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Ahmed
and Minister for Immigration and Border Protection (Migration) [2017] AATA 1908 (25 October 2017)
Last Updated: 26 October 2017
Ahmed
and Minister for Immigration and Border Protection (Migration)
[2017] AATA 1908 (25 October 2017)
Division: GENERAL DIVISION
File Number(s): 2017/4716
Re:
Ahmed
Eshag Elnor
Ahmed 
APPLICANT
And Minister for Immigration and Border Protection
RESPONDENT
DECISION
Tribunal: Deputy President
B W Rayment
Date: 25 October 2017
Place: Sydney
- The
reviewable decision, being the decision of the delegate of the Minister for
Immigration and Border Protection made on 3 August
2017 not to revoke the
cancellation of the applicant’s Class XB Refugee and Humanitarian Subclass
200 visa is set aside;
- In
substitution, in accordance with the provisions of subsection 501CA(4) of the
Migration Act 1958 (Cth) the decision to cancel the applicant’s
Class XB Refugee and Humanitarian Subclass 200 visa, made on 20 December 2016,
is
revoked.
.............................[sgd]...........................................
Deputy President B W Rayment
Catchwords
MIGRATION – non-revocation of mandatory cancellation of visa –
refugee and humanitarian visa – character test –
substantial
criminal record – primary and other considerations under Ministerial
Direction No. 65 – protection of the
Australian community –
expectations of the Australian community – non-refoulement obligations
– significant medical
conditions – availability and access to
medical services in home country – decision under review set aside –
decision
to cancel visa revoked
Legislation
Migration Act 1958, ss 195A, 197C, 499, 501CA
Cases
BCR16 v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2017] FCAFC
96
Chu Kheng Lim v Minister for Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic
Affairs [1992] HCA 64; 176 CLR 1; 110 ALR 97
DMH16 v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2017] FCA
448
Minister for Immigration and Border Protection v Lesianawai [2014]
FCAFC 141; 227 FCR 562
Plaintiff S4/2014 v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection
[2014] HCA 34; 253 CLR 219; 312 ALR 537
Steyn v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2017] FCA
1131
SZRTN v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2014] FCA
303
Secondary Materials
Ahmed
M.E. and Ibrahim A.O., ‘The Availability of Quality Health
Service Dimensions in Government Hospitals in Sudan (A Case
Study of Teaching
Hospitals in Sudan)’ (2017), International Journal of Business and
Management.
Ministerial Direction no. 65 – Visa refusal and cancellation under
s501 and revocation of a mandatory cancellation of a visa under s501CA
REASONS FOR DECISION
Deputy President B W Rayment
25
October 2017
- The
applicant arrived in Australia in 2006 lawfully, in that when he arrived here he
was granted a Class XB Refugee and Humanitarian
Subclass 200 (Refugee) visa.
That visa was recently cancelled by the respondent as a result of the applicant
failing the character
test by reason of criminal convictions referred to below.
This is an application for review of a delegate’s decision under
s 501CA
of the Migration Act 1958 (the Act) refusing to revoke the cancellation
of the applicant’s refugee visa. The applicant is a disability support
pensioner.
He has been in immigration detention at Villawood since January of
this year.
- He
was born in Sudan in 1973, and in the year 2000 he experienced traumatic events
in the course of the Sudanese civil war. His village
where he resided with his
elder brother, his mother and father was attacked by armed soldiers. He
witnessed the murder of his elder
brother and his father. His father died in his
arms. He fled the village with his mother. The mother and son went first to
Khartoum,
the capital of Sudan, and then to Egypt. Friends in Egypt took the
applicant and his mother to Cairo where they made an application
for refugee
status to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). He and his
mother were determined by that body
to have refugee status in 2005. His mother
emigrated here in 2005 and the applicant followed in 2006.
The applicant’s health
- Not
long before the applicant left Egypt, he was seriously injured. He tripped on a
railway track and a train ran over his legs,
as a result of which he became a
transtibial amputee, meaning that both his legs below the knee were amputated.
