Harris and Ingram (Child support)

The Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) considered an application by Harris (the applicant) concerning a review of a decision made by the Child Support Registrar. The dispute centred on the percentage of care attributed to the applicant for the child, with the applicant seeking to alter the existing determination. Ingram (the respondent) was the other party involved in the child support proceedings.

The primary legal issue before the Tribunal was whether there had been a change to the likely pattern of care of the child, which would warrant a variation of the existing percentage of care determination. The applicant contended that the care arrangements had shifted, justifying a revised assessment of the care percentages.

The Tribunal affirmed the decision of the Child Support Registrar, finding that there was no evidence to support a change to the likely pattern of care. The Tribunal applied the principles governing variations to child support assessments, which require a demonstrable alteration in the established care arrangements. As no such change was established, the applicant's request to alter the existing percentage of care determinations was refused.