Katherine Rich MP - National Party Welfare Spokeswoman
12 January 2005
Child support debt 'out of control'
Child support debt has more than doubled under the Labour Government, according to figures released today by National
Party Welfare spokeswoman Katherine Rich.
"When Labour took office child support debt was at $361 million, it is now $873 million.
"This is a problem that's out of control by anyone's measure," says Mrs Rich.
According to figures provided by Associate Revenue Minister David Cunliffe there has been a 19% increase in unpaid child
support debt in a single year, up from $731 million in 2003.
"Labour claims to be getting tough on unpaid child support, these figures show the opposite is true," says Mrs Rich.
Below: Non-custodial parents debt region by region as at November 2004.
Assessment Value Penalty & Interest Total Debt
Region
Auckland $151,830,730 $205, 592, 832 $357,423,562
Hamilton $77,289,686 $ 90,203,859 $167,493,545
Wellington $71,022,423 $101,795,988 $172,818,411
South Island $79,244,589 $96,669,348 $175,913,937
Total Debt $379,387,428 $494,262,027 $873,649,455 Figures as at November 2003.
Assessment Value Penalty & Interest Total Debt
Region
Auckland $129, 326,494 $165,772,713 $295,099,207
Hamilton $65,745,730 $ 74,965,017 $140,711,747
Wellington $63,568,697 $88,635,927 $152,204,624
South Island $65,559,756 $78,135,659 $143,695,415
Total Debt $324,201,677 $407,509,316 $731,710,993
Assessment Value Penalty & Interest Total Debt
All regions 31 Dec 1999 $201,265,772 $160,425,854 $361,691,626
The regions are defined as follows: * Auckland Area includes Manukau, Takapuna and Whangarei offices * Hamilton Area
includes Gisborne, Hamilton, New Plymouth, Rotorua and Tauranga offices * Wellington Area includes Napier, Palmerston
North and Wellington offices * The South Island includes Christchurch, Dunedin, Invercargill and Nelson Child Support
offices.
ENDS