The Australian National University (ANU) has expanded its Tax Clinic to offer more support to people in regional and Indigenous communities.
Academic at the Research School of Accounting at ANU, Sonali Walpola said the Tax Clinic was using new online capabilities to reach people in regional NSW and Victoria, the Northern Territory and even Australian taxpayers living overseas.
“The project involves ANU accounting students providing free tax advice to individuals and small businesses under the supervision of volunteer professionals,” Dr Walpola said.
“Since mid-June, about 250 people have sought help from the Clinic, a big increase from previous years,” she said.
“This includes around 80 first-time lodgers.”
Dr Walpola said ANU Tax Clinic clients ranged from teenagers with casual jobs to older pensioners.
“We’ve been able to help people with a huge backlog of returns, as well as small businesses that have recently become profitable after many years of losses but can’t afford the services of a private accountant,” she said.
Dr Walpola said the Clinic was now working with several Aboriginal organisations to develop a series of tax workshops catered to Indigenous small businesses.
Manager of the ANU Tax Clinic, Carolyn Drury said the Clinic was also reaching out to communities of new Australians through its links with migration service organisations.
“We have access to interpreter services and can assist with the whole tax process, from the first step of linking the client’s MyGov account to the Australian Tax Office, all the way through to finalising the tax return,” Ms Drury said.
Further information on the ANU Tax Clinic can be accessed at this PS News link.
