Environment Protection Authority v Big River Group Pty Ltd [2011] NSWLEC 80

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Environment Protection Authority v Big River Group Pty Ltd [2011] NSWLEC 80 Hearing dates: 10 May 2011 Decision date: 11 May 2011 Jurisdiction: Class 5 Before: Pepper J Decision: The orders made by the Court are as follows: (1) the defendant is convicted of the offence against s 120(1) of the POEOA as charged; (2) the defendant is fined the sum of $67,000; (3) the defendant is to pay the prosecutor's legal costs in the sum of $35,000 within 28 days of this order; (4) the defendant, pursuant to s 248(1) of the POEOA, must pay the prosecutor's investigation costs agreed to in the sum of $24,644.80 within 28 days of this order; and (5) the exhibits are to be returned. Catchwords: ENVIRONMENTAL OFFENCES:- guilty plea - water pollution - unintentional discharge of resin into wetland - sentence - consideration of objective and subjective factors - actual and potential environmental harm caused by the pollution - offence in the moderate range of objective gravity - effect of prior convictions - defendant otherwise of good character - early guilty plea - defendant provided exemplary assistance to authorities Legislation Cited: Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999, ss 3A, 21A, 22, 23 Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997, ss 3, 120, 123(a), 241, 248 Cases Cited: Axer Pty Ltd v Environment Protection Authority (1993) 113 LGERA 357 Bentley v BGP Properties Pty Ltd [2006] NSWLEC 34; (2006) 145 LGERA 234 Camilleri's Stock Feeds Pty Ltd v Environment Protection Authority (1993) 32 NSWLR 683 Director-General, Department of Environment and Climate Change v Rae [2009] NSWLEC 137; (2009) 168 LGERA 121 Environment Protection Authority v Baiada Poultry Pty Ltd [2008] NSWLEC 280; (2008)163 LGERA 71 Environment Protection Authority v Boral Australian Gypsum Ltd [2009] NSWLEC 26 Environment Protection Authority v Centennial Newstan Pty Ltd [2010] NSWLEC 211 Environment Protection Authority v Chillana Pty Ltd [2010] NSWLEC 255 Environment Protection Authority v George Weston Foods Ltd [2010] NSWLEC 120 Environment Protection Authority v Hanna [2010] NSWLEC 98 Environment Protection Authority v Huntsman Corporation Australia Pty Ltd [2011] NSWLEC 39 Environment Protection Authority v Ramsey Food Processing Pty Ltd [2010] NSWLEC 23 Environment Protection Authority v Straits (Hillgrove) Gold Pty Ltd [2010] NSWLEC 114; (2010) 174 LGERA 314 Environment Protection Authority v Waste Recycling and Processing Corp [2006] NSWLEC 419; (2006) 148 LGERA 299 Gosford City Council v Australian Panel Products Pty Ltd [2009] NSWLEC 77 Hili v R; Jones v R [2010] HCA 45; (2010) 85 ALJR 195 Leach v R [2007] HCA 3; (2007) 230 CLR 1 Markarian v R [2005] HCA 25; (2005) 228 CLR 357 Veen v R (No 1) (1979) 143 CLR 458 Newcastle City Council v Pacefarm Egg Products Pty Ltd [2002] NSWLEC 66 R v Olbrich [1999] HCA 54; (1999) 199 CLR 270 R v Thomson; R v Houlton [2000] NSWCCA 309; (2000) 49 NSWLR 383 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Environment Protection Authority (Prosecutor) Big River Group Pty Ltd (Defendant) Representation: Ms K Caruana (Prosecutor) Mr N Brunton (Defendant) Office of Environment and Heritage Legal Services (Prosecutor) Henry Davis York (Defendant) File Number(s): 50041 of 2010