Pope and Pope (Child support)

The Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) considered the dispute between the parties, referred to as Pope and Pope, concerning the percentage of care arrangements for their child. The applicant sought to have existing percentage of care determinations revoked and new determinations made, alleging a change in the likely pattern of care.

The primary legal issue before the Tribunal was whether there had been a material change in the likely pattern of care for the child, which would justify revoking the existing percentage of care determinations and making new ones. This required the Tribunal to assess the evidence presented by both parties regarding the actual care arrangements and the anticipated future care arrangements for the child.

The Tribunal's reasoning focused on the interpretation and application of the relevant provisions of the *Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988* (Cth) concerning changes to care arrangements. It considered the evidence of the parties regarding the child's living arrangements and the practicalities of the proposed future care. The Tribunal found that the evidence supported a change in the likely pattern of care and that the existing determinations were no longer reflective of the child's best interests. Consequently, the Tribunal set aside the previous decisions and substituted new percentage of care determinations.