Maintenance Enforcement Division

The Maintenance Enforcement Division is a division of the Insolvency and Public Trustee’s Office. It is staffed by Maintenance Enforcement Officers (MEOs) who will discharge their functions and duties under the Maintenance Enforcement Process (MEP). 

The MEP was introduced under the Family Justice Reform Bill in May 2023, to improve the enforcement of maintenance orders by:

a) deterring non-payment of maintenance; 

b) making enforcement easier when there is non-payment of maintenance;

c) facilitating sustainable maintenance outcomes; and 

d) increasing access to justice for applicants, especially those who are self-represented.

The key functions of the MEOs include: 

a)     Fact-finding on financial circumstances: MEOs are empowered to conduct fact-finding into the financial circumstances of the parties involved. They do so by obtaining information from parties and, if necessary, from third parties such as banks and government agencies.

b)     Referral to financial assistance: MEOs will identify suitable parties and refer them to relevant financial assistance.

c)     Conciliation sessions: MEOs will conduct conciliation sessions. During these sessions, MEOs will facilitate settlement between parties, with a view to promoting amicable and practical resolution of the maintenance enforcement application. Click here for more information about conciliation sessions.

d)     Submission of information to the court: MEOs will provide the information gathered to the court. This will enable the court to make more targeted and effective enforcement orders.

The MEOs only deal with maintenance enforcement applications referred by the Family Justice Courts (FJC). Maintenance enforcement applications can only be made to the FJC.