Marriage Act 1961 ( Australia ) - Wikipedia Marriage Act 1961 ( Australia ) This article may require copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone, or spelling. You can assist by editing it. ( July 2017 ) Marriage Act 1961 Parliament of Australia An Act relating to Marriage Citation No. 12, 1961 Date of Royal Assent 6 May 1961 Status : Current legislation In Australia, the Marriage Act 1961 is the current Act that regulates marriage law in Australia. The Act was passed by the Australian Parliament and has been amended on numerous occasions and applies uniformly throughout Australia ( including its external territories ) ; and any law made by a State or Territory inconsistent with the Act is invalid. The Act is made pursuant to power granted to the federal parliament under s. 51 ( xxi ) of the Australian Constitution. The Act recognises only marriages of two people and does not recognise any other forms of union, including traditional Aboriginal unions. An amendment to the Act to legalise same - sex marriage passed into law on 8 December 2017. The Family Law Act 1975 treats de facto relationships and polygamous marriages as marriages for the purpose of recognising the rights of parties at a breakup. Since 2009, the Family Law Act 2009 has also recognised the property rights of each partner of de facto relationships on separation. Contents 1 Marriageable age 2 Void marriages 3 Solemnisation of marriages in Australia 3.1 Authorised celebrants 3.1. 1 Religious ministers 3.1. 2 Registry office marriages 3.1. 3 Civil celebrants 4 Recognition of foreign marriages 5 Other sections 6 Marriage education 7 Amendments to the Marriage Act 7.1 Marriage Amendment Act 2004 7.2 Marriage Amendment ( Definition and Religious Freedoms ) Act 2017 8 Same - sex marriage in the ACT 9 See also 10 References 11 External sources Marriageable age Part II ( s. 10 - 21 ) deals with the marriageable age and the marriage of minors. In the original 1961 Act, marriageable age was set at 16 for females and 18 for males. The marriageable age was equalised in 1991 by the Sex Discrimination Amendment Act 1991 which raised the marriageable age of females to 18. The marriage of a person aged 16 or 17 to another aged over 18 is permitted in ' unusual and exceptional circumstances ', which requires the consent of the younger person 's parents and authorisation by a court. Prior to the 1991 changes, the ' unusual and exceptional circumstances ' procedures applied to a girl aged 14 or 15 ( wanting to marry a male aged 18 or above ) or a male aged 16 or 17 ( wanting to marry a female aged 16 or above ). For many years, courts have refused to accept a minor 's pregnancy as a pressing consideration in deciding whether to allow an early marriage. Void marriages Part III entitled ' void marriages ' establishes the circumstances in which a marriage is void. To preserve the validity of past marriages, this part is divided into years based on when amendments to this Act were introduced. A purported marriage is void if : either party is already married ( bigamy, polygamy ). the parties are in a prohibited relationship : direct descendants or siblings, including adopted ( by law ) relationships. the marriage was not solemnised by an authorised celebrant ( as in Part IV, Division 2 ). there is no consent, for example due to duress, fraud, mistake as to identity, mistake as to nature of ceremony, mental incapacity, or below marriageable age in Part II. Solemnisation of marriages in Australia Part IV entitled ' Solemnisation of Marriages in Australia ' deals with who is authorised to be a wedding celebrant, and the procedures to be followed. It also contains a division on marriages by foreign diplomatic or consular officers. Authorised celebrants Division 1 deals with authorised celebrants. Under the current Act three types of celebrants are allowed : ministers of religion, State and Territory officers, and ( civil ) marriage celebrants. Religious ministers Under Subdivision A, a register is kept of ministers of religion ( s. 27 ) of ' recognised ' denominations ( s26 ). The only requirements for registration is that the person is a minister of religion who is nominated by their denomination and is resident in Australia and over 21 years ( s29 ). A minister will be registered ( s30 ) unless the registrar refuses registration because there are sufficient ministers of that denomination, the minister is ' not a fit and proper person ', or will not devote sufficient time to the functions of a minister of religion ( s31 ). In general, the act establishes a broad scheme which recognises a religious wedding ceremony that is conducted by a registered minister. Ministers of religion are not bound to solemnise any marriage. Nothing in Part IV of the Marriage Act imposes an obligation on an authorised celebrant, being a minister of religion, to solemnise any marriage ( s47 ). Registry office marriages Subdivision B ( s. 39 ) preserves the power of ' state and territory officers ', allowing people who register marriages ( under a state law ) to also solemnise marriages ( i.e. registry