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

The Administrative Appeals Tribunal considered the application of Mr Safar for Australian citizenship by conferral. Mr Safar, an Iraqi national, applied for citizenship after residing in Australia for several years. His application was refused by the Minister on the grounds that he did not meet the good character requirement under section 21(2)(h) of the *Australian Citizenship Act 2007* (Cth). Mr Safar sought a review of this decision.

The Tribunal was required to determine whether Mr Safar was of good character at the time of the decision. This involved assessing his criminal history, his explanation for his past offending, and any evidence of rehabilitation. Specifically, the Tribunal had to consider Mr Safar's convictions for reckless conduct endangering serious injury and assaulting police, which occurred shortly after his arrival in Australia and resulted in a custodial sentence and a community corrections order.

The Tribunal affirmed the Minister's decision to refuse citizenship. It found that Mr Safar's explanation for his offending, which attributed it to his difficult circumstances as a new arrival and his distress over events in Iraq, lacked sufficient insight and acceptance of responsibility. While acknowledging Mr Safar's medical conditions and his participation in a men's behaviour change program, the Tribunal found that the evidence did not sufficiently demonstrate his rehabilitation. The Tribunal gave weight to the fact that Mr Safar's convictions were not challenged and that a plea of guilty constitutes an admission of guilt. Consequently, the Tribunal was not satisfied that Mr Safar was currently of good character as required by the Act.