Alexandria Landfill Pty Ltd v Transport for NSW [2020] NSWCA 165

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Alexandria Landfill Pty Ltd v Transport for NSW [2020] NSWCA 165 Hearing dates: 6 to 8 May 2020 Date of orders: 4 August 2020 Decision date: 04 August 2020 Before: Basten JA at [1]; Macfarlan JA at [173]; Leeming JA at [386] Decision: Appeal dismissed with costs. Catchwords: JUDGMENTS AND ORDERS – reasons – compulsory acquisition of land – assessment of compensation by Land and Environment Court – allegations of constructive failure to exercise jurisdiction and inadequacy of reasons – highly complex discounted cash flow exercise undertaken in protracted hearing – appeal confined to questions of law – minimum acceptable standard of reasons CIVIL PROCEDURE – procedural fairness – judge expressed preference for one expert over another allegedly on the basis of material not in evidence – finding held properly based on evidence CIVIL PROCEDURE – apprehension of bias – apprehension alleged to arise solely from outcome of case and reasons for judgment – impermissible approach LAND LAW – compulsory acquisition of land – compensation for disturbance – s 59(f) Land Acquisition (Just Terms Compensation) Act – meaning of "other financial costs" – no actual use of the land by claimant – agency relationship not established LAND LAW – compulsory acquisition of land – compensation for special value – s 57 Land Acquisition (Just Terms Compensation) Act – failure to establish relevant use – agency relationship not established Legislation Cited: Land Acquisition (Just Terms Compensation) Act 1991 (NSW), ss 4, 37, 55, 56, 57, 59, 61; Pt 3, Div 4 Land and Environment Court Act 1979 (NSW), ss 22, 24, 37, 38, 57 Cases Cited: Alexandria Landfill Pty Ltd v Roads and Maritime Services; Boiling Pty Ltd v Roads and Maritime Services (No 4) [2018] NSWLEC 31 Almona Pty Ltd v Roads and Traffic Authority of NSW [2008] NSWLEC 112; (2008) 160 LGERA 375 Apokis v Transport for NSW [2020] NSWCA 39 Avon Downs Pty Ltd v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1949) 78 CLR 353; [1949] HCA 26 Beale v Government Insurance Office (NSW) (1997) 48 NSWLR 430 Bisley Investment Corporation v Australian Broadcasting Tribunal (1982) 40 ALR 233 Boele v Rinbac Pty Ltd (2014) 88 NSWLR 381; [2014] NSWCA 451 Bronzel v State Planning Authority (1979) 21 SASR 513 Bunnings Group Ltd v Borg [2014] NSWCA 240 Cassegrain v Gerard Cassegrain & Co Pty Ltd (2015) 254 CLR 425; [2015] HCA 2 Chen v State of New South Wales [2014] NSWCA 41 Chief Commissioner of State Revenue v Adams Bidco Pty Ltd [2019] NSWCA 34 Coal and Allied Operations Pty Ltd v Australian Industrial Relations Commission (2000) 203 CLR 194; [2000] HCA 47 Collector of Customs v Agfa-Gevaert Ltd (1996) 186 CLR 389; [1996] HCA 36 Cojocaru v British Columbia Women's Hospital and Health Centre [2013] 2 SCR 357; 2013 SCC 30 Coote v Kelly [2013] NSWCA 357 Croucher v Cachia (2016) 95 NSWLR 117; [2016] NSWCA 132 CSR Ltd v Della Maddalena [2006] HCA 1; (2006) 80 ALJR 458 Dial A Dump Industries Pty Ltd v Roads and Maritime Services (2016) 216 LGERA 285; [2016] NSWLEC 39 Dial A Dump Industries Pty Ltd v Roads and Maritime Services (2017) 94 NSWLR 554; [2017] NSWCA 73 Dranichnikov v Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs (2003) 77 ALJR 1088; [2003] HCA 26 DZH16 v Minister for Immigration [2020] FCCA 1041 Ebner v Official Trustee in Bankruptcy (2000) 205 CLR 337; [2000] HCA 63 El Boustani v Minister Administering the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 [2014] NSWCA 33; 199 LGERA 198 EPS Constructions Pty Ltd v Mass Holdings Pty Ltd [2015] NSWCA 317 Ferella v Chief Commissioner of State Revenue [2014] NSWCA 378 Fox v Percy (2003) 214 CLR 118; [2003] HCA 22 G Capital Corporation Pty Ltd v Roads and Maritime Services (2019) 100 NSWLR 771; [2019] NSWCA 234 Goodrich Aerospace Pty Ltd v Arsic (2006) 66 NSWLR 186; [2006] NSWCA 187 Goodwin