Cordray and Child Support Registrar (Child support)

This matter concerned an appeal to the Federal Circuit Court of Australia regarding a child support assessment. The parties involved were Mr. Cordray and the Child Support Registrar, with the dispute centering on the calculation of the percentage of care for the child.

The primary legal issue before the court was whether the Registrar had erred in calculating the percentage of care based on nights rather than hours, particularly in circumstances where care commenced from the inception of the child support assessment. The court was required to determine the correct methodology for assessing care percentages under the relevant legislation.

Her Honour Judge Rieper found that the Registrar's decision to calculate the percentage of care based on nights was inappropriate in this instance. The court reasoned that when care arrangements are in place from the commencement of an assessment, an hourly calculation provides a more accurate reflection of the actual care provided. Consequently, the court set aside the Registrar's decision and substituted it with a new assessment based on the percentage of care calculated by hours.