Ho v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection

Case [2018] FCA 133


FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Ho v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2018] FCA 133

Appeal from: Application for leave to appeal: Ho v Minister for Immigration & Anor [2017] FCCA 1750
File number: NSD 1328 of 2017
Judge: BROMBERG  J
Date of judgment: 16 February 2018
Catchwords: PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – dismissal of application for leave to appeal for non-appearance
Legislation: Federal Court Rules2011 (Cth), r 35.33
Cases cited: Ho v Minister for Immigration & Anor [2017] FCCA 1750
Date of hearing: 16 February 2018
Registry: New South Wales
Division: General Division
National Practice Area: Administrative and Constitutional Law and Human Rights
Category: Catchwords
Number of paragraphs: 4
Counsel for the Applicant: The Applicant did not appear
Solicitor for the First Respondent: Ms N Johnson of Mills Oakley
Counsel for the Second Respondent: The Second Respondent filed a submitting appearance, save as to costs

ORDERS

NSD 1328 of 2017
BETWEEN:

KA YING HO

Applicant

AND:

MINISTER FOR IMMIGRATION AND BORDER PROTECTION

First Respondent

ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS TRIBUNAL

Second Respondent

JUDGE:

BROMBERG  J

DATE OF ORDER:

16 FEBRUARY 2018

THE COURT ORDERS THAT:

1.The applicant’s application for leave to appeal dated 4 August 2017 is dismissed.

2.The first respondent’s costs of the application be paid by the applicant.

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


REASONS FOR JUDGMENT

BROMBERG J:

  1. The Court has before it an application for leave to appeal.  The applicant seeks leave to appeal from a decision of the Federal Circuit Court of Australia, published as Ho v Minister for Immigration and Anor [2017] FCCA 1750. As far as the Court is aware, the applicant is not legally represented.

  2. The applicant’s application was listed for hearing commencing at 2.15pm this afternoon.  The applicant was not present at Court at that time, and some efforts were made to contact the applicant on the mobile number available to the first respondent.  Those efforts were unsuccessful. 

  3. I am satisfied that the applicant has been made aware of the hearing date for the appeal, both by the Court and by correspondence from the first respondent. Rule 35.33of the Federal Court Rules2011 (Cth) provides that in an application such as this, if a party is absent when the application is called on for hearing, the Court has the capacity to dismiss the application. In the circumstances as I have described them, an order dismissing the application is appropriate.

  4. Accordingly, I will make an order dismissing the application for leave to appeal. 

I certify that the preceding four (4) numbered paragraphs are a true copy of the Reasons for Judgment herein of the Honourable Justice Bromberg.

Associate:        

Dated:        21 February 2018

Details
AGLC
Ho v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2018] FCA 133
Case
[2018] FCA 133
Decision Date

CaseChat Overview and Summary

The applicant, Ho, sought leave to appeal a decision of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) which had dismissed his application for review of a decision to cancel his visa. The Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, the respondent, opposed the application on the basis that Ho had failed to appear at a scheduled hearing of the Full Court. The matter was heard in the Federal Court of Australia.

The primary issue for the court was whether it had the discretion to dismiss the application for leave to appeal due to the applicant’s non-appearance at the scheduled hearing. The court also needed to determine whether the dismissal of the application would be appropriate in the circumstances, considering the respondent's costs incurred as a result of the non-appearance.

The court found that it had the discretion to dismiss the application for leave to appeal in circumstances where the applicant failed to appear for the hearing. The court held that the applicant’s non-appearance was a serious matter that demonstrated a lack of commitment to the proceedings and wasted the court’s time. The court considered that the dismissal of the application was appropriate given the circumstances. It also noted that the respondent had incurred costs as a result of the non-appearance, and it was just that those costs be paid by the applicant.

The court dismissed the applicant’s application for leave to appeal and ordered that the respondent’s costs of the application be paid by the applicant. The costs order was made pursuant to Rule 39.32 of the Federal Court Rules 2011.

Orders

Orders of the court

1. The applicant’s application for leave to appeal dated 4 August 2017 is dismissed.

2. The first respondent’s costs of the application be paid by the applicant.

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

Background

Background to the litigation

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Evidence

Evidence Before The Court

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Decision

Reasons for decision

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Ratio Decidendi

Legal Principle Established

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