Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act 1977

SECTION 6   APPLICATIONS FOR REVIEW OF CONDUCT RELATED TO MAKING OF DECISIONS  

6(1)    

Where a person has engaged, is engaging, or proposes to engage, in conduct for the purpose of making a decision to which this Act applies, a person who is aggrieved by the conduct may apply to the Federal Court or the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia (Division 2) for an order of review in respect of the conduct on any one or more of the following grounds:

(a)    that a breach of the rules of natural justice has occurred, is occurring, or is likely to occur, in connection with the conduct;

(b)    that procedures that are required by law to be observed in respect of the conduct have not been, are not being, or are likely not to be, observed;

(c)    that the person who has engaged, is engaging, or proposes to engage, in the conduct does not have jurisdiction to make the proposed decision;

(d)    that the enactment in pursuance of which the decision is proposed to be made does not authorize the making of the proposed decision;

(e)    that the making of the proposed decision would be an improper exercise of the power conferred by the enactment in pursuance of which the decision is proposed to be made;

(f)    that an error of law had been, is being, or is likely to be, committed in the course of the conduct or is likely to be committed in the making of the proposed decision;

(g)    that fraud has taken place, is taking place, or is likely to take place, in the course of the conduct;

(h)    that there is no evidence or other material to justify the making of the proposed decision;

(j)    that the making of the proposed decision would be otherwise contrary to law.

6(2)    
The reference in paragraph (1)(e) to an improper exercise of a power shall be construed as including a reference to:

(a)    taking an irrelevant consideration into account in the exercise of a power;

(b)    failing to take a relevant consideration into account in the exercise of a power;

(c)    an exercise of a power for a purpose other than a purpose for which the power is conferred;

(d)    an exercise of a discretionary power in bad faith;

(e)    an exercise of a personal discretionary power at the direction or behest of another person;

(f)    an exercise of a discretionary power in accordance with a rule or policy without regard to the merits of the particular case;

(g)    an exercise of a power that is so unreasonable that no reasonable person could have so exercised the power;

(h)    an exercise of a power in such a way that the result of the exercise of the power is uncertain; and

(j)    any other exercise of a power in a way that constitutes abuse of the power.

6(3)    
The ground specified in paragraph (1)(h) shall not be taken to be made out unless:

(a)    the person who proposes to make the decision is required by law to reach that decision only if a particular matter is established, and there is no evidence or other material (including facts of which he or she is entitled to take notice) from which he or she can reasonably be satisfied that the matter is established; or

(b)    the person proposes to make the decision on the basis of the existence of a particular fact, and that fact does not exist.

6(4)    
(Repealed by No 157 of 2001)