Environment Protection Authority v Maules Creek Coal Pty Ltd [2024] NSWLEC 58

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Environment Protection Authority v Maules Creek Coal Pty Ltd [2024] NSWLEC 58 Hearing dates: 27 September 2023, further written submissions 2, 23 November 2023, further hearing dates 14 December 2023, 13 February 2024 Date of orders: 4 June 2024 Decision date: 04 June 2024 Jurisdiction: Class 5 Before: Pain J Decision: See below in [111]. Catchwords: CRIMINAL – practice and procedure– multiple charges of breaches of s 64 of Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 (NSW) – whether summons patently duplicitous – whether summons latently duplicitous and uncertain Legislation Cited: Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (NSW), s 21 Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW), s 8 Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 (NSW), ss 48, 64, Sch 1 cl 28 Cases Cited: Bentley v Gordon (2005) 139 LGERA 449; [2005] NSWCCA 157 Boral Gas (NSW) Pty Ltd v Magill (1995) 37 NSWLR 150 Byrne v Baker [1964] VR 443 Chugg v Pacific Dunlop Ltd [1988] VR 411 CSR Ltd v Environmental Protection Authority (2000) 110 LGERA 334; [2000] NSWCCA 373 Daly v Medwell (1986) 40 SASR 281 Diemould Tooling Services Pty Ltd v Oaten; Santos Ltd v Markos (2008) 101 SASR 339; [2008] SASC 197 Environment Protection Authority v Charlotte Pass Snow Resort Pty Ltd (2021) 250 LGERA 362; [2021] NSWCCA 289 Environment Protection Authority v Sydney Water Corp Ltd (1997) 98 LGERA 361 Environment Protection Authority v Truegain Pty Ltd (2013) 85 NSWLR 125; [2013] NSWCCA 204 Hakim v Waterways Authority of New South Wales (2006) 149 LGERA 415; [2006] NSWCCA 376 Hannes v Director of Public Prosecutions (Cth) (No 2) (2006) 205 FLR 217; [2006] NSWCCA 373 Hughes v Phillips (1948) 75 CLR 436; [1948] HCA 1 John L Pty Ltd v Attorney-General (NSW) (1987) 163 CLR 508; [1987] HCA 42 Johnson v Miller (1937) 59 CLR 467; [1937] HCA 77 R v B (2008) 76 NSWLR 533; [2008] NSWCCA 85 R v Baden-Clay (2016) 258 CLR 308; [2016] HCA 35 R v Goodfellow (1994) 33 NSWLR 308 R v Moussad (1999) 152 FLR 373; [1999] NSWCCA 337 Romeyko v Samuels (1972) 2 SASR 529 S v R (1989) 168 CLR 266; [1989] HCA 66 Snowy Monaro Regional Council v Tropic Asphalts Pty Ltd (2018) 362 ALR 359; [2018] NSWCCA 202 TT Line Company Pty Ltd v Burrows (2021) 33 Tas R 163; [2021] TASFC 3 Walsh v Tattersall (1996) 188 CLR 77; [1996] HCA 26 Category: Procedural rulings Parties: Environment Protection Authority (Prosecutor) Maules Creek Coal Pty Ltd (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: P English with Z Shahnawaz (Prosecutor) T Howard SC with J Lee (Defendant)