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Fwd: Grass Owls benefit from Legal Wisdom

To: birding birding-aus <>
Subject: Fwd: Grass Owls benefit from Legal Wisdom
From: Russell Woodford <>
Date: Sat, 4 Aug 2007 00:52:33 +1000


Begin forwarded message:

From: "Angus Innes" <>
Date: 3 August 2007 11:47:03 PM
To: <>
Subject: Grass Owls benefit from Legal Wisdom



I am not sure how much publicity has been given in Australia to a very recent decision of the NSW Land & Environment Court which convicted a senior local council manager of offences involving his responsibility for damage to the habitat of two threatened species, one of which was the Grass Owl (the other species was the Eastern Chesnut Mouse).

It would appear to be a very important decision, not just for the green of hue, but for persons in authority in local governement. The names "Grass owl" and "eastern chesnut mouse" have just entered the training manuals for local government managers.

The offences were against the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974, section 118D. The Defendant was the Director of Infrastructure of Hastings Council in NSW. The Prosecutor was (in effect) the NSW Environment Protection Authority.

In late 2003, the Defendant had directed the making of unmetalled roads through natural habitat in the Partridge Creek area. The Council knew that Partridge Creek was habitat to both the above threatened species. Earlier in 2003, the council's own planning and enviroment department had reported on consultancy work relating to the acid-sulphate soils of Partridge Creek and their associated environment, including the threatened species found there - and with plans of management to mitigate impact on them. Evidence was given that the Defendant was present at a meeting receiving that report, in the role of acting General Manager. The reports made it clear that any proposed works likely to have a significant impact on the area had to be preceded by an EIS. The Defendant did not seek an EIS, or consult with those in the Council with expertise in the environmental considerations, before authorising the works.

Of additional interest to birders, members of the Hastings birdwatchers club had been used in monitoring the area for the 2003 report and in verifying the existence of Grass Owls in the area. One member of the club gave evidence of his fauna surveys and of the road impact. Another amateur birder, of 20 yrs experience including atlassing, gave evidence not just of his bird observations in the area, but of a meeting which he and his wife had to remonstrate with the Defendant after the works had been done. This birders' evidence of the meeting, which he diarised, was accepted by the judge and was very telling in confirming that the Defendant deliberately dismissed the need for an EIS and dismissed the need for legal advice as to the road proposal.

The whole saga, so far, is set out in detail in the judgement of Justice Lloyd: http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lecjudgments/2007nswlec.nsf/ 61f584670edbfba2ca2570d40081f438/79f675b529ac7f04ca257307001b5b90? OpenDocument

The question of sentence is adjourned to some date in the near future. Watch out for it.

Angus Innes.



























http://www.lawlink.nsw.gov.au/lecjudgments/2007nswlec.nsf/ 61f584670edbfba2ca2570d40081f438/79f675b529ac7f04ca257307001b5b90? OpenDocument Information in this message may be confidential and may be legally privileged. If you have received this message by mistake, please notify the sender immediately, delete it and do not copy it to anyone else.

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