Mohammadi and Minister for Immigration and Border Protection (Citizenship)

This matter concerned an application for Australian citizenship by the applicant, who had previously been granted approval for citizenship. The Minister for Immigration and Border Protection subsequently issued a notice of approval to cancel the applicant's citizenship approval on character grounds. The applicant sought review of this decision.

The primary legal issue before the court was whether the applicant was of good character at the time of the delegate's decision, specifically in light of statements made by the applicant during a departmental interview concerning the parentage of two children. There was a dispute regarding the accurate translation of the applicant's statements, with the applicant contending that his translations demonstrated his good character, while the Department's record suggested otherwise.

The court affirmed the Minister's delegate's decision to cancel the approval for citizenship. The court found that the applicant had not satisfied the eligibility criteria under section 25(2)(b)(iii) of the relevant Act, as he was not of good character at the time of the delegate's decision. This conclusion was reached despite evidence from character referees attesting to the applicant's honesty and reliability, and the applicant's own submissions regarding the translation of his interview. The court considered that the applicant's statements about the children, even if motivated by a desire to support them, constituted a lack of good character.