Secretary, Department of Planning and Environment v Sell & Parker Pty Ltd [2022] NSWLEC 60

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Secretary, Department of Planning and Environment v Sell & Parker Pty Ltd [2022] NSWLEC 60 Hearing dates: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 22, 23 July and 17 August 2021 Date of orders: 19 May 2022 Decision date: 19 May 2022 Jurisdiction: Class 5 Before: Pepper J Decision: See orders at [467]. Catchwords: ENVIRONMENTAL OFFENCES: offender charged with two offences of contravening ss 76A(1)(b) and 125(1) of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 – determination of appropriate sentences – sentencing principles – extent of environmental harm caused by the commission of the offences – state of mind of the offender at the time of the commission of the offences – whether the defendant held a genuine and reasonable belief that the prosecutor had exercised its discretion not to prosecute and that it was entitled to continue to offend – De Simoni principle – objective seriousness of the commission of the offences – whether contrition and remorse demonstrated – specific and general deterrence warranted – comparable cases – application of the totality principle – defendant convicted and fined in respect of both offences – order for moiety made – publication order made. Legislation Cited: Blacktown Local Environmental Plan 2015, cl 2.1 Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999, ss 3A, 21A(2), 21A(3), 22, 23 Criminal Procedure Act 1986, ss 257B, 257G Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, ss 5, 76A(1), 119J, 119K(3), 121B, 125, 125A, 125B, 126(2A) Fines Act 1996, ss 6, 122 Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997, ss 64(1), 250(1)(a) Cases Cited: ACR Trading Pty Ltd v Fat-sel Pty Ltd (1987) 11 NSWLR 67 Axer Pty Ltd v Environment Protection Authority (1993) 113 LGERA 357 Barbaro v The Queen [2014] HCA 2; (2014) 253 CLR 58 Bentley v BGP Properties Pty Ltd [2006] NSWLEC 34; (2006) 145 LGERA 234 Cabonne Shire Council v Environment Protection Authority [2001] NSWCCA 280; (2001) 115 LGERA 304 Camilleri's Stock Feeds Pty Ltd v Environment Protection Authority (1993) 32 NSWLR 683 Chief Executive, Office of Environment and Heritage v Orica Pty Ltd; Environment Protection Authority v Orica Pty Ltd [2015] NSWLEC 109 Commonwealth of Australia v Director, Fair Work Building Industry Inspectorate [2015] HCA 46; (2015) 258 CLR 482 Dincel Constructions System Pty Ltd v Penrith City Council [2021] NSWCCA 133 Elyard v The Queen [2006] NSWCCA 43 Environment Protection Authority v Ballina Shire Council [2006] NSWLEC 289; (2006) 148 LGERA 278 Environment Protection Authority v Barnes [2006] NSWCCA 246 Environment Protection Authority v Crown in the Right of New South Wales (Office of Environment and Heritage) [2019] NSWLEC 66 Environment Protection Authority v Dib Hanna Abdallah Hanna [2018] NSWLEC 80; (2018) 235 LGERA 114 Environment Protection Authority v Gilder [2018] NSWLEC 119 Environment Protection Authority v GrainCorp Operations Limited [2019] NSWLEC 143 Environment Protection Authority v Koppers Carbon Materials & Chemicals Pty Ltd (the Spill Incident) [2021] NSWLEC 12 Environment Protection Authority v M A Roche Group Pty Ltd [2014] NSWLEC 114 Environment Protection Authority v M A Roche Group Pty Ltd [2015] NSWLEC 29 