Graham v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection

Constitutional law (Cth) – Legislative power of Commonwealth – Constitution, s 75(v) – Where s 503A of Migration Act 1958 (Cth) prevents Minister for Immigration and Border Protection from being required to divulge or communicate certain information to courts – Whether s 503A requires courts to exercise judicial power in manner inconsistent with essential function of courts to find facts relevant to determination of rights in issue – Whether ss 501(3) and 503A(2) inconsistent with s 75(v) of Constitution – Whether s 503A(2)(c) denies High Court and Federal Court ability to enforce legislated limits of power – Whether s 503A(2)(c) curtails capacity of court to discern and declare whether legal limits of power conferred on Minister observed.

Migration – Jurisdictional error – Power of Minister to cancel visa on character grounds under s 501(3) of Migration Act 1958 (Cth) – Where decisions to cancel visas took into account information purportedly protected from disclosure under s 503A – Where Minister's understanding of s 503A erroneous – Where error was as to whether Minister's decision would be shielded from review by court in so far as based on information protected from disclosure under s 503A – Whether decisions invalid as consequence of error.

Words and phrases – "authorised migration officer", "character test", "fact-finding", "gazetted agency", "judicial power", "national interest", "protected from disclosure", "protected information", "public interest immunity", "purported exercise of a power", "substantial criminal record".

Constitution – ss 75(v), 77(i), 77(iii).

Migration Act 1958 (Cth) – ss 476A, 501, 501A, 501B, 501C, 503A, 503B.