Proposed changes (for the worse) to Australian marriage certificates

[Mary from Italy]

I've just received the following e-mail from official NSW transcriber Marilyn Rowan:

The Attorney General's Department is proposing changes to the Notice of Intended Marriage form.

The proposed form DOES NOT INCLUDE provision for parent's names, occupation NOR current address of the Bride and Groom.

This is vital information for Family History research.

Feedback is being invited until 28th October 2018.

Please add your voice to the consideration of this important matter.

Email: [email protected]

[Mary from Italy]

I've e-mailed my own objection, and asked if the feedback period can be extended.

[Phoenix]

Is this for marriages, or what in England would be called Banns?

And what access do researchers currently get to either?

[Mary from Italy]

Not sure exactly how it works, but I assume that the information that goes on the Notice of Intended Marriage form is transferred to the certificate.

Access is limited by Australian privacy laws, which differ in each state. Currently in NSW, the public can access births that took place over 100 years ago, deaths over 30 years ago and marriages over 50 years ago.

[Mary from Italy]

A large part of my tree is Australian, and the fact that their certs contain far more information than English ones makes research much easier. Their online birth and death indexes include both parents' Christian names, which is a huge help, and the birth, marriage and death certificates all contain both parents' full names (except for some very early ones).

[Kit]

I've only just seen this. Wish I had looked earlier as I would have objected.

With same sex marriage I think it is even more important now keep things as they were to help work out histories.