Environment Protection Authority v Sydney Water Corporation [2021] NSWLEC 17

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Environment Protection Authority v Sydney Water Corporation [2021] NSWLEC 17 Hearing dates: 11 February 2021 Date of orders: 09 March 2021 Decision date: 09 March 2021 Jurisdiction: Class 5 Before: Robson J Decision: See orders at [178] Catchwords: ENVIRONMENT AND PLANNING — Offences — Water pollution — Sentencing — Plea of guilty — Discharge of sewage — Determination of objective seriousness of offence — Extent of environmental harm — Prior sewage discharge not the subject of charge — Subjective circumstances of offender — Prior convictions for environmental offences Legislation Cited: Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) ss 3A, 21A, 22 Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (NSW) ss 257B, 257G Fines Act 1996 (NSW) s 122 Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 (NSW) ss 3, 64, 120, 241, 248, 250 Cases Cited: Camilleri's Stock Feeds Pty Ltd v Environment Protection Authority (1993) 32 NSWLR 683 Duffy v R [2009] NSWCCA 304 Environment Protection Authority v Baiada Poultry Pty Ltd [2008] NSWLEC 280; (2008) 163 LGERA 71 Environment Protection Authority v Ballina Shire Council [2006] NSWLEC 289; (2006) 148 LGERA 278 Environment Protection Authority v Borg Panels Pty Ltd [2016] NSWLEC 71 Environment Protection Authority v Crown in the Right of New South Wales [2019] NSWLEC 178 Environment Protection Authority v Dyno Nobel Asia Pacific Pty Ltd [2017] NSWLEC 64 Environment Protection Authority v Ecolab Pty Limited [2002] NSWLEC 206; (2002) 123 LGERA 269 Environment Protection Authority v Forbes Shire Council [2014] NSWLEC 26 Environment Protection Authority v Hawkesbury City Council [2017] NSWLEC 39 Environment Protection Authority v Hunter Water Corporation [2016] NSWLEC 76 Environment Protection Authority v Sydney Water Corporation [1998] NSWLEC 144 Environment Protection Authority v Sydney Water Corporation [1999] NSWLEC 60 Environment Protection Authority v Sydney Water Corporation [2000] NSWLEC 80 Environment Protection Authority v Sydney Water Corporation [2000] NSWLEC 156 Environment Protection Authority v Sydney Water Corporation [2015] NSWLEC 80 Environment Protection Authority v Sydney Water Corporation [2019] NSWLEC 100 Environment Protection Authority v Sydney Water Corporation [2020] NSWLEC 153 Environment Protection Authority v Sydney Water Corporation [2021] NSWLEC 4 Environment Protection Authority v Waste Recycling and Processing Corporation [2006] NSWLEC 419; (2006) 148 LGERA 299 Gittany Constructions Pty Ltd v Sutherland Shire Council [2006] NSWLEC 242; (2006) 145 LGERA 189 Harris v Harrison (2014) 86 NSWLR 422; [2014] NSWCCA 84 Mill v The Queen (1988) 166 CLR 59; [1988] HCA 70 Pearce v The Queen (1998) 194 CLR 610; [1998] HCA 57 R v McNaughton (2006) 66 NSWLR 566; [2006] NSWCCA 242 R v Olbrich (1999) 199 CLR 270; [1999] HCA 54 R v O'Neill [1979] 2 NSWLR 582 R v Thomson; R v Houlton (2000) 49 NSWLR 383; [2000] NSWCCA 309 Veen v R (1979) 143 CLR 458; [1979] HCA 7 Veen v R (No 2) (1988) 164 CLR 465; [1988] HCA 14 Water NSW v Barlow [2019] NSWLEC 30; (2019) 244 LGERA 1 Category: Sentence Parties: Environment Protection Authority (Prosecutor) Sydney Water Corporation (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: R Ranken (Prosecutor) S Hall (Defendant)