Chris Honnery is a Sydney-based barrister experienced in court and tribunal advocacy. He is an interstate member of the Victorian Bar and appears in matters across Australia. Chris’ practice spans administrative law, migration law, regulatory law, licensing cases, civil litigation, international law, and complex statutory interpretation matters.

Before being called to the NSW Bar, Chris was a solicitor at Victoria Legal Aid, held in-house roles at the Federal Court of Australia and Settlement Services International, completed a legal cadetship at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and oversaw Craddock Murray Neumann’s judicial review practice representing asylum seekers on Nauru.

Chris previously worked in London at Hickman and Rose Solicitors and for international media law organisation Article 19. He successfully completed the England and Wales Bar Transfer Test in 2020.

Cases

Puru v Minister for Immigration and Citizenship [2026] FCA 937

QHXW v Minister for Immigration and Citizenship [2026] FCA 960

Garland v Commissioner of Police, NSW Police Force [2026] NSWCATAD 137

LICENSING – prohibited weapon permit - “silencer”- whether necessary for Applicant’s business

ABC19 v Minister for Immigration and Citizenship [2026] FCA 449

MIGRATION– failure to consider whether basis of witnesses’ belief could affect Tribunal’s assessment of credibility – failure to comply with ss 414 and 425 of the Migration Act – appeal allowed

Baldwin v Commissioner of Police, NSW Police Force [2025] NSWCATAD 239

LICENSING – firearms –ongoing dispute with family members – fit and proper person – public interest – decisions under review set aside.

Forte Sydney Construction Pty Ltd v Department of Customer Service [2025] NSWSC 583

COSTS — party/party — bases of quantification — indemnity basis — where proceedings dismissed without proceeding to final determination — whether plainly unreasonable conduct — defendants ordered to pay the plaintiff’s costs on an indemnity basis for the period from 17 April 2025 to 13 May 2025 and otherwise the plaintiff’s costs on the ordinary basis.

CSJN v Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs [2025] FedCFamC2G 752

INJUNCTION – removal attempted prior to applicant’s scheduled Tribunal hearing – injunction to prevent removal granted.

CRRN v Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs [2025] FCA 192

MIGRATION – Minister set aside Tribunal’s decision and re-cancelled visa – applicant owed protection obligations and cannot be returned to Afghanistan – applicant cannot be detained in immigration detention and will reside in the community – where applicant has both history of mental illness and substantial criminal record – risk of recidivism dependent on whether applicant has access to mental health treatment – effective mental health treatment dependent on access to the National Disability Insurance Scheme – applicant only eligible for National Disability Insurance Scheme with a permanent visa – where Minister considered protection of Australian community and risk of recidivism as relevant aspects of the national interest – whether Minister needed to consider the reasons of the Tribunal before exercising his discretion – whether Minister failed to make necessary findings or consider the legal consequences of his decision in relation to applicant’s risk of recidivism – whether Minister’s decision legally unreasonable – decision set aside.