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Demographic implications of aboriginal out-marriage

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Abstract

Unpublished 1991 Census data show that more than half of Aboriginal marriages involve a non-Aboriginal spouse and that 83 per cent of resultant children identify as Aboriginal. Out-marriage is therefore a major but so far overlooked influence on Aboriginal population growth and regional differences in out-marriage rates are a major cause of higher Aboriginal population growth in cities. High and rising rates of out-marriage have overtaken rising levels of Aboriginal self-identification in importance and imply that the Aboriginal population is destined to continue growing rapidly.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Employment Education and Training, GPO Box 1518, ACT 2601, Canberra

    J. B. O’Reilly

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  1. J. B. O’Reilly
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The views expressed in this paper are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Employment, Education and Training.

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O’Reilly, J.B. Demographic implications of aboriginal out-marriage. Journal of Population Research 11, 149–157 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03029475

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03029475

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