Rove Estate Pty Ltd atf Lane Cove Estate Trust v Chomp Excavations & Demolition Pty Ltd (No 3) [2023] NSWSC 274

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Rove Estate Pty Ltd atf Lane Cove Estate Trust v Chomp Excavations & Demolition Pty Ltd (No 3) [2023] NSWSC 274 Hearing dates: 30 August – 3 September, 17 September, 3 December 2021 Date of orders: 24 March 2023 Decision date: 24 March 2023 Jurisdiction: Equity - Commercial List Before: Williams J Decision: See [294] Catchwords: TORT – trespass to land – where several defendants and many other unidentified persons drove onto the plaintiff's land and dumped waste on the land – whether defendants did so with the consent of the plaintiff or the person in possession of the land at the time – whether person in possession at the time had actual or ostensible authority of the plaintiff to authorise defendants to dump waste on the land – where person in possession was a trespasser – whether the defendants had a licence supplied by law to dump waste on the plaintiff's land – whether defendants contravened Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 (NSW) by transporting the waste to and dumping it on the plaintiff's land – causation and loss – identification of the harm caused to the plaintiff by each defendant's trespass – whether each defendant severally liable for the whole of the costs incurred by Rove in cleaning up the total waste dumped by defendants and many unidentified persons – whether plaintiff's claim an "apportionable claim" and "single apportionable claim" within the meaning of s 34 of the Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) –where imprecision, but rational basis for assessment of compensatory damages for harm caused by each defendant's trespass – exemplary damages Legislation Cited: Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW) s 34(1)(a), s 34(2), s 34A, s 35 Civil Procedure Act 2005 (NSW) s 14, s 100 Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW) National Environmental Protection (Assessment of Site Contamination) Measure 1999 (Cth) sch B2 Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 (NSW) ch 3 pts 3.3-3.8, ch 5, ch 9 pt 9.1, ss 5, 48, 88, 143, 144, 144AAA, sch 1 pt 1 cls 1, 39, 42, 50, sch 1 pt 3 Protection of the Environment Operations Amendment (Asbestos Waste) Act 2018 (NSW) State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008 (NSW) div 15 pt 2 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW) r 2.1 Cases Cited: Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Hellicar (2012) 247 CLR 345; (2012) 86 ALJR 522; (2012) 286 ALR 501; (2012) 88 ACSR 246; (2012) 7 BFRA 408; (2012) 30 ACLC 12-013; [2012] HCA 17 Barker v The Queen (1983) 153 CLR 338; (1983) 57 ALJR 426; (1983) 47 ALR 1; [1983] HCA 18 Commonwealth v Amann Aviation Pty Ltd (1991) 174 CLR 64; (1991) 66 ALJR 123; (1991) 104 ALR 1; [1991] HCA 54 Conway v George Wimpey & Co [1951] 2 KB 266; [1951] 1 All ER 363 Doppstadt Australia Pty Ltd v Lovick & Son Developments Pty Ltd [2014] NSWCA 158 Environment Protection Authority v Grafil Pty Ltd (2019) 101 NSWLR 245; (2019) 238 LGERA 147; [2019] NSWCCA 174 Halliday v Nevill (1984) 155 CLR 1; (1984) 59 ALJR 124; (1984) 57 ALR 331; 13 A Crim R 250; [1984] HCA 80 Hunt & Hunt Lawyers v Mitchell Morgan Nominees Pty Ltd (2013) 247 CLR 613; (2013) 87 ALJR 505; (2013) 296 ALR 3; [2013] Aust Torts Reports 82-127; [2013] NSW ConvR 