A billion dollar debt to the Kiwi taxpayer
A billion dollar debt to the Kiwi taxpayer
National Party Welfare spokeswoman Judith Collins has released a breakdown of where liable parents are going to avoid paying their debts to their children and the Kiwi taxpayer.
“This is a sizeable problem. Kiwi taxpayers are owed nearly a billion dollars and nearly half of it is owed by liable parents who no longer live here,” says Ms Collins.
She is releasing figures today that show the total debt owed by liable parents stands at $917 million. Parents living in New Zealand owe $588 million and the balance is owed by those living elsewhere.
“The remarkable thing about these figures is that it shows the Government has $47 million dollars worth of debt owed by parents believed - but not confirmed - to be living in a particular country.
“And according to the answers provided by David Cunliffe, parents owing more than $3 million appear to have dropped off the face of the planet.
“Labour has been far to willing to accept this massive blow-out. It is even talking about writing off some of the debt to help make the figures look better.
“National says if we can stop fines defaulters at the border, we should be able to keep tabs on those who are fleeing the country to avoid their legal responsibilities to their children and the Kiwi taxpayer,” says Ms Collins.
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