Carrick and Maddison (Child support)

This matter concerned an appeal by the applicant, Carrick, against a decision of the Child Support Registrar concerning the percentage of care for the parties' child. The respondent was Maddison. The dispute centred on whether there had been a change to the likely pattern of care for the child, which would justify revoking existing percentage of care determinations.

The primary legal issue before the court was whether the Registrar erred in refusing to revoke the existing percentage of care determinations. This required the court to consider whether the applicant had demonstrated a change to the likely pattern of care for the child, and whether the Registrar had properly applied the relevant provisions of the *Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988* (Cth) in refusing the application. The court also considered the implications of a late objection and a late application for review.

The court affirmed the Registrar's decision, finding that there had been no change to the likely pattern of care for the child. The court reasoned that the applicant had not provided sufficient evidence to establish a change in the established pattern of care. The Registrar's refusal to revoke the existing determinations was therefore upheld. The court also noted that the late lodgement of the objection and review application did not alter the substantive assessment of the care arrangements.