Notes:

1. The Act was established in the middle of the last century based upon British legislation pioneered in 1836. Unlike France where all couples must attend a registry office to legally marry, couples in the Australian community may choose from 4 types of marriage celebrants.
   
   ·       Subdivision A - Religious celebrants from Recognised Religions (22,880* - 72.1%)
   
   ·       Subdivision B - Marriage Officers in State and Territory Registry Offices (293* - 0.9%)
   
   ·       Subdivision C - Independent Civil Marriage Celebrants (8040* - 25.3%)
   
   ·       Subdivision C - Independent Religious Marriage Celebrants (539*- 1.7%)
   
   Total of all = 31,752
   
   All marriage celebrants perform the same legal functions on behalf of the government, whether the ceremony is religious or civil, long or short. These functions are to:
   
   • accept a Notice of Intended Marriage from the couple within the legal timeframe required
   • assess whether the parties to the marriage are free to marry one another
   • be satisfied with the identities of the couple and the information they provided
   • complete the required documentation prior to the ceremony
   • conduct a marriage ceremony after which the couple sign the relevant documents
   • complete the processing of the marriage documents, and
   • register the marriage with the relevant state or territory registry office.
   
   This is because our Federal government granted this civil function of witnessing and registering a marriage according to civil law to these different groups including religious celebrants.
   
   * Figures at 04-01-2017
   
   
   
2. Unlike the UK, where couples can only marry in civil ceremonies at venues where the government designates Registry Office Staff to perform marriage, independent professional Subdivision C civil celebrants are authorised to marry anywhere within Australia.
   
   Inclusion of independent professional civil celebrants in Subdivision C marriage celebrants is a world first and is unique as it allows personalised ceremonies for couples to:
   
   ·       choose the marriage celebrant they want
   
   ·       choose a venue, the time and day of the ceremony
   
   ·       choose any number of guests
   
   ·       choose the ceremony of their choice without discrimination on the basis of religion or personal conscience of the celebrant
   
   The other subdivisions offer restricted or standardised services due to their organisational structure.
   
   
3. CoCA sent a survey on Same-sex Marriage to 6654 authorised marriage celebrants on 4th August 2015. 1491 (22.4%) celebrants responded.
   
   The purpose of the survey was to provide CoCA and the Attorney-General’s Department with information about independent civil celebrants views on Same Sex marriage, should this become legal. The results were:
   
   ·       80% indicated they would happily marry same sex couples
   
   ·       6.5 % indicated they would accept same sex clients if legally required to do so
   
   ·       10.5 % indicated they would consider discreetly refusing (i.e. be 'unavailable')
   
   ·       3 % indicated they would resign if the definition of marriage were to be changed.
   
   
4. Marriage Act 1961 Section 45
   
   
5. Marriage Act 1961 Section 46