United Future wants reforms in family laws

NATIONAL BUSINESS REVIEW: United Future would reform New Zealand family law, party MP Judy Turner says.

Mrs Turner said United Future would push to introduce "shared parenting" as the default position in cases where there was a dispute over custody in the family court.

She said shared parenting was currently granted in only one in nine cases where the Family Court was called upon to make a judgment.

"Shared parenting would mean that when both parents want custody, there will be a presumption that day-to-day care will be shared unless there are good reasons why it should not be."

Mrs Turner said research showed children benefited when they continued to have significant relationships with both parents after a breakup.

United Future would also allow the Family Court to order DNA testing to confirm whether a man is the biological father of a child and would look at ways of making the child support system fairer.

Party leader Peter Dunne said he had ordered a review of the child support system, in his capacity as revenue minister.

The review was aimed at making the system more responsive to factors such as shared care, parents' income levels and the costs of raising children.