by Russel Norman
Morton Estate vineyards was recently fined $50,000 for taking water from wells near the Ngaururoro River in the middle of a dry period against an explicit direction from the regional council. The were told not to take any water due to low flows but they figured that they’d steal the water and get a $750 fine so stuff the rest of us and the environment.
Fortunately the judge didn’t see it like that and fined them $50k even though the regional council only asked for $40k. Hopefully this means that regional councils will be emboldened to ask for bigger fines on coporate criminals like Morton and next time fine them much more.
The original press release from the regional council announcing the fine had a freudian slip in it and called them “Moron Estate” instead of “Morton Estate”. Personally I think they got it right the first time.
Published in Environment & Resource Management by Russel Norman on Sun, March 21st, 2010
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on the trolls and those who are unable to keep on topic
yah. Provide your reasons please. One would think...
Where does the money they’ll have to fork out go – into the Govt or into the council Treasury?
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Well, from reading with comprehension what has been written, if the Judge awarded $50k, and the Regional Council only asked for $40k, then it would be going to the plaintiff, the Regional Council, wouldn’t it?
Unless you think Judges can just award costs to whomever they please in such cases….
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Well I was wondering because it is a fine rather than an award of damages and generally if the court fines someone the fine will be turned to the treasury rather than the persons who govern those at fault
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