Ardron and Ardron (Child support)

The case of *Ardron and Ardron* concerned an application for a departure determination under the *Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988* (Cth). The applicant sought to have the child support assessment varied based on the income, property, and financial resources of the liable parent, specifically highlighting a benefit derived from the sale of assets and income from employment. The matter came before Judicial Officer D'Arcy M.

The central legal issue before the court was whether the liable parent's actual financial circumstances warranted a departure from the standard child support assessment. This involved determining if the liable parent had received a benefit from the sale of assets and if their income from employment was such that the existing assessment did not accurately reflect their capacity to pay. The court was required to consider the provisions of the *Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988* relating to departure determinations and the assessment of a parent's financial resources.

Judicial Officer D'Arcy M reasoned that the liable parent had indeed benefited from the sale of assets, which constituted a financial resource that should be considered in the child support assessment. Furthermore, the court found that the liable parent's income from employment was a significant factor. Applying the principles of the *Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988*, the court concluded that the existing assessment did not adequately reflect the liable parent's capacity to pay child support. Consequently, the decision under review was set aside and substituted with a new determination.