Environment Protection Authority v Minto Recycling Pty Limited [2019] NSWLEC 193 Environment Protection Authority v Mortdale Recycling Pty Ltd [2019] NSWLEC 106 Environment Protection Authority v Rands [2019] NSWLEC 23 Environment Protection Authority v Sam Abbas (also known as Osama Abbas) [2021] NSWLEC 57 Environment Protection Authority v Sell and Parker Pty Ltd [2006] NSWLEC 626 Environment Protection Authority v Sell and Parker Pty Ltd [2007] NSWLEC 64 Environment Protection Authority v Sydney Water Corporation [2019] NSWLEC 100 Environment Protection Authority v Waste Recycling and Processing Corp [2006] NSWLEC 419; (2006) 148 LGERA 299 Environment Protection Authority v Wyanga Holdings Pty Ltd; Environment Protection Authority v Cauchi [2015] NSWLEC 78 Gittany Constructions Pty Ltd v Sutherland Shire Council [2006] NSWLEC 242; (2006) 145 LGERA 189 Harris v Harrison [2014] NSWCCA 84; (2014) 86 NSWLR 422 Hoare v The Queen [1989] HCA 33; (1989) 167 CLR 348 Hornsby Shire Council v Henlong Property Group Pty Ltd (No 2) [2019] NSWLEC 17 Johnson v The Queen [2004] HCA 15; (2004) 78 ALJR 616 Liverpool City Council v Leppington Pastoral Co Pty Ltd [2010] NSWLEC 170 LN v The Queen [2020] NSWCCA 131 Markarian v The Queen [2005] HCA 25; (2005) 228 CLR 357 Martin v R; R v Martin [2021] NSWCCA 316 Mill v The Queen [1988] HCA 70; (1988) 166 CLR 59 Minister for Planning v Moolarben Coal Mines Pty Ltd [2010] NSWLEC 147; (2010) 175 LGERA 93 Morris McMahon & Co Pty Limited v SafeWork NSW [2019] NSWCCA 36 Mouawad v The Hills Shire Council [2013] NSWLEC 165; (2013) 199 LGERA 28 Muldrock v The Queen [2011] HCA 39; (2011) 244 CLR 120 Owens v R [2017] NSWCCA 16 Pearce v The Queen [1998] HCA 57; (1998) 194 CLR 610 Pesic v Sutherland Shire Council [2019] NSWLEC 38 Pittwater Council v Scahill [2009] NSWLEC 12; (2009) 165 LGERA 289 Plath v Rawson [2009] NSWLEC 178; (2009) 170 LGERA 253 R v AB [2011] NSWCCA 229; (2011) 59 MVR 356 R v De Simoni [1981] HCA 31; (1981) 147 CLR 383 R v Dodd (1991) 57 A Crim R 349 R v Harris [2007] NSWCCA 130; (2007) 171 A Crim R 267 R v MAK; R v MSK [2006] NSWCCA 381; (2006) 167 A Crim R 159 R v Nichols (1991) 57 A Crim R 391 R v Olbrich [1999] HCA 54; (1999) 199 CLR 270 R v Oliver (1980) 7 A Crim R 174 R v Solomon [2005] NSWCCA 158; (2005) 153 A Crim R 32 R v Thomson; R v Houlton [2000] NSWCCA 309; (2000) 49 NSWLR 383 R v Toohey [2019] NSWCCA 182 R v Visconti [1982] 2 NSWLR 104 R v Wheeler [2000] NSWCCA 34 R v Youkhana [2004] NSWCCA 412 Secretary, Department of Planning and Environment v Boggabri Coal Pty Limited [2014] NSWLEC 154 Secretary, Department of Planning and Environment v Leda Manorstead Pty Ltd (No 7) [2021] NSWLEC 26 Secretary, Department of Planning, Industry and Environment v Wollongong Recycling (NSW) Pty Ltd [2020] NSWLEC 125; (2020) 245 LGERA 241 The Council of the Municipality of Kiama v Pacific Real Estate (Warilla) Pty Limited [2009] NSWLEC 191 Veen v The Queen [1979] HCA 7; (1979) 143 CLR 458 Veen v The Queen (No 2) [1988] HCA 14; (1988) 164 CLR 465 Walden v Hensler [1987] HCA 54; (1987) 163 CLR 561 Water NSW v Barlow [2019] NSWLEC 30; (2019) 244 LGERA 1 Category: Sentence Parties: Secretary, Department of Planning and Environment (Prosecutor) Sell & Parker Pty Ltd (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: S Buchen SC and A Bonnor (Prosecutor) T Howard SC and J Johnson (Defendant)