What is the age of consent in Australia?

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BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

The question asks about the age of consent in Australia, and the options reflect how this is determined in practice.
Option 1: 'Either 16 or 17, depending on what state you are in' correctly captures the reality that Australia has state- and territory-based laws for age of consent, not a single nationwide standard. Most states and territories set the age of consent at 16, while at least one jurisdiction (Tasmania) has 17. Therefore, the age is not uniform across the country.
Option 2: '18 for everyone' is inaccurate because there is no single nationwide age of consent raised to 18 for all of Australia; multiple jurisdictions set it at 16, and only a few have 17 as the upper limit.
Option 3: '16 for everyone' is incorrect for the same reason: not all states/territories set the age at 16, since Tasmania requires 17 in some circumstances, so 16 for everyone is an overgeneralization.
Option 4: 'There is no set age; if someone's mature enough to have sex, they can have sex' is a misconception. Even where maturity factors are considered in some minor-specific defenses or provisions, there is a defined age of consent in each jurisdiction, and the law does not permit sex with a minor simply based on perceived maturity.
In summary, the correct understanding is that the age of consent in Australia varies by state or territory, ranging from 16 to 17 depending on location.

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What is the age of consent in Australia?

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