Director-General of the Department of Land and Water Conservation v Prime Grain Pty Ltd & Ors; Greentree v Director-General of the Department of Land and Water Conservation [2002] NSWLEC 93

Reported Decision : (2002) 124 LGERA 233

Land and Environment Court of New South Wales

CITATION : Director-General of the Department of Land and Water Conservation v Prime Grain Pty Ltd & Ors; Greentree v Director-General of the Department of Land and Water Conservation [2002] NSWLEC 93 revised - 26/07/2002 APPLICANT Director-General of the Department of Land and Water Conservation

RESPONDENT Prime Grain Pty Ltd and Ors PARTIES : APPLICANT Ronald Lewis Greentree

RESPONDENT Director-General of the Department of Land and Water Conservation FILE NUMBER(S) : 40039 of 2002; 0040 of 2002 CORAM: Pain J Construction and Interpretation :- whether a stop work order issued under s 46 of the Native Vegetation Conservation Act 1997 prevents clearing in accordance with the exemptions in Sch 4 Pt 2 cl 3

KEY ISSUES: Evidence :- whether legal professional privilege can be claimed - whether waiver of legal professional privilege

Judicial review :- does the absence of jurisdictional fact exclude judicial review - whether stop work order ultra vires and void - whether failure to form required opinion - whether acting unreasonably - whether dictation - whether failure to take into account relevant considerations - whether irrelevant considerations taken into account - whether acting for an improper purpose Evidence Act 1995 Part 3.10, s 122 Interpretation Act 1987 s 33 LEGISLATION CITED: Land and Environment Court Rules 1996 Pt 6 r1(2) Native Vegetation Conservation Act 1997 s 3, s 21, s 46, s 47, s 48, s 50, s 61, Sch 4 Pt 2 cl 3 State Environmental Planning Policy No. 46 Supreme Court Rules 1970 Pt 36 r 13 Attorney-General of New South Wales v Kennedy Miller Television Pty Ltd (1998) 43 NSWLR 729; Attorney-General for the Northern Territory v Maurice (1986) 161 CLR 475; Australian Conservation Foundation v Forestry Commission (1989) 19 FCR 127; Australian Unity Health Ltd v Private Health Insurance Administration Council [1999] FCA 1770; Ampolex Ltd v Perpetual Trustee Co (Canberra) Ltd (1995) 37 NSWLR 405; Benecke v National Australia Bank (NSWCA, 22 April 1993, unreported); Corporate Affairs Commission of New South Wales v Yuill (1991) 172 CLR 319; Donnelly v Delta Gold Pty Ltd [2001] NSWLEC 55; Goldberg & Anor v Ng & Ors (1995) 185 CLR 83; Mann v Carnell (1999) 201 CLR 1; Minister for Aboriginal Affairs v Peko-Wallsend Ltd (1986) 162 CLR 24; Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs v Pochi (1980) 31 ALR 666; Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs v Wu Shen Liong (1996) 185 CLR 259; CASES CITED: Multistar Pty Ltd v The Minister for Urban Affairs and Planning [2000] NSWLEC 231; Murphyores Inc Pty Ltd v Commonwealth (1976) 136 CLR 1 ; New South Wales Crime Commission v Murchie (2000) 49 NSWLR 465; O'Sullivan v Farrer (1989) 168 CLR 210; Oshlack v Richmond River Shire Council and Irongates Developments Pty Ltd (1993) 82 LGERA 222; Public Service Board of NSW v Osmond (1986) 159 CLR 656; Repatriation Commission v Vietnam Veterans' Association of Australia NSW Branch Inc (2000) 48 NSWLR 548; Re Pochi v Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs (1979) 2 ALD 33; R v Toohey; ex parte Northern Land Council (1981) 151 CLR 170; Samrein Pty Ltd v Metropolitan Water Sewerage and Drainage Board (1982) 41 ALR 467; Saraswati v The Queen (1991) 172 CLR 1; Surinakova v Minister for Immigration, Local Government and Ethnic Affairs (1991) 33 FCR 87; Timbarra Protection Coalition Inc v Ross Mining NL (1999) 102 LGERA 52; VAW (Kurri Kurri) Pty Ltd v Scientific Committee [2001] NSWLEC 182 DATES OF HEARING: 29/04/2002 DATE OF JUDGMENT: 07/23/2002