3310.0 - Marriages and Divorces, Australia, 2013  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 26/11/2014   
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DIVORCES


NUMBER OF DIVORCES

In 2013, there were 47,638 divorces granted in Australia, a decrease of 2,279 (4.6%) compared with 2012.

2.1 Total divorces granted, Australia, 1993–2013
GRAPH: Total divorces granted, Australia, 1993–2013



CRUDE DIVORCE RATE


The crude divorce rate is calculated as the number of divorces granted during a calendar year per 1,000 estimated resident population at 30 June of the same year. Refer to the Glossary and Explanatory Notes 32 and 38-40 for further information.

In 2013, the crude divorce rate in Australia was 2.1 divorces per 1,000 estimated resident population, a decrease from 2.2 divorces per 1,000 estimated resident population reported for 2011 and 2012.

2.2 Crude divorce rates, Australia, 1993–2013
GRAPH: Crude divorce rates, Australia, 1993–2013



AGE AT MARRIAGE, SEPARATION AND DIVORCE


Overall, males granted a divorce in 2013 tended to be older than females at marriage, separation and divorce.

In 2013, 59.4% of females and 50.4% of males granted a divorce were less than 45 years of age.


2.3 Age at divorce, Australia, 2013

GRAPH: Age at divorce, Australia, 2013



The highest proportion of divorces granted was to people 40-44 years of age.

In 2013, the median age of males at divorce was 44.8 years and 42.2 years for females. The median age at marriage for those divorcing in 2013 was 28.6 years for males and 26.2 years for females, while the median age at separation for those granted a divorce in 2013 was 41.3 years for males and 38.7 years for females.


2.4 Median age at divorce, Australia, 1993–2013

GRAPH: Median age at divorce, Australia, 1993–2013



The median age at divorce has been increasing for both males and females over the past 20 years. The median age at divorce for males and females in 2013 increased compared with 2012, from 44.6 to 44.8 years for males, and from 41.8 to 42.2 years for females.


AGE-SPECIFIC DIVORCE RATES

Age-specific divorce rates can provide a more detailed picture of the ages at which people are granted a divorce. These rates give an indication of the proportion of all males or females in a particular age group who were granted a divorce per 1,000 estimated resident population of the same age group. More information regarding the calculation of age-specific divorce rates is provided in the Glossary and Explanatory Notes 38-40 and 45.

In 2013, the divorce rate decreased for both males and females in every age group except for 65 and over. In 2013, age-specific divorce rates for males and females were highest among people between 40-44 years of age. The rate for males between 40-44 years of age was 9.6 divorces per 1,000 estimated resident population while for females it was 9.9 divorces per 1,000 estimated resident population.


2.5 Age-specific divorce rates(a), Australia, Selected years, 1993–2013

Age group (years)
1993
2003
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013

MALES
24 and under
1.0
0.4
0.3
0.3
0.4
0.4
0.3
25–29
8.5
5.3
3.7
3.7
3.9
3.9
3.7
30–34
13.1
10.8
7.9
7.7
7.3
7.4
6.9
35–39
13.1
12.6
10.1
10.2
9.3
9.4
8.7
40–44
12.8
12.6
10.5
10.7
10.3
10.4
9.6
45–49
10.8
11.7
10.2
10.5
9.8
10.0
9.5
50–54
8.4
9.5
9.0
8.9
8.8
8.9
8.3
55–59
5.3
7.1
6.8
6.6
6.6
6.6
6.5
60–64
3.3
4.3
4.6
4.6
4.4
4.7
4.5
65 and over
1.3
1.5
1.6
1.7
1.5
1.7
1.7

FEMALES
24 and under
2.3
1.1
0.8
0.9
1.0
0.9
0.8
25–29
12.5
8.5
6.1
6.1
6.0
6.1
5.7
30–34
13.9
13.1
9.5
9.2
8.7
8.8
8.3
35–39
13.2
13.1
10.8
11
10.1
10.3
9.3
40–44
11.5
12.3
10.7
10.9
10.5
10.7
9.9
45–49
9.4
10.5
9.8
9.8
9.5
9.5
9.3
50–54
5.9
7.3
7.3
7.3
7.2
7.5
7.1
55–59
3.2
4.7
4.9
4.8
4.6
4.9
4.7
60–64
1.9
2.8
2.8
2.8
2.8
2.9
2.8
65 and over
0.5
0.6
0.6
0.7
0.6
0.7
0.7

(a) Number of divorces per 1,000 estimated resident population at 30 June for each reference year respectively. See Glossary and Explanatory Notes 36–42 for further information.


DIVORCES INVOLVING CHILDREN


In 2013, there were 22,590 divorces involving children under 18 years of age. This represents 47.4% of all divorces granted.


2.6 Proportion of divorces involving children, Australia, 1993–2013(a)

GRAPH: Proportion of divorces involving children, Australia, 1993–2013
(a) Proportion estimated in 1995 due to unavailability of data.


The number of children affected by divorce has decreased from 44,834 in 2012 to 41,747 in 2013. The average number of children for divorces involving children decreased to 1.8 children per divorce.


LENGTH OF MARRIAGE OF DIVORCING COUPLES

The median duration of marriage to divorce increased from 10.7 years in 1993 to a peak of 12.6 years in 2005. Since 2005 it has decreased slightly, with a median duration of marriage to divorce of 12.1 years recorded in 2013.


