Gable

In the matter of *Gable*, the applicant, Ms Gable, sought declarations and orders concerning the validity of her marriage to Mr Gable. The dispute centred on whether the marriage, solemnised in a Greek Orthodox Church ceremony in Victoria in March 1983, was a valid marriage under the *Marriage Act 1961* (Cth) and whether it should be registered by the Victorian Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages.

The court was required to determine two primary legal issues. Firstly, whether the marriage ceremony conducted on the specified date met the requirements of the *Marriage Act 1961* (Cth) to be considered a valid marriage. Secondly, whether the court had the power to direct the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages in Victoria to record the marriage, pursuant to the provisions of the *Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 1996* (Vic).

Young J declared that the marriage between Ms Gable and Mr Gable, solemnised on the specified date in the Greek Orthodox Church in Suburb X, Victoria, was a valid marriage pursuant to section 113 of the *Family Law Act 1975* (Cth). His Honour further requested that the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages in Victoria record the marriage on the Registry, in accordance with the statutory requirements of section 31 of the *Births, Deaths and Marriages Registration Act 1996* (Vic). The court ordered that the extempore reasons for judgment be transcribed and made available to the parties and the Registrar.