Environment Protection Authority v Queanbeyan City Council (No 2) [2011] NSWLEC 159

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Environment Protection Authority v Queanbeyan City Council (No 2) [2011] NSWLEC 159 Hearing dates: 19 July and 6, 7 and 8 September 2011 Decision date: 08 September 2011 Jurisdiction: Class 5 Before: Pepper J Decision: The notice of motion is dismissed. Costs of the motion are reserved and the exhibits are to be returned. Catchwords: EVIDENCE: claim of client legal privilege in anticipation of criminal proceedings - whether the common law or the Evidence Act 1995 applies to the claim in light of s 131A of that Act - Evidence Act applied - whether the communications and documents the subject of the privilege claim were confidential - whether communications and documents were made in anticipation of litigation - application dismissed Legislation Cited: Evidence Act 1995, ss 117, 118 ,119, 123, 131A Evidence Act 2008 (Vic), s 131A Evidence Amendment Act 2007 Evidence Amendment Bill 2007 Interpretation Act 1987, ss 33, 34 Land and Environment Court Rules 2007, r 5.2(1) Supreme Court Rules 1970, Pt 75 r 3(1) Uniform Civil Procedure Rules 2005, Pt 1, r 1.9 Cases Cited: Alcan (NT) Alumina Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Territory Revenue [2009] HCA 41; (2009) 239 CLR 27 Alderman v Zurich [2011] NSWSC 754 Australian Competition and Consumer Commission v Australian Safeway Stores Pty Ltd (1998) 81 FCR 526 Baker v Campbell [1983] HCA 39; (1983) 153 CLR 52 Bailey v Department of Land and Water Conservation [2009] NSWCA 100; (2009) 74 NSWLR 333 Barnes v Commission of Taxation [2007] FCAFC 88; (2007) 242 ALR 601 Carbotech-Australia Pty Ltd v Yates [2008] NSWSC 1151 Chase Oyster Bar Pty Ltd v Hamo Industries Pty Ltd [2010] NSWCA 190; (2010) 272 ALR 750 CIC Insurance Ltd v Bankstown Football Club Ltd [1997] HCA 2; (1997) 187 CLR 384 Commissioner of Taxation of the Commonwealth of Australia v BHP Billiton Ltd [2011] HCA 17; (2010) 277 ALR 224 d'Apice v Gutkovich (No 1) [2010] NSWSC 1336 Esso Australia Resources Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation of the Commonwealth of Australia [1999] HCA 67; (1999) 201 CLR 49 Fagan v State of New South Wales [2004] NSWCA 182 Grant v Downs (1976) 135 CLR 674 Jemena Asset Management (3) Pty Ltd v Coinvest Ltd [2011] HCA 33 Mann v Carnell [1999] HCA 66; (1999) 201 CLR 1 Minister for Immigration and Citizenship v SZJGV; Minister for Immigration and Citizenship v SVJXO [2009] HCA 40; (2009) 238 CLR 642 Mitsubishi Electric Australia Pty Ltd v Victorian WorkCover Authority [2002] VSCA 59; (2002) 4 VR 332 New Cap Reinsurance Corp Ltd (in liq) v Renaissance Reinsurance Ltd [2007] NSWSC 258 Newcastle City Council v GIO General Ltd [1997] HCA 53; (1997) 191 CLR 85 Pratt Holdings Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Taxation [2004] FCAFC 122 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority [1998] HCA 28; (1998) 194 CLR 355 R v Petroulias (No 22) [2007] NSWSC 692; (2007) 213 FLR 293 SAEED v Minister for Immigration and Citizenship [2010] HCA 23; (2010) 241 CLR 252 Singapore Airlines Ltd v Sydney Airports Corp [2004] NSWSC 380 State of New South Wales v Jackson [2007] NSWCA 279 Sydney Airports Corp Ltd v Singapore Airlines Ltd [2005] NSWCA 47 TransGrid v Members of Lloyds Syndicate 3210 [2011] NSWSC 301 Walker Corp Pty Ltd v Director-General of the Department of Environment and Climate Change [2009] NSWLEC 138 Waugh Asset Management Pty Ltd v Merrill Lynch [2010] NSWSC 197 Wilson v State Rail Authority of New South Wales [2010] NSWCA 198 Texts Cited: D Byrne and J D Heydon, Cross on Evidence, 8th Australian ed (2010) LexisNexis Butterworths Victoria, Victorian Law Reform Commission, Implementing the Uniform Evidence Act (February 2006) Commonwealth, Australian Law Reform Commission et al, Uniform Evidence Law Report (December 2005) Stephen Odgers, Uniform Evidence Law, looseleaf ed (2002) Thomson Lawbook Co Category: Procedural and other rulings Parties: Environment Protection Authority (Prosecutor) Queanbeyan City Council (Defendant) Representation: Ms G Preston (Prosecutor) Mr T To (Defendant) Office of Environment and Heritage (Prosecutor) Herring & Associates (Defendant) File Number(s): 50080 of 2008