International debt. The term conjures up notions of international balance of trade.

But it can have another meaning entirely.

International child support debt. What’s that?

That’s when a nation’s children are owed support by foreigners.

And also when a nation’s adults owe support to foreign children.

These are international financial transactions.

Foreigners, mostly New Zealanders and Americans, owe Australian children $235 million. Canada and Britain also have substantial international child support debt.

But the problem goes beyond even that.

Under the Hague Convention, Australia is obligated to collect from Australia residents monies owed to foreign children.

And other nations that are parties to the Hague Convention have reciprocal obligations to collect international child support for foreign children.

Read more in this Australian article: Foreign dads boost child support debt.