Download original attachment
(PDF file)

This is an HTML version of an attachment to the Freedom of Information request 'Brief PDR No. MS24-000053'.



 

OFFICIAL: Sensitive | Legal privilege
Document 1
Minister’s Comments
Key Issues
1. This submission seeks your signature of the proposed delegation instrument Home Affairs
Legislation (Minister—Decision-making powers for Immigration Group and National Security
and Resilience Group) Amendment (Resolution of Status Visa Additional Cohort) Delegation
s. 47C(1)
 at Attachment A.
2. s. 47C(1)  would delegate your power under subregulation 2.07AQ(3A) of the Migration 
Regulations 1994 (the Migration Regulations) to issue a certificate stating that, by reason of 
the High Court’s decision in Love v Commonwealth; Thoms v Commonwealth (2020) 270 CLR 
152 (Love), an individual has been released from, has not been taken into, will not be taken 
into, or could not be taken into immigration detention. s. 47C(1)
3. If signed, your power to issue such a certificate will be delegated to specific SES Band 1 and
SES Band 2 in Immigration Policy Division and Character, Cancellation and Case Resolution
Division, and any SES Band 3 position holder(s) (ie. the Associate Secretary) in the Department
of Home Affairs’ (the Department) Immigration Group.
4. s. 47C(1)  would amend existing delegation instrument Home Affairs Legislation 
(Minister—Decision-making powers for Immigration Group and National Security and 
Resilience Group) Delegation and Authorisation 2021 s. 47C(1)
 (Attachment B of this 
submission refers).s. 47C(1)
 will establish the proposed delegation of your power under 
subregulation 2.07AQ(3A), but will not otherwise change any of the existing delegations under 
s. 47C(1)
5. Your office will be provided a brief on the circumstances of each case regarding the grant of 
any Resolution of Status visa to any person within this cohort.
OFFICIAL: Sensitive | Legal privilege
2

OFFICIAL: Sensitive | Legal privilege
Document 1
s. 47F(1)
 (s. 47C(1)  also refers)
6. s. 47F(1)
   
 
 
 
 
 
   
7.
8. s. 42(1)
9.
10.
 
Background
11. Subregulation 1.16(1) of the Migration Regulations allows the Minister, by writing, to delegate 
any of the Minister’s powers under the Migration Regulations to departmental officers.
12. In Love a majority of the High Court held that an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander 
non-citizen who meets the tripartite test (as set out by Brennan J in Mabo v Queensland [No. 
2] (1992) 175 CLR 1) is not an ‘alien’ within the meaning of paragraph 51(xix) of the 
Constitution. Such persons fall largely outside the scope of the aliens power; critically, the 
High Court found that a non-citizen non-alien cannot be detained or removed from Australia 
under the Migration Act.
13. In the 2024-25 Budget, the Government announced it would provide a permanent visa 
pathway for non-citizens affected by Love, demonstrating a commitment to continuing to 
deliver a response, while working towards longer-term solutions.
OFFICIAL: Sensitive | Legal privilege
3

OFFICIAL: Sensitive | Legal privilege
Document 1
14. On 13 December 2023, the Migration Amendment (Resolution of Status Visa Additional 
Cohort) Regulations 2023 (the Amendment Regulations) amended the Migration Regulations 
to allow for persons affected by the High Court’s decision in Love who have accepted an offer 
of a permanent stay in Australia to be granted a Resolution of Status (Class CD) visa (ROS visa).
15. For a person to qualify for a ROS visa, the circumstance specified by subregulation 2.07AQ(3A) 
of the Migration Regulations must exist for the person. This provision states that the 
circumstance exists if the Minister has issued a certificate stating that, by reason of the High 
Court’s decision in Love:
• a person in the migration zone has been released from, has not been taken into, or 
could not be taken into immigration detention or
• for a person outside of the migration zone, that the Minister is satisfied that the person 
could not be detained under section 189 of the Migration Act if the person was in the 
migration zone.
16.s. 47C(1)
 
 
17.s. 42(1)
         
18. s. 47C(1)
    
Consultation – internal
19.s. 42(1)
 
 
21. s. 47C(1)
   
OFFICIAL: Sensitive | Legal privilege
4

OFFICIAL: Sensitive | Legal privilege
Document 1
Consultation – Secretary / Associate Secretary Immigration / ABF Commissioner
22. s. 47C(1)
Client service implications
25. s. 47C(1)
 
 
Risks and Sensitivities
26. If s. 47C(1)  is not signed, the power to certify a person as being affected by the High 
Court’s decision in Love will remain available only to you as the Minister to exercise. s. 47E(d)   
 
 
 
27. The power under sub-regulation 2.07AQ(3A) would only be delegated to SES officers in 
Immigration Group. This approach would appropriately constrain the delegation to senior 
officers in the relevant parts of the Department, with appropriate skills, knowledge and 
experience.
28. s. 47F(1)
 
    
  
 
Financial/systems/legal/deregulation/media implications
32. There will be no financial impact as a result of the proposed delegation of your powers.
OFFICIAL: Sensitive | Legal privilege
5

OFFICIAL: Sensitive | Legal privilege
Document 1
33. s. 42(1)
 
  
34. The Department employed the same approach with the grant of special purpose visas to 
members of the Love-affected cohort in December 2022 and onwards.
Attachments 
Attachment A
Home Affairs Legislation (Minister—Decision-making powers for Immigration 
Group and National Security and Resilience Group) Amendment (Resolution of 
Status Visa Additional Cohort) Delegation s. 47C(1)
) 2024
Attachment B
Home Affairs Legislation (Minister—Decision-making powers for Immigration 
Group and National Security and Resilience Group) Delegation and 
Authorisation 2021 s. 47C(1)
Authorising Officer
Cleared by:
Kevin Cunnington
Assistant Secretary
Legislation Branch
Date: 02/09/2024
Mob:s. 22(1)(a)(ii)
Contact Officer: Kevin Cunnington, Assistant Secretary, Legislation Branch, Ph:s. 22(1)(a)(ii) Mob:s. 22(1)(a)(ii)
CC
Assistant Minister for Immigration
Assistant Minister for Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs
Secretary
 
Associate Secretary Immigration
Group Manager Legal
Group Manager Immigration Policy
Group Manager Immigration Compliance
First Assistant Secretary Immigration Policy
First Assistant Secretary Immigration Compliance Operations
First Assistant Secretary Character, Cancellation and Case Resolution
Assistant Secretary Compliance and Community Protection Policy
Assistant Secretary Status Resolution Programs and Capability
Assistant Commissioner Immigration Compliance Operations
Assistant Secretary Migration, Citizenship and International Law
OFFICIAL: Sensitive | Legal privilege
6