The Child Support Agency (CSA) has been able to recoup $32.4 million in outstanding child support payments through the tax refund interception process, following an increase in the lodgement of tax refunds...

As the payment of the Government’s Tax Bonus was dependent on the lodgement of a 2007/08 Income Tax Return, the lodgement of tax returns has increased significantly compared with the same period last year. The lodgement of returns has created greater opportunities for the Government to recover overdue child support, and “the end beneficiaries of these payments is of course the children of separated families”.

The CSA has the appropriate power to intercept tax returns where there is overdue child support, as well as the ability to recover outstanding payments from bank accounts where no payment arrangements are in place.