You will often hear people say that they ‘own’ something, or that a bike, a skateboard or another object ‘belongs’ to them. Sometimes they will say that it is their ‘property’. What does this mean? In Australia, and countries like it, the law gives people property rights.
These rights allow them to buy or acquire property, then control, use, enjoy, sell and mostly do what they like with it. So remember, if a skateboard is your property, it doesn’t just mean that it belongs to you. It means you have the right to do certain things with it.
One of your property rights is for you to lend your belongings to somebody, or share them with your friends and family. Do they have to ask you first, or pay you for the use of something? That is up to you – it’s your property.
Some cultures have a different view. In many Indigenous communities, families and friends may use or borrow each other’s property without getting permission every time. Many people around the world think that land belongs to a group or tribe, rather than one person.
Let’s explore
Can you think of things that belong to you or your family?
If your parents buy a new TV, do you have to ask permission each time you use it?
If a shopkeeper has soft drinks in his fridge, are they his property?
Looking ahead
In the chapters that follow, we will look at what happens if someone damages your property. Who should pay for the repairs? What does the law say if someone steals your property?
Also, in our chapter on neighbours, we will see that even if the house you live in is your family’s property, the law says there are some things that you are not allowed to do with it.
