V13 CoCA Update May 2011

The Coalition of Celebrant Associations has been recognised as THE peak representative celebrant body in Australia by the Commonwealth Attorney General's Department.

All celebrants are encouraged to belong to at least one CoCA celebrant association, to provide input via your association's Committee and CoCA delegate to the development of celebrancy services in Australia.

CoCA Associations can be found on www.coca.org.au

Since the last update,

• CoCA has become incorporated under the NSW Incorporation Act

• The CoCA's Constitution confirms the important contribution of the different celebrant associations (large and small, special interest focused, state or national) make to the national dialogue with the Attorney General's Department on the future

• The CoCA Constitution also allows CoCA to operate fully by online, and delegates are in constant daily conversation about issues affecting celebrants, and planning recommendations to the Attorney General and Marriage Celebrant Section on a range of marriage celebrancy matters

• CoCA aims to meet face to face twice per annum, in conjunction with its meeting with the Attorney General's Department, and where possible, when its representatives attend the OPD Monitoring Meeting.

• AG and COCA will put out a joint statement of their meeting for all celebrant's information

• The Alliance of Celebrants Queensland Inc has re-joined CoCA

• An invitation to the AFCC to re-join CoCA has been extended.

CoCA Agenda for 18 May 2011

Marriage Celebrant Program

• Improvements to the marriage celebrant program.

• Quality of training and the possibility of pre-appointment assessments. Also, now that CoCA is the recognised peak body, it will be possible for us to communicate with state bodies that regulate RTO’s providing the celebrancy course with concerns about training and qualifications.

• Draft pre-appointment assessment model to AGD prior to appointment

• Criteria for registration. Further thoughts about how to improve the process to ensure that the person who is doing the applying is the person who is completing the legal questions that are posted on application.

• Discussing opportunities for new celebrants to become members of CoCA-affiliated associations.

• Working on possibilities for revision on the marriage section of the AGD website. Discussion on proposals for ease of access, finding what celebrants need, ongoing improvements.

• Amendments to the code of practice

• Clarification on conflict of interest. Clear guidelines and/or principles of business operation need to be created and agreed. 

• Oversupply of celebrants and standards of service, further discussion on ways to alleviate this situation are to be put forward

• Full details of the recent media stories related to disciplinary action taken including de-registration of marriage celebrants. - For example:
  - What is the current number of celebrants who are "active".
  - How many are on "leave"?
  - Since 2003, how many have died?
  - Since 2003, how many have retired?
  - Since 2003, how many have been de-registered and upon what grounds?

• Solemnizing a marriage at short notice in an emergency situation

• Shortening of time

• CoCA recommendation that the application of paragraph 47(a) of the Act be extended to civil celebrants. Currently applies to recognised religious celebrants only. The extension of that provision would make it clear that there is no obligation on a celebrant to solemnise any marriage, especially if concerned that the dignity of marriage would not be up-held by the structure or content of the ceremony.

• Same Sex marriage. The AGD position is clear, unless the law changes, it is status quo. However in the event of change, should the CoCA recommendation that the application of paragraph 47(a) of the Act be extended to civil celebrants. would be fairer for civil celebrants who  have a problem conducting a gay marriage, should the law be changed in the future.

• CoCA recommendation that exemptions be removed in respect to completing OPD, in their first year, for newly appointed celebrants

• Information on recommendations regarding OPD, specifically that Units of the Certificate IV in Celebrancy be approved OPD activities.

• Is there the capacity for consideration of additional qualified and acceptable OPD providers?

• Getting a real performance monitoring system in place for trainers and OPD providers.  

• OPD for the future. Discussion continues on the Austender process, topics, class sizes, to be taken into account when the tender is next raised, which should be 2012 to give plenty of   time for possible suppliers to be prepared for the 2013 year.  

• Letter from AFCC regarding options for joining. (MCS referred)

• The CoCA website and continuing updates/improvements that aim to provide a balanced view of celebrancy and the role of CoCA.

• The position of the department, if any, on commercial celebrancy software that stores confidential marriage couples date in the company's  website - privacy and identity fraud considerations .

• Confirmation the Attorney General’s Department will now accept a Deed Poll as proof of date and place of birth for Passport issue and renewal.

• Amendment of acceptable evidence of date and place of birth 

• Discussion on situation with fees in some areas. 

• Conflict of Interest – Parcels and Packages – anniversaries and birthdays

• Government Supplied Wedding Anniversary Certificates - to be discussed.

• Master Group Celebrant Insurance and Master Group Celebrant Copyright Licence

• AGD Budget related announcement and commitment to CoCA as the peak body.