Environment Protection Authority v Sydney Water Corporation [2019] NSWLEC 100

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Environment Protection Authority v Sydney Water Corporation [2019] NSWLEC 100 Hearing dates: 20 and 21 June 2019 Date of orders: 16 July 2019 Decision date: 16 July 2019 Jurisdiction: Class 5 Before: Pepper J Decision: See orders at [345]. Catchwords: ENVIRONMENTAL OFFENCE: pollution of waters – breach of environment protection license – plea of guilty – discharge of sewage effluent – sentencing principles – determination of the objective seriousness of the offence – extent of environmental harm – application of De Simoni principle – test for criminal negligence – whether criminally negligent – subjective circumstances of the defendant – prior convictions – discount for early guilty plea – assistance to authorities – comparable cases – monetary penalty imposed – publication orders made, including on social media – costs orders made. Legislation Cited: Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999, ss 3A, 21A, 23 Criminal Procedure Act 1986, ss 257B, 257G Protection of the Environment Operations Act, ss 3, 64(1), 120(1), 248, 250 Cases Cited: Adams v R [2011] NSWCCA 47 Andrews v Director of Public Prosecutions [1937] AC 576 Andrews v R (2006) A Crim R 505 Andrews v Styrap (1872) 26 LT(NS) 704 Axer Pty Ltd v Environment Protection Authority (1993) 113 LGERA 357 Bentley v BGP Properties Pty Ltd [2006] NSWLEC 34; (2006) 145 LGERA 234 Bourke v R [2010] NSWCCA 22; (2010) 199 A Crim R 38 Burns v The Queen [2012] HCA 35; (2012) 246 CLR 334 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 Cassidy v The Queen [2012] NSWCCA 68; (2012) A Crim R 420 Chief Executive, Office of Environment & Heritage v Orica Pty Ltd [2015] NSWLEC 109 Chiro v The Queen [2017] HCA 37; (2017) 260 CLR 425 Cittadini v R [2009] NSWCCA 302 Croaker v R [2008] NSWCCA 232; (2008) 190 A Crim R 15 Director-General, Department of Environment and Climate Change v Walker Corporation Pty Limited (No 4) [2011] NSWLEC 119 Dyno Nobel Asia Pacific Pty Ltd v Environment Protection Authority [2017] NSWCCA 302; (2017) 228 LGERA 55; Einfeld v R [2010] NSWCCA 87; (2010) 200 A Crim R 1 Elias v The Queen; Issa v the Queen [2013] HCA 31; (2013) 248 CLR 483 Environment Protection Authority v Ampol Ltd (1993) 81 LGERA 433 Environment Protection Authority v Ardent Leisure Ltd (ACN 104 529 106) [2018] NSWLEC 36 Environment Protection Authority v Baiada Poultry Pty Ltd [2008] NSWLEC 280; (2008) 163 LGERA 71 Environment Protection Authority v Barnes [2006] NSWCCA 246 Environment Protection Authority v Causmag Ore Company Pty Ltd [2015] NSWLEC 58 Environment Protection Authority v Crown in the Right of New South Wales (Office of Environment and Heritage) [2019] NSWLEC 66 Environment Protection Authority v CSR Building Products Limited [2008] NSWLEC 224 Environment Protection Authority v Custom Chemicals Pty Ltd [2016] NSWLEC 146 Environment Protection Authority v Ecolab Pty Limited [2002] NSWLEC 206; (2002) 123 LGERA 269 Environment Protection Authority v Forbes Shire Council [2014] NSWLEC 26 Environment Protection Authority v Hawkesbury City Council [2017] NSWLEC 39 Environment Protection Authority v Hunter Water Corporation [2016] NSWLEC 76 Environment Protection Authority v Moolarben Coal Operations Pty Ltd [2012] NSWLEC 65 Environment Protection Authority v Moolarben Coal Operations Pty Ltd (No 2) [2012] NSWLEC 80 Environment Protection Authority v N (1992) 26 NSWLR 352 Environment Protection