Marriage in Australia

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Married people as a percentage of the over-15-year-old population in Australia, subdivided by statistical local area, according to the 2011 census

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Marriage and divorce rates in Australia from 1901 to 2005

As was the case for other western countries marriage in Australia for most of the 20th century was done early and near-universally, particularly in the period after World War II to the early 1970s. Marriage at a young age was most often associated with pregnancy prior to marriage.

Marriage was once seen as necessary for couples who cohabited. While such an experience for some couples did exist, mostly because it is hard to detect, it was relatively uncommon up until the 1950s in much of the western world. If both partners are under the age of 18, marriage in Australia is not permitted. In ‘exceptional circumstances’ the marriage of persons under 18 but over 16 may be authorised by a court.

The official registration of marriage is the responsibility of each state and territory. A Notice of Intended Marriage is required to be lodged with the chosen celebrant.

According to a 2008 Relationships Australia survey love, companionship and signifying a lifelong commitment were the top reasons for marriage.

History

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Signing the marriage register, 1945

In colonial New South Wales marriage was often an arrangement of convenience. For female convicts marriage was a way of escaping incarceration and land leases were denied to those who were unmarried.

A federal Marriage Act was passed in 1961 which set uniform Australia-wide rules for recognition and solemnisation of marriages. Prior to this Act, the states and territories administered their own marriage laws. The Commonwealth Family Law Act of 1975 made it easier to divorce and removed the concept of fault, requiring only a twelve-month period of partners' separation.

The 1970s saw a significant rise in the divorce rate in Australia. A change in social attitudes from divorce being only acceptable if there were severe problems towards divorce being acceptable if that is the preference of the partners is attributed to this change. By the 1980s the trend towards a delay of first marriage in Australia was evident. In 1989, more than one woman in five had not married by the age of 30.

Australia has recognised de facto relationships since the Family Law Act of 2009.

Social change

Common-law marriage has increased significantly in recent decades but has not replaced traditional marriage in Australia. It is typically a prelude to marriage and reflects the shift to attain financial independence before having children.

In 1971, more than three quarters of women surveyed placed being a mother before their career. By 1991 this figure had dropped to just one quarter.

Same-sex marriage

Same-sex marriage is not permitted in Australia. Since 2004 there have been 16 attempts to have same-sex marriage legalised. In Australia, marriage is defined under the Marriage Amendment Act in 2004 which reads:

Marriage means the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life.

Same-sex couples have access to domestic partnership registries in New South Wales, Tasmania, Queensland and Victoria. Civil unions are performed in the Australian Capital Territory.

Those advocating the retention of the existing Marriage Act, have said:

• that marriage has been defined as a heterosexual union "throughout history, transcending time, religions, cultures, and people" and that, "the modern state recognises and regulates marriage because of its importance to the good of society". There are implications for Freedom of religion and Freedom of thought following any legislated change.
• that the institution of marriage involving a woman and a man for the purpose of having children is one of the bedrocks of Australian society and is common across cultures and has existed for generations. There are good reasons as to why it is so enduring.
• that the institution of marriage involving a woman and a man provides health benefits for society.
• that up until now there have been too many, "slogans, emotional spin and almost unprecedented public bullying of opponents" and that, "we should resist being railroaded into this social change too quickly". There are, "debates within gay communities" as to, "what sort of marriages do homosexual people want?"
• that the word marriage isn’t a label that can transferred to various relationships, as it "has an intrinsic or natural meaning prior to anything we may invent or the state may legislate.

Implications

For adults

Concern has been raised by both Catholic and Anglican church leaders that if same-sex marriage is legislated, there is the probability of restrictions in religious freedom.

Same-sex marriage, with its emphasis on gender neutrality nullifies commonly understood gender pronouns such as husband & wife and bride & groom. Terms such as man & woman and father & mother become "interchangeable social constructs". Similarly, the terms dad & mum and male & female (particularly as reported, a third of transgender people do not identify as male nor female) all become valueless.

A spokesman for the Catholic Church has said, "By logic, if marriage can be redefined as not exclusive to a man and woman then that redefinition can apply to any number of unions and relationships." A convenor of the ACT Greens party has said when same-sex marriage is limited to, "two consenting adults [this] discriminates against others in the gay community, including polyamorists". He accused the Australian Greens of being "hypocrites" because the logic they use to argue for marriage equality should extend to people who have multiple partners. While Sarah Hanson-Young says that the, "institution of marriage should involve only two consenting adults", Natalie Bennett the Australian born convenor of the Green Party of England and Wales has voiced support for polygamy and polyamorous relationships.

While there have been studies carried out on the children of LGBT parents, with some supporting same-sex parenting, and some not, an American sociologist has stated that it is, "too early for social scientists to make far-reaching conclusions about families headed by same-sex couples".

For children

The head of anti-same-sex marriage organization Australian Marriage Forum has stated that children have a birth-right, wherever possible, to both a mother and father, with same-sex marriage being a calculated decision by which a child is forced to miss out on a mother or a father with governments being in the marriage business, "because the union of a man and woman can produce a child and children need a mum and a dad."

For schools

Government funding is provided to an organisation which encourages Australian schools to hold equal marriage rallies and to organise guest speakers talking on subjects such as, "why we support equal marriage" despite being told by government to "stay silent" on same-sex marriage. Schools are also encouraged to hold formals and other significant school events for same-sex students and their partners.

See also

• Australian Aboriginal kinship
• Australian family law
• Celebrant (Australia)
• Polygamy in Australia
• Recognition of same-sex unions in Australia
• Voidable marriages (Australia)

External links

• Getting married - Government information
• Births, deaths and marriages registries - Government information