Asia-Pacific News
Marriage back in vogue in Australia
Sep 1, 2009, 0:08 GMT
Sydney - Marriages are at a 20-year high and divorces at a 20-year low as Australians rekindle their fondness for weddings and more wait until the children have left home before splitting up.
But official figures for 2008 released Tuesday also show that three-quarters of couples live together before they wed and that only a third exchange vows in a church.
People are waiting longer before they tie the knot, with the average age of the bride 27 and 29 for the bridegroom, which compares with 24 and 26 respectively in 1989.
Relationships Australia vice president Anne Hollonds told the Adelaide Advertiser that fewer divorces reflected a greater appreciation of the pain involved.
'We understand better now that divorce is not an easy solution,' she said. 'We're more likely to try harder and get some help along the way.'
Almost half of Australian marriages still end in divorce, with the average marriage lasting 12 years. Over a third of marriages now end at the behest of both parties in what are called joint applicant divorces.
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