STATE AND TERRITORY DATA

Marriage statistics in this publication are presented by the state or territory where the marriage was registered, rather than the state of usual residence of the couple. For this reason, the ABS advises caution in the interpretation of data at a state or territory level as couples may chose to marry outside their state or territory of usual residence. Refer to Explanatory Notes 30-31 for more information.

Number of marriages, states and territories(a) - Selected years - 1989-2008
	NSW	Vic.	Qld	SA	WA	Tas.	NT	ACT	Aust.
1989	41 300	30 624	19 088	9 776	10 739	3 111	778	1 760	117 176
1999	41 016	27 252	22 416	8 237	10 197	2 499	885	1 814	114 316
2004(b)	37 431	25 587	24 312	7 883	10 601	2 648	777	1 719	110 958
2005	35 927	25 266	24 303	7 630	11 124	2 644	774	1 655	109 323
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
(a) Care should be taken interpreting these figures as marriage data is by state of registration rather than usual residence. See Explanatory Notes 30-31 for further information.
(b) 2004 data is subject to sampling error. See Explanatory Note 50 for further information.

In 2008, the greatest increase in the number of marriages registered was in New South Wales (up by 1155, 3.0%) and Queensland (995, 3.9%). Both South Australia and Tasmania decreased by 49 (0.6%) and 176 (3.8%) respectively.

Queensland recorded the highest crude marriage rate in 2008 (6.2 marriages per 1,000 estimated population), whilst the Northern Territory had the lowest crude marriage rate, with 4.3 marriages per 1,000 estimated population. Marriages performed by ministers of religion as a proportion of all marriages in 2008 were highest in New South Wales and lowest in Tasmania (39.5% and 29.5% respectively). In 2008, the proportion of marriages where couples lived together prior to marriage was lowest in New South Wales (69.9%) and highest in Tasmania (86.4%).

Selected marriage indicators(a), States and Territories of registration(b) - 2008
			NSW	VIC	QLD	SA	WA	TAS	NT	ACT	AUST.
Marriages registered (no.)			39 137	27 089	26 803	8 046	12 367	2 685	955	1 674	118 756
Crude marriage rate(c) (rate)			5.6	5.1	6.2	5.0	5.7	5.4	4.3	4.8	5.5
Median age at marriage
	Males (no.)		31.1	31.6	32.0	31.7	32.1	32.7	34.3	31.8	31.6
	Females (no.)		28.9	29.4	29.5	29.1	29.5	30.1	30.8	29.1	29.3
Previous marital status
	First marriage both partners (no.)		27 999	19 596	17 801	5 505	8 439	1 735	621	1 151	82 847
	First marriage one partner (no.)		6 429	4 329	4 830	1 328	2 093	464	192	304	19 969
	Remarriage both partners (no.)		4 709	3 164	4 172	1 213	1 835	486	142	219	15 940
Marriage Celebrants
	Ministers of religion(d)
		Number of marriages (no.)	15 470	9 826	7 753	2 999	3 834	793	220	650	41 545
		Proportion of marriages (%)	39.5	36.3	28.9	37.3	31.0	29.5	23.0	38.8	35.0
	Civil celebrants(d)
		Number of marriages (no.)	23 613	17 256	19 044	5 047	8 531	1 892	735	1 024	77 142
		Proportion of marriages (%)	60.3	63.7	71.1	62.7	69.0	70.5	77.0	61.2	65.0
Relative birthplace of male and female(e)
	Both born in Australia (no.)		21 612	16 031	17 059	5 522	6 512	2 124	610	1 051	70 521
	Both born in the same overseas country (no.)		5 583	3 198	1 881	491	1 084	51	43	129	12 460
	Born in different countries (no.)		11 879	7 852	7 850	2 033	4 710	509	302	494	35 629
Couples living together prior to marriage
	Number of marriages (no.)		27 362	20 919	22 781	6 409	10 267	2 321	798	1 363	92 220
	Proportion of marriages (%)		69.9	77.2	85.0	79.7	83.0	86.4	83.6	81.4	77.7
(a) See Glossary for definitions of terms used.
(b) By state or territory where the marriage is registered. See Explanatory Note 30-31 for further detail.
(c) Per 1,000 of population at 30 June. See 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. no. 1266.0).
(e) Excludes marriages where country of birth of one or both partners is not stated.

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