44,000 Parents Owe Child Support

A total of $208 million is owed by nearly 44,000 parents in Victoria.

Although the majority of money is owed by men, there is a significant amount of mothers who have been negligent in their payments. Collectively the women owe $5 million among 3300 individuals. Due to their severe negligence, 200 parents are not allowed to leave the country until their debts have been paid. One such father was found to owe $19,000 but kept traveling out of the country for business; however, when he realized that he would have to remain in the country, he paid his debts right away.

Kathleen Swinbourne of the Sole Parents' Union stated that some families were owed as much as $80,000. Some have suggested that local agencies utilize private investigations and surveillance to track down these parents. In some cases, such as one woman who was owed thousands of dollars by a former spouse who currently drove a Porsche, child support negligence is blatant.

If you're struggling with child support, it is advised that you hire a family lawyer.