Minister for Immigration & Ethnic Affairs v Lebanese Moslem Association

[1987] FCA 71

gdministrat-ive L a w - i u d i c l a l r e v i e v - d i s c r r t i o n s t o qrant

remporarp entry p e r m l t and t o o rde r depor t a t ion Iunder Miuration

.Act, - 1358 - <decisions tfi refuse permit to, and order depor ta t ion

aof, a p p l i c a n t - b r i e f time between applicant 's ubmissions and

makina of adecisions - whether breach of r u l e s of n a t u r a l ! u s t i c e

- decis ions based on f i n d i n g that, a p p l l c a n t vas a " f o c a l p o i n t "

Qf dissens ion - whether decis ions therefore unreascnablo -

applicant, an Imam - whether Consc i tu t lon , s.llG a re l evan t

cons ide ra t ion n o t kaken i n t o acrounT;.

C o n s t i t u t i o n a l L a w - cihether miecislons !contrary t o Cnnstlt lr1tlnn. 5.116

l. The appeal b* allowed with costs.

7

L . mar, che nrders made by the 1:curc on 25 ,J~.lly 13% be set aside and. in lieu thereof, that the application f ,Jr an

~rsrd?r <of review be dismissed with costs.

The €ac ts and the lcuislation re levant k a this matter

are f u l l y set out i n the ludsmenr, of Jacksor! J . , as th?y were ir.

bhe judument Q € the c r i a l Iudue. I auree with Jackson J. thac

+he a p p e a l should he allowed and i n qeneral with his re2scns.

l

For reasons alven by the r r l a l iudne and bv Zackson #J. I

I

I 1 -8 .

I am o f the view khat, the appeal should be ailcwed m t h

c o s t s . the order of the primary illdqe s s t as ide and the

a p p l i c a t i o n t o the Court dismissed. with costs.

1 c e r t i f y t h a t h i s and the

fwo ( 2 ; precedinrr paues are a

t r u e copy of the Reasons €or

-TIldument her2in of his Honour

I4r. J l - I S t l C e FOX.

I N THE FEDERAL COURT O F AUSTRALIA

NEW SOUTH WALES DISTRICT REGISTRY

GENERAL DIVISION

BETWEEN :

A p p e l l a n t

- AND :

THE LEBANESE MOSLEM

ASSOCIATION

F l r s t R e s p o n d e n t

- AND :

SOHER GABER HAMED

Second Respondent

AND :

-

SHEIKH TAJ-EH-DIN HALVED

Th l rd Responden t

CORAM: Fox, B u r c h e t t h J a c k s o n JJ.

- DATZ: 19 February 1987

REASONS FOR JUDGMENT

SURCHETT J .

I agree w l t h t h e o r d e r s p r o p o s e d . T h e q u e s t l o n f o r t h e

Mlnister r a i s e d e s s e n t l a l l y a d l f f i c u l t c h o l c e t o b e m a d e I n t h e

exerclse of h i s d l s c r e t l o n . I t was f o r h1m t o determine t h o s e

f a c t s w h l c h f o r m e d t h e n e c e s s a r y b a s i s of h l s d e c l s i o n . I n my

o p l n i o n , ~t was, ~n l a w , c l e a r l y o p e n t o hlm t o conc lude , upon

L.

t h e m a t e r l a l b e f o r e h l m , t h a t t h e I m z m ' s p r e s e n c e ~n A u s t r a l i a

was a c a t a l y s t f o r c o n f l i c t i n a d iv ided communl ty .

To r e g a r d t h e M l g r a t l o n A c t 1 9 5 8 a s a u t h o r l z i n g t h e

M i n i s t e r t o ac t o n s u c h a v l e w I n v o l v e s no c l a s h w l t h s .116 o f

t h e C o n s t l t u t i o n . T h e j u d g m e n t u n d e r a p p e a l d o e s n o t h o l d

o t h e r w i s e ; h o w e v e r i t d o e s h o l d t h a t h e M i n l s t e r was bound t o

t a k e a c c o u n t o f t h e c o n s t l t u t l o n a l d e n l a l o f a power I n

P a r l i a m e n t t o a u t h o r i z e hlm t o t a k e a n y a c t l o n " f o r p r o h i b i t i n g

t h e f r e e exerclse o f a n y r e l i g l o n " . B u t w l t h v e r y g r e a t r e s p e c t ,

t h e M l n l s t e r 1s n o t o b l i g e d I n l a w t o r e c i t e c o n s l d e r a t l o n s w h i c h

c o u l d o n l y a r l s e a s m a t t e r s r e q u l r e d t o b e t a k e n I n t o a c c o u n t I f

h e w e r e t o a d o p t a particular v lew, wh lch does e no t ~n f a c t

a d o p t . As t h e N l n l s t e r ' s a p p r o a c h I n t h e p r e s e n t c a s e r a l s e d no

q u e s t l o n u n d e r s.116, h e l n v o l v e d h l m s e l f I n no e r r o r o f l a w by

n o t a d v e r t l n g t o t h a t I m p o r t a n t c o n s t l t u t l o n a l g u a r a n t e e .

Nor c a n I see a n y v a l l d i t y I n t h e a t t e m p t t o r e t a l n t h e

d e c l s i o n I n t h e r e s p o n d e n t s ' f a v o u r u p o n t h e g r o u n d , which t h e

l e a r n e d p r l m a r y j u d g e r e j e c t e d , o f a d e n i a l o f n a t u r a l j u s t l c e .

The submlsslon made was i n t h e t ee th of t h e a n x l o u s a n d d e t a l l e d

c o n s i d e r a t l o n g i v e n t o a l l a s p e c t s o f t h l s m a t t e r , a n d t h e

r e p e a t e d o p p o r t u n l t l e s o f f e r e d for t h e p r e s e n t a t i o n of any

m a t t e r s d e s i r e d t o be p u t I n s u p p o r t o f t h e Imam.

I c e r t l f y t h a t t h l s a n d t h e

p r e c e d i n g o n e ( 1 ) p a g e a r e a

t r u e c o p y o f t h e R e a s o n s f o r

J u d g m e n t h e r e l n of h l s Honour

Mr. J u s t l c e B u r c h e t t .

&& A s s o c l a t e

Dated :

I

I N THE FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA ) 1

NEW SOUTH WALES D I S T R I C T R E G I S T R Y No. G 3 4 1 of 1986

)

D I V I S I O N G E N E R A L 1

BETWEEN : THE MINISTER FOR

IMMIGRATION AND E T H N I C A F F A I R S

A p p e l l a n t

- AND : THE LEBANESE MOSLEM A S S O C I A T I O N

F l r s t R e s p o n d e n t

SOHER GABER HAMED

Second R e s p o n d e n t

SHEIKH TAJ-EH-DIN HAMED

T h l r d R e s p o n d e n t

CORAM :	FOX,	BURCHETT	AND JACKSON JJ.
-	DATE :

_ * I ,_ I - _, -

I

PLACE : Sydney

REASONS FOR JUDGMENT

JACKSON J . T h i s appea l is concerned w i t h dec ls lons of t h e a p p e l l a n t

made on 22nd J u n e 1986:-

( a ) r e f u s l n g t o g r a n t permanent r e s l d e n t s t a t u s t o the

second and t h l r d respondents : and

( b ) o r d e r l n g their d e p o r t a t i o n .

-2-

T h e d e c i s l o n s were b a s e d o n m a t t e r s r e l a t l n g t o t h e t h l r d

r e s p o n d e n t a n d i t was a c c e p t e d t h a t t h e f a t e of t h e p r o c e e d l n g s I n

r e l a t i o n t o t h e s e c o n d r e s p o n d e n t s h o u l d f o l l o w t h e f a t e o f t h e

p r o c e e d i n g s i n r e s p e c t of t h e t h l r d r e s p o n d e n t . I t was a l s o a c c e p t e d

t h a t t h e r e w e r e no c o n s i d e r a t i o n s s p e c l a l t o t h e d e p o r t a t l o n o r d e r s

and t h a t t h o s e o r d e r s s h o u l d s t a n d o r f a l l w l t h t h e d e c l s l o n s

r e f u s l n g t o g r a n t p e r m a n e n t r e s l d e n t s t a t u s , a n e x p r e s s l o n t h e r n e a n l n g

of whlch I s h a l l now m e n t l o n .

Under s.18 o f t h e N l g r a t l o n A c t 1958 t h e N l n l s t e r may o r d e r t h e

d e p o r t a t i o n o f a p e r s o n who 1s " a p r o h l b l t e d n o n - c l t l z e n " f o r t h e

p u r p o s e s of t h e A c t . One of t h e modes which may l e a d t o becoming a

p r o h l b l t e d	n o n - c l t l z e n	1s	by	t h e operation	of	s . 7 ( 3 ) which	p r o v l d e s
t h a t :-

" ( 3 ) Upon t h e e x p l r a t l o n .... of a t e m p o r a r y e n t r y p e m l t , t h e

p e r s o n who was t h e h o l d e r o f t h e p e r m l t b e c o m e s a p r o h l b l t e d

n o n - c l t l z e n u n l e s s a f u r t h e r e n t r y p e r m i t a p p l l c a b l e t o h 1 4

comes I n t o f o r c e u p o n t h a t e x p l r a t l o n ... ."

S . 7 ( 3 ) was a p p l l c a b l e t o t h e t h l r d r e s g o n d e n t b e c a u s e h e was a

" n o n - c 1 t l z e n " a n d b e c a u s e t h e l a s t of a number o f t emporary en t ry

p e r m l t s g r a n t e d t o h i m h a d e x p l r e d w i t h n o f u r t h e r e n t r y p e r m l t

a p p l i c a b l e t o h l m t h e n c o m l n g I n t o f o r c e . T h e h o l d e r o f a n e n t r y

p e r m l t , o t h e r t h a n a t e m p o r a r y e n t r y p e r m l t , is colloquially described

a s h a v i n g p e r m a n e n t r e s l d e n t s t a t u s .

-3-

An e n t r y p e r m i t may b e g r a n t e d t o a n o n - c l t i z e n b y a n " o f f i c e r "

( s . 6 ( 2 ) ) , a n d t h e Mlnister t o o may e x e r c l s e t h a t p o w e r (s.S(lAA)).

T h e e n t r y p e r m l t may b e g r a n t e d a f t e r a r r l v a l I n A u s t r a l l a ( s . 6 ( 5 ) )

b u t i f t h e e n t r y p e r m i t t o b e g r a n t e d is o t h e r t h a n a t e m p o r a r y e n t r y

p e r m i t ( s . 6 A ( 8 ) ) , it may n o t b e g r a n t e d u n l e s s o n e o r m o r e o f t h e

c o n d l t i o n s s p e c l f i e d I n s . 6 A ( 1 ) o f t h e Act IS f u l f i l l e d i n r e s p e c t of

t h a t p e r s o n . I n t h e c a s e o f t h e t h l r d r e s p o n d e n t t h e r e l e v a n t

c o n d i t l o n is t h a t r e f e r r e d t o I n s . 6 A ( l ) ( d ) , n a m e l y t h a t : -

" ( d ) h e is t h e h o l d e r o f a t e m p o r a r y e n t r y p e r m l t w h i c h 1s I n

f o r c e , 1s a u t h o r l z e d t o w o r k I n A u s t r a l l a a n d 1s n o t a

p r e s c r i b e d n o n - c i t i z e n ; "

and I n t h e case o f t h e s e c o n d r e s p o n d e n t t h e r e l e v a n t c o n d l t l o n w o u l d

b e s . 6 A ( l ) ( b ) , 1.e. b e i n g t h e s p o u s e o f t h e h o l d e r o f a n e n t r y p e r m l t .