He arrived here
not long afterwards in a wheelchair and was fitted in Australia
with prostheses for both legs. A recommendation was made in in July
of this
year by a senior prosthetist to the Villawood administration for their
replacement but that has not so far occurred. He
gets lesions on the stumps of
his legs and the prostheses are causing him other difficulties. The senior
prosthetist who examined
him in July found that they were quite loose and
required significant packing and adjustments, leaving minimal room for further
adjustments
in the future. On 16 September 2017 the applicant complained of pain
to the stub, just below the knee in the left leg. The report
of the nurse was
that it was “warm to the touch and tender ++”. She also said:
“Client cannot mobilise with current
prosthesis”.
- He
also has reduced vision in his right eye as a result of injuries suffered
overseas. Dr Richard Parker, Ophthalmology Registrar
at Westmead Hospital,
stated in a letter to Dr Cameron Nik dated 28 March 2017 that he had been
treating the applicant for anterior
uveitis in his right eye over the past few
months. The poor vision in his right eye is not likely to recover.
- He
also has type 2 diabetes, and has been investigated for suspected tuberculosis.
- He
has frequently been hospitalized under the care of the dermatology team at
public hospitals while at Villawood and been diagnosed
with probable erythema
multiforme and fixed drug eruption. They are thought to be caused by repeated
use of painkillers which he
takes because of his leg problems.
- Last
month he was hospitalized for a week with painful mouth ulcers, fever, and a new
onset of painful skin rash and joint pain.
Early in his admission, it was
reported that he had not been able to eat even after taking endone (a strong
painkiller) and a strong
antibiotic, Augmentin Duo Forte. Upon admission he had
not eaten for five days, having had difficulty swallowing. The hospital notes
record that he has had frequent presentations and hospitalisations under the
dermatology team for mouth ulcers.
- That
admission was the third in the last five months of at least a week’s
duration. He was admitted to hospital in July for
eight days suffering from
painful mouth ulcers and a variety of other conditions.
- There
is in the material a letter from Dr Dana Slape (Dermatology Registrar) dated 8
June telling Dr Mirshahmir of Villawood detention
centre about his admission for
seven days commencing 26 May 2017. Upon admission with moderate buccal and
palatal ulcerations, he
was given ibuprofen and his oral ulceration deteriorated
so that he was unable to swallow and was transferred to the intensive care
unit.
Dr Slape told Dr Mirshahmir how he should be managed at Villawood. The letter
indicated that the mouth ulceration problem
was reported to have happened three
to four times over the previous 10 to 12 years. Presumably that was a
self-report, but the applicant’s
memory for less recent events seemed to
me to be not very good when he gave evidence. In any event as I have said, the
condition
is clearly chronic and has led to three admissions in the last five
months, each admission lasting for a week or more.
- He
requires regular reviews because of his mouth ulceration, the last of which had
to be moved because he was required to attend the
hearing of this matter.
- The
Villawood detention centre referred him to STARTTS (the NSW Service for the
Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma
Survivors) and a clinical
psychologist from that body had a short interview with him in March of this
year. The applicant expressed
frustration and was distressed that he could not
be with his mother, who is terminally ill with cancer and was alone.
- The
psychologist said that his mood and behaviour observed during the interview are
consistent with someone who has lived through
traumatic situations manifesting
high distress, anxiety, depressive mood and some symptoms of post-traumatic
stress triggered and
maintained by his current stressful circumstances. She
said that he gave a diagnostic impression of Depression, Anxiety and Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder.
- He
has, as I understand it, never been assessed by a psychiatrist or treated for
any psychological or psychiatric disorder.
- He
has never been employed in Australia and his status as a disability support
pensioner provides him with a fortnightly benefit of
about $800. He said that he
helps his mother with the rent. He has a Medicare card.
- Unlike
his mother, the applicant has not gained citizenship here, presumably because of
his criminal record.
- As
I understand the status quo, in the event that the reviewable decision is
affirmed, there is at least a significant risk that he
will be removed back to
Sudan. If the reviewable decision is set aside then he will be released back
into the community.
