Lack Of DNA Paternity testing abuses Dads and Kids
Press release: New Zealand Child Support Reform Network.
10 November 2004
For Immediate Release
Lack of free Family Court Ordered DNA Paternity testing abuses Dads and Kids.
“The Labour Government is abusing fathers and children by failing to legislate for free DNA testing to establish paternity”, is how Jim Nicolle, spokesperson for the New Zealand Child Support Reform Network, responds to United Futures call for Family Court Ordered DNA paternity tests.
“Paternity fraud is a world wide issue. It’s a deliberate act of dishonesty, with the clear purpose of depriving a child of her right to know her genetic and cultural heritage, usually with the hope of financial gain.” Commented Nicolle, reflecting on a growing number of referrals of parents forced by Inland Revenue to pay child support while believing they are not the father.
“DNA testing removes the problem and should be freely available to all parents. The findings should be binding on the Child Support Agency and any cases of paternity fraud be appropriately dealt with.
“The potential for financial gain from these frauds is huge! If a father is earning say $45,000, who lives by himself and has his daughter on the weekends, he would be paying about $5700 child support for one child. Over 18 years he could pay over $100,000 in child support. That’s a lot of money.” Responded Nicolle when asked what the financial effect on a father a paternity fraud could have.
“This failure by the Government to provide free Family Court Ordered DNA paternity testing is just another example of the basis against fathers that is evident in New Zealand Family Law.” Concluded Nicolle
Ends
NZCSReform is a network of groups and individuals, that grew out of MEN’S Convoy 2004, working in their area of interest, to bring about a fair and reasonable child support system replacing the current unfair and unreasonable Child Support Regime.
I am in the middle of trying to establish paternity through the NZ family court system of a child that I have been lead to believe that I am the father of for nearly 6 years. I already know that I am not the biological father as I provided DNA samples of myself and the child to an offshore laboratory who conducted testing privately and confirmed 100% exclusion as me being the biological father. The mother is unaware that I know this. Interestingly enough she has stalled for over 2 months with giving consent to conduct DNA testing. My lawyer has finally been able to get written consent from her however the next hurdle is actually getting her to the laboratory to give samples. The current Family court law requires a mother’s consent for paternity testing, however if the mother wishes dna testing to determine paternity then she does not require the alledged father’s permission. This is blatantly working in the mother’s favour and in the favour of our child support and benefit system. It is extremely easy to put down any male as a father of a child on a birth certificate, but an incredibly difficult process for a “named” father to dispute paternity and consequently if the mother does not want to undergo proving paternity it can end up a lengthy frustrating, not to mention expensive exercise. The other comment I want to make is that the domestic purposes benefit encourages a women to name a father and she will be penalised by a reduced benefit payments if she does not have a father named for the government to collect child support from. I view this as encouraging women who are not 100% certain of the father to take a “guess”. I read also in another article that further penalities/reductions in the dpb will be implemented in July next year for mother’s that have not named fathers for the system to collect child support from. The woman that has lead me to believe I am the father has not only taken tens of thousands of dollars from me through child support and legal fees over custody issues, but has most importantly ruined a child’s life permanently and has caused me huge amounts of grief and tears as well as my family who thought they had a grandson. Paternity fraud is a crime and should be punishable. If a women chooses to sleep with more than one man at the time she becomes pregnant she should not take a stab in the dark of who the father might be. The issues around custody and my access prior to all of this is the size of a a small library, issues with her drug use and the care of “my son” over the past 5 years has been extremely concerning, a number of affidavits have been supplied, CYPS have been contacted. CYPS made an appointment can you believe it to see her about the allegations of her drug use and verbal and physical abuse to the child, so of course she had the scene set up for them to think that eveyrhting is okay. I give up on the family court system here in New Zealand, it is biast against fathers and is incredibly slow to do anything. Posting a file to another court takes over a month!
Comment by A W — Tue 16th November 2004 @ 8:35 pm
If US figures are any indication about 30% of fathers assesed for CS are not the father.
The only hope for real reform of Family Law is political change.
If you want to join the political struggle for Child Support Law Reform drop an email to [email protected]
Comment by Jim Nicolle — Thu 18th November 2004 @ 1:36 pm
Wow! How shocking and scary is this?
Simply put, false paternity allegations like this appear to be nothing short of serious fraud – an active attempt by a mother to knowingly defraud the government of the DPB. Why then are they not charged, prosecuted and jailed?
Perhaps both paternity and maternity need to be established BEFORE any DPB is provided and any “Child
SupportTax” is levied?Maybe the chance of being found out before starting will make some mothers and fathers think twice before breaking up a family simply because Aunty Helen, Uncle David [Cunliffe] and her socio-communist mates have made it far too easy to SHATTER A FAMILY instead of putting in the hard work that every family deserves as a right from BOTH parents.
Equal shared parenting: just as it takes both a man and a woman to bring a child into the world, so it takes both a mother and a father to raise a responsible adult.
A challenge to David Cunliffe: How quickly might the government be able to change its stance from actively encouraging the SHATTERING of families to actively encouraging the unity and importance of families?
I won’t hold my breath (that shade of blue does not suit me), but, remember David, elections are coming…
Comment by Mark Shipman — Tue 23rd November 2004 @ 12:54 pm
im am desputing a perternity order but cannot find the mother my name is not on birth cert and would love to see my supposed son who is 7 but ird and work and income will not tell me where he is or his mother but they still take 150 aweek out of my wages there are no orders against me or anything any ideas cheers rob
Comment by robert lindsay — Sun 10th May 2009 @ 10:03 pm
Private Investigator will find her in no time
Comment by martin swash — Sun 10th May 2009 @ 10:12 pm
Substituted service on named IRD officer or comissioner. They need to do something for their money.
Comment by Allan Harvey — Mon 11th May 2009 @ 9:00 am
CHEERS GUYS IVE BEEB TOLD SHE IS NELSON CHRISTCHURCH ASHBURTON AND HAVE PUT ADDS IN PAPERS IN THESE AREASBUT NO LUCK SO FAR COSTING ME HEAPS BUT AT END OF DAY WANT CONTACT IF HES MY BOY
Comment by robert lindsay — Mon 11th May 2009 @ 8:53 pm
cheers mate how do i go about this cheers rob
Comment by robert lindsay — Tue 12th May 2009 @ 10:44 pm
Has this advertising been for service of Court documents? It is a rare event but it can be done that way. If you dispute the paternity you will get a suspension order in FC which should bring her out of the woodwork when her income ceases or is reduced.
Comment by Allan Harvey — Wed 13th May 2009 @ 12:14 am
no i put in paper but have gone to ombudsmen office for info they are trying but you try gettig a member of parliment 2shows shit show and no show cheers rob
Comment by robert lindsay — Sat 16th May 2009 @ 10:22 pm