I t may b e n o t e d t h a t s . 6 A ( l ) ( d ) r e q u l r e s t h a t t h e p e r s o n t o

whom t h e e n t r y p e r m l t b e g r a n t e d b e t h e h o l d e r o f a t a m p o r a r y e n t r y

p e r m l t a t t h e tlme o f g r a n t o f t h e e n t r y p e r m l t p u r s u a n t t o s . 6 A ( l ) .

No p o l n t J u d g e b a s e d o n was t a k e n by t h e a p p e l l a n t b e f o r e u s o r b e f o r e t h e p r l m a r y

t h e f a c t t h a t a t t h e tlme when t h e Impugned d e c l s l o n s

were made t h e s e c o n d a n d t h l r d r e s p o n d e n t s w e r e n o t t h e h o l d e r s o f

t e m p o r a r y e n t r y p e r m l t s , I t b e i n g a s s u m e d t h a t I n v o l v e d I n t h e

d e c l s l o n s was a l s o t h e d e c l s l o n n o t t o g r a n t t h e n e c e s s a r y t e m p o r a r y

e n t r y p e r m i t s . I t 1s u n n e c e s s a r y I n t h l s c a s e t o q u e s t l o n t h e

p r o p r l e t y o f	t h l s c o u r s e	I n	t h e	l i g h t o f	t h e	a p p r o a c h	t a k e n	by	t h e
p a r t l e s .

T h e t h l r d r e s p o n d e n t is a n E g y p t i a n n a t l o n a l who came t o

I

-4 -

Australla in 1982 at the instigation of the Australian Federation of Islamlc Councils In order to take up the positlon as the Imam of the Lakemba Mosque. The lnvltatlon was for a three month perlod lnltlally

but the third respondent has continued in offlce as Imam since then.

The need In 1982 to appolnt a new Imam was brought about by the

dismissal of the grevlous Imam, Sheikh Zeidan, a matter wlth which	t e
thlrd respondent, lt may be observed in passlng, was in no way

concerned. It appears, however, that Sheikh Zeldan, notwlthstanding

the exlstence of an injunctlon restralnlng hlm from dolng so,

lnterfered with prayer meetlngs at the Mosque after the appointment of

the thlrd respondent as his successor and the events whlch followed

are summarlzed in the reasons for judgment of the prinary Judge as

follows:-

"Thus, very early In the Shelkh's stay, there appeared the flrst Important slgn of the trouble whlch has contlnued slnce. About the tlme of explratlon of the first temporary entry permlt, a

number of menbers of the assoclation wrote to the department

asklng that a permanent visa not be granted to the sheikh.

They made allegatlons of some importance agalnst him, claimlng that he had been assoclated wlth extremlst, Indeed terrorist,

elements. However, there also appeared early evldence that the shelkh had attracted conslderable support among menbers of the

assoclatlon. In partlcular, that may be deduced from the

report of results of an electlon of the councll of the

association which took place on 6 June 1982. That sign of

supportr no doubt, asslsted towards the obtalnlng of the permlt department agalnst the shelkh; It was suggested that he preached vlolence In the cause of fundamentalist Islamlc nations, that he was believed to be a member of the "Soldiers of God"r a group sald to be involved In the assasslnatlon of Presldent Sudat of Egypt, and had verbally attacked Australlan

by the shelkh allowlng hlm to remain untll the end of 1982.

women. It was sald that In July the sheikh made a speech at

the Lakemba Mosque of a highly polltlcal klnd attacklng the presence in Lebanon". Hearers were urged, accordlng to the

interventron In Lebanon of "dummles" of Russla and the Unlted

-5-

a l l e g a t l o n s	made,	t o sacr i f lce	t h e m s e l v e s	I n t h e	cause	of
I s lam. "

As I h a v e s a l d , t h e t h i r d r e s p o n d e n t came t o A u s t r a l l a u n d e r a

t e m p o r a r y e n t r y p e r m i t . He was given a f u r t h e r s u c h p e r m i t w h l c h

e x p i r e d a t t h e e n d of 1982. The Australian F e d e r a t l o n o f I s l a m l c

C o u n c i l s wrote a s k i n g f o r a two y e a r e x t e n s l o n , b u t s u p p o r t e r s of t h e

f o r m e r Imam asked f o r t h e e x p u l s l o n of t h e t h i r d r e s p o n d e n t a n d i n t h e

e n d . t h e then Minis ter g a v e a 1 2 m o n t h t e m p o r a r y e n t r y p e r m l t w h l c h

c o v e r e d t h e p e r i o d u n t l l t h e e n d of 1 9 8 3 . T h a t e n t r y p e r m l t e x p l r e d o n

3 1 December 1 9 8 3 w i t h o u t a n y f u r t h e r e x t e n s l o n h a v i n g b e e n d e c i d e d

a l t h o u g h t h e r e h a d been some d l s c u s s l o n a b o u t i t . In J a n u a r y 1 9 8 4 ,

h o w e v e r , t h e then M l n i s t e r d e t e r m l n e d t h a t " s u b j e c t t o you and your

f a m l l y meetlng the n o r m a l h e a l t h a n d c h a r a c t e r r e q u l r e m e n t s " t h e r e

s h o u l d b e g r a n t e d a t e m p o r a r y e n t r y p e r m l t f a r a f u r t h e r y e a r e x p l r i n g

o n 31 December 1984.

On 2 1 J a n u a r y 1 9 8 5 t h e p r e s e n t Minlster, who had t a k e n o v e r t h e

p o r t f o l l o a r e l a t l v e l y s h o r t tlme b e f o r e , d e c i d e d t o a l l o w t h e t h l r d

r e s p o n d e n t t o r e m a l n f o r a f u r t h e r s 1 x months and on 7 Februa ry 1935 a

meetlng took p l a c e b e t w e e n r e p r e s e n t a t l v e s of t h e D e p a r t m e n t , t h e

t h i r d r e s p c n d e n t a n d o t h e r s t o t e l l t h e t h i r d r e s p o n d e n t o f t h a t

d e c l s l o n . T h e t h l r d r e s p o n d e n t d e c l l n e d t o a c c e p t h e e x t e n s l o n . 9e

a l s o r e f u s e d t o s u b m l t h i s p a s s p o r t t o enable t h e I s s u e of a t e m p o r a r y

e n t r y p e r m l t t o c o v e r t h a t o f a s 1 x month period.

As t h e p r l m a r y J u d g e said:-

" T h e f o l l o w l n g d l y , t h e I m a m made a r a t h e r p r o v o c a t i v e s p e e c h a t

the mosque . The re was some d i s c u s s l o n a t t h e h e a r l n g a b o u t t h e

l

-6-

a c c u r a c y o f the t r a n s l a t i o n , b u t n o t too much shou ld be made o f

t h i s p r o b l e m , slnce l t a p p e a r s t o have been open t o t h e

a p p l i c a n t s t o a r r a n g e t o have a f u r t h e r t r a n s l a t l o n d o n e l f

t h e y d l d e x p r e s s e d h i m s e l f n o t l i k e t h e d e p a r t m e n t ' s v e r s l o n . T h e s h e l k h

I n f a v o u r o f t h e s a c r i f i c e s made by young

p e o p l e " a s s u r e d o f p a r a d i s e " , who had made s u l c l d e b o m b l n g

r a l d s o n h e r l c a n a n d I s r ae l i e s t a b l l s h m e n t s l n Lebanon. H e

s a i d , a c c o r d i n g " V i c t o r y t o a d e p a r t m e n t a l t r a n s l a t i o n :

is near, b u t w e mus t merlt I t I f w e want t o

assure t h e greatness of t h e Moslem n a t i o n ...

Oh t h o s e who b e l l e v e i n God, t h e f i v e p l l l a r s o f Islam

a n d t h e P r o p h e t , f a l t h f u l n e s s s h o u l d n o t b e f o r a l a n d

or a law which 1s non-Islamlc a n d t h o s e wh3 d o n o t s h a r e

t h e s e p r l n c l p l e s a re n o t f o r bs b u t f o r t h e m ..."

U n d e r s t a n d a b l y , s e n i o r counsel f o r t h e r e s p o n d e n t r e l l e d u p o n

t h l s u t t e r a n c e a s t e n d l n g t o ~ u s t i f y t h e vlew t h a t t h e s h e l k h

h a s Seen a foca l p o l n t of d l s s e n s i o n . H o w e v e r , f o r some reason

t h e J u n e 1 9 8 6 d e c l s l o n s were a p p a r e n t l y made w l t h o u t re l lance

on t h e s p e e c h .

I n March 1985 , t he r e sponden t met w1th members of a d e l e g a t l o n

who c r l t l c l z e d t h e s h e l k h a n d o p p o s e d h i s c o n t l n u e d aresence I n

t h e c o u n t r y , a n d a l s o w l t h a d e l e g a t l o n u r g i n g a c o n t r a r y v l e w .

An i m p o r t a n t p o l n t made i n t h e r e s p o n d e n t ' s d l s c u s s l o n s w l t h

t h e l a t t e r g r o u p was t h e s h e i k h ' s r e f u s a l t o a c c e p t t h e

p r o f e r r e d s l x - m o n t h e x t e n s i o n a n d h l s r e f u s a l t o s u b m l t h l s

passport t o e n a b l e t h e I s s u e o f a f u r t h e r t e m p o r a r y e n t r y

p e r m l t c o v e r l n g t h e s i x - m o n t h p e r i o d ( t h a t IS, t o 30 J u n e

1 9 8 5 ) ."

I t 1s u n n e c e s s a r y f o r p r e s e n t p u r p o s e s t o g o i n t o g r e a t d e t a l l

c o n c e r n l n g the e v e n t s w h l c h f o l l o w e d t h e r e a f t e r . I t s u f f l c e s t o s a y

t h a t on 3 1 s t J a n u a r y 1 9 8 6 t h e a p p e l l a n t r e c o n s l d e r e d t h e q u e s t l o n o f

t h e g r a n t o f p e r m a n e n t r e s l d e n t s t a t u s t o t h e s e c o n d a n d t h l r d

r e s p o n d e n t s a n d r e f u s e d t o g r a n t t h e m t h e necessary e n t r y p e r m l t s . He

a l s o r e q u l r e d t h e m t o l e a v e A u s t r a l l a b e f o r e 2 8 t h F e b r u a r y 1 9 8 6 . T h a t

d e c l s l o n was t h e s u b ~ e c t o f an a p p l l c a t l o n t o t h e Cour t f 3 r al? o r d e r

o f r e v l 5 w b u t , a s d i d t h e p r l m a r y J u d g e , I f l n d I t u n n e c e s s a r y t o go

i n t o t h e d e t a l l o f i t b e c a u s e I t a p p e a r s t o h a v e b e e n s u p p l a n t e d

e n t l r e l y b y t h e e v e n t s t o whlch I am a b o u t t o r e f e r .

-7-

On 5th May 1986 the appellant's Department Indicated that he

proposed to reconsider the whole matter and there was later sent to

the third respondent a draft of the submission proposed to be made to

the appellant by the Secretary of the Department, Mr McKlnnon. The third respondent responded on 20th June 1986 by the dellvery to the Department of two submlssions (one lengthy, one brief) In response.

