Environment Protection Authority v Transpacific Industries Pty Limited; Environment Protection Authority v Transpacific Refiners Pty Limited [2010] NSWLEC 85

Land and Environment Court of New South Wales

CITATION : Environment Protection Authority v Transpacific Industries Pty Limited; Environment Protection Authority v Transpacific Refiners Pty Limited [2010] NSWLEC 85

PROSECUTOR Environment Protection Authority PARTIES : DEFENDANTS Transpacific Industries Pty Limited Transpacific Refiners Pty Limited

FILE NUMBER(S) : 50074 of 2009; 50075 of 2009; 50076 of 2009

CORAM: Pepper J

KEY ISSUES: PROSECUTION :- offences against 64(1) and s 66(2) of the Protection of the Environment Operations Act - breach of license condition - production and emission of volatile organic compounds in excess of license limits - intentional but not dishonest provision of materially false information to a regulatory authority - early guilty plea - sentencing considerations - no actual environmental harm - negligible potential for environmental harm - subjective factors - deterrence - consistency in sentencing - penalty

LEGISLATION CITED: Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 ss 3A, 21A, 22, 23 Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 ss 64(1), 66(2), 241, 120, 250

Axer Pty Ltd v Environment Protection Authority (1993) 113 LGERA 357 Bentley v BGP Properties Pty Ltd (2006) 145 LGERA 234 Cabonne Shire Council v Environment Protection Authority (2001) 115 LGERA 304 Camilleri's Stock Feeds Pty Ltd v Environment Protection Authority (1993) 32 NSWLR 683 Director-General of the Department of Environment and Climate Change v Rae (2009) 168 LGERA 121 Dodds v R [2009] NSWCCA 191 Environment Protection Authority v Barnes [2006] NSWCCA 246 Environment Protection Authority v BHP Steel (JLA) Pty Ltd [1999] NSWLEC 150 Environment Protection Authority v Caltex Refineries (NSW) Pty Ltd [2006] NSWLEC 335 Environment Protection Authority v Causmag Ore Company Pty Limited [2009] NSWLEC 164 Environment Protection Authority v Coastal Recycled Cooking Oils Pty Limited [2008] NSWLEC 242 Environment Protection Authority v Delta Electricity [2009] NSWLEC 11 Environment Protection Authority v Forgacs Engineering Pty Limited [2009] NSWLEC 64 Environment Protection Authority v Fulton Hogan Pty Ltd (2008) 163 LGERA 345 Environment Protection Authority v Ghossayn [2009] NSWLEC 181 CASES CITED: Environment Protection Authority v Hargraves (No 2) (2003) 124 LGERA 57 Environment Protection Authority v Incitec Limited [2003] NSWLEC 381 Environment Protection Authority v Peters (2006) 153 LGERA 238 Environment Protection Authority v State of New South Wales (Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water) [2010] NSWLEC 67 Environment Protection Authority v Waste Recycling and Processing Corporation (2006) 148 LGERA 299 Garrett v Freeman (No 5) (2009) 164 LGERA 287 Gittany Constructions Pty Ltd v Sutherland Shire Council (2006) 145 LGERA 189 Great Lakes Council v Mood (No 2) [2008] NSWLEC 68 Hawkesbury City Council v Johnson; Hawkesbury City Council v Johnson Property Group Pty Limited (No 2) [2009] NSWLEC 6 Hoare v The Queen (1989) 167 CLR 348 Markarian v The Queen (2005) 228 CLR 357 Pittwater Council v Scahill (2009) 165 LGERA 289 Plath v Rawson (2009) 170 LGERA 253 R v Dodd (1991) 57 A Crim R 349 R v Nichols (1991) 57 A Crim R 391 Veen v The Queen (1979) 143 CLR 458 Veen v The Queen (No 2) (1988) 164 CLR 465