Desane Properties Pty Limited v State of New South Wales [2018] NSWSC 553

Supreme Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Desane Properties Pty Limited v State of New South Wales [2018] NSWSC 553 Hearing dates: 26, 27, 28 February 2018, 1, 5, 6, 7, 8 March 2018; Inspection Date: 2 March 2018 Decision date: 01 May 2018 Jurisdiction: Equity - Commercial List Before: Hammerschlag J Decision: The proposed acquisition notice given by the second defendant to the plaintiff on 26 May 2017 is of no statutory effect. Catchwords: PUBLIC LAW – COMPULSORY ACQUISITION OF LAND – Land Acquisition (Just Terms) Compensation Act 1991, s 15 – Roads Act 1993, ss 177(1) and (2)(b) – validity of proposed acquisition notice –departure from Ministerially approved form – validity of approved form – requirement to state public purpose of acquisition – improper purpose – whether proposed acquisition notice issued for ulterior purpose; HELD proposed acquisition invalid for statutory non-compliance. If otherwise not invalid, it would be invalid because it was issued for improper purposes. Legislation Cited: Roads Act 1993 (NSW) Land Acquisition (Just Terms Compensation) Act 1991(NSW) Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW) Competition and Consumer Act 2010 (Cth), Schedule 2 Transport Administration Act 1988 (NSW) Fair Trading Act 1987 (NSW) Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW) Land Acquisition (Just Terms Compensation) Amendment Act 2016 No 59 (NSW) Land Acquisition Act 1955-1957 (Cth) Cases Cited: Forrest & Forrest Pty Ltd v Wilson (2017) 91 ALJR 833 Project Blue Sky Inc v Australian Broadcasting Authority (1998) 194 CLR 355 Commissioner of Taxation v Comcorp Australia Ltd (1996) 70 FCR 356 R & R Fazzolari Pty Ltd v Parramatta City Council (2009) 237 CLR 603 Clissold v Perry (1904) 1 CLR 363 Nintendo Co Ltd v Centronics Systems Pty Ltd (1994) 181 CLR 134 Watson's Bay & South Shore Ferry Co Ltd v Whitfeld (1919) 27 CLR 268 Cudgen Rutile (No 2) Pty Ltd v Chalk [1975] AC 520 Ansett Transport Industries (Operations) Pty Ltd v Commonwealth (1977) 139 CLR 54 Mabo v Queensland (No 2) (1992) 175 CLR 1 Wik Peoples v Queensland (1996) 187 CLR 1 Western Australia v Ward (2002) 213 CLR 1 Nicholas v Western Australia [1972] WAR 168 New South Wales Aboriginal Land Council v Minister Administering Crown Lands Act (2016) 91 ALJR 177 Plaintiff M68/2015 v Minister for Immigration and Border Protection (2016) 257 CLR 42 Jones v Commonwealth (1963) 109 CLR 475 The Baptist Union of NSW v Georges River Council (2017) 221 LGERA 373 Alcan (NT) Alumina Pty Ltd v Commissioner of Territory Revenue (2009) 239 CLR 27 Probuild Constructions (Aust) Pty Ltd v Shade Systems Pty Ltd & Anor [2018] HCA 4 Roads and Transport Authority of NSW v Perry (2001) 52 NSWLR 222 Deputy Commissioner of Taxation v Gruber (1998) 43 NSWLR 271 Jones v The Commonwealth of Australia [No 2] (1965) 112 CLR 206 Tinker Tailor Pty Ltd v Commissioner for Main Roads (NSW) (1960) 105 CLR 334 Samrein Pty Ltd v Metropolitan Water, Sewerage and Drainage Board (1982) 56 ALJR 678 LHRC v Deputy Commissioner of Taxation (No 3) (2015) 326 ALR 77 Industrial Equity Ltd v Deputy Commissioner of Taxation (1990) 170 CLR 649 Hampton Court v Crooks (1957) 97 CLR 367 Jones v Dunkel (1959) 101 CLR 298 Fuller-Lyons v New South Wales (2015) 89 ALJR 824. Minister for Public Works v Duggan (1951) 83 CLR 424 Alusta Pty Ltd v Duncan [1973] 2 NSWLR 182 Taluja v Ardino [2001] NSWSC 566 Austereo Ltd v Trade Practices Commission (1993) 41 FCR 1 Texts Cited: F A R Bennion, Statutory Interpretation (2nd ed, 1992, Butterworths) Category: Principal judgment Parties: Desane Properties Pty Limited - Plaintiff State of New South Wales - First Defendant Roads and Maritime Services - Second Defendant Sydney Motorway Corporation - Third Defendant Representation: Counsel: R. Merkel QC with D. Pritchard SC and D. Krochmalik - Plaintiff J. Marshall SC with S. Kanagaratnam - First Defendant J.R. Clarke SC with H. El-Hage - Second Defendant S. Free - Third Defendant