And with little social precedent to follow, this new wave of single women are making up their own rules as they go along, choosing how and where they will live, how to manage friendships, family and relationships, career and financial concerns independent of partners. Single women are reinventing themselves as strong, motivated career women and mothers, for many of whom being single is their choice. Some choose to remain single longer, others are widowed or divorced and some will never marry. According to the 1996 census, women in their late 20s were also avoiding the walk down the aisle, with 45 per cent of them unmarried in 1996 compared with 27 per cent in 1986. Australian Bureau of Statistics figures show that in 1997 the number of women, aged 25 to 29 marrying was 9.5 per cent, in 1976, the figure was 16 per cent.
More women also live alone than men.
Mary Helen Woods, the vice-president of the Australian Family Association, says reasons for increasing numbers of single women are complicated. Ms Woods said. But Ms Woods believes this trend away from marriage and families has serious ramifications for young women and society. It's not in the best interests of these women, their offspring or their parents. There are certain acknowledged conventions in society, and marriage is one of them, and it has always worked very effectively - certainly from a taxpayer's point of view.