This happily married gen Xer celebrates the fact marriage rates are down. It shows Australians have the freedom and opportunity to make the best decisions for them
The Australian Bureau of Statistics reported last month that the marriage rate is declining. As someone who champions marriage, is married and thinks a wedding is lovely, I think it’s great news.
According to the data, the crude rate of registered marriages per 1,000 residents aged 16 and over fell from 5.5 in 2024 to 5.3 in 2025, with the largest falls occurring among the 25-29s and 30-34s.
Van Badham is a Guardian Australia columnist
