AGD Services provided under Cost Recovery
Cost Recovery supporting documents in 2013 make it clear that the introduction of fees to regulate only Commonwealth marriage celebrants is planned to recover 90% ($1.8 million) of the national government budget on marriage law related matters in the Attorney-General's portfolio.
CoCA argued and continues to recommend that marriage law and its regulation of marriage celebrants should apply the same basic principles and fees (recommendation 6) to all marriage celebrants whether religious or civil.
The 10% remaining leaves only $200,000 for attention to marriage policy and marriage law review.
As such, one of CoCA's main objectives is to:
"Commonwealth marriage celebrant’s annual fees for regulation to be used transparently, effectively, and efficiently and not greater than that able to be delivered by a non-government agency, and evidenced by the fees remaining the same annual level (CPI adjusted) or decreased."
Please raise your concerns with CoCA via "What's On Your Mind?"