Some alterations were made to Mr NcKinnon's draft submlsslon to

the appellant in order to take into account matters contained In the

thlrd respondent's two submisslons of 20th June. The appellant dealt

wlth the matter two days later, slgnlfylng hls declsions by addlng In

hanawrltlng to the submlsslon the fol1owlng:-

"I have read and consldered thls submlsslon and also the

attached materlal Including the submlsslon from the Applicant

A 1 Hilaly dated 20th June 1986. I now ( 1 ) revoke the declslon

I made on 30th January 1986; ( 1 1 ) refuse the grant of permanent

resident status to the Applicant A1 Hllaly and hls wlfe; and

(lii) sign the attached orders for the deportatlon of the

Applicant A 1 Hllaly and his wlfe."

The prlnary Judge was of the vlew that the appllcatlon for

(Judlclal Revlew) Act 1977 should succeed. He took that vlew because

he thought that the appellant had not taken Into account matters

whlch, by reason of s.116 of the Constltutlon, he was obll,led to take

review of those declslons under s.5 of the .\dmlnlstratlve Declsions 22nd June 1986 and dlrected that the matter be remltted to the appellant for reconsideratlon In accordance wlth hls reasox. The appellant contends that the prlmary Judge's declslon on th+ appllcatlon of s.116 was in error and It is convenient to lea1 with

t h a t issue b e f o r e t u r n l n g t o t h e o t h e r b a s e s o n w h i c h t h e r e s p o n d e n t s

seek t o u p h o l d t h e p r i m a r y J u d g e ' s d e c i s l o n .

5 . 1 1 6 o f t h e C o n s t i t u t l o n p r o v l d e s t h a t : -

"116 . The Commonwealth s h a l l n o t make any law f o r

e s t a b l i s h i n g a n y r e l l g l o n , o r f o r I m p o s l n g a n y r e l l g l o u s

o b s e r v a n c e , o r f o r p r o h i b l t i n g t h e f r e e e x e r c l s e o f a n y

r e l l g i o n , a n d n o r e l l g l o u s t e s t s h a l l b e r e q u i r e d a s a

q u a l l f l c a t l o n f o r a n y o f f l c e o r p u b l i c t r u s t u n d e r t h e

Commonwealth . "

and i t 1s t h a t p a r t o f s.116 whlch refers t o l a w s " f o r

p r o h l b i t l n g t h e f r e e e x e r c i s e o f a n y r e l l g l o n " w h i c h 1s here

r e l i e d on by t h e r e s p o n d e n t s .

I t w ~ l l be seen t h a t t h e terms of s.116 a r e s u c h t h a t t h e y

o p e r a t e a s a n i n h i b i t l o n u p o n t h e e x e r c l s e o f l e g i s l a t l v e p o w e r ,

including the power c o n f e r r e d by s . 5 l ( x x v 1 1 ) t o make l a w s w l t h

r e s p e c t t o m m l g r a t l o n a n d e m l g r a t l o n ( A d e l a i d e Company of

J e h o v a h ' s Wltnesses I n c . v. The Commonwealth ( 1 9 4 3 ) 6 7 C . L . R .

1 1 6 , A t t o r n e y - G e n e r a l f o r V l c t o r i a (Ex r e l . Black) v . The -

Commonwealth (1981) 1 4 6 C . L . R . 5 5 9 ) . I d o n o t mean t o c o n v e y by

t h a t t h a t s.116 has n o o p e r a t i o n I n r e l a t l o n t o e x e c u t l v e a c t s ,

b u t t h e e x e c u t l v e a c t l o n u n d e r t r u e s l t u a t l o n 1s t h a t I f a n e n a c t m e n t p e r m l t t e d

i t which amounted t o a p r o h l b l t l o n u p o n

t h e f r e e exerclse o f a n y r e l l g i o n , t h e e n a c t m e n t t o t h e e x t e n t

t h a t I t p e r m i t t e d s u c h a c t i o n ( a n d S U b J e C t t o t h e q u a l i f i c a t i o n

r e f e r r e d t o by Barwlck C . J . I n t h e p a s s a g e t o w h i c h I s h a l l n e x t

r e f e r ! w o u l d b e l n v a l l d . As Barwlck C . J . s a l d I n

-9-

A t t o r n e y - G e n e r a l f o r V l c t o r l a ( E x r e l . Black) v. The Commonwealth

( s u p r a ) a t 580-581:

"The n e x t o b s e r v a t i o n I w l s h t o make as t o s.116 1s t h a t I t

is d l r e c t e d t o the mak lng o f l aw . I t is n o t d e a l l n g w l t h

t h e a d m i n l s t r a t l o n of a law. B u t , l f t h a t a d m l n l s t r a t l o n

is w i t h i n t h e a m b i t o f t h e a u t h o r i t y c o n f e r r e d by t h e

s t a t u t e , a n d d o e s a m o u n t t o t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f a

religion, t h e s t a t u t e w h l c h s u p p o r t s I t will most p r o b a b l y

be a s t a t u t e f o r e s t a b l l s h l n g a r e l l g l o n a n d t h e r e f o r e

v o i d a s o f f e n d i n g s.116. Tha t 1s s o , n o t b e c a u s e o f t h e

manner of t h e a d r n i n l s t r a t i o n b u t b e c a u s e t h e s t a t u t e ,

p r o p e r l y c o n s t r u e d , a u t h o r l z e s i t . I s a y m o s p r o b a b l y , t

b e c a u s e t h e p u r p o s i v e c o n t e n t o f t h e e x p r e s s l o n " f o r

e s t a b l i s h i n g " m u s t , i n a n y c a s e , b e s a t l s f l e d ."

Barwlck C . J . was s p e a k l n g , o f c o u r s e , o f a n o t h e r p a r t o f s.116

b u t I n my v l e w h i s r e m a r k s a p p l y e q u a l l y t o t h e p a r t o f s.116

p r e s e n t l y I n q u e s t l o n .

A c c e p t l n g t h e g e n e r a l p r o p o s i t l o n , h o w e v e r , t h a t I f

e x e c u t l v e a c t l o n I n c o n f l l c t w i t h t h e c o n t e n t o f s . 1 1 6 is

a u t h o r l z e d by s t a t u t e , t h e s t a t u t e t o t h e e x t e n t t o wh lch l t

a u t h o r i z e s t h a t a c t i o n may S e t r e a t e d a s b e l n g I n c o n f l l c t w l t h

s.116, and i n v a l i d , t h e c a s e is not o n e w h e r e t h e r e 1s any

f l n d l n g t h a t t h e a c t l o n o f t h e a p p e l l a n t d i d l n f a c t c o n s t l t u t e a

p r o h l b i t l o n on t h e f r e e e x e r c l s e o f a r e l l g l o n , o r was engaged I n

" f o r " p r o h l b i t l n g t h e f r e e e x e r c l s e o f a n y r e l l g l o n . I n s t e a d t h e

p r lmary Judge t ook a d l f f e r e n t course. He h e l d t h a t 1t was c l e a r

f rom t h e r e a s o n s g i v e n by t h e a p p e l l a n t f o r h l s d e c l s l o n s t h a t h e

w a s a w a r e o f t h e d e s i r a b l l l t y o f n o t I n t e r f e r l n g w ~ t h t h e

r e l i g i o u s o b s e r v a n c e o f m e m b e r s o f t h e f i r s t r e s p o n d e n t b u t t h e n

said : -

-10-

"I t 1s o n e t h l n g , h o w e v e r , t o s a y t h a t I n d e t e r m i n i n g

w h e t h e r t o r e m o v e a n e s t a b l l s h e d Imam, ~n o r d e r t h a t h e

may b e r e p l a c e d by ano the r whose p r e a c h i n g a n d o t h e r

b e h a v i o u r may be more a c c e p t a b l e t o t h e r e s p o n d e n t , t h e

d e s i r a b i l l t y o f r e l l g l o u s f r e e d o m h a s b e e n k e p t 19 mind:

it 1 s a n o t h e r t h i n g t o c o n c l u d e t h a t t h e r e s p o n d e n t h a s

r e g a r d e d h i m s e l f , I n m a k i n g h i s d e c i s i o n s , a s b o u n d t o

r e s p e c t r e l l g l o u s f r e e d o m . T h e a d v l c e s t o t h e r e s p o n d e n t

a p p e a r t o me t o b e d r a w n o n t h e a s s u m p t l o n t h a t no r l g h t

of members of t h e a s s o c l a t i o n , i n r e s p e c t of r e l i g l o u s

m a t t e r s , can b e i n f r l n g e d by d e c l s i o n s o f t h e k l n d w h l c h

were made. I n t h e f l r s t s e t o f r e a s o n s , f o r e x a m p l e , I t

i s s a l d t h a t t h e " d i s c r e t i o n I n t h e l e g i s l a t l o n is a t

l a r g e " . I n d e e d l t ls, b u t h e C o n s t i t u t i o n u n d e r w h l c h

t h e p o w e r t o make t h e l e g i s l a t l o n a r a s e imposes, l n my

o p i n l o n , r e s t r a l n t s w h i c h m u s t b e o b s e r v e d . "

He w e n t o n t o s a y t h a t " a t t h e l e a s t " t h e t e rms of s.116

m u s t h a v e r e q u l r e d t h e a p p e l l a n t t o t a k e I n t o a c c o u n t : -

( a ) t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t h a d no r l g h t so t o e x e r c l s e h 1 3

p o w e r s a s t o e n d e a v o u r t o p u t a n e n d t o e x p r e s s l o n s

of a p u r e l y r e l i g l o u s c h a r a c t e r o n t h e p a r t o f t h e

s h e l k h , w h e t h e r " f u n d a m e n t a l l s t " o r otherwise; and

( b ) t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s d e c l s l o n s m u s t n o t b e b r o u g h t

about by an op ln lon formed by h l m t h a t t h e f l r s t

r e s p o n d e n t ' s m e m b e r s m i g h t b e b e t t e r s e r v e d

r e l i g l o u s l y by	an	Imam	o t h e r	t h a n	t h e one	they	had
chosen .

H l s H o n c u r t h e n h e l d t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t , b e l n g o b l l g e d t o t a k e

a c c o u n t o f t h o s e m a t t e r s , h a d n o t d o n e so.

-11-

I am u n a b l e t o agree w i t h t h e a p p r o a c h t a k e n by h l s

Honour. I n my v l e w t h e q u e s t i o n w h l c h a r l ses 1s n o t w h e t h e r t h e

a p p e l l a n t t o o k I n t o a c c o u n t t h e terns of s.116 - a s s u m l n g t h a t

t h e c o n s l d e r a t i o n s mentioned by His Honour d l d represent t h e

meaning o f s . 1 1 6 - b u t r a t h e r w h e t h e r t h e e x e r c i s e o f p o w e r 1s

" f o r " one o f t h e e n d s p r o v l d e d by s.116. No f l n d l n g was made by

Hls Honour t h a t t h e r e was a c o n t r a v e n t i o n of s . 1 1 6 I n t h a t sense

a n d I f no more a p p e a r e d t h e a p p e a l s h o u l d b e a l l o w e d on t h a t

g r o u n d .

