‘Unfair and unreasonable’ – report finds $1.9 billion in unpaid child support in system rife with financial abuse

From The Conversation:

The Commonwealth ombudsman has released his long-awaited report into the “weaponisation” of the child support program.

He has identified widespread financial abuse throughout the system. This includes parents not making payments, lying to reduce their income and being abusive or violent to stop ex-partners seeking help.

The ombudsman has found Services Australia, which administers the scheme, is not using its available powers to stop the abuse and force ex-partners to support their children. As a result, 153,000 parents have a debt, and A$1.9 billion in unpaid child support is currently outstanding.

The report adds to the growing evidence the child-support scheme is failing families, especially women. The system hasn’t been working for a very long time, if it ever did.

Read more here.