Once you are 16, you have various rights in terms of medical treatment and decisions. Note: a The legislation of these states does not explicitly mention “special care”. Instead, links were provided to relevant state laws regarding sexual interactions with 16- and 17-year-olds. If Child Safety thinks you need protection, they will apply to the Children`s Court for a child protection order. This could involve giving children`s safety the responsibility of deciding where you should live. This could be – with your parents, another parent or a foster parent. If you are the subject of a child protection order and wish to change your place of residence, you will need to talk to your child safety officer. You should seek legal advice. A number of jurisdictions offer legal defence when consensual sexual interaction takes place between two young people of near age (Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia). These jurisdictions seek to strike a balance between protecting children and youth from sexual exploitation by adults without criminalizing them for peer sex. If you want to know if you can use the services, you should seek professional legal advice depending on your situation. Youth Advocacy Centre offers community legal and social service to youth up to the age of 18.
In Queensland, you are expected to live with your parents or guardians until the age of 18 – but there is no law that says you have to stay at home until then. New South Wales, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory and Tasmania have laws that provide legal defence for a person who has sex with a person under the age of consent if both people are of a similar age. This is called the tight defense of age. But if children want to leave school after Grade 10, the law could say they have to do some other form of education or a mix of education, training or employment until they are 17. In Western Australia, the age is 17 years and 6 months. In Tasmania, the age is 18 or when children complete their other education (whichever comes first). In the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales, young people under the age of 18 must obtain their parents` permission to get a tattoo. As a parent, you must give your permission in person or in writing, and you must say what type of tattoo you accept and where. It is a criminal offence to touch a woman on the chest or a man or woman between the legs or, in some cases, on the buttocks, or to get them to touch you in one of these places if the other person disagrees or is under 16 years of age. There is no safe level of alcohol consumption for children under the age of 18. And it is not safe for anyone to use illegal drugs at any age.
Alcohol and other drugs can affect children`s health, brain development, behavior, schoolwork, and relationships. If the sex is consensual (and it must be enthusiastic consent) and the other party is also 16 or older, it does not violate the law, although there are a few exceptions: you can join the Army, Navy, Air Force or Marines at the age of 16 with the consent of your parents. However, this does not mean that you do not have a say in decisions that directly affect you. In fact, reaching 16 means you get some new rights against your parents. The law also usually takes into account your desires and feelings when it comes to certain decisions that your parents make that affect you. It`s still illegal if you`re both under the age of 16. In this case, you could both be charged. This reference guide has described how consent and the age of consent are defined by law in Australia, including how this varies depending on state and territory legislation. It also provided an overview of what Australian laws apply to reporting allegations of child abuse, responding to disclosures, sexual interactions for people in supervisory roles, developmentally appropriate sexual behaviour, and consensual sexual interactions between children and adolescents.
It is important to review the relevant laws of your state or territory to ensure that your child`s employment contracts are fair and legal. This includes things like hours of work, supervision, rates of pay, etc. In Tasmania, Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales, young people under the age of 16 need their parents` permission to break through. In New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory, it is also illegal for a person in a position of authority to have sex with a child under the age of 18 who is under his or her authority.
