Ardley and Ardley (Child support)

This matter concerned an appeal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (the Tribunal) by the father, Mr Ardley, against a decision of the Child Support Registrar. The dispute centred on the percentage of care arrangements for the parties' two children, with the father seeking to have the existing percentage of care determinations revoked and a new assessment made.

The Tribunal was required to determine whether there had been a change in the likely pattern of the children's care since the last assessment, and if so, whether that change warranted the revocation of the existing percentage of care determinations. The core legal issue was the interpretation and application of the relevant provisions of the *Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988* (Cth) concerning changes to care arrangements.

The Tribunal affirmed the Registrar's decision, finding that the evidence did not establish a change to the likely pattern of care that would justify revoking the existing determinations. The Tribunal applied the principles that a change must be significant and likely to be sustained to warrant a new assessment, and that the onus was on the appellant to demonstrate such a change. The Tribunal concluded that the evidence presented did not meet this threshold.