austlii:cth/FedCFamC2G/2025/1210
General information, not legal advice.
FedCFamC2G
2025-08-11
Original judgment source is linked above.
'I have several mdical conditions - colonic polyp(s) - colon tumour - and adjustment disorder with depression/anxiety. I am scheduled for a medical assessment and colonoscopy'.
Tribunal Decision (TD) 14 May 2021 (CB 147-151)
Consideration - was there jurisdictional error in the tribunal decision?
Legal principles relevant to the visa application
(1) The applicant genuinely intends to stay temporarily in Australia for the purpose for which the visa is granted, having regard to:
(a) whether the applicant has complied substantially with the conditions to which the last substantive visa, or any subsequent bridging visa, held by the applicant was subject; and
(b) whether the applicant intends to comply with the conditions to which the Subclass 602 visa would be subject; and
(2) However, subclause (1) does not apply if the requirements described in s subclause 602.212(6) are met in relation to the applicant.
...an application for judicial review is one in which the judicial branch of government reviews, by reference to legality or lawfulness, the decision or decisions of the Executive branch of government, here in the form of a decision of the Minister. The court does not consider the merits or wisdom of the decision, nor does it remake the decision.
The categories of jurisdictional error are not closed. Jurisdictional error by a statutory decision-maker includes identifying a wrong issue; asking the wrong question; ignoring relevant material; relying on irrelevant material; in some cases, making an erroneous finding or reaching a mistaken conclusion; and failing to observe some applicable requirement of procedural fairness. As McHugh, Gummow and Hayne JJ said in Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs v Yusuf [(2001) 206 CLR 323; [2001] HCA 30 at [82]]:
"What is important, however, is that identifying a wrong issue, asking a wrong question, ignoring relevant material or relying on irrelevant material in a way that affects the exercise of power is to make an error of law. Further, doing so results in the decision-maker exceeding the authority or powers given by the relevant statute. In other words, if an error of those types is made, the decision-maker did not have authority to make the decision that was made; he or she did not have the jurisdiction to make it".
Consideration of the grounds of jurisdictional error alleged by the applicant
The Tribunal Member refused my application for medical treatment visa even though the Tribunal had evidence about my medical condition especially letters from a psychiatrist outlining my condition.
The weight to be given to the material before the decision-maker is, in a case submitted to judicial review, reserved to the decision-maker so long as he or she applies the correct legal test and does not reach a conclusion which is so unreasonable as to authorise review.
The Tribunal failed to act on the medical reports and failed to accept that I will not be able to receive proper medical treatment if I return to Jordan.
[30] In Re Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs; ; Ex parte Durairajasingham [2000] HCA 1; (2000) 168 ALR 407 at [64]- [65] McHugh J (sitting alone) approved the following observations of the Full Court of the Federal Court in Addo v Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs [1999] FCA 940 at [24] and [31]:
Section 430(1) does not impose an obligation to do anything more than to refer to the evidence on which the findings of fact are based. Section 430 does not require a decision-maker to give reasons for rejecting evidence inconsistent with the findings made. Accordingly, there was no failure to comply with s 430(1) of the Act.
...
It is not necessary, in order to comply with s 430(1), for the tribunal to give reasons for rejecting, or attaching no weight to, evidence or other material which would tend to undermine any finding which it made.
[31] In Ex parte Durairajasingham McHugh J at [65] additionally said:
... it is not necessary for the tribunal to give a line-by-line refutation of the evidence for the claimant either generally or in those respects where there is evidence that is contrary to findings of material fact made by the tribunal. Indeed, to do so would be contrary to the direction in s 420 of the Act that:
(1) The Tribunal, in carrying out its functions under this Act, is to pursue the objective of providing a mechanism of review that is fair, just, economical, informal and quick.
(2) The Tribunal, in reviewing a decision:
(a)is not bound by technicalities, legal forms or rules of evidence; and
(b)must act according to substantial justice and the merits of the case.
The Tribunal filed to contact Dr Kennan Ismail concerning his support and the genuine contents of the letter.
I indicated that I want to go back to my country Jordan after I complete my treatment I Australia because the Psychiatrists in Jordan do not use the same technique as they do here and the Tribunal failed to put to me whether the medical treatment is available the same way as in Australia.
I do not deny that Jordan has advanced health care system but it will not apply to my current medical attention I receive in Australia.
.. any court reviewing a decision upon refugee status must beware of turning a review of the reasons of the decision-maker upon proper principles into a reconsideration of the merits of the decision. This has been made clear many times in this Court. For example, it was said by Brennan J in Attorney General (NSW) v Quinn (26):
"The duty and jurisdiction of the court to review administrative action do not go beyond the declaration and enforcing of the law which determines the limits and governs the exercise of the repository's power. If, in so doing, the court avoids administrative injustice or error, so be it; but the court has no jurisdiction simply to cure administrative injustice or error. The merits of administrative action, to the extent that they can be distinguished from legality, are for the repository of the relevant power and, subject to political control, for the repository alone."
Contrary to the finding of the Tribunal I am genuinely sick and I have genuine intention to return to my country after completing my treatment.
I provided to the Tribunal medical letters and compelling reasons to stay in Australia because of COVID-19 as well as the availability of medical report from my doctors here which will not be available to me if I return to Jordan.
The decision of the Tribunal is affected by error because the Tribunal filed to give reasonable explanation.
