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Tewao and Minister for Immigration and Citizenship [2011] AATA 329 (18 May 2011)
Last Updated: 23 May 2011
Administrative Appeals Tribunal
DECISION AND REASONS FOR DECISION [2011] AATA 329
ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS TRIBUNAL )
) No 2011/792
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GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISION
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Re
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Applicant
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And
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MINISTER FOR IMMIGRATION AND CITIZENSHIP
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Respondent
DECISION
Date 18 May 2011
Place Sydney
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Decision
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The Tribunal sets aside the decision under
review and decides instead that Mr Tewao’s visa should not be cancelled.
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..................[sgd]............................
Ms N Bell, Senior
Member
CATCHWORDS –
Citizenship – cancellation of visa – not of good character -
substantial criminal record - protection
of the Australian community –
family ties and relationships
Migration Act 1958
Ministerial Direction No. 41 on Visa Refusal and Cancellation under
section 501 of the Act
REASONS FOR DECISION
- Heydon
Harlem Tewao left New Zealand at his mother’s urging and of his own
volition, in part to seize Australia’s economic
opportunities and in part
to escape the life and family ties that seemed to lead to crime and violence.
But he took with him a
custom of substance and alcohol abuse and on a drunken
and drugged night after just 17 months in Australia, in the company of his
cousin William, he committed a crime that sent him to goal for three years and
three months with a non-parole period of 16 months,
grounded the cancellation of
his visa and consequent proposed deportation, and left the victim of his
powerful fists with horrible
injuries to his face.
- It
is agreed he does not pass the “character test” in the Migration
Act 1958 and the Minister may cancel his visa. (See sections 501(2), (6)
and (7) of the Act).
- Ministerial
Direction No. 41 on Visa Refusal and Cancellation under section 501
of the Act is a set of primary and “other” considerations
that I must take into account in the exercise of the discretion whether
to
cancel Mr Tewao’s visa and effectively send him back to NZ.
- The
primary considerations in the Direction are:
- (a) the
protection of the Australian community from serious criminal or other harmful
conduct, particularly crimes involving violence;
- (b) whether
the person was a minor when they began living in Australia;
- (c) the
length of time that the person has been ordinarily resident in Australia prior
to engaging in criminal activity or other relevant
conduct; and
- (d) relevant
international obligations, including but not limited to:
- (i) the best
interests of the child, as described in the Convention on the Rights of the
Child (CROC); and
- (ii) the
non-refoulement obligations contained in the Convention and the Protocol
Relating to the Status of Refugees (the Refugees
Convention), the International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Convention Against
Torture and Other Cruel,
Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
(CAT).
- These
considerations are expanded by a range of factors to which I must have regard.
The additional “other” considerations
contained in the Direction and
relevant to Mr Tewao’s circumstances are indicated by the headings that
appear below.
BACKGROUND
- Mr
Tewao stands at seven feet tall. He is a huge man, 26 years old, with shoulders
like buttresses and legs like pylons. His hands,
as fists, resemble demolition
balls. He was born into a family governed by one of the gangs that trouble some
parts of New Zealand.
His grandfather was and still is enmeshed in gang culture
and criminal gang activity. His mother did her best to keep her three
children
from it but Mr Tewao was the favourite grandchild, worked with his grandfather
in his roadwork business and enjoyed his
patronage. His size made him valuable
to the gang but he refused initiation despite not wanting to disappoint his
grandfather.
He was, however, enveloped by gang life by the time he left NZ in
2007.
- Yet
Mr Tewao, or “Tiny” as he is known, seems for all his mountainous
bulk a gentle man. He stands as if in apology for
the space he takes up. His
head is often bowed as he holds his massive hands clasped loosely in front of
him. His speech is tentative
and his voice soft. He is said to be mildly
intellectually disabled, but his words occasionally catch his thoughts and form
a comment
so insightful or a connection so nimble that one must play the words
over to be sure they were his. When he recedes into the chasm
between
thought and vocabulary, the poor verbal ability mentioned by the
psychologist who reported on him, he grinds to a frustrated and resigned
halt. One wonders what it must be like
to continually face the fearful
response of those he meets and to keep that massive piece of human machinery
running every day.
It is sometimes hard to see the person inhabiting it
and one imagines a smaller, more articulate man struggling to break out from
inside the bulk, throwing bright glimpses of himself out to the world.
- After
watching him and hearing him speak, it is difficult to imagine him attacking
anyone, but the convictions for aggravated robbery,
a serious and violent crime,
and two subsequent lesser convictions for resist arrest and common assault and
damage to property are
firmly embedded in the record.
