Alexander v Yass Valley Council [2011] NSWLEC 148

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Alexander v Yass Valley Council [2011] NSWLEC 148 Hearing dates: 22 July 2011, 3 - 4 August 2011 Decision date: 01 September 2011 Jurisdiction: Class 4 Before: Pain J Decision: 1. The summons filed on 28 January 2011 is dismissed. 2. Costs reserved. Catchwords: JUDICIAL REVIEW - whether apprehension of bias established where conflict of interest in council exercising functions under Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 in relation to land owned by it - whether failure to properly consider heritage issues Legislation Cited: Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 s 23G, s 23I, s 79C Local Government Act 1993 s 8, s 21, s 22, s 23A, s 45 Roads Act 1993 Development Act 1993 (SA) s 34 Cases Cited: Anderson v Director-General, Department of Environment and Climate Change [2008] NSWCA 337; (2008) 163 LGERA 400 Attorney-General (NSW) v Quin [1990] HCA 21; (1990) 170 CLR 1 Australian National Industries Ltd v Spedley Securities Ltd (in liq) (1992) 26 NSWLR 411 Belmorgan Property Development Pty Ltd v GPT RE Ltd [2007] NSWCA 171; (2007) 153 LGERA 450 Calardu Penrith Pty Ltd v Penrith City Council [2010] NSWLEC 50 Capital Airport Group Pty Ltd v Director-General of the NSW Department of Planning (No 2) [2011] NSWLEC 83 Dunlop v Woollahra Municipal Council [1975] 2 NSWLR 446 Ebner v Official Trustee in Bankruptcy [2000] HCA 63; (2000) 205 CLR 337 F & D Bonaccorso Pty Ltd v City of Canada Bay Council (No 2) [2007] NSWLEC 537; (2007) 158 LGERA 250 Gwandalan Summerland Point Action Group Inc v Minister for Planning [2009] NSWLEC 140; (2009) 168 LGERA 269 Hot Holdings Pty Ltd v Creasy [2002] HCA 51; (2002) 210 CLR 438 Johnson v Johnson [2000] HCA 48; (2000) 201 CLR 488 Kindimindi Investments Pty Ltd v Lane Cove Council [2006] NSWCA 23; (2006) 143 LGERA 277 Kioa v West [1985] HCA 81; (1985) 159 CLR 550 Laws v Australian Broadcasting Tribunal [1990] HCA 31; (1990) 170 CLR 70 Lower Hutt City Council v Bank [1974] 1 NZLR 545 Marrickville Metro Shopping Centre Pty Limited v Marrickville Council [2009] NSWLEC 109 Marrickville Metro Shopping Centre Pty Ltd v Marrickville Council [2010] NSWCA 145; (2010) 174 LGERA 67 McGovern v Ku-ring-gai Council [2008] NSWCA 209; (2008) 72 NSWLR 504 Minister for Aboriginal Affairs v Peko-Wallsend Ltd [1986] HCA 40; (1986) 162 CLR 24 Minister for Immigration v Jia Legeng [2001] HCA 17; (2001) 205 CLR 507 Minister for Immigration and Citizenship v SZJSS [2010] HCA 48; (2010) 273 ALR 122 Murlan Consulting Pty Ltd v Ku-ring-gai Council (No 4) [2010] NSWLEC 95 Najjar v Haines (1991) 25 NSWLR 225 Parramatta City Council v Hale (1982) 47 LGRA 319 Re Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs; Ex parte Epeabaka [2001] HCA 23; (2001) 206 CLR 128 Re Refugee Review Tribunal; Ex parte H [2001] HCA 28; (2001) 179 ALR 425 Schroders Australia Property Management Ltd v Shoalhaven City Council [2001] NSWCA 74 Sidney Harrison Pty Ltd v City of Tea Tree Gully [2001] SASC 27; (2001) 112 LGERA 320 S & M Motor Repairs Pty Ltd v Caltex Oil (Aust) Pty Ltd (1988) 12 NSWLR 358 Sweetwater Action Group Inc v Minister for Planning [2011] NSWLEC 106 Texts Cited: John Griffiths SC, "Apprehended Bias in Australian Administrative Law" (2010) 38 Federal Law Review 353 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Roy Alexander (Applicant) Yass Valley Council (First Respondent) Rossi Street Development Pty Ltd (Second Respondent) (submitting appearance) Representation: Mr P Larkin (Applicant) Mr P Clay (First Respondent) Woolf Associates (Applicant) Williams Love & Nicol Lawyers (First Respondent) Meyer Vandenberg Lawyers (Second Respondent) File Number(s): 40067 of 2011