Prostitution in Australia is governed by state laws, which vary from state to state. Street prostitution is illegal in all states except New South Wales and Victoria where it is prohibited near churches, schools, hospitals and similar venues. New South Wales , Victoria and Tasmania allow licensed brothels, and the Australian Capital Territory , Queensland and Western Australia permit one-woman brothels. Procuring the services of a prostitute is illegal in all states except Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory , which only prohibit clients of underage prostitutes.

Brothels are illegal and allowing premises to be used as a brothel is an offence in the Northern Territory where, however, the operation of a licensed escort agency business is permitted. Receiving money for prostitution in a brothel is prohibited in South Australia , while in Tasmania a person must not be a commercial operator of a sexual services business and it is illegal to receive commercial sexual services.

In Western Australia the legislation decriminalizing and regulating brothels, and providing sex workers with basic industrial rights such as workers compensation and superannuation was recently introduced.