- He
says he has no recollection of the night of his most serious crime and knows
only what he has read and what his cousin told him,
but he cringed when asked
about it and hung his head in shame. He ventured that his amnesia might be
alcohol induced or it might
be he is saving himself from the pain of the memory
(“I don’t want to remember what had happened that
night”). He has thought to try to find the man he bashed so he
can say he's sorry.
- Mr
Tewao has another dimension. When he can, he paints on canvass. He
likened it to other people having a diary, he having a painting,
and described
it as “personal”. He paints only for himself. And there is his
love of opera. He first saw it on YouTube
and though he doesn’t
understand the words he feels it deeply. Talking about it brought a luminous
smile to his face, but
embarrassed him profoundly. He said “But
I’m like – like, I’m an Islander, you know. An Islander
listening to opera, you know, that’s not –
it’s like one out
of a million.”
- “Unusually
sensitive” were the words the reporting psychologist used to describe
him.
PRIMARY CONSIDERATIONS
- The
primary consideration of most importance in relation to Mr Tewao is the
protection of the Australian community. Given his recent
appointment as
godfather to his 14 month old niece, Australia’s international obligations
under the Convention on the Rights
of the Child are also relevant and require me
to consider that child’s best interests.
- Also
relevant is the length of time Mr Tewao was resident in Australia before he
committed the offences. He was 20 when he came to
Australia and so no
consideration of minority age applies.
PROTECTION OF THE
AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY
- The
Direction requires me to consider, in the context of protection of the
community, the seriousness and nature of the criminal conduct
and the risk that
it may be repeated.
- Mr
Tewao has the following three
convictions:
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Conviction date
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Charge
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Sentence
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25 June 2010
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Resist Officer in Execution of Duty
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Imprisonment: 6 months commencing 09/10/2009
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Common Assault
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Imprisonment: 6 months commencing 09/10/2009
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13 May 2010
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Aggravated Robbery
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Imprisonment: 3 Years – 3 months commencing 05/11/09 concluding
04/02/13. Non-parole period with conditions: 1 Year –
4 months commencing
05/11/09
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18 September 2009
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Destroy or Damage Property (less than $2000)
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Conviction proved. Monetary fine: $500. Court costs: $76.
|
- His
first offence, aggravated robbery, is the most troubling and is the offence that
places him foul of the character test. On sentencing,
Acting Judge Madgewick
summarised the circumstances of the crime. Mr Tewao had been at the pub,
drinking all day with his cousin,
William. He had also been smoking cannabis
and had taken ecstasy. His cousin had the idea of “rolling”
the victim, who had just sold him some cannabis. It appears Mr Tewao was used
as enforcer, having been asked by William for
his help. That is when Mr Tewao
battered the victim’s face. Acting Judge Madgewick considered Mr Tewao
reacted blindly and
drunkenly without any planning and that it was an entirely
opportunistic crime. His Honour described it as the “brutal bashing
and
robbery of a peaceful young man who had offered no provocation at all” but
noted Mr Tewao’s remorse, his prompt plea
of guilty and the fact that,
referring to both Mr Tewao and William, “as young children effective
intervention was not undertaken to get them out of the drug and alcohol ridden
mess into which their situation
had landed them”. His Honour held
hope for rehabilitation, provided a formal program was to be undertaken.
- Mr
Tewao was reluctant to “point the finger” at his cousin, even when
encouraged to do so on questioning by the Tribunal
and by Counsel. He took
responsibility for his own actions, rather than blaming another.
- The
Probation and Parole Service Pre-Sentence Report said Mr Tewao expressed regret
for his actions and described him as heavily dependent
on his cousin for social,
emotional and financial support. They were very close, having been raised
together like brothers.
- Mr
Tewao told the Tribunal, as he had the Probation and Parole Service, that he had
wondered how his actions affected the victim.
He knew something of the notion
of victim empathy and thought it would be better to apologise to the victim face
to face, rather
than by writing him a letter.
