Students

ACCG3020 – Taxation Law and Practice

2021 – Session 3, Weekday attendance, North Ryde

Session 2 Learning and Teaching Update

The decision has been made to conduct study online for the remainder of Session 2 for all units WITHOUT mandatory on-campus learning activities. Exams for Session 2 will also be online where possible to do so.

This is due to the extension of the lockdown orders and to provide certainty around arrangements for the remainder of Session 2. We hope to return to campus beyond Session 2 as soon as it is safe and appropriate to do so.

Some classes/teaching activities cannot be moved online and must be taught on campus. You should already know if you are in one of these classes/teaching activities and your unit convenor will provide you with more information via iLearn. If you want to confirm, see the list of units with mandatory on-campus classes/teaching activities.

Visit the MQ COVID-19 information page for more detail.

General Information

Download as PDF
Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor
Daisy Chen
Contact via Contact via ACCG3020@mq.edu.au
Please see iLearn
Moderator
Rahat Munir
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
(20cp at 2000 level or above including (BUSL250 or BUSL251 or ACCG2051)) or 40cp in LAW units at 2000 level
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This unit introduces students to the tax framework operating in Australia. It looks at the regulatory environment and the impact of the conceptual framework on key areas of taxation including income tax; goods and services tax; and fringe benefits tax. After completing this unit, students will be able to recognise, describe and analyse taxation issues and apply tax concepts to problems encountered in a contemporary setting.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Identify tax issues and apply the provisions of relevant tax legislation to real-life situations
  • ULO2: Develop a suitable set of tax management strategies for a variety of taxpayers
  • ULO3: Present, evaluate and use numerical and statistical information related to taxation
  • ULO4: Apply research skills to source and interrogate tax law materials and interpret complex legal information
  • ULO5: Produce professionally written tax advice which presents a clear and well supported justification of guidance given

General Assessment Information

General Assessment Information

Late Submissions:

Late assessments (for the Case Study and reflection report)) must also be submitted through Turn-it-in. No extensions will be granted. There will be a deduction of 10% of the total available marks made from the total awarded mark for each 24 hour period or part thereof that the submission is late (for example, 25 hours late in submission incurs a 20% penalty).

Late submissions will not be accepted after solutions have been discussed and/or made available.

This penalty does not apply for cases in which an application for Special Consideration is made and approved

Note: applications for Special Consideration must be made within 5 (five) business days of the due date and time. 

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Assessed Coursework 10% No Twice Weekly
Online Quiz 10% No Friday, 10 December 2021 at 11pm
Case study 20% No Friday, 7 January 2022 at 3pm
Final Examination 60% No University Examination Period

Assessed Coursework

Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 15 hours
Due: Twice Weekly
Weighting: 10%

 

During the session, weekly tutorial questions will be assessed. Students are expected to make a reasonable attempt at completing the weekly assigned tutorial questions.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Identify tax issues and apply the provisions of relevant tax legislation to real-life situations
  • Develop a suitable set of tax management strategies for a variety of taxpayers
  • Present, evaluate and use numerical and statistical information related to taxation
  • Apply research skills to source and interrogate tax law materials and interpret complex legal information

Online Quiz

Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 10 hours
Due: Friday, 10 December 2021 at 11pm
Weighting: 10%

 

The Online Quiz will consolidate students’ knowledge, skills, and capabilities in relation to the foundation principles of tax law and practice.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Identify tax issues and apply the provisions of relevant tax legislation to real-life situations
  • Present, evaluate and use numerical and statistical information related to taxation

Case study

Assessment Type 1: Case study/analysis
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: Friday, 7 January 2022 at 3pm
Weighting: 20%

 

Students will be presented with a set of facts which will require them to identify the main tax issue(s), provide a detailed analysis of the tax issues, and apply relevant taxation laws to arrive at a conclusion in the form of a piece of advice. Students are required to communicate their professional tax advice via a 1500-word report.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Identify tax issues and apply the provisions of relevant tax legislation to real-life situations
  • Develop a suitable set of tax management strategies for a variety of taxpayers
  • Present, evaluate and use numerical and statistical information related to taxation
  • Apply research skills to source and interrogate tax law materials and interpret complex legal information
  • Produce professionally written tax advice which presents a clear and well supported justification of guidance given

Final Examination

Assessment Type 1: Examination
Indicative Time on Task 2: 30 hours
Due: University Examination Period
Weighting: 60%

 

A three-hour open book exam will be held during the University Examination Period. 

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Identify tax issues and apply the provisions of relevant tax legislation to real-life situations
  • Develop a suitable set of tax management strategies for a variety of taxpayers
  • Present, evaluate and use numerical and statistical information related to taxation
  • Apply research skills to source and interrogate tax law materials and interpret complex legal information

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

Required Text:

There are a number of general texts covering the content of this unit. Students are advised to acquire each of the texts appearing under the heading "PRESCRIBED TEXTS".

