Jam Land Pty Ltd v Minister for the Environment [2022] FCA 1058

Federal Court of Australia

Jam Land Pty Ltd v Minister for the Environment [2022] FCA 1058 File number: NSD 1367 of 2021

Judgment of: LEE J

Date of judgment: 12 September 2022

Catchwords: ADMINISTRATIVE LAW – application for judicial review of remediation determination under s 480D(1) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) (EPBC Act) and subsequent determination to affirm the remediation determination pursuant to s 480J(2) – where respondent determined that applicant had taken action likely to have a significant impact on a critically endangered ecological community in contravention of s 18(5) of the EPBC Act – whether ecological community validly listed per s 184 of EPBC Act – whether respondent's delegates erred in law when making determinations under ss 480D and 480J of EPBC Act – whether remediation determination "specified" matters as required by s 480E(1) – application dismissed STATUTORY INTERPRETATION – whether s 184 of EPBC Act subject to implied condition of certainty – whether satisfaction of condition of certainty is a jurisdictional fact – survey of principles of statutory interpretation EVIDENCE – admissibility of expert evidence in judicial review – admissibility of expert evidence on questions of statutory interpretation

Legislation: Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (Cth) s 15AB(1)(a) Environment and Heritage Legislation Amendment Act (No 1) 2006 (Cth) Sch 1 Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) Pt 17 Div 14B; ss 3(1)(a), 18, 18(5), 18(5)(b), 178, 181, 183, 184, 184(a), 194E(1), 194E(3)(b), 194H, 194H(1)(a), 266B(1)–(2), 480D(1), 480E(1), 480E(1)(b), 480E(2)(e), 480J, 480J(1)–(3), 480L(2), 480M, 528 Evidence Act 1995 (Cth) s 191 Federal Court of Australia Act 1976 (Cth) s 37P(2) Federal Court Rules 2011 (Cth) r 16.43 Explanatory Memorandum, Environment and Heritage Legislation Amendment Act (No 1) 2006 Bill (Cth) Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (NSW) s 23(1)