Sudan
- Recent
country information concerning Sudan tendered before the Tribunal shows that
there is inadequate and insufficient access to
primary health care and referral
services for 5.75 million internally displaced persons, returnees, refugees and
people from affected
host communities in Darfur, South Kordofan, Blue Nile and
Abyei and east Sudan. There is a low health workforce density in Sudan,
particularly in rural areas. Sudan’s parliamentary subcommittee on health
has stated that 50 per cent of the population has
no access to basic drugs, with
79 per cent of people having to pay out of their own pockets to buy medicines
due to difficulties
facing drug imports.
- A
paper published in May of this year by
Ahmed
and Ibrahim on the availability of
quality health services in government hospitals
in
Sudan[1] concluded that government
hospitals do not offer the necessary supplies for the provision of health
services, and do not employ sufficient
qualified medical staff, as they prefer
to work in the private health sector.
- A
DFAT Country Information Report in relation to Sudan published in April 2016
states at paragraph 5.39 that the main issue facing
returnees is the perceived
lack of financial support provided for effective reintegration into Sudanese
society, particularly in
Khartoum. The same document confirms that because of a
lack of capacity and resources, Sudanese overall have poor access to health
care
and poor health outcomes and that seven of Sudan’s 18 states are subject
to acute malnutrition. The Australian government spent US$4,191 per person on
health care and in the same year,
Sudan spent US$221 per person. Malaria
accounts for 11 per cent of hospital admissions and is the leading cause of
morbidity and
mortality.
- It
appears from a report published by the Sudan Democracy First Group that
Sudan’s health and education areas combined were
allocated less than 2 per
cent of the budget for 2016, compared with 71 per cent allocated to the
presidential palace, military expenditures
and security.
- No
information is available as to where the applicant would live in Sudan if he is
returned there. Up to the year 2000, he lived
in a small village on the
outskirts of Ad-Damazīn.
- The
applicant has not worked in Australia and presumably could expect to face the
same lack of financial support which other returnees
experience, as referred to
in the DFAT Report. It is clear that, because of his health conditions, there
are substantial grounds
for believing that there is a real risk of the
applicant’s death if he were sent back to Sudan.
- The
prospect of the applicant suffering harm if returned to Sudan by reason of the
continuing civil unrest in that country is insufficiently
proved in the country
material tendered before me.
DIRECTION 65
- Ministerial
Direction no. 65 – Visa refusal and cancellation under s501 and
revocation of a mandatory cancellation of a visa under s501CA (Direction 65)
binds the Tribunal under s 499 of the Act and Part C of Direction 65 relates to
the manner in which decision-makers should exercise the discretion to revoke
cancellation of the visa.
- The
terms of Direction 65 are published and I will not repeat them here. The
Principles mentioned in clause 6.3 are to provide a framework
within which
decision makers (including the Tribunal) should approach their task. Clause
8(4) states that primary considerations
should generally be given greater weight
than the other considerations. That will obviously not govern every case.
Clause 8(5) states
that one or more primary considerations may outweigh other
primary considerations.
- Direction
65 is, in relevant respects, similar to Direction 55, which was discussed by
Perry J in Minister for Immigration and Border Protection v Lesianawai
[2014] FCAFC 141 at [80]- [83]; [2014] FCAFC 141; 227 FCR 562. Her Honour concluded that
Direction 55 “equips decision-makers with a width of discretion that
enables them to take into account
the myriad of different circumstances and
different combinations of circumstances that may arise and thereby to reach a
result that
is fair and rational in all of the circumstances, while ensuring
that account is had to those considerations that the legislator
has identified
as crucial to a lawful decision”. The same seems to me to be true of
Direction 65.
- Direction
65 nominates a number of mandatory considerations which must be taken into
account when considering the actual circumstances
of the case. The Direction
does not restrict a decision-maker to those considerations. It is Part C of the
Direction which applies in this case. Clause 14(1) states that other
considerations must be taken into account where relevant.
