Minister for Land & Water Conservation v. NTL Australia Pty. Limited [2002] NSWCA 149

Reported Decision : (2002) 122 LGERA 53

New South Wales Court of Appeal

CITATION : Minister for Land & Water Conservation v. NTL Australia Pty. Limited [2002] NSWCA 149 FILE NUMBER(S) : CA 40173/01 HEARING DATE(S) : 8 March 2002 JUDGMENT DATE : 24 May 2002

PARTIES : Minister for Land & Water Conservation - appellant NTL Australia Pty. Limited - respondent JUDGMENT OF : Mason P at 1; Sheller JA at 11; Hodgson JA at 30

LOWER COURT JURISDICTION : Land & Environment Court LOWER COURT LEC 300061/99 FILE NUMBER(S) : LOWER COURT Pearlman J JUDICIAL OFFICER :

COUNSEL : Mr. B.A. Coles QC with Mr. A. Hyams for appellant Mr. G. Downes QC with Mr. A. Galasso for respondent SOLICITORS : Paul Percival Esq., Director of Legal Services, Department of Land & Water Conservation, Parramatta for appellant Minter Ellison, Sydney for respondent CATCHWORDS : REAL PROPERTY - CROWN LANDS - permissive occupancy - whether transferable - STATUTES - interpretation - provision that "asset" "vests" - whether effectual in relation to permissive occupancy Acts Interpretation Act 1901 (Cth) Crown Lands Act 1989 (NSW) LEGISLATION CITED : Crown Lands Consolidation Act 1913 (NSW) Crown Lands (Continued Tenures) Act 1989 (NSW) National Transmission Network Sale Act 1998 (Cth) Anderson v Tooheys Limited (1937) 37 SR (NSW) 70 Australian Blue Metal Limited v Hughes [1963] AC 74 Barrow v Brooksby (1958) 37 LVR 14 Bruce v Tyley (1916) 21 CLR 277 Commonwealth Life (Amalgamated) Assurance Limited v Anderson (1945) 46 SR (NSW) 47 Cowell v Rosehill Racecourse Company Limited (1937) 56 CLR 605 Hounslow London Borough Council v Twickenham Garden Developments Limited [1971] Ch 233 Hurst v Picture Theatres Limited [1915] 1 KB 1 CASES CITED: Jones v The Commonwealth (no. 2) (1965) 112 CLR 206 Linden Gardens Trust Limited v Lenesta Sludge Disposals [1994] 1 AC 85 Minister for Natural Resources v NSW Aboriginal Land Council (1987) 9 NSWLR 154 Pinhorn v Souster (1853) 8 Exch 763 R v Toohey, Ex Parte Meneling Station Pty. Limited (1983) 158 CLR 327 Re Davis & Co., Ex Parte Rawlings (1888) 22 QBD 193 Re Turner Corporation Ltd (in liq) (1995) 17 ACSR 761 Smith v Smyth (1935) 14 LVR 98 Southern Estates Pty. Limited v Aboriginal Land Council (1991) 24 NSWLR 320 Wood v Leadbitter (1845) 13 M & W 838 DECISION : 1. Appeal allowed 2. Question 2 in the Notice of Motion filed on 16 May 2000 should be answered yes 3. NTL should pay the costs of the Minister of the application on the Notice of Motion in the Land and Environment Court and of this appeal with a certificate under the Suitors' Fund Act 1951 if so entitled.