Campion and Shorrock (Child support)

The Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) considered the dispute between Campion and Shorrock concerning child support payments. The core of the disagreement revolved around whether payments made by one party to a third party, or directly to the other parent, constituted valid child support payments in lieu of the assessed amount. The AAT was tasked with reviewing a previous decision on this matter.

The Tribunal was required to determine whether the payments made by the applicant were intended by both parties to be in satisfaction of the child support assessment. Specifically, the AAT had to ascertain if the payments made to a third party, and those made directly to the respondent parent, were made with the intention of discharging the applicant's child support obligations.

The Tribunal's reasoning focused on the intention of both parents at the time the payments were made. It applied the principle that for payments to be considered in lieu of child support, there must be a mutual understanding and intention between both parents that such payments would satisfy the child support liability. The AAT found that the evidence did not support a finding that both parties intended the payments made to the third party or directly to the respondent to be in full satisfaction of the child support assessment. Consequently, the AAT set aside the previous decision and substituted its own.