Aland B & W Pty Ltd v Blacktown City Council [2023] NSWLEC 13

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Aland B & W Pty Ltd v Blacktown City Council [2023] NSWLEC 13 Hearing dates: 2 February 2023 Date of orders: 24 February 2023 Decision date: 24 February 2023 Jurisdiction: Class 6 Before: Pepper J Decision: See orders at [149]. Catchwords: CRIMINAL APPEAL: penalty appeal against fines imposed by Local Court for the commission of two water pollution offences caused by failure to properly implement soil erosion and sediment controls – prosecutor conceded that fines imposed not warranted – pleas of guilty entered below – appeal by way of rehearing – appropriate sentence to be imposed – pleas of guilty entered below – offences committed recklessly – limited environmental harm caused by the commission of the offences – low objective seriousness – no prior convictions – genuine expression of remorse – specific deterrence warranted – application of totality principle – appeal upheld and lesser fine imposed. COSTS: who should pay the costs of the successful appeal – principles to be applied – each party to pay their own costs – costs order below undisturbed. Legislation Cited: Crimes (Appeal and Review) Act 2001, ss 31, 39, 49, 70 Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999, ss 3A, 21A, 22 Protection of the Environmental Operations Act 1997, ss 3, 116, 120, 123, 241, 257 Cases Cited: Axer Pty Ltd v Environment Protection Authority (1993) 113 LGERA 357 Bay State Construction Pty Ltd v Woollahra Municipal Council [2020] NSWLEC 86 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 of the Office of Environment and Heritage, Department of Premier and Cabinet v Turnbull [2014] NSWLEC 150 Chief Executive Office of Environment and Heritage v Rummery [2012] NSWLEC 271; (2012) 192 LGERA 314 Cmunt v Commissioner of Police NSW [2019] NSWLEC 33 Director-General, Department of Environment and Climate Change v Hudson (No 2) [2015] NSWLEC 110 Director-General, Department of Environment and Climate Change v Rae [2009] NSWLEC 137; (2009) 168 LGERA 121 Environment Protection Authority v Albiston [2020] NSWLEC 80 Environment Protection Authority v Coal and Allied Operations Pty Ltd [2013] NSWLEC 134 Environment Protection Authority v Crown in the Right of New South Wales (Office of Environment and Heritage) [2019] NSWLEC 66 Environment Protection Authority v GrainCorp Operations Limited [2019] NSWLEC 143 Environment Protection Authority v Maules Creek Coal Pty Ltd [2022] NSWLEC 33 Environment Protection Authority v Moolarben Coal Operations Pty Ltd [2012] NSWLEC 65 Environment Protection Authority v Rands [2019] NSWLEC 23 Environment Protection Authority v Ravensworth Operations Pty Limited [2012] NSWLEC 222 Environment Protection Authority v M A Roche Group Pty Ltd; Environment Protection v Roche [2013] NSWLEC 191 Environment Protection Authority v Sydney Water Corporation [2019] NSWLEC 100 Environment Protection v Tomingley Gold Operations Pty Ltd [2015] NSWLC 21 Environment Protection Authority v Waste Recycling and Processing Corporation [2006] NSWLEC 419; (2006) 148 LGERA 299 Fairfield City Council v Quality Handling Systems Pty Ltd [2013] NSWLC 7 Gittany Constructions Pty Ltd v Sutherland Shire Council [2006] NSWLEC 242; (2006) 145 LGERA 189 Gore v The Queen [2010] NSWCCA 330; 208 A Crim R 353 Hijazi v Georges River Council [2020] NSWLEC 36 Huang v R (2018) 96 NSWLR 743; [2018] NSWCCA 57 Johnson v The Queen [2004] HCA 15; (2004) 78 ALJR 616 Marano v Tweed Shire Council [2021] NSWLEC 95 Markarian v The Queen [2005] HCA 25; (2005) 228 CLR 357 Mill v The Queen [1988] HCA 70; (1988) 166 CLR 59 Mouawad v The Hills Shire Council [2013] NSWLEC 165; (2013) 199 LGERA 28 at [188] Muldrock v R [2011] HCA 39; (2011) 244 CLR 120 Plath v Rawson [2009] NSWLEC 178; (2009) 170 LGERA 253 Plath v Vaccount Pty Ltd t/as Tableland Timbers [2011] NSWLEC 202 R v De Simoni [1981] HCA 31; (1981) 147 CLR 383 R v MAK; R v K [2006] NSWCCA 381; 167 A Crim R 159 R v Olbrich [1999] HCA 54; (1999) 199 CLR 270 R v Oliver (1980) 7 A Crim R 174 at 177 R v Thoon; R v Houlton [2000] NSWCCA 309; (2000) 49 NSWLR 383 R v Visconti [1982] 2 NSWLR 104 R v Wickham [2004] NSWCCA 193 Terrey v Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water [2011] NSWLEC 141 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 Warringah Council v ProjectCorp Australia Pty Ltd (ACN 100 424 440) [2015] NSWLEC 141 Water NSW v Barlow [2019] NSWLEC 30 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Aland B & W Pty Ltd (Appellant) Blacktown City Council (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: M Fozzard (Appellant) A Sinclair (Respondent) Solicitors: Aland Management Services (Appellant) Lindsay Taylor Lawyers (Respondent) File Number(s): 2022/254408; 2022/254421 Publication restriction: Nil