Leftwich and Wrinch (Child support)

This matter concerned an appeal to the Child Support Registrar by Leftwich (the applicant) against a decision made by the Registrar concerning child support assessments. The dispute centred on the applicant's election to end a child support assessment, and whether the other party, Wrinch (the respondent), had the capacity to alter the date of that election. The decision under review was affirmed by the Registrar.

The primary legal issue before the Registrar was whether the respondent possessed the authority to alter the date on which the applicant elected to end a child support assessment. This question arose in the context of the applicant's attempt to cease child support payments.

The Registrar reasoned that the legislative framework governing child support assessments, specifically the *Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988* (Cth), did not grant the respondent the power to unilaterally change the date of the applicant's election. The Registrar affirmed the original decision, finding that the applicant's election to end the assessment was effective from the date it was made, and the respondent had no capacity to alter this date.