KEPCO Bylong Australia Pty Ltd v Independent Planning Commission (No 2) [2020] NSWLEC 179

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: KEPCO Bylong Australia Pty Ltd v Independent Planning Commission (No 2) [2020] NSWLEC 179 Date of orders: 18 December 2020 Decision date: 18 December 2020 Jurisdiction: Class 4 Before: Pain J Decision: (1) The Applicant's Further Amended Summons filed 3 June 2020 is dismissed. (2) Costs are reserved. (3) The exhibits are returned. Catchwords: JUDICIAL REVIEW – challenge to decision of Independent Planning Commission to refuse development consent for new coal mine – state significant development – construction and application of State Environmental Planning Policy (Mining, Petroleum Production and Extractive Industries) 2007 in assessment of greenhouse gas impacts of new coal mine – no failure to refer project to Minister for Regional Water for advice as required by State Environmental Planning Policy (Mining, Petroleum Production and Extractive Industries) 2007 – no failure to apply State Environmental Planning Policy (Mining, Petroleum Production and Extractive Industries) 2007 requirements in considering impacts on water resources – no failure to accord procedural fairness to proponent in relation to Aboriginal heritage protection, alternative sources of coal, groundwater, greenhouse gas emissions in Independent Planning Commission identifying that insufficient evidence – summons dismissed Legislation Cited: Associations Incorporation Act 2009 (NSW) Environmental Planning and Assessment (Savings, Transitional and Other Provisions) Regulation 2017 (NSW) reg 19 Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW) ss 1.3, 2.2, 2.7, 2.8, 2.9, 4.5, 4.6, 4.15, 4.18, 4.36, 4.38, 4.40, former ss 23B, 89D Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment Act 2017 (NSW) Environmental Planning and Assessment Regulation 2000 (NSW) reg 100 Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW) s 33 State Environmental Planning Policy (Mining, Petroleum Production and Extractive Industries) 2007 cll 2, 12AA, 12AB, 12, 12A, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 17B State Environmental Planning Policy (State and Regional Development) 2011 cl 8A, Sch 1 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) r 6.24 Cases Cited: Al Maha v Huajan Investments (2018) 233 LGERA 170; [2018] NSWCA 245 Alcan (NT) Alumina Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Territory Revenue (Northern Territory) (2009) 239 CLR 27; [2009] HCA 41 Alexandria Landfill v Transport for NSW [2020] NSWCA 165 Attorney-General (NSW) v Quin (1990) 170 CLR 1; [1990] HCA 21 Australian Coal Alliance Incorporated v Wyong Coal Pty Ltd [2019] NSWLEC 31 Ballas v Department of Education (State of NSW) [2020] NSWCA 86 Calardu Penrith Pty Ltd v Penrith City Council [2010] NSWLEC 50 Commissioner for Australian Capital Territory v Alphaone Pty Ltd (1994) 49 FCR 576 Cooper Brookes (Wollongong) Pty Ltd v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1981) 147 CLR 297; [1981] HCA 26 Cranbrook School v Woollahra Municipal Council (2006) 66 NSWLR 379; [2006] NSWCA 155 Davis v Gosford City Council (2014) 87 NSWLR 699; [2014] NSWCA 343 Ex parte King; Re Blackley (1938) 38 SR (NSW) 483 F Hoffmann-La Roche & Co AG v Secretary of State for Trade and Industry [1975] AC 295 Fattah v Minister for Home Affairs (2019) 268 FCR 33; [2019] FCAFC 31 Forgall Pty Ltd v Greater Taree City Council (2015) 209 LGERA 160; [2015] NSWLEC 61 Gilbank v Bloore (No 2) [2012] NSWLEC 273 Gloucester Resources v Minister for Planning (2019) 234 LGERA 257; [2019] NSWLEC 7 Gomon Pty Ltd v Council of the City of Sydney [2019] NSWLEC 116 Heatscape Pty Ltd v Mahoney (No 2) (2016) 217 LGERA 332; [2016] NSWLEC 45 Hossain v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection (2018) 264 CLR 123; [2018] HCA 34 IW v City of Perth (1997) 191 CLR 1; [1997] HCA 30 KEPCO Bylong Australia Pty Ltd v Independent Planning Commission [2020] NSWLEC 38 Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act 1989 v New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council (2018) 231 LGERA 145; [2018] NSWLEC 26 Minister for Aboriginal Affairs v Peko-Wallsend Ltd (1986) 162 CLR 24; [1986] HCA 40 Minister for Immigration and Border Protection v SZMTA (2019) 264 CLR 421; [2019] HCA 3 Minister for Immigration and Citizenship v Li (2013) 249 CLR 332; [2013] HCA 1 Minister for Immigration and Citizenship v SZRKT (2013) 212 FCR 99; [2013] FCA 317 Minister for Immigration and Citizenship v SZGUR (2011) 241 CLR 594; [2011] HCA 1 Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs v Wu Shan Liang (1996) 185 CLR 259; [1996] HCA 6 Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs v Yusuf (2001) 206 CLR 323; [2001] HCA 30 Minister for Local Government v South Sydney City Council (2002) 55 NSWLR 381; [2002] NSWCA 288 Minister for Planning v Walker (2008) 161 LGERA 423; [2008] NSWCA 224 P&C Cantarella Pty Ltd v Egg Marketing Board for the State of NSW [1973] 2 NSWLR 366 Parramatta City Council v Hale (1982) 47 LGERA 319 Pilbara Aboriginal Land Council Aboriginal Corporation Inc v Minister for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Affairs (2000) 103 FCR 539; [2000] FCA 1113 Plaintiff M61/2010E v the Commonwealth (2010) 243 CLR 319; [2010] HCA 41 Powerlift (Nissan) Pty Ltd v Minister for Small Business, Constructions and Customs (1993) 40 FCR 332 Probuild Constructions (Aust) Pty Ltd v Shade Systems Pty Ltd (2018) 264 CLR 1; [2018] HCA 4 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority (1998) 194 CLR 355; [1998] HCA 28 Re Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs; Ex parte Applicant S154/2002 (2003) 201 ALR 437; [2003] HCA 60 Re Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs; Ex parte Palme (2003) 216 CLR 212; [2003] HCA 56 SOCARES Support Group Inc v Cessnock City Council (2012) 190 LGERA 1; [2012] NSWLEC 23 SZBEL v Minister for Immigration and Multicultural and Indigenous Affairs (2006) 228 CLR 152; [2006] HCA 63 SZTAL v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection (2017) 262 CLR 362; [2017] HCA 34 Teys Australia Southern Pty Ltd v Burns (2015) 206 LGERA 186; [2015] NSWLEC 1 Tubbo Pty Ltd v Minister Administering the Water Management Act 2000; Harvey v Minister Administering the Water Management Act 2000 (2008) 302 ALR 299; [2008] NSWCA 356 Walsh v Parramatta City Council (2007) 161 LGERA 118; [2007] NSWLEC 255 Waterways Authority v Fitzgibbon (2005) 79 ALJR 1816; [2005] HCA 57 Weal v Bathurst City Council (2000) 111 LGERA 181; [2000] NSWCA 88 Wollar Progress Association Incorporated v Wilpingjong Coal Pty Ltd [2018] NSWLEC 92 Category: Principal judgment Parties: KEPCO Bylong Australia Pty Ltd (Applicant) Independent Planning Commission (First Respondent) Bylong Valley Protection Alliance Incorporated (Second Respondent) Representation: COUNSEL: R Lancaster SC and D Hume (Applicant) Submitting appearance (First Respondent) S Free SC and R McEwen (Second Respondent)