State by State Laws in Australia

Sex industry laws in Australia are determined by State and Territory Governments. Federal laws criminalise 'trafficking' (with or without consent) and 'sex slavery' (regardless of sex workers' consent to such work conditions).

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-ACT Australian Capital Territory - On the 8th August 2018, the ACT Prostitution Act 1992 (ACT) was replaced with the Sex Work Act 1992 (ACT). more...

-NSW New South Wales - Model of Decriminalisation since 1995, supported by 2016 Review more...

-NT Northern Territory - Licensing Regime under the Northern Territory Prostitution Regulation Act, law reform campaign active more...

-QLD Queensland - CHANGES TO ADVERTISING REGULATIONS 28 June 2017 Licensing Regime under the Prostitution Act (Ammended 2001, 2006 & 2009) more...

-SA South Australia Currently criminalised model. September 2019: Upper House has passed Statutes Amendment (Decriminalisation of Sex Work) Bill 2018 on the 20th June, 2019 with the Bill currently being debated in the Lower House- Criminalised under the Summary Offences Act 1953 and the Criminal Law Consolidation Act (1935 - 1976) more...

-TAS Tasmania - Private work is legal, brothels are criminalised under Sex Industry Offences Act 2005 more...

-VIC Victoria - JUNE 2016: CHANGES TO ADVERTISING REGULATIONS NOW IN EFFECT Licencing System more...

-WA Western Australia - Sex work itself is not illegal in WA, but brothel work or working in pairs is. more...

-FEDERAL Federal Laws - THE MOST RECENT FEDERAL LAWS WERE PASSED IN 2012 Migration of sex workers is criminalised in the Criminal Code (Trafficking in Persons Amendment 2005 & Sexual Slavery Amendment 1999)more...

updated 30 September 2019