Petition · past parliament
Charge non-resident parents who evade child support payments with child neglect.
Closed
891 signatures
What the petition asks
Current legislation does not recognise non-payment of child support as neglect. After a year of non-compliance separate criminal charges should be brought against such non-resident parents for child neglect.
Resident parents should also be able to prosecute non-compliant NRP for financial abuse.
Resident parents should also be able to prosecute non-compliant NRP for financial abuse.
Figures from 2011 indicate that 95.2% of parents who approached the Child Support Agency in order to access their legal entitlement for child maintenance were female. The failure to collect rates are astonishing. It is therefore a gender inequality issue.
This social injustice needs to be urgently addressed.The far reaching repercussions have to be legally recognised for both the parent with care and the child/ren when one parent fails to support their child/ren.
It is neglect and abuse.
This social injustice needs to be urgently addressed.The far reaching repercussions have to be legally recognised for both the parent with care and the child/ren when one parent fails to support their child/ren.
It is neglect and abuse.
Timeline
| 7 Apr 2016 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 7 Oct 2016 | Closed to new signatures |
Key facts
Signatures
891
Status
Closed
Opened
7 Apr 2016
Closed
7 Oct 2016
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.