Shannon and Shannon (Child support)

This matter concerned an appeal by the father, Mr Shannon, against a decision of the Child Support Registrar regarding the percentages of care for the parties' child. The dispute centred on whether there had been a change in the likely pattern of care for the child that would warrant a reassessment of the existing care percentages. The appeal was heard by W Kennedy M.

The primary legal issue before the Court was whether the Registrar had erred in finding that there had been no change to the likely pattern of care for the child. This required the Court to consider the evidence presented regarding the actual care arrangements and the projected future care arrangements for the child, and to determine if these indicated a significant alteration from the pattern of care upon which the current child support assessment was based.

The Court affirmed the Registrar's decision, finding that the evidence did not demonstrate a change in the likely pattern of care. The Court applied the principles established in child support legislation and case law, which require a substantial and significant change in the pattern of care to justify a departure from the existing assessment. In this instance, the Court was satisfied that the existing care arrangements, and the likely future arrangements, remained consistent with the previous assessment, and therefore no alteration was warranted.