About property acquisition data

Terms and reporting periods

The data shows acquisitions of freehold interests by acquiring authorities in NSW under the Land Acquisition (Just Terms Compensation) Act 1991 (Just Terms Act).

• Each reporting period shows completed acquisitions for that period. Completed means gazetted (acquisition notice is published in the NSW Government Gazette) for compulsory acquisitions, or by settlement date for acquisitions by agreement.
• The data shows properties acquired, meaning the acquisition of a freehold interest in the property. The data does not include acquisition of other interest types, such as easements, leases and substratum interests. 
• Compulsory acquisitions with consent of the owner, as provided for under sections 30 and 63 of the Just Terms Act are reported as acquisitions by agreement in this data set.
• All acquisitions by gazettal where agreement has not been reached with the property owner are reported as compulsory acquisitions in this data set.

Acquisition of government-owned property is excluded from reporting on acquisition method because it is subject to different negotiation requirements under the Just Terms Compensation Act.

Changes to 2020-21 data reporting

Roads and Maritime Services/Transport for NSW

In December 2019, Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) became part of Transport for NSW. From 2020-21, acquisitions by the NSW Government which were formerly reported under RMS are now reported by Transport for NSW.

Local councils

In 2020-21, there has been a change in the way local councils are reporting on acquisitions. In the three previous financial years (2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20), local councils – via the Office of Local Government NSW – focused on reporting all compulsory acquisitions, as these are gazetted.

From 2020-21 onwards, local councils report on acquisitions under the Just Terms Compensation Act including acquisitions by agreement, bringing local government reporting in line with reporting by other acquiring authorities.