Harwood and Harwood (Child support)

This matter concerned an appeal by the father, Mr Harwood, against a decision of the Child Support Registrar concerning child support payments. The dispute centred on whether certain payments made by the father for childcare expenses constituted "prescribed payments" for the purposes of the child support legislation. The appeal was heard by Ms J Cuthbert, a Member of the relevant tribunal.

The primary legal issue before the tribunal was to determine whether the payments made by Mr Harwood for his children's childcare were of a nature that would allow them to be recognised as "prescribed payments" under the *Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988* (Cth). This determination was crucial as it would affect the calculation and assessment of his child support liability.

Ms Cuthbert considered the relevant provisions of the *Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988* and associated regulations. The tribunal's reasoning focused on the specific wording and intent of the legislation concerning prescribed payments, particularly in relation to childcare expenses. After reviewing the evidence and the legislative framework, the tribunal concluded that the payments made by Mr Harwood did not meet the criteria for prescribed payments. Consequently, the decision under review was set aside and substituted with a new decision that did not recognise these payments as prescribed.