Wilderness Society Inc v Hon Malcolm Turnbull, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources [2007] FCAFC 175

FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Wilderness Society Inc v Hon Malcolm Turnbull, Minister for the Environment and Water Resources [2007] FCAFC 175

STATUTORY INTERPRETATION – proper construction of s 170C(4) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) – whether s 170C(4) has the effect that withdrawal of one referral prevents any further referral for the same proposed action

STATUTORY INTERPRETATION – whether Minister misconstrued ss 75(2B) and 42(c) – whether Minister required to consider adverse impacts of RFA forestry operations when making decision

STATUTORY INTERPRETATION – Minister required to consider adverse impacts of RFA forestry operations that are "incidental to another action whose primary purpose does not relate to forestry" – meaning of "incidental to"

ADMINISTRATIVE LAW – whether appellant denied procedural fairness by imposition of 20 day period for making of public comment under s 95(2)(c) so invalidating the Minister's choice of the means of assessment of impacts under s 87(5) – importance of statutory framework when considering procedural fairness requirements – purpose of obligations to invite public comment in the scheme of Ch 4 of the Act – whether they serve distinct public purposes or embody procedural fairness requirements owed to the public

ADMINISTRATIVE LAW – whether Minister acted for improper purpose when making decisions under ss 87 and 95(2)(c) – whether Minister's substantial purpose was to satisfy Gunns' commercial imperatives WORDS AND PHRASES – "cease", "incidental", "forestry"

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) ss 3, 3(1), 3(2)(d), 18, 18A, 20, 20A, 23, 24A, 38, 42, 42(c), 67, 68, 74B, 74C, 74C(3)(a), 74C(3)(b), 74C(3)(c), 74D(2), 75, 75(1), 75(1A), 75(2B), 75(5), 76(1), 78, 78B, 87, 87(1), 87(5), 88, 88(2), 89, 91, 91(1), 93, 93(5), 95, 95B, 95C, 95(2)(c), 98, 98(1)(c), 99, 100, 103, 103(1)(c), 104(3), 105, 130, 130(1), 130(1B)(c), 131, 131A, 131AA, 133, 136, 136(2)(bc), 156A, 156D, 170C, 170C(1), 170C(4), 180(1), 487(3), 523, Pt 3, Pt 8, Pt 9, Ch 4, Ch 4 Pt 7 Div 1A State Policies and Projects Act 1993 (Tas) Resource Planning and Development Commission Act 1997 (Tas) State Policies and Projects Act 1993 (Tas) Pulp Mill Assessment Act 2007 (Tas) s 4 Environment and Heritage Legislation Amendment Bill (No 1) 2006 (Cth) Regional Forest Agreements Act 2002 (Cth) ss 3, 4, 6 Regional Forest Agreements Bill 2002 (Cth) Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act 1977 (Cth) ss 5(1)(e), 5(2)(f) Environment Protection (Impact of Proposals) Act 1974 (Cth) Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Bill 1998 (Cth) Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Regulations 2000 (Cth) Revised Explanatory Memorandum to the Regional Forest Agreements Bill 2002 (Cth)