Refugee Status in Australia and the Cessation Provisions

[2005] FCAFC 136 (27 July 2005) (‘QAAH’).

Convention relating to the Status of Refugees, opened for signature 28 July 1951, 189 UNTS 150 (entered into force 22 April 1954).

[2006] FCAFC 60 (12 May 2006) (‘NBGM’).

UNHCR, ‘Guidelines on International Protection: Cessation of Refugee Status under arts 1C(5) and (6) of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees’ (10 February 2003) (‘UNHCR Guidelines’) [3].

Ibid, and Conclusion No 69 (XLIII), Conclusions adopted by the Executive Committee on the International Protection of Refugees 1975–2004, 136–7.

Conclusion No 69 (XLIII), ibid.

UNHCR, Handbook on Procedures and Criteria for Determining Refugee Status (Geneva, 1979, re-edited 1992) (‘UNHCR Handbook’) [135].

Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, Australia, The Cessation Clauses (art 1C): An Australian Perspective' (Paper presented at the UNHCR Expert Roundtable, October 2001) 8.

Ibid 16–17.

Department of Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs, ‘Fact Sheet No 68: Temporary Protection Visa Holders Applying for Further Protection’ (Canberra, 2003).

UNHCR Guidelines, above n 4 [3]; UNHCR Handbook, above n 7 [135].

NBGM v Minister for Immigration & Multicultural & Indigenous Affairs [2004] FCA 1373 (25 October 2004).

See, eg, Bostock C M-J , ‘The International Legal Obligations Owed to the Asylum Seekers on the MV Tampa’ (2002) 14 International Journal of Refugee Law 279, 293; Magner T , A Less than “Pacific” Solution for Asylum Seekers in Australia' (2004) 16 International Journal of Refugee Law 53.

UNHCR Handbook, above n 7 [135].

UNHCR Guidelines [18].

Traditionally, these are described as voluntary return, integration in country of first asylum and resettlement in a third country.

UNHCR Regional Office Canberra, ‘Senate Legal and Constitutional References Committee: Inquiry into the Administration and Operation of the Migration Act 1958: Submission by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees’ (28 July 2005) 5.

(2000) 201 CLR 293.

[2005] HCA 6 (2 March 2005).

Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs, Australia, ‘The Cessation Clauses (art 1C): An Australian Perspective’ (Paper presented at the UNHCR Expert Roundtable, October 2001).

Ibid 10.

UNHCR Handbook, above n 7 [28].

NBGM v Minister for Immigration & Multicultural & Indigenous Affairs [2004] FCA 1373 [37].

Ibid [39].

NBGM [2006] FCAFC 60 [166], [172], [202], [221].

Ibid [23]. However, as explained above, the majority relied on provisions in the Migration Act in reaching their decision. In particular, they interpreted the words ‘country apart from Australia’ in s 36(3) of the Migration Act to include the country of origin. With respect, this interpretation is clearly inconsistent with the legislative intent and erroneous.

Ibid [173].

NBGM v Minister for Immigration & Multicultural & Indigenous Affairs [2004] FCA 1373 [44].

[2006] FCAFC 60 [172].

[2005] FCA 161 (7 March 2005).

Ibid [20].

Ibid [25].

QAAH [2005] FCAFC 136 [73]–[76].