This paper provides an analysis of Australia’s legal provisions and policies regarding truancy. We examine how low frequency truants feature in Australia’s truancy law and policy and highlight similarities and differences in the cultural–legal context between Australian states and territories. Similarities include requirements to attend school from about six to 17 years of age and the legal culpability of (predominantly) the parents for children’s non-attendance. Differences include little consistency in the threshold at which schools in different Australian states and territories are required to intervene once truancy has been identified and disparities in prosecutions and fines. We conclude that harmonising truancy laws in Australia is likely to increase parental understanding and thereby compliance with school attendance laws.

本文对澳大利亚有关逃学的法律规定和政策进行了分析。我们研究了低频逃学在澳大利亚逃学法律和政策中的特征，并着重指出了澳大利亚各州和领地在文化法律背景上的异同。相似之处包括约6至17岁的上学要求以及父母（主要是父母）对儿童缺勤的法律责任。差异包括，一旦确定逃学，澳大利亚不同州和领地的学校必须干预的最低门槛，以及起诉和罚款方面的差异。我们得出的结论是，统一澳大利亚的逃学法律可能会增进父母的了解，从而遵守学校出勤法律。