South East Forest Rescue Inc v Forestry Corporation of New South Wales (No 2) [2024] NSWCA 113

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: South East Forest Rescue Inc v Forestry Corporation of New South Wales (No 2) [2024] NSWCA 113 Hearing dates: 16 April 2024 Date of orders: 16 May 2024 Decision date: 16 May 2024 Before: Adamson JA at [1]; Basten AJA at [2]; Griffiths AJA at [47] Decision: (1) Allow the appeal, with costs. (2) Set aside order 1 made by the Land and Environment Court on 8 February 2024. Catchwords: APPEALS – appeal from Land and Environment Court – Class 4 civil enforcement proceedings – where primary judge found appellant lacked standing PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE – standing – whether environmental organisation has standing to bring civil enforcement proceedings against State forestry authority – where application of special interest test is fact and context specific – evaluative judgment required – where interest more than mere intellectual or emotional concern – where interest beyond that of public generally – where organisation has taken sufficient concrete steps to give effect to interest and concerns Legislation Cited: Administrative Decisions (Judicial Review) Act 1977 (Cth), s 13 Australian Heritage Commission Act 1975 (Cth), s 30 Australian Meat and Live-stock Industry Act 1997 (Cth), s 23(1) Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (NSW), ss 2.1, 2.4, 2.8, 4.32(1), 11.8(1)(c), 11.9, 11.29; Pt 13, Div 1; Pt 13, Div 2, ss 13.3,13.14, 13.14A, 13.17; Sch 1 Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW), ss 1.4(1), 9.45 Forestry Act 2012 (NSW), ss 3, 5, 11, 38; Pt 5B, ss 69K, 69L, 69M, 69N, 69NA, 69P, 69Q, 69SB, 69W, 69ZA Forestry and National Park Estate Act 1998 (NSW), s 40 Forestry Legislation Amendment Act 2018 (NSW) Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth) Land and Environment Court Act 1979 (NSW), ss 20(2)(a), 20(3) Patents Act 1903 (Cth), s 80(1) Supreme Court Act 1970 (NSW), s 69 Trade Practices Act 1974 (Cth) Banking (Foreign Exchange) Regulations 1959 (Cth) Cases Cited: Animals' Angels e.V. v Secretary, Department of Agriculture [2014] FCA 398 Animals' Angels e.V. v Secretary, Department of Agriculture (2014) 228 FCR 35; [2014] FCAFC 173 Australian Conservation Foundation Inc v Commonwealth (1980) 146 CLR 493; [1980] HCA 53 Australian Conservation Foundation v Minister for Resources [1989] FCA 794; (1989) 76 LGRA 200 Bateman's Bay Local Aboriginal Land Council v Aboriginal Community Benefit Fund Pty Ltd (1998) 194 CLR 247; [1998] HCA 49 Binginwarri Friends of Jack and Albert River Catchment Area Inc v VicForests [2021] VSC 507 Binginwarri Friends of Jack and Albert River Catchment Area Inc v VicForests [2021] VSC 824 Blue Derby Wild Inc v Forest Practices Authority [2024] HCATrans 29 Blue Derby Wild Inc v Forest Practices Authority (No 2) [2024] TASFC 1 Boyce v Paddington Borough Council [1903] 1 Ch 109 Bropho v Western Australia (1990) 171 CLR 1; [1990] HCA 24 Coco v The Queen (1994) 179 CLR 427; [1994] HCA 15 Electrolux Home Products Pty Ltd v Australian Workers' Union (2004) 221 CLR 309; [2004] HCA 40 Environment East Gippsland Inc v VicForests [2009] VSC 386 Friends of Malua Bay Inc v Perkins [2014] NSWLEC 95 Gouriet v Union of Post Office Workers [1978] AC 435 Haughton v Minister for Planning and Macquarie Generation (2011) 185 LGERA 373; [2011] NSWLEC 217 Hurt v The King [2024] HCA 8 Kuczborski v Queensland (2014) 254 CLR 51; [2014] HCA 46 Lee v New South Wales Crime Commission (2013) 251 CLR 310; [2013] HCA 39 North Coast Environment Council Inc v Minister for Resources (1994) 55 FCR 492; [1994] FCA 989 North East Forest Alliance Incorporated INC1601738 v Forestry Corporation of NSW [2023] NSWLEC 124 Onus v Alcoa of Australia Ltd (1981) 149 CLR 27; [1981] HCA 50 Oshlack v Richmond River Council (1998) 193 CLR 72; [1998] HCA 11 Phelps v Western Mining Corporation Ltd (1978) 33 FLR 327 Potter v Minahan (1908) 7 CLR 277; [1908] HCA 63 Probuild Constructions (Aust) Pty Ltd v Shade Systems Pty Ltd (2018) 264 CLR 1; [2018] HCA 4 Re Bolton; Ex parte Beane (1987) 162 CLR 514; [1987] HCA 12 Robinson v Western Australian Museum (1977) 138 CLR 283; [1977] HCA 46 South East Forest Rescue Incorporated INC9894030 v Forestry Corporation of New South Wales (No 2) [2024] NSWLEC 36 Tasmanian Conservation Trust Inc v Minister for Resources (1995) 55 FCR 516; [1995] FCA 1035 Truth About Motorways Pty Ltd v Macquarie Infrastructure Investment Management Ltd (1999) 200 CLR 591; [2000] HCA 11 VicForests v Kinglake Friends of the Forest Inc (2021) 66 VR 143; [2021] VSCA 195 Victoria v The Commonwealth and Hayden (1975) 134 CLR 338; [1975] HCA 52 Warren v Coombes (1979) 142 CLR 531; [1979] HCA 9 Texts Cited: A Mason, "Access to Constitutional Justice: Opening Address" (2010) 22 Bond LRev 1 Coastal Integrated Forestry Operations Approval – Conditions (commenced November 2018) Coastal Integrated Forestry Operations Approval – Protocols (September 2023) Herzfeld and Prince, Interpretation (Lawbook Co, 2nd ed, 2020) New South Wales, Parliamentary Debates, Legislative Assembly, 12 November 1998 Category: Principal judgment Parties: South East Forest Rescue Incorporated INC 98 94 030 (Appellant) Forestry Corporation of New South Wales ABN 43 141 857 613 (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: J Korman/J Farrell (Appellant) I Hemmings SC/J Taylor/K Pham (Respondent)