Macha and Abney (Child support)

The case of *Macha and Abney* concerned a dispute between two parents regarding child support payments. The applicant sought to exclude certain post-separation costs from the child support assessment and have this exclusion apply from an earlier date than that determined by the initial decision-maker. The matter came before the court for review of the previous decision.

The primary legal issue before the court was whether the post-separation costs in question should be excluded from the child support assessment, and if so, from what date such exclusion should take effect. The court was required to consider the relevant provisions of the *Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988* and the principles governing the assessment of child support in circumstances involving post-separation expenditures.

The court determined that costs should only be excluded from the date of the application for exclusion, not from an earlier retrospective date. Applying this principle, the court found that the decision under review was erroneous. Consequently, the court set aside the previous decision and remitted the matter back to the original decision-maker for reconsideration in accordance with the directions provided by the court.