"Emotional and financial support"

Steve Maharey, Social Services and Employment Minister (among other things) in the current New Zealand government, regularly puts out "Maharey Notes". In Maharey Notes no.87 (7 May 2003), he includes the following:

PARENTAL SUPPORT
Changes to welfare rules are under consideration to ensure both mothers and fathers provide financial support to their children. At present about 17,500 (16.8%) women receiving the domestic purposes benefit are not claiming child support from the father of their children and have a penalty deducted from their benefit as a result. This is up from 7,800 (8.2%) in 1993. Discretion is provided within existing benefit rules to exempt from the penalty women who are unable to name the father of their children for valid reasons. Social Services and Employment Minister Steve Maharey said children had a right to expect emotional and financial support from both of their parents.

Note that:

1) although he aims "to ensure both mothers and fathers provide financial support to their children", the item relates to the domestic purposes benefit (DPB), whereby custodial parents with little or no income are given financial support. The funding is designed so that it comes from child support payments from liable parents, with any shortfall coming from the taxpayer. Where custody is shared, only one parent can receive the DPB. It is not clear that parents on the DPB are providing financial support for their children.

2) Custodial parents are not accountable for their use of benefit payments received, nor of child support received directly. Family Court ordered access is intended to be set by the Family Court according to the "best interest of the child". There are custodial parents who fail to comply with these orders, and the Court has acknowledged that it has difficulty enforcing such orders (or is reluctant to do so - see reference to Judge Boshier here). If a custodial parent is seen not to be acting in a child's best interest with respect to access, should it be assumed that the parent WILL act in the child's best interest when considering how to spend money received?

3) once again, the Minister refers to "emotional and financial support" from both parents. In Maharey Notes no.45, 24 June 2001, he referred to "the Government's firm view that all parents had a responsibility to contribute to the financial and emotional support of their children" (also discussed here). It is not clear what the Minister is doing to overcome barriers faced by non-custodial parents wishing to provide emotional support to their children. Many of these barriers are institutional.

Stuart Birks

8 May 2003

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