- Alter the Child Support (Assessment) Act 1989 so that each and every case can be properly and equally, assessed.

- In 2003, The Child Support Agency (CSA) affected the lives of over 1.2 million parents, assessing and collecting child support in respect of approximately 1.5 million children (CSA (2003) Child Support Scheme: Facts and Figures: 2001-2002,).

- Currently, it is unknown how many Australians in total are impacted by unequal treatment that results from the current assessment arrangements.

- The Child Support (Assessment) Act 1989 (Commonwealth) has a statutory formula to be applied in calculating the amount of child support to be paid by one parent to another.

- Whilst the statutory formula takes account of the situation of some families, it currently results in inequities when there are special circumstances. Some examples of these special kinds of circumstances include:

1. if a parent incurs extraordinary expenses to spend time with the children (such as long distance travel);

2. if a parent incurs extra costs because the children have special needs; or

3. if the statutory formula does not accurately pick up the income, earning capacity, property or financial resources of either parent.

- To account for these special circumstances, the child support legislation enables either parent to apply to the Child Support Agency for a change to the default assessment arising from the application of the statutory formula.

- In sum, there are ten reasons under which a parent may apply to have an assessment changed, however, the change of assessment process is unavoidably complex, discretionary and divisive.

- The change of assessment process does not work for Australians because it is too discretionary and divisive for a large number of paying parents who are being treated unequally, and for this reason the change of assessment process needs to be totally reformed.

- There are lot of Australians under distress.



References:

Commonwealth Ombudsman “Child support agency change of assessment decisions” http://www.ombudsman.gov.au/files/investigation_2004_01.pdf