Above all, the new child support rules are about the rights of children.
Children have the right to be financially supported by both parents after separation or divorce.
Recognizing the need for fundamental change, the federal government is taking action in four key areas. These measures, proposed in the recent federal budget, will take effect after the passage of the necessary legislation. Second, Federal Child Support Guidelines will be introduced to establish fair and consistent child support awards in divorce cases. Third, a wide range of measures will be introduced to help enforcement agencies combat the chronic problem of default on support payments. Fourth, there will be a two-stage doubling of the Working Income Supplement of the Federal Child Tax Benefit.