T h e r e s p o n d e n t s seek t o m a l n t a i n t h e p r l m a r y J u d g e ' s

d e c i s l o n , h o w e v e r , b y e s t a b l i s h l n g t h a t t h e m a k l n g o f t h e

d e c l s l o n i n f a c t I n v o l v e d a c o n t r a v e n t i o n o f s.116, and I s h a l l

d e a l w i t h t h o s e a r g u m e n t s a t a l a t e r p o l n t . B e f o r e d o i n g s o ,

however , ~t 1s c o n v e n l e n t t o d e a l with t h e a r g u m e n t s o f t h e

r e s p o n d e n t s o n a n o t h e r g r o u n d o n w h l c h t h e y seek t o a a l n t a l n t h e

d e c l s l o n , n a m e l y t h a t t h e a g p e l l a n t d e n l e d t h e m n a t a r a l ~ u s t l c e

I n m a k l n g t h e d e c l s l o n s I n q u e s t i o n .

As I h a v e s a l d e a r l l e r , t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s d e c l s l o n s t o

r e f u s e t o g r a n t p e r m a n e n t e n t r y s t a t u s a n d t o o r d e r d e p o r t s t l o n

made on 31s t J anua ry 1986 were c h a l l e n g e d i n p r o c e e d l n g s

i n s t l t u t e d I n t h e C o u r t o n 2 6 t h F e b r u a r y 1 9 8 6 , b u t t h o s e

d e c l s l o n s b e c a m e a c a d e m l c b e c a u s e o f t h e l a t e r r e c o n s l d e r a t l o n o f

t h e i s s u e s submlss lon I n v o l v e d . T h e t h l r d r e s p o n d e n t ' s r e s p o n s e s t o t h e

wh lch I t was p roposed t o p u t t o t h e Nlnls ter were

d e l l v e r e d I n Sydney on 2 0 t h J u n e a t noon and a t a b o u t 5 . 0 0 p.m..

-12-

On the same day the Secretary of the Department, who was in

Canberra, made a recommendation to the appellant whlch referred

to the thlrd respondent's letter and proceeded to recommend that

the appellant take the steps whlch In fact he dld. The appellant

was In Adelaide and on Sunday 22nd June 1986, having read through

the submlssion to h m , arrlved at the decisions now attacked.

It 1s argued that the second and thlrd respondents were

denled natural justlce because of the brevlty of tune between

recelpt of the thxd respondent's submlssion and the completion

of Mr McKinnon's submmlsslon, and between recelpt of that materlal

by the appellant and hls declslon.

The prlmary Judge was of the vlew that the polnt falled on

the facts, saylng that It was by no means lmpossible that the

respondent and Mr McKlnnon, each of whom was very famlllar wlth

the matter from prevlous contact with It, could properly

reconslder the questlon In the light of the further submlsslon,

wlthln a day, or indeed wlthin an hour or two. I agree entlrely

with thls view. I qulte accept that, as Lord Wldgery C . J . sald

In - Reg. v. Thames Maglstrates' Court, Ex parte Polemls [l9741 1

W.L.R. 1371 at 1374, a declsion to whlch reference was made on been given the fullest opportunity to present hls case t3 the decislon-maker 1s then entltled to complaln because of the

behalf of the respondents, a breach of natural lustice may occur

If a party 1s not given a reasonable chance to present a case.

-13-

d e c i s i o n - m a k e r ' s d i l i g e n c e a n d e x p e d l t i o n i n d e a l i n g w l t h t h e

m a t t e r . I t would make I t a haza rdous exercise e v e r t o g l v e a

d e c l s l o n " o n t h e s p o t " .

The s econd a spec t o n w h i c h r e l i a n c e was p l a c e d I n t h i s

r e g a r d was n e i t h e r t h e a p p e l l a n t nor t h a t t h e r e was a d e n i a l o f n a t u r a l j u s t l ce b e c a u s e

Mr McKinnon t o o k s t e p s t o make

l n q u i r l e s c o n c e r n i n g new m a t t e r s r a i s e d I n t h e r e s p o n d e n t ' s

l e t t e r s o f 20 th J u n e .

The p r l m a r y J u d g e s a l d I n r e l a t l o n t o t h i s submlss1on : -

"Al though t h i s con ten t ion mlgh t have had some w e l g h t o f Its

own l f t h e r e s p o n d e n t h a d a c t e d o n t h e b a s l s o f m a k l n g

f i n d l n g s of m i s c o n d u c t a g a l n s t t h e s h e l k h o f t h e k l n d t h a t

were I n Issue I n Kloa - v . West ( 1 9 8 5 ) 6 0 A . L . J . R . 113, t h e

f a t e o f t h e c o n t e n t l o n d e p e n d s on t h e v a l i d l t y of t h e

" f o c a l p o i n t " a r g u m e n t w h l c h LS d e a l t w l t h b e l o w . I n t h e

way I n w h l c h t h e r e s p o n d e n t a p p r o a c h e d t h e p r o b l e m , l t was

s l m p l y n o t n e c e s s a r y t o r e a c h a c o n c l u s l o n w h e t h e r t h e

a l l e g a t l o n s a g a l n s t t h e s h e i k h , o r h l s r e f u t a t i o n s o f

them, were c o r r e c t . I n s o f a r a s t h e s u b m i s s l o n t o t h e

r e s p o n d e n t of 2 0 J u n e c o n t a i n e d o t h e r m a t e r i a l ( f o r

e x a m p l e , r e f e r e n c e t o h l s communlty service), I c a n n o t see

t h a t f u r t h e r e n q u l r y was c a l l e d f o r . "

I a g r e e w l t h H1s Honour t h a t t h e r e s o l u t l o n of t h e Issue

t u r n s o n w h e t h e r t h e a p p e l l a n t was e n t i t l e d t o a d o p t t h e " f o c a l

p o l n t " a p p r o a c h , t h e essence of which 1s t h a t i n a s t a t e m e n t of

r e a s o n s f o r h l s d e c l s l o n s p u r s u a n t t o s . 1 3 of t h e A d m l n l s t r a t l v e

D e c i s i o n s ( J u d l c l a l R e v l e w ) A c t t h e a p p e l l a n t s t a t e d t h a t h e

adopted what was c o n t a l n e d I n t h e s u b m i s s i o n t o h l m from Xr

McKlnnon

d a t e d

2 0 t h

J u n e

1 9 8 6 .

T

h

e

m a t t e r

so

a d o p t e d

was

a s

f o l l o w s : -

-14-

"22. A n u m b e r o f a l l e g a t l o n s a g a i n s t t h e A p p l l c a n t h a v e

been made.

2 3 . T h e a l l e g a t i o n s a g a i n s t t h e A p p l l c a n t a r e d e n i e d w l t h

e q u a l v e h e m e n c e b y t h e A p p l l c a n t ' s s u p p o r t e r s , who clalm

t h a t h e 1s a g e n u l n e a n d v a l u a b l e r e l i g l o u s l e a d e r who h a s

t h e s u p p o r t s u b m r s s i o n o f t h e m a j o r l t y o f h i s c o m m u n l t y . T h i s p o i n t

1 s e m p h a s l s e d b y t h e A p p l i c a n t h l m s e l f I n h i s most recent

t o you where he goes t o some l e n g t h t o r e f u t e

t h e a l l e g a t l o n s .

2 4 . T s u p p o r t e d h e a l l e g a t i o n s a g a i n s t t h e A p p l i c a n t a r e not

b y f a c t u a l e v i d e n c e . T h e i r v e r a c l t y cannot b e

r e l l e d o n a n d y o u may c h o o s e t o disregard them.

2 5 . W h a t e v e r b e t h e f a c t u a l p o s l t i o n w l t h r e s p e c t t o t h e

a l l ega t lons made a g a l n s t t h e A p p l i c a n t , i t is u n d e n i a b l e

t h a t t h e r e a re d l v l s l o n s w l t h l n t h e L e b a n e s e c o m m u n i t y i n

S y d n e y , e v i d e n c e d b y t h e f a c t t h a t s t r o n g a l l e g a t l o n s a re

made a g a l n s t e x a c e r b a t e d e e p - s e a t e d p a s s l o n s w l t h l n t h e A p p l l c a n t a n d e q u a l l y s t r o n g l y d e n i e d by

h i s s u p p o r t e r s . T h e A p p l l c a n t ' s p r e s e n c e a p p e a r s t o

t h a t c o m m u n l t y ,

among b o t h t h e A p p l l c a n t h i m s e l f h l s s u p p o r t e r s a n d h l s opponents . However , ~t

1s n o t o p p o n e n t s , c l e a r t o w h a t e x t e n t t h e d i v l s i o n s a r e caused by

o r t h e o v e r - r e a c t i o n s o f h l s

o r w h e t h e r t h e A p p l l c a n t m e r e l y s e r v e s as a

foca l p o l n t f o r p r e - e x i s t l n g t e n s i o n s w l t h i n t h e

communlty, e .g . be tween Sunni and Shla Musl ims , be tween

M u s l l m s a n d C h r l s t l a n s , o r between the Lebanese communlty

a n d t h e A u s t r a l i a n c o m m u n l t y I n g e n e r a l . You s h o u l d note

I n t h i s r e g a r d t h a t I n h i s most recent s u b m l s s l o n t o you

t h e A p p l l c a n t d e n l e s b e i n g a f o c a l p o l n t f o r c o n t l n u l n g

d l v i s i o n and c o n f l l c t w i t h l n t h e L e b a n e s e communl ty , h l s

b a s l c p o l n t I n s u p p o r t o f t h l s a s s e r t l o n b e i n g t h a t s u c h

c o n f l l c t s were p r e s e n t I n A u s t r a l i a b e f o r e h l s a r r l v a l a n d

a re t h e f u r t h e r s t a t e s r e s u l t o f d l v i s i o n s t h a t e x l s t i n L e b a n o n . He

t h a t t o t h e e x t e n t t o w h l c h t h e r e a r e

d l v l s i o n s b e t w e e n t h e s u p p o r t e r s of Shelkh Ze ldan and t h e

Lebanese Noslem A s s o c l a t l o n h e h a s a l w a y s t r l e d t o a v o i d

s u c h d l v i s i o n s , a n d t o h e a l t h e m when t h e y h a v e o c c u r r e d .

He s t a t e s t h a t t h o s e d l v l s l o n s h a v e now s e t t l e d down and

a re o n l y l i k e l y t o b e r e k l n d l e d by h l s d e p a r t u r e .

H o w e v e r , n o t w l t h s t a n d l n g t h e A p p l l c a n t ' s assertions t o t h e

c o n t r a r y y o u may c o n s i d e r t h a t h e is a f o c a l point f o r

c o n t l n u i n g d i v l s l o n a n d c o n f l i c t w l t h i n t h e Lebanese

communi ty and w l th ln t he Australian community a s a whole .

2 6 . R e f u s a l d e p a r t u r e 3 f r e s l d e n t s t a t u s t o t h e A p p l l c a n t a n d h l s

f r o m A u s t r a l i a w i l l c rea te t h e n e c e s s l t y t o f l l l

t h e p o s l t l o n h e p r e s e n t l y o c c u p l e s . I t c o u l d t a k e some

c o n s l d e r a b l e tlme t o f l n d a s u l t a b l e r e p l a c e m e n t a n d t h e

communl ty cou ld be w l thou t a r e l l g i o u s l e a d e r .

F u r t h e r m o r e , I t i s n o t known whe the r any r ep lacemen t wou ld

b e a b l e t o o v e r c o m e t h e d l v l s l o n s w h l c h p r e s e n t l y exist l n

-15-

the Lebanese community.

