Should teen marriages need court approval? Have your say

The Justice and Electoral Committee is inviting public submissions on the Marriage (Court consent to Marriage of Minors) Amendment Bill. The bill is a member’s bill, sponsored by National MP Joanne Hayes.

The bill proposes to change the law so that 16- and 17-year-olds who want to marry must apply to the Family Court. It will not be legal to issue a marriage license to them without the Court’s approval. The bill sets out rules about how the Court is to consider these applications.
In New Zealand, the age of consent to marry is 18 years. At present, people 16 and 17 years old can get married with their parents’ consent. This occurs around 80 times a year in New Zealand, and 80% of the 16- or 17-year olds involved are female. Marriage is illegal for people under the age of 16 years.

The bill aims to help prevent forced marriages of young people. This occurs when they don’t or can’t consent to marriage, but are pressured or forced to do so.

Tell the Justice and Electoral Committee what you think
Send your submission on the bill by midnight on 21 July 2017.
For more details about the bill:
• Read the full content of the bill
• What’s been said in Parliament about the bill?

ENDS

© Scoop Media