Investigation into the state of the family and marriage in Australia. Analyses the consequences of the social, moral, cultural and economic changes that have transformed the definition of marriage in the last 40 years. Investigates the proposition that the growing instability of the nuclear family by factors such as the de-stigmatisation of pre-marital sex, the introduction of sole parent pensions, no-fault divorce, and the mass entry of women into the workforce, has led to juvenile crime, suicide and poor school performance. Includes references and index. Number 53 in the CIS Policy Monograph series. Malley is Senior Fellow at the Centre for Independent Studies. He has previously written 'Children's Rights' and 'Marriage, Divorce and Family Justice'.