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Reciprocal Child Support
Agreement with Australia

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The Child Support Reciprocal Agreement set up between New Zealand and Australia has not had sufficient thought put into how to put the theory into practice. The main aim of this agreement was for both countries to be able to collect child support from liable parents who decide to live in the other country. There does not seem to be any thought given to the liable parents, or how it would effect them dealing with this inefficient system and two bureaucratic departments.
Pressure needs to be put onto both New Zealand and Australia Governments to reevaluate the whole system, which is short staffed in both countries for the vast volume of cases to cover. This is causing huge delays in resolving any problems. Delays in sending out notices of assessments. Delays in these notices being actioned by the other Country, this is putting liable parents into arrears with added penalties NO reasonable notice given to liable parents of increases to allow them to address the problem.
It would be a lot simpler to have one Child Support Agency deal with one client in the country to where they live and work which would eliminate all the double handling which is happening at the moment. Allow the liable parent access to the child support agency which would save them time, stress with the way it is set up at the moment.
The way this agreement has been set up gives the liable parent who has to pay New Zealand the least amount and the liable parent who has to pay Australia the most because of exchange rates. see example This is why the country where the liable parent lives should do the assessment and collections to prevent one liable parent having the advantage over the other.
This will affect many liable parents, now and in the future if you agree that this agreement needs reevaluating you can contact me by Email with your opinion. Copies of all correspondence will be forwarded to the Minister of Inland Revenue New Zealand.


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