marriages ). Civil celebrants Subdivision C deals with ' marriage celebrants ', or the authorisation of people to conduct civil ceremonies. Section 39B allows the register to be kept and sections 39D - E are procedural and seek to set up processes to control the number of celebrants. This section was introduced by the Marriage Amendment Act 2002, after an Attorney - General inquiry into the Civil Celebrants Program. Prior to the passage of this amendment the authorisation of celebrants was entirely contained in s39, which had a s39 ( 2 ) allowing the recognition of other ' fit and proper persons ' as civil marriage celebrants, religious celebrants outside a recognised denomination, and celebrants with special community needs. The original 1961 Act therefore allowed civil ceremonies, and the first civil celebrants were authorised in 1973. By the time the amendments were introduced civil celebrants performed over 50 % of marriages. The changes therefore provide legislative recognition to civil celebrants, and prescribe a regime beyond being ' fit and proper ' in order to control the quality and number of celebrants. Section 39C now lists a number of requirements to be registered as civil celebrant, in addition to being over 18 and ' fit and proper '. The register will take into account : knowledge of the law, a commitment to advising about relationship counselling, good community standing, criminal record, the existence of a conflict of interest or benefit to business, and ' any other matter '. Section 39G imposes ' obligations ' on civil celebrants. These include professional development and an adherence to a code of practice. Sections 39H, I, and J set up a review of celebrants and a disciplinary system. Significantly, Subdivision C deals only with marriage celebrants ( civil or not a recognised religion ), not with ministers of religion which are governed by Subdivision A. As a result, ministers of religion are not necessarily subject to the same obligations or code of practice. Recognition of foreign marriages Part VA deals with recognition of foreign marriages. This division reflects the Act 's tendency to seek to uphold the validity of marriages. Marriages will be recognised if they were valid in the country where they were performed if the marriage would be legal under Australian law. The foreign marriage certificate is proof of marriage and marriages need not be registered. As a marriage must be legal under Australian law, a foreign marriage will not be recognised if a person was already married ( or the overseas divorce is not recognised in Australia ), a person was under 18 ( subject to some exceptions ), the persons were siblings or parent / child, or there was duress or fraud. Other sections Marriages by Foreign Diplomatic or Consular Officers ( Division 3 of Part IV ) : there are currently no Australian diplomatic or consular officers appointed to solemnise marriages overseas under Australian law. Marriages of Members of the Defence Force Overseas : Part V of the act deals with marriages of members of the Defence Force overseas. Legitimation of children ( Part VI ) The Act legitimises children if their parents marry, including some recognised foreign marriages, or result from a void marriages. Offences ( Part VII ) : e.g. bigamy, marrying a person below marriageable age ( child marriages ), a celebrant solemnising a marriage when believe legal impediment etc. Miscellaneous provisions in Part IX -- interpreters, publication of lists of celebrants, etc. Section 111A removed the ability to seek to recover damages for breach of contract where a promise to marry ( an engagement ) did not lead to marriage. Marriage education Part IA authorises the government to make grants to approved organisations for marriage counselling. Amendments to the marriage Act Two amendments of note to the Act have been made with respect to the legal definition of `` marriage '' in Australia, both of which relate to same - sex marriage. Marriage Amendment Act 2004 Before 2004, there was no definition of marriage in the 1961 Act, and instead the common law definition used in the English case Hyde v Hyde ( 1866 ) was considered supreme. Though Sect 46 ( 1 ) of the Act required celebrants to explain the legal nature of marriage in Australia to a couple as `` the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life '', these words were descriptive or explanatory, rather than outlining what constituted a legally valid marriage in Australia. On 27 May 2004 the then federal Attorney - General Philip Ruddock introduced the Marriage Amendment Bill 2004 to incorporate a definition of marriage into the Marriage Act 1961 and to outlaw the recognition of same - sex marriages lawfully entered into in foreign jurisdictions. In June 2004, the bill passed the House of Representatives. On 12 August 2004, the amendment passed the Parliament. The bill subsequently received royal assent, becoming the Marriage Amendment Act 2004. The amendment incorporated a definition of marriage into section 5 of the Act, known was the Interpretation section : marriage means