August 13th

As you haven't replied I've taken further advice. I've been referred to the Ontario Family Responsibility Office, who will be enforcing our court order for child support. It doesn't seem difficult and I suspect it would have been easier this way round all along. You could just contact them and save me the postage, as you have all the same paperwork as me. Yeah, thought not.

As far as I can tell, they will contact your employer and garnish your salary, which is I think what you would prefer. I'll still put in the assessment paperwork to the CSA here, but I don't suppose that means you will have to pay double.

http://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/mcss/english/pillars/familyResponsibility/programs/reg_supp_order_notmade_OCE.htm

August 7th

This:

http://www.csa.gov.au/forms/1970.pdf

is the form we will both have to complete as part of the assessment process. As you can see, we will both have to provide details of our income and expenditure, with bank statements etc. This information is disclosed to the other parent. So you will receive copies of my paperwork and I will be sent yours. I cannot imagine that's something you want to happen. It's certainly not my idea of a fun way to spend the next few weeks. And I don't want to have a mediated telephone conference with you either.

As I haven't earned anything in the last 8 months, [I don't even qualify for single parenting pension as I haven't been in Australia long enough], and am now only working 2 days a week in a not very well paid job, and I'm paying both rent for this house and a mortgage on the house I'm building, and my mortgage is enormous, the previous assessment was probably very much in your favour. But you'll see for yourself when you have my bank statements.

I have no idea why you would want to put us both through this. It's horribly intrusive.

August 7th

Firstly, thank you for the $919.00, which has been really helpful. Esme and I are living on less than $500 a week and so every bit helps.

Secondly, it appears you have lodged an inaccurate tax return, which has reduced Esme's Child Support assessment to the minimum payment. I was warned by Kerry Tellis at Victorian Legal Aid that this would probably happen, but I didn't think you would do that to us. I hope it's a mistake. If not, I'm surprised and disappointed in you for treating your daughter like this. Perhaps you think $100 a week is unreasonable, that you can't afford it and that Esme doesn't deserve or need it?

Your paying child support will make a huge difference to Esme's life, both financially and psychologically and I will do everything I can to ensure that our daughter isn't disadvantaged in this way. I am in the process of filing an application for a review of the assessment. I am still arguing for it to be back dated to November, when I applied to the CSA. This involves a lot of paperwork and mediation, which you will be required to participate in. For somebody who wants nothing to do with us, you seem to be going out of your way to keep us entrenched in this unpleasantness.

I am sorry if you are still angry and resentful. I really hope that you will find a way through it and realise that Esme is your daughter, and she needs this from you, even if there is nothing else that you are capable of giving her. Defrauding your baby of the little that you are legally required to support her with is something I'm having trouble believing you would be capable of. If all you contribute to your daughter's childhood is a small fraction of your salary, at least it's a contribution and that is better than nothing.

I really want to be able to show her that her father did at least contribute financially. I want to be able to tell Esme that her father is a good man and that you did that much for her. Please don't take us down a path where Esme has to grow up believing she is worthless to you. You are half her heritage, you are her father; you are important to Esme, and you need to come to terms with that

July 27th

Well the good news is that I now have a passport for Esme, thanks to the British who are not early as fussy as the Australians. So now I can come over there are wave Esme at you until you sort this CSA business out. You know I will, if you annoy me enough. Just sort it out! We're not going to go away, I'm just getting more cross.

I really want to be able to get on with our life here without having to have weekly chats about you with Ben at the CSA. If you have no intention of paying please let me know, as the child support is a large portion of our income and we are struggling without it and I'd need to make different arrangements. Why is it that you are making it necessary for me to keep contacting you? I find it very puzzling.