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If you want to develop your listening skills, try these tasks as you listen to the text. The answers are at the bottom of this page, after the Vocabulary. Thanks to Natasha Groves for preparing the tasks.

If you want to listen and read, just scroll down to the text.

1. Listening for main ideas

First, just listen to the text, taking notes if you wish. What information can you catch during this first listening?

2. Now listen again and answer the following questions:

1. Over what period has the marriage rate in New Zealand been declining?





2. In what ways is a civil union similar to a marriage?





3. How many marriages and civil unions were there in 2024? And in 2023?





4. What was the average number of marriages per year in the 1990s?





5. What factors have contributed to the fall in the marriage rate?





6. When did same-sex marriages become legal in New Zealand?





7. Why do some people come from overseas to get married here?





8. What happened to the number of divorces last year?

Text

Last year there were fewer marriages and civil unions in New Zealand, continuing the trend of the past few decades. A civil union is a legally recognised relationship, like a marriage, and has the same rights and obligations under law.

According to data released by Statistics NZ in August, there were 18,033 marriages and civil unions celebrated by couples living in New Zealand in 2024. This was 4 percent lower than in 2023, when there were 18,744 marriages and civil unions. In the 1990s there was an average of 20,950 marriages per year. The spokesperson for Statistics New Zealand, Rebekah Hennessey, said that a range of factors has contributed to the fall in the marriage rate, including changing views of marriage. She said that “marriage is no longer seen as the only or necessary path for a committed relationship.” Consequently, more people are in de-facto relationships than a decade ago. Hennessey also said that “around half of babies are born to unmarried parents.” Economic factors may be another reason, as the cost of getting married can be quite high.

Civil unions were introduced in 2005 and were especially important for same-sex couples, as same-sex marriages did not become legal until 19 August 2013. Between 2005 and 2013, 80 percent of civil unions were same-sex couples but in 2024 only one-quarter of the 60 civil unions were.

Some people also come from overseas to get married in New Zealand. This may be because one person in the couple was born here but is now living in another country, or because of different laws in their country. In 2024, 2,418 couples who live overseas got married or had a civil union here – 91 percent were opposite-sex couples, and 9 percent were same-sex couples. Of the same-sex couples, 31 percent came from China and Hong Kong, and 25 percent came from Australia.

The number of divorces also dropped last year. In 2024, 7,497 couples were granted a divorce, 6 percent lower than in 2023 when there were 7,995 divorces. In the 1990s there was an average of 9,500 divorces per year.

Vocabulary

civil – in this context, connected with the state rather than with religion

obligation – a moral or legal duty to do something

spokesperson – a person who has been chosen to speak officially for a group, organisation, or government

committed – willing to work hard at something, believing strongly in something

de facto relationship – a relationship in which two people live together as if they are married but are not married

divorce – the legal ending of a marriage

Answers – you don’t have to write a complete sentence as long as you have the key idea in your answer

a. Over what period has the marriage rate in New Zealand been declining?

The past few decades

b. In what ways is a civil union similar to a marriage?

It is a legally recognised relationship; it has the same rights and obligations under law

c. How many marriages and civil unions were there in 2024? And in 2023?

18,033; 18,744

d. What was the average number of marriages per year in the 1990s?

20,950

e. What factors have contributed to the fall in the marriage rate?

Changing views of marriage: it’s no longer seen as the only or necessary path for a committed relationship; economic factors: the cost of getting married can be quite high

f. When were civil unions introduced in New Zealand? And when did same-sex marriages become legal?

2005; 19 August 2013

g. Why do some people come from overseas to get married here?

Perhaps because one person in the couple was born here but is now living in another country, or because of different laws in their country

h. What happened to the number of divorces last year?

It dropped.