SOUTH AUSTRALIAN BRANCH OF THE LONE FATHERS ASSOCIATION Inc.
"Children need their Father as much as their Mother"
LFAA National Peak Body
|
|
SOUTH AUSTRALIAN BRANCH OF THE LONE FATHERS ASSOCIATION Inc."Children need their Father as much as their Mother"LFAA National Peak Body |
|
The Child Support Agency nas hit bacK at media reports claiming the agency is "grossly mismanaged and driving fathers to the dole queue",
"This is totally incorrect and misleading," said CSA General Manager Catherine Argall.
"At any stage did a reporter stop and ask who is this "independent" company PIR invesnment Research and what motive may it have in issuing a release like this?,
"What duty, of care does the media have in checking sources before publishing material?"
Ms Argall said the release titled "CSA Costs Taxpayers Undisclosed Billions", is totally misleading and does nothing to help those separated men, and women, who are struggling financially and emotionally.
"Since :he beginning, the CSA has saved the taxpayer billions, but more importantly has helped transfer billions of dollars to the children of separated parents", said Ms Argall.
"In 2003/04 the CSA actually saved the tax payer more than an estimated $500 million in reduced family tax benefits. That means almost 12.2 billion has been transferred berween parents for the benefit of the children in that one year alone"
The CSA says the other claims made in the PIR Research release are also complete nonsense.
"The statement that 70 per cent of all "all males in Australia over the age of 20 are child support payers is ridiculous", said Ms Arqall.
"in 2003/04, 12.8% of parents registered with the CSA were unemployed, and the number of child support payers in receipt of Newstart is actually falling," said Ms Argall.
"There is also no evidence whatsoever to sugqest child support causes unemployment. I fact the most recent research clearly demonstrates a nigh percentage of separated parents are on low incomes or unemployed prior to separation and registration with the CSA,
"This raises questions about financial pressures leading to separation, not the reverse and that's where we should he focussinq."
Ms Argaal was also very critical over comments that the CSA has turned into a "National Disaster."
"I would like no know by what standards the CSA is being compared to," said Ms Argall.
"For every dollar we help transfer for children, it costs 12 cents and that is by far the world's best practice.
"Since 1986, 95 per cent of all child support has been transferred between parents. That is most parents do the right thing and pay their chiLd support.
"There are few positive stories about what the CSA is doinq to help separated parents. For example we are about to launch a book called "What About Me" which is designed to help separated fathers look after themselves and in turn be a better dad
We are also running a program called "Staying Connected" which has already been held, with success, for dads working with the Australian Defence forces and Australia Post."