Coalition of Celebrant Associations

Australia’s Peak Celebrant Body

8.0 Upgrade to MLCS Web and IT systems

The aim of this group of recommendations is to ensure that the proposed upgrade to the MLCS IT infrastructure is cognizant of the requirements of the celebrant users of the system.

8.1 Requirements for Data analysis and planning.

The aim of this recommendation is to ensure that the new system can cater for the data requirements of celebrants and the need for access to statistical data for planning, record keeping and compliance purposes.

It is recommended that
  • CoCA be consulted as regards what data MLCS is proposing to store for planning, program review and compliance needs.
CoCA has expressed to the MLCS, a need for statistics on marriage and marriage celebrants in the areas of compliance, national and regional statistics related to marriage and marriage celebrants and other relevant information. It is vitally important for CoCA to be included in the planning phase to ensure the statistical information required will be available.

8.2 Celebrant Only Section.

The aim of these recommendations is to ensure that the new system can cater for all classes of marriage celebrants to access easily and update details as required and assist with streamlining the work required to confirm celebrant compliance with their obligations and the Code of Practice.

It is recommended that:
  • All marriage celebrants have the ability to login to a secure portion of the new system via an easily understood web portal environment.
This section will allow a celebrant access to their own personal information, as well as contain restricted information such as celebrant only Fact Sheets, Bulletins, OPD information and other information.

It will also allow celebrants to:
  • Update their contact details
  • Provide annual statistics on number of weddings performed and where
  • Provide evidence of their professional attitude and duty of care and
  • Confirm compliance with OPD and other matters related to the Code of Practice.
This should allow MLCS to track marriage celebrant progress through their 5 year compliance review. Thus it should allow for an administrative officer to take less time when addressing the compliance of a particular celebrant, and enable email confirmation of requirements to and from celebrants to MLCS.

This will encourage professional attitudes and behaviours as well as promote the learning of computer skills in the celebrant community, either with association memberships or through OPD training.

8.3 General Public Section.

The aim of this group of recommendations is to ensure that the national register of marriage celebrants contains information pertinent to all aspects of marriage celebrancy, from information about training to finding the right celebrant.

It is recommended that for celebrants:
  • The national register contains celebrant details of suburb/region, phone and email contacts.
  • It also contains language skills and association membership or religious organization affiliation where applicable.
It is considered that these measures will better assist couples to find the right celebrant for them, and will encourage association membership.

It is recommended for the marrying public that information is provided on:
  • The different types of celebrants
  • The different types of fee structures
  • Information on how to choose a celebrant
  • Relationship education
  • Press releases
This information will:
  • Inform and educate the marrying public and the media about a range of matters related to marriage.
  • Encourage stable loving long-term marriages
  • Focus on the importance of the Marriage Ceremony as the one essential and key element of a wedding day.
It is recommended for prospective celebrants that the site provides information about:
  • The celebrants role, and especially the independent civil celebrant role.
  • The characteristics, values, skills and resources one needs to be a competent celebrant
  • The disadvantages as well as advantages of being a celebrant.
  • Financial resources needed to set up a celebrancy practice
  • Step by Step Process of how to apply
  • A listing of CoCA and Celebrant Associations
This will assist prospective celebrants to assess their motivation, general knowledge, interests, health, resources (financial and otherwise) before commencing the pre-training suitability process.

Cost Recovery

See Table Recommendation 13

Read more … see TABLE OF CONTENTS
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