wasn't it?
APPLICANT: I asked - yes, it was on record that I had asked for him to come see me so I could get stuff off him, yes.
COUNSEL: And that was in relation to that trip as well, wasn't it?
APPLICANT: No, not at all. I got a phone call from Shane Robins previously that night and he said to me, "Can you bring your caravan down to Bunbury for me tomorrow?" And he said - in that conversation he said that he was taking the GT for a run, and we had been working on his GT which is a 1968 Ford GT Falcon, and being a car enthusiast and that, I love any sort of that, and I pretty well invited myself to go with him for a drive in their car. Little did I know that he was picking up that quantity of drugs. I - I'm guilty of selling small quantities of gear, and I've openly admitted that. I had nothing whatsoever to do with that; I wasn't going to gain from it, monetary or any way.
COUNSEL: That's not what - - -?
APPLICANT: I'm guilty by being there when the crime was being - and, yes, you're right, that is not what the court said.
COUNSEL: Yes, because the court was satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that you had done the activity on 13 September for commercial gain, hadn't they?
APPLICANT: That's what it says in the transcript, yes. My - I will stand my ground today and still say I had no knowledge that that was going on, and I - and that is what this statement - this thing from Shane Robins was supposed to have been used for that day in court, but my lawyer said, "No, we won't use that, we're going to go with the fact, we're going to throw ourselves at the mercy of the court, tell them you're a drug addict, tell them the truth" which I did. I went in, I laid my cards down and told them I - that I was guilty of selling gear, and got found guilty. It was my own fault for being there, and, you know, I was there while the crime was being committed so I have to do the time, but I didn't organise it. I didn't have anything to do with it.
COUNSEL: At the time you were arrested on the second occasion, you also had a substantial amount of money on you that was found to be the proceeds of drug dealing?
APPLICANT: Really? Excuse me? I had money on me? That - on the second occasion?
COUNEL: On the first occasion, sorry?
APPLICANT: First - first occasion I had $2100.
COUNSEL: And that was from the sale of methamphetamines?
APPLICANT: No, it was actually from the sale of stuff that I had sold from my house because my house got foreclosed, and that's what I said in court.
COUNEL: Were you found guilty of that offence, being - - -?
APPLICANT: I was found guilty, yes.
The Tribunal was correct in concluding that the evidence that the appellant sought to rely upon, by which he impugned the facts found by the sentencing judge, could not be entertained. The primary judge was correct in refusing the application on this ground.
(a) recognises that the criminal justice system is pre-eminently suited to the determination of the guilt of persons charged with criminal offences ... ; and
(b) limits inconsistency between decisions of the criminal courts and those of tribunals ...
As a consequence, in my view, the Act should be construed as requiring a decision maker under s 200 of the Act to treat a conviction and sentence (not being the conviction and sentence upon which the power to deport is based) as strong prima facie evidence of the facts upon which they are necessarily based so as to throw a heavy onus on a person who seeks to challenge such facts to show why they should not be accepted ... This heavy onus will, as a matter of logic, be more easily satisfied where the criminal conviction and sentence followed a plea of guilty than where the conviction and sentence follow a contested factual hearing.
s 200 of the Act is entitled to have regard do not mean that the decision maker is not (subject to such limitations) to make his or her own assessment of the entirety of the conduct of the person whose deportation is under consideration, including the nature and seriousness of conduct which led to convictions and the significance of such conduct so far as the risk of recidivism is concerned.
I would respectfully adopt the distillation of the case law described by Beach, McLeish and Niall JJA in LLF_.[32] On that basis the applicable principles are these:_
(1) Where a previous conviction is the foundation for the exercise of power by the decision-maker, no challenge can be made to the fact of the conviction (or sentence, as the case may be) or to the essential facts on which it was based, but the circumstances of the conviction may be reviewed for a purpose other than impugning the conviction itself.
(2) Where the exercise of the power is not founded on the conviction, then the essential facts underlying the conviction are not immune from challenge and the conviction is only conclusive of the fact of the conviction itself, albeit there is a heavy onus on a person seeking to challenge the facts upon which the conviction is necessarily based.
(i) (paragraph 13.1.1(1)(a)) - the Applicant has several convictions for offences involving violence. These offences must be viewed very seriously, however, the Tribunal accepts that the last of these violent offences (the aggravated burglary and commit offence) occurred 15 years ago;
(ii) (paragraph 13.1.1(1)(b)) - the Applicant has no convictions for offences against women. The Tribunal does note, however, that a restraining order was issued for the protection of the Applicant's wife in January 2013[38] which appeared to be related to an incident between the Applicant and his wife in which, according to the police Detected Incident Report,[39] the Applicant grabbed his wife by the throat.
APPLICANT: [Applicant's wife] called the police, and when the police turned up she didn't want to talk to them.
