Legum and Harmon (Child support)

The applicant, Legum, sought to suspend a child support assessment made by the Child Support Registrar in relation to Harmon. The central issue before the court was whether Legum and Harmon were members of a couple at the time the child support assessment was made.

The court was required to determine whether the evidence established that Legum and Harmon were a couple for the purposes of the *Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988* (Cth). If they were found to be members of a couple, the application for suspension would be refused.

The Senior Member, R Ellis SM, found that the evidence did not establish that Legum and Harmon were members of a couple. The court applied the principles for determining whether individuals are members of a couple, which involve an assessment of the nature of their relationship, including factors such as whether they live together, their financial interdependence, and the degree of commitment to a shared life. Based on the evidence presented, the court concluded that the criteria for being members of a couple were not met.

Consequently, the application for suspension of the child support assessment was refused, and the decision under review was affirmed.