Child Support Act 1988 (No. 3 of 1988) , 9 March 1988
Annual Review of Population Law 15: 129
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0364-3417 PMID: 12289181 Document Number: 380238
This Act provides for the collection of certain periodic maintenance payments in Australia. The goals of the Act are "1) that children receive from their parents the financial support that the parents are liable to provide and 2) that periodic amounts payable by noncustodial parents towards the maintenance of their children are paid on a regular and timely basis." In order to achieve these goals, the Act establishes a Child Support Agency and a system for registration of child support obligations. Such obligations, whether created by court orders or maintenance agreements, are to be entered by the Commissioner of Taxation in a Register and are to be deducted from the salary of the noncustodial parent by that parent's employer in the same manner as other deductions. Such monies are then to be paid to the custodial parent by the Department of Social Security. Appeals with respect to entries in the Register are to be made to the Family Court or other authorized courts.