It lists five such
considerations in a non-exhaustive way. As was pointed out by Katzman J in
relation to a corresponding clause
in the former Direction 55, it is a matter
for a decision-maker to determine whether there are any other matters which are
relevant,
and if so, to take them into account: see SZRTN v Minister for
Immigration and Border Protection [2014] FCA 303 at [86].
- In
this case, the applicant was represented by Ms Burton, solicitor from Salvos
Legal Humanitarian, and the respondent was represented
by Ms Cannon from Clayton
Utz.
- Ms
Burton submitted that in the event that the applicant were returned to Sudan,
his life will be at risk. She submitted that if he
were returned to Sudan, he
would essentially face a death sentence.
A threat to life
- If
the applicant were to be returned to a country where he would be placed in a
life-threatening situation, because of the unavailability
of medical treatment,
that would represent an “other” reason why the reviewable decision
should not be affirmed. Also,
such a humanitarian concern would significantly
affect the expectations of the Australian community (a primary consideration) as
to whether the cancellation should be revoked, and would also go to the extent
of impediments faced by the applicant if he were removed
(an “other”
consideration).
- The
findings I have made in paragraphs [2]-[11] above satisfy me that to return the
applicant to Sudan would be to expose him to a
life-threatening situation. Even
in the last six months while he was in detention, he has had three separate
hospitalisations of
one week’s duration or longer. In Sudan he would no
doubt face a shortage of money, and public care would reflect what is
written in
paragraphs above.
- I
turn to the mandatory considerations mentioned in Direction 65.
- Part
C contains a list of primary considerations and a non-exhaustive list of other
considerations. Clause 13(1) states that the decision-maker
must consider
whether to revoke the cancellation given the specific circumstances of the case.
Protection of the Australian community
- Clause
13.1 refers to the consideration of protection of the Australian community, and
to the principle that the Government is committed
to protecting the community
from harm as a result of criminal activity or other serious conduct by
non-citizens. That involves both
the nature and seriousness of the conduct and
the risk to the community should the non-citizen commit further offences or
engage
in other serious conduct.
- He
has a lengthy criminal record. It commences shortly after he arrived here. In
the year 2008, he was dealt with for four offences
of destroy or damage
property, for stalking/intimidate intend fear of physical/mental harm, for two
offences of intimidating a police
officer in the execution of their duty, and
one offence of using offensive language. For those offences he was either fined
or given
a s 10 bond under the Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999
(NSW). In 2009, he was convicted in the Bankstown Local Court of an offence
of affray, and was given a s 9 good behaviour bond and put under the supervision
of the NSW probation service. In 2010, he was fined for assaulting a police
officer
in the execution of their duty and for behaving in an offensive manner.
- In
2011 he was convicted of the offence of affray and sentenced to six
months’ imprisonment which commenced on 4 January 2011.
On 15 March 2012,
he pleaded guilty to another charge of affray and sentenced to 12 months
imprisonment with a non-parole period
expiring on 15 March 2012, so that
altogether he then spent 14 months in prison up to that day. The remarks on
sentence of Judge
Letherbarrow indicate that his affray involved a street fight
in the company of another younger person, who attacked the victim with
a broken
bottle. He was fined later in 2012 for using offensive language.
- In
2014 he was dealt with by fine for having goods in custody suspected of being
stolen and by s 9 bond for stalking and intimidation. This related to an
incident in which he intimidated his mother, asking for $200 and threatening
to
kill her and burn the house down when she refused. That bond was revoked by the
magistrate who heard the 2015 proceedings next
referred to.
