Laws in Australia
How Australia is classified on 40 of the 48 laws this site maps, grouped by subject. Each links to the full answer and its source.
Body & Life
- Abortion
- Legal on request Abortion is available on request, subject to a gestational limit.
- Euthanasia
- Euthanasia legal Voluntary assisted dying is legal in all states and territories, though specific conditions vary by region.
- Suicide Laws
- Not a crime
- FGM Laws
- Specifically banned FGM is banned by a dedicated law or an explicit criminal provision.
- Surrogacy
- Altruistic only Altruistic surrogacy is legal in all Australian jurisdictions, while commercial surrogacy is a criminal offense.
Money & Games
- Gambling Age
- 18 Minimum age to gamble: 18.
- Cryptocurrency
- Legal Cryptocurrency is legal to own and trade.
- Online Gambling
- Partially legal Providing online gambling services to Australians is an offence, though playing is not.
Daily Life
- Jaywalking
- Offense / fined Jaywalking is illegal near intersections or crossings, with fines set by states.
- Drinking in Public
- Varies by region Public drinking is illegal in most states but legal in New South Wales unless in designated zones.
- Public Smoking Bans
- Varies by region Australia has no single national law; smoking restrictions vary significantly by state and territory.
- Driving Age
- 18+ Minimum age to drive a car: 18.
- Homeschooling
- Legal Homeschooling is legal.
Animals & Environment
- Fur Farming
- Legal No ban on fur farming.
- Cosmetic Animal Testing
- Banned Australia banned the sale of cosmetics tested on animals in 2017.
- Dog Meat
- Varies by region Dog meat is legal in most states but banned in South Australia.
- Plastic Bag Bans
- Banned Lightweight plastic bags are banned nationwide.
Civic & Family
- Voting Age
- 18 The voting age is 18.
- Compulsory Voting
- Compulsory (enforced) Australia actively enforces compulsory voting with regular fines for non-compliance.
- Minimum Working Age
- Under 14 Minimum working age: 13.
Relationships & Sexuality
- Sex Work
- Varies by region Prostitution laws vary significantly by state and territory across Australia.
- Pornography
- Restricted Online pornography is legal but requires ID verification, and physical sales are heavily restricted.
- Divorce
- Heavily restricted Divorce is legal but requires a long period of separation.
- Non-Binary Recognition
- Recognized Australia allows citizens to choose an X gender marker on official documents.
- Same-Sex Adoption
- Joint adoption legal Joint adoption by same-sex couples is legal in every state and territory.
- Incest Laws
- Criminal offense
- Marriage Age
- 18+ Minimum marriage age: 18.
Speech & Belief
- Blasphemy Laws
- Varies by region Blasphemy is a common law offence in some states but abolished in others.
- Conversion Therapy
- Varies by region Conversion therapy is banned in five jurisdictions but not in Western Australia, Northern Territory, or Tasmania.
Justice & Weapons
- Death Penalty
- Fully abolished Fully abolished for all crimes.
- Gun Laws
- Restrictive Handguns are licensed only at the authorities' discretion, or only to club members or existing owners.
- School Corporal Punishment
- Varies by region Legislation varies by state and territory regarding the prohibition of corporal punishment in schools.
- Military Conscription
- No conscription
- Jury Trials
- Jury trials used Jury trials are constitutionally mandated for Commonwealth criminal indictments and have been a regular part of the justice system since the 19th century.
Substances
- Cannabis
- Varies by region Cannabis law differs by state or territory within the country.
- Drinking Age
- 18–20 Minimum age to buy alcohol: 18.
- Psilocybin Mushrooms
- Legal Psilocybin possession is legal.
- Salvia Divinorum
- Illegal Possession of salvia divinorum is a criminal offence.
- Khat
- Varies by region Khat importation is prohibited nationally, but criminal regulation varies by state, with Queensland listing it as a dangerous drug.
- E-Cigarettes
- Legal / lightly regulated E-cigarettes are legal, subject to an age limit.
Nearby countries
A visual reference compiled from Wikipedia’s law-by-country articles, not legal advice. Laws change and summaries simplify — check a primary source before relying on anything here.