EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
Issued by the Authority of the Attorney-General
Marriage Act 1961
Marriage (Recognised Denominations) Proclamation 2006
Section 26 of the Marriage Act 1961 (the Act) provides that the Governor-General may, by Proclamation, declare a religious body or a religious organisation to be a recognised denomination for the purpose of the Act.
Churches declared by the Governor-General to be recognised denominations under section 26 of the Act are permitted to nominate ministers of religion directly to the State and Territory Registrars of Births, Deaths and Marriages for authorisation as marriage celebrants. There were 100 denominations recognised by virtue of the Marriage (Recognised Denominations) Proclamation 1999 made by the Governor-General on 22 September 1999 and published in the Gazette on 17 May 2000.
The Marriage (Recognised Denominations) Proclamation 1999 has been revoked and remade to reflect changes that have occurred since 1999.
Additions
The Proclamation has added the following nine religious bodies and religious organisations to the list of recognised denominations for the purposes of the Act.
- Association of Vineyard Churches Australia, The
- Australian Church of Antioch, The
- Australian Fellowship of Bible-believing Churches
- Congregational Federation of Australia
- Hindu Council of Australia, The
- Sikh Council of Australia Incorporated, The
- Society of Saint Pius X Limited
- Southern Cross Association of Churches, The
- Torres United Pentecostal Outreach Association Incorporated
They are all comparatively large, have sound administrative structures and are well-established. It is appropriate that they should be treated in the same manner as similar religious bodies and organisations which were previously proclaimed to be recognised denominations.
Name changes
The Proclamation reflects the current names of the following thirteen religious bodies or organisations that were proclaimed as recognised denominations in 1999 and that have since officially changed their names:
- The Australian Fellowship of Mission Centres (Youth with a Mission) which was previously proclaimed as Youth with a Mission Incorporated;
- Ministers Fellowship International, which was previously proclaimed as Associated Australian Autonomous Churches;
- Associated Christian Ministries; which was previously proclaimed as Associated Christian Assemblies International Incorporated;
- Community of Christ, which was previously proclaimed as The Reorganised Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints;
- Dream Centre Christian Church Limited, which was previously proclaimed as Abundant Life Fellowship International Limited;
- Australian Indigenous Ministries, which was previously proclaimed as The Aborigines Inland Mission of Australia;
- Bethesda Ministries International Incorporated, which was previously proclaimed as Bethesda Movement Incorporated;
- Church of God (Australia) Limited, which was previously proclaimed as New Testament Church of God;
- Independent Baptists of Australia, which was previously proclaimed as Baptist Bible Fellowship of Australia;
- National Ministries of the Church of God Australia, which was previously proclaimed as Association of the Church of God in Australia;
- Christian Reformed Churches of Australia, which was previously proclaimed as The Reformed Churches of Australia;
- Federation of Reformed Christian Churches of the Pacific Australia Incorporated, which was previously proclaimed as Federation of Reformed Christian Churches of the Pacific-Australia Incorporated; and
- CRC Churches International, which was previously proclaimed as Christian Revival Crusade.
The Act specifies no conditions that need to be satisfied before the power to make the Proclamation may be exercised.
The Proclamation is a legislative instrument for the purposes of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003.
The Proclamation commenced on the day after it was registered on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments.
Authority: Section 26 of the Marriage Act 1961