Georges River Council v Hamade [2023] NSWLEC 71

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Georges River Council v Hamade [2023] NSWLEC 71 Hearing dates: 17 and 18 April 2023 Date of orders: 7 July 2023 Decision date: 07 July 2023 Jurisdiction: Class 4 Before: Pepper J Decision: See orders at [115]. Catchwords: CONTEMPT: sentencing for contempt – breach of court orders – contempt ongoing – type of contempt – technical and wilful contempt – reason for contempt – awareness of consequences – whether environmental harm occasioned by contempt – early plea of guilty – some remorse demonstrated – good character – costs incurred taken into consideration – comparable cases – how to dispose of proceedings when contempt cannot be fully purged – monetary penalty imposed. Legislation Cited: Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999, s 3A Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, Land and Environment Court Rules 2007, rr 6.1, 6.3 Supreme Court Rules 1970, Pt 55 Cases Cited: Attorney-General (NSW) v John Fairfax & Sons Ltd [1980] 1 NSWLR 362 Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union v Mudginberri Station Pty Ltd [1986] HCA 46; (1986) 161 CLR 98 Bayside Council v Zein [2023] NSWLEC 42 Blacktown City Council v Saker (No 4) [2022] NSWLEC 80 Burwood Council v Ruan [2008] NSWLEC 167 Council of the City of Sydney v Owners Corporation - Strata Plan 18945 [2011] NSWLEC 79 Dowling v Prothonotary of the Supreme Court of New South Wales [2018] NSWCA 340; (2018) 99 NSWLR 229 Environment Protection Authority v Pannowitz (No 2) [2006] NSWLEC 797; (2006) 153 LGERA 126 Gerondal v Eurobodalla Shire Council (No 5) [2011] NSWLEC 104 Hearne v Street [2008] HCA 36; (2008) 235 CLR 125 Inner West Council v Balmain Rentals Pty Ltd [2022] NSWLEC 20 Menzies v Paccar Financial Pty Ltd [2016] NSWCA 280; (2016) 93 NSWLR 88 Mosman Municipal Council v Kelly (No 3) [2009] NSWLEC 92; (2009) 167 LGERA 91 NCR Australia Pty Ltd v The Credit Connection Pty Ltd [2005] NSWSC 1118 Palerang Council v Banfield (No 2) [2012] NSWLEC 158 Pang v Bydand Holdings Pty Ltd [2011] NSWCA 69 Pelechowski v Registrar, Court of Appeal (NSW) [1999] HCA 19; (1999) 198 CLR 435 Queanbeyan City Council v Sun (No 2) [2013] NSWLEC 64; (2013) 195 LGERA 14 R v Oliver (1980) 7 A Crim R 174 R v Visconti [1982] 2 NSWLR 104 Randwick City Council v Arxidia Pty Ltd [2021] NSWLEC 105 Registrar of the Court of Appeal v Maniam (No 2) (1992) 26 NSWLR 309 Sutherland Shire Council v Perdikaris [2020] NSWLEC 111 Waverley Council v Tovir Investments Pty Ltd (No 3) [2013] NSWLEC 35 Witham v Holloway [1995] HCA 3; (1995) 183 CLR 525 Wood v Staunton (No 5) (1996) 86 A Crim R 183 Category: Sentence Parties: Georges River Council (Applicant) Habib Hamade (First Respondent) Zeinab Hammoud (Second Respondent) Carole Li (Third Respondent) Winson Li (Fourth Respondent) Representation: Counsel: T Howard SC with R Coffey (Applicant) J Reid (First Respondent) N/A (Second, Third and Fourth Respondents) Solicitors: HWL Ebsworth (Applicant) One Group Legal (First and Second Respondents) N/A (Third and Fourth Respondents) File Number(s): 2020/72897 Publication restriction: Nil