COUNSEL: Well, when the police turned up it states in the police records that:
The two involved parties were at the address and an argument started between the two because the victim doesn't get any respect from the person of interest or his children. The argument has continued between the two, with the victim yelling at the person of interest to leave. The person of interest and victim continued arguing, and the victim claims that the person of interest has grabbed her by the throat.
APPLICANT: I said she didn't want to talk to police, I didn't say she didn't.
COUNSEL: Well, you would accept that on that occasion your wife told the police that you had grabbed her by the throat, didn't you?
APPLICANT: I accept that, and I accept that it says:
Police attempted to speak to the victim inside the house, who was immediately yelling and screaming at police and making no sense at all.[40]
The Applicant's wife conceded in cross-examination that she told police that the Applicant had grabbed her by the throat:
COUNSEL: Would you accept that you did tell police that?
WITNESS: Well, yes. If that's what is written down, I must have.[41]
The Tribunal finds that that incident did involve the Applicant grabbing his wife by the throat.
(iii) (paragraph 13.1.1(1)(c)) - it does not appear that the Applicant's offences have been committed against vulnerable members of the community, however, the 8 June 1988 assault conviction was for an unlawful assault on a police officer in the performance of his duties.[42] The Applicant's evidence was that this assault arose out of the same circumstances which gave rise to the resisting arrest conviction on 8 June 1988.[43]
(iv) (paragraph 13.1.1(1)(d)) - the sentences imposed by the courts have been significant. In sentencing the Applicant on the possession of a prohibited drug (methylamphetamine) with intent to sell or supply in February 2019, the court considered a term of imprisonment of 20 months as appropriate but reduced that to 13 months to account for the time in custody, with the conviction for possession of stolen or unlawfully obtained property attracting a sentence of six months. The sentence of five years and 10 months imposed by the court in February 2020 on the conviction for possession of a trafficable quantity of methylamphetamine with intent to sell or supply is substantial and clearly indicative of the Court's assessment of the seriousness of that offence.
(v) (paragraph 13.1.1(1)(e)) - the Applicant has committed a large number of offences (67 in all). It would be fair to say that the Applicant's early offending, particularly between 1987 and 1995 was frequent (52 offences in less than 10 years). There have, since 1998, been periods (1998-2005, 2005-2010 and 2010-2016) in which the Applicant did not offend. The rate of the Applicant's offending, however, appeared to pick up again from 2016 onwards with the most serious convictions being his most recent convictions. The Applicant's offending has been periodic, with three relatively significant periods in which he did not offend. Because the Applicant's most serious offences are those committed in 2018 for which he received sentences of imprisonment totalling seven years and five months there has been a trend of increasing seriousness.
(vi) (paragraph 13.1.1(1)(f)) - it is the case that the Applicant has committed a significant number of offences. The cumulative effect of the Applicant having committed so many offences over such an extended period is, in the Tribunal's view, demonstrative of the Applicant having little regard for the community, the law or authority.
(vii) (paragraph 13.1.1(1)(g)) - there is no evidence that the Applicant has provided false or misleading information to the Department.
(viii) (paragraph 13.1.1(1)(h)) - there is no evidence that the Applicant had received any formal warning.
(ix) (paragraph 13.1.1(1)(i)) - the Applicant has not been in immigration detention, so this consideration is not relevant in the present case.
The risk to the Australian community should the non-citizen commit further offences or engage in other serious conduct (13.1(2)(b))
(1) In considering the risk to the Australian community, decision-makers must have regard to, cumulatively:
In summary, the Tribunal is required to assess whether the Applicant poses an unacceptable risk of harm to individuals, groups or institutions in the Australian community. In order to make this assessment, the Tribunal is assisted by the following passage from Nigro v Secretary to the Department of Justice [2013] VSCA 213; (2013) 41 VR 359, [111]; [2013] VSCA 213 (which was cited with approval by Mortimer J in Tanielu v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2014] FCA 673; (2014) 225 FCR 424 at [95], as well as Gilmour J in WAD 230/2014 v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection (No 2) [2015] FCA 705 at [42]- [43]):
An unacceptable risk thus requires consideration of the likelihood of offending and, if it eventuates, what the consequences of such offending are likely to be. Whether a risk is unacceptable will depend not only upon the likelihood of it becoming reality but also on the seriousness of the consequences if it does.
... there is no statutory constraint on the way that the Minister assesses risk, save that whatever he or she takes into account must be logical and rational.
Nature of harm to individuals or the Australian community (13.1.2(1)(a))
The Applicant's driving offences may, at first blush, be considered relatively minor when viewed against the balance of his history. However, the theme of attendant recklessness and indifference to laws and rules governing the operation of a motor vehicle is, in and of itself significant. Indeed laws that protect road users "go to the essential safety of the community". Other parts of his criminal history are perhaps more serious than his driving/traffic convictions. But, his failure to understand right from wrong when operating a motor vehicle - be it drinking and driving, driving without a licence, or driving an unregistered vehicle - can only lead me to conclude that this component of his history further confirms the seriousness of his offending and potential risk to the community.
(Footnote omitted.)
