Greacy and Greacy (Child support)

This matter concerned an appeal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal concerning child support assessments. The appellant, Ms Greacy, sought to revoke existing percentage of care determinations for her two children, arguing that there had been a change to the likely pattern of care. The respondent, Mr Greacy, opposed this application.

The Tribunal was required to determine whether there had been a change to the likely pattern of care for the children since the last percentage of care determination was made. Specifically, the Tribunal had to assess if the appellant's asserted changes in care arrangements met the threshold for a reviewable event under the relevant legislation.

The Tribunal found that the evidence did not establish a significant or lasting change to the likely pattern of care. While there were some minor fluctuations in the children's time spent with each parent, these did not constitute a substantial alteration to the established care arrangements. The Tribunal applied the principles that a change must be likely to persist and represent a material shift in the care responsibilities to warrant a revocation of existing determinations.

Consequently, the Tribunal refused to revoke the existing percentage of care determinations. The decision under review was set aside and substituted with a decision that no change to the likely pattern of care had occurred.