Stirling v Minister for Finance [2017] FCA 874

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Stirling v Minister for Finance [2017] FCA 874 File number: TAD 42 of 2016

Judge: TRACEY J

Date of judgment: 4 August 2017

Catchwords: ADMINISTRATIVE LAW – application for judicial review of a decision of a delegate of the Minister for Finance to refuse to waive a debt owed to the Commonwealth – whether failure to take into account relevant considerations – whether irrelevant considerations taken into account – whether the decision was legally unreasonable

Legislation: Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act 1977 (Cth) ss 5(1)(e), 5(2)(a), 5(2)(b), 5(2)(g), 13, 13(1) Migration Act 1958 (Cth) s 430 Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013 (Cth) ss 5(c)(iii), 6, 63(1), 63(1)(a)

Cases cited: Alexander v Australian Community Pharmacy Authority (2010) 265 ALR 424; [2010] FCA 189 Anderson v Director-General, Department of Environmental and Climate Change (2008) 251 ALR 633; [2008] NSWCA 337 ARG15 v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2016] FCAFC 174 ARM Constructions v Commissioner of Taxation (1986) 10 FCR 197; [1986] FCA 108 Australian Financial Services and Leasing Pty Limited v Hills Industries Limited (2014) 253 CLR 560; [2014] HCA 14 Ayoub v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection (2015) 231 FCR 513; [2015] FCAFC 83 Bat Advocacy NSW Inc v Minister for Environment Protection, Heritage and the Arts (2011) 180 LGERA 99; [2011] FCAFC 59 Carrascalao v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2017] FCAFC 107 Collector of Customs v Pozzolanic Enterprises Pty Ltd (1993) 43 FCR 280; [1993] FCA 456 Comcare v Broadhurst (2011) 192 FCR 497; [2011] FCAFC 39 David Securities Pty Ltd v Commonwealth Bank of Australia (1992) 175 CLR 353 Dranichnikov v Centrelink (2003) 75 ALD 134; [2003] FCAFC 133 Equuscorp Pty Ltd v Haxton (2012) 246 CLR 498; [2012] HCA 7 Faulkner v Conwell (1989) 21 FCR 41; [1989] FCA 134 Goundar v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2016] FCA 1203 Hindi v Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs (1988) 20 FCR 1; [1988] FCA 549 Islam v Cash (Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) (2015) 148 ALD 132; [2015] FCA 815 Khan v Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs (1987) 14 ALD 291; [1987] FCA 713 Lawyers for Forests Inc v Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts (2009) 165 LGERA 203; [2009] FCA 330 Lek v Minister for Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs (No 2) (1993) 45 FCR 418; [1993] FCA 730 LVR (WA) Pty Ltd v Administrative Appeals Tribunal (2012) 203 FCR 166; [2012] FCAFC 90 Minister for Aboriginal Affairs v Peko-Wallsend Ltd (1986) 162 CLR 24 Minister for Immigration and Border Protection v SZSRS (2014) 309 ALR 67; [2014] FCAFC 16 Minister for Immigration and Citizenship v Li (2013) 249 CLR 332; [2013] HCA 18 Minister for Immigration and Citizenship v SZGUR (2011) 241 CLR 594; [2011] HCA 1 Minister for Immigration and Citizenship v SZJSS (2010) 243 CLR 164; [2010] HCA 48 Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs v Taveli (1990) 23 FCR 162; [1990] FCA 229 Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs v Wu Shan Liang (1996) 185 CLR 259 Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs v Anthonypillai (2001) 106 FCR 426; [2001] FCA 274 Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs v Yusuf (2001) 206 CLR 323; [2001] HCA 30 Re Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs; Ex parte Palme (2003) 216 CLR 212; [2003] HCA 56 Reece v Webber (2011) 192 FCR 254; [2011] FCAFC 33 Soliman v University of Technology, Sydney (2012) 207 FCR 277; [2012] FCAFC 146 Turner v Minister for Immigration (1981) 35 ALR 388; [1981] FCA 61 Williams v Minister for Environment and Heritage (2003) 74 ALD 124; [2003] FCA 535 Wingfoot Australia Partners Pty Ltd v Kocak (2013) 252 CLR 480; [2013] HCA 43