It is, of course, the case that when one deals with dangerous drugs of addiction, the problems that methylamphetamine cause in our community are notorious. It has almost wrecked your life and, of course, the persons to whom you would supply drugs would also be at risk of having their lives ruined, and the courts take offences involving dealing in methylamphetamine very seriously because it is such an appalling poison.
... I've also taken into account the fact that previous court sanctions have not curbed your drug dealing activities. So there's clearly a need for specific deterrence. And having regard to the misery that methylamphetamine causes, not only to the addicts, but the families of the addicts and the community generally, and to the destruction that it causes in this community by way of crime, and the fact that there are substantial rewards to be made in it for those who peddle that sort of poison, there's clearly a need for general deterrence.
It is the experience of these courts that illicit drugs cause or materially contribute to a very significant proportion of the criminal offences committed in this State.
And that is either as a result of users acting under the influence, or because of their need to finance or secure a supply of drugs. There are often strong financial incentives to deal in prohibited drugs. Further, significant public resources are devoted to the difficult task of detecting and apprehending persons involved in the supply and distribution of illicit drugs.
Unlike cannabis and heroin, ice is an extremely powerful stimulant. For some people, it can trigger psychological disturbances or violent and aggressive behaviour. Long term use may damage the brain and cause impaired attention, memory and motor skills. The distress ice causes for individuals, families, communities and frontline workers is disproportionate to that caused by other drugs.
The likelihood of the non-citizen engaging in further criminal or other serious conduct - risk of re-offending (13.1.2(1)(b))
To say that any support that my family offers is of limited weight is both ludicrous and absurd. All my family cards are on the table now there are no secrets and everyone is in the picture of what has happened and all are on board and offer 100% support. I am sure that no one knew the extent of my addiction or even that I had one until it was too late.
The main - main reason that will keep me away from that and - is - is the damage that it has done to both myself, my family - and - and everything I've - I've lost and I've worked for all my life. I've got involved in that, and, you know, like, everything I worked for I've - I've got nothing to show for it. I'm sort of starting all over again. And then you've got the roll-on effect that - I've - I've for the last two years I've been doing Narcotics Anonymous, and just to see that the damage and - and the ripple effect that it is having on not - not just myself and my family, but the people around me and - and the community in general is just - it's a real eye-opener for me. I get it's a, you know - you - you've got your - when you take it you - you have your blinkers on. You - you - you think nothing is going to happen to you and everything is fine, you know, but - but it's not. ...
... the incentive to keep me off of it is what it has done to me and what it's doing to me now. You know, like, three years ago if you - if you had said to me, "You're going to be in the court, up in Federal Court fighting over one of the biggest fights of your life to stay in the country with your loved ones and your family and everything you know", I would have said, "You're joking. No, that's not going to happen". And look at me now. I'm here, you know, on my own, no lawyer, fighting for - for my life.
TRIBUNAL: You started taking meth in 2014. And you were arrested in 2018. Were you living with your wife through that period, from 2010 to 2018?
APPLICANT: In two thousand - I think in 2017 we - I took off for a little while.
TRIBUNAL: How long was that for?
APPLICANT: I'm not sure. We had a pretty rocky period there for a little while with my behaviour and addiction.
TRIBUNAL: So could you recall whether it was a matter of weeks or months?
APPLICANT: Yes. It would have been months. I stayed in Collie, but - yes - it was all over .....
TRIBUNAL: So at what stage did your wife become aware that you were using meth?
APPLICANT: When she ended up moving out and getting her own house, when, you know, it all fell apart, you know.
TRIBUNAL: Can you recall when that was?
APPLICANT: No, not really. It's sort of at the same time as I failed the drug test at work and before that.
TRIBUNAL: So that was around 2016?
APPLICANT: Yes. I failed that beforehand and - yes - subsequently lost my job in 2016, because of it.
...
TRIBUNAL: And did your wife try to - well, what was her attitude towards your taking meth?
APPLICANT: Basically, she wasn't too impressed with the whole situation, but she stuck by me .....
TRIBUNAL: And did she try to get you to give up meth?
APPLICANT: Yes. Yes. She didn't want me to - the day that I got arrested, she didn't even want me to go out that day. She said one minute I was there, the next minute I went out.
TRIBUNAL: Right. But what about in the period - you started in 2014. You were still living with your wife then. Or you were living with her for a couple of years up to her moving out. Did she try to - did she encourage you to get off meth at that stage?
APPLICANT: Yes.
COUNSEL: We've also heard evidence that prior to being arrested in 2018, your husband had been taking methylamphetamine for a number of years. Do you recall when you found out that your husband was taking methylamphetamines?
WITNESS: No, I don't recall, but I think that's why we've had most of our problems.
COUNSEL: Your husband lost his job in approximately 2016 as a result of testing positive for methylamphetamines. Did you know about his methamphetamine use before this?
WITNESS: No, I didn't.
COUNSEL: Did you know about it once he lost his job?
