Director-General of the Department of Environment and Climate Change v Hudson [2009] NSWLEC 4

Reported Decision : (2009) 165 LGERA 256

Land and Environment Court of New South Wales

CITATION : Director-General of the Department of Environment and Climate Change v Hudson [2009] NSWLEC 4

PROSECUTOR: Director-General of the Department of Environment and Climate Change

PARTIES : DEFENDANT: John Ross Hudson

INTERVENOR: Attorney-General of New South Wales

FILE NUMBER(S) : 50014 of 2008 & 50035 of 2008

CORAM: Lloyd J

KEY ISSUES: ENVIRONMENTAL OFFENCES :- penalty - clearing 486 hectares of native vegetation - failure to obtain development consent - failure to prepare property vegetation plan - failure to comply with a notice to provide information - deliberate conduct - serious offence - no mitigating factors except no prior convictions

Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act 1900 s 51(xxxi), s 109 Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 s 3A, s 21A(2)(g) Criminal Code Act 1995 (Cth) Criminal Procedure Act 1986 s 257B LEGISLATION CITED: Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 s 126 Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) Land and Environment Court Act 1979 s 63 Native Vegetation Act 2003 (NSW) ss 3, 4, 6(1), 7, 9(2), 11, 12, 19, 20, 21, 22, 36(2), 36(4) Native Vegetation Regulation 2005 cl 20 Noxious Weeds Act 1993 ss 7(1), 12, 35

Axer Pty Ltd v Environment Protection Authority (1993) 113 LGERA 357 Bentley v Gordon [2005] NSWLEC 695 Cameron v Eurobodalla Shire Council (2006) 146 LGERA 349 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 Taylor [2007] NSWLEC 530 Director-General of the Department of Environment and Climate Change v Wilton [2008] NSWLEC 297 CASES CITED: Environment Protection Authority v Barnes [2006] NSWCCA 246 Gittany Constructions Pty Ltd v Sutherland Shire Council (2006) 145 LGERA 189 Greentree v Minister for the Environment and Heritage (2005) 143 LGERA 1 Latoudis v Casey (1990) 170 CLR 534 Minister for the Environment and Heritage v Greentree (No. 3) (2004) 136 LGERA 89 Mosman Municipal Council v Menai Excavations Pty Ltd (2002) 122 LGERA 89 Pemble v The Queen (1971) 124 CLR 107