Blue Mountains Conservation Society Inc v Delta Electricity (No 3) [2011] NSWLEC 145

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Blue Mountains Conservation Society Inc v Delta Electricity (No 3) [2011] NSWLEC 145 Hearing dates: 2 December 2010 Decision date: 26 August 2011 Jurisdiction: Class 4 Before: Pepper J Decision: Application dismissed Catchwords: PROCEDURE: whether proceedings should be summarily dismissed or struck out in whole or part on the basis that no reasonable cause of action was disclosed - application dismissed

DECLARATIONS AND INJUCTIONS: whether a declaration is a "remedy" for the purpose of s 252 of the Protections of the Environment Operations Act 1997 - whether the Court has jurisdiction to grant declaratory relief for breach of s 120 of the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 under s 252 of that Act - whether a declaration ought to be made in respect of a past breach of a statue on the grounds of futility Legislation Cited: Environment Protection Legislation Amendment Act 2002, cl 6, sch 2 Environment Protection Legislation Amendment Bill 2002 Interpretation Act 1987, s 34 Land and Environment Court Act 1979, s 20(2)(c) Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997, ss 3, 11, 13, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 24, 30, 120, 129, 252, 148, 167 Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005, rr 13.4, 14.28 Cases Cited: Agar v Hyde [2000] HCA 41; (2000) 201 CLR 552 Banque Commercial SA En Liquidation v Akhil Holdings Ltd [1990] HCA 11; (1990) 169 CLR 279 Carr v McDonald's Australia Ltd (1994) 63 FCR 358 Chase Oyster Bar Pty Ltd v Hamo Industries Pty Ltd [2010] NSWCA 190 CIC Insurance Ltd v Bankstown Football Club Ltd [1997] HCA 2; (1997) 187 CLR 384 Corkhill v Forestry Commission of New South Wales (No 2) (1991) 73 LGRA 126 Dasreef Pty Limited v Hawchar [2011] HCA 21; (2011) 277 ALR 611 Dey v Victorian Railways Commissioners (1949) 78 CLR 62 Director-General, Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water v Venn [2011] NSWLEC 118 Environment Protection Authority v Alkem Drums Pty Ltd [2000] NSWCCA 416; (2000) 113 LGERA 130 Forestry Commission of New South Wales v Corkhill 73 LGRA 247 General Steel Industries Inc v Cmr for Railways (NSW) (1964) 112 CLR 125 Gray v Macquarie Generation [2010] NSWLEC 34 Great Lakes Council v Lani; Great Lakes Council v Lani and Lampo Pty Limited [2007] NSWLEC 681; (2007) 158 LGERA 1 Leerdam v Noori [2009] NSWCA 90; (2009) 255 ALR 553 Meriton Apartments Pty Ltd v Sydney Water Corporation [2004] NSWLEC 699; (2004) 138 LGERA 383 Multigroup Distribution Services Pty Ltd v TNT Australia Pty Ltd [1996] FCA 1758; (1996) ATPR 41-522 Mycogen Plant Science Inc v Monsanto Australia Ltd [2002] FCA 613; (2002) AIPC 91-811 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority [1998] HCA 28; (2008) 194 CLR 355 Spencer v The Commonwealth [2010] HCA 28: (2010) 241 CLR 118 Those Best Placed Pty Ltd v Tweed Shire Council [2010] NSWLEC 83 Those Best Placed Pty Ltd v Tweed Shire Council [2010] NSWCA 309 Williams v Barrick Australia Limited [2003] NSWLEC 218; (2003) 128 LGERA 80 Wilson v State Rail Authority of New South Wales [2010] NSWCA 198 Category: Procedural and other rulings Parties: Blue Mountains Conservation Society Inc (Applicant) Delta Electricity (Respondent) Representation: Mr T G Howard (Applicant) Mr R P Lancaster SC (Respondent) Environmental Defenders Office (Applicant) Clayton Utz (Respondent) File Number(s): 40358 of 2009