WITNESS: No, I didn't.
COUNSEL: When did you find out that he was using methamphetamines?
WITNESS: When he went to jail.
COUNSEL: So is your evidence that the first time you found out your husband had been using methamphetamines was when he went to jail in September of 2018?
WITNESS: Yes.
... I've been in two and a-half - well, since then, I've been drug-free and sober, you know, clear-headed, and it makes you realise what you take for granted, which is a bit - you know, in my case, it was a lot, my family and, you know, it's no excuse, but I never even knew about deportation law. I - you know, that doesn't give me a right to even think I can act the way I was. But, you know, I never knew what the consequences were. But, like I said, it doesn't give me the right to behave the way I did, and I - I've got no means to play down the way I acted either, you know. Like, I do dispute my second - the last charge. I - I'm guilty of being there while the crime was being committed and so, therefore, you know, I have to take what's coming to me, you know.[55]
...
I - I'm guilty of selling small quantities of gear, and I've openly admitted that. I had nothing whatsoever to do with that; I wasn't going to gain from it, monetary or any way.
... I'm guilty by being there when the crime was being - and, yes, you're right, that is not what the court said.[56]
TRIBUNAL: The Alternatives to Violence project, what was that course? How many sessions or - - -?
APPLICANT: It was - it was - it was full - full-day sessions over a period of - I think it was a month or six weeks. I can't recall. It - it wasn't -
...
TRIBUNAL: And what do you think? What did you learn from that?
APPLICANT: I - yes, I learnt - learn a bit, not as much as I would have thought I would have learnt from it. I think I - I - I - there was various talks that I did pick up from, you know, just to - you know, confrontation and alternatives to confrontation, you know, just not to - not - not retaliating and talking about - talking things through.
...
TRIBUNAL: And what about the community transition program which you did? ...
You did that from 7 August to 28 August?
APPLICANT: ... That was - yes, that was - it - it was basically just getting your house in order, teaching you resumés.
... There was a brief subject on counselling, but most of it was banking, resumés, etcetera, you know? ...
TRIBUNAL: So that's actually sort of - that's not addressing any behaviour; it's really trying to prepare you for reintroduction back into the community, for the...
APPLICANT: Yes, pretty well. ...
TRIBUNAL: Have you undertaken any formalised courses, though, addressing alcohol or narcotic addiction?
APPLICANT: Not at this stage, no. I intend to before release. I - like I said, I still have three years left and -
TRIBUNAL: And tell us about the Narcotics Anonymous you were involved with?
APPLICANT: Yes. It's led by a person called Father Brian. We attend every Wednesday and, yes, pretty well talk about our life experiences, and we - - - it's a group session. Sometimes Father Brian comes around during the week, you know. He will come, and he will just call in and sit down and have a chat with you one on one, which is pretty good. He's a good person, and, yes, he teaches a lot. Like, he says the first thing to staying sober is attending the meetings because, you know, as soon as you - he says as soon as you feel like you're going weak and all, whatever, find yourself a meeting and head to that.
I have - I have not. ... I have had plenty of opportunities to do so, and I have not once. I am not interested in it.
In my view, the risk of re-offence by you in a similar way is high, unless you address your methamphetamine use.
(a) The Applicant's own evidence was that he was addicted for years, the Applicant has not undertaken any targeted rehabilitative courses and the Applicant appears not to have a clear plan in place (in the event his visa is returned to him) with respect to ongoing therapy, treatment or other management for his drug addiction. The Tribunal has the Applicant's word that he is rehabilitated but little else.
(b) The offending in September 2018 occurred while the Applicant was on bail for the offences committed in February 2018 which ultimately led to the February 2019 convictions and sentences. The Applicant was either unable or unwilling to stop drug dealing despite facing serious criminal charges for that very conduct.
(c) Limited weight also should be placed on the Applicant's other character references as the support network did not prevent him from offending in the past and there is no compelling evidence to suggest that the same support would be any more effective in the future.
COUNSEL: The applicant goes through and attempts to downplay the seriousness of each of the offences, which he - or many of the offences which he has been convicted of, blaming it on both the police or, in one instance, his sister for being stupid and calling the police, I think it is. He blames others for crimes that he has pled guilty to, such as stealing timber, for example. And this has continued - this pattern of a lack of insight or remorse has continued through to his most recent offending, in which, despite being found guilty by a jury and the judge noting that he was convinced beyond reasonable doubt that the applicant was involved in a commercial enterprise at the time of riding in the car in September of 2018, that he continues to deny any wrongdoing in respect of that.
This lack of insight was noted by the sentencing judge, as noted in the G documents. And we would also note what's referred to as - led by Stone J, Stone DCJ, as a lack of any mitigating factors to the applicant's offending as well. Now, the reason that the lack of insight and lack of remorse is relevant to this tribunal is, as the tribunal will have heard many times before, if a person does not have insight into their offending and shows no remorse for their offending, then they're more likely to reoffend. The applicant does not have any specialist evidence before the tribunal suggesting a different risk of reoffending. It's highly relevant in this respect that the applicant has been imprisoned eight times, and that has not stopped the applicant from offending. The applicant was - - -
TRIBUNAL: Well, he has only received three prison sentences, though, hasn't he?
