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

This matter concerned an application for review of a delegate's decision to refuse the applicant Australian citizenship on character grounds, pursuant to section 21(2)(h) of the *Australian Citizenship Act 2007* (Cth). The applicant had a history of domestic violence offences, which were not disclosed in his citizenship application. The delegate was not satisfied that the applicant was a person of good character at the time of the decision.

The Tribunal was required to determine whether the applicant satisfied the character requirement for Australian citizenship, considering his criminal history, particularly his repeated domestic violence offences, and his lack of insight into this offending. The Tribunal also had to assess the credibility of the applicant's evidence, including inconsistencies in his accounts of psychological counselling and his recollection of domestic violence incidents.

The Tribunal found that the applicant had committed serious domestic violence offences against his two wives, including assaults that caused significant injury and threats. It was noted that these actions were deliberate and not spontaneous reactions. The Tribunal concluded that the applicant lacked genuine remorse and responsibility for his actions, evidenced by his claims of not remembering the offences and providing inconsistent accounts of counselling. Furthermore, the applicant's failure to disclose his criminal history and his lack of engagement with anger management courses were considered detrimental to his character assessment. The Tribunal affirmed the delegate's decision, finding that the applicant's conduct did not accord with Australian values, which strongly condemn domestic violence and require adherence to the law.