An Australian report says the well-being of Australia’s children and young people has deteriorated alarmingly in the past decade – and the falling marriage rate is partly to blame.
The report pinpoints the fall in the marriage rate since 1989 from seven per 1000 population to 5.5 – and the rise in children born to couples in de facto relationships as fundamental to the fraying social environment. It says marriage makes a difference because of the commitment involved.
The author of the report, Patrick Parkinson, Professor of Law at the University of Sydney, has called for a review of government policy to ensure marriage is not being undermined. He says it is time to question whether the nation can afford to maintain policies that give neither encouragement nor support to marriage.
This is an Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) commissioned report.
Read the report
Listen to interview with Father Chris Reilly
Source
- Sydney Morning Herald
- Image: Scoop