COUNSEL: The applicant has received three prison sentences, but has been in Bunbury Prison as a result, as I understand it, of either not paying or choosing not to pay the fines ...
APPLICANT: I would like to just say that, and I don't know how many times I can say that without fear of repeating myself. But my family and my kids, my wife and my mum, my family, we're a close-knit family, and my only goal when I get out of jail is to spend that time making up for all of the mistakes I've made with them. I believe everyone is entitled to a second chance. I think Australians themselves would say - most Aussies believe that we're entitled to a second chance.
When Mr Burgess said that I had shown no remorse, I've been nothing but remorseful in my actions, but I have to give - I'm so remorseful, you know, like, for what I've done. Towards my family, I'm remorseful. And you know, this has been ongoing in my life for two years now, the whole stuff. You know, since I've been in jail for two and a half years, there hasn't been a day where I haven't showed remorse. There isn't a day where I don't feel bad for what I've done and the position I've put my family and myself in; most of all, my kids, you know. My - the people that rely on me. As you heard from my daughter [C], you know, it's been pretty hard for her for the last two years with me not being there. [A, the Applicant's youngest daughter]: she's got out of control, all because they haven't got the father figure there because I've messed up and put them in this position.
With the criminal record, I don't know whether I was advised wrong or ill-advised. I was of the idea that I had to give explanations for my criminal record. I was in no way playing my criminal record down. I thought I had to go through my criminal record and make explanations for what I had done. So I was not playing it down and making light of it at all. I realise the seriousness of my position and the consequences of my actions. And that could be that I never see my family again, because they're never going to be able to afford - - -
TRIBUNAL: I think the point - and it is of concern to the tribunal - the point that Mr Burgess was making is that even in your evidence today, you're still denying that you committed the offences.
APPLICANT: I - - -
TRIBUNAL: You certainly deny that you committed the offence - - -
APPLICANT: The trafficking.
TRIBUNAL: Yes. And, you know, you're saying, well, you just went for a ride in a Falcon GTO or whatever it was, and then you - - -
APPLICANT: I take full responsibility for my crimes. I was not at any time saying I didn't take responsibility for my crimes. Like, I was guilty, and, as soon as I knew what was going on, I should have got out of that car and had nothing whatsoever to do with it, and - - -
TRIBUNAL: Well, but the judge found more than that, didn't he? He found that you were an integral part of Mr Robins' empire.
APPLICANT: Because I used in my defence that I was selling drugs. I tried to come clean in my defence, and - - -
TRIBUNAL: The police had been listening. They were intercepting the phone calls.
APPLICANT: Yes.
TRIBUNAL: So the judge is making an informed comment there based on the evidence.
Second primary consideration: The best interests of minor children in Australia (para 13(2)(b))
(1) Decision-makers must make a determination about whether revocation is in the best interests of the child.
(2) This consideration applies only if the child is, or would be, under 18 years old at the time when the decision to revoke or not revoke the mandatory cancellation decision is expected to be made.
(3) If there are two or more relevant children, the best interests of each child should be given individual consideration to the extent that their interests may differ.
(4) In considering the best interests of the child, the following factors must be considered where relevant:
... she has just gone downhill drastically. She swears a lot. She doesn't go to school. She's - which we - they get her to school every now and then. Like, her - her school attendance has suffered dramatically. Everything about her behaviour has suffered dramatically.
... [A] is currently seeking [counselling] due to the fact her dad spending the next 7yrs [sic] in jail. Isn't that enough punishment for this little girl who loves her dad and misses him every day. I ask you, how am I supposed to tell her that someone decided to send your dad to another country and you will never see him again, all because he went for a drive with a bad man.
TRIBUNAL: ... we heard evidence today that apparently you moved out of the house that you shared with your husband in around 2016. Is that correct?
WITNESS: I think it was before then, but yes, it's like, we had been on and off for three years.
TRIBUNAL: You were married in 2010?
WITNESS: Yes.
TRIBUNAL: Can you recall when the first time you moved out was?
WITNESS: I think it was 2013.
TRIBUNAL: Was [A] born then?
WITNESS: I think so.
TRIBUNAL: And how long did you move out of the house in 2013?
WITNESS: I can't remember.
TRIBUNAL: Was it a matter of weeks or months?
WITNESS: Probably weeks, but, yes, I can't really remember.
TRIBUNAL: Okay. How long - when you went back that time, how long did you stay living in the house?
WITNESS: I don't - I don't really know.
TRIBUNAL: But I think your evidence was you moved out a couple of times. Can you recall about - or how long after that time you moved out for the second time?
WITNESS: No, sorry, I can't. I think - I think when ..... started taking the drugs, he would just - we would fight all the time, so he used to always kick me out.
