Further to my post re: letter to Peter Dunne querying why CSA does not pass on allegations of benefit abuse to WINZ in the case of a custodial parent receiving voluntary child support payments; I have had a reply back from his office and have been advised ‘a change had been made to the Tax Administrative Act 1994 (TAA) that enables IRD to provide other Government Agencies with customer information from 31 May 2012. IRD officials can provide information within relevant parameters, to MSD where possible benefit overpayment or benefit fraud is identified’.

Based on this information received I made an official complaint to IRD/CSA citing the names and departments of staff including a Team Leader who had categorically told me it was not CSA policy to forward this information. The complaints department dropped the ball and I pressed on to speak with a Team Leader to have this matter escalated. I requested the TL email me the outcome of our conversation for accountability and accuracy. The matter has now been referred to the Commissioner of IRD for comment.

I did not feel it was my responsibility to dob the custodial parent to WINZ when CSA as a government department were armed with evidence of the allegations of ‘double dipping’.

Whilst no joy with the Admin Review process, with the outcome being ‘proceed directly to Family Court’, I feel a certain amount of satisfaction to have pushed my point, challenged CSA, backed it up with a letter from the Minister, made them accountable and have to apologise, albeit it all for a minor battle. Plus they have advised that the allegations have been passed on to WINZ. I may not have won the war, but I won that battle!

We all need to become CSA Terrorists!

My experience with CSA is that alot of inaccuracies and misinformation is passed on. Request under the Freedom of Information your full case history and you will be amazed at the mistakes going on in the background. Document every phone call you make to them, take the names, dates and times of the people you speak to. Don’t give up. Be a toothless tiger. Use this page and forum to get advice and support. Don’t focus on what you can’t do, focus on what you can. It is better to have tried and failed than never to have tried at all. Child Support does not just affect the biological parents, it affects new relationships and the families.

And lastly, if you or anybody you know has a voluntary child support agreement, do NOT pay cash, have a paper trail showing the payments made and received. Keep the records for 12 years so you do not replicate my situation.