NZ Child Support Information

Latest News / Discussion Forum

News and Discussion about Child Support in NZ

Information Kit

Lobby Group formed after Auckland Meeting

Report and photos of meeting held 26th July 2003.
Email James Nicolle if you want to be involved in lobbying for reform.

Political attitudes towards Child Support

Stuart Birks has documented some recent examples illustrating official attitudes towards Child Support and men's responsibility. 8th April 2003.

What's wrong with the Child Support Act?

Families Apart Require Equality (FARE) Family Law Bulletin January 2003; a report by Bruce Tichbon.
Page one: The Child Support Act - Unworkable legislation that is full of major flaws
Page two: The Many Unacceptable Flaws Of The Child Support Act
Page three: How To Make A Fair And Workable System For Child Maintenance

Contact details and information about FARE.

Feb 2003 news from Jim Bailey:

A special thanks to Liz Jenkins, Anne White, David Udy [National Manager, Inland Revenue, Wellington] and others from Child Support Auckland [who have been working on improving the treatment of fathers.] Liz opened the door in which John Potter, Warren Heap, Jim Bagnall, myself, David Udy and others slowly participated. Now we have IRD Child Support staff dedicated to Men's Groups and visiting on a regular basis. I am sure this can now happen nation wide if you gently nudge David Udy to the advantage of many, many men.

Today I met the new face of IRD Child Support working with the Auckland men's groups. I think we can work well with Alan Marino.

The door is open to men to negotiate from the Father Heart perspective. Please use it and nurture it as we did. I have gained much from dealing directly with the above and know you can as well. Sure there is heaps of work to do and that involves much lobbying of MP's etc. James Nicholle and others have taken the Rules and Regulations side of things up with great enthusiasm and I wish them well. However for me the Father Heart having close liaison with these powerful bureaucrats has made greater progress for me personally than could of possibly happened through arguing rules and regulations, admin revues etc.

James Nicolle responds:

Well put. I would add that relationship building with Child Support has paid off and we are starting to see returns on this.

Yes my position always has been that the Child Support Act in its present form must go. (Scrap the CSA!!) and I have engaged the department directly in a challenge to this blunt benift recovery tool that does not benifit our children.

The change that is taking place within the upper levels of CS is slow, but it is happening. Posters (the 'Dads a Breed Apart' series from Father and Child Trust and other 'kids need dads' type posters) are openly displayed in the head office.

There are upper level managers who have helped a number of people caught in the Child Support Debt trap by easing the harsh collection regimes demanded by the debt collection unit. Admin review officers are being challenged, by the Agency, as to how they conduct the review process and how they interpret the law.

I strongly urge all CS payers to talk to Alan and tell him what needs to be done to create a fair and reasonable child support regieme.

Each working toward a common goal and supporting each other in action is making progress toward the eventual repeal of the CSA.
Email James Nicolle

Child Support Links

New Zealand Inland Revenue Department (Child Support)

Website has information and contact details.

Child Support Australia

contact details for NZ parents liable for children living across the Tasman:
Freephone: 0800-440 953
Fax: (0061) 3 62210180
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.csa.gov.au

Problems with Reciprocal Agreement

Conflicting information, extremely long delays, exchange rate.
Info on reciprocal agreement with Australia

Child Support Analysis

This extensive United Kingdom based site is about "child support in the UK and topics related to child support". The sitemap is the best place to get an overview of the information available.

Choice for men

A mailing list on Choice for Men has been started and I would like to invite anyone that is interested in discussing these issues to join in. This list has been created to expand and add to the ground-breaking work for men's rights already done by Kingsley Morse: www.choiceformen.com. Karla Osmers - list moderator.