2.7 Median duration to separation and divorce, Australia, 1993–2013

GRAPH: Median duration to separation and divorce, Australia, 1993–2013



Similarly the median duration of marriage to separation increased from 7.6 years in 1993 to a peak of 8.9 years in 2006. In 2013, the median duration of marriage to separation was 8.5 years.


APPLICANT FOR DIVORCE

Over the last 20 years, the proportion of joint applications for divorce has been increasing, while the proportion of applications by one applicant has decreased. In 2010, the number of joint applications outnumbered male applications and female applications for the first time. In 2013, the proportion of joint applications increased again and remains the highest applicant type at 41.2% of all applications.


2.8 Type of divorce applicant, Australia, 1993–2013

GRAPH: Type of divorce applicant, Australia, 1993–2013



STATE AND TERRITORY DATA

Divorce statistics in this publication are presented by the state or territory where the court granting divorce was located, rather than the state or territory of usual residence of the applicants. The ABS advises caution in the interpretation of data at a state or territory level as applicants for divorce may apply through their nearest court rather than a court in their state or territory of usual residence. For further information refer to Explanatory Notes 25, 30-35.

In 2013, the number of divorces granted in all states and territories decreased compared with 2012, with the exception of Western Australia where the number of divorces granted increased by 195 (3.8% higher in comparison with 2012). The largest decreases occurred in Victoria (820, or 6.6% lower in comparison with 2012) and New South Wales (787, or 5.4% lower in comparison with 2012)


2.9 Number of divorces, States and territories(a), Selected years, 1993-2013

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

1993
14,753
11,050
9,935
4,063
4,654
1,465
382
2,061
48,363
2003
16,285
12,865
10,681
4,151
5,685
1,336
490
1,652
53,145
2008
13,914
11,623
10,615
3,466
4,718
1,154
367
1,351
47,209
2009
14,617
12,160
11,174
3,663
4,767
1,215
433
1,419
49,448
2010
14,655
12,368
11,418
3,849
4,835
1,257
429
1,429
50,240
2011
13,917
12,271
11,393
3,506
5,020
1,096
351
1,381
48,935
2012
14,607
12,483
11,317
3,511
5,073
1,161
391
1,374
49,917
2013
13,820
11,663
10,861
3,343
5,268
972
379
1,332
47,638

(a) Divorces are presented by the state or territory where the court granting divorce was located, rather than the state or territory 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 30–35 for more information.


Australian Capital Territory had the highest crude divorce rate of 3.5 divorces per 1,000 estimated resident population, while the Northern Territory had the lowest divorce rate at 1.6 per 1,000 estimated resident population.

Tasmania, ACT and Queensland reported the highest proportion of all divorces involving children, at 52.0%, 50.3% and 49.9% respectively. Northern Territory (41.2%) reported the lowest proportion of divorces involving children.

Tasmania had the highest median age at divorce for males at 45.9 years, followed by South Australia (45.7 years), while New South Wales had the lowest median age at divorce for males at 44.1 years of age.

Australian Capital Territory had the highest median age at divorce for females at 43.2 years, followed by South Australia and Tasmania (42.9 years), while New South Wales had the lowest median age at divorce for females at 41.4 years of age.

Median length of marriage prior to divorce was highest in Australian Capital Territory (13.6 years) followed by Tasmania (13.5 years), while New South Wales (11.1 years) had the shortest median length of marriage to divorce.

In 2013, all states and territories except Tasmania recorded more joint applications for divorce than male applications or female applications.


2.10 Selected divorce indicators, States and territories(a), 2013

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

Divorces granted no.
13,820
11,663
10,861
3,343
5,268
972
379
1,332
47,638
Crude divorce rate(d)
1.9
2.0
2.3
2.0
2.1
1.9
1.6
3.5
2.1
Divorces involving children(e)
Proportion of all divorces %
45.8
46.3
49.9
48.9
47.0
52.0
41.2
50.3
47.4
Average number of children per divorce(f) no.
1.8
1.8
1.9
1.8
1.8
1.9
1.8
1.9
1.8
Median age at divorce
Malesyears
44.1
44.5
45.2
45.7
45.5
45.9
45.0
45.5
44.8
Femalesyears
41.4
41.9
42.6
42.9
42.8
42.9
42.3
43.2
42.2
Median length of marriage
To separationyears
7.6
8.4
9.1
9.6
8.6
9.7
8.3
9.9
8.5
To divorceyears
11.1
12.0
12.7
13.0
12.4
13.5
12.0
13.6
12.1
Applicant(g)
Male no.
3,561
3,145
2,689
918
1,304
319
99
294
12,329
Female no.
4,404
4,197
3,528
1,178
1,491
369
94
423
15,684
Joint no.
5,855
4,321
4,644
1,247
2,473
284
186
615
19,625

(a) Divorces are presented by the state/territory location of the court granting divorce rather than usual residence, and as such caution should be taken in comparing divorce numbers with the populations of each state/territory. See Explanatory Notes 20-25 for more information.
(b) Rates for the Australian Capital Territory are not published due to the high proportion of applicants from south-eastern New South Wales and Victoria who apply for divorce through Australian Capital Territory courts. See Explanatory Note 32 for more information.
(c) The total may be greater than the sum of its components as it includes divorces granted where the state/territory of registration was not available.
(d) Per 1,000 estimated resident population at 30 June. See Glossary and Explanatory Notes 36–42 for more information.
(e) Unmarried children of the marriage who were aged under 18 years at the time of application for divorce. See Glossary for more information.
(f) Excludes divorces not involving children.
(g) Excludes divorces where type of applicant is not stated.