With increasing media and political attention on the government’s dramatic border security failure over airport arrivals, Attorney-General Christian Porter has been forced to reveal a report savaging its handling of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT), which has led directly to tens of thousands of illegal immigrants working in Australia.
In the wake of Crikey INQ’s series on the systematic abuse of the onshore humanitarian visa system by the horticulture industry and labour hire firms, and questions from the opposition yesterday about the massive blowout in bridging visa cases before the courts, the government yesterday released a statutory review by former High Court justice Ian Callinan into the government’s 2015 amalgamation of the AAT with the Migration Review Tribunal, the Refugee Review Tribunal and the Social Security Appeal Tribunal, just days ahead of the legislated deadline for tabling. The government has sat on the report for seven months, and no response to its long list of recommendations is in sight.
Both Callinan and current and former members explain in the report why the amalgamation has failed and why tens of thousands of visa cases now clog up the Migration Review Division of the court — and the answer lies as much with the government as with scammers and illegal immigrants. Key problems identified in the review are:
Too many appointees without legal qualifications
In a direct rebuke to a government that has made an art form of stacking the AAT with former politicians and staffers qualified only by their Liberal Party connections, Callinan recommends “[a]ll further appointments, re-appointments or renewals of appointment to the Membership of the AAT should be of lawyers, admitted or qualified for admission to a Supreme Court of a State or Territory or the High Court of Australia, and on the basis of merit”. An anonymous member of the AAT pointed out political “captain’s pick” appointments haven’t reduced the workload of busy divisions.
Public servants dictating decisions
Because so many political appointees lack even a basic understanding of the law, decisions are often being dictated to members by AAT staff. This is backed by a current AAT member who says the Migration Division “is now seen more as an executive, public service type of appointment with influence exerted by the public service”. Callinan is outraged by this. “There is no need for, and it is not appropriate that Registry staff, whether by preparing ‘templates’ for decisions, or giving ‘legal advice’ to Members, participate in making or writing, or assisting in writing, decisions by Members.”
More members are needed to address the backlog
Callinan urges the “further appointments of, preferably, full-time, appropriately legally qualified, Members”. A senior member also warns the Migration Division in Victoria is poorly managed and there is little mentoring or support for new members in that division. Another warns of “bullying and threats adverse to independence”. Callinan also wants members to move around so that those in less busy divisions can help address the backlog in the Migration Division.
Too many contractors
In another rebuke to a major characteristic of the current government, Callinan strongly objects to the use of contractors by the AAT, especially to perform tasks that are “properly the work of Registry staff.”
“The AAT should not engage external consultants to do or assist it to do administration,” Callinan recommended.
The amalgamation has failed because of internal culture
“It soon became apparent to me that the extent and complexity of the work [of the Migration Division] that it was doing were not always appreciated by some of the other Members and some AAT staff: they did not lay out the welcome mat for the new Division. I have to say, regrettably, that some Members of the General Division and some staff have, on occasions, adopted a condescending attitude to the MRD.” At the same time, Callinan notes, “some Members in the MRD may have been rather thin skinned about criticisms that have been made of their decisions”.
The criticisms of the government don’t end there: Callinan attacks the government’s 2015 decision to effectively abolish the Administrative Review Council, suggesting it may have been illegal. But Callinan also takes aim at those deliberately gaming the system for bridging visas. “Almost everyone experienced and knowledgeable in migration affairs told me that there are applicants, not small in number, and some persons who represent them, who ‘game’ the system, well knowing there is an automatic entitlement to a bridging visa.”
To help stymie them, Callinan wants the AAT to be given the power to prevent new material, subsequent to the decision under review, being introduced by applicants trying to endlessly delay decisions. “Consideration should be given to legislation for a new information rule conferring a wide discretion upon the AAT to receive or refuse evidence not before the original decision-maker.”
But as the report makes clear, it was then-attorney-general George Brandis who put in place the circumstances for the current loss of border security. A bungled amalgamation of the AAT and the elevation of the bipartisan practice of political appointments to the Tribunal to what became, in effect, an employment service for failed Coalition MPs and staff, have enabled tens of thousands of scammers and opportunists. And the government has known about it for months without lifting a finger to address it.
Great Managers the Liberals.
Soapy George Brandis, this is his doing. The failed lawyer who applied for a QC but was knocked back. After 6 years of being a full time MP, he finally gets silk, courtesy of one hack who was rewarded later by Newman with the title Gov of Qld.
