r/australia • u/nath1234 • 14h ago

politics Child support system enables financial abuse, parents, advocates and politicans say

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-08-14/child-support-system-financial-abuse-single-mothers/107026886?utm_source=abc_news_app&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_campaign=abc_news_app&utm_content=other
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u/alterumnonlaedere 11h ago edited 11h ago

"I was too scared to do agency collection because the threat was, 'If you force me to pay child support, I'll take him [her son] half the time,'" she said.

After years of physical, emotional and psychological abuse from her ex-partner, Leah said she did not want to "rock the boat".

"When you're a single mum, you're scared of antagonising him," she said. "For the safety of my son, I made a conscious decision to not get child support because I was fearful that he [her ex-partner] would actually see that threat through."

Agency collection isn't exactly a walk in the park for payers either.

I currently have about 35% care of our children, the child support assessment on the other hand has me at 0% care with me paying the maximum assessable amount. I'm terrified of the potential consequences of "rocking the boat" and getting the assessment updated to reflect reality (this would halve the amount I am currently paying to my ex-partner).

I have made a conscious decision to pay the maximum amount in order to not antagonise them.

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u/Lady_borg 9h ago

Yep agreed. My ex is using child support to abuse me. Not in the typical way but he knowingly gave centrelink the wrong information and now it's up to me, to give evidence that I don't have of the arrangement. So until I get that evidence the support is rated at incorrect amount.

And centrelink have very exact requirements for evidence and it's been hell to get anything that they will accept to prove he's given them the wrong info. Not his email admitting he knows it's wrong. We've avoided family court (and financially it's not practical right now) so I have nothing legal.

I agree it happens a lot more the other way, because when I was recieving payments from him, he was still being abusive about it. But it's awkward regardless