SafeWork NSW v Acon Projects Pty Ltd [2024] NSWDC 275

District Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: SafeWork NSW v Acon Projects Pty Ltd [2024] NSWDC 275 Hearing dates: 3 July 2024 Date of orders: 11 July 2024 Decision date: 11 July 2024 Jurisdiction: Criminal Before: Russell SC DCJ Decision: (1) Dismiss the Notice of Motion filed by the defendant on 22 April 2024. (2) Reserve the costs of that Notice of Motion. (3) List the proceedings in the Work Health and Safety List at 9.30am on 22 July 2024. Catchwords: CRIMINAL PROCEDURE – duplicity – whether charge is bad for duplicity or uncertainty – whether s 31 Work Health and Safety Act creates two offences – recklessness or gross negligence – whether prosecution must elect a fault element Legislation Cited: Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (NSW) Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW), ss 19, 31, 32, 233 Work Health and Safety Amendment (Review) Bill 2020 (NSW) Cases Cited: Chapman v R [2013] NSWCCA 91 Environment Protection Authority v Truegain Pty Ltd (2013) 85 NSWLR 125; [2013] NSWCCA 204 Hannes v Director of Public Prosecutions (Cth) (No. 2) [2006] NSWCCA 373 Johnson v Miller (1937) 59 CLR 469; [1937] HCA 77 Linehan v Australian Public Service Association (Fourth Division Officers) 44 ALR 289 R v Cramp [1999] NSWCCA 324 Romeyko v Samuels (1972) 2 SASR 529 S v The Queen (1989) 168 CLR 266; [1989] HCA 66 Walsh v Tattersall (1996) 188 CLR 77; [1996] HCA 26 Texts Cited: Archbold, Criminal Pleading Evidence and Practice, (44th ed, 1995, Sweet & Maxwell), Volume 1, p 75 David Ross and Mirko Bagaric, Ross on Crime, (9th ed, 2022, Thomson Reuters) Marie Boland, Review of the Model Work Health and Safety Laws, Final Report, (December 2018) New South Wales Legislative Council, Parliamentary Debates (Hansard), 4 June 2020 at 2409 Category: Procedural rulings Parties: SafeWork NSW (Prosecutor) Acon Projects Pty Ltd (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: K Curry (Prosecutor) P Gow (Defendant)