This fake titled QC/SC went on to become the AG, and like Chilla Porter’s son, is rank to the core.
In 2016 days before caretaker, the fake titled QC attorney-general George Brandis announced 37 new appointments to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal.
During Senate estimates it was revealed none of these positions were advertised, there was no merit-based selection process or departmental advice.
None of the candidates were recommended by department. There was no consideration of any conflicts of interest.
Taking a lesson out of the Third Reich and Hitler’s destruction of an independent judiciary.
Very hard to see where the mendacity finishes and the raw incompetence starts, with this lot of vicious dunderheads.
Sadly we are stuck with at least three more years of them, and an electorate ignorant enough to potentially give them another chance after that.
Dark days indeed for our fragile democracy.
At least we have Crikey and a small handful of other media willing to keep a small spotlight on all the malfeasance going on.
Just like Chilla Porter, George Fake QC Brandis knew how to squeeze a buck out of the taxpayers/charity donations.
Four ministers billed the taxpayer almost $7000 to attend a glitzy private New Year’s Eve function hosted by Malcolm Turnbull.
Dutton
Brandis
Fifefield
Birmingham
ATTORNEY-General George Brandis spent an estimated $12,000 on charter flights last year taking his son on a taxpayer-funded trip to regional Queensland where the pair explored their family history in the region.
Pyne?
$30,000 for him and his wife to London and Paris, drink driver Credlin approved it even though it was not in the guidelines.
Stacking the AAT and the Federal Court was child’s play to this lot.
Another Soapy George Brandis attack on the separation of powers getting his own back after being denied the title QC, and having to wait for a mate to quietly add his name to the list up for the title.
“Let’s move our attention to the law courts and the robed ambassadors of justice.
Imagine, for a moment, the pleasure that a self-represented litigant would get appearing before Judge Salvatore Vasta of the Federal Circuit Court in Queensland.
Sal has made a name for himself with threats to charge litigants with contempt and then flinging them into pokey. An impressive number of his judgements have been eviscerated by other robed ambassadors higher up the food chain.
The latest Vastarisation to emerge involved appellant Michael Gambaro, who claimed he had been unfairly sacked. Gambaro appeared for himself before the judge and, from what is available of the transcript, we pick up this interaction:
Judge Vasta: How is there statute changes? Either the law is as it was…
Gambaro: Workplace…
Judge Vasta: Do not ever interrupt me. Do not ever. You’ve been told many times when I talk, your mouth goes closed. You do not ever interrupt me, or you will be cited for contempt. I’m not putting up with your rubbish.
Gambaro: Yes, your honour.
Judge Vasta: There’s only one person in charge here and it’s me. Now, make your submission.
Gambaro: I thought you were going to explain something, your honour.
Judge Vasta: You interrupted me. What’s so important? What is so important that you would risk the wrath of the court in trying to tell me that there is something more important? Tell me what it is.
Things didn’t improve as Sal’s intemperate interruptions continued. Gambaro struggled to answer the judge’s questions, and Vasta eventually had him thrown out of the court.
Sal remains a favourite of his boss, the chief of both the Family and the Circuit courts, His Honour Chief Justice Willy Alstergren. He has appointed Sal acting chief judge of the Circuit Court, and to the task of “reforming” the court’s “efficiency”.
Needless to say, Vasta is an appointment of Soapy George Brandis – a lingering gift to the nation.”
https://www.thesaturdaypaper.com.au/opinion/diary/2019/07/20/gadfly-reinventing-their-spiel/15635448008464
Ian Callinan is not unfamiliar with these shenanigans.
Sal’s brother is Ross Vasta MP (LNP).
There is a distant echo from the Bjelke era. Journalist and law historian Evan Whitton recalls Angelo’s appointment to the Supremes in February 1984.
This from his seminal work, The Hillbilly Dictator:
“The National Party Cabinet approved the appointment of [crooked police commissioner “Sir” Terry] Lewis’s friend, Angelo Vasta, as a Justice of the Supreme Court … Vasta was 42; on seniority, he would have a good chance of one day being knighted as Sir Angelo Vasta, Chief Justice. There was opposition to the appointment from the president of the Bar Association, Bill Pincus QC, and from the government’s legal adviser, Ian Callinan QC. Pincus argued that Crown Prosecutors tended to lack experience in civil work.”
….saw a splurge of other appointments by Gorgeous George. Old Liberal cronies have been dug up and put on boards, commissions and tribunals, including Dame Janet Albrechtsen onto the council of the National Museum.”