Budvalt Pty Ltd v Grant Barnes, Chief Regulatory Officer, Natural Resources Access Regulator [2022] NSWCCA 9

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Budvalt Pty Ltd v Grant Barnes, Chief Regulatory Officer, Natural Resources Access Regulator [2022] NSWCCA 9 Hearing dates: 17 November 2021 Date of orders: 2 February 2022 Decision date: 02 February 2022 Before: Preston CJ of LEC at [1]; Price J at [2]; Adamson J at [136] Decision: (1) Leave to appeal granted. (2) Appeal dismissed. Catchwords: CRIME – environmental offence – Water Management Act 2000 (NSW) – appeal against sentence – whether judge adopted a two stage approach to sentencing – whether judge erred in not taking into account publication order in determining quantum of fine – whether error in assessing objective seriousness of offence – whether mistake of law and appellant company's lack of intention to commit the offence was mitigating factor – whether genuine contrition and remorse demonstrated – whether quantum of fine was manifestly excessive Legislation Cited: Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW), s 21A(2)-(3) Water Management Act 2000 (NSW), Pt 3A, Pt 5, ss 3, 60G, 91B, 338A, 353A, 353B, 353C, 353F, 353G(1), 363B, 364, 364A Water Management Amendment Act (No 31) 2018 (NSW) Cases Cited: Barbaro v The Queen (2014) 253 CLR 58; [2014] HCA 2 Environment Protection Authority v Orica Australia Pty Ltd (the Nitric Acid Air Lift Incident) [2014] NSWLEC 103; (2014) 206 LGERA 239 Environment Protection Authority v Waste Recycling and Processing Corporation [2006] NSWLEC 419; (2006) 148 LGERA 299 Harris v Harrison (2014) 86 NSWLR 422; [2014] NSWCCA 84 Hili v The Queen; Jones v The Queen (2010) 242 CLR 520; [2010] HCA 45 House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499; [1936] HCA 40 Markarian v The Queen (2005) 228 CLR 357; [2005] HCA 25 Jackson v R [2021] NSWCCA 15 Lai v R [2021] NSWCCA 217 Lees v R [2019] NSWCCA 65 Mulato v R [2006] NSWCCA 282 Nguyen v The Queen (2016) 256 CLR 656; [2016] HCA 17 Ostrowski v Palmer (2004) 218 CLR 493; [2004] HCA 30 R v Baker [2000] NSWCCA 85 Saddler v R [2009] NSWCCA 83; (2009) 194 A Crim R 452 Zreika v R [2012] NSWCCA 44; 223 A Crim R 460 Texts Cited: Nil Category: Principal judgment Parties: Budvalt Pty Ltd (Appellant company) Grant Barnes, Chief Regulatory Officer Natural Resources Access Regulator (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: M Elliott SC; G Lewer (Appellant company) G Wright SC; M Pruscino (Respondent) Solicitors: Horton Rhodes Lawyers (Appellant company) Crown Solicitor's Office (Respondent) File Number(s): 2020/307214 Publication restriction: Nil Decision under appeal Court or tribunal: Land and Environment Court Jurisdiction: Class 5 Citation: Grant Barnes, Chief Regulatory Officer, Natural Resources Access Regulator v Budvalt Pty Ltd; Grant Barnes, Chief Regulatory Officer, Natural Resources Access Regulator v Harris [2020] NSWLEC 113 Date of Decision: 29 September 2020 Before: Moore J File Number(s): 231599, 231598, 231608 and 231621 of 2018