Currie and Secretary, Department of Education and Training

This matter concerned an appeal by Mr Currie against a decision of the Secretary, Department of Education and Training, which affirmed a decision regarding a late withdrawal from higher education studies. The core of the dispute revolved around whether Mr Currie had established "special circumstances" that would justify his late withdrawal from his units of study.

The Tribunal was required to determine whether Mr Currie's circumstances, specifically his own alleged mental health conditions and the illness of his father, constituted special circumstances that made it impracticable for him to complete his studies. This involved assessing the evidence presented regarding the severity and timing of his alleged incapacitation and whether these factors prevented him from fulfilling the requirements of his course.

The Tribunal found that while Mr Currie's father suffered from medical conditions beyond his control, the evidence regarding Mr Currie's own mental health during the relevant period was insufficient. Medical records indicated a cessation of antidepressant prescriptions between August 2015 and July 2016, and Mr Currie conceded he had stopped taking medication as he felt well prior to January 2016. Although he claimed to have experienced anxiety and difficulty focusing when his father became ill in May and June 2016, there was no corroborating medical evidence to support these claims for the period in question. Furthermore, the Tribunal noted that Mr Currie had already achieved high distinctions in two subjects and was not working at the time of his withdrawal application, suggesting he had available time for his studies.

Consequently, the Tribunal concluded that Mr Currie had not demonstrated that the circumstances made it impracticable for him to complete his studies. The appeal was dismissed, and the decision under review was affirmed.