TRIBUNAL: Well, your evidence earlier though was that you didn't know he was taking drugs until he was sent to prison in 2018?
WITNESS: Yes, but we used to fight all the time, and it's obviously why now, isn't it?
TRIBUNAL: So you weren't aware that he was taking drugs?
WITNESS: No.
TRIBUNAL: Now, are you able to, even in general terms, - sorry, I will rewind that. In 2016 you moved out of the house. How long did you stay out of the house at that time?
WITNESS: Well, I moved out of the house and then I got my own place.
TRIBUNAL: And do you still - so you didn't go back after you got your own place in 2016?
WITNESS: No, because he lost it - he lost the house after that anyway.
... The bank took the house.
TRIBUNAL: But did you move back in with your husband into another house after that?
WITNESS: No, he moved in with me.
TRIBUNAL: Okay. But you did share a house after that?
WITNESS: Yes, not for long because then he got arrested and went to jail.
TRIBUNAL: But that was in 2018, so - - -?
WITNESS: Yes, and I got my house in 2017.
TRIBUNAL: Okay. And your husband moved back in when you got that house or - - -
WITNESS: Not until just before he got arrested I think.
...
TRIBUNAL: How long before that arrest do you think you and your husband lived together again?
WITNESS: Well, about ..... like a breach he had been home before he got arrested the second time.
...
TRIBUNBAL: And could you tell me how you think [A] would be better off if your husband was allowed to stay in Australia?
WITNESS: All [A] - like, I'm going through so much hassle with [A] because he's in jail, and she thinks he's coming home. She's - I'm having trouble with her at school. She's seeing a counsellor. She's - doesn't listen to me. She just - yes, she's a bit of a hassle at the moment, and I don't know what to tell her if this doesn't - well, if he doesn't come home. She's going to be devastated.
COUNSEL: ... you said that you had been on and off for three years prior to your husband losing his house; is that right?
WITNESSS: Yes, and his job and that.
COUNSEL: And during that time when you were separated, did you stay - were you close with your husband still?
WITNESS: Yes, yes, like, if I needed him he would be there to help me.
COUNSEL: When you were - when he was arrested in February of 2018 were you close with him at that time?
WITNESS: No, we weren't talking at that time.
COUNSEL: Have there been many times when you haven't been talking?
WITNESS: No, not really. Not really, but he would just go off the road after a little bit there. I didn't know where he was or how to contact him, but, yes.
COUNSEL: And during that time [A] was living with you?
WITNESS: Yes, she has always been with me.
COUNSEL: And when you were on and off and your husband wasn't living with you [A] was still living with you?
WITNESS: Yes, but she does miss dad's visits still.
APPLICANT: When we were on and off did [A] stay with you all the time, or did I have her? Did she come and stay for the weekends?
WITNESS: Yes.
APPLICANT: So I still had contact with [A] all the time?
WITNESS: Yes, you've always had contact with [A].
(a) A's mother fulfils the parental role and there is no suggestion that she is inadequate;[79]
(b) There is no independent evidence of the effect ongoing separation would have on the child;
(c) A has the ability to maintain contact in other ways;[80] and
(d) The Tribunal can have no confidence that the Applicant would play a positive role in A's life.
TRIBUNAL: How would you describe the relationship between your son and your father?
WITNESS: Very good, actually. Like [G] - doesn't - like, because of the autism, [G] doesn't, like, go to too many people. So there's not many people that can help with [G] or actually understand [G], like. They just bond and Dad's, like, the only one that can pick him up and stop him from yelling, and screaming and, like - it's very hard to explain. You would have to meet [G] to understand exactly how bad autism is and how, like - there's only, like, three people that can actually look after [G] and Dad is, like, one of them.
...
TRIBUNAL: And since your dad has been in prison, has anybody else been able to do some of the things that your dad did helping you, either with [child] or with other kids - the other kids, more generally?
WITNESS: No, it has actually been quite hard.
TRIBUNAL: ... And did your dad provide financial support for you as well?
WITNESS: Yes, and - yes, I couldn't repay my dad back how much money and stuff that he has done for us over the years.
TRIBUNAL: And what about nephews and nieces; do you have any minor nieces and nephews?
APPLICANT: Yes, I do. ---I've got - I've got nieces that live up in Geraldton. They've got young kids as well. I haven't met them because they've just been born. And my younger sister has just had a baby, a little girl.
TRIBUNAL: Where does she live?
APPLICANT: In Perth, here.
TRIBUNAL: And that's the child you haven't seen?
APPLICANT: Yes, I haven't seen him - seen her yet, [name omitted].
...
TRIBUNAL: And so in relation to - we're only looking at minor children, so that's under 18 - your nephews and nieces, other than your sister's most recent child, are they all over 18 or under 18?
APPLICANT: No, they're all over 18, yes. Yes.
TRIBUNAL: And where they have kids, any relationship with their children, the younger ones, who presumably would be under 18?
