Collins Judith: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume 
Collins Judith: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Sitting date: 24 July 2008. Volume:648;Page:17403. Text is incorporated into the Bound Volume.] 
6.  
JUDITH COLLINS (National—Clevedon) 
 to the  
Minister of Revenue 
: What is the total current child support debt broken down by assessment and penalties? 
Hon RUTH DYSON (Minister for Social Development and Employment) 
 on behalf of the  
Minister of Revenue 
: As at 30 June 2008 the total child support debt owed by liable parents payees and child support employers was: in assessment debt $501889098; in penalty debt $833937558—totalling $1335826657. 
Judith Collins 
: Is it not true that the assessment debt has grown from $192 million in 2000 to more than $471 million today and what is the explanation for this given the $280 million increase in assessment debt? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: In both the cash collections which are now approximately $1 million per day—an increase of 4 percent—and the collections on Australia which is now $20.6 million for the last financial year compared with $13.3 million the previous year we have seen an increase. More can be done but in both instances we have seen an increase. 
Judith Collins 
: Is it not true that the number of Inland Revenue Department staff employed specifically to deal with unpaid child support has increased from 98 in June 2004 to 214 in June this year; and does the Minister have any idea what these staff are actually doing because clearly they are not collecting the unpaid child support debt? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: From the figures I gave to the member in the previous supplementary question: clearly they are. But they are now on notice that should that member ever be part of a Treasury front bench their jobs will be on the line. 
Judith Collins 
: How can he be satisfied with a child support system that enables 35 of the top 100 child support debtors to take off overseas free to leave and enter New Zealand as they please even though they owe between $300000 and $600000 each and if these same people owed $5000 for parking or speeding tickets they would be stopped at the airport; what is the difference? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: Data match legislation was passed by this House enabling the Inland Revenue Department and the Customs Service to ensure that people leaving and entering New Zealand did have their child support liabilities checked. That member and her party voted against that legislation. 
Judith Collins 
: How can he be satisfied with the child support system when just 35 people owe a staggering $14 million between them yet they are free to enter and leave New Zealand as they please because this Government cares more about parking fines than it does about children? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: No indication of total satisfaction has been given. That member should recall that her party voted against strengthening provisions that enabled the Inland Revenue Department and the Customs Service to data match in order to enable more child support debtors to repay that debt. 
Judith Collins 
: What does it say about the values of this Government when it thinks that stopping child support debtors at the airport is Draconian but when it comes to people with speeding or parking tickets it has adopted the following approach: “If you are planning on going overseas this summer you might want to pay your fines or you could end up staying in New Zealand.” and “fine dodgers must pay the fine or pay the price.”? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: As I have said in the answers to previous supplementary questions the most recent of several provisions either in legislation or in inter-Government agreements to strengthen the arm of the Inland Revenue Department to reduce child support debt were opposed by that member and her party. 
Judith Collins 
: I seek leave to table the leaflet  
Pay or Stay 
 Rick Barker’s getting tough on— 
Madam SPEAKER 
: Leave is sought to table that document. Is there any objection? There is objection.