Obsolete Child Support entries 277-08300000

Where the Child Support Registrar is satisfied that an entry in relation to an enforceable maintenance liability is obsolete, the entry can be deleted from the Child Support Register in accordance with section 41 of the Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988. In practical terms, this means deleting a case from the Register and removing the debt.

The decision that an entry is obsolete can only be made in limited circumstances for some:

• overseas maintenance liabilities, and
• cases where the payer is deceased

Only a case registered for collection by Child Support can be deemed obsolete. Do not make an obsolete decision:

• unless all available collection avenues have been exhausted, and
• there is no prospect of collecting outstanding child support

Service Officer (APS3)/(APS4)

Service Officers in International and Deceased Customer Management (DCM) teams:

• Identify cases that meet the criteria of an obsolete entry
• Contact payees to advise Child Support is considering making the entry obsolete
• Prepare obsolete entry submissions and refer to SSO (International) or APS5 (DCM)
• Follow processing steps after the obsolete entry submission is approved
• Contact customers and/or their representatives to advise a decision has been made
• Confirm the decision in writing to customers and/or their representatives

Service Support Officers (SSOs) and APS5s in DCM

• Provide advice or technical support to Service Officers and EL1/EL2s on complex issues
• Review obsolete entry submissions and either provide feedback to the Service Officer or refer the submission to an EL1
• Action feedback from the EL1 if the submission is incomplete
• Advise Service Officer if the submission is refused

EL1/EL2

• Make decisions about obsolete entry submissions within their authorisation level

SES1/SES2

• Make decisions about obsolete entry submissions within their authorisation level