article: A man has gone to extreme lengths to avoid a $600-a-month hike in child support. Matthew Bird, from Ashburton, New Zealand, halved his income by quitting his well-paid job as an agricultural adviser to become a mechanic after he realised he would be expected to pay around $1,900 a month in child support payments. He said he was happy to give up is $70,000 a year pay check for a meagre wage of $38,000 a year, if it meant his child support payment dropped to $554 a month. Matthew Bird said he was happy to give up is $70,000 a year pay check for a meagre wage of $38,000 a year, if it meant his child support payment dropped to $554 a month . Inland Revenue recently amended their child support formula which was enforced on April 1. Mr Bird has fathered three children and was previously expected to pay $1,300 a month in child support. He said once the changes were implemented his payment rose by $600, to a total of $1,900 a month. ‘I’m on half wage but I pay a third of what I used to,’ Mr Bird told NZ media. He said the increased figure is ‘unreasonable’ and he believes illegal employment will flourish under the new system. Truck driver Dean Sorenson, 28, said he's also facing financial difficulty after his child support payments increased by $172-a-month. He said while he had considered changing jobs to reduce his payment, he thought his family would end up worse off if he did. New Zealand MP Jo Goodhew said those who were struggling with the new formula could come into her office to discuss how changing jobs could affect their future payment. Ms Goodhew has invited parents to her office to discuss how the new calculations are affecting their wage . As child support payments are calculated on information provided to Inland Revenue by parents, they have advised that parents check the information they gave is still up to date to ensure their payment has been calculated correctly. A spokeswoman for Waitaki MP Jacqui Dean said her office had received three inquiries about the changes to child support payments. Ms Goodhew’s Timaru office confirmed they had dealt with five cases in 2015, however, none were in relation to the changes that took effect on April 1.
highlights: New Zealand recently changed how they calculate child support figures .
  Some parents are outraged, labelling the changes as 'unreasonable'
  One parent said he quit his job so he wouldn't have to face a $600 increase .
  He said after he halved his income, his payment dropped by two thirds .
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