Collins Judith: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Collins Judith: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:634;Page:6170] 
12.  
JUDITH COLLINS (National—Clevedon) 
 to the  
Minister of Revenue 
: 
Can he confirm media reports that state that almost 400 dads on salaries of $100000 or more owe $6.3 million in child support? 
Hon PETER DUNNE (Minister of Revenue) 
: 
 I can confirm that 387 persons are in that category. They owe around $4 million in child support payments with a further $2.25 million owed in outstanding penalties. 
Judith Collins 
: What estimates has the Minister been given of the number of wealthy fathers who are hiding their income and assets to avoid supporting their children? 
Hon PETER DUNNE 
: I do not have an estimate of the actual number but I can tell the House that the Child Support Amendment Bill (No 4) which was recently passed and which the member’s party opposed gave us the capacity to initiate reviews of people’s affairs in order to catch people who employ trusts and other devices for precisely that purpose. 
Paula Bennett 
: Can the Minister confirm that three-quarters of all liable parents are currently not meeting their child support commitments and that his way of reducing that debt is to write it off? 
Hon PETER DUNNE 
: The answer is yes and no. Three-quarters of people are not meeting their commitments. We made a change that gives us the capacity if they enter into arrangements to write off the penalty owed not the principal payment owed to the custodial parent. I need to make the point for the benefit of the member that the penalty payments have never been paid to the children concerned. It is actually revenue if one likes that is collected. It is far better to enter into arrangements where some child support is paid to those who require it rather than continue the situation where we were getting none at all. 
Paula Bennett 
: Why would wealthy people who have never met their child support commitments in the past suddenly become responsible parents once those penalties have been written off? 
Hon PETER DUNNE 
: The member is getting it back to front. The position is that their penalties will be written off only if they enter into arrangements. She seems to be putting the cart before the horse. The point I made in response to an earlier question is also relevant here. For the first time now Child Support and the Inland Revenue Department have the capacity to look into people’s affairs in that situation if they are using other mechanisms to shield income and thereby reduce their liability. 
Judith Collins 
: Has the Minister considered stopping indebted liable parents at the border before they go on their overseas trips to prevent them from leaving the country when they have outstanding child support payments; if not why not? 
Hon PETER DUNNE 
: I have asked officials to look into that for me and give me a report which I am expecting to receive fairly shortly. 
Judith Collins 
: When is the Minister going to get tough on the delinquent fathers who turn up in our electorate offices whingeing on because they have to pay $14 a week for their three children and telling us that their rights come first; when will he get tough for those kids? 
Hon PETER DUNNE 
: I have no tolerance at all for people who abscond from their responsibilities. The legislation that was passed recently gives us a mechanism to get tougher with them. I have indicated in response to questions this afternoon that other measures are under consideration. I simply say to all liable parents that they have obligations and we expect them to meet them.