When a government authority decides it needs your land for a new highway, a school, or a railway line, compulsory acquisition (also called property resumption) can turn your world upside down almost overnight. It can happen to any property owner, in any state or territory. One day everything is normal; the next, you’re being told…

Finding out the government wants your land is a deeply unsettling experience, and you’re not alone if your first reaction is “can they actually do that?” The short answer is yes, they can. Across Australia, all levels of government have the legal power to acquire private land for public purposes. Think new roads, schools, rail…