Tatro and Duckworth (Child support)

The Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) considered the dispute between Tatro and Duckworth concerning the percentage of care arrangements for their child. The applicant, Tatro, sought to have the existing percentage of care determinations revoked and new determinations made, arguing there had been a change to the likely pattern of care.

The Tribunal was required to determine whether there had been a material change in the likely pattern of care for the child since the last assessment, and if so, whether to revoke the existing percentage of care determinations and make new ones. The central legal issue was the interpretation and application of the relevant provisions of the *Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988* (Cth) concerning changes to care arrangements.

The Tribunal's reasoning focused on assessing the evidence presented regarding the actual and intended future care arrangements for the child. It applied the principles established in child support legislation and case law concerning what constitutes a "change" in the likely pattern of care, considering factors such as the stability and duration of any proposed alterations. The Tribunal carefully weighed the evidence to ascertain if the proposed changes met the threshold for varying the existing care percentages.

The Tribunal set aside the previous decisions and made new percentage of care determinations, reflecting its findings on the altered care arrangements.