National expresses child support fears

WELLINGTON: Absent fathers would put pressure on solo mothers to get out of their obligation to pay child support under proposed changes to welfare, the National Party says.

The Government has signalled it plans to remove the penalty for a solo parent, usually a mother, who refuses to name the other parent.

‘‘We know that has had a negative impact on the woman and the child,’’ Social Development Minister Carmel Sepuloni said at the weekend.

She said that there was no evidence that the penalty — between $20 and $30 a week — had any impact on absent parents paying child support.

But National Party deputy leader Paula Bennett, who oversaw a review of the welfare system as social development minister, said the changes would let absentee fathers off the hook.

‘‘That means he doesn’t have financial obligations to the state to actually be paying child support, so it’s actually quite a big thing to be dropping that.’’

National Party leader Bill English said absent fathers could take advantage of the change.

‘‘Clearly there’s an opportunity for a father of the child to put pressure on the woman to not name him, so he doesn’t have to contribute.’’

The Government would need to explain the purpose of dropping the sanction, he said.

‘‘Lots of Kiwis go to work every day, work hard, pay their tax. They’re willing and able to support those who need it, but want a sense of reciprocal obligation.’’ — NZME