Leaving Home Underage: Australian Legal Advice

[Newo Ikkin]

So i'm 17 and i live with my mum. We don't have much of a relationship. She is unemployed and a full-time uni student. I work in a fast food restaurant. She often needs money from me, but she won't allow me to work more than 2 days a week, i have to borrow money from my boyfriend whom she won't allow me to see.
I can't be myself at home, she hates the australian culture, society, she doesn't understand it, it's very difficult living at home. I'm struggling at school. I'm having severe panic attacks every few months, i feel living with her is making me miserable and stressed and constantly cautious about everything i do.

I no longer want to be under her custody, i want to live with my friend and her father. I honestly don't think i can finish my HSC living with her. But she refuses to consent me to leave, she refuses to kick me out.

If i just leave (or "run away"), but make sure i'm in a safe place, stable income, my high school and the police are informed, is there anything she can do?
If she calls the police what can they do?
If she can't afford a lawyer can she still take it to court?
Can my friends father get in trouble?
Is this illegal?

[katpanda]

You live in Australia correct?
The police can not force you to go back home if you are over 16. At the age of 16, you are legally allowed to make the decision to move out of home.

[exoticturtle]

Hey
I'm in Australia too. And am in a very similar situation. Except I don't have a job :/ The police can't force you back home, but trust me, your mum is likely to be contacting you in some way and driving you crazy. Unless she's hurting you badly, your mum still can see you and contact you. And force you to return home herself. Like mine did. If you can, try getting you and your mum to talk to a family counsellor or something, coz moving out of home before you're 18 will be difficult. If nothing gets through to her, then I wish you best of luck leaving home <3 I'm here to talk to if you want.

[Marguerite]

As the first person said, it is legal. You can move out and live wherever you want now you are over 16. The police, your mother, social services or any other organisation cannot do anything to the affect of forcing you to live somewhere not of your choosing.

Are you on Centrelink youth allowence? If so your payment will be bumped from $200 to $350 per fortnight if you are living away from home, which is a plus.

Originally Posted by exoticturtle

Unless she's hurting you badly, your mum still can see you and contact you. And force you to return home herself. Like mine did.

I don't mean to be blunt but this is not true. I'm not suggesting OP cut off all relations with her mother but it would be well within her rights to do so if she so chooses. Her mother also cannot force her to come home. She has no say in the matter really.