Environment Protection Authority v Truegain Pty Ltd [2013] NSWCCA 204

Court of Criminal Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: Environment Protection Authority v Truegain Pty Ltd [2013] NSWCCA 204 Hearing dates: 8 August 2013 Decision date: 30 August 2013 Before: Leeming JA [1]; RA Hulme J [104]; Button J [105] Decision: 1. Leave to appeal be granted and appeal allowed in part.

2. Set aside the order for costs, being order 2, made on 18 April 2012.

3. Otherwise dismiss the appeal. Catchwords: COURTS AND JUDGES - powers of Land and Environment Court to order costs - whether power to order amendments on terms as to costs a separate power to order costs - whether power to order costs in summary jurisdiction confined by circumstances stated in Criminal Procedure Act 1986

CRIMINAL LAW - procedure - summary jurisdiction - summons containing a single charge - whether bad for duplicity - summons particularised separate acts of storing and treating waste, contrary to condition on licence

CRIMINAL LAW - procedure - costs - whether power to order costs against prosecutor, before determination of the trial, following amendment of duplicitous summons - no power to order costs

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION - offence of contravening condition of environmental protection licence - licence required scheduled activities to be carried out competently - whether allegations of carrying out storage and treatment of waste on different occasions could proceed as a single charge

STATUTORY INTERPRETATION - separate provisions conferring power on Land and Environment Court to order costs in civil and summary jurisdiction - whether power to order amendment on terms as to costs was a free-standing power, authorising interlocutory costs orders in summary jurisdiction. Legislation Cited: Civil Procedure Act 2005 Costs in Criminal Cases Act 1967 Courts Legislation Amendment Act 2007 Crimes Act 1900 Crimes Act 1914 (Cth) Criminal Appeal Act 1912 Criminal Procedure Act 1986 Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 Crown Lands Act 1889 Crown Lands (Amending and Declaratory) Act 1912 Justices Act 1902 Land and Environment Court Act 1979 Land and Valuation Court Act 1921 Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997 Summary Jurisdiction Act 1848 (Eng) Supreme Court Act 1970 Supreme Court (Summary Jurisdiction) Act 1967 Cases Cited: Attorney-General of Queensland v Holland (1912) 15 CLR 46 Australian Education Union v Department of Education and Children's Services [2012] HCA 3; (2012) 86 ALJR 217 Barton v Berman [1980] 1 NSWLR 63 Boral Gas (NSW) Pty Ltd v Magill (1993) 32 NSWLR 501 Boral Gas (NSW) Pty Ltd v Magill (1995) 37 NSWLR 150 Calleija v R [2012] NSWCCA 37. Cha v R [2012] NSWCCA 142 Chapman v R [2013] NSWCCA 91 Chief Executive Officer of Customs v Labrador Liquor Wholesale Pty Ltd [2003] HCA 49; (2003) 216 CLR 161 Chugg v Pacific Dunlop Ltd [1988] VR 411 CSR Ltd v Environmental Protection Authority [2000] NSWCCA 373; (2000) 110 LGERA 334 Davis v R [2006] NSWCCA 392 De Romanis v Sibraa [1977] 2 NSWLR 264 Director-General, NSW Department of Industry & Investment v Coomes [2012] NSWLEC 251 Director of Public Prosecutions v Merriman [1973] AC 584 Einfeld v R [2010] NSWCCA 87; (2010) 200 A Crim R 1 Environment Protection Authority v Sydney Water Corporation Ltd (1997) 98 LGERA 361 Ex parte Justelius; Re Lucas (1970) 92 WN (NSW) 455 Ex parte Lovell; Re Buckley (1938) 38 SR (NSW) 153 Ex parte Polley; re McLennan (1947) 47 SR (NSW) 391 Ex parte Williams (1909) 9 SR (NSW) 140 Hakim v Waterways Authority of NSW [2006] NSWCCA 376; (2006) 149 LGERA 415 Hannes v Director of Public Prosecutions (Cth) (No 2) [2006] NSWCCA 373; (2006) 165 A Crim R 151 Hedberg v Woodhall (1913) 15 CLR 531 Iannella v French (1968) 119 CLR 84 John Holland Pty Ltd v Industrial Court of NSW [2010] NSWCA 338; (2010) 202 IR 82 Johnson v Miller (1937) 59 CLR 467 Knight v FP Special Assets Ltd (1992) 174 CLR 178 Latoudis v Casey (1990) 170 CLR 534 Mansfield v Director of Public Prosecutions for Western Australia [2006] HCA 38; (2006) 226 CLR 486 Oshlack v Richmond River Council [1998] HCA 11; (1998) 193 CLR 72 Parker v Sutherland (1917) 86 LJKB 1052 Partington v Pacific Link Housing Ltd [2013] NSWCA 259 Port Macquarie - Hastings Council v Lawlor Services Pty Ltd (No 7) [2008] NSWLEC 75; (2008) 159 LGERA 87 R v Abdollahi (No 12) [2013] NSWSC 485 R v Manwaring [1983] 2 NSWLR 82 R v Moussad [1999] NSWCCA 337; (1999) 152 FLR 373 R v WWS [2009] VSCA 125; (2009) 22 VR 559 Rixon v Thompson [2009] VSCA 84; (2009) 22 VR 323 Rockdale Beef Pty Ltd v Industrial Relations Commission of NSW [2007] NSWCA 128; (2007) 165 IR 7 Rodgers v Richards [1892] 1 QB 555 S v The Queen (1989) 168 CLR 266 Solomons v District Court of New South Wales [2002] HCA 47; (2002) 211 CLR 119 Stanton v Abernathy (1990) 19 NSWLR 656 Sutherland Shire Council v Benedict Industries Pty Ltd [2013] NSWLEC 121 Swift & Co v Board of Trade [1926] 2 KB 131 Taylor v The Queen [1997] TASSC 5; (1997) 6 Tas R 318 The Ombudsman v Laughton [2005] NSWCA 339; (2005) 64 NSWLR 114 Wakool Shire Council v Garrision Cattle Feeders Pty Ltd [2010] NSWLEC 199; (2010) 177 LGERA 282 Walsh v Tattersall (1996) 188 CLR 77 Texts Cited: Archbold, Criminal Pleading, Evidence and Practice (2013) Sweet & Maxwell J Hunter, "Prosecutors' Pleadings and the Rule Against Duplicity" (1980) 3 UNSW Law Journal 248 Roger Quick and David Garnsworthy, Quick on Costs, B Preston, "The experience of the Land and Environment Court of New South Wales" (2008) 25 Environmental and Planning Law Journal 385 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Environment Protection Authority (Applicant) Truegain Pty Ltd (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: WG Roser SC; M Higgins (Applicant) T Game SC; J Horowitz (Respondent)