Street Developments Pty Ltd v DSD Builders Pty Ltd (2018) 98 NSWLR 712; [2018] NSWCA 276 Health Administration Corporation v George D Angus Pty Ltd (2014) 88 NSWLR 752; [2014] NSWCA 352 Housing Commission of New South Wales v Tatmar Pastoral Co Pty Ltd (1983) 3 NSWLR 378 Hoy v Coffs Harbour City Council [2016] NSWCA 257; 218 LGERA 411 Hutchison Construction Services Pty Ltd v Fogg [2016] NSWCA 135 Keech v Sanford (1726) 25 ER 223 Kuligowski v Metrobus (2004) 220 CLR 363; [2004] HCA 34 Laing O'Rourke Australia Construction Pty Ltd v H&M Engineering and Construction Pty Ltd [2010] NSWSC 818 Li v Attorney General for New South Wales [2019] NSWCA 95 LVR (WA) Pty Ltd v Administrative Appeals Tribunal (2012) 203 FCR 166; [2012] FCAFC 90 Makita (Australia) Pty Ltd v Sprowles (2001) 52 NSWLR 705; [2001] NSWCA 305 McDonald v Roads and Traffic Authority of NSW [2009] NSWLEC 105 Melino v Roads and Maritime Services (NSW) (2018) 98 NSWLR 625; [2018] NSWCA 251 Michael Wilson & Partners Ltd v Nicholls (2011) 244 CLR 427; [2011] HCA 48 Minister for Immigration and Citizenship v Li (2013) 249 CLR 332; [2013] HCA 18 Minister for Immigration and Citizenship v SZJSS (2010) 243 CLR 164; [2010] HCA 48 Minister for Immigration v Yusuf (2001) 206 CLR 323; [2001] HCA 30 Mitchell v Cullingral Pty Ltd [2012] NSWCA 389 Mobbs v Valuer-General (1922) 6 LGR (NSW) 73 Moloney v Roads and Maritime Services (NSW) (2018) 98 NSWLR 651; [2018] NSWCA 252 Moreton Club v Commonwealth (1948) 77 CLR 253; [1948] HCA 21 New South Wales Land and Housing Corporation v Orr (2019) 100 NSWLR 578; [2019] NSWCA 231 Pollard v RRR Corporation Pty Ltd [2009] NSWCA 110 Pettitt v Dunkley [1971] 1 NSWLR 376 Re Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs; Ex parte Miah (2001) 206 CLR 57; [2001] HCA 22 Resource Pacific Pty Ltd v Wilkinson [2013] NSWCA 33 Roads and Maritime Services (NSW) v United Petroleum Pty Ltd (2019) 99 NSWLR 279; [2019] NSWCA 41 Roads and Traffic Authority of NSW v Blacktown City Council [2007] NSWCA 20 Roads and Traffic Authority of NSW v Hurstville City Council [2001] NSWCA 11; (2001) 112 LGERA 223 Roads and Traffic Authority of NSW v Peak [2007] NSWCA 66 Robinson Helicopter Co Inc v McDermott [2016] HCA 22; 90 ALJR 679 Salomon v Salomon & Co Ltd [1897] AC 22 Scott v Davis (2000) 204 CLR 333; [2000] HCA 52 Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs v Charlesworth, Pilling & Co [1901] AC 373 Sharp v Wakefield [1891] AC 173 Soulemezis v Dudley (Holdings) Pty Ltd (1987) 10 NSWLR 247 Spencer v The Commonwealth (1907) 5 CLR 418; [1907] HCA 82 State Rail Authority (NSW) v Earthline Constructions Pty Ltd (In liq) [1999] HCA 3; 73 ALJR 306 State Super SAS Trustee Corporation v Cornes [2013] NSWCA 257 Studholme v Rawson [2020] NSWCA 76 Sydney Water Corporation v Caruso [2009] NSWCA 391; (2009) 170 LGERA 298 The Commonwealth v Milledge (1953) 90 CLR 157; [1953] HCA 6 The King v Connell; Ex parte The Hetton Bellbird Collieries Ltd (1944) 69 CLR 407; [1944] HCA 42 The King v The War Pensions Entitlement Appeal Tribunal; ex parte Bott (1933) 50 CLR 228; [1933] HCA 30 Tolson v Roads and Maritime Services [2014] NSWCA 161; (2014) 201 LGERA 367 Tomlinson v Ramsey Food Processing Pty Ltd (2015) 256 CLR 507; [2015] HCA 28 Turner v Minister of Public Instruction (1956) 95 CLR 245; [1956] HCA 7 Vakauta v Kelly (1989) 167 CLR 568; [1989] HCA 44 WAFK v Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (2003) 133 FCR 209; [2003] FCA 1293 Waterways Authority v Fitzgibbon [2005] HCA 57; 79 ALJR 1816 Whisprun Pty Ltd v Dixon [2003] HCA 48; (2003) 77 ALJR 1598 Yates Property Corporation Pty Ltd (In Liq) v Darling Harbour Authority (1991) 24 NSWLR 156 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Alexandria Landfill Pty Ltd (Appellant) Transport for NSW (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: R McHugh SC / I Hemmings SC / M Seymour (Appellant) RPL Lancaster SC / NM Eastman / MJ Astill (Respondent)