Ramsay and Ramsay (Child support)

This matter concerned an appeal by the father, Ramsay, against a child support assessment made by the Child Support Registrar. The dispute centred on the percentage of care attributed to each parent for the child, which directly impacts the child support payable. The appeal was heard by J Thomson M.

The primary legal issues before the court were whether the Registrar had correctly determined the likely pattern of care from the commencement of the administrative assessment, and whether there were any special circumstances that justified the late lodgement of the father's objection to the assessment.

J Thomson M found that the Registrar's determination of the likely pattern of care was not demonstrably incorrect. Furthermore, the court concluded that no special circumstances existed that prevented the father from lodging his objection within the prescribed time limits. Consequently, the court set aside the decision under review and substituted its own decision.

The court ordered that the father's objection be dismissed as it was lodged out of time and no special circumstances were found to permit an extension.