...

29. Notwlthstanding the Applicant's possible eliglbllity

for consideration for the grant of permanent resldent

status under both the Act and pollcy, and the interests of

the two Australlan-born chlldren In having their parents

remain in Australla, you may decide that, because his

presence is a focal point for contlnuing dlvislon and conflrct within the Lebanese communlty and withln the Australlan communlty as a whole, this is not in the best

Interests of that communlty nor the best Interests of cohesiveness of the wider multlcultural Australlan

communlty and that the Applicant should not be granted

permanent res ldence . "

It is clear from the materlal which was before hlm that

the appellant was entltled to take the view that the thlrd

respondent was in fact a focal polnt for dlssenslon In the M u s l m

communlty. Thus in his submlsslons of 20th June 1986 the thlrd

respondent had said:-

"I acknowledge that some aspects of my early speeches are

offenslve to Australlans. They were not lntended to be

so. "

and In relation to a speech made on 12th November 1983 said:-

"I believe that that speech is typlcal of the nature of the speeches whlch I make and that those speeches shown to you are examples of speeches of whlch I now regret the manner

of the dellvery."

The thlrd respondent also sald in that letter:-

"I recognise that I do not command total support and that

thls may partly be the result of lnjudlclous language used

by me when I arrived. I genuinely belleve that I have

changed for the better and that my continued presence In Australia can only be beneficlal to my followers and tha Australian communlty."

-16-

S e c o n d l y t h e o t h e r d o c u m e n t s a t t a c h e d t o Mr McKinnon's

s u b m l s s i o n s h o w e d t h a t t h e v l e w was o p e n t h a t t h e p r e s e n c e o f t h e

t h i r d r e s p o n d e n t was i n f a c t t h e occasion f o r t h e e x p r e s s i o n by

p e r s o n s who were Lebanese o r o f L e b a n e s e d e s c e n t of v l ews

s t r o n g l y i n f a v o u r o f o r s t r o n g l y a g a l n s t t h e t h l r d r e s p o n d e n t .

W h l l s t much o f t h e m a t e r i a l d a t e d f r o m t h e e a r l y p a r t o f t h e

t h l r d r e s p o n d e n t ' s p e r l o d I n A u s t r a l i a , some of I t r e l a t e d t o a

much l a t e r p e r i o d . T h u s a c o m p l a l n t made on 22nd February 1985

b y t h e L e b a n e s e A m b a s s a d o r e n c l o s e d t r a n s l a t l o n s of s p e e c h e s made

b y t h e t h l r d r e s p o n d e n t o n 9 t h November 1984 and 0 t h F e b r u a r y

1985 a t t h e Mosque. I n t h e l a t t e r s p e e c h I n p a r t i c u l a r t h e t h l r d

respondent made remarks whlch were Inf lammatory and concluded: -

"Faithfulness s h o u l d n o t b e f o r a l a n d o r a government

whlch 1s n o t Islamlc a n d t h o s e who d o n o t s h a r e t h e s e

p r l n c l p l e s a r e n o t f o r u s b u t f o r t h e m . "

T h e p r l m a r y J u d g e o b s e r v e d i n r e l a t l o n t o t h a t statement

t h a t " f o r some r e a s o n t h e J u n e 1 9 8 6 d e c l s l o n s were a p ? a r e n t l y

made w l t h o u t r e l l a n c e on t h e s p e e c h . " I t is n o t e n t l r e l y c l e a r

t o me t h a t t h l s 1s so b e c a u s e t h e A m b a s s a d o r ' s l e t t e r e n c l o s i n g

t h e s p e e c h e s was p a r t of t h e mater ia l o n w h i c h t h e a p p e l l a n t

s t a t e d h e b a s e d h 1 s d e c i s l o n . I t may well b e , h o w e v e r , t h a t Xis

H o n o u r ' s o b s e r v a t l o n was d l r e c t e d t o p a r a g r a p h 24 of N r

McKlnnon ' s submlss lon .

I t was a r g u e d i n s u p p o r t of t h e r e s p o n d e n t s ' case t h a t I t

was n o t p e r m l s s i b l e f o r t h e a p p e l l a n t t o a d o p t t h e v l e w t h a t t h e

t b l r d r e s p o n d e n t s h o u l d n o t b e g r a n t e d p e r m a n e n t e n t r y s t a t u s

-17-

w l t h o u t e x a m i n i n g t h e t r u t h o f t h e a l l e g a t l o n s made a g a l n s t hlm;

i n o t h e r w o r d s t h a t I t was n o t s u f f l c l e n t f o r t h e a p p e l l a n t t o

f l n d t h a t f o c a l p o l n t f o r d l s s e n s l o n . I t was e s t a b l l s h e d t h a t t h e t h l r d r e s p o n d e n t was t h e

I do n o t agree w l t h t h i s v i e w .

T h e d l s c r e t i o n c o n f e r r e d u p o n t h e Nlnlster by s . 6 ( 2 ) o f

t h e M i g r a t i o n Act - see s.S(lAA) of t h e A c t - 1s r e l e v a n t l y

u n f e t t e r e d . A s Sheppard J . , w i t h whom t h e o t h e r members o f t h e

C o u r t a g r e e d , s a l d I n Mlnlster f o r I m m l g r a t l o n a n d E t h n i c A f f a i r s

v . Conyngham	and	ors	( F u l l	C o u r t ,	2 5 t h	J u l y	1 9 3 6 ,	as	y e t
u n r e p o r t e d ) : -

" T h e s u b j e c t m a t t e r o f t h i s d l s p u t e 1s t h e p r o p o s e d e n t r y

I n t o A u s t r a l l a o f p e r s o n s wh3 are n o t A u s t r a l l a n c l t l z e n s .

T h e d i s c r e t l o n b o t h t o g r a n t a n d t o c a n c e l e n t r y p e r m l t s ,

w h e t h e r t e m p o r a r y o r o t h e r w l s e , a n d t o g r a n t and t o cancel

v l s a s 1s u n f e t t e r e d : see sub- sec . 6 ( 2 ) and s s . 7 , 1 1 A and

11B o f t h e M l g r a t i o n Act. A s Barwick C . J . s a l d i n S a l e m l

v . McKellar P a r l l a m e n t (No. 2 ) ( 1 9 7 7 ) 1 3 7 C . L . R . 396 a t p . 4 0 2 , " T h e

I n t h l s l e g l s l a t l o n [ t h e M l g r a t i o n Act] is

d e a l l n g w l t h a n a t l o n a l i n t e r e s t o f p a r a m o u n t I m p o r t a n c e ,

n a m e l y , t h e c o m p o s i t i o n o f t h e n a t l o n , d e t e r m l n l n g who

s h a l l e n t e r a n d who s h a l l s t a y " . H i s Honour was d e a l l n g ,

n o t w i t h a case c o n c e r n l n g a t e m p o r a r y e n t r y p e r m i t , b u t

w i t h a case involving t h e d e p o r t a t l o n of a p r o h l b l t e d

lmmlgran t unde r s.18. B u t t h a t m a k e s no difference t o t h e

s i g n i f i c a n c e o f w h a t h e s a l d . I t emphasizes the n a t u r e of

the power l e g l s l a t u r e h a s e n t r u s t e d d e c l s l o n s wh lch 1s h e r e l n v o l v e d a n d t h e f a c t t h a t t h e

as t o who s h o u l d b e

a l lowed t o e n t e r a n d t o rernaln I n t h i s c o u n t r y t o t h e

Mlnlster and o f f i c e r s o f h i s D e p a r t m e n t , n o t t o t h e C o u r t .

Some of what B a r w l c k C . J . s a l d I n S a l e m 1 h a s b e e n d e p a r t e d

from: See Kloa v . - - West ( 1 9 8 5 ) 60 A . L . J . R . 113 . Bu t

nothing t h e r e s a l d n o r w h l c h a p p e a r s I n a n y s u b s e q u e n t

l e g l s l a t l o n a f f e c t s t h e g e n e r a l p u r p o r t o f wha t h l s Honour

s a l d a b o u t t h e n a t u r e o f t h e l e g l s l a t l o n a n d t h e p o w e r s

c o n f e r r e d on t h e M l n l s t e r by t h e M l g r a t l o n Act."

I t 1s h a r d l y s u r p r l s l n g t h a t o n e of t h e v l e w s w h i c h m l g h t

b e a d o p t e d w i t h o u t I n p e r s o n a l t h e e x e r c l s e o f the p o w e r s I n q u e s t i o n 1s t h a t ,

f a u l t , an l n d l v l d u a l may b e r e g a r d e d a s one

w h o s e p r e s e n c e g i v e s r lse t o s u c h d i s s e n s l o n t h a t t h e p e r s o n , i n

t h e M l n i s t e r ' s vlew, s h o u l d not b e p e r m i t t e d t o r ema ln I n t h e

c o u n t r y . I t was, a s I have said, open t o t h e a p p e l l a n t t o form

t h e v l e w t h a t t h e t h l r d r e s p o n d e n t was s u c h a p e r s o n , a n d I n my

v i e w , t h e a p p e l l a n t d i d n o t e r r b y a d o p t l n g t h e " f o c a l p o l n t "

a p p r o a c h .

The n e x t q u e s t l o n w l t h w h l c h l t 1s n e c e s s a r y t o dea l 1s

w h e t h e r t h e d e c l s i o n s I n q u e s t l o n i n f a c t a m o u n t e d t o a

c o n t r a v e n t l o n o f s.116 I n t h e s e n s e r e f e r r e d t o by Barwick C . J .

I n t h e p a s s a g e e a r l l e r q u o t e d .

I n t h l s r e g a r d t h e matters r e l l e d o n by t h e r e s p o n d e n t s

r e l a t e f l r s t l y t o s u g g e s t l o n s t h a t a M u f t i or Grand Muf t l In

B e l r u t o r 1n Calro m l g h t p l a y a p a r t I n t h e selection of a

r e p l a c e m e n t f o r t h e t h i r d r e s p o n d e x t , a n d t h a t t h e appe l l an t

s h o u l d e n c o u r a g e t h a t a p p r o a c h .

T h e I s s u e was f i r s t mooted In 1982 when In a c o n v e r s a t l o n

whlch took p l a c e on 3rd November Xr Edd le Obe id , a l e a d e r of t h e

L e b a n e s e C h r l s t i a n community, u rged on t h e N e w S o u t h Wales

R e g l o n a l Dlrector o f t h e r e l e v a n t D e p a r t m e n t t h e v l e w t h a t t h e

t h i r d r e s p o n d e n t s h o u l d n o t b e p e r n l t t e d t o r ema ln I n A u s t r a l l a

a n d t h a t t h e D e p a r t m e n t s h o u l d " u s e d l p l o m a t l c c h a n n e l s t o

-19-

c o n t a c t t h e M u f t l i n L e b a n o n , t o a p p r a l s e h l m o f t h e problem and

seek h l s a s s l s t a n c e I n f i n d i n g a s u l t a b l e r e p l a c e m e n t Imam".

