Gordon Plath of the Department of Environment and Climate Change v Fish; Gordon Plath of the Department of Environment and Climate Change v Orogen Pty Ltd [2010] NSWLEC 144

Reported Decision : 179 LGERA 386

Land and Environment Court of New South Wales

CITATION : Gordon Plath of the Department of Environment and Climate Change v Fish; Gordon Plath of the Department of Environment and Climate Change v Orogen Pty Ltd [2010] NSWLEC 144

PROSECUTOR Gordon Plath of the Department of Environment and Climate Change PARTIES : DEFENDANTS Anthony Fish Orogen Pty Limited

FILE NUMBER(S) : 50002 of 2009; 50004 of 2009

CORAM: Pain J

KEY ISSUES: PROSECUTION :- plea of guilty to offence of causing damage to habitat of threatened species arising from provision of mistaken advice by consultant - advice resulted in clearing of koala habitat - whether aggravating factors such as negligent advice - whether level of control over clearing more remote when assessing culpability - mitigating factors taken into account - environmental service order made under new provisions in NPW Act

Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 s3A Criminal Procedure Act 1986 s257B, s257G Fines Act 1996 s6 National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 s118D, s191(1A)(b), LEGISLATION CITED: s205(1)(a), s205(1)(c) National Parks and Wildlife Amendment Act 2010 Native Vegetation Act 2003 Port Stephens Local Environment Plan 2000 Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995

Andrews v DPP [1937] AC 576 Axer Pty Ltd v Environment Protection Authority (1993) 113 LGERA 357 Camilleri's Stock Feeds Pty Ltd v Environment Protection Authority (1993) 32 NSWLR 683 Carmody v Brancourts Nominees Pty Ltd (No 2) [2003] NSWLEC 84 Cittadini v The Queen [2009] NSWCCA 302 Department of Environment and Climate Change v Olmwood Pty Ltd [2010] NSWLEC 15 Director General Department of the Environment Climate Change and Water v Ian Colley Earthmoving Pty Ltd [2010] NSWLEC 102 Director-General of the Department of Environment and Climate Change v Hudson [2009] NSWLEC 4; (2009) 165 LGERA 256 Director-General of the Department of Environment and Climate Change v Rae [2009] NSWLEC 137; (2009) 168 LGERA 121 Director-General Department of Environment and Climate Change v Walker Corporation Pty Ltd (No 2) [2010] NSWLEC 73 Director-General of the Department of Land and Water Conservation v Wilkinson [2002] NSWLEC 171 Director General of the Department of the Environment and Climate Change v Wilton [2008] NSWLEC 297 Director of Public Prosecutions v D'Arcy [2009] NSWLC 1 Environment Agency v Empress Car Co (Abertilley) Ltd [1999] 2 AC 22 Environment Protection Authority v Barnes [2006] NSWCCA 246 Environment Protection Authority v Werris Creek Coal Pty Ltd; Environment Protection Authority v Holley [2009] NSWLEC 124 Garrett v Freeman (No 5); Garrett v Port Macquarie Hastings Council; Carter v Port Macquarie Hastings Council [2009] NSWLEC 1; (2009) 164 LGERA 287 Gittany Constructions Pty Ltd v Sutherland Shire Council [2006] NSWLEC 242; (2006) 145 LGERA 189 CASES CITED: Gosford City Council v Australian Panel Products Pty Ltd [2009] NSWLEC 77 Hoare v R [1989] HCA 33; (1989) 167 CLR 348 Hawkesbury City Council v Johnson; Hawkesbury City Council v Johnson Property Group Pty Ltd (No 2) [2009] NSWLEC 6 Lowe v The Queen (1984) 154 CLR 606 Newcastle Wallsend Coal Company Ltd v McMartin [2006] NSWIRComm 339; (2006) 159 IR 121 NSW Sugar Milling Co-operative Ltd v Environmental Protection Authority (1992) 59 A Crim R 6 Minister for the Environment and Heritage v Greentree (No 3) [2004] FCA 1317; (2004) 136 LGERA 89 Pittwater Council v Scahill [2009] NSWLEC 12; (2009) 165 LGERA 289 Plath v Rawson [2009] NSWLEC 178; (2009) 170 LGERA 253 R v Bateman [1925] All ER Rep 45; (1925) 19 Cr App R 8 R v Borkowski [2009] NSWCCA 102 R v Gallagher (1991) 23 NSWLR 220 R v De Simoni [1981] HCA 31; (1981) 147 CLR 383 R v Einfeld [2009] NSWSC 119 R v Rahme (1989) 43 A Crim R 81 R v Rushby [1977] 1 NSWLR 594 R v Taktak (1988) 14 NSWLR 226 The Queen v SZ [2007] NSWCCA 19 Tiger Nominees Pty Ltd v State Pollution Control Commission (1992) 25 NSWLR 715 Veen v The Queen [No. 2] (1988) 164 CLR 465