Australia and New Zealand help each other manage child support, so you can make or receive payments in either country.
The country the receiving carer lives in should work out the payment amount, but both countries can collect and enforce payments.
Receiving child support in Australia
When you're a receiving carer living in Australia and the paying (liable) parent lives in New Zealand, you'll need to apply for child support through Services Australia.
Managing child support (Services Australia)
Paying from New Zealand
When you're a paying parent living in New Zealand and have a child support assessment from Services Australia, you'll need to make payments through them. Services Australia may ask us to collect your child support payments on their behalf. If they do, we will collect the payments and transfer them to Services Australia.
Talk to Services Australia about your assessment
Even if we collect your payments, you still need to discuss your child support assessment with Services Australia. For example, if your income changes and you need to estimate it, contact them.
Contact us (Services Australia)
Receiving child support in New Zealand
When you're a receiving carer living in New Zealand, you'll need to apply for child support through us. If you were receiving child support through Services Australia, you need to let them know that you have left Australia and applied in New Zealand.
When Australia collects for us
We may ask Services Australia to collect child support payments from the paying parent. If they do, they will collect them and transfer them to us.
We can ask Services Australia to follow up if either:
- the payment is wrong
- the payment is at least 3 months late.
Services Australia cannot tell us any details of what they’re doing to collect the payments.
If you have any information that may help in collecting payments, let us know as soon as you can.
Making payments directly to us
When you're a paying parent living in Australia and have a child support assessment in New Zealand, you'll need to make payments through us, unless Services Australia is collecting them for us. There are a few ways you can make these payments.
Talk to us about your assessment
If Services Australia is collecting your payments, you will still need to discuss your child support assessment with us. For example, if you have a change in income and need to estimate your income.
Information we share with Australia
Our agreement with Australia means that we can exchange information such as your personal and income details relating to child support. This information is confidential, and only used to help us follow our agreement.
Child Support (Reciprocal Agreement with Australia) Order 2000
Contact numbers
Contact Services Australia from New Zealand on 0800 440 953
Contact us from Australia on 1800 504 042
Contact Services Australia from Australia on 131 272
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