Gibbon and Gibbon (Child support)

This matter concerned an appeal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) regarding a child support assessment. The parties, referred to as Gibbon and Gibbon, disputed the percentage of care arrangements for their child. The AAT was tasked with reviewing the initial decision made by the Child Support Registrar.

The primary legal issue before the Tribunal was whether there had been a change to the likely pattern of care for the child since the last percentage of care determination. This required the Tribunal to assess the evidence presented by both parties concerning the actual and anticipated care arrangements.

The Tribunal considered the evidence of both parents and applied the principles of the *Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988* (Cth) concerning changes in the pattern of care. The Tribunal found that there had been a significant and likely ongoing change to the pattern of care. Consequently, the Tribunal revoked the existing percentage of care determinations and made new determinations reflecting the changed circumstances. The decision under review was set aside and substituted with the Tribunal's new determinations.