Chapter 1 - Introduction and background

[1]        Journals of the Senate, No. 23, 1 December 2016, p. 751.

[2]        Senate Selection of Bills Committee, Report No. 10 of 2016, 30 November 2016, Appendix 4.

[3]        Explanatory Memorandum, p. 1.

[4]        Explanatory Memorandum, p. 1.

[5]        The Hon Peter Dutton, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection, House of Representatives Hansard, 30 November 2016, p. 4879.

[6]        Department of Immigration and Border Protection, Submission 1, p. 3.

[7]        Department of Immigration and Border Protection, Submission 1, p. 3.

[8]        Explanatory Memorandum, p. 1.

[9]        Explanatory Memorandum, p. 1.

[10]      Explanatory Memorandum, p. 1.

[11]      The committee's website can be found at www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/
Committees/Senate/Legal_and_Constitutional_Affairs

Chapter 2 - Key issues

[1]        Submission 1, p. 3.

[2]        Submission 3, p. 4.

[3]        Department of Immigration and Border Protection, Answers to questions on notice (received 7 February 2017), p. 1.

[4]        Submission 1, p. 4.

[5]        Explanatory Memorandum, p. 38.

[6]        Submission 1, p. 5.

[7]        Submission 1, p. 4.

[8]        Submission 3, p. 4.

[9]        Submission 2, p. 1.

[10]      Submission 4, p. 1.

[11]      Submission 3, p. 4.

[12]      Submission 2, p. 1.

[13]      Submission 3, p. 4, summarising the provisions of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975 (Cth), ss 2A(a) and (b).

[14]      Submission 3, p. 5.

[15]      Submission 3, p. 5.

[16]      Submission 3, p. 5.

[17]      Department of Immigration and Border Protection, Answers to questions on notice (received 7 February 2017), p. 2.

[18]      Department of Immigration and Border Protection, Answers to questions on notice (received 7 February 2017), p. 2.

[19]      Submission 2, p. 1.

[20]      Explanatory Memorandum, p. 10.

[21]      Submission 2, p. 2.

[22]      Submission 2, p. 2.

[23]      Law Council of Australia, Submission 3, p. 5; Refugee Advice and Casework Service, Submission 4, p. 5.

[24]      Migration Act 1958, s 357A(3).

[25]      Submission 3, p. 5. Note: some exceptions are made based on privacy principles and public interest. See Migration Act 1958, ss 362A(2), s 375A and  376.

[26]      Department of Immigration and Border Protection, Answers to questions on notice (received 7 February 2017), p. 2.

[27]      Migration Act 1958, s 362A.

[28]      Explanatory Memorandum¸ p. 14. See Migration Act 958, s 359 (Tribunal may seek information) and s 359AA (Information and invitation given orally by Tribunal while applicant appearing).

[29]      See Law Council of Australia, Submission 3, pp. 7–8; Refugee Advice and Casework Service, Submission 4¸ pp. 3–5.

[30]      See also the submission made by RACS, which noted that the bill proposes to amend section 359A by the insertion of a new section  359A(4)(aa). This, RACS argues, 'is problematic for a number of reasons, including that the applicant, particularly a self-represented, non-English speaking applicant, may not at the time of the Tribunal hearing, have knowledge of all of the reasons for the initial decision nor access to the relevant information (or a copy thereof) referred to in the initial decision...' Submission 4, pp. 2–3.

[31]      Submission 3, pp. 7–8.

[32]      Victoria Legal Aid, Submission 2, p. 2; Law Council of Australia, Submission 3, p. 6; Refugee Advice and Casework Service, Submission 4, pp. 3–4.

[33]      Submission 2, p. 2.

[34]      Submission 3, p. 6. See also Refugee Advice and Casework Service, Submission 4, p. 4.

[35]      Submission 3, p. 6.

[36]      Department of Immigration and Border Protection, Answers to questions on notice (received 7 February 2017), pp. 2–3.

[37]      Explanatory Memorandum¸ p. 11.

[38]      Submission 3, p. 9.

[39]      Department of Immigration and Border Protection, Answers to questions on notice (received 7 February 2017), p. 3.

[40]      Migration Legislation Amendment (Code of Procedure Harmonisation) Bill 2016, proposed s 361(1).

[41]      Migration Act 1958, ss 361(1)(a).

[42]      Explanatory Memorandum¸ p. 13.

[43]      Submission 3¸ p. 9.

[44]      Submission 4, p. 7.

[45]      Submission 3¸ pp. 9–10

[46]      Department of Immigration and Border Protection, Answers to questions on notice (received 7 February 2017), p. 3.

[47]      Migration Legislation Amendment (Code of Procedure Harmonisation) Bill 2016, proposed s 366C.

[48]      Migration Act 1958¸ s 366C(1).

[49]      Submission 3¸ p. 10. See also the concerns raised by the Refugee Advice and Casework Service, Submission 4, pp. 4–5.

[50]      Submission 2, p. 3.

