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7. Ensuring parents meet their obligations to their children 7.1 Minimum payments More than 40 per cent of all payers in the Child Support Scheme are paying $260 per year ($5 per week) or less. Only about half of these are on Newstart, Disability Support Pension or other income support. It is likely that the reported …

3. Approach of the Taskforce In order to meet the Terms of Reference, the Taskforce: analysed the submissions on child support made to the House of Representatives Committee on Family and Community Affairs in 2003; analysed issues raised in Ministerial correspondence and unsolicited submissions to the Taskforce; …

2. Terms of Reference The Terms of Reference provide that the Taskforce, supported by the Reference Group, will: Provide advice around the short-term recommendations of the Committee along the lines of those set out in the Report (Recommendation 25) that relate to: increasing the minimum child support liability; …

Recommendations Terms used in these recommendations Child Support Income – a parent’s adjusted taxable income less their self-support amount FTB – Family Tax Benefit MTAWE – male total average weekly earnings, as reported by the Australian Bureau of Statistics Non-resident parent – the parent who cares for the child …

Appendix 1: Illustrations of the operation of the formula Tom and Meng Tom and Meng have three children, all under 12. They separate. All of the children live with Meng. They stay with Tom for 25 per cent of the nights per year (generally alternate weekends and half of school holidays). Step 1 Find Tom and Meng’s …

9. Other issues 9.1 Capacity to earn Determinations that a parent’s capacity to earn is higher than his or her actual income are amongst the most contentious of all Child Support Agency decisions. Either parent could, in principle, be caught by this provision, but in practice non-resident parents, mainly fathers, are …

8. Helping parents to agree 8.1 The role of Family Relationship Centres The new Family Relationship Centres can play an important role in helping separated parents to understand the Child Support Scheme and discuss issues about child support obligations. Group information sessions should draw attention to the …

10. Expected outcomes from the reforms Any changes at all to the Child Support Scheme will necessarily mean changes to the amount of money that some payees receive in child support and that payers must pay. In some cases, the child support received by payees will increase as a result of these reforms. Recommendations …

Appendix 2: Taskforce and Reference Group Membership Membership of the Taskforce Prof. Patrick Parkinson (Chair), Professor of Law, University of Sydney, and Chairperson of the Family Law Council. David Stanton (Deputy Chair), Consultant Social Security Planner and Policy Analyst and Visiting Fellow, Asia Pacific …

In the Best Interests of Children - Reforming the Child Support Scheme Summary Report Summary Report and Recommendations of the Ministerial Taskforce on Child Support … Summary Report and Recommendations of the Ministerial Taskforce on Child Support … In the Best Interests of Children - Reforming the Child Support …