Migration – Refugees – Protection visas – Offshore entry persons – Power of Minister to permit valid application for protection visa – Plaintiff assessed to be refugee – Plaintiff subject of adverse security assessment by Australian Security Intelligence Organisation – Minister's department did not refer plaintiff's case for Minister's consideration – Minister's department acted upon invalid regulation – Whether Minister's exercise of power attended by error of law.

Migration – Unlawful non-citizens – Immigration detention pending removal from Australia – Minister's consideration of whether to permit plaintiff to make valid application for visa not completed – Not established that no realistic prospect of removal from Australia in reasonably foreseeable future – Whether appropriate to re open Al-Kateb v Godwin (2004) 219 CLR 562; [2004] HCA 37 – Whether plaintiff's detention authorised.

Administrative law – Non-compellable power – Remedies – Declaration – Plaintiff has real interest in raising question of error – Whether declaration appropriate remedy.

Words and phrases – "adverse security assessment", "declaration", "error of law", "executive detention", "harmless error", "lift the bar", "real interest".

Migration Act 1958 (Cth) – ss 46A(2), 189, 196, 198.

Migration Regulations 1994 (Cth) – Sched 2, cl 866. 225(a), Sched 4, cl 4002.