Australia, March 12 -- New South Wales Land and Environment Court issued text of the following judgement on Feb. 13:
1. Two respondents Mr Laird and Ms Harte were charged with contempt of court orders. They pleaded guilty. On 1 November 2024 Hawkesbury City Council v Laird [2024] NSWLEC 116 (Laird No 1) was delivered sentencing both Defendants. Mr Laird was fined and ordered to pay the Council's costs on an indemnity basis. Laird No 1 held that Ms Harte's breach was technical in that the Court did not consider it was deliberate or wilful in the same way that Mr Laird's ongoing failure to comply was wilful because her reliance on Mr Laird appeared to be reasonable in the circumstances (at [92]).
2. In relation to whether a penalty should b...