Leavitt and Easom (Child support)

The matter of *Leavitt and Easom* concerned an application for an administrative assessment of child support. The dispute arose between the parties regarding the acceptance of a non-parent carer’s application for child support. The court was tasked with determining whether this application should have been accepted, particularly in circumstances described as an extreme family breakdown.

The central legal issue before the court was whether the Registrar of the Child Support Agency had erred in accepting the non-parent carer’s application for an administrative assessment of child support. This required the court to consider the relevant provisions of the *Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988* and the circumstances under which a non-parent carer can initiate such an assessment, especially when faced with significant family dysfunction.

The court affirmed the decision under review, finding that the application should have been accepted. The reasoning focused on the presence of an extreme family breakdown, which satisfied the criteria for the Registrar to accept the non-parent carer’s application. The court applied the principles governing child support assessments in situations involving non-parent carers, prioritising the welfare of the child within the context of severe familial discord.