[51]      Submission 2, p. 3.

[52]      Department of Immigration and Border Protection, Answers to questions on notice (received 7 February 2017), p. 4.

[53]      Explanatory Memorandum¸ p. 34.

[54]      Submission 3¸ p. 10.

[55]      Submission 2, p. 4. See Migration Act 359B (Requirements for written invitation etc.), which provides for the Tribunal to issue an invitation which specifies 'the way in which the information, or the comments or the response, may be given, being the way the Tribunal considers is appropriate in the circumstances'.

[56]      Department of Immigration and Border Protection, Answers to questions on notice (received 7 February 2017), p. 4.

[57]      Explanatory Memorandum¸ p. 24.

[58]      Submission 3¸ p. 11.

[59]      Department of Immigration and Border Protection, Answers to questions on notice (received 7 February 2017), p. 5.

[60]      Explanatory Memorandum¸ p. 30.

[61]      Submission 3¸ p. 11.

[62]      Department of Immigration and Border Protection, Answers to questions on notice (received 7 February 2017), p. 5.

[63]      Explanatory Memorandum, p. 39.

[64]      Submission 2, p. 4.

[65]      Submission 4, p. 7.

[66]      Victoria Legal Aid, Submission 2, pp. 4–5; Refugee Advice and Casework Service, Submission 4, p. 7.

[67]      Submission 4, p. 7.

[68]      Submission 4, p. 7.

[69]      Submission 2, pp. 4–5.

Labor Senators' dissenting report

[1]        Victoria Legal Aid, Submission 2, pp. 1–2; Refugee Advice and Casework Service, Submission 4, pp. 5–6.

[2]        Law Council of Australia, Submission 3, p. 5; Refugee Advice and Casework Service, Submission 4, p. 5.

[3]        Explanatory Memorandum, p. 10.

[4]        Explanatory Memorandum, p. 11.

[5]        Victoria Legal Aid, Submission 2, p. 2

[6]        Scrutiny Digest 1 of 2017, 8 February 2017, pp. 20–34.

[7]        Explanatory Memorandum, p. 7.

[8]        Scrutiny Digest 1 of 2017, 8 February 2017, pp. 20–21.

[9]        Migration Act 1958, s 362A.

[10]      Explanatory Memorandum¸ p. 14. See Migration Act 1958, s 359 (Tribunal may seek information) and s 359AA (Information and invitation given orally by Tribunal while applicant appearing).

[11]      Victoria Legal Aid, Submission 2, p. 2; Law Council of Australia, Submission 3, p.6; Refugee Advice and Casework Service, Submission 4, p. 29.

[12]      Submission 2, p. 2

[13]      Submission 3, p. 6. See also Refugee Advice and Casework Service, Submission 4, p. 4.

[14]      Scrutiny Digest 1 of 2017, 8 February 2017, p. 21.

[15]      The Explanatory Memorandum suggests this new provision mirrors (and repeals) the existing section 423A of the Migration Act. Explanatory Memorandum, p. 11.

[16]      Scrutiny Digest 1 of 2017, 8 February 2017, p. 24.

[17]      Submission 3, p. 9.

[18]      Scrutiny Digest 1 of 2017, 8 February 2017, p. 25.

[19]      Scrutiny Digest 1 of 2017, 8 February 2017, p. 25.

[20]      Migration Act 1958¸ s 366C(1).

[21]      Migration Legislation Amendment (Code of Procedure Harmonisation) Bill 2016, proposed s 366C. 

[22]      Victoria Legal Aid, Submission 2, p. 3. Law Council of Australia, Submission 3, p. 10; Refugee Advice and Casework Service, Submission 4, pp. 4–5.

[23]      Submission 2, p. 3. See also the Law Council of Australia, Submission 3, p. 10.

[24]      Submission 4, p. 4.

[25]      Submission 4, p. 5.

[26]      Victoria Legal Aid, Submission 2, pp. 1–2; Refugee Advice & Casework Service, Submission 4, pp. 5–6.

Australian Greens – dissenting report

[1]        Law Council of Australia, Submission 3, pp. 7—8; Refugee Advice and Casework Service, Submission 4¸ pp. 3—5.

[2]        Refugee Advice and Casework Service, Submission 3¸ p. 3.

[3]        Migration Legislation Amendment (Code of Procedure Harmonisation) Bill 2016, proposed s 366C.

[4]        Victoria Legal Aid, Submission 2, p. 3; Law Council, Submission 3, p. 10; Refugee Advice and Casework Service, Submission 4¸ pp. 4—5.

[5]        Submission 4, p. 5.

[6]        Refugee Advice and Casework Service, Submission 4, p. 6.

[7]        Submission 3, p. 11.

[8]        Explanatory Memorandum, p. 39.

[9]        Victoria Legal Aid, Submission 2, p. 4; RACS, Submission 4, p. 7.

[10]      Submission 4, p. 7.

[11]      Submission 4, p. 7.

[12]      Submission 2, p. 1.