McKinley v Repatriation Commission [2015] FCA 145

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

McKinley v Repatriation Commission [2015] FCA 145 Citation: McKinley v Repatriation Commission [2015] FCA 145

Appeal from: Re Jennifer McKinley and Repatriation Commission [2014] AATA 670

Parties: JENNIFER MCKINLEY v REPATRIATION COMMISSION

File number: VID 597 of 2014

Judge: PAGONE J

Date of judgment: 2 March 2015

Catchwords: ADMINISTRATIVE LAW – Appeal from Administrative Appeals Tribunal – claim for increased rate of pension payable under Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 (Cth), s 24 – where applicant claimed to suffer post-traumatic stress disorder and alcohol dependence as war-caused injuries – whether Tribunal failed to afford applicant procedural fairness – whether Tribunal took into account an irrelevant consideration – whether decision affected by actual or apprehended bias – whether findings irrational, illogical or manifestly unreasonable – whether Tribunal failed to make independent inquiries – whether Tribunal failed to provide adequate reasons for its factual findings – whether Tribunal failed to apply the correct standard of proof in relation to factual findings.

Legislation: Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 (Cth) Administrative Appeals Tribunal Act 1975 (Cth) ss 39, 43(2B), 44(1)

Cases cited: Bushell v Repatriation Commission (1992) 175 CLR 408 Commissioner of Taxation v Glennan (1999) 90 FCR 538 Danagher v Child Support Registrar [2014] FCA 1408 Johnson v Johnson (2000) 201 CLR 488 Kowalski v Repatriation Commission [2011] FCAFC 43 Minister for Aboriginal Affairs v Peko-Wallsend Ltd (1986) 162 CLR 24 Minister for Immigration v Yusuf (2001) 206 CLR 323 Minister for Immigration and Citizenship v SZIAI (2009) 259 ALR 429 Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs; Re Ex Parte Applicant S20/2002 [2003] 198 ALR 59 Muralidharan v Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs (1996) 62 FCR 402 O'Sullivan v Repatriation Commission (2003) 128 FCR 590 Repatriation Commission v Bawden (2012) 206 FCR 296 Repatriation Commission v Deledio (1998) 83 FCR 82 SZBEL v Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (2006) 228 CLR 152