Liverpool City Council v Minister for Local Government and Ors [2024] NSWLEC 94

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Liverpool City Council v Minister for Local Government and Ors [2024] NSWLEC 94 Hearing dates: 8, 9 and 12 August 2024 Date of orders: 02 September 2024 Decision date: 02 September 2024 Jurisdiction: Class 4 Before: Robson J Decision: See orders at [114] Catchwords: ADMINISTRATIVE LAW — Judicial review — Office of Local Government — Ministerial decision — Local government — Liverpool City Council — Procedural fairness — Bias or apprehended bias — Improper purpose — Jurisdictional error affecting later decisions under the Local Government Act 1993 (NSW) — Interim report — Public inquiry — Amended summons dismissed Legislation Cited: Local Government Act 1993 (NSW), Ch 13, Pt 5, Div 1, ss 21, 22, 23, 24, 318B, 429, 430, 431, 432, 433, 434, 438U, 438W, 438Y, 676, 745 Royal Commissions Act 1923 (NSW) Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (NSW) Cases Cited: AB (Pseudonym) v Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission [2024] HCA 10; (2024) 98 ALJR 532 Ainsworth v Criminal Justice Commission (1992) 175 CLR 564; [1992] HCA 10 Annetts v McCann (1990) 170 CLR 596; [1990] HCA 57 Apache Northwest Pty Ltd v Agostini (No 2) [2009] WASCA 231 Armidale Regional Council v O'Connor [2020] NSWLEC 77; (2020) 245 LGERA 56 Associated Provincial Picture Houses Ltd v Wednesbury Corporation [1947] 2 All ER 680 AYHT v Medical Board of South Australia (2000) 77 SASR 148; [2000] SASC 136 Balmain Association Inc v Planning Administrator for Leichhardt Council (1991) 25 NSWLR 615 Barton v R (1980) 147 CLR 75; [1980] HCA 48 Comcare v Banerji (2019) 267 CLR 373; [2019] HCA 23 Haoucher v Minister for Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs (1990) 169 CLR 648; [1990] HCA 22 Hossain v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection (2018) 264 CLR 123; [2018] HCA 34 Hot Holdings Pty Ltd v Creasy (1996) 185 CLR 149; [1996] HCA 44 Isbester v Knox City Council (2015) 255 CLR 135; [2015] HCA 20 Kaycliff Pty Ltd v Australian Broadcasting Tribunal (1989) 90 ALR 310 King v Ombudsman [2020] SASCFC 90; (2020) 137 SASR 18 Michael Wilson & Partners Ltd v Nicholls (2011) 244 CLR 427; [2011] HCA 48 Minister for Aboriginal Affairs v Peko-Wallsend Ltd (1986) 162 CLR 24; [1986] HCA 40 Minister for Immigration and Border Protection v Stretton (2016) 237 FCR 1; [2016] FCAFC 11 Minister for Immigration and Citizenship v Li (2013) 249 CLR 332; [2013] HCA 18 Minister for Immigration and Citizenship v MZXPA (2008) 100 ALD 312, [2008] FCA 185 Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs v Bhardwaj (2002) 209 CLR 597; [2002] HCA 11 Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs v Jia Le Geng; Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs v White (2001) 205 CLR 507; [2001] HCA 17 Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs v Moorcroft (2021) 273 CLR 21; [2021] HCA 19 MZAPC v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection (2021) 273 CLR 506; [2021] HCA 17 New South Wales v Kable (2013) 252 CLR 118; [2013] HCA 26 R v The Commonwealth Conciliation and Arbitration Commission; Ex parte The Angliss Group (1969) 122 CLR 546; [1969] HCA 10 Reid v Commercial Club (Albury) Ltd [2014] NSWCA 98 Tulloh v Chief Executive Officer of the Department of Corrective Services [2018] WASC 105 Water Conservation and Irrigation Commission (New South Wales) v Browning (1947) 74 CLR 492; [1947] HCA 21 Wintawari Guruma Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC v The Hon Benjamin Sana Wyatt [2019] WASC 33 Texts Cited: HWR Wade and CF Forsyth, Administrative Law (11th ed, 2014, Oxford University Press) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Liverpool City Council (Applicant) Minister for Local Government (First Respondent) Brett Whitworth, in his capacity as delegate of the Departmental Chief Executive, Office of Local Government (Second Respondent) Ross Glover, in his capacity as Commissioner of a Public Inquiry into Liverpool City Council (Fourth Respondent) State of New South Wales (Fifth Respondent) Representation: Counsel: T F Robertson SC with H Grace (Applicant) N L Sharp SC with M Harker (First, Second and Fifth Respondents) Submitting appearance (Fourth Respondent)