Environment Protection Authority v Cleary Bros (Bombo) Pty Limited [2007] NSWLEC 466

Land and Environment Court of New South Wales

CITATION : Environment Protection Authority v Cleary Bros (Bombo) Pty Limited [2007] NSWLEC 466 This decision has been amended. Please see the end of the judgment for a list of the amendments.

PROSECUTOR: Environment Protection Authority PARTIES : DEFENDANT: Cleary Bros (Bombo) Pty Limited ACN 000 157 808

FILE NUMBER(S) : 50002 of 2006

CORAM: Lloyd J

Environmental Offences :- water pollution - inadequate capacity of bund - modifications to bund - failure of bund - overflow of untreated leachate into creek - actual environmental harm - control over causes - contractual obligations KEY ISSUES: Prosecution :- plea of guilty - penalty - parity in sentencing - subjective circumstances of offender - mitigating factors - publication order inappropriate

Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) s 3A, s 21A, s 22(1), s 23(1), s 23(2) LEGISLATION CITED: Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 (NSW) s 120(1), s 120(2), s 241(1), s 248(1), s 250(1)(a), s 257, s 257(2), s 258(2) State Owned Corporations Act 1989 Waste Recycling and Processing Corporation Act 2001

Cabonne Shire Council v Environment Protection Authority (2001) 115 LGERA 304; Camilleri's Stock Feeds Pty Ltd v Environment Protection Authority (1993) NSWLR 683; Environment Protection Authority v Bega Valley Shire Council, NSWLEC, Sheahan J, 14 August 1998, unreported; Environment Protection Authority v Bellingen Shire Council [2003] NSWLEC 42; Environment Protection Authority v Byron Shire Council [2001] NSWLEC 54; Environment Protection Authority v Cleary Bros (Bombo) Pty Limited, NSWLEC, 14 August 1998, Bignold J, unreported; Environment Protection Authority v Lake Macquarie City Council, NSWLEC, Lloyd J, 18 December 1998, unreported; Environment Protection Authority v Waste Recycling and Processing Corporation (2006) 148 LGERA 299; Fletcher Construction Australia Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Fisher) (1999) 91 IR 66; CASES CITED: House v The King (1936) 55 CLR 499; Lawrenson Diecasting Pty Ltd v WorkCover Authority of New South Wales (Inspector Ch'ng) (1999) 90 IR 464; R v Ngui (2000) 1 VR 579 ; R v Thomson; R v Houlton (2000) 49 NSWLR 383; R v Whyte (2002) 55 NSWLR 252; State Pollution Control Commission v Hunt (1990) 72 LGRA 316; State Pollution Control Commission v Tiger Nominees Pty Limited (1991) LGRA 337; Veen v The Queen (No.2) (1988) 164 CLR 465; Wong v The Queen (2001) 207 CLR 584; Woodward (for and on behalf of the State Pollution Control Commission of New South Wales) v Cleary Bros (Bombo) Pty Limited (1984) 54 LGRA 409