Ramsay v The Minister for Lands and Water; Hospitality and Racing, The Minister administering the Water Management Act 2000 [2023] NSWLEC 66

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Ramsay v The Minister for Lands and Water; Hospitality and Racing, The Minister administering the Water Management Act 2000 [2023] NSWLEC 66 Hearing dates: 8 May 2023 Date of orders: 26 June 2023 Decision date: 26 June 2023 Jurisdiction: Class 1 Before: Pain J Decision: 1 The Court makes the following orders in proceedings no. 2023/57189: (1) The proceedings against the Respondent are dismissed pursuant to rule 13.4(1)(b) of the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW). (2) The Minister's costs of the notice of motion dated 6 April 2023 are to be paid by the Applicants as agreed or assessed. 2 The Court makes the following orders in proceedings no. 2023/58427: (1) The proceedings against the Respondent are dismissed pursuant to rule 13.4(1)(b) of the Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW). (2) The Minister's costs of the notice of motion dated 6 April 2023 are to be paid by the Applicants as agreed or assessed. Catchwords: QUESTION OF LAW – applications for summary dismissal of Class 1 proceedings - grant of floodplain harvesting (regulated river) access licence for lesser amount of unit shares of water than sought by landholder not a refusal of access licence – allocation of unit shares of water in floodplain harvesting (regulated river) access licence not a discretionary condition - Court lacks jurisdiction to determine purported Class 1 appeal made pursuant to s 368(1) of Water Management Act 2000 (NSW) – statutory construction of s 368(1) of Water Management Act 2000 (NSW) – costs order made in favour of successful respondent as legal issue determinative of proceedings not requiring assessment of merits Legislation Cited: Land and Environment Court Act 1979 (NSW), ss 16, 17 Land and Environment Court Rules 2007 (NSW), r 3.7 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005 (NSW), r 13.4 Water Management Act 2000 (NSW), ss 3, 45, 56, 57, 57A, 58, 61, 62, 63, 66, 67, 68, 68A, 368 Water Management (General) Regulation 2018 (NSW), cll 23A, 23B, 23C, 23F, 23G, 23K, 23L Water Sharing Plan for the Macquarie and Cudgegong Regulated Rivers Water Source 2016 (NSW), cll 28, 92 Water Sharing Plan for the Macquarie and Cudgegong Regulated Rivers Water Source Amendment Order 2022 (NSW) Cases Cited: Alcan (NT) Alumina Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Territory Review (NT) (2009) 239 CLR 27; [2009] HCA 41 Clark v Robards [2010] NSWSC 522 Cosmos E-C Commerce Pty Ltd v Bidwell & Associates Pty Ltd [2005] NSWCA 81 Cooper Brookes (Wollongong) Pty Ltd v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1981) 147 CLR 297 Dolton v Eurobodalla Shire Council [2020] NSWLEC 141 General Steel Industries Inc v Commissioner for Railways (NSW) (1964) 112 CLR 125; [1964] HCA 69 Goode v Gwydir Shire Council [2019] NSWLEC 70 NA & J Investments Pty Ltd v Minister Administering the Water Management Act 2000; Arnold v Minister Administering the Water Management Act 2000 (2011) 181 LGERA 166; [2011] NSWLEC 51 House of Peace Pty Ltd & Anor v Bankstown City Council (2000) 48 NSWLR 498; [2000] NSWCA 44 Master Education Services Pty Ltd v Ketchell (2008) 236 CLR 101; 249 ALR 44; [2008] HCA 38 Norman v Central Coast Council [2022] NSWLEC 120 Owners of Ship Shin Kobe Maru v Empire Shipping Co Inc (1994) 181 CLR 404 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority (1998) 194 CLR 355; [1998] HCA 28 Public Transport Commission (NSW) v J Murray-More (NSW) Pty Ltd (1975) 132 CLR 336; [1975] HCA 28 Roden v Bandora Holdings Pty Ltd [2015] NSWLEC 191 Ltd [2015] NSWLEC 191 Scevola v Minister Administering National Parks and Wildlife [2017] NSWLEC 106 Sydney Seaplanes Pty Ltd v Page (2021) 393 ALR 485; [2021] NSWCA 204 Taylor v The Owners – Strata Plan No 11564 (2014) 253 CLR 531; [2014] HCA 9 Texts Cited: D C Pearce and R S Geddes, Statutory Interpretation in Australia (8th ed, 2014, LexisNexis) D Pearce and S Argument, Delegated Legislation in Australia (6th ed, 2023, LexisNexis) Category: Procedural rulings Parties: 2023/57189-002 The Minister for Lands and Water; Hospitality and Racing, The Minister administering the Water Management Act 2000 (Applicant on the Motion) Alexander David Ramsay (First Respondent on the Motion) Annette Yvonne Ramsay (Second Respondent on the Motion) 2023/58427-002 The Minister for Lands and Water; Hospitality and Racing, The Minister administering the Water Management Act 2000 (Applicant on the Motion) David Burnett Ramsay (Respondent on the Motion) Representation: Counsel: H El-Hage (Applicant on the Motion) C Ireland (Respondents on the Motion) Solicitors: Department of Planning & Environment (Applicant on the Motion) Horton Rhodes (Respondents on the Motion) File Number(s): 2023/57189-002; 2023/58427-002