State of Divorce & Marriage in Australia

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THE UPDATED DIVORCE STATISTICS IN AUSTRALIA

• MELBOURNE FAMILY LAWYERS

https//melbournefamilylawyers.com.au
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Topics

• UNDERSTANDING THE DIVORCE LAWS IN AUSTRALIA
• THE MOST COMMON REASONS FOR DIVORCE
• THE STATE OF MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE IN AUSTRALIA

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UNDERSTANDING DIVORCE LAWS IN AUSTRALIA

• In Australia, the court practises a no-fault"
  divorce process, meaning that partners have no
  responsibility to provide a satisfying reason for
  their divorce. The only reason they need to
  verify is that there is an irreversible breakdown
  of the marriage.

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• You and your spouse should meet the following
  criteria to successfully file a divorce in
  Australia
• You and your spouse have been living separately
  for at least 12 months
• You are an Australian citizen or resident living
  in Australia, or
• You consider Australia as your permanent home.
• Even if you're not married in Australia, you can
  still apply for a divorce if the Australian court
  recognises your foreign marriage under Marriage
  Act 1961. You only have to present an English
  version of your marriage certificate if your
  original certificate is in your native language.

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THE MOST COMMON REASONS FOR DIVORCE

• Understanding why other couples choose to
  separate can help individuals come to terms with
  their situation.

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Communication problems

• Many former spouses report communication issues
  as the primary source of conflict, leading to an
  unpleasant environment and a feeling of
  disconnection. Miscommunication involves not
  being able to communicate needs, emotions and
  expectations effectively.

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Loss of connection

• Losing touch with their former partner is also
  reported as a primary source of conflict. This
  disconnection can occur due to various factors,
  including physical separation caused by work or
  lifestyle changes, unresolved disagreements, and
  lack of trust.

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Infidelity or loss of faith

• Cheating or other forms of infidelity is another
  common cause of divorce_ Over time, a lack of
  trust can lead to the breakdown of a relationship
  and ultimately end in divorce.

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Physical or emotional abuse

• This is also a significant factor leading to the
  dissolution of marriages. Physical abuse includes
  hitting, punching or any form of violence.
  Emotional abuse involves using words to
  manipulate, threaten and cause fear in one's
  partner.

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Financial problems

• Another common problem pointed out by most
  divorcees is economic issues. This could involve
  disagreements on how to spend, save or invest
  money. It can also include not agreeing on a
  budget, leading to long-term debt or overspending.

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THE STATE OF MARRIAGE AND DIVORCE IN AUSTRALIA

• Last November 10, 2022, the Australian Bureau of
  Statistics (ABS) released the official marriage
  and divorce statistics for 2021 on their official
  website.

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• According to the ABS, there were 89,164 marriages
  registered nationally for the reference year. The
  ABS stated that this number is below the
  pre-pandemic figures (113,815) but is higher than
  Australia's historically lowest number, which was
  78,989 in 2020.
• Many factors affected the decline of marriage
  during the pandemic, such as the following
• Restrictions on the number of people attending a
  public or religious ceremony,
• State border closures,
• Financial stress caused by job losses and other
  economic impacts of the pandemic.

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• Circuit and Family Court of Australia stated that
  the reason behind this spike is the
  administrative changes to reduce divorce
  timeframes and increase finalisation.
• The government department mandated this to reduce
  the growing backlog of divorce applications in
  the court. The changes included
• Online lodgement of documents,
• Expedited hearing process,
• Reduced costs for filing and processing
  paperwork,
• Couples counselling services and support programs.

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Have questions? Contact

• Melbourne Family Lawyers
• reception_at_melbournefamilylawyers.com.au
• http//www.melbournefamilylawyers.com.au