Lovell and Child Support Registrar (Child support)

The Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) considered the matter of *Lovell and Child Support Registrar (Child support)*. The dispute concerned the percentage of care arrangements for a child, specifically whether there had been a change to the likely pattern of care. The applicant, Ms. Lovell, sought to have existing percentage of care determinations revoked and new determinations made, arguing that court orders regarding the child's care had not been complied with. The Registrar had made decisions to revoke the existing determinations and make new ones, which Ms. Lovell sought to have reviewed.

The Tribunal was required to determine whether the Registrar had erred in revoking the existing percentage of care determinations and making new ones. This involved assessing whether there had been a change to the likely pattern of care for the child, and whether the actions of both parents, one with reduced care and the other with increased care, were reasonable in the circumstances. The Tribunal also had to consider the application of an interim period of 26 weeks in relation to the new care arrangements.

In its reasoning, the Tribunal applied the principles of the *Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988* concerning changes to the likely pattern of care. It found that the Registrar had not erred in their decision-making process. The Tribunal concluded that the existing percentage of care determinations should be set aside and substituted with new determinations reflecting the changed pattern of care, taking into account the reasonableness of the actions of both parents and the interim period. The Tribunal’s decision was to set aside the decision under review and substitute it with a new decision.