Sweetwater Action Group Inc v Minister For Planning [2011] NSWLEC 106

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Sweetwater Action Group Inc v Minister For Planning [2011] NSWLEC 106 Hearing dates: 22-24 June 2011, 25 June 2011 (written submissions) Decision date: 07 July 2011 Jurisdiction: Class 4 Before: Biscoe J Decision: Subject to considering any alternative orders proposed by the parties to give effect to this judgment: 1. Declaration that the decision by the first respondent to recommend that the Governor amend State Environmental Planning Policy (Major Developments) 2005 through the State Environmental Planning Policy (Major Developments) Amendment (Huntlee New Town Site) 2010, gazetted on 31 December 2010, is void. 2. Declaration that State Environmental Planning Policy (Major Developments) Amendment (Huntlee New Town Site) 2010, gazetted on 31 December 2010, is void. Catchwords: JUDICIAL REVIEW:-Whether Minister a "planning authority" under cl 6 of State Environmental Planning Policy No 55 Remediation of Land (SEPP 55) - whether SEPP 55 and State Environmental Planning Policy (Major Developments) 2005 inconsistent - whether Minister's recommendation to Governor to make a State environmental planning policy (SEPP) justiciable - whether cl 6 of SEPP 55 applied to the Minister - whether Minister failed to comply with cl 6 - whether failure to comply with cl 6 of SEPP 55 spells invalidity of Minister's recommendation decision - whether SEPP is invalid because Minister's recommendation to Governor to make it was invalid - whether planning agreement failed to comply with s 93F(3)(g) of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act - whether Minister who must have assumed that it complied thereby took into account an irrelevant consideration or whether there was jurisdictional error - whether reasonable apprehension of bias by Minister in the form of predetermination of whether to recommend that the SEPP be made. Legislation Cited: Cessnock Local Environmental Plan 1989 Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 ss 15, 34 A, 36, 37, 38, 54, 93F-L, 145A, 145B Interpretation Act 1987 s 14 Land Acquisition (Just Terms Compensation) Act 1991 Real Property Act 1900 Singleton Local Environmental Plan 1996 State Environmental Planning Policy (Major Development) 2005 State Environmental Planning Policy No 55 - Remediation of Land Cases Cited: Attorney General of NSW v World Best Holdings Ltd [2005] NSWCA 261, 63 NSWLR 557 Australians for Sustainable Development Inc v Minister for Planning [2011] NSWLEC 33 Council of Civil Service Unions v Minister for the Civil Service [1985] AC 374 CREEDNZ Inc v Governor-General [1981] NZLR 172 Darling Casino Ltd v Minister for Planning (1995) 86 LGERA 186 Director of Public Prosecutions (SA) v B [1998] HCA 45, 194 CLR 566 Ebner v Official Trustee in Bankruptcy [2000] HCA 63, 205 CLR 337 F & D Bonaccorso Pty Ltd v Canada Bay Council (No 2) [2007] NSWLEC 537, 158 LGERA 250 Franklin v Minister for Town and Country Planning [1948] AC 87 Gwandalan Summerland Point Action Group Inc v Minister for Planning [2009] NSWLEC 140, 75 NSWLR 269 Hot Holdings Pty Ltd v Creasy [2002] HCA 51, 210 CLR 438 Jarratt v Commissioner of Police (NSW) [2005] HCA 50, 224 CLR 44 Kioa v West [1985] HCA 81, 159 CLR 550 Mayfair Trading Co Pty Ltd v Dreyer (1958) 101 CLR 428 McGovern v Ku-ring-gai Council [2008] NSWCA 209, 72 NSWLR 504 McGuiness v State of New South Wales [2009] NSWSC 40; 73 NSWLR 104 Minister for Aboriginal Affairs v Peko-Wallsend Ltd [1986] HCA 40,162 CLR 24 Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs v Jia Legeng [2001] HCA 17, 205 CLR 507 Minister for Local Government v South Sydney City Council [2002] NSWCA 288, 55 NSWLR 381 Minister for Urban Affairs and Planning v Rosemount Estates Pty Ltd (1996) 91 LGERA 31 Nature Conservation Council of New South Wales Inc v The Minister Administering the Water Management Act 2000 [2005] NSWCA 9, 137 LGERA 320 Oshlack v Rous Water [2011] NSWLEC 73 Parks and Playgrounds Movement Inc v Newcastle City Council [2010] NSWLEC 231, 179 LGERA 346 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority [1998] HCA 28, 194 CLR 355 R v Toohey; ex parte Northern Land Council (1981) 151 CLR 170 R v West Coast Council; Ex parte Strahan Motor Inn (1995) 87 LGERA 383 Re Refugee Review Tribunal; Ex parte H [2001] HCA 28, 179 ALR 425 Save the Showground for Sydney Inc v Minister for Urban Affairs and Planning (1997) 95 LGERA 33 Stewart v Ronalds [2009] NSWCA 277, 76 NSWLR 99 Transport Action Group Against Motorways Inc v Roads and Traffic Authority of New South Wales [1999] NSWCA 196, 46 NSWLR 598 Tugan Cobaki Alliance Inc v Minister for Planning [2006] NSWLEC 396 Vanmeld Pty Ltd v Fairfield City Council [1999] NSWCA 6, 46 NSWLR 78 Texts Cited: Aronson, Dyer and Groves, Judicial Review of Administrative Action, 4th ed (2009), Sydney Lawbook Co Category: Principal judgment Parties: Sweetwater Action Group Incorporated (Applicant) Minister for Planning (First Respondent) Huntlee Pty Ltd (Second Respondent) Representation: Ms C Adamson SC with Mr J Hutton (Applicant) Mr S Free (First Respondent) Dr J Griffiths SC with Ms S Pritchard Environmental Defender's Office of New South Wales (Applicant) Department of Planning & Infrastructure (First Respondent) Corrs Chambers Westgarth (Second Respondent) File Number(s): 40245 of 2011