Majok and Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs (Citizenship)

The applicant, Majok, sought an extension of time to appeal a decision by the Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs to refuse his application for citizenship by conferral on character grounds. The application was heard by Chris Puplick AM, Senior Member.

The central legal issue before the Senior Member was whether to grant an extension of time for the applicant to lodge his appeal, given that the statutory 28-day period for lodging such an application had elapsed. This required the Senior Member to consider the adequacy of the explanation for the delay and the prospects of success on the merits of the substantive appeal.

The Senior Member reasoned that the applicant had failed to provide any acceptable reason for the significant delay in lodging the application for an extension of time. Furthermore, the Senior Member found that there was no reasonable prospect that the applicant would succeed in a review of the Minister's decision on its merits. Consequently, the application for an extension of time was refused.