Walker Corporation Pty Limited v Director-General, Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water [2012] NSWCCA 210

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Walker Corporation Pty Limited v Director-General, Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water [2012] NSWCCA 210 Hearing dates: 13 February 2012 Decision date: 26 September 2012 Before: McClellan CJ at CL at [1] Hidden J at [103] Garling J at [104] Decision: Appeal dismissed Catchwords: CRIMINAL LAW - particular offences - clearing of native vegetation in contravention of s 12 of Native Vegetation Act 2003 - whether charge adequately particularised - application and scope of s 12 - whether primary judge erred in finding offence proven beyond reasonable doubt - whether primary judge erred in holding that native vegetation includes dead plant matter held that native vegetation does not include dead plant matter - whether primary judge erred in finding that the appellant caused native vegetation to be cleared - whether primary judge reached erroneous conclusions about environmental impact of offence such that the sentence imposed was excessive - appeal dismissed Legislation Cited: Native Vegetation Act 2003 (NSW) Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW) Criminal Appeal Act 1912 (NSW) Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) Cases Cited: Alphacell Limited v Woodward [1972] AC 824 Beckwith v The Queen [1976] HCA 55; (1976) 135 CLR 569 Capral Aluminium Ltd v WorkCover Authority (NSW) [2000] NSWIR Comm 71; (2000) 49 NSWLR 610 CIC Insurance Ltd v Bankstown Football Club Ltd [1997] HCA 2; (1997) 187 CLR 384 CJ Burland Pty Ltd v Metropolitan Meat Industry Board [1968] HCA 77; (1968) 120 CLR 400 Clissold v Perry [1904] HCA 12; (1904) 1 CLR 363 Coffs Harbour City Council v Hickey [2004] NSWLEC 531 Colonial Sugar Refining Co Ltd v Melbourne Harbour Trust Commissioners [1927] AC 343 Commonwealth v Hazeldell Ltd [1918] HCA 75; (1918) 25 CLR 552 Department of Environment and Climate Change (NSW) v Calman Australia Pty Ltd [2009] NSWLEC 182 Department of Environment and Climate Change v Olmwood Pty Limited [2010] NSWLEC 15; (2010) 173 LGERA 366 Director-General of the Department of Environment and Climate Change v Hudson [2009] NSWLEC 4; (2009) 165 LGERA 256 Director-General of the Department of Environment and Climate Change v Taylor [2007] NSWLEC 530 Director-General of the Department of Environment and Climate Change v Wilton [2008] NSWLEC 297 Director-General of the Department of Environment and Climate Change v Rae [2009] NSWLEC 137; (2009) 168 LGERA 121 Director-General, Department of Environment Climate Change and Water v Ian Colley Earthmoving Pty Ltd [2010] NSWLEC 102 Director-General, Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water v Linklater [2011] NSWLEC 30 Director-General, Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water v Vin Heffernan Pty Ltd [2010] NSWLEC 200 Environment Agency (formerly National Rivers Authority) v Empress Car Co (Albertilly) Limited [1999] 2 AC 22 Environment Protection Authority v McConnell Dowell Constructors (Aust) Pty Ltd [2003] NSWLEC 70; (2003) 128 LGERA 240 Environmental Protection Authority v Multiplex Constructions Pty Limited [2000] NSWLEC 6; (2000) 112 LGERA 1 Ex parte Lovell; Re Buckley (1938) 38 SR (NSW) 153 General Clutch Corporation v Spriggs Pty Ltd (1997) 38 IPR 359 Gilmour v Environment Protection Authority [2002] NSWCCA 399; (2002) 55 NSWLR 593 Greentree v Minister for the Environment and Heritage [2005] FCAFC 128; (2005) 143 LGERA 1 Hili v The Queen [2010] HCA 45; (2010) 242 CLR 520 Holmes v Director General of the Department of Infrastructure Planning and Natural Resources [2005] NSWLEC 264; (2005) 139 LGERA 102 House v The King [1936] HCA 40; (1936) 55 CLR 499 at 504-5 John L Pty Ltd v Attorney-General (NSW) [1987] HCA 42; (1987) 163 CLR 508 Johnson v Miller [1937] HCA 77; (1937) 59 CLR 467 Kirk v Industrial Court (NSW) [2010] HCA 1; (2010) 239 CLR 531 Makita Australia v Sprowles [2001] NSWCA 305; (2001) 52 NSWLR 705 Markarian v The Queen [2005] HCA 25; (2005) 228 CLR 357 Minister for Environment and Heritage v Greentree (No 3) [2004] FCA 1317; (2004) 136 LGERA 89 R v Wong and Leung [1999] NSWCCA 420; (1999) 48 NSWLR 340 Waugh v Kippen [1986] HCA 12; (1986) 160 CLR 156 Wong v The Queen; Leung v The Queen [2001] HCA 64; (2001) 207 CLR 584 Texts Cited: D C Pearce and R S Geddes, Statutory Interpretation in Australia (2011, 7th ed) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Walker Corporation Pty Limited (Appellant) Director-General, Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water (Respondent) Representation: J M Ireland QC/J K Taylor (Appellant) S Rushton SC/E C Muston (Respondent) File Number(s): 2011/255088 Decision under appeal Date of Decision: 2011-07-11 00:00:00 Before: Pepper J File Number(s): 2008/50040