- Mr
Tewao’s second offence, resist arrest and common assault, occurred two
weeks after the aggravated robbery. He was again
at the pub, drinking with
William, when two policemen approached and arrested him for the aggravated
robbery. He went with them
peacefully, not handcuffed, and entered the paddy
wagon with no resistance. As he travelled in the wagon he could see William
being
chased down the street by police. When he reached the police station and
got out of the paddy wagon he saw some 20 policemen in
a circle, awaiting his
arrival. He said he was given a “wristlock” and demonstrated a
bending back of his wrist that
looked painful and, he said, unnecessary, given
his willingness to submit to what he saw as his inevitable punishment. He was
taken
into the building and three policemen directed him into a lift. He said
he baulked at this, being claustrophobic and unable to explain
himself, and was
pushed inside. He said that in the lift he swayed from side to side, pushing
officers into the walls. At first
he said he never threw a punch but later
could not definitely recall. He did say he was “agitated” and
seemed to understand
that his behaviour could be interpreted as resistant. He
said that at some point the lift got stuck. It is not hard to imagine
the mood
of the officers, trapped in that small space with an intoxicated, agitated seven
foot tall arrestee. He received a sentence
of six months imprisonment, served
concurrently with his primary sentence.
- Mr
Tewao’s third offence was malicious damage to property, committed while he
was on bail. He was at a nightclub, again with
William who was
“wasted” and who began an argument with the club’s bouncers.
As William was being pushed out of
the club, Mr Tewao came to the rescue of his
cousin (“Because I’ve always been the bodyguard type of person,
protection, like ...”) and was pushing back against the bouncers. As
he did so and grabbed onto a stair railing to anchor himself the steel pole
broke away from the wall. Surprised and apologetic, he politely handed it back
to the bouncers. For that he was fined $500.
- I
note that no evidence was introduced about the circumstances of the second and
third offences; the Tribunal had only Mr Tewao’s
evidence about this. The
first of his offences is the most serious, although his later offences also show
that he had yet to grasp
the dangers of drinking to excess and being in the
company of his cousin.
- Mr
Tewao has no prior record of convictions. I believed him when he said he had
never been involved in fistfights in NZ or elsewhere
in Australia. I accept as
truthful his advice to the Parole Service that he had never before harmed
another person. He told the
Tribunal about frequent provocation in prison, the
inmates’ need to make a name for themselves by challenging him, and his
ability to walk away. I also note Dr Lennings assessment of his serious offence
as out of character.
- Alcohol
was a common factor on all occasions of offence, as was the presence of his
cousin. Mr Tewao’s risk of recidivism seems
to be linked to alcohol abuse
and troublesome company. Dr Lennings identified alcohol as the highest risk
factor for Mr Tewao’s
recidivism.
-
Mr Tewao was a chronic binge drinker as a teenager but gradually his preference
moved to cannabis. He maintained that as a daily
habit until his incarceration.
Prior to leaving NZ, he used crystal methylamphetamine on a regular basis. He
says he did not use
that drug once in Australia, his brother Sunny helping him
to stop cold turkey. He had an unusually close relationship with his
cousin
William, who followed him to Australia. William now lives in Melbourne and
although they may cross paths at infrequent family
gatherings, Mr Tewao knows
that their relationship must be at arm’s length.
- In
prison Mr Tewao completed the Drug and Alcohol Addiction Program and the Gurnang
Life Challenge program to satisfactory levels.
There was a notation in the
Probation and Parole Service pre-release report of Mr Tewao appearing not to
have taken the Drug and
Alcohol Addiction Program very seriously. Mr Tewao said
in his statement that later on he had time to think about it and realised
it was
valuable. When I asked him what he had learned from the program he completed he
said he learned that it is important to have
something of interest to occupy
one’s time, hobbies and the like, because drug and alcohol use is often a
function of having
nothing else to do. With his interests in painting and
opera, and his new role as a godfather, Mr Tewao is better placed than many
to
put this lesson into practice.
- Mr
Tewao said that many substances were available in prison but he avoided them.
He said he wanted to change and to stay out of trouble.
He has not taken any
drug since he entered prison. Mr Tewao’s stepfather, Mr Leo, is a drug
and alcohol counsellor and has
left NZ to live permanently in Perth along with
Mr Tewao’s mother, sister and brother in law. He gave evidence of his
intention
to begin a “Stages of Change“ program with him with a view
to helping Mr Tewao to complete his rehabilitation. Mr Leo
described a good
relationship with his stepson, one of mutual respect arrived at after the
initial awkwardness of being the new man
in his mother’s life some nine
years ago. Mr Leo also agreed that if it appeared that
Mr Tewao would
benefit from undertaking some other program then he would enthusiastically
support that, financially and otherwise.