APPLICANT: No. No.
TRIBUNAL: So if, looking at the children under 18, it's really [C's] three children?
APPLICANT: Yes.
TRIBUNAL: Your own daughter, and - - -?
APPLICANT: [J].
TRIBUNAL: Yes, and [J]?
APPLICANT: Yes.
[J] has severe mental illness that will require long term treatment. Her support network is limited yet it is a vital recovery tool and her father is a significant component.
As [J's] treating psychologist I have concerns for her wellbeing should her father be forced to leave Australia. In addition, due to [J's] limited financial resources and mental state I doubt she will have the ability to visit him in the UK should he be deported.
My parents split when I was very young and I remained mostly with my mother during my early childhood.
Third primary consideration: Expectations of the Australian community (13(2)(c))
(1) The Australian community expects non-citizens to obey Australian laws while in Australia. Where a non-citizen has breached, or where there is an unacceptable risk that they will breach this trust or where the non-citizen has been convicted of offences in Australia or elsewhere, it may be appropriate to not revoke the mandatory visa cancellation of such a person. Non-revocation may be appropriate simply because the nature of the character concerns or offences are such that the Australian community would expect that the person should not hold a visa. Decision-makers should have due regard to the Government's views in this respect.
(1) In deciding whether to revoke the mandatory cancellation of a visa, other considerations must be taken into account where relevant. These considerations include (but are not limited to):
International non-refoulement obligations (14(1)(a))
Strength, nature and duration of ties (14(1)(b))
(1) The strength, nature and duration of ties to Australia. Reflecting the principles at 6.3, decision-makers must have regard to:
Impact on Australian business interests (14(1)(c))
(1) Impact of a decision not to revoke the cancellation on members of the community, including victims of the non-citizen's criminal behaviour, and the family members of the victim or victims where that information is available and the non-citizen being considered for revocation has been afforded procedural fairness.
(1) The extent of any impediments that the non-citizen may face if removed from Australia to their home country, in establishing themselves and maintaining basic living standards (in the context of what is generally available to other citizens of that country), taking into account:
Clearly there are no language or cultural barriers and the Applicant does not contend that there are. The Applicant does not contend, and there is no evidence that he would not be entitled to the same social, medical and/or economic support available to other citizens of the United Kingdom. 4. In the end there is no reason to believe, and certainly no evidence was presented by the Applicant to support a claim, that he would not be able to establish himself and maintain basic living standards (in the context of what is generally available to other citizens of the United Kingdom). This consideration weighs against revocation of the cancellation of the Applicant's visa.
(3) Both primary and other considerations may weigh in favour of, or against, refusal, cancellation of the visa, or whether or not to revoke a mandatory cancellation of a visa.
(4) Primary considerations should generally be given greater weight than the other considerations.
(5) One or more primary considerations may outweigh other primary considerations.
Thus, when read together, these passages from Suleiman and HSKJ are consistent with guidance to be given in the express wording of Direction no. 65, specifically, in paragraphs 8(3) and (4). The Tribunal must ensure, that in considering the primary and other considerations in Direction no. 65, that it must undertake a genuine weighing exercise during which it is not automatically assumed that primary considerations will always weigh more than other considerations (as the use of the word "secondary" tends to suggest). Although, as a general rule, primary considerations should generally be given greater weight, the Tribunal must not fetter itself against giving an other consideration greater weight than a primary consideration, if in the circumstances of the case it is correct and preferable to do so. ...
the relevant consideration is whether the risk is an unacceptable one taking into account the nature and seriousness of the harm that would be caused if there was a repeat of the behaviour and the likelihood of that occurring. For the reasons set out above, the Tribunal assesses the likelihood of the Applicant engaging in further criminal or other serious conduct as medium to high. That assessment, coupled with the serious nature of the harm to individuals or the Australian community should the non-citizen engage in further criminal behaviour of the type that he has in the past, particularly dealing in methylamphetamine, means that the primary consideration of the protection of the Australian community weighs heavily against the revocation of the cancellation of the visa. 3. The Tribunal finds that the second primary consideration, the best interests of minor children, in this case particularly the best interests of his youngest daughter A, his grandchild with autism and his daughter J, would be served by revocation of the cancellation of the Applicant's visa. Moderate weight should be given to this consideration. 4. The third primary consideration, the expectations of the Australian community,
weighs against the revocation of the cancellation of the Applicant's visa. 5. In relation to the "other considerations" identified in Direction 79, the consideration of strength, nature and duration of the ties that the Applicant has to Australia,[107] weighs in favour of the revocation of the cancellation of the visa. For the reasons set out earlier in this decision moderate weight should be given to this consideration. 6. The consideration of the impediments that the Applicant would face if he is returned to the United Kingdom, weigh against revocation of the cancellation of the visa.[108] 7. Having undertaken the weighing of the consideration for and against the revocation of the cancelation of the Applicant's visa, the Tribunal finds that the considerations which weigh against the revocation of the cancellation of the visa, in particular the first primary consideration; the protection of the Australian community, outweigh the considerations which weigh in favour of the revocation of the cancellation of the Applicant's visa. Accordingly, the Tribunal finds that there is not another reason why the original decision should be revoked.