A g a i n a t a m e e t l n g b e t w e e n t h e N e w South Wales Reglonal

D l r e c t o r a n d some v o c i f e r o u s o p p o n e n t s o f t h e t h l r d r e s p o n d e n t

h e l d I n N o v e m b e r 1 9 8 2 , t h e R e g i o n a l D i r e c t o r a s k e d f o r t h e v lews

o f t h o s e s e e l n g h l m "on how t r a n s l t l o n f r o m o n e Imam t o a n o t h e r

one mlgh t be hand led . " He n o t e d t h a t " T h e y e l t h e r h a d n o t

t h o u g h t t h a t t h r o u g h o r were n o t p r e p a r e d t o d l s c u s s I t . I

s u s p e c t t h e f o r m e r . " T h e R e g i o n a l D l r e c t o r a l s o n o t e d t h a t t h e

Depar tmen t , l n a " p a c k a g e o f s u g g e s t i o n s t o f a c l l l t a t e the

t r a n s i t l o n p r o c e s s " s h o u l d " t h l n k c a r e f u l l y a b o u t w h e t h e r some

d l a l o g u e w i t h t h e HUFTI m i g h t b e u s e f u l . "

I n 1 9 8 5 t h e Issue a r o s e a g a l n when t h e a p p e l l a n t met on

26th Narch 1985 a d e l e g a t l o n o p p o s e d t o t h e t h l r d r e s p o n d e n t .

He was r e s p o n d e n t . t o meet t h e n e x t day a d e l e g a t l o n f r o m t h e first

O n e of t h e matters a p p a r e n t l y r a l s e d by t h e

d e l e g a t l o n w h l c h w a s o p p o s e d t o t h e t h l r d r e s p o n d e n t was t h a t a

r e p l a c e m e n t f o r t h e t h l r d r e s p o n d e n t c o u l d S e p r o v i d e d by o r

t h r o u g h t h e G r a n d M u f t l i n L e b a n o n . A S u b m l s s l o n t o t h e M l n l s t e r

t o b r i e f hlm f o r t h e s e c o n d m e e t i n g t h e n l n c l u d e d t h e following:-

" T h e v l e w t h a t t h e G r a n d M u f t l I n Lebanon Se a sked t o

p r o v l d e	a	r e p l a c e m e n t	f o r	Imam	E l - H l l a l y	1s h a r d	t o	a n s w e r
s l m p l y .

- To b e g l n r e s p o n s l b l e N i t h , a n Imam 1s a p p o i n t e d by and

t o h i s community, NOT a n y p a r t l c u l a r

r e l i g l o u s h l e r a r c h y . T h e r e 1s no " q u a l l f l c a t l o n "

p r o c e s s of o r d a l n m e n t , a l t h o u g h n o w a d a y s I r a m s a r e

-20-

u s G a l l y g r a d u a t e s I n I s l a m i c t h e o l o g y .

- T h e m p l o y l n g a u t h o r i t y I n t h l s case, t h e v o l c e a n d

organ o f t h e r e l l g l o u s community, 1s t h e LMA. I t is

n o t f o r t h e Government nor y e s t e r d a y ' s d e l e g a t l o n t o

i n s t r u c t t h e LMA a b o u t r e p l a c e m e n t a c t l o n - a l t h o u g h

no d o u b t g u i d a n c e c o u l d b e o f f e r e d s e n s i t i v e l y . T h e

LMA's r e c e p t i v i t y w o u l c ! b e a n o t h e r q u e s t l o n

a l t o g e t h e r .

- The Grand a u t h o r i t y Muftl is u n d e r s t o o d t o b e t h e s u p r e m e

I n canon law - a t l e a s t f o r L e b a n e s e S u n n l

Mus 1 m s .

- Interestingly, a recent l e t t e r t o you f rom the

P r e s i d e n t of t h e LMA (attending as p a r t o f t o d a y ' s

d e l e g a t l o n ) s a y s t h a t I m a m E l - H l l a l y "was s e n t t o u s

from L e b a n o n w l t h I m p e c c a b l e r e f e r e n c e s f r o m t h e

Grand Muf t l o f Lebanon and t he Islamic Supreme

C o u n c l l as a r e l l g l o u s l e a d e r of c h a r l s m a t i c f o r c e

and g r e a t d e d i c a t i o n " . Would t h e G r a n d Mufti's

replacement be even more c h a r i s m a t l c ?

- I f Imam E l - H l l a l y l e f t , t h e r e 1s no d o u b t h a t h e

p r e v l o u s Imam, Z e l d a n ( m a r k e d l y F r o - I r a q l ) w o u l d Se

a c t l v e l y s e e k l n g t h e ] o b , resulting I n s h o r t o r

l o n g - t e r m d l v l s l o n s w i t h l n t h e community."

On 27 th March 1985 t he A c t i n g A s s l s t a n t S a c r e t a r y , Z t h n l c

A f f a l r s a r a n c h of t h e a p p e l l a n t ' s D e p a r t m e n t n o t e d t h a t he was

d l r e c t e d by t h e M i n l s t e r t o p r e p a r e a new b r l e f l n g f o r a meetlng

w h l c h t h e Mlnlster was s h o r t l y t o h a v e w l t h t h e t h l r d r e s p o n d e n t .

He n o t e d t h a t one of t h e mat ters o f w h i c h t h e b r l e f l n g s h o u l d

t a k e a c c o u n t was:-

" ( 11) t h e p r o p o s a l t h a t A l - H l l a l y b e r e p l a c e d by a nomlnse

o f t h e B e i r u t - b a s e d M u f t l " .

a n d t h e S r l e f l n g n o t e p r e p a r e d f o r t h e M l n l s t e r fo: t h e meeting

o n 2 7 t h r e c o r d e d M a r c h 1 9 8 5 w l t h r e p r e s e n t a t l v e s o f t h e f l r - . t r e s p o n d e n t

t h a t a t t h e meetlng t h e Hlnister " m l s h t w z n t t o " a s k why

t h e t h i r d a n m o s i t y r e s p o n d e n t h a d a r o u s e d s u c h d e e p a n d w l d a s p r e a d

a n d w h e t h e r I t " w o u l d n o t b e b e t t e r t o w l p e t h e s l a t e

-21-

c l e a n a n d a p p o i n t a new Imam a b l e t o e n j o y w i d e s u p p o r t " .

F u r t h e r I n a n o t e o n a recommendat lon t o h im f rom the

S e c r e t a r y o f t h e D e p a r t m e n t d a t e d 2 0 t h May 1 9 8 5 , t h e M i n l s t e r h a d

added "P .S . Can we move h a s t l l y t o a r r a n g e v i s i t f r o m t h e G r a n d

M u f t i from a e l r u t "as o u r g u e s t " .

T h e q u e s t i o n was d i s c u s s e d f u r t h e r I n a S u b m l s s l o n t o t h e

M i n i s t e r I n m i d 1 9 8 5 w h i c h c o n t a i n e d t h e f o l l o w i n g : -

" G r a n d X u f t l O p t l o n s

A n t l - H l l a l y d e l e g a t l o n t h a t s a w y o u on 2 6 Yarch urged

t h a t t h e Imam "be r ep laced immedla t e ly by a nomlnee

o f t h e Lakemba M u f t i (resident l n B e l r u t ) , t h u s r e s t o r l n g t h e

mosque t o S u n n l a l l eg lance" ( e x t r a c t f r o m

r e c o r d of m e e t i n g ) .

A l e t t e r Al-H:laly t o you e a r l l e r t h l s y e a r f r o m t h e President

o f t h e Impeccab le L e b a n e s e Noslems' A s s o c l a t i o n s a y s t h a t

"was s e n t t o us f rom Lebanon wl th

r e f e rences f rom the Grand Muf t l o f Lebanon

. . . I' ( emphas ls added ) ,

4 Mufti 1s a r e l l g l o u s judge /canon l awyer I n I s l a m .

U n d e r t h e Ottoman Empi re and i n c l a s s l ca l tlmes, a

M u f t l ' s r e l i g l o u s a n d s e c u l a r a u t h o r l t y was

c o n s l d e r a b l e , b u t t h e g r o w t h of n a t l o n a l a n d s e c u l a r

governments h a v e r e d u c e d t h e l r gower enormous ly .

The on ly Grand Muf t i is, we u n d e r s t a n d , ~n Cal ro a t

A 1 A z h a r U n i v e r s i t y . T h e M u f t i I n B e l r u t , S h e l k h

Hassan K h a l i d , was e l e c t e d f o r l l f e b y t h e L e b a n e s e

Government and 1s n o t b e l i e v e d t o b e a c t i v e

p o l i t l c a l l y .

Hls d l c t a t e s w o u l d c a r r y o n l y moral a u t h o r l t y l n

Lebanon a t t h e b e s t of tlmes, a n d g l v e n t h e c u r r e n t

f r a g m e n t a t i o n o f s o c l e t y t h e r e , h e p r o b a b l y e n ~ o y s

l i t t l e power a t a l l .

A s e n l o r f i g u r e I n Australian Islam has a s s u r e d u s

t h a t t h e w h a t s o e v e r ; M u f t l w o u l d h a v e no i n f l u e n c e 1 n Australia

h e c o u l d d o n o more t h a n o f f e r a d v l c e

w h i c h c o u l d b e l g n o r e d w l t h I m p u n i t y .

-22-

I n f o r m a l d l s c u s s l o n w l t h Forelgn A f f a l r s r e v e a l s t h a t

no r e l l a l o u s o r secular l e a d e r s o f L e b a n on have ever

been i n ; l t ed t o v i s i t b y t h e A u s t r a l i a n G o v e r n m e n t

( t h e Maronlte A b b o t t was making a p r i v a t e - b u t well

c o n n e c t e d - v i s i t e a r l i e r t h i s y e a r ) .

G i v e n t h e t h e L e b a n o n , F o r e i g n A f f a i r s c o m p l e x a n d b l t t e r r e l i g i o u s d i v l s l o n s I n

b e l i e v e s t h a t l n v l t i n g

t h e t l t u l a r l e a d e r o f o n e p a r t l c u l a r f a c t l o n a s a

g u e s t of	Government	would	undermlne	our	even-handed
s t a n c e .

C o n s l d e r l n g t h e l l k e l y d l f f l c u l t l e s I n t h e way of

b r l n g l n g t h e M u f t l t o A u s t r a l l a , t h e l ack o f

I n f l u e n c e h e w o u l d command h e r e , a n d t h e r e l i g i o u s

r l g h t s o f a n Islamlc communlty t o h a v e a n Imam o f Its

own c h o o s l n g , o n e c o u l d n o t l o o k w i t h c o n f i d e n c e t o

t h l s o p t l o n resolving t h e s u c c e s s i o n p r o b l e m .

H o w e v e r , t h e r e c o u l d p o s s l b l y b e v a l u e I n f l o a t l n g

t h e i d e a o f a v i s l t by t he Grand Muf t i I n C a l r o , on

t h e b a s l s t h a t h e c o u l d b e l n v l t e d t o c o n s l d e r a n d

d l s c u s s how t h e l n t e re s t s o f A u s t r a l i a n S u n n l Musllms

c o u l d b e s t b e s e r v e d I n t h l s c o u n t r y .

If you a re a t t r a c t e d t o t h l s i d e a , y o u c o u l d wr l te t o

t h e L e b a n e s e floslerns' A s s o c l a t l o n t o s a y t h a t you

have l t I n mlnd t o s u g g e s t s u c h a v i s l t , w h i c h m l g h t

a l s o be of some h e l p t o them I n a r r a n g i n g f o r a n

u n t r o u b l e d r e p l a c e m e n t of t h e l r p r e s e n t Imam.

