Census Reveals Slight Increase in Divorce Numbers

The Australian Bureau of Statistics recently published the results of the 2016 Census, and the figures have given an interesting insight into the status of relationships in Australia.

According to the data, there has been a slight fall in the number of people who are married and a slight rise in the number who said they were either divorced or separated.

In 2016, 8.5% of the population said they were divorced, compared to 8.4% in 2011 when the last Census was carried out. A further 3.2% described their status as separated, which is again higher than 2011’s figure of 3.0%. In addition, 48.1% of the population were married in 2016, which is a drop compared to 48.7% in 2011.

The Census data also gave a breakdown of family structure across Australia. The data shows that there were over six million families in Australia on Census night, which is an increase over 2011’s figure, when just over five million families were recorded. The main family types were:

• Couples with children - 45%
• Couples without children - 38%
• Single parent families - 16%, of whom 82% were female single parents and 18% male.
• Single person households – 24%

The Census also recorded that there were 47,000 same-sex couples in 2016, a significant increase (42%) over the 33,000 in 2011.

Although the increases in divorce and separation numbers are small in percentage terms, they still reflect a significant number of people who have experienced difficulties in their relationships.

When relationships breakdown, taking expert and timely legal advice can be key in ensuring you achieve a favourable resolution, particularly if the relationship includes children.

Contact Szabo & Associates Solicitors - Expert Family Lawyers

Szabo & Associates, Solicitors can provide you with expert advice on a wide range of family law matters, including divorce and separation, child custody, child support and spousal maintenance. Please call us today on (02) 9281-5088 or fill in our online contact form.