Chief Executive, Office of Environment and Heritage v Anthony Guy Murphy [2019] NSWLEC 120

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Chief Executive, Office of Environment and Heritage v Anthony Guy Murphy [2019] NSWLEC 120 Hearing dates: 1 August 2019 Date of orders: 26 August 2019 Decision date: 26 August 2019 Jurisdiction: Class 5 Before: Robson J Decision: See orders at [116] Catchwords: ENVIRONMENTAL OFFENCE – sentence – offence under s 12 of the Native Vegetation Act 2003 (NSW) – native vegetation cleared from 528 hectares of land otherwise than in accordance with a development consent or a property vegetation plan – offence within middle range of objective seriousness – plea of guilty – determination of appropriate penalty Legislation Cited: Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (NSW) Sch 1 Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999 (NSW) ss 3A, 21A, 22, 23 Criminal Procedure Act 1986 (NSW) s 257B Environment Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW) s 126 Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment Act 2014 (NSW) Fines Act 1996 (NSW) ss 6, 122 Local Government Act 1983 (NSW) Native Vegetation Act 2003 (NSW) ss 3, 6, 12 Protection of the Environment Administration Act 1991 (NSW) s 6 Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (NSW) Schs 1, 1A, 2 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 Camilleri's Stockfeeds Pty Limited v Environment Protection Authority (1993) 32 NSWLR 683; (1993) 82 LGERA 21 Chief Executive of the Office of Environment and Heritage v Cory Ian Turnbull [2017] NSWLEC 140; (2017) 227 LGERA 290 Chief Executive of the Office of Environment and Heritage v Grant Wesley Turnbull [2017] NSWLEC 141 Chief Executive, Office of Environment & Heritage v Orica Pty Ltd; Environment Protection Authority v Orica Pty Ltd [2015] NSWLEC 109 Chief Executive, Office of Environment and Heritage v Boyle [2019] NSWLEC 54 Chief Executive, Office of Environment and Heritage v Brummell [2019] NSWLEC 114 Chief Executive, Office of Environment and Heritage v Rummery [2012] NSWLEC 271; (2012) 192 LGERA 314 Chief Executive, Office of Environment and Heritage v Traikaero Pty Ltd; Chief Executive, Office of Environment and Heritage v Woods [2019] NSWLEC 90 Cvetkovic v R [2013] NSWCCA 66 Director General, Department of Environment and Climate Change v Rae [2009] NSWLEC 137; (2009) 168 LGERA 121 Director-General, Department of Environment and Climate Change v Hudson (No 2) [2015] NSWLEC 110 DPP (Cth) v De La Rosa (2010) 79 NSWLR 1; [2010] NSWCCA 194 Environment Protection Authority v Ampol Ltd (1993) 81 LGERA 433 Environment Protection Authority v Sydney Water Corporation [2019] NSWLEC 100 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 Hili v R; Jones v R (2010) 242 CLR 520; [2010] HCA 45 Markarian v The Queen (2005) 228 CLR 357; [2005] HCA 25 Office of Environment and Heritage v Swansbel (Pastoral) Pty Ltd [2019] NSWLEC 69 R v DP [2019] NSWCCA 55 R v Hawker [2001] NSWCCA 148 R v Morabito (1992) 62 A Crim R 82 R v Olbrich (1999) 199 CLR 270; [1999] HCA 54 R v Thomson; R v Houlton (2000) 49 NSWLR 383; [2000] NSWCCA 309 R v Woodman [2001] NSWCCA 310 Ul-Hassan v R [2018] NSWCCA 177 Texts Cited: National Committee on Soil and Terrain, Australian Soil and Land Survey Field Handbook (3rd ed, 2009, CSIRO Publishing) Category: Sentence Parties: Chief Executive, Office of Environment and Heritage (Prosecutor) Anthony Guy Murphy (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Z Shahnawaz (Prosecutor) R Ranken (Defendant)