Chris Bowen (Prospect, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I have some questions for the Minister for Human Services about his announcement today about the investigation of child support payers—or nonpayers. In particular, I listened this morning to his interview with John Laws, which I think he did while driving to Canberra through the fog and which I listened to while driving to Canberra through the fog. I am sure we both had our eyes on the road and were not likely to crash into each other as he was talking and I was listening! I note that the report in the Australian today leads with:

A crack team of investigators will spy on divorced dads who cry poor to avoid paying child support ...

This is the reporting of it. I want to ask the minister to clarify whether it is also the case that the investigators will look at the finances and the situation of recipients of child support who may be underestimating their own income, not just at the payers or nonpayers. Is it or is it not the case that people who have claimed a certain income and claimed payment from the other party based on that income will also have their situation examined by these investigators?

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