Mrs Tewao, Mr Tewao’s mother
works as a social worker in prisoner rehabilitation. She gave evidence of her
preparedness to
support her son, primarily as his mother, but drawing on her
professional experience in doing so. I note that it is a condition
of Mr
Tewao’s parole that he undertake drug and alcohol rehabilitation if
directed by his parole officer to do so. Mr Tewao’s
parole period ends in
February 2013.
- Almost
all of Mr Tewao’s immediate family have relocated permanently to Perth.
Mr Tewao’s parents currently live with
his sister and her husband but will
soon move to another house nearby. The Probation and Parole Service has agreed
for Mr Tewao’s
parole to be supervised in Perth and for him to relocate
there, if he remains in Australia. The Service has assessed Mr Tewao’s
sister’s home, where Mr Tewao will live if allowed to remain in Australia,
and has found it suitable.
- Mr
Tewao’s sister, Ms Baker, is married with a 14 month old daughter. Both
she and her husband are employed. Mr Tewao has
a good relationship with both of
them. She is a powerful person, focused and goal oriented, and known
affectionately by her family
as the “Sergeant Major”. Mr Tewao
said, with a smile on his face, that she is “pretty stubborn”. Ms
Baker
said she places the welfare of her baby daughter above all other things in
her life and expressed confidence in her brother’s
ability to care for the
child as a loving and responsible godfather. She was very clear about her
expectations of Mr Tewao and her
requirements that he engage in no drinking,
drug taking or cigarette smoking in her house. When asked what she would do if
Mr Tewao transgressed, she didn’t miss a beat when she said
“I’d call the police”. I believe she would.
- Ms
Baker has secured employment for her brother with a friend who owns a four wheel
drive parts distribution company. She and her
husband intend to purchase
driving lessons for Mr Tewao so he can get to his job more easily and,
presumably, so he can take his
goddaughter to and from childcare – one of
his intended responsibilities as godfather. Ms Baker and her husband have
undertaken
to buy Mr Tewao a car when he gets his licence. She is also prepared
to fund drug and alcohol rehabilitation training for him.
- It
was respectfully suggested that the nearness of his immediate family when they
were all in NZ did not prevent Mr Tewao from using
drugs and alcohol when he was
there. A number of changes have since been wrought on that family: their
permanent settlement in Perth,
father and mother both employed in the
counselling and social services sector in Perth, all now fully aware of Mr
Tewao’s susceptibilities
and experiences and all aware of what is at stake
for him, his sister’s marriage, the birth of a grandchild, the crescendo
of Mr Tewao’s imprisonment and now the threat of his deportation. Mrs
Tewao referred to herself as having previously been
in denial about her son. It
was sobering to see an obviously loving and conscientious mother so readily
acknowledge error and do
so with such stoic dignity. There have been profound
changes in that family and all of its members acknowledge that it will not
all
be plain sailing. They appear realistic about the challenges ahead and
committed to confronting them with enlightened and firm
determination. It
brings the term “tough love” to mind.
- Mr
Tewao made something of a rod for his own back when he gave the honest evidence
that while he will never touch cannabis or other
drugs again, he might have two
or three drinks now and again to be sociable, although he has not touched
alcohol since his imprisonment.
He said he considered alcohol to not be a
problem for him in that he can choose not to drink and has often done just that,
particularly
in protective mode. However, he acknowledged that alcohol had been
a common element in each of his offences. When asked, he said
that while he had
experience of either drinking to extreme intoxication or not drinking at all, he
had never just had two or three
drinks and stopped at that. However, his father
gave evidence of having had “a few drinks” with him over a barbeque
after some job well done. His sister gave evidence of drinks on a Friday night
when they were living in Brisbane and walking home
and talking reasonably
sensibly after he and her husband had each consumed a dozen beers.
- The
evidence of Dr Lennings on this point was that in “controlled
drinking”, abstinence for one month must first be accomplished
before a
person’s ability to stop at three standard drinks is assured. He
mentioned the “three drinks three times a
week” rule of thumb and
spoke of the danger of a person’s judgement being impaired after three
standard drinks –
the equivalent of two schooners. However, he said that
at three standard drinks a person is still below 0.5 per cent blood alcohol
level and no risk is raised. Dr Lennings said that Mr Tewao’s ability to
abstain from drinking on some occasions shows that
he has some restraint. He
said he doesn’t demonstrate alcohol dependence or loss of control in
drinking but that he is still
untreated and has yet to learn “all the
skills that he would need for the occasion when it does get tempting to have one
more”.
He said such treatment is readily available as a series of eight
to twelve outpatient sessions at drug and alcohol centres around
Australia.
