The JCU Tax Clinic is a welcoming, student-led clinic where eligible members of the community can receive advice and assistance from taxation students under the supervision of experienced tax practitioners. The clinic provides support for unrepresented lower income or vulnerable individuals and small businesses in meeting or complying with their taxation affairs.
The clinic intends to bridge the gap between technical knowledge gained through coursework and the practical rigors of the workforce and aims to enhance the education of JCU students by offering participants the chance to immerse themselves in a practical workspace. Under the supervision of experienced tax practitioners, students will work closely with clients to resolve their tax related issues and develop fundamental skills to aid in their future careers.
Clinic operations
The primary location of the JCU Tax Clinic is in Townsville, open daily for administrative tasks, with client consultations held every Thursday afternoon. Additionally, the clinic conducts monthly client appointments in Cairns, Far North Queensland, located 4 hours north of Townsville. Once a year, the Clinic travels an hour south to the rural sugarcane town of Ayr to provide assistance to the local community.
Clinic objectives and services are to:
- provide free independent advice and assistance on taxation matters
- educate the public on current tax issues
- provide JCU students the opportunity to gain practical experience in a controlled and supportive environment under the supervision of tax practitioners with a view to preparing them for practice
- provide local tax practitioners with an opportunity to engage in pro-bono service.
Highlights for 2023
In 2023, the JCU tax clinic:
- had 14 student volunteers/interns
- invested 125 client-facing pro bono hours
- received 261 referrals
- assisted 128 clients
- lodged 211 tax returns
- conducted 5 community workshops.
Testimonials
Outreach service testimonial
In 2019, after more than 20 years, the Burdekin Neighbourhood Centre could not source or support local volunteers to offer tax appointments for eligible people under the ATO’s Tax Help Program. Because of the longevity of the Program within the Neighbourhood Centre, there was a high utilisation rate by community members seeking this type of assistance. To address this issue, the Centre contacted the JCU Tax Clinic and inquired about possibly working together to assist the local community and provide learning opportunities for accounting students at JCU.
The JCU Tax Clinic and the Burdekin Neighbourhood Centre have been collaborating since 2019. This partnership has increased the number of community members availing themselves of the services offered by the JCU Tax Clinic. Appointments can be scheduled either face-to-face or remotely, depending on the preference of the community member.
The Neighbourhood Centre provides a room for consultations, helps promote and refer people to the JCU Tax Clinic program, and provides assistance and equipment, such as a laptop and Wi-Fi, for conducting remote appointments.
The Burdekin Neighbourhood Centre is in full support of future collaborations between JCU Tax Clinic, and the community sector, with a particular focus on Neighbourhood Centres across Queensland.
We believe that there is excellent potential for place-based learning opportunities, especially for rural and remote students of JCU.
Natalie Saroglia, Co-ordinator
Burdekin Neighbourhood Centre Assoc Inc
Client story and testimonial
I am so grateful to be able to get help from your team when I most needed it. I know nothing about the tax system, especially those relating to my late husband. It was such a relief when I knew I could get assistance on the tax issues from a team of professionals.
Client story and testimonial
I couldn't have imagined how I could handle all these matters by myself. The services your team provides are so important to vulnerable people like myself who have little knowledge about the tax system and to those who could not afford to hire a tax professional. Thank you!