New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act [2015] NSWCA 349

Court of Appeal Supreme Court New South Wales Medium Neutral Citation: New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act [2015] NSWCA 349 Hearing dates: 13 August 2015 Decision date: 16 November 2015 Before: Beazley P at [1]; Macfarlan JA at [2]; Leeming JA at [7] Decision: 1. Appeal dismissed. 2. NSWALC pay 80% of the Minister's costs of the appeal. Catchwords: ABORIGINAL LAND RIGHTS – claim to Crown land dedicated for public purposes – land dedicated for use as a gaol – gaol decommissioned but dedications not revoked – land and buildings secured and maintained and used on weekends by offenders serving community service orders – primary judge found the land to be lawfully occupied – whether primary judge erred in finding facts, including shifting of evidential burden – whether primary judge erred in law in finding occupation in fact – whether primary judge erred in law in failing to consider parts of the claimed land separately – whether occupation was lawful where activities were not inconsistent with dedications – whether effect of New South Wales Constitution Act 1855 was to require statutory authorisation for occupation of Crown land – Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 (NSW), s 36 – New South Wales Constitution Act 1855 (18 & 19 Vict c 54), s 2

APPEAL – appeal confined to question of law – requirement of errors of law to be material or operative – whether error of law in failing to address submission not made at first instance

CROWN LAND – dedications – land dedicated for gaol purposes – New South Wales Constitution Act 1855, s 2 vested "entire Management and Control of the Waste Lands belonging to the Crown ... in the Legislature" – whether effect was to require statutory authorisation for occupation of Crown land on behalf of the Crown – whether s 2 in force in New South Wales – construction of s 2 – whether s 2 abrogated prerogative – relevance of land being brought under Torrens title Legislation Cited: Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 (NSW), s 36 Australia Act 1986 (Cth) Australia Act 1986 (UK) Australian Constitutions Act 1850 (13 & 14 Vict c 59), s 14 Australian Waste Lands Act 1855 (18 & 19 Vict c 56), s 5 Constitution Act 1902 (NSW), s 2 Conveyancing Act 1919 (NSW), ss 7A, 23G Correctional Centres Act 1952 (NSW), s 5 Crimes (Administration of Sentences) Act 1999 (NSW), ss 3, 224 Crown Lands Act 1884 (NSW), ss 104, 105 Crown Lands Act 1989 (NSW), ss 6, 24, 84, 85, 91; Sch 8, cl 1 Crown Lands Consolidation Act 1913 (NSW), ss 3, 6, 24 Crown Proceedings Act 1988 (NSW), s 3 Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW), s 4B Heritage Act 1977 (NSW), s 37 Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW), s 34A Land and Environment Court Act 1979 (NSW), s 57 Land and Environment Court Rules 2007 (NSW), r 7.1 Mining Act 1992 (NSW), s 379 New South Wales Constitution Act 1855 (18 & 19 Vict c 54), ss 1, 2; Sch 1, Sch 2 Prisons Act 1899 (NSW), s 35 Real Property (Crown Land Titles) Amendment Act 1980 (NSW) Real Property Act 1900 (NSW), s 42 Short Titles Amendment Act 1896 (59 & 60 Vict c 14) Succession Act 2006 (NSW), s 43 Victoria Constitution Act 1855 (18 & 19 Vict c 55) Cases Cited: Akora Holdings Pty Ltd v Ljubicic [2008] NSWCA 339 Australian Broadcasting Tribunal v Bond (1990) 170 CLR 321 Azzopardi v Tasman UEB Industries Ltd (1985) 4 NSWLR 139 Barton v The Commonwealth (1974) 131 CLR 477 Breskvar v Wall (1971) 126 CLR 376 Cadia Holdings Pty Ltd v New South Wales [2010] HCA 27; 242 CLR 195 Castle Constructions Pty Ltd v Sahab Holdings Pty Ltd [2013] HCA 11; 247 CLR 149 Colon Peaks Mining Co v Wollondilly Shire Council (1911) 13 CLR 438 Community Housing Ltd v Clarence Valley Council [2015] NSWCA 327 Daruk Local Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act (Daruk) (1993) 30 NSWLR 140 Doppstadt Australia Pty Ltd v Lovick & Son Developments Pty Ltd (No 2) [2014] NSWCA 219 DPP v Hilzinger [2011] NSWCA 106; 80 NSWLR 629 Fensom v Cootamundra Racecourse Reserve Trust [2000] NSWSC 1072 Gandangara Local Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act (1997) 41 NSWLR 459 Grassby v The Queen (1989) 168 CLR 1 Haines v Tempesta (1995) 37 NSWLR 24 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 Kirk v Industrial Court (NSW) [2010] HCA 1; 239 CLR 531 Leahy v Attorney-General (NSW) [1959] AC 457 Macquarie University v Ryde Municipal Council [1977] 1 NSWLR 304 Minister Administering the Crown Lands (Consolidation) Act v Tweed Byron Local Aboriginal Land Council (Tweed Byron) (1992) 75 LGRA 133 Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act v Bathurst Local Aboriginal Council (Bathurst) [2009] NSWCA 138; 166 LGERA 379 Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act v Deerubbin Local Aboriginal Land Council (No 2) (2001) 50 NSWLR 665 Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act v La Perouse Aboriginal Land Council (Malabar Police Station) [2012] NSWCA 359 Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act v New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council (Limbri) [2014] NSWCA 69 Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act v NSW Aboriginal Land Council (Wagga Wagga) [2008] HCA 48; 237 CLR 285 Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act v New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council (Goomallee claim) [2012] NSWCA 358; 84 NSWLR 219 New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Lands (Consolidation) Act and the Western Lands Act (Winbar No 3) (1988) 14 NSWLR 684 New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act (Department of Education Claim) (1992) 76 LGRA 192 New South Wales v The Commonwealth (Seas and Submerged Lands Case) (1975) 135 CLR 337 NSW Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act (Wagga Wagga CA) [2007] NSWCA 281; 157 LGERA 18 Prest v Petrodel Resources Ltd [2013] UKSC 34; [2013] 2 AC 415 R v Inland Revenue Commissioners, Ex p TC Coombs & Co [1991] 2 AC 283 Randwick Corporation v Rutledge (1959) 102 CLR 54 Rowe v Electoral Commissioner [2010] HCA 46; 243 CLR 1 Soong v Deputy Commissioner of Taxation [2011] NSWCA 26; 80 NSWLR 226 Strong v Woolworths Ltd [2012] HCA 5; 246 CLR 182 Sydney Water Corporation v Caruso [2009] NSWCA 391; 170 LGERA 298 Valuer-General v Fivex Pty Ltd [2015] NSWCA 53; 206 LGERA 450 Williams v Attorney-General (1913) 16 CLR 404 Woolley v Attorney General of Victoria (1877) 2 App Cas 163 Workers Compensation Nominal Insurer v Adnan Al Othmani [2012] NSWCA 45 Texts Cited: Australian Encyclopaedia (5th ed 1988, Australian Geographic Society), Vol 2 R Cross and J W Harris, Precedent in English Law (4th ed 1991, Clarendon Press) J Jervis, A History of the Berrima District 1798-1973 (2nd ed 1973, Library of Australian History) A Melbourne, Early Constitutional Development in Australia (1963, University of Queensland Press) A Twomey, The Constitution of New South Wales (2004, Federation Press) Category: Principal judgment Parties: New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council (Appellant) Minister Administering the Crown Lands Act (Respondent) Representation: Counsel: S E Pritchard SC, B K Lim (Appellant) A M Stewart SC, N M Kelly (Respondent)