Like
all marriage celebrants, Commonwealth authorised marriage celebrants provide the civil legal component of the marriage (
its witnessing and registration) regardless of what type of ceremony is provided – religious, registry (BDM regulated celebrants) or personalised (AGD regulated celebrants). Therefore all celebrants and all couples should be treated alike under the one Marriage Act for all Australians.
Press reports such
as this one on news.com.au make some of these points and that these fees will impact on the marrying public. CoCA is concerned that these fees charged by the public service do no spiral out of control as at $240 pa these fess already represent 3 times the annual fees charged by other professionals such as teachers who can work full-time.
There are other changes that could adversely affect couples, and as such all couples are encouraged to engage a celebrant who is a member of a CoCA professional association. Members of
professional celebrant association. are likely to be up-to-date with the latest legal requirements and more concerned to ensure that you receive celebancy services of the highest quality.
The Coalition of Celebrant Associations (CoCA) Inc acknowledges that the current government had little room to move with budget pressures.
However CoCA, as the peak body for Commonwealth celebrants recognised by the Attorney-General, plans to work closely with the Attorney-General’s Department to ensure that the services provided to Commonwealth marriage celebrants are necessary and cost-efficient and effective to ensure the continued development of civil celebrancy as a profession as envisaged by the National Liberal-Country Party Government that initiated the setting up of the national Marriage Law and Celebrant section in the Attorney-General’s Department.
CoCA Secretary