Froud and Child Support Registrar (Child support)

The Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) considered the appeal of Froud against a decision of the Child Support Registrar concerning the percentage of care for a child. The core of the dispute revolved around whether there had been a change to the likely pattern of care for the child, which would necessitate a review and potential alteration of existing percentage of care determinations.

The Tribunal was required to determine whether the Registrar's decision to revoke existing percentage of care determinations and make new ones was justified. Specifically, the AAT had to assess if the evidence presented demonstrated a significant and likely change in the child's living arrangements that warranted a departure from the previously established care percentages.

The Tribunal found that the Registrar had erred in their assessment of the evidence regarding the pattern of care. Applying the principles of the *Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988*, the AAT concluded that the evidence did not support a finding of a change to the likely pattern of care that would justify revoking the existing determinations. Consequently, the Tribunal set aside the Registrar's decision and substituted it with a new decision that upheld the original percentage of care determinations.