Road not taken: the moment Andrew Giles passed on chance to shut down detention court case

FoI documents show immigration minister refused to grant a visa or release NZYQ into community detention before Five Eyes allies rejected request for deportation

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Andrew Giles closed off an avenue to avoid the high court case on indefinite detention before the Australian government made a failed attempt to head off defeat by deporting the plaintiff, a new document reveals.

A submission to the immigration minister, released under freedom of information, shows that on 18 September Giles refused to give NZYQ a visa or release him into community detention, nine days before the government approached its Five Eyes allies to deport him.

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