Environment Protection Authority v Queanbeyan City Council [2010] NSWLEC 237

Land and Environment Court of New South Wales

CITATION : Environment Protection Authority v Queanbeyan City Council [2010] NSWLEC 237

PROSECUTOR Environment Protection Authority PARTIES : DEFENDANT Queanbeyan City Council

FILE NUMBER(S) : 50080 of 2008

CORAM: Pepper J

KEY ISSUES: CRIMINAL LAW :- whether a prosecution for water pollution caused by the unintentional discharge of sewage should be premanently stayed because of a refusal by the regulatory authority to issue an environment protection licence - whether the licence was required to be issued - whether had the licence been issued the defendant would have been afforded a statutory defence to a strict liability offence - whether if the proceedings continued they would be unfair - whether the public interest in permitting the prosecution to proceed outweighed any unfairness - permanent stay refused

LEGISLATION CITED: Evidence Act 1995 s 136 Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 ss 42, 43, 45, 48, 53, 63(2), 120(1), 122, 123, 287

ADI Ltd v Environment Protection Authority [2000] NSWCCA 333; 118 A Crim R 335 Batistatos v Roads and Traffic Authority (NSW) [2006] HCA 27; (2006) 226 CLR 256 Chase Oyster Bar Pty Ltd v Hamo Industries Pty Ltd [2010] NSWCA 190 CIC Insurance Ltd v Bankstown Football Club Ltd (1997) 187 CLR 384 Director-General, Department of Environment and Climate Change v Gleeson; Director-General, Department of Environment and Climate Change v Epacris Pty Ltd [2009] NSWLEC 42; (2009) 165 LGERA 99 Dupas v R [2010] HCA 20; (2010) 267 ALR 1 Grey v R [2001] HCA 65; (2001) 184 ALR 593 Jago v District Court (NSW) (1989) 168 CLR 23 CASES CITED: Kirk v Industrial Court (NSW) [2010] HCA 1; (2009) 239 CLR 531 Metropolitan Bank Ltd v Pooley (1885) 10 App Cas 210 Mraz v R (1955) 93 CLR 493 R v Edwards [2009] HCA 20; (2009) 255 ALR 399 R v Glennon (1992) 173 CLR 592 R v Ulman-Naruniec [2003] SASC 437; (2003) 143 A Crim R 531 Walton v Gardiner (1993) 177 CLR 378 Wilde v R (1988) 164 CLR 365 Wilson v State Rail Authority of New South Wales [2010] NSWCA 198