Environment Protection Authority v Truegain Pty Limited (No 4) [2014] NSWLEC 179

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Environment Protection Authority v Truegain Pty Limited (No 4) [2014] NSWLEC 179 Hearing dates: 22 October, 7 and 11 November 2014 Decision date: 14 November 2014 Jurisdiction: Class 5 Before: Pepper J Decision: See orders at [183]. Catchwords: ENVIRONMENTAL OFFENCES: plea of guilty to breach of licence condition - determination of appropriate sentence - no actual and low likely environmental harm - prior conviction for an environmental offence - no apology - defendant subject to substantial wasted costs due to conduct of prosecutor - entitlement of prosecutor to legal costs - entitlement of prosecutor to investigation costs - whether evidence of entitlement to investigation costs - nexus between investigation costs claimed and charge as amended - fine imposed - publication order made.

EVIDENCE: whether document setting out claimed investigation expenses hearsay - whether a business record of prosecutor - whether document created for the purpose of criminal litigation - document rejected. Legislation Cited: Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999, ss 3A, 21A Criminal Procedure Act 1986, ss 248, 257B, 257G Evidence Act 1995, ss 59, 69, 135, 137 Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997, ss 3, 64(1), 241, 248, 250 Cases Cited: Axer Pty Ltd v Environment Protection Authority (1993) 113 LGERA 357 Bentley v BGP Properties Pty Ltd [2006] NSWLEC 34; (2006) 145 LGERA 234 Cabonne Shire Council v Environment Protection Authority [2001] NSWCCA 280; (2001) 115 LGERA 304 Camilleri's Stock Feeds Pty Ltd v Environment Protection Authority (1993) 32 NSWLR 683 Commonwealth Bank of Australia v Hattersley [2001] NSWSC 60; (2001) 51 NSWLR 333 Connell v Santos New South Wales Pty Ltd [2014] NSWLEC 1; (2014) 199 LGERA 84 Director-General of the Department of Environment and Climate Change v Rae [2009] NSWLEC 137; (2009) 168 LGERA 121 Environment Protection Authority v Aargus Pty Ltd; Kariotoglou; Kelly [2013] NSWLEC 19 Environment Protection Authority v Ashmore (No 2) [2014] NSWLEC 142 Environment Protection Authority v Barnes [2006] NSWCCA 246 Environment Protection Authority v Moolarben Coal Operations Pty Ltd [2012] NSWLEC 65 Environment Protection Authority v Orica Australia Pty Ltd (the Nitric Acid Air Lift Incident) [2014] NSWLEC 103 Environment Protection Authority v Peak Gold Mines Pty Limited [2013] NSWLEC 158 Environment Protection Authority v Queanbeyan City Council (No 3) [2012] NSWLEC 220; (2012) 192 LGERA 415 Environment Protection Authority v Snowy Hydro Ltd [2008] NSWLEC 264; (2008) 162 LGERA 273 Environment Protection Authority v Taylor Woodrow (Australia) Pty Ltd (No 2) (1997) 97 LGERA 368 Environment Protection Authority v Truegain Pty Ltd [2003] NSWLEC 277 Environment Protection Authority v Truegain Pty Limited [2012] NSWLEC 41; (2012) 186 LGERA 412 Environment Protection Authority v Truegain Pty Limited (No 3) [2012] NSWLEC 78 Environment Protection Authority v Truegain Pty Limited [2013] NSWCCA 204; (2013) 85 NSWLR 125 Environment Protection Authority v Unomedical Pty Limited (No 3) [2010] NSWLEC 198; (2010) 79 NSWLR 236 Environment Protection Authority v Waste Recycling and Processing Corporation [2006] NSWLEC 419; (2006) 148 LGERA 299 Gittany Constructions Pty Limited v Sutherland Shire Council [2006] NSWLEC 242; (2006) 145 LGERA 189 Gore v The Queen; Hunter v The Queen [2010] NSWCCA 330; (2010) 208 A Crim R 353 Hili v The Queen; Jones v The Queen [2010] HCA 45; (2010) 242 CLR 520 Markarian v The Queen [2005] HCA 25; (2005) 228 CLR 357 Muldrock v R [2011] HCA 39; (2011) 244 CLR 120 Plath v Rawson [2009] NSWLEC 178; (2009) 170 LGERA 253 R v Olbrich [1999] HCA 54; (1999) 199 CLR 270 R v Thomson; R v Houlton [2000] NSWCCA 309; (2000) 49 NSWLR 383 R v Wickham [2004] NSWCCA 193 Veen v The Queen (No 2) [1988] HCA 14; (1988) 164 CLR 465 Veen v The Queen [1979] HCA 7; (1979) 143 CLR 458 Category: Sentence Parties: Environment Protection Authority (Prosecutor) Truegain Pty Limited (Defendant) Representation: Mr T Howard SC with Ms C Novak (Prosecutor) Mr T Game SC with Mr J Horowitz (Defendant) Office of Environment and Heritage (Prosecutor) Horowitz & Bilinsky (Defendant) File Number(s): 50471 of 2011