Ku-ring-gai Municipal Council v Attorney-General for the State of New South Wales

The Supreme Court of New South Wales considered a dispute between Ku-ring-gai Municipal Council and the Attorney-General for the State of New South Wales concerning the acquisition of land. The Council sought compensation for land resumed by the State, and a key element of this claim related to the entitlement to and quantum of interest on that compensation.

The central legal issue before the Court was whether the Council was entitled to claim interest on the compensation awarded for the resumed land, and if so, on what basis and for what period. This involved an examination of the relevant provisions of the *Land Acquisition (Just Terms Compensation) Act 1991* (NSW) and the principles governing the assessment of compensation, including the accrual of interest.

The Court analysed the statutory framework for land acquisition and compensation, particularly the provisions dealing with the payment of interest. It determined that interest was payable on the compensation amount from the date the land was acquired until the date of payment, as a component of just terms compensation. The Court applied established principles of statutory interpretation to ascertain the scope and application of the interest provisions, concluding that the Council's claim for interest was well-founded under the Act. The Court made orders reflecting its findings on the entitlement to and calculation of interest.