Judge Brown of the Federal Circuit Court of Australia considered spousal maintenance in the case of Noble (2014) FCC A421. In this case the wife wanted her husband to pay her spousal maintenance.
The wife received Centrelink payments and worked part time and the husband paid child support. The court considered the stark imbalance of the husband and wife’s capital resources and the length of their relationship. The evidence indicated the wife had a shortfall between her income and her recurrent needs and could not adequately support herself.
Although the husbands expenses and income were roughly equal to that of the wife, the court ordered that he pay $200 each week for spousal maintenance until the final hearing.