Environment Council of Central Queensland Inc v Minister for the Environment and Water (No 2) [2023] FCA 1208

Federal Court of Australia

Environment Council of Central Queensland Inc v Minister for the Environment and Water (No 2) [2023] FCA 1208 File number(s): VID 400 of 2023 VID 401 of 2023

Judgment of: MCELWAINE J

Date of judgment: 11 October 2023

Catchwords: ENVIRONMENTAL LAW – Application for judicial review of a Ministerial decision to confirm (and not revoke) a controlled action decision under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) – where applicant alleges Minister misdirected herself, engaged in impermissible probability reasoning, misunderstood or failed to apply the precautionary principle – where applicant alleges Minister's findings were affected by irrationality, involved illogic or were insupportable – application dismissed

Legislation: Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) ss 3, 3A, 12, 18, 18A, 24D, 24E, 67, 75, 78, 78A, 78C, 391, 523, 527E

Cases cited: Anvil Hill Project Watch Association Inc v Minister for the Environment and Water Resources [2008] FCAFC 3; 166 FCR 54 Anvil Hill Project Watch Association Inc v Minister for the Environment and Water Resources [2007] FCA 1480; 243 ALR 784 Attorney-General (NSW) v Quin (1990) 170 CLR 1 Australian Conservation Foundation Inc v Minister for the Environment and Energy [2017] FCAFC 134; 251 FCR 359 Australian Conservation Foundation Inc v Minister for the Environment and Energy [2016] FCA 1042; 251 FCR 308 Badawi v Nexon Asia Pacific Pty Ltd [2009] NSWCA 324; 75 NSWLR 503 Blue Wedges Inc v Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts [2008] FCA 8; 165 FCR 211 BNGP v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs [2023] FCAFC 111 Bob Brown Foundation Inc v Minister for the Environment (No 2) [2022] FCA 873 Booth v Bosworth [2001] FCA 1453; 114 FCR 39 Boughey v The Queen (1986) 161 CLR 10 Bushfire Survivors for Climate Action Inc v Narrabri Coal Operations Pty Ltd [2023] NSWLEC 69 Chan v Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs (1989) 169 CLR 379 Clubb v Edwards [2019] HCA 11; 267 CLR 171 Environment Council of Central Queensland Inc v Minister for the Environment and Water [2023] FCA 1117 Friends of the Gelorup Corridor Inc v Minister for the Environment and Water [2023] FCAFC 139 Friends of the Gelorup Corridor Inc v Minister for the Environment and Water (No 2) [2022] FCA 1554 King v Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs [2023] FCAFC 152 Lawyers for Forests Inc v Minister for the Environment, Heritage and the Arts [2009] FCA 330; 165 LGERA 203 Minister for Aboriginal Affairs v Peko-Wallsend Ltd (1986) 162 CLR 24 Minister for Environment and Heritage v Queensland Conservation Council Inc [2004] FCAFC 190; 139 FCR 24 Minister for Immigration and Border Protection v Sabharwal [2018] FCAFC 160 Minister for Immigration and Border Protection v Stretton [2016] FCAFC 11; 237 FCR 1 Minister for Immigration and Border Protection v SZFW [2018] HCA 30; 264 CLR 541 Minister for Immigration and Border Protection v Tran [2015] FCA 546; 232 FCR 540 Minister for Immigration and Citizenship v Li [2013] HCA 18; 249 CLR 332 Minister for Immigration and Citizenship v SZMDS [2010] HCA 16; 240 CLR 611 Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs v Wu Shan Liang (1996) 185 CLR 259 Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs v Eshetu [1999] HCA 21; 197 CLR 611 NEAT Domestic Trading Pty Ltd v AWB Ltd [2003] HCA 35; 216 CLR 277 Ogawa v Finance Minister [2021] FCAFC 17 Polaris Coomera Pty Ltd v Minister for the Environment [2021] FCA 254 Secretary, Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment v Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre Inc [2016] FCAFC 129; 244 FCR 21 South Western Sydney Local Health District v Gould [2018] NSWCA 69; 97 NSWLR 513 State of Queensland (Department of Agriculture and Fisheries) v Humane Society International (Australia) Inc [2019] FCAFC 163; 272 FCR 310 Tarkine National Coalition Inc v Minister for the Environment [2015] FCAFC 89; 233 FCR 254 Telstra Corporation Ltd v Hornsby Shire Council [2006] NSWLEC 133; 67 NSWLR 256 Triabunna Investments Pty Ltd v Minister for Environment and Energy [2019] FCAFC 60; 270 FCR 267 VicForests v Friends of Leadbeater's Possum Inc [2021] FCAFC 66; 285 FCR 70 Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland Proserpine /Whitsunday Branch Inc v Minister for the Environment and Heritage [2006] FCA 736; 232 ALR 510 Wong v Silkfield Pty Ltd [1999] HCA 48; 199 CLR 255 Aronson M, Groves M, Weeks G, Judicial Review Administrative Action and Government Liability (7th ed, Thomson Reuters, 2022)