Ministers of religion may refuse to solemnise marriages
47 Ministers of religion may refuse to solemnise marriages
Refusing to solemnise a marriage despite this Part
A minister of religion may refuse to solemnise a marriage despite anything in this Part.
In particular, nothing in this Part prevents a minister of religion from:
making it a condition of solemnising a marriage that:
notice of the intended marriage is given to the minister earlier than this Act requires; or
additional requirements to those provided by this Act are complied with; and
refusing to solemnise the marriage if the condition is not observed.
Refusing to solemnise a marriage on the basis of religious beliefs etc.
A minister of religion may refuse to solemnise a marriage despite anything in this Part, if any of the following applies:
the refusal conforms to the doctrines, tenets or beliefs of the religion of the minister’s religious body or religious organisation;
the refusal is necessary to avoid injury to the religious susceptibilities of adherents of that religion;
the minister’s religious beliefs do not allow the minister to solemnise the marriage.
Grounds for refusal not limited by this section
This section does not limit the grounds on which a minister of religion may refuse to solemnise a marriage.
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