austlii:cth/ARTA/2025/2531
General information, not legal advice.
ARTA
2025-11-24
General Member J
Original judgment source is linked above.
(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.
(6) For the purposes of this section, a person does not pass the character test if:
(a) the person has a substantial criminal record (as defined by subsection (7)); or........
25. It is also well-established that the requisite level of engagement by the decision-maker with the representations must occur within the bounds of rationality and reasonableness. What is necessary to comply with the statutory requirement for a valid exercise of power will necessarily depend on the nature, form, and content of the representations. The requisite level of engagement - the degree of effort needed by the decision-maker - will vary, among other things, according to the length, clarity, and degree of relevance of the representations. The decision-maker is not required to consider claims that are not clearly articulated, or which do not clearly arise on the materials before them. (Citations omitted).
(1) protection of the Australian community from criminal or other serious conduct;
(2) whether the conduct engaged in constituted family violence;
(3) the strength, nature and duration of ties to Australia;
(4) the best interests of minor children in Australia;
(5) expectations of the Australian community.
a) legal consequences of the decision; > > b) extent of impediments, if removed; > > c) impact on Australian business interests.
'Direction 65 makes clear that an evaluation is required in each case as to the weight to be given to the 'other considerations' (including non‑refoulement obligations). It requires both primary and other considerations to be given 'appropriate weight'. Direction 65 does provide that, generally, primary considerations should be given greater weight. They are primary in the sense that absent some factor that takes the case out of that which pertains 'generally' they are to be given greater weight. However, Direction 65 does not require that the other considerations be treated as secondary in all cases. Nor does it provide that primary considerations are 'normally' given greater weight. Rather, Direction 65 concerns the appropriate weight to be given to both 'primary' and 'other considerations'. In effect, it requires an inquiry as to whether one or more of the other considerations should be treated as being a primary consideration or the consideration to be afforded greatest weight in the particular circumstances of the case because it is outside the circumstances that generally apply.'
(a) does the Applicant pass the character test, as defined in s 501 of the Act? If not; > > (b) is there another reason why the original decision should be revoked? > > Documents
(a) Applicant's statement dated 21 December 2024.[14]
(b) Various photos with Applicant's comments.[15]
(c) Applicant's written statements.[16]
(d) Applicant certificates.[17]
(e) Statement by Summa Brooks dated 26 August 2024.[18]
(f) Statement by Rebecca Chow dated 17 January 2025.[19]
(g) Statutory Declaration by Kelly Marie Bradnam dated 29 January 2025.[20]
(h) Statement by Nathan Grant Hazelgrove dated 21 May 2025.[21]
(i) Statement by Brandon Lee Kayser dated 6 February 2025.[22]
(j) Statement by Olivia Keen undated.[23]
(k) Statement by Nissa Nicole McAteer dated 6 February 2025.[24]
(l) Statement by Shanna Collins dated 3 July 2025.[25]
(m) Various photos.[26]
(a) 22 April 2015 - Failure to Appear in Accordance with Undertaking and sentenced the Applicant to a fine.
(b) 3 August 2015 - Failure to Appear in Accordance with Undertaking and sentenced the Applicant to a fine.
(c) 28 October 2015 - Failure to Appear in Accordance with Undertaking and sentenced the Applicant to a fine.
(d) 28 October 2015 - Contravention of a Domestic Violence Order and sentenced to a six months' probation.
(e) 28 October 2025 - Breach Order imposed on 3 August 2015 and was sentenced to a suspended sentence of 1 month.
