Natural Resources Access Regulator v Green Leaf Australia Group Pty Limited; Natural Resources Access Regulator v Xiuming Lin [2024] NSWLC 2

Local Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Natural Resources Access Regulator v Green Leaf Australia Group Pty Limited; Natural Resources Access Regulator v Xiuming Lin [2024] NSWLC 2 Hearing dates: 27, 28 and 29 November 2023, 1 December 2023, 22, 23, 26 and 29 April 2024 and 18 June 2024 Date of orders: 25 June 2024 Decision date: 25 June 2024 Jurisdiction: Criminal Before: Nash LCM Decision: Verdicts of guilty, and alternative charges dismissed. See pars [645] – [649]. Catchwords: Crime – alleged offences under the Water Management Act 2000 by a corporate land owner – commercial farming business cultivating tomato, cucumber and ginger crops – alleged use of dams without approval – alleged construction (extension) of dams without approval – alleged carrying out of controlled activities without approval – alternative charges of alleged construction of dams without approval – power of Natural Resources Access Regulator to institute and maintain prosecution proceedings – whether certain charges commenced after statutory time limitation had expired – consideration of rebuttable presumptions under s 367B of the Water Management Act 2000 – consideration of executive liability provisions for company directors under s 363 of the Water Management Act 2000 – consideration of deeming provision in s 91L of the Water Management Act 2000 – consideration of admissibility of evidence on voir dire relating to statutory notices issued to corporation and director under the Water Management Act 2000 Legislation Cited: Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (NSW) Crown Proceedings Act 1988 (NSW) Evidence Act 1995 (NSW) Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW) Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (Cth) National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 (NSW) Native Vegetation Act 2003 (NSW) Natural Resources Access Regulator Act 2017 (NSW) State Records Act 1998 (NSW) Water Act 1912 (NSW) Water Management Act 2000 (NSW) Cases Cited: Alcan (NT) Alumina Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Territory Revenue (2009) 239 CLR 27 Arnold v Britton [2015] AC 1619 Australian Securities and Investments Commission v Hellicar (2012) 247 CLR 345; [2012] HCA 17 Australian Securities and Investments Commission v King (2020) 270 CLR 1; [2020] HCA Bell v Tasmania [2021] HCA 42 Chief Executive, Office of Environment and Heritage v Grant Wesley Turnbull (No 3) [2019] NSWLEC 165 Commissioner of Taxation v Consolidated Media (2012) 250 CLR 503 Cooper Brookes (Wollongong) Pty Ltd v Federal Commissioner of Taxation (1981) 147 CLR 297 Cumberland Council v Tony Younan; Cumberland Council v Ronney Oueik; Cumberland Council v H & M Renovations Pty Ltd [2018] NSWLEC 145 Harvey v Minister for Primary Industry and Resources (2024) 98 ALJR 168 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298; [1959] HCA 8 Kuhl v Zurich Financial Services Australia Ltd (2011) 243 CLR 361; [2011] HCA 11 Natural Resources Access Regulator v Bao Lin Pty Ltd [2022] NSWLEC 42 Grant Barnes, Chief Regulatory Officer, Natural Resources Access Regulator v Henry Payson Pty Ltd [2023] NSWLEC 5 Natural Resources Access Regulator v Littore [2024] NSWLEC 53 Ostrowski v Palmer (2004) 218 CLR 493 Presidential Security Services of Australia Pty Ltd v Brilley [2008] NSWCA 204; 73 NSWLR 241 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority (1998) 194 CLR 355 Proudman v Dayman (1941) 67 CLR 536 R v A2 (2019) 269 CLR 507 R v Narouz [2024] NSWCCA 14 R v RB [2024] NSWSC 471 Rummery v Chief Executive, Office of Environment and Heritage [2014] NSWCCA 106; (2014) 201 LGERA 428 SAS Trustee Corporation v Miles (2018) 265 CLR 137 Somerville v Chief Executive of the Office of Environment and Heritage [2020] NSWCCA 93 Tesco Supermarkets Ltd v Nattrass [1972] AC 153 WaterNSW v Harris (No. 3) [2020] NSWLEC 18 Witheyman v Van Riet [2008] 2 Qd R 587; [2008] QCA 168 Texts Cited: Nil Category: Principal judgment Parties: Natural Resources Access Regulator (Prosecutor) Green Leaf Australia Group Pty Limited (First Defendant) Xiuming Lin (Second Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr M McAuliffe (Prosecutor) Mr N Carney (First and Second Defendants)