Education and Training Act 2020, ss 48, 49, 242
Schools can employ an “attendance officer” to make sure you go to school.
Attendance officers can:
detain (hold) you if they find you outside school
ask you to provide your name and address, the name and address of your school, and the reason why you’re not there
take you home or to the school they think you’re enrolled at if they aren’t satisfied with your response.
Attendance officers need to show evidence of who they are (like a badge) if they talk to you. They can’t go into your home uninvited.
If you or someone else purposely obstructs or interferes with an attendance officer (or police officer), like by providing a fake address, they can be fined up to $1,000.
A police officer has the same powers (listed above) as an attendance officer.