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New Zealand Child Support Obligations

$1.5b owed in child support

Almost a third of liable parents are shunning child support obligations, the highest rate in five years. Ref. Source 2

Obligations Support Child Zealand New

There are several problems with the New Zealand child support system that need to be addressed. Firstly if the absentee parent works for them self or owns their own business, as they are technically not on a wage their wages cannot be garnished to pay for child support.

Secondly child support payments are based on the income of the parent so effectively people are being punished for earning a higher wage. I would like to see a system where the payments are based on the average wage, where the government tops up payments for those earning less than the average (as they already do now).