Andrew John McColm v Tritton Resources Pty Ltd [2023] NSWDC 270

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Andrew John McColm v Tritton Resources Pty Ltd [2023] NSWDC 270 Hearing dates: July 4, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 2022 and 29 November 2022 Date of orders: 21 July 2023 Decision date: 21 July 2023 Jurisdiction: Criminal Before: Strathdee DCJ Decision: (1) The prosecution has not proved all of the elements of the offence beyond reasonable doubt. (2) I will not enter final orders until the prosecution has had an opportunity to consider an application pursuant to s 5AE of the Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW). (3) I will list the matter for directions before me on 21 August 2023 to determine the appropriate course. Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW – prosecution – work health and safety – duty of persons undertaking business – risk of death or serious injury Legislation Cited: Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 (NSW) Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) Work Health and Safety (Mines and Petroleum Sites) Act 2013 (NSW) Work Health and Safety (Mines and Petroleum Sites) Act 2013 (NSW) Work Health and Safety (Mines) Act 2013 (NSW) Work Health and Safety (Mines) Regulation 2014 Work Health and Safety Regulation 2011 (NSW) Cases Cited: ASIC v Rich [2005] NSWSC 152; (2005) 190 FLR 242 Baiada Poultry Pty Ltd v The Queen [2012] HCA 14 (30 March 2012) Bulga Underground Operations v Nash [2016] NSWCCA 37 Carrington Slipways Pty Ltd v Callaghan (1985) 11 IR 467 Chen v R (2018) 97 NSWLR 915 Connex Group Australia Pty Ltd v Butt [2004] NSWSC 379 Cullen v State Rail Authority (NSW) (1989) 31 IR 207 Davies v The Queen [2019] VSCA 66 Director of Public Prosecutions v JCS Fabrications Pty Ltd and JMAL Group Pty Ltd [2019] VSCA 50 Drake Personnel Ltd t/as Drake Industrial v WorkCover Authority of NSW (Inspector Ch'ng) [1999] NSWIRComm 341 (12 August 1999) Dunlop Rubber Australia Ltd v Buckley (1952) 87 CLR 313 Edwards v National Coal Board [1949] 1 KB 704 Genner Constructions Pty Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales [2001] NSWIRComm 267 Hamersley Iron Pty Ltd v Robertson (unreported WASC 2 October 1998) Holmes v R E Spence & Co Pty Ltd (1992) 5 VIR 119 Howard Smith and Patrick Travel Pty Ltd v Comcare [2014] NSWCA 215 Inspector Ching v Bros Bins Systems Pty Ltd [2004] NSWIRComm 197 Kirk v Industrial Relations Commission; Kirk Group Holdings Pty Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Childs) (2010) 239 CLR 531 Kirwin v Pilbara Infrastructure Pty Ltd [2012] WASC 99 Li v The Queen (2003) 139 A Crim R 281 Makita v Sprowles (2001) 52 NSWLR 705 Marshall v Gotham [1954] AC 360 Nash v Resource Pacific Pty Ltd (No. 3) [2018] NSWSC 45 Orr v Cobar Management Pty Ltd [2019] NSWDC 796 Orr v Hunter Quarries Pty Ltd [2019] NSWDC 634 Patrick Travel Pty Ltd v Comcare (2014] NSWCA 215 R v Australian Char Pty. Ltd. [1999] 3 V.R. 834 R v Board of Trustees of the Science Museum [1993] 1 WLR 1171 R v Butera (1987) 164 CLR 180 R v Construction Group Pty Ltd [2006] VSCA 181 R v Leung (1999) 47 NSWLR 405 R v Nelson Group Services (Maintenance) Ltd [1998] 4 ER 331 Royall v The Queen (1991) 172 CLR 378 SafeWork NSW v Grasso Consulting Engineers Pty Ltd; SafeWork NSW v Ignazio Grasso [2019] NSWDC 792 Slivak v Lurgi (Aust) Pty Ltd [2001] HCA 6 State Rail Authority v Dawson (1990) 37 IR 110 Theiss Pty Ltd v Industrial Court of New South Wales [2010] NSWCA 252 Wood v R (2012) 84 NSWLR 581; [2012] NSWCCA 21 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Twynam-Perkins) v Maine Lighting Pty Limited (1995) 100 IR 248 WorkCover Authority of New South Wales v Kirk Group Holdings Pty Ltd (2004) 135 IR 166 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Andrew John McColm (Prosecutor) Tritton Resources Pty Ltd (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr H Dixon SC and Ms J McDonald (for the Prosecutor); then Ms W Thompson Mr S Holt QC and Mr D Nagle (for the Defendant)