JAT Volume 22 Issue 2 – Griffith Tax Clinic

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THE GRIFFITH TAX CLINIC

BRETT FREUDENBERG, COLIN PERRYMAN, KRISTIN THOMAS AND MELISSA BELLE ISLE

Abstract

Griffith University (Queensland) was one of 10 Australian universities chosen to be part of the 2019 National Tax Clinic Project. This project sought to expand the foundational work done by Curtin University (Western Australia) to establish student tax clinics across Australia. The objectives of these clinics were to provide greater access to justice for unrepresented taxpayers, a rich learning environment for students, and greater tax literacy for the community. The Griffith Tax Clinic opened its doors to the public in July 2019. This article reports on the experience of the Griffith Tax Clinic, in its first year of operation, and sets out key learning outcomes and recommendations gleaned from that experience.

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JAT Volume 22 Issue 2 – Curtin Tax Clinic

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2019 NATIONAL TAX CLINIC PROJECT: CURTIN UNIVERSITY – CURTIN TAX CLINIC

DONOVANCASTELYN, STEPHANIE BRUCE AND ANNETTE MORGAN

Abstract

This article chronicles the experience of the Curtin Tax Clinic during the 2019 National Tax Clinic Program pilot. Relevantly, this work provides a detailed overview of the design of the Curtin Tax Clinic, the role of clinical staff, student involvement, and the services provided to clients. Reflective accounts of the student experience and client case studies demonstrate the perceived value, and key learnings and challenges of the initiative. Observably, students found that their experience in the Curtin Tax Clinic promoted their sense of community and belonging, in addition to improving their understanding of taxation law and developing greater confidence in their social and professional abilities. Additionally, clients benefited from the suite of taxation services offered by the Curtin Tax Clinic, with many reporting high levels of satisfaction and improved understanding of their taxation obligations. The article concludes with an endorsement for the National Tax Clinic Program and provides key recommendations for the continued success of the initiative.

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JAT Volume 22 Issue 2 – CDU Tax Clinic

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NATIONAL TAX CLINIC PROGRAM IN THE NORTHERN TERRITORY, AUSTRALIA: A PROJECT MODEL INNOVATION

INDRA ABEYSEKERA

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of the activities undertaken by the Charles Darwin University Tax Clinic (‘CDU Tax Clinic’) —located in Australia’s Northern Territory —as part of the inaugural National Tax Clinic Program conducted over the course of 2019. The CDU Tax Clinic was designed as a teaching clinic in order to assist unrepresented taxpayers with their taxation affairs while offering students real-world, client-based and practical experience. The project design considered the population distribution of the Northern Territory and ways of reaching unrepresented taxpayers located in three major towns, adopting an intrapreneurial and client-centred approach with the CDU Tax Clinic open seven days per week. In the period from late June 2019 to the end of October 2019, the CDU Tax Clinic served 266 clients in various ways, with six students undertaking work experience. The average time spent with a client was approximately two and a half hours. This paper provides a roadmap to maximising outreach to clients in a thinly populated geography. The findings are analysed in terms of clients who visited the CDU Tax Clinic and are generalisable to such populations. This paper shows the impact of a social project assisting socially disadvantaged groups, and a university engaging with the community through a professor and students.

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