Almost all respondents were (98%) Commonwealth authorised civil marriage celebrants, 90% of which offered other general ceremonies (such as namings, renewals, anniversaries, birthdays)

• Over 60% of which offered funeral, memorials or other loss related celebrancy services.

Approximately 80% of these celebrants were female and 20% male.

Over 80% of these marriage celebrants were over 50 yearsof age.

• About 55% of these marriage celebrants were over the age of 60 years
• Less than 10% under 40 years of age.

The survey was a reasonably representative sample with respondents in all states and territories, and across a variety of locations – cities, towns, villages and remote areas.

• Half of celebrant respondents were from capital cities and suburbs, 26% from regional cities and suburbs with the remainder of celebrant respondents 23% from regional towns, villages and remote areas.

Over 50% of marriage celebrant surveyed were authorised between 2003 and 2010 when only one unit of the VET Certificate IV in Marriage Celebrancy was the entry criteria.

• A further 37% have authorised with the full Certificate IV in Celebrancy as the authorisation requirement.
• Less than 10% of marriage celebrants were authorised prior to the 2003 changes to the Marriage Act.

Over 75% of marriage celebrants reported doing less that 20 weddings pa, with 55% of marriage celebrants reported doing nine or less marriages (including 7% no marriages).

• Only approximately 2% reported conducting over 100 marriages pa, which is the level at which a marriage celebrant would need to work to do able to make close to an average fulltime wage equivalent (after expenses).

Summary:  

99.5% of respondents were authorised marriage celebrants.

Summary:  

91% offer general ceremonies such as namings, renewals, anniversaries, birthdays.

Summary:  

63% offer funeral, memorials or other loss related celebrancy services.

Summary:  

82 % of respondents were female

18% of respondents were female.

Summary:  

6.38% of marriage celebrants respondents were under 40
11% of marriage celebrants respondents were between 40 and 50 

82.62% of marriage celebrants respondents were over 50

Summary:  

87% of respondents reside in Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia   
 29.5 % of respondents reside in Victoria   (compares with 25.2% Vic population) 
 24.5 % of respondents reside in New South Wales  (compares with 32.0% NSW population)
 18 % of respondents reside in Queensland  (compares with 20.1% QLD population)
 15 % of respondents reside in Western Australia  (compares with 10.8% WA population)

 13% of respondents reside in South Australia, Tasmania, ACT and Northern Territory  
   8.2 % of respondents reside in South Australia (compares with 7.1% SA population)
   2.7 % of respondents reside in Tasmania  (compares with 2.2% TAS population)
   1.4 % of respondents reside in ACT  (compares with 1.6 % ACT population
   0.7 % of respondents reside in Northern Territory (compares with 1.0% NT population)

Summary:  

50.7 %  of respondents perform the majority of ceremonies in Capital city and suburbs

50.5 % of respondents perform the majority of ceremonies in Regional city & suburbs or Regional towns or villages

4.3 % of respondents perform the majority of ceremonies in Rural / remote area or Off shore islands 

Summary:  


Note: F&P = Fit and proper persons; COI/B2B = Conflict of Interest/ Business to Business

10% authorised between 1973 and end 1995

1.2%   of respondents between 1973 to 1984 (public speaking exp., community volunteer; F&P; no COI/ B2B*) 
  3%    of respondents between 1985 to 1994 (* as above plus age over 35?)

 5.5%  of respondents authorised between 1995 to 2002 (* as above plus fee deregulated)

53% of respondents authorised between 2003 to June 2010 (One unit of Cert IV in Marriage Celebrancy + F&P) 
25%     of respondents between July 2010 to June 2014  (Cert IV in Celebrancy + F&P) 
12 %    of respondents between July 2014 to June 2016 (Cert IV in Celebrancy + F&P)

37% after June 2010 authorised after June 2010 
0.5%  not applicable

Summary:  

Three quarters of all marriage celebrants (75.8%) reported doing less than 20 weddings in the previous year.

More than half of marriage celebrants (55%) reported 9 or less weddings pa - including 7% who reported doing no weddings.

About 25% of marriage celebrants reporting doing between 20 and 100 weddings 

1.3 % of marriage celebrants reporting doingover 100 weddings pa