56-314; [2013] ANZ ConvR 13-012; [2013] HCA 10 IBEB Pty Ltd v Duncan [2011] NSWCA 368 Irlam v Byrnes (2022) 108 NSWLR 285; [2022] NSWCA 81 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298; (1959) 32 ALJR 395; [1959] ALR 367; (1959) 76 WN (NSW) 278; [1959] HCA 8 Kayteal Pty Ltd v Dignan [2011] NSW ConvR 56-280; [2011] NSW Titles Cases 80-138; [2011] NSWSC 197 Kuhl v Zurich Financial Services Australia Ltd (2011) 243 CLR 361; (2011) 85 ALJR 533; (2011) 276 ALR 375; [2011] Aust Torts Reports 82-088; [2011] HCA 11 Kuru v State of New South Wales (2008) 236 CLR 1; (2008) 82 ALJR 1021; (2008) 246 ALR 260; [2008] HCA 26 Lamb v Cotogno (1987) 164 CLR 1; (1987) 61 ALJR 549; (1987) 74 ALR 188; [1987] Aust Torts Reports 80-124; (1987) 5 MVR 449; [1987] HCA 47 League Against Cruel Sports v Scott [1986] QB 240; 2 All ER 489 McHale v Watson (1964) 111 CLR 384; (1964) 38 ALJR 267; [1965] ALR 788; [1964] HCA 64 McHale v Watson (1966) 115 CLR 199; (1966) 39 ALJR 459; [1966] ALR 513; [1966] HCA 13 Nickells v Mayor, Alderman, Councillors and Citizens of the City of Melbourne (1938) 59 CLR 219; (1938) 11 ALJ 568; [1938] ALR 154; [1938] HCA 14 Pacific Carriers Ltd v BNP Paribas (2004) 218 CLR 451; (2004) 78 ALJR 1045; (2004) 208 ALR 213; [2004] HCA 35 Plenty v Dillon (1991) 171 CLR 635; (1991) 65 ALJR 231; (1991) 98 ALR 353; [1991] HCA 5 Rahme v Benjamin & Khoury Pty Ltd (2019) 100 NSWLR 550; [2019] NSWCA 211 Roy v O'Neill (2020) 272 CLR 291; (2020) 95 ALJR 64; (2020) 385 ALR 187; (2020) 285 A Crim R 120; [2020] HCA 45 Smethurst v Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police (2020) 272 CLR 177; (2020) 94 ALJR 502; (2020) 376 ALR 575; (2020) 280 A Crim R 356; [2020] HCA 14 Sydney Local Health District v Macquarie International Health Clinic Pty Ltd (2020) 105 NSWLR 325; [2020] NSWCA 274 TCN Channel Nine Pty Ltd v Anning (2002) 54 NSWLR 333; [2002] Aust Torts Reports 81-649; [2002] NSWCA 82 Ucak v Avante Developments [2007] NSWSC 367 Williams v Milotin (1957) 97 CLR 465; (1957) 31 ALJ 820; [1957] ALR 1145; [1957] HCA 83 Wilson v State of New South Wales (2010) 278 ALR 74; (2010) 207 A Crim R 499; [2010] NSWCA 333 XL Petroleum (NSW) Pty Ltd v Caltex Oil (Australia) Pty Ltd (1985) 155 CLR 448; (1985) 59 ALJR 352; (1985) 57 ALR 639; [1985] Aust Torts Reports 80-317; [1985] HCA 12 Texts Cited: C Sappideen and P Vines (eds), Fleming's The Law of Torts (Lawbook Co, 10th ed, 2011) D Rolph et al. (eds), Balkin & Davis Law of Torts (LexisNexis Australia, 6th ed, 2021) Halsbury's Laws of Australia (LexisNexis Butterworths, vol 26, service 569) M A Jones et al. (eds), Clerk & Lindsell on Torts (Thomson Reuters, 23rd ed, 2020) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Rove Estate Pty Ltd atf Lane Cove Estate Trust (Plaintiff) Chomp Excavations & Demolition Pty Ltd (First Defendant) Carlo Excavations Pty Ltd (Second Defendant) Haulbuild Pty Ltd (Third Defendant) Empire Transport Solutions Pty Ltd (Fourth Defendant) Mr Ahmad El Kadomi (Fifth Defendant) Mr Ahmad Kataieh (Sixth Defendant) Mr Paul Jones (Seventh Defendant) Mr George Abousleiman (Eight Defendant) Mr Daniel Gawidziel (Ninth Defendant) Mr Richard Gawidziel (Tenth Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr F Corsaro SC (Plaintiff) Mr F F F Salama with Mr A Smyth (First Defendant) Mr G Smith (Third Defendant) Mr A Patterson (Solicitor) (Fifth Defendant) Mr R Lee (Seventh Defendant) Mr I Archibald (Eight Defendant)