When Dr Lennings was alerted to Mr Tewao’s father’s experience as a
drug and alcohol counsellor, he considered
that Mr Tewao would be likely to be
amenable to information support and advice from his father. But he considered he
would also benefit
from non family or independent treatment.
- Dr
Lennings’ assessment of the risk of recidivism by Mr Tewao was low to low
moderate and merely low if he is allowed to stay
in Australia and have the
benefit of support from his immediate family.
- There
is a risk of recidivism. There is always some degree of risk. But I consider it
to be low, given Mr Tewao’s previous
and subsequent avoidance of violence,
his personal resources including his appreciation of art and music so foreign to
the world
he grew up in, his emerging insight into his own behaviour and, not
least, his firmly loving immediate family, all of whom are intent
on keeping him
close and supported. I also consider it to be low because of his naturally
peaceful and conciliatory nature and his
hopes for the future. The following
exchange, after Mr Tewao explained to me that he has now “grown up”,
is now a man
instead of a boy, speaks for
itself:
SM Bell: Given that you have grown up ?
Mr Tewao: Yes.
SM Bell: What change has that created for you? How are you different now
that you have grown up? What are some of the things about
you that are
different?
Mr Tewao: I have opened up more. It doesn’t seem like it here, but I
have opened up more in general. I have learnt to, you
know – I have
learnt to control my frustrations – not all of it, but it’s a step,
you know, that I have started.
I have got off the marijuana. Like, we used to
get urine tested in gaol - - -
SM Bell: Right?
Mr Tewao: To see if we have been smoking or doing drugs in gaol.
SM Bell: What else has changed that is part of you now ?
Mr Tewao: As a different person. Yes.
SM Bell: being a man instead of a boy?
Mr Tewao: My little sister has had a baby.
SM Bell: Yes?
Mr Tewao: A baby girl. Yes, so that’s – that’s kind of,
you know, like a – yes, something – something
to take responsibility
for other than yourself. Yes. Just having – having goals – having
goals, you know. Having something
that you can work for, you
know.
SM Bell: And what do you want to work for?
Mr Tewao: I want to be – I just want to work for – for my own
house, and to travel. That’s all I want to work for.
And you know, later
on down the track I will probably have a family, but that’s not until
later, later on. Yes. I kind of
want to explore everything else. (Tr. p.
43)
LENGTH OF TIME RESIDENT IN AUSTRALIA
- Mr
Tewao was resident in Australia for just 17 months before he offended, but so
far as the length of his residence indicates ties
to Australia, it must be
recognised that his family resides here now and so his ties here are stronger
than they would be if his
immediate family remained in
NZ.
INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS
- Mr
Tewao’s intended relationship as godfather and uncle to his 14 month old
niece raises Australia’s obligations under
the International Convention on
the Rights of the Child and, in particular, the child’s best interests.
Mr Tewao and his goddaughter
have no relationship as yet, but her mother wants
Mr Tewao to be the person who would care for her in the event that she and her
husband could not. She anticipates Mr Tewao would have a close relationship
with the child, taking her to and collecting her from
childcare and living with
her in her parents’ house. She wishes Mr Tewao to be a person her
daughter could consult for advice
and guidance in addition to her parents. Mr
Tewao said that he wants to show her how to not follow in his footsteps. When
he talked
about his goddaughter, another rare smile lit his face and he said he
has “butterflies” about meeting her.
- Mrs
T, when asked about her hopes for Mr Tewao’s relationship with his
goddaughter, described her image of Mr Tewao swooping
her up and holding her in
the air. One thought of the little girl riding on the shoulders of her own
giant.
- I
am also mindful of some disagreement between Mr Leo and Mrs Tewao about whether
they would return to NZ if Mr Tewao were deported.
This raises the possibility
of wider dispersion of the child’s family beyond Mr Tewao’s
return.
- While
any relationship between Mr Tewao and his goddaughter is at this point purely
potential, if he is returned to NZ, the potential
will be lost, but for
telephone and electronic communication when she is older. The relationship
between
Mr Tewao and his goddaughter anticipated by the family seems within
reach, given my observations of Mr Tewao and the hopes of his
family. It would
be a relationship that could benefit the child, enriching her life. But the
purely potential nature of this means
I can give only limited weight to this
consideration.
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS
- Of
the “other” considerations listed in the Direction, family ties,
hardship, links to NZ and formal advice are relevant
to Mr Tewao’s
circumstances. His age, health and level of education raise no significant
matters for consideration.
