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APPENDIX CHANGES TO THE DISSEMINATION OF DIVORCE STATISTICS


THE NEW ELECTRONIC PRODUCT - DIVORCES, AUSTRALIA (CAT. NO. 3307.0.55.001)

The following is an outline of the structure of this product, Divorces, Australia 2002 (cat. no. 3307.0.55.001). It includes a summary of how the tables in the Main Features and data cube of this product have been modified from the previous release of divorce data in the ABS publication, Marriages and Divorces, Australia (cat. no. 3310.0). Marriages and Divorces, Australia has ceased with the final issue containing marriages data for 2002 only.

Main Features

The Main Features is an article presenting a brief commentary on the latest information about divorce in Australia. It covers key divorce indicators such as;

• divorces granted
• crude and age-specific divorce rates
• median duration of marriage to separation and divorce
• median age at marriage, separation and divorce
• relative age of divorcing parties
• applicant for divorce
• country of birth of divorcing parties
• divorces involving dependant children.

Data cubes

Detailed divorce tables are available for purchase in data cube (Microsoft Excel) format. The tables are based on those published in Marriages and Divorces, Australia 2001. The modifications introduced are the result of a review of marriages and divorces dissemination conducted early in 2003. A summary of the changes is provided below.

Summary of changes to divorce tables
	Table in Marriages and Divorces, Australia 2001 (cat. no. 3310.0)	Details of modification	Corresponding table in Divorces, Australia 2002 (cat. no. 3307.0.55.001)
	3.1 Summary, selected years	'Median duration of marriage' and 'Median interval between marriage and final separation', placed under the heading of 'Median duration of marriage'.	Table 1 of data cube and table 1 of Main Features. Main Features table excludes average dependant children and age-specific divorce rates end at 55 and over.
		'Divorces involving children' renamed to 'Divorces involving dependant children'. 'Average issue' renamed to 'Average dependant children'.
		'Number of dependant children' and 'Relative birthplace of parties' added to table.
		Age-specific divorce rates extended to include 60-64 years and 65 years and over.
		Marital status at marriage deleted.
	3.2 International comparison of divorces	No change.	Table 4 of data cube.
	3.3 Age-specific divorce rates (based on married population)	No change.	Table 3 of data cube.
	3.4 Age of divorcing parties at date of marriage	Deleted.	No table in this product.
	3.5 Age of divorcing parties at date decree made absolute	Redesigned to present relative age of divorcing parties.	Table 5 of data cube.
	3.6 Age at date of final separation, Duration of marriage to separation	Condense duration to separation (years) to: under 1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5-9, 10-14, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29 and 30 years and over.	Table 6 of data cube.
		Condense duration to divorce (years) to: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5-9, 10-14, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29 and 30 years and over.
	3.7 Age at date of decree made absolute, Duration of marriage to divorce	Combined with table 3.6.	Table 6 of data cube.
	3.8 Duration of marriage to divorce, Applicant	Median duration of marriage to divorce by applicant added to table.	Table 7 of data cube.
	3.9 Country of birth of parties	Husband and wife separated into two tables (tables 8 and 9).	Table 8 and 9 of data cube.
		For new tables, counties are reduced to selected countries and major regions. Added to tables are; median duration of marriage to separation and divorce (taken from tables 3.10 and 3.11), divorces involving dependant children, applicant for divorce and median age at marriage, separation and divorce (taken from 3.12 and 3.13).
	3.10 Country of birth of husband, Duration of marriage	Deleted - median duration in table 8 of data cube.	Table 8 of data cube.
	3.11 Country of birth of wife, Duration of marriage	Deleted - median duration in table 9 of data cube.	Table 9 of data cube.
	3.12 Summary selected countries of birth of husband	Deleted - data now in table 8.	Table 8 of data cube.
	3.13 Summary selected countries of birth of wife	Deleted - data now in table 9.	Table 9 of data cube.
	3.14 Number of children of the marriage	Deleted - number of dependant children of the marriage now in table 1of data cube and table 1 of Main Features.	Table 1 of data cube and table 1 of Main Features.
	3.15 Number of children of the marriage, Duration of marriage	Deleted.	No table in this product.
	3.16 Number of children of the marriage, Age of youngest child	Excludes divorces that do not involve children.	Table 10 of data cube.
	3.17 Summary, States and Territories	'Median duration of marriage' and 'Median interval between marriage and final separation', placed under the heading of 'Median duration of marriage'.	Table 2 of data cube and table 2 of Main Features. Main Features table excludes average dependant children and age-specific divorce rates.
		'Divorces involving children' renamed to 'Divorces involving dependant children'. 'Average issue' renamed to 'Average dependant children'.
		'Number of dependant children' and 'Relative birthplace of parties' added to table.
		Age-specific divorce rates extended to include 60-64 years and 65 years and over.
	3.18 Divorces granted	Delete - data available in historical series	No table in this product.
	3.19 Crude divorce rates	Delete - data available in historical series	No table in this product.

• Table 93. Divorces granted, States and territories, 1875 onwards
• Table 94. Number of divorces involving dependant children, States and territories, 1977 onwards
• Table 95. Median duration of marriage (years), States and territories, 1977 onwards
• Table 96. Age-specific divorce rates, Australia, 1976 onwards
• Table 97. Crude divorce rates, States and territories, 1901 onwards.