I n t h e c l r c u m s t a n c e s , i t 1s p r o b a b l e t h a t t h e

A s s o c l a t l o n w o u l d r e ~ e c t t h l s s u g g e s t i o n o u t of hand .

To g l v e t h e o p t l o n a longer r u n , y o u c o u l d wr l t e a t

t h e same t u n e t o t h e A u s t r a l l a n F e d e r a t l o n of I s lamlc

C o u n c l l s ( A F I C ) , c a n v a s s l n g t h e i r r eac t lons t3 t h e

p r o p o s a l o f a v l s l t f rom the Grand Muf t i , wh lch cou ld

f o c u s I n ? a r t o n c o n t l n u l n g m l g r a t l o n and ccmmunlty

r e l a t lons p r o b l e m s w i t h Imams."

T h e a p p e l l a n t n o t e d o n t h e d o c u m e n t t h a t h e agreed t o t h e

p r o p o s a l s c o n t a l n e d I n t h e l a s t t h r e e p a r a g r a p h s .

B f u r t h e r d o c u m e n t r e l l e d on I n t h i s r e g a r d 1s a note o f a

d i s c u s s l o n w h l c h took p l a c e o n 6 t h A u g u s t 1 9 8 5 b e t w e e n t h e

a p p e l l a n t a n d t h e D e p u t y S e c r e t a r y o f h l s Department. I t

r e l a t e d , amongst o t h e r t h i n g s , t o a d l s c u s s l o n w h l c h t h e Mln l s t e r

-23-

had j u s t c o n c l u d e d w i t h P r o f e s s o r E l E r i a n , C h a i r m a n o f t h e

A u s t r a l i a n F e d e r a t l o n o f	Islamlc	C o u n c l l s	and	i n c l u d e d	t h e
f o l l o w i n g : -

"The Mlnls te r h a d p u t t o E l E r l a n t h e p o s s l b l l i t y t h a t

A l - H i l a l y go a t t h e e n d o f S e p t e m b e r . He would f a c i l i t a t e

t h e e n t r y o f someone e l se i n t h e meantlme - t h a t p e r s o n

p o s s i b l y cornlng I n from o v e r s e a s on a p e r m a n e n t b a s l s . E l

E r i a n h a d n o t r e a c t e d wel l t o t h i s s u g g e s t i o n . A l - H l l a l y

c o u l d l e a v e t h e j o b f o r a m o n t h h u t t h e r e w o u l d b e

p r o b l e m s w l t h a n y s u g g e s t l o n t h a t h e leave t h e c o u n t r y .

A l - H l l a l y was n o t l ook ing f o r p e r m a n e n t r e s i d e n c e a t t h i s

tlme. E l E r l a n w a n t s u s t o p u t A l - H i l a l y u n d e r h i s h a n d s

f o r a y e a r . He b e l l e v e s t h a t A l - H l l a l y w o u l d n o t l e t him

down. The H ln l s t e r s a l d a n o p t l o n w o u l d b e t o g1ve hlm

t h r e e m o n t h s p e r i o d s . Once a g a l n , E l E r i a n h a d d l f f u l t y

w i t h t h l s	a s	i t d i d n o t	g l v e A l - H l l a l y	t h e s e c u r l t y h e
needed.

T h e M l n l s t e r s a l d t h a t f o l l o w l n g h i s d l s c u s s l o n w l t h E l

E r l a n h e w o n d e r e d w h e t h e r h e s h o u l d g i v e A I - X l l a l y a SIX

m o n t h s t e m p o r a r y e n t r y p e r m i t a n d , ~f t h i n g s go well , he

m l g h t g l v e h i m a n o t h e r s1x months TEP. He wou ld t hen

p r e s s f o r a n a p o l o g y f r o m A l - H i l a l y . "

On 2 9 t h J u l y 1 9 8 5 t h e a p p e l l a n t h a d w r l t t e n t o t h e t h l r d

r e s p o n d e n t t e l l l n g hlm t h a t t h e a p p l l c a t i o n s f o r permanent

r e s l d e n t s t a t u s of h l m s e l f a n d h i s f a m l l y were r e f u s e d b u t t h a t

he rn lght which tlme t h e remaln I n Australia u n t l l t h e e n d of September 1985 , by

a p p e l l a n t e x p e c t e d t h e c o m m u n l t y t o have had time

t o a r r a n g e p u r s u a n c e a r e p l a c e m e n t I n a m . T h e a p p e l l a n t , a p p a r e n t l y I n

of h i s a g r e e m e n t t o t h e course o f ac t lon p r o p o s e d a s

"Grand Muf t l Opt lons" I n t h e S u b m l s s i o n t o which I h a v e r e f e r r e d ,

wrote a l s o t o t h e f i r s t r e s p o n d e n t o n 3 1 s t J u l y 1 9 8 5 i n t h e same

connection a n d , a l t h o u g h t h e l e t t e r 1s n o t I n e v l d e n c e , ~t seems

l l k e l y t h a t h e m e n t i o n e d t h e p a s s l b l l l t y t h a t t h e G r a n d M u f t l a t

A 1 A z h a r U n i v e r s l t y l n Calro c o u l d b e o f a s s i s t a n c e I n f l n d l n g a

s u c c e s s o r t o t h e t h l r d r e s p o n d e n t as Irnam. T h e r e s p o n s e r e c e i v e d

-24-

was a whlch I t was said:- l e t t e r o f 2 8 t h November 1985 from the f i r s t r e s p o n d e n t i n

"We t h a n k y o u f o r y o u r l e t t e r o f t h e 3 1 s t J u l y , 1 9 8 5 a n d

note t h e Minlster's c o n c e r n f o r t h e spiritual w e l l b e l n g

o f A u s t r a l i a n M o s l e m s .

We well r e c a l l t h a t on 27th March, 1985 w e r a i s e d t h e

matter o f t h e p o s s l b l i t y ( s i c ) o f t h e M u f t l I n B e i r u t

v l s i t i n g A u s t r a l i a .

T h l s A s s o c l a t l o n a n d L t s m e m b e r s , w e r e s u r p r i s e d by t h s

Min l s t e r ' s s u g g e s t i o n t h a t t h e A u s t r a l i a n G o v e r n m e n t m i g h t

i n t e r v e n e i n r e l i g l o u s m a t t e r s when we, a s A u s t r a l l a n

Citizens, c l a m t h e r l g h t t o f r e e d o m o f w o r s h l p a s we

choose f l t w l t h o u t G o v e r n m e n t a l i n t e r f e r e n c e .

However, w e l l . l n t e n t l o n e d y o u r " c o n v e r s a t l o n " was meant I t

was p e r c e l v e d as d o y o u r r e c e n t d e c l s l o n s t o b e b e y o n d

y o u r r e s p o n s l b i l l t i e s c o n f e r r e d by your portfolio.

We a r e e v e n m o r e a g h a s t a t t h e s u g g e s t l o n p o s e d I n t h e

s e c o n d p a r a g r a p h o f y o u r l e t t e r u n d e r r e p l y a n d w l t h t h e

g r e a t e s t r e s p e c t t o t h e G r a n d i q u f t l o f A 1 Azhar U n l v e r s l t y

I n Calro, b u t t h a t y o u t a k e I t u p o n y o u r s e l f t o s u g g e s t

t h a t t h e G r a n d M u f t l of t h e C a l r o U n l v e r s l t y c o u l d b e o f

a s s l s t a n c e t o u s I n l o c a t l n g a s u c c e s s o r t o o u r Immam.

These concep t s o f your s , no doub t swayed your d sc l s lon on

whe the r Immam T a j s h o u l d b e a l l o w e d t o r e m a l n I n

A u s t r a l l a .

We a r e d l v l s l o n s a n d a w a r e t h a t L e b a n o n p r e s e n t s c o m p l e x r e l l g l o u s

t h a t t h e Moslem Communlt les i n A u s t r a l i a a r e

m u l t l - e t h n l c .

T h a t y o u r a s s u m p t i o n o f d e c l d l n g a s a Mlnlster of t h e

Crown, t o recommend one o r t h e o t h e r M u f t i a s b e l n g " m o r e

a p p r o p r l a t e " 1s a d e c l s i o n w h l c h we a r e sure you a r e n o t

c o m p e t e n t t o m a k e .

You seem t o b e l l e v e t h a t t h e r e l l g l o n o f I s l a m h a s a

h l e r a r c h l c a l c o n c e p t o f p r i e s t h o o d . N o t h l n g c o u l d b e

f u r t h e r f r o m t h e t r u t h . T h e Grand Mufti of Calro and

B e l r u t are Moslem Jur l s t s who a r e e m p l o y e d b y t h e

Government on I s s u e s r e g a r d l n g Islamlc d o c t r i n e . A l t h o u g h

h l g h l y l e a r n e d , these J u r l s t s h a v e no r e a l influence I n

t h e c o u n t r l e s I n w h l c h t h e y r e s l d e o v e r a n y lesser r a n k l n g

o r d e r o f p r l e s t s . The r e l l g i o n of I s l a m I n t h e r e l l g l o r

of Islam, p r l e s t h o o d 1s f o r b l d d e n .

We note t h a t t h e e f f e c t o f y o u r u s e o f a m l g r a t l o n

-25-

t e c h n i c a l i t y is t o d e p r i v e m e m b e r s o f t h e r e l l g i o n w h i c h I

r e p r e s e n t a s P r e s i d e n t o f f r e e d o m o f w o r s h i p .

T h l s is a p o s l t l o n w h i c h c o n s t i t u t i o n a l l y y o u h a v e no

r i g h t t o matter by t h e use o f t a k e , a n d i n v l e w o f t h e matters r a l s e d e a r l l e r

w i t h y o u , ~t is o b v l o u s t h a t t h e I n t e r f e r e n c e i n r e l i g i o u s

t h e m i g r a t i o n a n d e t h n l c a f f a l r s

p o w e r s r e q u l r e s t o b e t e s t e d a g a i n s t t h e c o n s t l t u t l o n o f

t h e Commonwealth and t h e r i g h t s a n d l i b e r t i e s o f

Aus t r a l i ans	t o p r o f e s s	t h e f a i t h o f	Islam	r e s t r a l n t	by
Government .

I t 1 s o b v i o u s t h a t y o u r d e c l s l o n was t a k e n a t t h e b e h e s t

o f c e r t a l n p e r s o n s who c l a l m t o r e p r e s e n t L e b a n e s e

Maronltes b u t who d o n o t r e p r e s e n t t h e m a j o r l t y o f p e r s o n s

I n tha t O u r A s s o c l a t l o n h a s a t a l l communi ty .

times m a l n t a i n e d g o o d r e l a t i o n s

w l t h t h e m a j o r i t y o f t h e M a r o n l t e c o m m u n i t y a n d w l t h I ts

c l e r i c a l r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s . We have a common t a s k o f

looklng t o t h e I n t e r e s t s o f L e b a n e s e a s a whole .

T h e statements made by p e r s o n s a g a l n s t Immam T a j a r e f a l s e

and known t o b e f a l s e t o y o u r own O f f l c e r s . L e b a n e s e

Moslems A s s o c i a t i o n h a s n e v e r b e e n o n t h e offensive b u t I n

t h l s matter I t h a s b e e n c l e a r l y o f f e n d e d a g a i n s t , by

p e r s o n s w l t h known L e b a n e s e p o l l t l c a l a f f l l i a t l o n s w h l c h

shou ld have made them suspec t t o you."

