Child support bill election-year window dressing

Dr Muriel Newman
Friday, 5 August 2005
Press Releases - Social Welfare

ACT Deputy Leader and Social Welfare spokesman Dr Muriel Newman today labelled Labour's Child Support Amendment Bill as election-year window dressing.

"Nothing can change the fact that child support debt has spiralled out of control under this soft-on-welfare Labour government," Dr Newman said.

Information released to Dr Newman by Associate Revenue Minister David Cunliffe shows unpaid child support debt has skyrocketed 172 percent under Labour, from $349 million in 1999 to $951 million in 2005.

"It's no coincidence that Labour has introduced this bill just weeks out from the election, despite having sat on its hands for six long years doing nothing.

"Labour has been content to allow hardworking taxpayers to fork out more than $1.5 billion each year for the DPB, while liable parents failed to meet their financial responsibilities".

Dr Newman said the best way to overcome the problem of unpaid debt was to sort out the child support laws.

"Bad family law means many fathers become alienated from their children by not being able to see them, which leads to poor child support compliance.

"It says it all that Labour has introduced this bill only after Parliament has risen. Labour has been a soft touch and everybody knows it. A Party Vote for ACT is a vote for shared parenting and an end to welfare abuse," Dr Newman said.

ENDS

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