The objects of this Act are—
(a) to affirm the right of children to be maintained by their parents:
(b) to affirm the obligation of parents to maintain their children:
(c) to affirm the right of caregivers of children to receive financial support in respect of those children from non-custodial parents of the children:
(d) to provide that the level of financial support to be provided by parents for their children is to be determined according to their capacity to provide financial support:
(e) to ensure that parents with a like capacity to provide financial support for their children should provide like amounts of financial support:
(f) to provide legislatively fixed standards in accordance with which the level of financial support to be provided by parents for their children should be determined:
(g) to enable caregivers of children to receive support in respect of those children from parents without the need to resort to court proceedings:
(h) to ensure that equity exists between custodial and non-custodial parents, in respect of the costs of supporting children:
(i) to ensure that obligations to birth and adopted children are not extinguished by obligations to stepchildren:
(j) to ensure that the costs to the State of providing an adequate level of financial support for children and their custodians is offset by the collection of a fair contribution from non-custodial parents:
(k) to provide a system whereby child support and domestic maintenance payments can be collected by the Crown, and paid by the Crown to those entitled to the money.
Section 4(k): amended, on 26 April 2005, by section 3 of the Child Support Amendment Act 2005 (2005 No 6).