Unbelievable blow-out in Aussie-based liable parents

“It is becoming increasingly clear that Labour has no idea how many freeloading fathers have fled to Australia to avoid paying child support,” says National Party Welfare spokeswoman Judith Collins.

“Labour has said it plans to massage the figures by writing off some of the debt owed by liable parents living in Australia - but the more questions National asks about this issue, the fewer answers we’re being given.”

She is commenting on answers to written Parliamentary Questions that show the 11,366 liable parents believed to be living in Australia owe nearly $300 million.

“According to Associate Revenue Minister David Cunliffe, as at the end of March there were 10,500 liable parents confirmed as living in Australia owing $272 million.

“But in November, Mr Cunliffe told the National Party there were only 5,197 liable parents confirmed as living in Australia owing $112 million.

“In essence, the figures he has provided show the number of parents, and the estimated debt has more than doubled in five months.

“Either Mr Cunliffe is trying to hide a much larger problem or he has no idea what’s really going on.

“According to the November statistics, Labour is chasing only $91 million dollars worth of debt from only a third of the liable parents living in Australia.

“Labour is forcing the New Zealand taxpayer to pick up the tab for the more than $200 million shortfall.

“National is determined to make sure more of that money is collected and returned to the pockets of hard-working New Zealand taxpayers, while Labour refuses to admit it has a major problem on its hands,” says Ms Collins.

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