New funding to address the weaponisation of child support

Our dedicated child support legal practice helps thousands of parents each year. Through our practice we see how gaps in the law and existing system have failed to ensure a reliable source of financial support. We see how these gaps are used as a key tool by perpetrators of family violence to continue their abuse.

The $182.6 million promised in the federal budget provides funding for reform including:

• greater protections for parents who have private child support collect arrangements and a new pathway for either parent to move from private arrangements to Agency Collect (the government system)
• pausing debt collection of Family Tax Benefit debts caused by backdated reassessments of child support
• improved online services and communications to help separated parents meet or seek an exemption from the Maintenance Action Test
• empowering the child support registrar to refuse certain applications where they are made for the purpose of harassing the other parent
• funding the Australian Tax Office (ATO) to prosecute parents who repeatedly fail to submit their tax returns to minimise or avoid paying child support
• improvements in sharing of income information between Services Australia and the ATO
• improved arrangements for parents and children living overseas to apply for child support.

Our Child Support Legal Service provides daily assistance to clients whose ex-partners hide or minimise their income and even withhold children to avoid paying child support. Our clients tell us the child support scheme is riddled with loopholes, and they struggle to get a fair level of financial support for their children.

‘It’s great to see years of advocacy from our clients, staff and colleagues across the sector result in landmark changes to the child support system,’ said Program Manager Child Support Kathleen Ng. ‘These budget measures are an important first step for the Australian government to stop the weaponisation of child support.’

Improving access to child support grants of assistance

Prior to the measures promised under the Federal Budget, we made a number of changes to our Commonwealth child support guidelines, fees and early intervention means test. The changes will make it easier for private practitioners and community legal centres (CLCs) to support separated parents with child support issues and increase access to justice for eligible clients.

Contact us

If you need help with child support or have questions for our child support experts, please complete our child support inquiry form.

For referrals, please email childsupportreferrals@vla.vic.gov.au