All Covid-19 fines dished out by Revenue NSW could be made invalid following a landmark decision published by the Supreme Court.

Last November the NSW Supreme Court found two specific Covid-19 fines – issued for failing to comply with public health directions – were invalid.

The decision resulted in 33,121 fines being withdrawn.

Redfern Legal Centre (RLC), which filed the test case in July 2022, said the newly published reasons for the judgment called the remaining 29,017 fines into “disrepute” and urged the government to withdraw them.

“This case is not about Covid-19 or about public health orders,” RLC solicitor Samantha Lee said.

“It is about ensuring the rule of law is adhered to even in a time of crisis.”

In the court’s decision, published on Thursday, Supreme Court Justice Dina Yehia SC said the short descriptions identifying the penalty notice on both fines was “clearly insufficient”.

Two plaintiffs were fined $1000 and $3000 respectively but both raised questions about what they had been accused of doing, as the notices were too vague.

“The penalty notice offence must be clearly and unambiguously specified in the notice itself,” Justice Yehia stated.