As 1s a p p a r e n t f r o m t h e m a t t e r s t o w h i c h I h a v e l u s t

r e f e r r e d I t seems c l e a r e n o u g h t h a t t h e a p p e l l a n t , a t a n e a r l l e r

p o l n t , was mlnded t o seek t o u s e t h e s e r v l c e s o f t h e G r a n d H u f t l

a s a n a l d t o w a r d s r e s o l v l n g o n e potential d i f f l c u l t y , n a m e l y t h e

n e e d t o f l n d a r e p l a c e m e n t f o r t h e t h l r d r e s p o n d e n t . I dm n o t

s a t l s f l e d , h o w e v e r , t h a t a t t h e tune of t h e r e l e v a n t d e c l s l o n s

t h e a p p e l l a n t s u b m l s s l o n s r e m a i n e d so m l n d e d . P a r a g r a p h 1 6 of Mr McKlnnon's

t o h l m , w h l c h h e a d o p t e d , d i d no more t h a n n o t e

t h a t :-

"26. R e f u s a l of r e s l d e n t s t a tus t o t h e Applicant and h l s

d e p a r t u r e f r o m A u s t r a l l a will c r e a t e t h e n e c e s s l t y t o f i l l

t h e p o s l t l o n c o n s l d e r a b l e h e p r e s e n t l y o c c u p l e s . I t c o u l d t a k e some

tlme t o f l n d a s u l t a b l e r e p l a c e m e n t a n d t h e

communl ty could be wl thout a r e l i g l o u s l e a d e r . "

-26-

a n d ( p e r h a p s l e t t e r of I n c o n s e q u e n c e o f r e c e i p t o f t h e f l r s t r e s p o n d e n t ' s

2 8 t h N o v e m b e r 1 9 8 5 ) t h e a t t r a c t l o n o f t h e u s e o f t h e

G r a n d M u f t i a p p e a r e d t o h a v e d i s a p p e a r e d .

I wou ld t hus n o t b e p r e p a r e d t o f i n d t h a t t h e d e c l s l o n s i n

q u e s t l o n were m a d e w i t h t h e I n t e n t i o n , ~f I n t e n t i o n b e r e l e v a n t ,

o f p r o h l b l t l n g t h e f r e e e x e r c i s e of r e l l g l o n . N o r , ~f d e s l g n be

r e l e v a n t , w o u l d I b e p r e p a r e d t o f i n d t h a t t h e d e c l s l o n s made

were d e s i g n e d t o p r o h l b i t t h e f r e e e x e r c l s e o f t h e l r r e l l g l o n by

t h e m e m b e r s o f t h e f l r s t r e s p o n d e n t a n d o t h e r s . I h a v e r e f e r r e d

t o t h e " d e s i g n e d " c o n c e p t s c o n v e y e d by t h e n o t l o n o f " I n t e n d e d " a n d

l n t h e l l g h t o f t h e u s e o f t h o s e t e n s by Barwlck C . J .

I n A t t o r n e y - G e n e r a l f o r V i c t o r l a (Ex r e l . B l a c k ) v . - T h e

Commonwealth ( s u p r a ) a t 5 8 3 a s s y n o n y m s f o r t h e word " f o r " u s e d

I n s . 1 1 6 . See a l s o t h e o b s e r v a t l o n s o f W l l s o n J . I n the same

c a s e a t 6 5 3 w h e r e h e s a i d t h a t t h e w o r d s " f o r e s t a b l i s h l n g " i n

s.116 s p e a k " o f t h e p u r p o s e o f t h e l a w i n terms of t h e e n d t o b e

a c h l e v e d " . I w o u l d n o t b e p r e p a r e d t o f l n d t h a t , a p p l y l n g h l s

H o n o u r ' s d i c t u m t o a c a s e o f a d m l n l s t r a t i v e a c t l o n , t h e a p p e l l a n t

had any e x e r c l s e of purpose of a c h l e v l n g t h e e n d of p r o h l b l t l n g t h e f r e e

t h e l r r e l l g l o n by members of t h e f i r s t r e s p o n d e n t a n d

o t h e r s . On t h e o t h e r h a n d i n t h e same case a s appa ren t synonyms

f o r " f o r " I n s.116 Glbbs J . ( a t 6 0 4 ) refers t o " p u r p o s e o r

e f f e c t " , a n d Mason J . ( a t 6 1 5 ) r e f e r s t o " p u r p o s e o r r e s u l t " .

Assumlng t h a t t h e " p u r p o s e " o f s u c h a law 1s t3 b e g a t h e r e d f r o m

Its " e f f e c t " o r t h e " resu l t " w h i c h I t a c h l e v e s , a n d t h a t i f t h e

-27- 9 .

.,

l a w h a s t h e e f f e c t p r o s c r i b e d by s.116, i t wou ld be lmposs ib l e t o

d e n y t h a t t h e " p u r p o s e " o f I t was o t h e r w l s e ( i . e . t o s a y t h a t I t

was n o t a law " fo r p r o h i b i t l n g t h e f r e e e x e r c i s e o f a n y

r e l l g l o n " ) , it 1s n e c e s s a r y t o see w h a t e f f e c t t h e d e c l s l o n s I n

q u e s t i o n h a v e i n t h i s c a s e .

T h e r e was e v l d e n c e , w h l c h w a s u n c h a l l e n g e d , t h a t t h e

r e m o v a l o f t h e t h l r d r e s p o n d e n t f r o m o f f l c e a s Imam, which would

be a i n t e r f e r e w l t h c o n s e q u e n c e o f b e l n g r e q u l r e d t o l e a v e A u s t r a l i a , w o u l d

t h e w o r s h i p o f t h e m e m b e r s o f t h e f l r s t

r e s p o n d e n t . As Mr S a l e e m , t h e A d m i n i s t r a t l v e O f f l c e r o f t h e

A u s t r a l l a n F e d e r a t l o n of I s l a m l c C o u n c 1 1 s , s a l d I n h l s

S h o u l d t h e Imam Ta j -E l -Dln f l nd I t n e c e s s a r y t o

l e a v e A u s t r a l l a h e w o u l d b e g r e a t l y m l s s e d by t h e

Lakemba M u s l l m s who would g r e a t l y a l s s h l s

l e a d e r s h l p a t p r a y e r s . He would a l so b e m s s e d by

t h e u n l f y l n g b o d y o f I s l a m o f w h l c h I am t h e

A d m l n l s t r a t l v e O f f i c e r . I w o u l d e x p e c t h a t a s a

r e a c t l o n t o t h e l r sense of loss s i g n l f l c a n t p a r t o f

t h e Musl im Community w o u l d c e a s e a t t e n d a n c e a t

p r a y e r s a t t h e M o s q u e .

15. A s a p r a c t l c a l matter t h e f o l l o w l n g o f t h e M u s l m

r e l l g l o n r e q u i r e s a n Imam who commands t h e respect

of t h e c o m m u n l t y . T h e m a i n t e n a n c e o f t h a t r e s p e c t

IS essential t o t h e c o n t l n u l t y of h l s m l n l s t e r l n g o f

h i s c o n g r e g a t l o n . T h e e x t e n t o f h l s c a r e a n d

s e r v i c e s t o t h a t c o n g r e g a t l o n w o u l d e n h a n c e a n d

f u r t h e r bond t h e c o m m u n l t y t o h l m by r e a s o n of t h e l r

r e s p e c t f o r h l s d e v o t i o n a n d s e r v i c e s .

16. I t w o u l d b e d l f f l c u l t t o s a y w h a t would happen ~f

She ikh Ta j -E l -Dln shou ld be c o m p e l l e d t o l e a v e . One

t h l n g w h l c h 1s c e r t a l n is t h a t p e r s o n s w o u l d n o t

c e a s e t o b e Mus l ims n o r c e a s e t h e l r d u t y t o ? r a y f o r

a s be tween God a n d t h e m s e l v e s t h e i r p r a y e r s w o u l d S e

no less v a l i d . However h l s d e p a r t u r e w l l l c a u s e

t r a u m a a n d d l s r u p t l o n I n t h e Lebanese M u s l l m

community

I

1 . c "

-28-

1 7 . F u r t h e r t o t h e l a s t p a r a g r a p h t h e M u s l i m f a i t h is

n o t l i m l t e d t o p r a y e r s . I t 1s a way o f l i f e w h l c h

t e a c h e s p e a c e a n d c o - o p e r a t l o n w i t h n e i g h b o u r s .

T h e l r w o r s h l p w o u l d b e I n t e r f e r e d w i t h a n d t h e y

w o u l d f e e l I t as s u c h a n d t h e g e n e r a l c o m m u n l t y

splr i t which a Mosque is i n t e n d e d t o c rea te would be

s e r l o u s l y d e s t r o y e d .

18 . The w o r k o f S h e i k h T a j - E l - D l n A l - H l l a l y h a s n o t b e e n

c o n f l n e d t o t h e l e a d e r s h i p o f p r a y e r s i n t h e Mosque

b u t h e has b e e n c o n c e r n e d w l t h w l d e r I s s u e s s u c h a s

t h e b u l l d i n g o f S r l d g e s b e t w e e n sects of Islam and

be tween I s l am a n d C h r l s t l a n i t y . "

A c c e p t i n g , h o w e v e r , t h a t t h e r e w l l l b e some d i s r u p t l o n of

w o r s h l p o c c a s i o n e d b y t h e d e c l s l o n s I n q u e s t l o n I t d o e s n o t seem

t o me t h a t t h e r e 1s I n terms of s.116 a n y p r o h l b l t l o n o f t h e f r e e

e x e r c l s e o f r e l l g l o n . 5 . 1 1 6 s t a t e s I n n y v l e w not m e r e l y t h e

b r o a d p r o p o s l t l o n t h a t n o r e l i g i o n s h a l l Se e s t a b l l s h e d , b u t a l s o

t h a t no r e l l g l o n s h a l l b e prohibited. The term " p r o h l b l t 1 n g " I n

s .116 means what i t s a y s a n d a p p e a r s t o me t o mean a p r o s c r l p t l o n

o f t h e Commonwealth laws a n y r l g h t t o e x e r c l s e w l t h o u t m p e d l r n e n t ~y o r u n d e r

r e l i g l o n w h i c h 1s t h e c h o l c e o f t h e p e r s o n

I n q u e s t l o n . p r o s c r i p t l o n . T h e Mlgratlon Act i t s e l f con ta lns no s u c h

Nor I n my vlew 1s ~t p o s s l b l e t o r e g a r d t h e

r e f u s a l o f t h e a p p e l l a n t t o p e r m i t a p a r t l c u l a r p e r s o n who 1s a

mln i s t e r o f a r e l i g i o n t o r ema ln 1 n A u s t r a l l a a p r o h i b r t i o n o f

t h e f r e e e x e r c l s e of t h a t r e l l g i o n . I t may b e t h a t c l r c u m s t a n c e s

s u c h a s r e p e a t e d l y r e f u s l n g t o a l low a n y o v e r s e a s mlnlsters of a

r e l l g l o n t o e n t e r or r e m a l n I n A u s t r a l l a m i g h t l n a d l f f e r e n t

case	amount	t o s u c h	a	p r o h l b 1 t l o n , b u t	t h l s	is	n o t	t h e p o s l t l o n
here.

-29 -

In my view the appeal s h o u l d be aliowed, the judgment of

the prlmary Judge set aside and t h e application to the Cour t dismlssed.