McColm (NSW Department Planning and Environment) v Moolarben Coal Operations Pty Ltd [2023] NSWDC 255

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: McColm (NSW Department Planning and Environment) v Moolarben Coal Operations Pty Ltd [2023] NSWDC 255 Hearing dates: 11, 17-20, 23-27, 30-31 August 2021; 1, 7-8, 15-17 September 2021; 19- 22 October 2021; 1-2, 8-10, 29-30 November 2021, 1-2, 9 December 2021; 14-15 July 2022 Date of orders: 13 July 2023 Decision date: 13 July 2023 Jurisdiction: Criminal Before: Scotting DCJ Decision: 1 The prosecution has not proved all of the elements of the offence beyond reasonable doubt. 2 I find the defendant not guilty. 3 The Second Amended Summons is dismissed. 4 I order that the prosecutor is to pay the defendant's costs of the proceedings as agreed or assessed pursuant to s257G Criminal Procedure Act 1986. 5 Exhibits are returned. NOTATION 1 The Court notes this was an appropriate matter for the retention of senior and junior counsel by both parties given the length and complexity of the proceedings. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW – prosecution – work health and safety – duty of persons undertaking business – duty of employers – risk of death or serious injury Legislation Cited: Explosives Act 2003 Explosives Regulation 2013 Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 Work Health and Safety Act 2011 Work Health and Safety (Mines and Petroleum Sites) Regulation 2014 Cases Cited: Armargas Ltd v Mundogas SA (The Ocean Frost) [1985] 1 Lloyd's Rep 1 Baiada Poultry Pty Ltd v R (2012) 246 CLR 92 Bathurst Regional Council v Local Government Financial Services Pty Ltd (No 5) [2012] FCA 1200 Bulga Underground Operations v Nash [2016] NSWCCA 37 Camden v McKenzie [2008] 1 Qd R 39 Carrington Slipways Pty Ltd v Callaghan (1985) 11 IR 467 Collins v State Rail Authority of New South Wales (1986) 5 NSWLR 209 Coote v Kelly [2016] NSWSC 1447 Day v Perisher Blue Pty Ltd (2005) 62 NSWLR 731 Director of Public Prosecutions v JCS Fabrications Pty Ltd and JMAL Group Pty Ltd [2019] VSCA 50 Director of Public Prosecutions v Vibro-Pile (Aust) Pty Ltd (2016) 49 VR 676 Dunlop Rubber Australia Ltd v Buckley (1952) 87 CLR 313 Fox v Percy (2003) 214 CLR 118 Genner Constructions Pty Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales [2001] NSWIRComm 267 Gestmin SGPS SA v Credit Suisse (UK) Ltd [2013] EWHC 3560 Grasso Consulting Engineers Pty Ltd v SafeWork NSW [2021] NSWCCA 288 Hughes v Barbara Mines Ltd (No 4) [2010] WASC 160 Inspector Ching v Bros Bins Systems Pty Ltd [2004] NSWIRComm 197 Kirk v Industrial Court of New South Wales (2010) 239 CLR 531 Laing O'Rourke (BMC) Pty Ltd v Kirwin [2011] WASCA 117 Landmark Roofing Pty Ltd v SafeWork NSW [2021] NSWCCA 95 McGraddie v McGraddie [2013] 1 WLR 2477. New South Wales v Hunt (2014) 86 NSWLR 226 Onassis v Calogeropoulos v Vergottis [1968] 2 Lloyd's Rep 403 R v Board of Trustees of the Science Museum [1993] 1 WLR 1171 R v Commercial Industrial Construction Group Pty Ltd (2006) 14 VR 321 R v Nelson Group Services (Maintenance) Ltd [1998] 4 All ER 332 Royall v The Queen (1991) 172 CLR 378 Shepherd v The Queen (1990) 170 CLR 573 Simpson Design and Associates Pty Ltd v Industrial Court of New South Wales [2011] NSWCA 316 Slivak v Lurgi (Aust) Pty Ltd (2001) 205 CLR 304 Smith v Broken Hill Pty Ltd (1957) 97 CLR 337 Tangerine Confectionery Ltd and Veolia ES (UK) Ltd v R [2011] EWCA Crim 2015 Thiess Pty Ltd v Industrial Court of New South Wales (2010) 78 NSWLR 94 Watson v Foxman (1995) 49 NSWLR 315 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales v Kellogg (Aust) Pty Ltd [1999] NSWIRComm 453 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales v Kirk Group Holdings Pty Ltd (2004) 135 IR 166 WorkCover Authority of NSW v Atco Controls Pty Ltd (1998) 82 IR 80 at 85 Texts Cited: AS 2187.2 - 2006 Explosives – Storage and use Part 2: Use of Explosives Category: Principal judgment Parties: McColm (NSW Department of Planning and Environment) (Prosecutor) Moolarben Coal Operations Pty Ltd (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: P McDonald SC/W Thompson (Prosecutor) A Moses SC/J Alderson (Defendant)