The famous Media Release of
Daryl Williams - 12 July 1995
This is the famous Media Release of the Australian Attorney-General Daryl Williams.It is instructive to UK students inasmuch as you prepare yourselves politically for the development of a Marriage Celebrant Program in England and Scotland.
It is distressing to note that, in later years, these ideals were completely sabotaged.
FISHING LICENCES FOR WEDDING CELEBRANTS
By appointing a flood of new civil marriage celebrants, where no increased demand exists, the Attorney-General is :
* continuing the federal Government's incompetent administration of the celebrant program, and
*damaging the institution of Marriage in Australia
The number of marriages performed by authorised civil celebrants in the 10 years to 1992 increased by a mere 31%.
In that same period the Attorney-General appointed 77% more celebrants to do the job: even then there were too many celebrants for the level of demand for their services.
After imposing a moratorium last year on new appointments, and conducting a review of the entire civil celebrant program, the Attorney appointed more than 850 celebrants in the first 6 months of 1995.
No doubt many of the new celebrants are entirely suitable, but Mr Lavarch has no means of knowing, because none of them appear to have been
*interviewed by the Attorney-General’s Department before being appointed; or
* given any training to fit them for their important tasks.
Few appear to have had their character references verified by the Department
The wedding ceremony symbolises the institution of marriage.
If an unqualified, untrained celebrant fails properly to counsel the bride and groom and to convey the importance of the step they are taking, the unlucky couple’s marriage may suffer accordingly.
Damage to marriage is harmful to Australia because it affects our most precious resource – children.
The Attorney-General should administer the civil celebrant program competently and not create a flood of unnecessary new celebrants.
The Attorney should ensure that those whom he does appoint are carefully screened and properly trained.
Mr Lavarch you should be handpicking our marriage Celebrants, not processing them like applicants for a fishing licence.
CONTACT: Melanie Granger (09) 316 3633 or 015 429 870 12 JULY 1995