Slack-Smith and Another v Director-General of the Department of Land and Water Conservation [2003] NSWLEC 189

> Land and Environment Court of New South Wales

CITATION : Slack-Smith and Another v Director-General of the Department of Land and Water Conservation [2003] NSWLEC 189 APPLICANTS Ross Slack-Smith PARTIES : Genise Janet Slack-Smith

RESPONDENT Director-General of the Department of Land and Water Conservation FILE NUMBER(S) : 40856 of 2002 CORAM: Talbot J Judicial Review :- failure to afford procedural fairness KEY ISSUES: natural justice where appeal allowed - Wednesbury unreasonableness - test of satisfaction or jurisdictional fact - whether estoppel against requirement for development consent - severance of invalid conditions Estoppel :- cannot prevent exercise of statutory discretion - cannot waive requirement for approval - advice that consent not required cannot raise estoppel Interpretation Act 1987 s 9 Local Government Act 1919 s 317B(5) National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 Native Vegetation Conservation Act 1997 s 4, s 21(2), 21(2)(a), s 47, s 47 (1), s 47(1)(a), s 47(2), s 48, s 48(1), s 48(2), s 68, LEGISLATION CITED: Noxious Weeds Act 1993 Rural Fires Act 1997 Rural Lands Protection Act 1998 Western Lands Act 1901 s 18DB Western Lands Regulation 1997 s 29, Sch 4 Associated Provincial Picture Houses v Wednesbury Corporation [1948] 1 KB 223; Brickworks Limited v The Council of the Shire of Warringah (1963) 108 CLR 568; Cann's Proprietary Limited v The Commonwealth and Another (1946) 71 CLR 210; Corporation of the City of Enfield v Development Assessment Commission and Another (2000) 199 CLR 135; Cox & Hazel Pty Ltd v Gidney [1981] 1 NSWLR 468; Ex parte Hernes Estates Pty Ltd; Greater Wollongong City Council and Another (1967) 14 LGRA 102 at 108; Julius v Oxford (Bishop) 49 LJ QB 585; 5 App Cas 235; CASES CITED: King Gee Clothing Company Proprietary Limited and Others v The Commonwealth and Another (1945) 71 CLR 184; Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Another v Peko-Wallsend Limited and Others (1985-1986) 162 CLR 24; Mison and Others v Randwick Municipal Council and Others (1991) 23 NSWLR 734 Winn v Director General of National Parks and Wildlife and Ors [2001] NSWCA 17, unreported; R v East Sussex County Council; Ex parte Reprotech (Pebsham) Ltd [2002] 4 All ER 58; The Council of the City of Parramatta v Pestell (1972) 128 CLR 305; The Melbourne Steamship Company Limited v Moorehead (1912) 15 CLR 333 Pyneboard Pty Ltd and Others v Trade Practices Commission and Bannerman (1982) 39 ALR 565; Thompson and Others v The Council of the Municipality of Randwick (1950) 81 CLR 87 at 105-6; Twist v The Council of the Municipality of Randwick (1976) 136 CLR 106; Wyong Shire Council v Associated Minerals Consolidated Ltd and Another [1972] 1 NSWLR 114 DATES OF HEARING: 09/07/2003, 10/07/2003, 11/07/2003 DATE OF JUDGMENT: 08/22/2003