The police obtained CCTV footage of the incident, and they observed your vehicle approaching at speed from Ashton Street, causing the victim to run across the road to avoid being struck. He has continued walking up Jacaranda Avenue. You stopped your vehicle. There is a short conversation. The victim can be seen at the intersection of Jacaranda and Ashton, where your vehicle has entered Jacaranda, proceeded to drive against the flow of traffic towards the victim. He is then seen running from your vehicle onto Ashton Street. You were observed conducting a U-turn and returning towards Jacaranda Avenue. It is described as a cat-and-mouse scenario with the victim having to jump out of the way of your vehicle numerous times.[48]
The most serious charge you face today is the dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, and it is a serious offence. Whether you were at speed or not, you went across onto the wrong lane of traffic. You were driving in the vicinity of another person, and, really, you put yourself at risk. You put that complainant at risk. You put other members of the community at risk. All it would have taken is a car to be driving on that side of the road, and there may have been an innocent victim.[49]
Whether there is another reason the visa cancellation decision should be revoked
(a) the nature of the harm to individuals or the Australian community should the non-citizen engage in further criminal or other serious conduct; and > > (b) the likelihood of the non-citizen engaging in further criminal or other serious conduct, taking into account information and evidence on the risk of the noncitizen re-offending and any evidence of rehabilitation achieved by the time of the decision, giving weight to time spent in the community since their most recent offence.
'That is, part of the Tribunal's task was to decide not only whether the applicant might engage in further offending conduct if he were permitted to stay, but what level of risk any such conduct might pose to the Australian community, the possible level of violence of the conduct being at least one measure (but not the only measure) of how serious the risk was, or whether the risk should be tolerated.'
'Past events are not a certain guide to the future, but in many areas of life proof that events have occurred often provides a reliable basis for determining the probability - high or low - of their recurrence.'
'The extent to which past events are a guide to the future depends on the degree of probability that they have occurred, the regularity with which and the conditions under which they have or probably have occurred and the likelihood that the introduction of new or other events may distort the cycle of regularity....'
'The inherent nature of certain conduct such as family violence is so serious that even strong countervailing considerations may be insufficient to justify not cancelling or refusing the visa, or revoking a mandatory cancellation, even if the information available at the time of consideration suggests that the noncitizen does not pose a measurable risk of causing physical harm to the Australian community.'
(a) the frequency of the non-citizen's conduct and/or whether there is any trend of increasing seriousness;
b) the cumulative effect of repeated acts of family violence;
c) rehabilitation achieved at time of decision since the person's last known act of family violence, including:
- the extent to which the person accepts responsibility for their family violence related conduct;
- the extent to which the non-citizen understands the impact of their behaviour on the abused and witness of that abuse (particularly children);
- efforts to address factors which contributed to their conduct; and
d) Whether the non-citizen has re-offended since being formally warned, or since otherwise being made aware by a Court, law enforcement or other authority, about the consequences of further acts of family violence, noting that the absence of a warning should not be considered to be in the non-citizen's favour. This includes warnings about the non-citizen's migration status, should the non-citizen engage in further acts of family violence.
(i) 28 October 2015 - Contravention of a Domestic Violence Order and sentenced to a period of six months' probation. > > (ii) 5 July 2022 - Contravention of Domestic Violence Order and sentenced to a period of nine months' probation. > > (iii) 2 August 2024 - Contravention of Domestic Violence order and sentenced to 3 months' imprisonment_._
The strength, nature and duration of ties to Australia
(a) how long the Applicant has resided in Australia, including whether the Applicant arrived as a young child, noting that:
(iv) less weight should be given where the non-citizen began offending soon after arriving in Australia; and
(v) more weight should be given to time the Applicant has spent contributing positively to the Australian community; and
(b) the strength, duration and nature of any family or social links with Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents and/or people who have an indefinite right to remain in Australia.
Best interests of minor children in Australia
This consideration is about the expectation of the Australian Community as a whole, and in this respect, decision makers should proceed on the basis of the Government views as above, without independently assessing the community's expectations in the particular case.
9.1 Legal consequences of decision under section 501 or 501CA
(1) Decision-makers should be mindful that unlawful non-citizens are, in accordance with section 198, liable to removal from Australia as soon as reasonably practicable in the circumstances specified in that section, and in the meantime, detention under section 189, noting also that section 197C(1) of the Act provides that for the purposes of section 198, it is irrelevant whether Australia has non-refoulement obligations in respect of an unlawful noncitizen.
