Natural Resources Access Regulator v Lidokew Pty Ltd [2023] NSWLEC 130

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Natural Resources Access Regulator v Lidokew Pty Ltd [2023] NSWLEC 130 Hearing dates: 4, 5, 6, 7, 11, 12, 13, 14, 17, 18 October 2022 Date of orders: 28 November 2023 Decision date: 28 November 2023 Jurisdiction: Class 5 Before: Duggan J Decision: See paragraphs 306 and 307 Catchwords: ENVIRONMENTAL OFFENCES – ss 60C(1)(b), 60C(2), 91I(2) and 91H(2) of the Water Management Act – plea of not guilty – circumstantial evidence – whether defendant took water otherwise than in accordance with access licence – crop water requirements of cotton farm – available rainwater – stored water availability – whether defendant took water while metering equipment was not operating properly – the meaning of "not operating properly" – no honest and reasonable mistake of fact Legislation Cited: Water Management Act 2000 (NSW) Water Management Amendment Act 2018 (NSW) Cases Cited: Bogdanovski v Buckingham (1989) VR 897 Chamberlain v The Queen (No 2) (1983) 153 CLR 521 CTM v The Queen (2008) 236 CLR 440 He Kaw Teh v R (1985) 157 CLR 523 Natural Resources Access Regulator v Harris; Natural Resources Access Regulator v Timmins [2020] NSWLEC 104 Ozbinay v Crowley (1993) 17 MVR 176 R v Baden-Clay (2016) 258 CLR 306 Shepherd v The Queen (1990) 170 CLR 573 Sherras v De Rutzen (1895) 1 QB 918 Texts Cited: Macquarie Dictionary (Online) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Natural Resources Access Regulator (Prosecutor) Lidokew Pty Ltd (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: H El-Hage and A Brown (Prosecutor) C R Ireland (Defendant)