Bukhari and Partridge (Child support)

This matter concerned an appeal by Mr Bukhari against a decision of the Child Support Registrar regarding an administrative assessment of child support payable to Ms Partridge. The dispute centred on the Registrar's refusal to accept Mr Bukhari's estimated income for the purposes of the assessment.

The primary legal issue before the Court was whether the Registrar had erred in refusing to accept Mr Bukhari's estimate of his income. This required the Court to consider the criteria under the *Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988* (Cth) for accepting an estimated income, specifically whether the estimate was less than the amount likely to be the actual income.

The Court affirmed the Registrar's decision, finding that Mr Bukhari had not provided sufficient evidence to demonstrate that his estimated income was less than the amount likely to be his actual income. The Registrar was entitled to refuse the estimate on the basis that it was not a reliable reflection of Mr Bukhari's earning capacity. Consequently, the administrative assessment, which was based on the Registrar's own estimation of Mr Bukhari's income, was upheld.