I certify that the preceding 156 (one hundred and fifty-six) paragraphs are a true copy of the reasons for the decision herein of Deputy President Boyle
......[Sgd]..................................................................
$75 fine; motor driver's licence disqualified for 3 months (concurrent)
$150 fine; motor driver's licence disqualified for 6 months
Traffic offences - contravene temporary vehicle licence
$200 fine; motor driver's licence disqualified for 9 months (cumulative)
Traffic offences - permit person to drive contrary to work order
Probation for 12 months; 80 hours community service order
$500 fine; motor driver's licence disqualified for 12 months
$500 fine; motor driver's licence disqualified for 12 months (cumulative)
$500 fine; motor driver's licence disqualified for 12 months (concurrent)
$600 fine; motor driver's licence cancelled; disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver's license for a period of 6 months (prescribed)
30 March 1994 (reckless) penalty amended to $500 fine and 6 months disqualification to $500 fine and 18 months disqualification (concurrent)
$500 fine; motor driver's licence cancelled; disqualified from holding or obtaining a driver's licence for a period of 18 months (cumulative); (previously prescribed)
$500 fine; motor driver's licence cancelled; disqualified from holding a motor driver's licence for a period of 18 months (concurrent); (previously prescribed)
Exceed speed limit in a speed zone by not more than 9km/h
Drove or permitted a vehicle with false plate to be driven
$300 fine; Motor driver's licence disqualified for 3 months (concurrent)
Possession of stolen or unlawfully obtained property
6 months imprisonment (concurrent from 8 February 2019)
Possession of a prohibited drug with intent to sell or supply (methylamphetamine)
13 months imprisonment (concurrent from 8 February 2019)
Possessed a trafficable quantity of methylamphetamine with intent to sell or supply it to another
Drug Trafficker Declaration: start date: 28 February 2020; 5 years and 10 months imprisonment (cumulative from 28 February 2020)
[8] Sections 501(6)(a) and 501(7)(c) of the Act; R1, G21/76-81.
[17] Harrison and Minister for Immigration and Citizenship [2009] AATA 47; (2009) 106 ALD 666 at [63].
[19] $2,150 found to be proceeds of drug dealing; see Judge's sentencing comments, R1, G11/43.
[32] The case to which his Honour refers is Secretary to the Department of Justice and Regulation v LLF [2018] VSCA 155.
[66] see Classification Review; R2 /179.
[68] Applicant's evidence: transcript at 78 and report by psychologist Robert Haywood (A6).
[92] FYBR (FC) at [80] and [61] per Charlesworth J; see also Stewart J at [89].
[93] See also decision of the Hon. John Pascoe AC CVO, Deputy President in Hovhannisyan and Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs [2020] AATA 3445 at [77]- [78].
[94] Transcript of Proceedings, FYBR v Minister for Home Affairs & Anor [2020] HCATrans 56.
[96] R1, G14/67; transcript at 25-26; statements of work colleagues A14 and R1, G18.
[103] see McCarthy at [120] and the cases referred to therein.
Bartlett and Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2017] AATA 1561
Berryman and Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs [2020] AATA 421
CZCV and Minister for Home Affairs [2019] AATA 91
DKXY v Minister for Home Affairs [2019] FCA 495
FYBR v Minister for Home Affairs [2019] FCA 500
Gage and Minister for Home Affairs [2020] AATA 326
Harrison and Minister for Immigration and Citizenship [2009] AATA 47; (2009) 106 ALD 666
Hovhannisyan and Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs [2020] AATA 3445
HZCP v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2018] FCA 1803
Jacobs and Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs [2020] AATA 1524
Lansdowne and Minister for Home Affairs [2019] AATA 2448
Mayes and Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs [2020] AATA 32
McCarthy and Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs [2020] AATA 2939
Minister for Home Affairs v HSKJ [2018] FCAFC 217; (2018) 266 FCR 591
Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs v Ali [2000] FCA 1385; (2000) 106 FCR 313
Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs v SRT [1999] FCA 1197; (1999) 91 FCR 234
Nguyen and Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs [2020] AATA 4171
Pattison and Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs [2020] AATA 3953
Pinder and Minister for Home Affairs [2019] AATA 1398
Rehman and Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs [2019] AATA 4424
SLNY and Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs [2020] AATA 344
Suleiman v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2018] FCA 594; (2018) 74 AAR 545
YNQY v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2017] FCA 1466
(2019) 272 FCR 454
(2019) 273 FCR 121
(2018) 266 FCR 591
(2000) 106 FCR 313
(1999) 91 FCR 234
(2013) 41 VR 359
(2014) 225 FCR 424
(1979) 46 FLR 409
(1981) 180 CLR 404
(2015) 255 CLR 514