Commonwealth Consolidated Acts

MARRIAGE ACT 1961 - SECT 51

             (1)  Where an authorized officer is satisfied, by statutory declaration or otherwise, that any particular in a certificate of marriage prepared and signed under section 50 is incorrect, the authorized officer may:

                     (a)  in the case of a certificate that has been handed to a party to the marriage or retained by the authorized celebrant—correct the certificate; and

                     (b)  in the case of a certificate that has been forwarded to a registering authority—certify to that authority that a specified correction is necessary.

             (2)  For the purposes of exercising his or her powers under paragraph (1)(a) in relation to a certificate, an authorized officer may, by notice in writing served on a party to the marriage, or the authorized celebrant, as the case requires, require the party or the authorized celebrant to produce or forward the certificate to the authorized officer within a period (not being less than 7 days from the date of service of the notice) specified in the notice.

          (2A)  Where a marriage has been solemnized, or purports to have been solemnized, under this Part, and the marriage is void, an authorized officer may, by notice in writing served on a party to the marriage, require the party to deliver or forward to the authorized officer, within a period (not being less than 7 days from the date of service of the notice) specified in the notice, the certificate required, by subsection 50(4), to be handed to a party to the marriage.

             (3)  A notice referred to in subsection (2) or (2A) may be served by post.

             (4)  In this section, authorized officer means a person authorized by the Minister to perform the functions of an authorized officer under this section.