Secretary, Department of Planning, Industry and Environment v Merrywinebone Pty Ltd; Harris [2023] NSWLEC 138

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Secretary, Department of Planning, Industry and Environment v Merrywinebone Pty Ltd; Harris [2023] NSWLEC 138 Hearing dates: 14 July 2023 Date of orders: 20 December 2023 Decision date: 08 December 2023 Jurisdiction: Class 5 Before: Robson J Decision: See orders at [71] and [73] Catchwords: COSTS — Criminal proceedings — Application by the defendants for costs under s 257D of the Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (NSW) after summons dismissed — Whether prosecutor's investigation of alleged offences was unreasonable — Whether the commencement of the proceedings was unreasonable — Whether the prosecutor acted improperly — Whether there are exceptional circumstances otherwise warranting an order for costs — Application dismissed Legislation Cited: Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (NSW), ss 1.6, 12.8, 12.19, 13.29 Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (NSW), ss 29, 257C, 257D Land and Environment Court Act 1979 (NSW), s 41 Local Land Services Act 2013 (NSW), s 60N Native Vegetation Act 2003 (NSW), ss 4, 12, 44 Cases Cited: Caltex Refining Co Pty Ltd v Maritime Services Board of New South Wales (1995) 36 NSWLR 552; (1995) 87 LGERA 188 Cliftleigh Haulage Pty Ltd v Byron Shire Council [2007] NSWCCA 13 Director-General, NSW Department of Industry and Investment v Coomes [2012] NSWLEC 251 Environment Protection Authority v Bulga Coal Management Pty Ltd (No 2) [2014] NSWLEC 70; (2014) 202 LGERA 203 Fosse v Director of Public Prosecutions [1999] NSWSC 367 JD v Director of Public Prosecutions [2000] NSWSC 1092 Kanan v Australian Postal and Telecommunications Union [1992] FCA 539; (1992) 43 IR 257 Parker v Comptroller-General of Customs [2009] HCA 7; (2009) 252 ALR 619 Port Macquarie-Hastings Council v Lawlor Services Pty Limited; Port Macquarie-Hastings Council v Petro (No 7) [2008] NSWLEC 75; (2008) 159 LGERA 87 Secretary, Department of Planning, Industry and Environment v Auen Grain Pty Ltd; Greentree; Merrywinebone Pty Ltd; Harris (No 7) [2022] NSWLEC 153 Secretary, Department of Planning, Industry and Environment v Auen Grain Pty Ltd; Merrywinebone Pty Ltd; Greentree; Harris [2019] NSWLEC 187 Category: Costs Parties: In proceedings 2019/00265265; 2019/00265269; 2019/00265273; 2019/00265277; 2019/00265281; 2019/00265285; 2019/00265289; 2019/00265293 Secretary, Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (Prosecutor) Merrywinebone Pty Ltd ACN 000 937 824 (Defendant)