(2) A non-refoulement obligation is an obligation not to forcibly return, deport or expel a person to a place where they will be at risk of a specific type of harm. Australia has non-refoulement obligations under the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees as amended by the 1967 Protocol (together called the Refugees Convention), the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (the CAT), and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and its Second Optional Protocol (the ICCPR). The Act, particularly the concept of 'protection obligations', reflects Australia's interpretation of non-refoulement obligations and the scope of the obligations that Australia is committed to implementing.
(3) International non-refoulement obligations will generally not be relevant where the person concerned does not raise such obligations for consideration and the circumstances do not suggest a non-refoulement claim.
I certify that the preceding one hundred and thirty-three (133) paragraphs are a true copy of the reasons for the decision herein of General Member J Pennell.
............[sgd]............................
[10] Tohi v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs [2021] FCAFC 125; (2021) 285 FCR 187, [3]-[5] (Katzmann J); [24] (Derrington J) [103] (O'Bryan J).
[11] Plaintiff M1/2021 v Minister for Home Affairs [2022] HCA 17 ('Plaintiff M1/2021'), [22]-[27] (Kiefel CJ, Keane, Gordon and Steward JJ).
[12] Suleiman v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2018] FCA 594 [23].
[51] Migration Act 1958 (Cth) s 501(7).
[55] Respondents Statement of Facts, Issues and Contentions [25]; HB583.
[56] Paragraph 8.1.1(1)(b)(ii) of Direction 110.
[61] Paragraph 8.1.1(1)(c) of Direction 110; Pavey and Minister for Home Affairs [2019] AATA 4198 at [44] per Senior Member Tavoularis.
[66] Paragraph 8.1.1(1)(f) of Direction 110.
[67] Tanielu v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection (2014) 225 FCR 424; [2014] FCA 673.
[68] Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs v Guo [1997] HCA 22; (1997) 144 ALR 567, 578-579; Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs v ERY19 [2021] FCAFC 133, [81]; Leota v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs [2020] FCA 1120, [63].
[69] Murphy v Minister for Home Affairs [2018] FCA 1924, [37].
[70] Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs v Guo (1997) 191 CLR 559, [574].
[71] Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs v Guo (1997) 191 CLR 559, [575].
[72] Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs v Guo (1997) 191 CLR 559, [574] - [575].
[73] Paragraph 8.1.2(2)(a) of Direction 110.
[74] Respondent's Statement of Facts, Issues and Contentions [32]; HB584.
[103] Paragraphs 4(1)(a) and (b) of Direction 110.
[105] Paragraph 8.2(2)(b) of Direction 110.
[106] Paragraph 8.2(3)(c)(i) of Direction 110.
[107] Paragraph 8.2(3)(c)(ii) of Direction 110.
[108] Paragraph 8.2(3)(c)(iii) of Direction 110.
[119] Paragraph 8.4(4)(d) of Direction 110.
[120] FYBR v Minister for Home Affairs [2019] FCAF 185; 272 FCR 454, [66]-[67], [91], 101] and [104].
[122] Kelly [2022] FCA 396, [98]-[109] (Beach J).
[123] Paragraph 8.5(2)(a) of Direction 110.
[124] Paragraph 8.5(3) of Direction 110.
[128] Paragraph 8.5(2)(d) of Direction 110.
[130] Paragraph 8.5(2) of Direction 110.
[131] Paragraph 8.5(3) of Direction 110.
[132] SZRTN v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2014] FCA 303; (2014) 141 ALD 395, 409 at [86].
FYBR v Minister for Home Affairs [2019] FCAF 185
Leota v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs [2020] FCA 1120
Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs v ERY19 [2021] FCAFC 133
Murphy v Minister for Home Affairs [2018] FCA 1924
Plaintiff M1/2021 v Minister for Home Affairs [2022] HCA 17
SZRTN v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2014] FCA 303; (2014) 141 ALD 395, 409; [2014] FCA 303
Suleiman v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2018] FCA 594; (2018) 74 AAR 545
Tanielu v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection (2014) 225 FCR 424; [2014] FCA 673
Tohi v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs [2021] FCAFC 125
(1997) 191 CLR 559
(2014) 225 FCR 424
(2021) 285 FCR 187
(1997) 144 ALR 567