Harsent and Bethel (Child support)

This matter concerned an appeal to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) regarding child support assessments. The applicants, Harsent and Bethel, sought to challenge existing percentage of care determinations. The core of the dispute revolved around whether there had been a change to the likely pattern of care for the subject children, which would necessitate a revocation of the current determinations.

The Tribunal was required to determine whether the applicants had demonstrated a change in the likely pattern of care for the children since the last assessment. Specifically, the AAT had to consider if the evidence presented established that the existing percentage of care determinations no longer accurately reflected the actual or likely future care arrangements for the children.

The Tribunal affirmed the decision to refuse to revoke the existing percentage of care determinations. The reasoning applied was that the applicants had failed to establish a material change in the likely pattern of care. The AAT considered the evidence presented and concluded that the existing arrangements, and the likely future arrangements, remained consistent with the previously determined percentages of care. Therefore, no grounds were found to revoke the existing determinations.