- In
2015 he was dealt with for five offences committed in 2014 of larceny relating
to stolen mail, for dealing with property reasonably
suspected of being the
proceeds of crime (also being items of mail and a Mastercard), for possessing a
prohibited drug, and for having
goods in custody suspected of being stolen. His
sentence for those offences (aggregated together with the offence involving
threatening
his mother) was aggregated on appeal to one of 18 months commencing
on 20 November 2014, with a non-parole period of nine months,
which expired on
19 August 2015.
- In
2016 he was dealt with for failing to appear in accordance with bail conditions
and for common assault, being given a s 9 bond and later in the same year he was
found guilty in the Parramatta Local Court of assault occasioning actual bodily
harm, and
a 12 month sentence of imprisonment was imposed upon him with a
non-parole period of six months, which expired in January of this
year. The
presiding magistrate described the offence as follows:
The incident occurred in a railway carriage. The
victim of the assault was sitting in the carriage, the offender approached her.
Apparently the victim greeted him because she was acquainted with him, and the
accused said to her, “your boyfriend who did
the robbery owes me
$1,000”. The victim at this point is alleged to have said “I
don’t want to hear about it”
and as she said those words the
offender swung his arm and struck the victim across the face the force of which
caused her to fall
backwards. As a consequence she suffered a small cut some 2
centimetres long to the bridge of her nose and police who later attended
noticed
that she was bruised and there was some blood.
- In
January of this year he was taken into immigration detention. He is still at
Villawood at this time. In February of this year he
was convicted of a further
offence of larceny and was given a s 9 bond.
- As
is apparent, there has been a degree of violence associated with some of the
offences.
- The
incident with his mother has not led to a lasting breakdown in their
relationship. His mother has visited him at Villawood and
the applicant
intends, if released, to return to his mother’s apartment and look after
her needs. She is suffering from a
terminal case of cancer.
- The
applicant’s state of recollection seems very poor about the earlier
offences, and I have treated his record and the findings
made by judicial
officers as the only reliable evidence concerning his offending.
- The
number of offences committed by him suggest recidivism. He said in evidence that
he ceased using cannabis and alcohol after his
imprisonment referred to in
paragraph [36] above. If so, the later offences cannot be explained on that
basis.
- There
is documentary evidence from Villawood in February 2017 that the applicant was
stopped from smoking and spoke abusively and
aggressively to the Facilities
Operations Manager. In June in hospital he threatened self-harm when stopped
from smoking. He is
recorded as having told Serco staff he “could kill
them if he wanted”. Later in June he and another detainee were involved
in an altercation in the internet room at Villawood. In July he was reported to
have behaved in an aggressive manner in the presence
of two immigration officers
by grabbing paperwork, ripping it up, waving his hands in the air and walking
out of the room. Later
in July he was involved in an altercation with other
detainees about computer use, but no person was hurt or injured. In June,
cigarette
lighters were found in his room and smoking implements were also found
in his room in May.
- Most
of those incidents were described in the reports as “minor”. Anger
characterises most of the incidents. If the
cause is psychiatric in nature, it
has not yet been treated.
- As
noted above at paragraph [12], a clinical psychologist who interviewed him in
March 2017 stated that he gave a “diagnostic
impression of Depression,
Anxiety and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder”.
- The
possibility that the applicant has a psychiatric condition exists, particularly
in the light of the traumatic experiences which
he suffered in Sudan, and the
loss of his lower legs in Egypt. The remark in that report does not purport to
be a diagnosis and
was not made after a detailed examination. If he has
“Depression, Anxiety and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder”, it has
not
been treated. Whether he has that condition, and if so, whether the anger often
associated with it might be treated in some
way which might affect his prospects
of rehabilitation can only be the subject of speculation as the evidence stands.
If he had been
assessed by a psychiatrist after the psychologist’s report
was sent to Villawood in March 2017, more reliable information would
be to hand,
not only about his condition, but perhaps also about the circumstances which led
to his offending.
- The
repeated nature of the offending suffices to show that there is a risk to the
community that he will offend in the future. The
nature of the offending is not
such as to suggest that the risk he poses is of such seriousness that he must be
removed from Australia
even if such removal means he will face life-threatening
consequences because of his state of health.
Best interests of minor children
- The
applicant has no children within the jurisdiction and is not in contact with any
children in the jurisdiction, so the primary
consideration mentioned in clause
13.2 does not arise.
