Haslam and Child Support Registrar (Child support)

This matter concerned an appeal to the Federal Circuit Court of Australia regarding a decision of the Child Support Registrar. The appellant, Mr Haslam, sought to challenge the Registrar's determination of care percentages for his child, which had resulted in the revocation of existing care percentage determinations and the establishment of new ones.

The primary legal issue before the Court was whether the Child Support Registrar had erred in revoking the existing care percentage determinations and substituting new ones. This required the Court to consider the proper application of the *Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988* (Cth) and the principles governing the determination of the likely pattern of care for a child.

Judge Jensen found that the Registrar had failed to properly consider all relevant factors when making the decision to revoke the existing care percentages. The Court applied the principles that the Registrar must be satisfied that there has been a change in the child's circumstances or that the existing assessment is no longer accurate, and that the determination of the likely pattern of care involves a holistic assessment of the child's living arrangements. The Court concluded that the Registrar's decision was not supported by sufficient evidence and that the Registrar had not adequately considered the evidence before them.

Consequently, the Court set aside the decision of the Child Support Registrar and substituted its own decision, remitting the matter for redetermination by the Registrar in accordance with the Court's reasons.