| Howe (ALP) | Blunt (NP) | history project | CSAWatch main page |
Title: HVP No. 123 6 CHILD SUPPORT-PAPER AND MINISTERIAL STATEMENT
Date: 8 October 1986
Source: House
6 CHILD SUPPORT-PAPER AND MINISTERIAL STATEMENT
Mr Howe (Minister for Social Security) presented the following paper:
Child support-Discussion paper on child maintenance by Cabinet Sub-Committee on Maintenance, dated October 1986-
and, by leave, made a ministerial statement in connection with the paper.
Mr Blunt, by leave, also made a statement in connection with the matter.
| Howe (ALP) | Blunt (NP) | history project | CSAWatch main page |
Title: REFORM TO CURRENT CHILD MAINTENANCE ARRANGEMENTS: Paper and Ministerial Statement
Mr HOWE (Batman-Minister for Social Security) ;For the information of honourable members, I present a
discussion paper on reform to current child maintenance arrangements. I seek leave to make a statement.
Leave granted.
Mr HOWE ;This paper is being released to assist consultations with major organisations which have an interest in
the proposed reforms. The paper outlines the Government's proposed directions for reform which were announced in the
Budget context and raises a number of issues on which it will be seeking community views. The issues on which views are
particularly sought include: firstly, how best to determine the capacity to pay of non-custodial parents and the formula for
determining the level of payments; secondly, whether there should be maximum or minimum payments; thirdly, whether the
custodial parent's financial circumstances should be considered, and if so, how; fourthly, on what grounds should people be
able to have the formula departed from; fifthly, how to treat custodial parents if they refuse to provide information about the
non-custodial parent; sixthly, the relationship between maintenance and social security payments; seventhly, the relationship
between maintenance and property; and finally, whether any circumstances justify any link between access and maintenance.
The discussion paper not only will be useful in the consultation process but also should assist organisations and individuals
wishing to make submissions to the Government on the proposed changes to child maintenance arrangements. Consultation
will occur from now until the end of November, whereupon the Government will be in a position to finalise details of its new child
support scheme.
I believe that the discussion paper makes clear the position that the Government has taken on the overall question of
maintenance and child support. I believe that the paper will be of great interest. We are certainly very anxious to involve
discussion across a broad spectrum of views. We hope that we can achieve in this Parliament considerable agreement around
the question of child support. Previous debates, especially in the other place, have shown that there is very broad support
across parties for reform in this area. I commend the paper to the House.
| Howe (ALP) | Blunt (NP) | history project | CSAWatch main page |
Title: REFORM TO CURRENT CHILD MAINTENANCE ARRANGEMENTS: Paper and Ministerial Statement
Mr BLUNT (Richmond) ;by leave-I agree with the Minister for Social Security (Mr Howe) that there is broad
bipartisan support for the need for reform in child support in Australia at present. I welcome the tabling of the discussion
paper, as superficial as it may be. I do not intend to comment at length now about the contents of the paper because, as the Minister
and the House know, we have had the paper for only about two hours during the suspension of the sitting for lunch and in
Question Time. I note that it is not the first paper that has been tabled in this place dealing with maintenance collection in
Australia. I regret that the Minister has made no reference to the 400-page report dealing with maintenance collection in
Australia that was tabled in 1984. The paper that has been tabled today was prepared as a result of the appointment of a
consultant. The appointment was made some 10 months ago. As a result of 10 months work, we have 41 pages of
substantive report, plus appendixes.
I regret that the Minister, in today's statement, made no attempt to explain the Government's philosophy in making a Press
statement prior to the Budget, which created the impression in the Australian public's mind that action in this area was
imminent and that many supporting parents in Australia could rely on the Government in the near future to do something about their
difficulties in obtaining maintenance support from their former partners. I am sure that the Minister is just as aware as I am that
many people anticipated prompt action and, in fact, deferred pursuing legal remedies of their own in anticipation that his
Government and his Department, through the Australian Taxation Office, would be acting immediately to come to grips with
the problem that exists.
I am also concerned that there is a conflict between the Minister's statement released as part of the Budget, which shows that
the Government's proposals will not affect those people who have effective maintenance collection arrangements at present.
However, on my readings of the report tabled today, the Government anticipates that the scheme will be extended to all
children in Australia. I hope that in the coming discussions the Minister will make clear to all Australians exactly what the
Government's intentions are in this area.
Date: 8 October 1986
Speaker: Howe The Hon B.L. (BATMAN, SOCIAL SECURITY, ALP, Government)
Source: House
Date: 8 October 1986
Speaker: Blunt Mr C.W. (RICHMOND, NP)
Source: House