Seyfarth v Minister for Immigration & Multicultural & Indigenous Affairs
[2005] FCAFC 105
At a glance
Source factsCourt
Federal Court of Australia (Full Court)
Decision date
2005-06-02
Before
Bennett JJ
Source
Original judgment source is linked above.
Judgment (25 paragraphs)
BACKGROUND 1 The appellant is a citizen of the United Kingdom. He arrived in Australia in 1985 on a Visitor Visa. He was then aged 12. He was granted a Permanent Entry Permit in 1988 and a Resident Return Visa in 1991. The latter was subsequently deemed to continue to operate as a Transitional (Permanent Visa). 2 On 9 January 2003, Tony Hinderry, an officer of the Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (DIMIA), sent the appellant a letter headed "Notice of Intention to Consider Cancelling a Visa Under Subsection 501(2) of the Migration Act 1958" (the Notice). The Notice stated that it had come to the Department's attention that the appellant's visa may be liable to cancellation under s 501(6)(a) ‑ substantial criminal history ‑ and s 501(6)(c)(i) ‑ past and present criminal conduct. The Notice continued: "Before the Minister considers whether to cancel your visa under subsection 501(2) you are provided with an opportunity to comment. Matters to be taken into account include the following: · Protected Information as pursuant to section 503A of the Act … · The Judge's comments in relation to a matter which appeared before the Parramatta Local Court on 20 December 2001. · Your Sentence Administration Report …. In reaching a decision whether to cancel the visa the Minister will have regard to the matters noted above and the attached Minister's Direction No 21 titled 'Direction under Section 499 - Visa Refusal and Cancellation under Section 501 Migration Act 1958' …. In preparing your comments please read fully and carefully the contents of the Minister's Direction. You should address each and every topic that you feel applies to you and is relevant to your circumstances. I have attached a standard questionnaire that you may wish to use as a guide in providing your response. You may also wish to provide any further information in written form that you feel the Minister ought to be aware of and take into account. If you and/or anyone who wish to provide comments and information that you feel the Minister ought to be aware of and take into account, please provide them to this office by mail or facsimile no later than 23 January 2003. …" 3 Attached to the Notice were copies of ss 501 and 503A of the Migration Act 1958 (Cth) (the Act), a receipt confirmation form, Direction 21, a blank questionnaire and the Sentence Administration Report. 4 The appellant submitted detailed comments and information. This included a three page submission headed "Criminal History" in which he stated: "In respect of s 501 and the interpretation of the said legislation I believe that I do have a substantial criminal history having first come into custody in 1996, then not till 2001, and then again in 2002. Having served a custodial sentence in my previous two instances (1996 and 2002). I attach a list of charges of which I am presently on remand for sentence in the District Court in February 2003. In essence the reasons for my offending relate to drug related habits …. … By remaining in Australia I can undertake to the Honourable Minister not to seek to reoffend to the point that in order to demonstrate my desire to not reoffend at some stage in the future, one is assisting the New South Wales Police in their investigations (Operation Valmont - headed by the New South Wales Police Crime Agencies Major Offences Unit - ref Detective Senior Constables Douglas Revette and Sharon Butterfield - contactable on [a phone number] should you require any assistance into the precise operation. Due to the complexities of the operation, supporting paperwork should be available to be presented to the Right Honourable Minister for Immigration in the next two weeks or so …." 5 On 20 February 2003, Mr Hinderry prepared a document for the respondent (the Minister) entitled "Issues for Consideration of Possible Cancellation of Transitional (Permanent) Visa Under s 501(2) of the Migration Act 1958" (the DIMIA submission). The DIMIA submission stated that its purpose was to seek the Minister's decisions on whether the appellant passed the character test in s 501(6) and, if not, whether his visa should be cancelled pursuant to s 501(2). The submission then summarised the effect of s 501(2), (6)(a), (6)(c)(i) and 7(c). Under the heading "Reasonable Suspicion" the DIMIA submission stated: "(7) Evidence to support the reasonable suspicion that Mr Seyfarth does not pass the character test is stated in Magistrate Carney's summation on pages 1 and 3 to 4. In sentencing Mr Seyfarth on 20 December 2001 in relation to his offence of Use False Instrument with Intent, Magistrate Carney states: 'The defendant Mr Seyfarth has pleaded guilty to a number of offences, dishonesty offences, … … IN ALL MATTERS THE DEFENDANT IS CONVICTED. IN RELATION TO THE FOUR MONTH SENTENCES THE DEFENDANT IS SENTENCED TO A FIXED TERM OF IMPRISONMENT FOR A PERIOD OF FOUR MONTHS …. … TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THE TOTALITY ISSUE OF THE OFFENCES AND THEIR TYPE BEING SUMMARY MATTERS BUT NEVERTHELESS COMMITTED WHILST ON BAIL I AM OF THE VIEW ONE MONTH IS APPROPRIATE …. … IN RELATION TO ALL OTHER MATTERS ORDERED TO ENTER INTO BONDS PURSUANT TO SECTION 9 OF THE CRIMES (SENTENCING PROCEDURE) ACT FOR A PERIOD OF TWO YEARS ….' (8) Further evidence to support the reasonable suspicion that Mr Seyfarth does not pass the character test is noted on page 2 of Magistrate Carney's summation: 'It seems from first off at Lithgow Court for a make false statement to obtain financial advantage, two counts, he received a custodial sentence. He appealed. The conviction was confirmed and the sentence was to commence and in lieu of the minimum term and additional term there was certain variations to that but nevertheless prison sentences were confirmed." 6 The appellant's acknowledgment that he has a substantial criminal history (see [4]) was then set out. The submission went on to say that it was open to the Minister to find that the appellant had a substantial criminal record under s 501(7)(c), and that there was a reasonable suspicion that he did not pass the character test due to the fact that he had been sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 12 months or more. 7 The DIMIA submission then turned to the Minister's discretion: "(14) If you are satisfied that Mr Seyfarth does not pass the character test you must consider the exercise of your discretion to decide whether Mr Seyfarth should be permitted to remain in Australia. S.501 of the Migration Act 1958 provides you with a discretion to cancel a visa. You have issued Directions under s 499 to guide delegates and the AAT in the exercise of that discretion. It is clear from a number of decisions of the Federal Court that, when you decide a case personally, you are not bound by your s 499 Directions. In making a decision on this case it is open to you to be guided by the factors set out in the Direction. However, in balancing the relevant factors in this case, you are free to place whatever weight you regard as appropriate on those factors."