3310.0 - Marriages and Divorces, Australia, 2010 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 30/11/2011   
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Contents >> Marriages >> STATE AND TERRITORY DATA

STATE AND TERRITORY DATA

In 2010, the greatest increases in the number of marriages registered were in Western Australia (up by 500, 4.1%) and Victoria (up by 392, 1.4%). The only decreases in the number of marriages were in New South Wales (down by 145, or 0.4%) and Tasmania (down by 60, or 2.3%).

1.13 Number of marriages, by Jurisdiction(a), Selected years - 1990-2010

NSW
Vic.
Qld
SA
WA
Tas.
NT
ACT
Aust.

1990
41 450
30 120
19 671
9 609
10 613
3 026
740
1 730
116 959
2000
39 323
26 852
22 842
8 227
11 000
2 589
861
1 735
113 429
2006
38 071
26 564
25 043
7 841
11 602
2 664
799
1 638
114 222
2007
37 982
26 967
25 808
8 095
12 290
2 791
779
1 610
116 322
2008
39 137
27 089
26 803
8 046
12 367
2 685
955
1 674
118 756
2009
40 516
27 750
26 342
8 208
12 184
2 637
919
1 562
120 118
2010
40 371
28 142
26 530
8 323
12 684
2 577
954
1 595
121 176

(a) Marriages are presented by the state or territory where the marriage was registered, rather than the state of usual residence of the applicants. The ABS advises caution in the interpretation and comparison of data at a state or territory level. See Explanatory Notes 24-25 for more information.


Queensland recorded the highest crude marriage rate in 2010 (5.9 marriages per 1,000 estimated population), whilst the Northern Territory had the lowest crude marriage rate, with 4.2 marriages per 1,000 population.

Marriages performed by ministers of religion as a proportion of all marriages in 2010 were highest in the Australian Capital Territory (35.5%) and lowest in the Northern Territory (22.0%).

In 2010, the proportion of marriages where couples lived together prior to marriage was lowest in New South Wales (72.1%) and highest in Queensland (86.5%).

1.14 Selected marriage indicators(a), States and Territories of registration(b) - 2010

NSW
Vic.
Qld
SA
WA
Tas.
NT
ACT
Aust.

Marriages registered no.
40 371
28 142
26 530
8 323
12 684
2 577
954
1 595
121 176
Crude marriage rate(c) rate
5.6
5.1
5.9
5.1
5.5
5.1
4.2
4.4
5.4
Median age at first marriage
Males no.
31.1
31.3
31.7
31.6
32.0
32.7
34.1
30.9
31.4
Females no.
29.0
29.3
29.4
29.3
29.5
30.3
30.7
28.9
29.2
Previous marital status
First marriage both partners no.
29 345
20 613
18 238
5 811
8 819
1 701
635
1 168
86 330
First marriage one partner no.
6 584
4 494
4 665
1 338
2 187
444
174
242
20 128
Remarriage both partners no.
4 442
3 035
3 627
1 174
1 678
432
145
185
14 718
Marriage celebrants(d)
Ministers of religion
Number of marriages no.
14 106
8 866
6 652
2 732
3 427
691
210
567
37 251
Proportion of marriages %
34.9
31.5
25.1
32.8
27.0
26.8
22.0
35.5
30.7
Civil celebrants
Number of marriages no.
26 232
19 242
19 855
5 591
9 233
1 876
744
1 027
83 800
Proportion of marriages %
65.0
68.4
74.8
67.2
72.8
72.8
78.0
64.4
69.2
Relative birthplace of male and female(e)
Both born in Australia no.
21 337
15 553
16 383
5 526
6 256
1 995
559
979
68 588
Both born in the same overseas country no.
6 161
4 074
2 116
654
1 305
62
65
148
14 585
Born in different countries no.
12 852
8 508
8 022
2 143
5 083
520
329
468
37 925
Cohabitation prior to marriage
Number of marriages no.
29 094
21 578
22 949
6 778
10 462
2 226
794
1 313
95 194
Proportion of marriages %
72.1
76.7
86.5
81.4
82.5
86.4
83.2
82.3
78.6

(a) See Glossary for definitions of terms used.
(b) By state and territory where marriage is registered. See Explanatory Note 24-25 for further details.
(c) Marriages per 1,000 of estimated resident population at 30 June. See Glossary and explanatory Notes 39 and 46 for further information.
(d) Excludes marriages where the rite is not stated or not defined. Registers of ministers of religion are maintained by states and territories under the authority of the Marriage Act 1961. Data on religious marriage rites are classified to the Australian Standard Classification of Religious Groups, 1996 (ASCRG, cat 1266.0).
(e) Excludes marriages where country of birth of one or both partners is not stated.





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