sentences:  In Australia, only authorised (registered) marriage celebrants have the authority to perform marriages.In 2018, 79.7 per cent of Australian marriages were performed by civil celebrants.However, the rate of civil marriages varied between states and territories, with a civil marriage rate of 75.9% in New South Wales, 79.8% in Victoria, 83.7% in Queensland, 78.9% in South Australia, 83.2% in Western Australia, 85.0% in Tasmania, 85.3% in the Northern Territory and 83.4% in the Australian Capital Territory 
  
  Marriage by independent civil celebrant has spread in other English-speaking countries.