Expectations of the Australian community
- The
next primary consideration is the expectations of the Australian community,
mentioned in clause 13.3. Notwithstanding his record,
it appears to me that our
community would not expect that a man who arrived here with a refugee visa, and
who is a disability pensioner
with the health problems mentioned above,
regularly requiring good health care, and who has been dealt with for his
crimes, were
now to be sent to a country where the level of health care is
minimal, and whose life would thereby be threatened.
Non-refoulement
- The
first “other” consideration mentioned in clause 14 is the
non-refoulement obligations which Australia owes by the
treaties mentioned in
clause 14.1(1).[2]
- That
is a duty owed by this country under treaties, and is not enforceable by the
persons whom Australia has undertaken to protect.
It appears amongst a list of
discretionary considerations as one of the matters which it is mandatory to take
into account.
- Whether
a non-refoulement obligation is owed in respect of the applicant at the present
time has not been investigated by the Minister.
- Clause
14.1(2) states that Australia will not remove a non-citizen to a country in
respect of which a non-refoulement obligation exists.
This means, it seems to
me, that Australia will never do so.
- The
advice given in clause 14.1(2) is not consistent with s 197C of the Act as
interpreted by North ACJ in DMH16 v Minister for Immigration and Border
Protection [2017] FCA 448. In that case, a person to whom non-refoulement
obligations were found to be owed was refused a protection visa. The Minister
decided
that such a person would not be removed from Australia and, like
Direction 65, contemplated that they may face indefinite immigration
detention.
North ACJ held that contrary to the reasoning of the Minister, unless the
Minister elected to grant him another visa,
under s 195A of the Act, there would
be a duty arising under s 197C to remove him to Syria. In other words, that
which clause 14.1(2)
says will never occur (a proposition repeated in clause
14.1(6)) was held to be contrary to the dictates of s 197C.
- The
Minister submits that because of the possibility that the Minister might grant a
protection visa to the applicant, it is not necessarily
the case that the
applicant will be returned to Sudan if the decision to refuse to revoke the
cancellation of his refugee visa is
affirmed. North ACJ did not decide anything
to the contrary of that proposition.
- Therefore
the Minister submits, it is not necessary for the Tribunal to decide whether
non-refoulement obligations are owed in respect
of the applicant, because the
existence or otherwise of non-refoulement obligations will then be tested. That
raises the decision
of the Full Federal Court in BCR16 v Minister for
Immigration and Border Protection [2017] FCAFC 96.
- It
was there pointed out that a protection visa might be refused even if a
non-refoulement obligation were owed in respect of the
applicant. Taken together
with the decision of North ACJ in DMH16, that would mean that the duty of
removal in s 197C would be enlivened, even if a non-refoulement obligation were
owed in respect
of the non-citizen if the protection visa were rejected.
- The
respondent submits that BCR16 was wrongly decided. As I understand it
the submission is based upon alleged inconsistency between earlier Full Court
decisions
and BCR16.
- It
is wholly inappropriate for this Tribunal to be considering such a matter. If an
intermediate appellate court resolves to depart
from one or more of its earlier
decisions, it will be the later decision which binds. The Full Court in
BCR16 itself gave consideration to the earlier decisions in the
Minister’s submissions and to the extent thought necessary and
appropriate,
departed from them.
- Before
Jagot J in Steyn v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2017]
FCA 1131, the submission that BCR16 was wrong was not made, but rather an
attempt was made to distinguish it. The Minister has now sought to go further
before the Tribunal.
- The
advice in clause 14.1(6) about indefinite immigration detention may also be
incorrect in law, because indefinite executive detention
would raise questions
of constitutionality discussed by the High Court in cases such as Chu Kheng
Lim v Minister for Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs [1992]
HCA 64; 176 CLR 1; 110 ALR 97. See also the discussion in Plaintiff S4/2014 v
Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2014] HCA 34 at [25]- [26];
[2014] HCA 34; 253 CLR 219; 312 ALR 537.
