Chahal v Minister for Home Affairs

Case

[2019] FCA 152

19 February 2019


FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Chahal v Minister for Home Affairs [2019] FCA 152

Appeal from: Chahal v Minister for Immigration & Anor [2018] FCCA 2349
File number: VID 1156 of 2018
Judge: ANASTASSIOU J
Date of judgment: 19 February 2019
Catchwords: MIGRATION – application for judicial review – where appellant did not appear – rule 36.75 – appeal dismissed
Legislation:

Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth), 25(2B)(bb)(ii)

Federal Court Rules 2011, r 36.75

Cases cited: Chahal v Minister for Immigration & Anor [2018] FCCA 2349
Date of hearing: 8 February 2019
Date of last submissions: 31 January 2019
Registry: Victoria
Division: General Division
National Practice Area: Administrative and Constitutional Law and Human Rights
Category: Catchwords
Number of paragraphs: 5
Counsel for the Appellant: Appellant did not appear

Counsel for the First Respondent:

MR C. McDermott

Solicitors for the First Respondent:

Mills Oakley

Counsel for the Second Respondent:

The second respondent filed a submitting notice of appearance save as to costs


ORDERS

VID 1156 of 2018
BETWEEN:

PARDEEP SINGH CHAHAL

Appellant

AND:

MINISTER FOR HOME AFFAIRS

First Respondent

ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS TRIBUNAL

Second Respondent

JUDGE:

ANASTASSIOU J

DATE OF ORDER:

19 FEBRUARY 2019

THE COURT ORDERS THAT:

1.The appeal be dismissed.

2.The appellant pay the costs of the first respondent.

Note:    Entry of orders is dealt with in Rule 39.32 of the Federal Court Rules 2011.


REASONS FOR JUDGMENT
(Revised from transcript)

ANASTASSIOU J:

  1. This is an appeal from orders of the Federal Circuit Court of Australia made on 24 August 2018: Chahal v Minister for Immigration & Anor [2018] FCCA 2349. The appellant applied to the Circuit Court for judicial review of a decision made by the second respondent, the Administrative Appeals Tribunal on 1 August 2016.  The Tribunal had affirmed a decision of the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, by his delegate, to cancel the appellant’s Student Temporary (Subclass 573) Higher Education Sector Visa.  The relevant powers of the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection have since been given to the Minister for Home Affairs, who is now the first respondent to this appeal. 

  2. The appellant did not appear before the Court today to prosecute his appeal.  I requested that the Minister’s instructing solicitor attempt to contact the appellant by telephone, however, the appellant did not answer the telephone call.    

  3. Counsel for the Minister tendered correspondence from the Minister’s legal representatives sent by post to the appellant’s address for service in Victoria. The correspondence from the Minister served the Minister’s submissions for this appeal, and confirmed the time and date of the hearing. Accordingly, I am satisfied that the appellant was given notice of the time and date for the hearing of the appeal.  

  4. Counsel for the Minister sought orders that the appeal be dismissed with costs on the grounds that the appellant did not appear to prosecute the appeal. The Court has power under sub-section 25(2B)(bb)(ii) of the Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) to dismiss an appeal where the appellant does not appear to prosecute the appeal. That power is also given under rule 36.75 of the Federal Court Rules 2011

  5. In the circumstances, it is appropriate that the appeal be dismissed with an order that the appellant pay the first respondent’s costs of the appeal. 

I certify that the preceding five (5) numbered paragraphs are a true copy of the Reasons for Judgment herein of the Honourable Justice Anastassiou.

Associate:

Dated:        19 February 2019