Levenstrath Community Association Incorporated v Council of the Shire of Nymboida [1999] NSWSC 989

Reported Decision : 105 LGERA 362

New South Wales Supreme Court CITATION : Levenstrath Community Association Incorporated v Council of the Shire of Nymboida [1999] NSWSC 989 CURRENT JURISDICTION : Equity Division FILE NUMBER(S) : 3807/99 HEARING DATE(S) : 2 & 8 September 1999 JUDGMENT DATE : 29 September 1999

Levenstrath Community Association Incorporated (Plaintiff) PARTIES : Council of the Shire of Nymboida (First Defendant) Councillor Peter Williamson (Second Defendant) JUDGMENT OF : Hamilton J

TS Hale (Plaintiff) COUNSEL : A Galasso and Mr DJ Baird (solicitor) (First Defendant) N/A (Second Defendant) Wroth Wall (Plaintiff) SOLICITORS : Dunhill Madden Butler (First Defendant) N/A (Second Defendant) CATCHWORDS : LOCAL GOVERNMENT [17] - Regulation and Administration - Councillors - Disqualification for Voting - Interest in Matter or Contract - Whether councillor who has disclosed interest and is disqualified from voting may be counted towards quorum - Local Government Act 1993, s 368; MEETINGS [5] - Conduct of business - Quorum - Whether participants who are disqualified from participating in discussions and voting may be counted in quorum; STATUTES [20], [30] - Acts of Parliament - Interpretation - Rules of Construction - Where Meaning Ambiguous or Uncertain - Presumptions as to Legislative Intention - Not to Alter Common Law Doctrines - No Alteration Beyond - Necessary Effect - Expressio Unius est Exclusio Alterius - Caution in Application - Local Government Act 1993, s 368 properly construed does not displace common law rule that a person present at a meeting who is disqualified from participating or voting cannot be counted towards a quorum. ACTS CITED : Local Government Act 1993, ss 368, 370, 371, 451, 458; Local Government (Meetings) Regulation 1993, reg 23. In re Greymouth Point Elizabeth Railway and Coal Company Limited [1904] 1 Ch 32, Stewart v Oliver (No 2) (1971) 18 FLR 83, In re North Eastern Insurance Company Limited [1919] 1 Ch 198, The People's Prudential Assurance Co Ltd v The Australian Federal Life and General Assurance Co Ltd (1935) 35 SR(NSW) 253, Anaray Pty Ltd v Sydney Futures Exchange Ltd (1982) 6 ACLC 271, Wilson v Permasnow (Australasia) Ltd (1988) 14 ACLR 129, In re Companies (Western Australia) Code; In re Austplat Minerals NL (1990) 2 WAR 289, A M Spicer & Son Pty Ltd (In Liquidation) v Spicer & Howie (1931) 47 CLR 151, R v Byrnes (1995) 183 CLR 501, Ball v Pearsall (1987) 10 NSWLR 700, Smaill v Alexander (1904) 23 NZLR 745, CASES CITED : Green v The Queen (1891) 17 VLR 329, Rex v Gallant [1945] 1 DLR 471, Cardinal v The Queen [1980] 1 FC 140, Potter v Minahan (1908) 7 CLR 277, Hocking v The Western Australian Bank (1909) 9 CLR 738, American Dairy Queen (Qld) Pty Ltd v Blue Rio Pty Ltd (1981) 147 CLR 677, Balog v ICAC (1990) 169 CLR 625, Rylands Brothers (Australia) Ltd v Morgan (1927) 27 SR (NSW) 161, Houssein v The Under Secretary of Industrial Relations and Technology (NSW) (1982) 148 CLR 88, O'Sullivan v Farrer (1989) 168 CLR 210, Ainsworth v Criminal Justice Commission (1992) 175 CLR 564, Wentworth v New South Wales Bar Association (1992) 176 CLR 239. DECISION : Declaration that councillors who are disqualified from participating and voting at a Council meeting cannot be counted towards a quorum.