the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life. and inserted a new section : 88EA Certain unions are not marriages A union solemnised in a foreign country between : ( a ) a man and another man ; or ( b ) a woman and another woman ; must not be recognised as a marriage in Australia. The amendment was argued by Ruddock and Liberal MPs to be necessary to protect the institution of marriage, and ensure that the definition would be beyond legal challenge through the application of common law. Several years later, then - Prime Minister John Howard admitted that the government was motivated by the prospect of overseas same - sex marriages being recognised under Australian law via the judiciary. Labor Party shadow Attorney - General Nicola Roxon said that the Labor would not oppose the amendment, arguing that the amendment did not affect the legal situation of same - sex relationships, merely putting into statute law what was already common law. Likewise minor parties Family First and the Christian Democrats parties supported the bill, as did the junior party in the Coalition government, the National Party. Despite having the support of the major parties, the bill was bitterly contested by sections of the community, human rights groups and some minor political parties. The Australian Greens opposed the bill, calling it the `` Marriage Discrimination Act ''. The Australian Democrats also opposed the bill. Democrat Senator Andrew Bartlett stated that the legislation devalues his marriage, and Greens Senator Bob Brown referred to John Howard and the legislation as `` hateful ''. Not all of Labor was in support of the bill. During the bill 's second reading, Labor MP Anthony Albanese said, `` what has caused offence is why the government has rushed in this legislation in what is possibly the last fortnight of parliamentary sittings. This bill is a result of 30 bigoted backbenchers who want to press buttons out there in the community. '' Marriage Amendment ( definition and Religious Freedoms ) Act 2017 Main article : Marriage Amendment ( Definition and Religious Freedoms ) Act 2017 See also : Australian Marriage Law Postal Survey Ahead of both the 2007 and 2010 federal elections, the Labor Party re-asserted its official opposition to amending the Act to legalise same - sex marriage, though by 2011 a clear majority of the party at the national conference succeeded in changing party policy in favour of the practice. Prime Minister Julia Gillard ( opposed to same - sex marriage at the time ) successfully moved for a Labor Party MPs to be granted a conscience vote on same - sex marriage legislation. This, along with the Coalition 's uniform opposition to same - sex marriage whilst in opposition prevented two bills which would have legalised same - sex marriage in Australia from passing the House of Representatives and Senate in September 2012. The Abbott Government ( 2013 - 15 ) initially opposed same - sex marriage, but in August 2015 resolved to put the matter to the people at a plebiscite after the 2016 federal election. This policy was retained by the Turnbull Government ( 2015 - present ), though due to the refusal of the Senate to support the legislation to establish a plebiscite, the government conducted a voluntary postal survey on the matter from September to November 2017. The survey returned 61.6 % `` Yes '' vote in favour of same - sex marriage. The government subsequently committed to facilitating the passage of a private member 's bill to amend the Act, and legalise same - sex marriage, by the end of 2017. The bill in question, the Marriage Amendment ( Definition and Religious Freedoms ) Bill 2017, was introduced by Liberal Party Senator Dean Smith on 15 November 2017. The bill amends the definition of `` marriage '' in the Act, omitting the words `` man and a woman '' and replacing it with the gender - neutral statement `` 2 people ''. The bill passed the Senate by 43 votes to 12 on 29 November 2017 and passed the House of Representatives on 7 December 2017, with only four votes against. It was given royal assent by the Governor General, Sir Peter Cosgrove, on 8 December 2017. The Act had the effect of amending the definition of marriage in Section 5 of the Marriage Act : marriage means the union of 2 people to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life. It also repealed Section 88EA, which banned the recognition of overseas same - sex marriages. Consequently, when the Act went into effect on 9 December 2017, such couples became automatically recognised as married under the law. The original Act and the amendment also applies to Australia 's external territories. Same - sex marriage in the Act In October 2013, same - sex marriage was legalised in the Australian Capital Territory ( ACT ). The ACT legislation was overturned by the High Court for being inconsistent with the Marriage Act. This was due to the definition of the term ' marriage ' in the Marriage Act, which at that time excluded all types of marriage other than that between one man and one woman. See also Celebrant ( Australia ) Marriage Act Marriage in Australia Same - sex marriage in Australia References Jump up ^ Australian Government, Law Reform Commission - Aboriginal Traditional Marriage : Areas for Recognition Jump up ^ Family Law Act 1975 - S. 6 Polygamous marriages Jump up ^ `` ComLaw Acts - Attachment - Sex Discrimination Amendment Act 1991 ''. Scaleplus.law.gov.au. