Chief Executive, Office of Environment and Heritage v Parrish & Son Pty Ltd [2020] NSWLEC 47

Land and Environment Court New South Wales

Medium Neutral Citation: Chief Executive, Office of Environment and Heritage v Parrish & Son Pty Ltd [2020] NSWLEC 47 Hearing dates: 30 April 2020 Date of orders: 06 May 2020 Decision date: 06 May 2020 Jurisdiction: Class 5 Before: Moore J Decision: See orders at [161] Catchwords: SENTENCE - charge of unlawful clearing of native vegetation - defendant in land clearing business - plea of guilty - consideration of potential aggravating factors - substantial environmental harm not established - clearing carried out for financial gain - consideration of defendant's subjective factors - lack of contrition and remorse - need for both specific and general deterrence - consideration of penalties imposed in other potentially relevant prosecutions - appropriate starting penalty to be at upper end of lower range - appropriate starting penalty $100,000 - plea of guilty entered - plea entered at earliest reasonable opportunity - discount of 25% on starting penalty allowed to reflect utilitarian value of plea - fine of $75,000 imposed Legislation Cited: Crimes (Sentencing Procedure) Act 1999, ss 3a, 21A and 22 Criminal Procedure Act 1986, ss 257B and 257G Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, ss 126 and 127 Environmental Planning and Assessment (Savings, Transitional and Other Provisions) Regulation 2017 Fines Act 1996, s 122 Native Vegetation Act 2003, s 12 Cases Cited: Cameron v Eurobodalla Shire Council [2006] NSWLEC 47; (2006) 146 LGERA 349 Camilleri's Stock Feeds Pty Ltd v Environment Protection Authority (1993) 32 NSWLR 683 Caralis v Smyth (1988) 65 LGRA 303 Chief Executive, Office of Environment and Heritage v Ausgrid (2013) 199 LGERA 1; [2013] NSWLEC 51 Chief Executive of the Office of Environment and Heritage v Bombala Investments Pty Ltd (2013) 199 LGERA 236; [2013] NSWLEC 185 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 Merriman [2018] NSWLEC 96 Corbyn v Walker Corporation Pty Ltd [2012] NSWLEC 75 Director-General of the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water v Walker Corporation Pty Ltd (No 2) [2011] NSWLEC 229 Environment Protection Authority v Ardent Leisure Ltd (ACN 104 529 106) [2018] NSWLEC 36 Environment Protection Authority v Barnes (2006) NSWCCA 246 Environment Protection Authority v GrainCorp Operations Limited [2019] NSWLEC 143 Environment Protection Authority v John Michelin & Son Pty Ltd [2019] NSWLEC 88 Environment Protection Authority v Terrace Earthmoving Pty Ltd [2016] NSWLEC 158 Gittany Constructions Pty Limited v Sutherland Shire Council [2006] NSWLEC 242; (2006) 145 LGERA 189 Harris v Harrison [2014] NSWCCA 84 Hoare v The Queen [1989] HCA 33; (1989) 167 CLR 348 Ku-ring-gai Council v Edgar [2017] NSWLEC 49 Markarian v The Queen (2005) 228 CLR 357; [2005] HCA 25 Pesic v Sutherland Shire Council [2019] NSWLEC 38 Plath v Rawson (2009) 170 LGERA 253; [2009] NSWLEC 178 R v Doan [2000] NSWCCA 317; (2000) 50 NSWLR 115 R v Olbrich (1999) 199 CLR 270; [1999] HCA 54 R v Thomson; R v Houlton (2000) 49 NSWLR 383; [2000] NSWCCA 383 Scott v R [2020] NSWCCA 81 Secretary, Department of Planning and Environment v AGL Energy Limited; Secretary, Department of Planning and Environment v AGL Upstream Infrastructure investments Pty Limited [2017] NSWLEC 2 Secretary, Department of Planning and Environment v Boggabri Coal Pty Limited [2014] NSWLEC 154 Veen v The Queen (1979) 143 CLR 458; [1979] HCA 7 Veen v R (No 2) (1988) 164 CLR 465; [1988] HCA 14 Walden v Hensler [1987] HCA 54; (1987) 163 CLR 561 Category: Sentence Parties: Chief Executive, Office of Environment and Heritage (Prosecutor) Parrish & Son Pty Ltd (Defendant) Representation: Counsel: Ms J Coburn, solicitor (Prosecutor) Mr J Johnson, barrister (Defendant)