Environment Protection Authority v McMurray

[2024] NSWLEC 6

Land and Environment Court

New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation:

Environment Protection Authority v McMurray [2024] NSWLEC 6

Hearing dates:

22 September 2023

Date of orders:

07 February 2024

Decision date:

07 February 2024

Jurisdiction:

Class 6

Before:

Duggan J

Decision:

See paragraph 106

Catchwords:

CRIMINAL APPEAL – Environmental Offences – Liability of Councils and directors – special executive liability – s 169(1) of Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 (NSW) – statutory construction – construction of “to and in respect of”– whether such an expression is to be read disjunctively or conjunctively – ordinary and grammatical meaning of “and” is conjunctive – assistance of extrinsic material – s 220(4) of Local Government Act 1993 (NSW) – costs limitations imposed upon lower courts

Legislation Cited:

Crimes (Appeal and Review) Act 2001 (NSW)

Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (NSW)

Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW)

Local Government Act 1993 (NSW)

Local Government Amendment (Legal Status) Act 2008 (NSW)

Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 (NSW)

Cases Cited:

Barton v The Queen (1980) 147 CLR 75

Botany Bay City Council v Inspector Derek Pryor [2009] NSWIRComm 12

Cooper Brookes (Wollongong) Pty Ltd v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1981) 147 CLR 297

Director- General, Department of Environment and Climate Change v Gleeson & Ors (No 2) [2009] NSWLEC 200

Environment Protection Authority v Forbes Shire Council [2014] NSWLEC 26

Environment Protection Authority v Queanbeyan City Council (No 3) [(2012) 192 LGERA 415

Environment Protection Authority v Wyong Shire Council [2012] NSWLEC 36

Garrett v Freeman (No 4) [2007] NSWLEC 389

Jago v District Court of New South Wales (1989) 168 CLR 23

Mills v Meeking (1990) 169 CLR 214

Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act 1989 v New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council [2018] NSWLEC 26

Taylor v The Owners - Strata Plan No 11564 (2014) 253 CLR 531

Texts Cited:

Dennis C Pearce, Statutory Interpretation in Australia (9th ed, 2019, LexisNexis)

Category:

Principal judgment

Parties:

Environment Protection Authority (Appellant)
Phillip Anthony McMurray (Respondent)

Representation:

Counsel:
R Coffey (Appellant)
M Fraser (Respondent)

Solicitors:
Environment Protection Authority (Appellant)
Moray & Agnew (Respondent)

File Number(s):

2023/00184115

Publication restriction:

No

 Decision under appeal 

Court or tribunal:

Local Court of New South Wales

Jurisdiction:

Criminal

Date of Decision:

12 May 2023

Before:

Magistrate McLennan

File Number(s):

2022/00259365

JUDGMENT

Nature of proceedings

Facts

1. By Summons filed 8 June 2023, the Environment Protection Authority (the EPA or the Appellant) appeals pursuant to s 42(2B)(a) of the Crimes (Appeal and Review) Act 2001 (NSW) (CAR Act) against a decision of the Local Court granting a permanent stay of a summary prosecution commenced against Mr Phillip McMurray (Mr McMurray or the Respondent). The appeal is limited to questions of law alone.

Grounds of appeal

2. The Summons identified four grounds of appeal. Namely, that the Magistrate erred in law by:

1. Finding that the Respondent had established “exceptional circumstances” for the grant of a permanent stay (Ground 1);

2. Finding that s 169(1) of the Protection of…