Authority v Orica Australia Pty Ltd (the Nitric Acid Air Lift Incident) [2014] NSWLEC 103; (2014) 206 LGERA 239 Environment Protection Authority v Queanbeyan City Council (No 3) [2012] NSWLEC 220; (2012) 192 LGERA 415 Environment Protection Authority v Ravensworth Operations Pty Limited [2012] NSWLEC 222 Environment Protection Authority v Snowy Hydro Ltd [2008] NSWLEC 264; (2008) 162 LGERA 273 Environment Protection Authority v Sydney Water Corporation [1998] NSWLEC 144 Environment Protection Authority v Sydney Water Corporation [2000] NSWLEC 156 Environment Protection Authority v Sydney Water Corporation [2000] NSWLEC 80 Environment Protection Authority v Sydney Water Corporation [2015] NSWLEC 80 Environment Protection Authority v Tea Garden Farms Pty Ltd [2012] NSWLEC 89 Environment Protection Authority v Waste Recycling and Processing Corporation [2006] NSWLEC 419; (2006) 148 LGERA 299 Environment Protection Authority v Whitehaven Coal Mining Limited [2019] NSWLEC 27 Environment Protection Authority v Wollondilly Abattoirs Pty Ltd [2019] NSWLEC 26 Erector Group Pty Ltd v Burwood Council [2018] NSWCCA 56; (2018) 232 LGERA 304 Gordon Plath of the Department of Environment and Climate Change v Fish [2010] NSWLEC 144; (2010) 179 LGERA 386 Gore v The Queen; Hunter v The Queen [2010] NSWCCA 330; (2010) 208 A Crim R 353 Harris v Harrison [2014] NSWCCA 84; (2014) 86 NSWLR 422 Hoare v The Queen [1989] HCA 33; (1989) 167 CLR 348 Kassoua v R [2017] NSWCCA 307 King v The Queen [2012] HCA 24; (2012) 245 CLR 588 Liverpool City Council v Leppington Pastoral [2010] NSWLEC 170 Markarian v The Queen [2005] HCA 25; (2005) 228 CLR 357 McCullough, Wilkins v R [2009] NSWCCA 94; (2009) 194 A Crim R 439 Muldrock v The Queen [2011] HCA 39; (2011) 244 CLR 120 New South Wales Sugar Milling Co-operative Ltd v Environment Protection Authority (1992) 75 LGRA 320 Newcastle City Council v Pace Farm Egg Products Pty Ltd [2002] NSWLEC 66 Nguyen v The Queen [2016] HCA 17; (2016) 256 CLR 656 Nydam v R [1977] VR 430 Plath v Rawson [2009] NSWLEC 178; (2009) 170 LGERA 253 R Taktak (1988) 14 NSWLR 227 R v Cowan [1955] VLR 18 R v De Simoni [1981] HCA 31; (1981) 147 CLR 383 R v Dodd (1991) 57 A Crim R 349 R v DP [2019] NSWCCA 55 R v JCW [2000] NSWCCA 209; (2000) 112 A Crim R 466 R v Johnson [2005] NSWCCA 186 R v Nichols (1991) 57 A Crim R 391 R v Olbrich [1999] HCA 54; (1999) 199 CLR 270 R v Oliver (1980) 7 A Crim R 174 R v Stone & Dobinson [1977] 1 QB 354 R v Thomson; R v Houlton [2000] NSWCCA 309; (2000) 49 NSWLR 383 R v Visconti [1982] 2 NSWLR 104 Regina v Moore [2015] NSWCCA 316; (2015) 91 NSWLR 276 Rex v Bateman (1925) 19 Cr App R 8 Roads and Maritime Services v United Petroleum Pty Ltd [2019] NSWCA 41 Ruge and Cormack v R [2015] NSWCCA 153 Thorneloe v Filipowski [2001] NSWCCA 213; (2007) 52 NSWLR 60 Thuong Nguyen v R [2012] NSWCCA 184 Turkmani v R [2014] NSWCCA 186; (2014) 244 A Crim R 402 Veen v The Queen (No 2) [1988] HCA 14; (1988) 164 CLR 465 Veen v The Queen [1979] HCA 7; (1979) 143 CLR 458 Walden v Hensler [1987] HCA 54; (1987) 163 CLR 561 Water NSW v Barlow [2019] NSWLEC 30 Weininger v R [2003] HCA 14; (2003) 212 CLR 629 Wilkins v R [2009] NSWCCA 222 Texts Cited: Stephen Odgers, The Law of Sentencing in NSW Courts for State and Federal Offences (4th ed, 2015, Longueville Media) Category: Sentence Parties: Environment Protection Authority (Prosecutor) Sydney Water Corporation (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Mr Henry El Hage (Prosecutor) Mr Ian Hemmings SC with Ms Sharon Hall (Defendant)