Personal Experience
Personal Experience
Anton is one of Victoria’s leading compulsory acquisition lawyers with more than 20 years of experience as a lawyer. He advises land owners, landlords, tenants, businesses and councils on all aspects of the compulsory acquisition process in Victoria.
He has advised on thousands of claims relating to individuals, small businesses, deceased estates, large corporate clients, councils and listed companies on issues from easements to large-scale property acquisitions.
Anton’s focus is entirely on the rights of his clients and the many nuances that impact a claim, helping his clients to understand the scope of the claim and entitlements. He manages the independent external advisors on all matters and is an experienced negotiator, attending mediations (including valuers’ conferences) and running complex trials.
While his focus is primarily in the area of Victorian compulsory acquisition matters, Anton has also acted in a range of complex property and commercial disputes (including planning matters) as well as estate disputes, guardianship and administration.
As a recognised leader in his field, Anton is frequently quoted in the media and has been invited to give seminars by the Law Institute of Victoria and Legalwise Seminars on issues around compulsory acquisition. He has also been asked to present to large groups and clients at various ‘town hall’ meetings about specific projects and the compulsory acquisition process.
Compulsory acquisition experience
Anton advises on and acts on a broad range of compulsory acquisition matters, including infrastructure and other projects which may be in early planning stages.
Recent projects include many projects from ‘Victoria’s Big Build’ including:
- Suburban Rail Loop Project
- North East Link Project
- Melbourne Metro Rail Project (Metro Tunnel)
- Major Road Projects Victoria
- West Gate Tunnel (Western Distributor)
- Level Crossing Removal Projects
Anton has been, or is still involved in, advising on claims in relation to:
- Major Road Projects Victoria (previously VicRoads) including the Craigieburn By-Pass, Dingley By-Pass, Geelong By-Pass, Hallam Road By-Pass, Horsham By-Pass, Koo Wee Rup Bypass, Outer Metropolitan Ring Road (OMR/E6), Princes Highway Project, Western Highway Project, Westgate Freeway up-grade, Yan Yean Road duplication (Stages 1 and 2) and numerous other road widening projects.
- Local councils such as Banyule, Bass Coast, Brimbank, Casey, Frankston, Geelong, Glen Eira Greater Dandenong, Greater Shepparton, Melton, Stonnington, Surf Coast, Wellington, Yarriambiack Water corporations including Barwon Region, Coliban Region, Gippsland, Goulburn Valley Region, Grampians Wimmera, Mallee, Lower Murray Urban and Rural, South East, Western Region, Yarra Valley.
- The Secretary to the Department of Transport
- Department of Transport and Planning (DTP).
- The Minister for Health
- Department of Health
- The Minister for Education
- Department of Education
- Fishermans Bend development
- Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action
- Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources (previously Department of Transport Planning and Local Infrastructure ), the Department of Sustainability and Environment, and others) including the Desalination Plant at Wonthaggi, the Desalination pipeline, a bus depot at a Westfield Shopping centre, Regional Rail Link Stage 1, Regional Rail Link Stage 2, and negotiated acquisitions including a number of specialised businesses such as chicken farms.
- Linking Melbourne Authority including Eastlink and East-West Link.
- Various Regional Rail Link Alliance projects concerned with Regional Rail Link, underpasses and overpasses, and the further development of infrastructure.
- Gas pipeline acquisitions, including APA and Esso Australia Resources.
- Electrical Transmission Lines created for SP AusNet and United Energy Distribution.
- Grasslands Overlays including the Werribee Districts.
- Places Victoria (previously the Urban Renewal Authority) including the Dandenong Revitalisation Department of Infrastructure, Energy & Resources (Tasmania).
- Public acquisition overlays for council open spaces.
- Melbourne Airport land acquisitions.
- A large number of public acquisition overlay claims including loss on sale claims and planning permit application refusals.
Other projects include:
- Advising in relation to wind farm agreements and related acquisitions.
- Advising Boral in relation to complex landfill and environmental disputes and a number of compulsory acquisition matters.
- Advising a large waste management company in a dispute with multiple councils and the Environment Protection Authority concerning the construction, management and general operation of waste management facilities.
- Advising a member of the State Parliament of Victoria in relation to a Freedom of Information Claim seeking files from government departments.
- Representing Melbourne City Council in defence of a proceeding commenced by Dustday Investments Pty Ltd (a Solomon Lew company) regarding administrative law/judicial review in relation to a heritage overlay.
- Representing unChain St Kilda (a not for profit organisation) in relation to its objections to the proposed St Kilda Triangle Development Plan and the planning approval including VCAT proceedings involving issues of invalid approval, denial of natural justice, unreasonableness and acting ultra vires.
- Advising the Melbourne Market Authority in relation to property disputes and prosecutions.
- Guardianship and administration matters including acting for residential care facilities to protect the residents’ best interests and obtaining outstanding fees and bonds withheld by family members.
- Complex estate disputes, such as a dispute involving a 20-year-old will requiring a will rectification proceeding; a proceeding to remove executors; an appeal of the will rectification; proceeding, constructive and resulting trust proceedings; Part IV (Testator’s Family Maintenance) proceedings; and a negligence proceeding.
