Specific Goals for the next Decade - Revised 2018

Cost Recovery for Marriage Celebrants

1. 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.
   
   
2. The expertise of marriage celebrant practitioners to be effectively used to ensure that the Attorney-General's department services are relevant and necessary for the delivery of marriage services to the Australia public by marriage celebrant professionals.
   
   
3. The State and Territory Registry Offices to ensure that the registration of births, deaths and marriages continue to be their primary role and focus

The Marriage Act 1961

1. The Marriage Act is reviewed and revised, on a periodic basis, to ensure the basic requirements for legal marriage are present in every wedding ceremony whether the ceremony is a religious or a civil one.
   
   
2. The Marriage Act ensure that all marriage celebrants, whether registered or religious, are treated equally with respect to the regulation of their duties in performing the valid marriage component of the wedding ceremony, whether the ceremony uses the rites of a specific religious group or a Civil ceremony of the couples choice.

Celebrant Education and Continuing Professional Development

1. Professional celebrant associations covering independent Subdivision C celebrants to have the ability to determine the professional development for their own members as is the case for Subdivision A and B celebrants, and other professions.
   
   
2. All authorised marriage celebrants including Subdivisions A and B, to have initial training in marriage law and be required to do compulsory professional development as determined by the Attorney-General’s Department.

1. Every valid/ legal marriage ceremony to include consent by the parties to the marriage in front of an authorised celebrant and their witnesses.
   
   
2. Every marriage celebrant to make clear to the parties to the marriage, witnesses and all the guests that a marriage according to Marriage law is being conducted and that they are the celebrant authorised by law to witness and register the marriage.
   
   
3. If the definition of marriage is changed to include same sex couples, that the new definition be, "marriage means the union of a two people of marriageable age to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life."
   
   
4. Partnerships be build with government departments and community agencies directly involved in the delivery of marriage education.