430 Tribunal's decision and written statement
Written statement of decision
(1) Where the Tribunal makes its decision on a review (other than an oral decision), the Tribunal must make a written statement that:
(a) sets out the decision of the Tribunal on the review; and
(b) sets out the reasons for the decision; and
(c) sets out the findings on any material questions of fact; and
(d) refers to the evidence or any other material on which the findings of fact were based; and
(e) in the case of a decision under paragraph 426A(1C)(b) or subsection 426A(1E) to confirm the dismissal of an application - indicates that under subsection 426A(1F), the decision under review is taken to be affirmed; and
(f) records the day and time the statement is made
...The relevant principles may be summarised as follows:
(a) The requirement of reasonableness flows from or is connected with an implied legislative intention that a discretionary power that is statutorily conferred must be exercised reasonably: Li at [29], [63], [88]; Singh at [43].
(b) Legal unreasonableness can be a conclusion reached by a supervising Court after the identification of an underlying jurisdictional error in the decision-making process. Or it can be a conclusion reached without necessarily identifying another jurisdictional error: Li at [27]-[28], [72]; Singh at [44]. In the latter case unreasonableness may be taken to be unreasonableness from which an undisclosed error may be inferred: Li at [27], [68]; Singh at [44].
(c) Unreasonableness can be inferred where the decision appears to be arbitrary, capricious, without common sense or "plainly unjust": Li at [28], [110]; Singh at [44].
(d) In those circumstances, where reasons are given, the supervising Court is concerned with seeing if there is an evident, transparent and intelligible justification within the decision-making process: Li at [105]; Singh at [44]-[45]. The intelligible justification must lie within the reasons given by the decision-maker: Singh at [47].
(e) Regard can also be given to the outcome of the decision: whether the "decision falls within a range of possible, acceptable outcomes which are defensible in respect of fact and law": Li at [105] (Gageler J quoting Dunsmuir v New Brunswick [2008] 1 SCR 190 at 220-221; Singh at [44]-[45].
(f) The legal standard of reasonableness and the indicia of legal unreasonableness will need to be found in the scope, subject and purpose of the particular statutory provisions in issue in any given case: Li at [67]; Singh at [48]. In the case of discretionary powers vested in the Tribunal, the location of these powers in the statutory scheme, as aids to the performance of a review function, is important: Singh at [49].
(j) Properly applied, a standard of legal reasonableness does not involve substituting a Court's view as to how a discretion should be exercised for that of a decision-maker: Li at [30], [66]; Singh at [47]. The test of legal unreasonableness is stringent: Li at [113].
351 Minister may substitute more favourable decision
(1) If the Minister thinks that it is in the public interest to do so, the Minister may substitute for a decision of the Tribunal under section 349 another decision, being a decision that is more favourable to the applicant, whether or not the Tribunal had the power to make that other decision.
(2) In exercising the power under subsection (1), the Minister is not bound by Subdivision AA or AC of Division 3 of Part 2 or by the regulations, but is bound by all other provisions of this Act.
(3) The power under subsection (1) may only be exercised by the Minister personally.
(4) ...
Failure to enquire about the reason the applicant needed to stay in Australia for two years
He wishes this information to be taken into account: "The Minister's office counsel declared in clause 16C that Doctor Kanaan wrote in the letter (page 131) that Yaseen needed 2 additional years of treatment, however, the counsel said that there was no medical reason for Yaseen to stay for an additional 2 years" .Yaseen's response to this is that the honourable judge of the tribunal hearing did not ask about the reason for those 2 years nor any related details, although he did ask Yaseen about other matters in detail. The reason for the 2 years is because Yaseen's psychiatrist warned him not to cease treatment for the 2-year duration to ensure an effective result and avoid long-term damaging consequences.
I certify that the preceding one hundred and fifty-eight (158) numbered paragraphs are a true copy of the Reasons for Judgment of Judge Marquard.
Zayed
Minister for Immigration and Citizenship [2025] FedCFamC2G 1210
Bala v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2019] FCA 600
Craig v State of South Australia; [1995] HCA 58; (1995) 184 CLR 163
ETA067 v Republic of Nauru [2018] HCA 46; (2018) 360 ALR 228
Hamod v New South Wales [2011] NSWCA 375
Minister for Immigration and Border Protection v Pandey [2014] FCA 640
Minister for Immigration and Border Protection v SZMTA [2019] HCA 3; (2019) 264 CLR 421
Minister for Immigration and Border Protection v SZVFW [2018] HCA 30; (2018) 264 CLR 541
Minister for Immigration and Citizenship v Li [2012] HCA 61; (2013) 249 CLR 332
Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs v Eshetu [1999] HCA 21; (1999) 197 CLR 611
MZAIB v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2015] FCA 1392; (2015) 238 FCR 158
MZXHY v Minister for Immigration and Citizenship [2007] FCA 622
NAHI v Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs [2004] FCAFC 10
Plaintiff S157/2002 v Commonwealth of Australia [2003] HCA 2; (2003) 211 CLR 476
Servos v Repatriation Commission [1995] FCA 1137; (1995) 56 FCR 377
Singh v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs [2023] FCA 424
Singh v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs [2023] FCA 87
SZDXZ v Minister for Immigration and Citizenship [2008] FCAFC 109
SZJMG v Minister for Immigration and Citizenship [2008] FCA 1145
VCAK of 2002 v Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs [2004] FCA 459
(1996) 185 CLR 259
(1999) 197 CLR 611
(2004) 207 ALR 12
(1995) 56 FCR 377
(2001) 206 CLR 323
(2000) 168 ALR 407
(1999) 197 CLR 510
(1995) 184 CLR 163
(2022) 289 FCR 21
(2018) 360 ALR 228
(2019) 264 CLR 421
(2018) 264 CLR 541
(2013) 249 CLR 332
(2009) 259 ALR 429
(2001) 205 CLR 507
(2015) 238 FCR 158
(2003) 211 CLR 476