FAMILY TIES
- It
is clear that Mr Tewao’s significant family ties are here in Australia.
His mother, father, sister, brother in law and his
niece and goddaughter are all
in Perth where he has been approved to report for parole. All of these family
members are committed
to Mr Tewao and to his rehabilitation and development.
His brother, Sunny, is in NZ studying nursing and may remain there for as
long
as 3 years. As a student, he is not in a strong position to provide stability
and support to Mr Tewao. There are also many
other relatives in NZ, but they
are not to Mr Tewao’s benefit and are more than likely to lead him into
recidivism. There
is no evidence that they are relatives to whom Mr Tewao would
turn for support even if they were able or inclined to give
it.
LINKS TO NEW ZEALAND
- Mr
Tewao has extensive links to NZ but they are with relatives and a community that
is likely to be harmful to him through the prevalence
of alcohol, drugs and
criminal activity. His links to NZ have now been overshadowed by his ties to
Australia. His immediate family
is here now.
HARDSHIP
- With
the exception of his brother Sunny, Mr Tewao would be without support in NZ and
would be exposed to influences that would be
likely to lead to criminal activity
including substance abuse and to alcohol abuse. He is reluctant to impose again
on his brother.
He and the rest of his family consider that Sunny needs to
focus on his studies and not be burdened by the responsibility of supporting
Mr Tewao. Because he has not been initiated into a gang he would not have to
undergo the violent process of “walking the line”
to extricate
himself, but he would be placed in harm’s way by his community’s
lifestyle and by exposure to alcohol, drug
use and criminal activity. I
consider this would amount to hardship.
- The
hardship to Mr Tewao’s family in Australia would be substantial.
Mrs
Tewao’s evidence to the Tribunal was that of a mother who cares deeply for
her son, has had to face some hard facts about
the life he has led in spite of
her efforts and who fervently embraces the hope of a second chance. She will
clearly be devastated
if he were to be returned to NZ. Mr Tewao’s father
and sister are both eager to welcome Mr Tewao back to the care and support
of
his family. Each of them is ready to put substantial effort into supporting and
helping him. The family is intent on being together
in Australia, with all of
the children living here, including eventually Sunny. No family members depend
on Mr Tewao for financial
or other support, but he is important to them and
their disappointment and concern for
Mr Tewao if he were to be returned
would be a significant hardship for them.
FORMAL ADVICE IN THE
PAST
- Mr
Tewao received no formal advice about the conduct that brought him within the
deportation provisions of the Act. He expressed
his surprise that, given
Gallipoli and the ANZACS and associated history, he could in fact be
deported.
- He
is now keenly aware of his position and his vulnerability to
deportation.
BALANCE OF CONSIDERATIONS
- For
the reasons outlined above, I find there is a low risk to the protection of the
Australian community were Mr Tewao to remain in
Australia. The anomalous nature
of his serious crime, his remorse, his personal resources and natural
peacefulness, his family support
and his prospects for rehabilitation from drug
and alcohol abuse lead me firmly to that conclusion. I find that it would
likely
be in the best interests of his goddaughter were he to stay, although I
accept that their relationship is a potential one and she
would experience no
actual loss were he to be deported; she would not miss what she does not yet
have. I find that Mr Tewao’s
ties to Australia are not accurately
reflected by the length of time he was resident here before he first offended
and that the presence
now of most members of his immediate family means that his
ties to Australia are strong.
- I
find that Mr Tewao and his family would suffer significant hardship if he were
to return to NZ and that his links to NZ, while extensive,
would not be to his
benefit. Finally, I find that Mr Tewao was not formally advised of and did not
understand what was at stake
when he committed his serious crime. I consider
that Mr Tewao does not pose an unacceptable risk to the Australian community and
that the low risk he poses is outweighed by the remaining considerations. On
balance, the weight of considerations falls against
the cancellation of Mr
Tewao’s visa.
DECISION
- The
Tribunal sets aside the decision under review and decides instead that
Mr
Tewao’s visa should not be cancelled.
I certify that the 50
preceding paragraphs are a true copy of the reasons for the decision herein of
Ms N Bell, Senior Member
Signed:
...............[sgd]..............................................................
Associate
Date of Hearing 6 May 2011
Date of Decision 18 May 2011
Counsel for the Applicant Ms Sarah Mahmud
Solicitor for the Applicant Ms Lyn Payne,
LegalAid Commission of NSW
Solicitor for the Respondent Mr Grant
Hooper, DLA Piper
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