Parents shirking their financial responsibility to their children owe $1.59 billion in overdue child support, according to government figures.
After adjusting for inflation, total overdue child support remaining unpaid at the end of each financial year has increased in all but one of the past 10 years. Overall, total child support debt is up more than 30 per cent since 2007.
The Federal Government has been spruiking its success using departure prohibition orders (DPOs) to recover child support owed. But travel bans recover only a tiny fraction of total outstanding debt — just 0.63 per cent last financial year.
A Department of Human Services spokesperson told the ABC DPOs are "used as a last resort", however they were unable to provide figures for other debt recovery methods used or a total for how much overdue debt is recovered each year.
What should I read next?
- When 'friends with benefits' Tinder match results in parenthood
- Financial abortion: Should men be able to 'opt out' of parenthood?
- What it's really like to be a single parent
Want more charts?
This is part of a new daily series featuring charts which tell a story. If you know of some data that fits the bill, we'd love to hear about it.
- Older Australians hit by dating and investment scams
- The most manly (and womanly) jobs in Australia
- All the top crypto currencies are having a bad year
