2019 National tax clinic project: The University of Tasmania tax clinic

This article provides an assessment of the challenges involved in establishing a tax clinic in Tasmania and the achievements over the past twelve months from its inception in March 2019. The article also presents an evaluation of the objectives for the future of the tax clinic. The ten university tax clinics are designed to build practical experience for students who are the future of the tax profession. The clinic’s offer student volunteers and/or interns the opportunity to work with unrepresented taxpayers under the direct supervision of qualified tax professionals. The experience will also help students forge their own path and potentially focus on an area of tax that they are interested in, thanks to the exposure and experience gained through the clinic. This article will examine, in depth, the creation of a tax clinic at the University of Tasmania (‘UTAS’) followed by an analysis of the performance of the tax clinic in meeting the objectives of the Australian Government. The final part of the article will discuss the future of the tax clinic and its associated challenges.