Marriage (Recognised Denominations) Proclamation 2006

Administered by Attorney-General's Department

Legislation au F2006L00633 Not in force Legislative Instrument

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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The Marriage (Recognised Denominations) Proclamation 1999 has been revoked and remade to reflect changes that have occurred since 1999.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

Overview

The Marriage (Recognised Denominations) Proclamation 2006, enacted by the Governor-General under section 26 of the Marriage Act 1961, aims to update the list of religious bodies and organisations recognised for the purposes of conducting marriages in Australia. This proclamation was necessitated by changes in the names and structures of religious denominations since the previous proclamation in 1999, ensuring that the legal framework remains current and reflective of the evolving religious landscape. The Proclamation adds nine new religious bodies and updates the names of thirteen existing ones, ensuring that these comparatively large, well-established organisations with sound administrative structures are recognised in the same manner as those previously proclaimed. This update serves to maintain the integrity and relevance of the legislative framework governing marriage celebrants within the recognised denominations.

Scope and Application

The Marriage (Recognised Denominations) Proclamation 2006 operates under Section 26 of the Marriage Act 1961, which empowers the Governor-General to declare religious bodies or organisations as recognised denominations for the purposes of marriage solemnisation. This proclamation specifically updates and replaces the 1999 version, reflecting changes in the religious landscape since that time. The Proclamation allows nine additional religious bodies, including the Association of Vineyard Churches Australia and the Sikh Council of Australia Incorporated, to nominate their ministers as authorised marriage celebrants. It also updates the names of thirteen religious bodies that were previously recognised, aligning them with their current official titles. The proclamation applies nationally and its scope is limited to religious bodies and their authorised ministers who wish to perform marriages under the Act, with no additional conditions or thresholds stipulated for recognition. This legislative instrument is binding and commenced upon its registration on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments.

Key Provisions

Section 26 of the Marriage Act 1961 allows the Governor-General to declare a religious body or organisation as a recognised denomination, empowering these groups to nominate ministers to be authorised as marriage celebrants. The Marriage (Recognised Denominations) Proclamation 2006, which updates and replaces the 1999 proclamation, includes nine new religious bodies and updates the names of thirteen previously recognised denominations. This updated proclamation ensures that the list of recognised denominations reflects current names and includes new entities that have established themselves as significant and well-organised religious groups. The proclamation imposes certain obligations on the recognised denominations, primarily that they must be comparatively large, have sound administrative structures, and be well-established. These groups are also required to ensure that their nominated ministers meet the criteria set out by the Registrars of Births, Deaths and Marriages. By recognising these denominations, the Act grants them the authority to have their ministers authorised as marriage celebrants, thus allowing them to perform marriage ceremonies legally under Australian law. Failure to comply with the provisions of the Act or the proclamation could lead to civil or criminal consequences. Although the specific penalties are not detailed within the proclamation, breaches of marriage laws generally can result in fines or imprisonment under the relevant state or territory laws. The penalties for non-compliance would depend on the specific nature of the breach and the jurisdiction in which it occurs. However, the proclamation itself does not specify any particular penalties for breaches of its provisions.

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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.