Imad v Director-General of Security [2024] FCA 1115

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA Imad v Director-General of Security [2024] FCA 1115 File number: VID 501 of 2024

Judgment of: ROFE J

Date of judgment: 24 September 2024

Catchwords: PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – migration –cancellation of visitor visa at the recommendation of the Director General of Security – adverse security assessment – discovery of documents relating to matters of national security – where production of discovered documents is resisted – claims of public interest immunity – appropriateness of the judicial examination approach – appropriateness of a closed court approach – balance of competing public interests – national security interests outweighed private rights of an offshore non-citizen – immunity upheld. PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – discovery – where production of discovered documents is resisted – privilege ­– ­claim of legal professional privilege – documents prepared by in-house legal services team – dominant purpose of the communication considered – privilege upheld.

Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act 1979 (Cth) Legislation: Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) Migration Act 1956 (Cth) National Security Information (Civil and Criminal Proceedings) Act 2004 (Cth)

Al Rawi v Security Service [2012] 1 AC 531 Alister v The Queen (1984) 154 CLR 404 Asahi Holdings (Australia) Pty Ltd v Pacific Equity Partners Pty Limited (No 4) [2014] FCA 796 Assistant Commissioner Condon v Pompano Pty Ltd (2013) 252 CLR 38 Attorney-General (NT) v Maurice (1986) 161 CLR 475 Australian Statistician v Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd (2008) 36 WAR 83 Chief Commissioner of Police v Crupi (2023) 72 VR 280 Chu Sing Wun v Minister for Immigration & Ethnic Affairs (1997) 78 FCR 314 Commissioner of Police v Attorney General for New South Wales [2022] NSWSC 595 Commissioner of Police, NSW v Guo (2016) 332 ALR 236 Commonwealth v Northern Land Council (1993) 176 CLR 604 Cases cited: Conway v Rimmer [1968] AC 910 Daniels Corporation International Pty Ltd v Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (2002) 213 CLR 543 DCL22 v Sage [2022] FCA 1310 Gypsy Jokers Motorcycle Club Inc v Commissioner of Police (2008) 234 CLR 532 HT v The Queen (2019) 269 CLR 403 Leghaei v Director-General of Security [2005] FCA 1576 Mao v Commonwealth of Australia [2012] NSWSC 370 Sagar v O'Sullivan (2011) 193 FCR 311 Sankey v Whitlam (1978) 142 CLR 1 SDCV v Director-General of Security (2022) 277 CLR 241 Waterford v Commonwealth (1987) 163 CLR 54 Young v Quin (1985) 4 FCR 483 Zentai v O'Connor (No 2) (2010) 183 FCR 180