Gomer and Farran (Child support)

The matter of *Gomer and Farran* concerned a dispute over child support payments, specifically whether a payment made by the father, Mr Farran, towards the rent of the former family home should be credited against his child support liability. The decision was made by J Longo M.

The central legal issue before the court was whether the Registrar of the Child Support Agency had erred in exercising their discretion to refuse to credit the rent payment made by Mr Farran. This required the court to consider the circumstances under which a non-agency payment, such as the rent, could be recognised and credited towards a child support assessment, and the principles guiding the exercise of discretion in such matters.

J Longo M affirmed the Registrar's decision, finding that the discretion to refuse to credit the rent payment had been appropriately exercised. The court applied the principles established in child support legislation and relevant case law, which permit the crediting of certain non-agency payments where it is just and equitable to do so. However, in this instance, the court was satisfied that the Registrar had properly considered all relevant factors and had not acted unreasonably in refusing the credit. The court found that the payment of rent did not meet the criteria for a prescribed payment that must be credited, and that the Registrar's refusal was within the bounds of their discretionary power.