Zeal and Freckleton (Child support)

This matter concerned an application by the liable parent, Zeal, for a review of a decision to extend a child support assessment beyond the child's 18th birthday. The liable parent sought the review on the grounds of financial hardship. The decision under review was affirmed.

The primary legal issue before the court was whether the liable parent had established grounds for an exemption from the child support assessment, specifically in relation to the extension of the assessment past the child's 18th birthday, based on financial hardship. The court was required to consider the relevant provisions of the *Child Support (Registration and Collection) Act 1988* concerning such extensions and the criteria for financial hardship exemptions.

The court affirmed the decision under review, finding that no applicable exemption was established. The reasoning applied by the court would have involved an assessment of the liable parent's financial circumstances against the statutory criteria for hardship exemptions in the context of extending child support obligations past a child's majority. As no such exemption was found to apply, the original decision to extend the assessment was upheld.