Australia Child Labour Laws History

The first Australian state to introduce legislation specifically addressing child labour was Victoria, with the passage of its first Factory Act in 1873. This act included provisions that limited the working hours for females (including girls) in factories to a maximum of eight hours per day. 

In Australia the child labour laws have evolved over time, with the first regulations targeting factory work emerging in the 1870s, specifically in Victoria. While these early laws restricted working hours for children, particularly in factories, child labour continued to be prevalent in other sectors, such as agriculture, well into the 20th century. 

It was with the introduction of compulsory schooling and other regulations that really started a change in beginning to limit child labour. Except in the area of agriculture as many farmers relied on their children to help with the farm work.

The Children and Young Persons Act 1933 defined a child as someone of compulsory school age, which was then sixteen years old. 

The International Labour Organization (ILO) developed the Minimum Age Convention in 1973, which Australia signed. By the 1990’s we saw the start of the rights of the child being considered.

The Child Employment Act 2006 was introduced in Queensland, aiming to protect children working in various industries. 

Today, child labour laws in Australia are primarily state-, with the Commonwealth Government having some oversight through various international treaties and legislation. The Child Employment Act 2006 and the Child Employment Regulation 2016 in Queensland, for example, aim to safeguard children from harmful work and ensure that their education is not negatively impacted. 

• South Australia and New South Wales: No minimum working age. 
• Victoria: Minimum age of 11 for delivering newspapers and advertising material, and 13 for retail and hospitality. 
• Western Australia: Minimum age of 10 for delivering newspapers and advertising material, and 13 for retail and hospitality. 
• Queensland: Minimum age of 11 for certain types of work, with a general prohibition on children under 13 working unless in the entertainment industry or delivering supervised materials. 
• Northern Territory and Australian Capital Territory: Minimum age of 15. 
• Tasmania: No minimum working age for casual or part-time work, but restrictions apply to specific types of work, such as working behind a bar (minimum age 18). 

Ok that will do for this post next week we will look at America.