Freeland and Grainger (Child support)

This matter concerned an appeal by Freeland (the applicant) against a decision of the Child Support Registrar (the respondent) regarding child support payments. The dispute centred on whether a payment made by Freeland for essential medical treatment for the child was correctly credited by the Registrar. The appeal was heard by R Ellis SM in the Magistrates Court of Western Australia.

The primary legal issue before the Court was whether the payment made by Freeland for the child's essential medical treatment constituted a "prescribed payment" for the purposes of the *Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988* (Cth). This determination was crucial to ascertain if the payment should be credited against Freeland's child support liability.

The Court considered the provisions of the *Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988* and relevant regulations. It was found that the payment made by Freeland for the child's essential medical treatment met the criteria for a prescribed payment. Consequently, the Court held that the payment had been correctly credited by the Child Support Registrar. The decision under review was affirmed.