Non-registered Northern Territory marriage celebrants reported to Federal Attorney-General

Top End brides and grooms to be have been warned to vet their choice of marriage celebrants after a group of unregistered officiants were reported to the federal Attorney-General. DETAILS.

Five Territorians purporting to be registered marriage celebrants have been reported to the federal Attorney-General for fraud.

Five Territorians purporting to be registered marriage celebrants have been reported to the federal Attorney-General for suspected fraud – with one allegedly trying to bribe an officiant to sign their paperwork.

In one case reported to Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus in late May, a Top End couple were allegedly charged $1200 by an illegitimate celebrant who had no legal authority to marry the couple.

After the ceremony, the unauthorised individual is said to have offered $50 to a Darwin-based, registered celebrant to sign the legal documents.

The registered celebrant declined the bribe.

For the remaining reports, it has been claimed similar payments were offered to registered celebrants in return for their signatures.

Registered celebrant Dr Nancy Batenburg, who is based in the Top End, said she was “shocked” by the surge in newlyweds being exploited.

“We’re horrified that people are being ripped off in this way,” she said.

“The couples are primarily the victims, but also newly registered celebrants who are being conned into providing their signature and are then committing fraud themselves.”

Under the Marriage Act, it is an offence for someone who is not authorised to solemnise, or purport to solemnise, a marriage, which is punishable by up to six months imprisonment if found guilty.

Attorney-General and Cabinet Secretary Mark Dreyfus is responsible for the Canberra staff overseeing births, deaths and marriages. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

An Attorney-General Department spokesperson told the NT News any ceremony that was not a legal marriage needed to be communicated by the appointed celebrant.

“Anyone can perform a nonlegal ceremony such as a commitment or traditional (or) cultural ceremony, as long as they make clear it is not a legal marriage.”

As for the newlyweds, Dr Batenburg said the exploitation could have significant consequences for couples who had been misled.

“There could be couples who end up as unregistered and might not even know it for two, three, or four years,” she said.

“When they go to apply for a passport, for example, if they’ve been married by somebody who’s not registered then that (will show up).”

Territorians married by non-registered celebrants may still be unmarried according to Australian law.

Currently, there are 62 registered celebrants in the Territory, with around 45 based in Darwin.

Dr Batenburg said the size of the tight community ensured “dodgy” business was quickly identified, but maintained couples needed to do their own research before hiring a celebrant.

“For any couples thinking of getting married, go to the federal Attorney-General’s website and, if you’re celebrant shopping, go through their register,” she said.

“The celebrants who are legally authorised to marry people are on that register.”