CELEBRANT TRAINING

Civil Marriage Celebrant Training to become Australian Civil Marriage Celebrant

 

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The Attorney-General's Department is responsible for the administration of the Commonwealth Marriage Act 1961. The Marriage Celebrants Program was established in 1973. It enables the appointment of suitably qualified people to perform marriages and provides couples with a meaningful alternative to Registry Office and mainstream church weddings. The Department also authorises Marriage Celebrants who do not belong to a recognised denomination.


A package of reforms was developed that aim to raise the professional standards in celebrancy services provided by Marriage Celebrants appointed under the program. The reforms will broaden and enhance the role of celebrants to include the provision of information on pre-marriage and other relationship services. This aims to ensure celebrants play an important role in developing longer lasting family relationships and stronger communities within Australia.

Aspiring celebrants will need to have completed an approved, competency-based training course or have been independently assessed against the competencies in order to be eligible to apply. 

Once an aspiring celebrant completes an approved training course or assessment, there will be an additional requirement to demonstrate to the Registrar of Marriage Celebrants that the 'fit and proper person' criteria set out in the Marriage Amendment Act 2002 has been met. The requirements of the 'fit and proper person' test are as follows.


 Fit and Proper Person Test

  • whether you have a sufficient knowledge of the law relating to the solemnisation of marriages by Marriage Celebrants;

  • whether you are committed to advising couples of the availability of relationship support services;

  • whether you are of good standing in the community;

  • whether you have been convicted of an offence punishable by imprisonment for one year or longer, against a law of the Commonwealth,

  • whether you have an actual or potential conflict of interest between your practice, or proposed practice, as a Marriage Celebrant and your business interests or interests such as employment or hobbies;

  • whether your registration as a Marriage Celebrant would be likely to result in your gaining a benefit in respect of another business you own, control or carry out;

  • whether you will fulfil your obligations as a Marriage Celebrant; and

  • any other matter the Registrar considers relevant to whether you are a fit and proper person to be a Marriage Celebrant.

Appointments will continue to be made on a lifetime basis, subject to satisfying ongoing requirements. Once authorised, a Marriage Celebrant will need to satisfy a range of obligations. These include:

  • comply with a Code of Practice covering matters such as maintaining a high standard of service in professional conduct, complying with the Marriage Act 1961, other laws and a range of requirements for the conduct of marriage ceremonies;

  • undertake professional development each year; and

  • undergo regular reviews of performance to ensure continuing compliance with obligations.

Performance Reviews

All celebrants will undergo a performance review a maximum of every 5 years. Reviews will be based on consideration of matters such as any complaints received, compliance with the Code of Practice and satisfying requirements for ongoing professional development. Reviews may be conducted more regularly if required.

Complaints

A mechanism has been developed to deal with complaints against celebrants. Celebrants will have a right to be advised of the complaint against them and to put whatever material they think appropriate to the Registrar before any final decisions are made.

Sanctions may include a caution, a requirement that further professional development be undertaken, and the suspension of a celebrant for a given period of time and only as a last resort, the revocation of authorisation.

 

 About Australian Celebrants

About New Zealand Celebrants

About USA Celebrants

Becoming a Celebrant

Contact Vlady at vlady_celebrant@yahoo.com.au, ring her on (07) 3283 8567 - Mobile: 0415 324 982 or write to her Vlady M Peters, Civil Marriage Celebrant, PO Box 394, Redcliffe. Qld. 4020. Australia.