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Jump up ^ http://www.comlaw.gov.au/Details/C2004C05245 Jump up ^ `` Lawstuff Australia - Know Your Rights - Topics - Marriage ''. Jump up ^ and is nominated by a proclaimed ' recognised denomination ' as defined under s26 of the Marriage Act 1961. The term ' minister of religion ' need not correspond to the actual office or title of the celebrant. Jump up ^ Hyde v. Hyde and Woodmansee ( L.R. ) 1 P. & D. 130. Jump up ^ Neilsen, Mary Anne ( 10 February 2012 ). `` Same - sex marriage ''. Background Notes 2011 - 2012. Parliamentary Library ( Australia ). Retrieved 27 December 2016. Jump up ^ http://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Bills_Legislation/bd/bd0405/05bd005 Jump up ^ http://parlinfoweb.aph.gov.au/piweb/translatewipilink.ASPX?Folder=HANSARDR&Criteria=DOC_DATE:2004-05-27;SEQ_NUM:42 ; Jump up ^ Text of Marriage Amendment Act 2004 ( pdf ) Jump up ^ ( 1 ) Archived 29 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine. Jump up ^ `` Marriage Amendment Act 2004 ''. Retrieved 9 August 2017. Jump up ^ `` Archived copy ''. Archived from the original on 24 May 2011. Retrieved 2010 - 06 - 01. Jump up ^ `` John Howard defends Malcolm Turnbull on same - sex plebiscite ''. The Australian. 8 August 2017. ( Subscription required ( help ) ). John Howard : `` What we did n't want to happen in 2004 was for the courts to start adjudicating on the definition of marriage because that was a real threat in 2004 because some people who had contracted same sex marriages in another country had the capacity to bring their issues before courts in Australia ''. Jump up ^ http://parlinfoweb.aph.gov.au/piweb/translatewipilink.ASPX?Folder=HANSARDS&Criteria=DOC_DATE:2004-08-12;SEQ_NUM:324 ; Jump up ^ `` Coalition, Labor pass same - sex marriage ban ''. ABC News Online. 2004 - 08 - 13. Jump up ^ Wright, Tim ( 31 July 2009 ). `` Same - sex couples still waiting at the altar for a basic right ''. The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 7 September 2017. Jump up ^ Albanese, Anthony ( 2004 - 06 - 16 ). `` Marriage Legislation Amendment Bill 2004 : Second Reading ''. Anthony Albanese MP. Archived from the original on 5 June 2008. Retrieved 2008 - 05 - 26. Jump up ^ `` Labor decides on conscience vote for gay marriage ''. ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 3 December 2011. Retrieved 4 December 2016. Jump up ^ `` Labor backs same - sex marriage ''. News Corporation. Jump up ^ `` Lower House votes down same - sex marriage bill ''. ABC News. Jump up ^ `` Australian Senate votes down same - sex marriage bill ''. ABC News. Jump up ^ `` Australia says yes to same - sex marriage in historic postal survey ''. The Guardian. 15 November 2017. Jump up ^ `` Explanatory Memorandum : Marriage Amendment ( Definition and Religious Freedoms ) Bill 2017 ''. Parliament of Australia. 15 November 2017. Jump up ^ `` Dean Smith introduces same - sex marriage bill to parliament ''. The Guardian. 16 November 2017. Jump up ^ `` Same - sex marriage bill passes Senate with day to spare before House of Representatives resumes ''. ABC News. 29 November 2017. Jump up ^ `` Same - sex marriage bill passes House of Representatives after hundreds of hours of debate ''. ABC News. 7 December 2017. ^ Jump up to : `` Same - sex marriage gets the Governor - General 's big tick ''. ABC News. 8 December 2017. Jump up ^ `` Marriage Amendment ( Definition and Religious Freedoms ) Act 2017 ''. Federal Register of Legislation. 9 December 2017. Jump up ^ `` The Commonwealth v Australian Capital Territory ( 2013 ) HCA 55 ''. Jump up ^ `` MARRIAGE ACT 1961 - SECT 5 Interpretation ''. www.austlii.edu.au. Retrieved 2016 - 03 - 09. External sources Marriage Act 1961 on Austlii Proposal to Reform the Civil Marriage Celebrants Programme Discussion Paper on Civil Celebrants Programme ( October 1997 ) Bills Digest on the Marriage Amendment Act 2002 Recognition of Foreign Marriages Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Marriage_Act_1961_(Australia)&oldid=816135812 '' Categories : Acts of the Parliament of Australia Public policy in Australia Marriage, unions and partnerships in Australia 1961 in Australian law Marriage law Hidden categories : Webarchive template wayback links Pages containing links to subscription - only content Use Australian English from November 2017 All Wikipedia articles written in Australian English Wikipedia articles needing copy edit from July 2017 All articles needing copy edit Use dmy dates from September 2010 Talk Contents About Wikipedia Add links This page was last edited on 19 December 2017, at 14 : 33. 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Question: what is the legal age for marriage in australia
Answer: 18; 18; 18