Simpson v Office of Environment and Heritage [2014] NSWLEC 34

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Simpson v Office of Environment and Heritage [2014] NSWLEC 34 Hearing dates: 27 March 2014 Decision date: 09 April 2014 Before: Pain J Decision: 1. The appeal is dismissed. 2. Each party to pay its own costs. Catchwords: APPEAL - against severity of sentences in Local Court - objective seriousness of three offences of importing/exporting protected fauna and one offence of possession of protected fauna - environmental harm caused given undermining of regulatory scheme for protection of fauna in NSW under NPW Act - prior convictions - application of totality principle not appropriate - few mitigating factors Legislation Cited: Crimes (Appeal and Review) Act 2001 s 31(1), s 39(2), s 49(2) Criminal (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 s 3A, s 21A, s 22 National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 s 2A, s 5, s 101, s 106, s 120, s 175, s 189, s 194 Non-Indigenous Animals Act 1997 Non-Indigenous Animals Regulation 2012 Wildlife Conservation Act 1950 (WA) s 16A(1) Cases Cited: Cameron v Eurobodalla Shire Council [2006] NSWLEC 47; (2006) 146 LGERA 349 Director-General of the Department of Environment and Climate Change v Rae [2009] NSWLEC 137; (2009) 168 LGERA 121 Environment Protection Authority v Barnes [2006] NSWCCA 246 Environment Protection Authority v Forestry Commission of New South Wales [2013] NSWLEC 101 Franks v Woollahra Municipal Council [2007] NSWLEC 461 Hoare v R [1989] HCA 33; (1989) 167 CLR 348 JJ and ABS Investments Pty Ltd v Environment Protection Authority [2011] NSWLEC 199 Latoudis v Casey [1990] HCA 59; (1990) 170 CLR 534 Mill v The Queen [1988] HCA 70; (1988) 166 CLR 59 Morris v Department of Environment and Climate Change [2008] NSWLEC 309 Parker v Director of Public Prosecutions (1992) 28 NSWLR 282 R v De Simoni [1981] HCA 31; (1981) 147 CLR 383 R v Visconti [1982] 2 NSWLR 104 Terrey v Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water [2011] NSWLEC 141 Veen v The Queen [No 2] [1988] HCA 14; (1988) 164 CLR 465 Category: Principal judgment Parties: Simpson, Neil Andrew (Appellant) Office of Environment and Heritage (Respondent) Representation: Mr T Hoyle SC (Appellant) Mr R Ranken (Respondent) Matouk Joyner Lawyers (Appellant) Office of Environment and Heritage (Respondent) File Number(s): 60778 of 2013 Decision under appeal Date of Decision: 2013-09-05 00:00:00 Before: Magistrate Barnes File Number(s): 400292 of 2012