Neilson v Secretary, Department of Planning and Environment [2024] NSWCA 28

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Neilson v Secretary, Department of Planning and Environment [2024] NSWCA 28 Hearing dates: 15 September 2023 Date of orders: 21 February 2024 Decision date: 21 February 2024 Before: Ward P at [1]; Payne JA at [2]; White JA at [175] Decision: (1) Appeal dismissed. (2) Appellant to pay the respondent's costs. Catchwords: ENVIRONMENT AND PLANNING— Land and Environment Court — Crown land — Management of Crown land — National Parks and Wildlife Act — Plan of management — statutory interpretation — whether Secretary has duties to implement individual policies in Plan of Management compellable by mandamus — whether delay implementing policies unreasonable — utility and appropriateness of relief Legislation Cited: Crown Land Management Act 2016 (NSW) Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW) s 5.5 Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 (Cth) ss 167, 185, 186, 501, 501A Land and Environment Court Act 1979 (NSW) ss 20, 22 Migration Act 1958 (Cth) ss 6, 6A, 7, 21, 24, 65 189, 196 National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 (NSW) ss 6, 8, 12, 72, 72AA, 81, 140, 193 Protection of the Environment Administration Act 1991 (NSW) ss 6, 9 Repatriation Act 1920 (Cth) Div 1 Pt 3 Rural Fires Act 1997 (NSW) s 62W National Parks and Wildlife Bill 1974 (NSW) Cases Cited: AQM18 v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection (2019) 268 FCR 424; [2019] FCAFC 27 ASP15 v Commonwealth of Australia (2016) 248 FCR 372; [2016] FCAFC 145 Associated Provincial Picture Houses Limited v Wednesbury Corporation [1948] 1 KB 223 BMF16 v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection [2016] FCA 1530 Boensch v Pascoe (2019) 268 CLR 593; [2019] HCA 49 Bushfire Survivors for Climate Action Inc v Environment Protection Authority (2021) 250 LGERA 1; [2021] NSWLEC 92 Chevron USA, Inc v Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc, 467 US 837 (1984) CMA19 v Minister for Home Affairs [2020] FCA 736 Commissioner of State Revenue (Vic) v Royal Insurance Australia Ltd (1994) 182 CLR 51; [1994] HCA 61 Corporation of the City of Enfield v Development Assessment Commission (2000) 199 CLR 135; [2000] HCA 5 Kuru v State of New South Wales (2008) 236 CLR 1; [2008] HCA 26 Minister for Immigration and Citizenship v Li (2013) 249 CLR 332; [2013] HCA 18 NAIS v Minister for Immigration & Multicultural & Indigenous Affairs (2005) 228 CLR 470; [2005] HCA 77 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority (1998) 194 CLR 355; [1998] HCA 28 Randren House Pty Ltd v Water Administration Ministerial Corporation (2020) 246 LGERA 1; [2020] NSWCA 14 Re Federal Commissioner of Taxation; Ex parte Australena Investments Pty Ltd (1983) 58 ALJR 36 SAS Trustee Corporation v Miles (2018) 265 CLR 137; [2018] HCA 55 Sydney Seaplanes Pty Ltd v Page (2021) 106 NSWLR 1; [2021] NSWCA 204 SZTAL v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection (2017) 262 CLR 362; [2017] HCA 34 Taylor v The Owners – Strata Plan No 11564 (2014) 253 CLR 531; [2014] HCA 9 Thornton v Repatriation Commission (1981) 52 FLR 285; [1981] FCA 71 Wei v Minister for Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs (1991) 29 FCR 455; [1991] FCA 268 Texts Cited: LL Fuller, "The Forms and Limits of Adjudication" (1978) 92 Harvard Law Review 353 Mark Aronson, Matthew Groves and Greg Weeks, Judicial Review of Administrative Action and Government Liability (Thomson Reuters, 7th ed, 2022) New South Wales Legislative Council, Parliamentary Debates (Hansard) 30 October 1974 at 2309 NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, Mimosa Rocks National Park: Plan of Management (February 2011) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Ian Stuart Neilson (appellant) Secretary, Department of Planning and Environment (respondent) Representation: Counsel: C Ireland and A Jucha (appellant) RPL Lancaster SC and JM McKelvey (respondent)