- Similarly,
indefinite detention may be illegal under the Act. Compare Plaintiff
S4/2014 at [27]-[35].
- If,
as is envisaged by clause 14.1(6), indefinite immigration detention were the
consequence of refusing to revoke a visa cancellation,
that would raise
questions of double punishment, and in many or perhaps all cases, itself suggest
a discretionary reason to revoke
the visa cancellation.
- Clause
14(1) proceeds on the basis that if non-refoulement obligations were owed by
this country under treaties in respect of the
non-citizen, then Australia would
not act in breach of those treaties.
- No
Ministerial determination has been made about whether non-refoulement
obligations are owed in respect of the applicant, and it
is impracticable for
any such determination to be made either by the Tribunal or by the Department at
this stage of these proceedings.
The case has to be decided by 26 October 2017
and neither party has put before me submissions about the applicable principles
of
international law. I have been provided by the applicant with an advisory
opinion on the extraterritorial application of non-refoulement
obligations
published by the UNHCR,[3] which
contains material suggesting that such obligations may well be owed in respect
of the applicant, but in response to the tender
of that document the Minister
has made submissions about the possibility of the grant of another visa, rather
than making any submissions
about the international law questions which
arise.
- If
non-refoulement obligations were owed in respect of the applicant, and if he
were to fail to obtain another visa, and given that
s 197C should be interpreted
consistently with the decision in DMH16, a decision-maker may have no
choice but to revoke the cancellation.
- This
is a case where it only became apparent earlier this month, that by reason of
his health condition, it would be submitted that
the applicant’s life
would be placed at risk if he were sent back to Sudan. It is not practicable to
give consideration to
Australia’s treaty obligations in the present
circumstances.
The risk of harm
- In
any event, the matters I have set out at paragraphs [3]-[12] above as to the
applicant’s health and the information known
about health care in Sudan
show that the applicant would, if returned to Sudan, face a life-threatening
situation by reason of his
medical conditions, such that there is a very strong
discretionary reason to set the reviewable decision aside. That would make it
unnecessary to consider any non-refoulement obligations, if they
exist.
Strength of ties
- Clause
14.2 refers to the strength, nature and duration of ties. That raises the
question of the applicant’s ties to his mother,
who is now dying of
cancer. She has no other relatives in Australia. She is an Australian citizen.
Those circumstances also favour
setting aside the reviewable decision.
Extent of impediments if removed
- Clause
14.5 refers to the extent of impediments facing the applicant if he were
removed. Those considerations also favour setting
the reviewable decision
aside. His state of health and the paucity of medical support which would be
available to him in Sudan make
that clear.
DECISION
- Applying
all of the considerations to all of the circumstances of the case, the
reviewable decision will be set aside and in substitution,
the Tribunal decides
the cancellation of the applicant’s visa is revoked under section 501CA(4)
of the Migration Act
1958.
I certify that the preceding 73 (seventy-three) paragraphs are a true
copy of the reasons for the decision herein of Deputy President
B W
Rayment
|
............................[sgd]............................................
Associate
Dated: 25 October 2017
Date(s) of hearing:
|
12, 13 & 23 October 2017
|
Date final submissions received:
|
20 October 2017
|
Solicitors
for the Applicant:
|
Ms A Burton, Salvos Legal Humanitarian
|
Solicitors for the Respondent:
|
Ms E Cannon, Clayton Utz
|
[1]
Ahmed
M.E. and Ibrahim A.O.,
‘The Availability of Quality Health Service Dimensions in Government
Hospitals in Sudan (A Case
Study of Teaching Hospitals in Sudan)’ (2017),
International Journal of Business and Management.
[2] Convention Relating to the
Status of Refugees (the 1951 Refugee Convention), as amended by the 1967
Protocol; the Convention against
Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading
Treatment or Punishment; the International Covenant on Civil and Political
Rights (and
its Second Optional Protocol).
[3] Advisory Opinion on the
Extraterritorial Application of Non-Refoulement Obligations under the 1951
Convention relating to the Status
of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol
(Published 26 January 2007).
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