Ms HANSON —My question is addressed to the Treasurer. Will the government address the social and financial problems incurred with child support? If the government supports sole parents with an income of approximately $47 per week per child, how can it justify non-custodial parents having to pay in excess of $100 per week per child, leaving these people in destitute situations, even throwing in their jobs to obtain better financial security on the dole?

Mr COSTELLO —The reason why the government policy is to seek a contribution from non-custodial parents under child support is that the government believes that both parents are responsible for the children that they bring into the world, whether they have custody of them or not. The reality is that if the parents are not going to be made to make a contribution it is only going to be other taxpayers who will be picking up the difference.

As a matter of policy, our government believes that the parents are the first area of responsibility and that there should be mechanisms for the parents to make a contribution. Where the parents are unable to do so, of course there is a social security net which steps in for the sake of the children. I believe that no humane society could have it otherwise.

Non-custodial parents cannot believe that they lose responsibility for the maintenance and rearing of children once they lose custody. I think we all recognise that family breakdown is a terrible thing and to be avoided as far as possible. But where it does occur, both parents, whether custodial or non-custodial, have a responsibility which is firstly owed to the children—

Mr Price interjecting—

Mr COSTELLO —I would not interject here if I were you.

Mr Fitzgibbon interjecting—

Mr SPEAKER —The member for Chifley and the member for Hunter.

Mr COSTELLO —The member for Hunter thinks this is a bad situation, does he? You do not think that non-custodial parents should make a contribution? We are very interested to see the interjections that are coming from the Labor backbench because the Labor frontbench agrees with this position. That is why there is absolute silence down there, old son.

We believe that the non-custodial parents should be making a contribution because it is in the interests of the children concerned and in the interests of preserving their prospects in a humane and decent society.