Thousands exempted from penalties for not naming fathers

Media Release

THOUSANDS EXEMPTED FROM PENALTIES FOR NOT NAMING FATHERS
Monday, October 8, 2007

The government has been claiming a substantial drop in the number of single parents incurring a section 70A deduction from their benefit for refusing to name the father of their child and/or failing to apply for child support.

"In fact, over 3,000 single parents have now been exempted from any penalty but have still failed to name the father or other parent," Lindsay Mitchell, welfare commentator, said today.

"In 2005 I argued at select committee that raising the section 70A penalty from $22 to $28 per week was a waste of time. In truth, having any penalty is a mere token gesture to satisfy the moral sensitivities of taxpayers."

"That over 3,000 beneficiaries have been excused from penalty demonstrates the Ministry's lack of commitment to its own policy."

"Think about," says Mitchell. "You can be sure that if the DPB wasn't available many more women would be naming the fathers of their children as they sought his financial support through the courts. Then again, if the DPB wasn't available, far fewer women would choose to have a child unsupported by a partner."

"As it stands we have a system that acts to both replace fathers and pursue them. That results in many mothers being quite happy to survive on just the DPB. And tens of thousands of fathers paying the bare minimum of $14 per week in child support."

"The system is a travesty. It produces thousands more fatherless children, on paper or otherwise, than would have been the case without well-meaning interference."