Armidale Dumaresq Council v Vorhauer [2012] NSWLEC 154

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Armidale Dumaresq Council v Vorhauer [2012] NSWLEC 154 Hearing dates: 9-10 July 2012 Decision date: 13 July 2012 Jurisdiction: Class 4 Before: Biscoe J Decision: (1) Order that respondent remove the shipping container and two transportable construction site offices from the property at Lot 16 DP 242531 known as 36 Uralla Road, Armidale by 13 January 2013; (2) Liberty to apply for an extension of time in Order 1 on 7 days notice; (3) Cross-claim dismissed; (4) Respondent to pay applicant's costs of the summons; (5) Cross-claimants to pay cross-respondents' costs of the cross-claim; (6) No order as to Attorney General's costs. Catchwords: CIVIL ENFORCEMENT - shipping container and two transportable construction site offices on respondent's land without development consent - council seeks order that they be removed under s 123 Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 - constitutional challenge to the power and legitimacy of local councils and NSW Parliament and to the jurisdiction of the Court - allegations that council committed numerous criminal offences. Legislation Cited: Anti-Discrimination Act 1977 Part 2 Commonwealth of Australia Constitution Act cl 5, ss 28, 51, 71, 76, 77, 80, 106-109, 114, 128 Constitution Act 1902 s 5 Constitution Alteration (Local Government) Bill 1988 (Cth) Crimes Act 1900 Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 ss 121B, 123 Invasion of Privacy Act 1971 (Qld) Judiciary Act 1903 (Cth) ss 39, 78A, 78B Justices Act 1921-1975 (SA) s 27 Land and Environment Court Act 1979 ss 5, 6, 7, 8, 16, 20 Local Government Act 1993 Ch 9 Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth) Racial Discrimination Amendment Act 1983 (Cth) Cases Cited: Anderson v Director-General, Department of Environment and Conservation [2006] NSWLEC 12, 144 LGERA 43 Arnold v Minister Administering the Water Management Act 2000 [2008] NSWCA 338, 73 NSWLR 196 Arnold v Minister Administering the Water Management Act 2000 [2010] HCA 3, 240 CLR 242 Coco v The Queen [1994] HCA 15, 179 CLR 427 Hoxton Park Residents Action Group Inc v Liverpool City Council (No 2) [2011] NSWCA 363 Mobil Oil Australia Pty Ltd v The State of Victoria [2002] HCA 27, 211 CLR 1 NA & J Investments Pty Ltd v Minister Administering Water Management Act 2000; Arnold v Minister Administering Water Management Act 2000 (No 4) [2012] NSWLEC 120 Palerang Council v Banfield (No 2) [2012] NSWLEC 158 Plenty v Dillon [1991] HCA 5, 171 CLR 635 The Queen v Phillips [1970] HCA 50, 125 CLR 93 R v Vorhauer [2002] NSWCCA 483 University of Wollongong v Metwally [1984] HCA 74, 158 CLR 447 Viskauskas v Niland [1983] HCA 15, 153 CLR 280 Vorhauer v R [2007] NSWCCA 125 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Armidale Dumaresq Council (Applicant) Florence Amelia Vorhauer (Respondent) Florence Amelia Vorhauer (First Cross-claimant) Lisa Amelia Vorhauer (Second Cross-claimant) Armidale Dumaresq Council (First Cross-respondent) Katherine Ferris (Second Cross-respondent) Attorney General for NSW (Intervenor) Representation: Mr C S Leahy, solicitor (Applicant/First Cross-respondent) Mrs F A Vorhauer, in person (Respondent/ First Cross-claimant) Ms L A Vorhauer, in person (Second Cross-claimant) Ms K Ferris, in person (Second Cross-respondent) Mr H El-Hage (Intervenor) Liston and Clifton (Applicant/First Cross-respondent) N/A (Respondent/Cross-claimants) N/A (Second Cross-respondent) Crown Solicitor's Office (Intervenor) File Number(s): 40222/12