 

PRESCRIBED TEXTS (Students must have access to these books AT ALL TIMES).

 

  1. Textbook: Sadiq (Gen. Ed.), Coleman, Hanegbi, Hart, Jogarajan, Krever, McLaren, Obst, Ting, Principles of Taxation Law, (Thomson Reuters, 2021). - cited throughout this Unit Guide as Sadiq'
  2. Workbook: LJ Nethercott, L. Gonzaga and K Devos, Australian Taxation Study Manual, Questions and Suggested Solutions (30th edn, Oxford University Press, 2020)
  3. Legislation: Barkoczy, 2021 Core Tax Legislation and Study Guide, (24th edition, Oxford University Press 2021)

Unit Web Page:

The ACCG3020 homepage is at: ilearn.mq.edu.au.

 

You can directly access the Unit Guide, the current lecture outlines, Zoom recordings, announcements related to the unit, library and other useful websites via the ACCG3020’s i-Learn site.

Technology Used and Required:

Students will need access to the internet as lecture handouts and notices will be available from the unit’s web page.

 

Delivery Format and Other Details:

Lectures and Tutorials

The main means of presentation is by way of 10 two-hour lectures and 9 weekly tutorials of one hour duration. Lectures cover the basic material as outlined in the listed topics, as well as noting where each topic fits into the overall framework of the tax regime. The Lectures will be run online via Zoom and the Zoom recording will be posting on iLearn after the live session.  

Each week’s lecture outlines (PowerPoint slides) will also be posted on i-Learn prior to the formal lecture. They are not intended to be a substitute for lecture attendance. These outlines are only core notes and they are NOT intended to be treated as stand alone resources nor in place of lecture attendance. They are provided for your convenience. You cannot rely on these outlines to the exclusion of the allocated reading tasks for each week. You are expected to prepare your own notes from the prescribed reading.

The Tutorial sessions will be run online via Zoom. The Tutorial questions for each week's class are also to be found on iLearn site. The tutorial questions have been designed to provide a practical application of the principles discussed in lectures. Tutorials will involve an analysis and discussion of preset questions based on the previous week’s lecture. They therefore complement and consolidate the topics covered in lectures. It is essential that adequate preparation be undertaken BEFORE each tutorial in order for the full benefit to be gained.

Attendance and participation in Tutorials are compulsory. Students - (including those enrolled in the i-Lecture stream) - will therefore be expected to attend and to participate in tutorials through, contributions to class discussions, formal presentations during tutorials, and showing an interest in other learning activities conducted by the Tutor.

Classes

  • The timetable for classes can be found on the University web site at: http://www.timetables.mq.edu.au/
  • Students can only change their allocated lecture or tutorial class by 3 December 2021 through the e- Student system and only when there is a vacancy in that class.
  • If a student changes classes by 3 December 2021, it is their responsibility to inform both their old tutor and their new Tutor. Failure to inform Tutors about the change in class allocation may result in a student not obtaining all the class marks for which all students are eligible.
  • You must attend your official tutorial class. Tutors will keep attendance records and you can only attend class or sit for the class presentation in your registered tutorial. Please ensure that you know your Tutor’s name and your tutorial class number .
  • Students enrolled in the i-Lecture stream are expected to attend the weekly tutorials and to participate in completing the "Assessed Coursework" components of this unit.
  • In cases where classes have been missed because of of illness or misadventure, it is up to the student to provide relevant documentation - (such as medical certificates or other reports) - explaining the reasons for their absence. The documentation must be lodged with BESS in accordance with the special consideration application procedure.
  • Students are expected to arrive on time and not to leave until the class ends.
  • If you have a recurring problem that makes you late, or compels you to leave early, have the courtesy to discuss this with your lecturer/tutor.
  • Students who disturb or disrupt in lectures and tutorial class will be asked to leave.

 

Recommended Readings:

RECOMMENDED TEXTBOOKS

The acquisitions of the following are OPTIONAL. Students should consult the lecturer before making a purchase from books in this category.

Any of the following books may also be of use:

  • Woellner, Barkoczy, Murphy, Evans and Pinto, Australian Taxation Law (31st edn, Oxford University Press 2021)
  • Sadiq, Australian Taxation Law Cases (Thomson Reuters, 2021)
  • S Barkoczy, Australian Tax Casebook (15th edn, Oxford University Press, 2020).
  • Hodgson, Mortimer, and Butler, Tax Questions & Answers 2020 (Thomson Reuters, 2020).

Note: It is pointless having an out of date edition of the textbook. REFERENCE MATERIALS

While references to the prescribed weekly readings for this Unit are set from standard textbooks on taxation, references will also be made during the lectures to reported cases, rulings and other pronouncements issued by the Australian Taxation Office.

  1. Commentaries: Both CCH and Thomson Reuters provide an on-line service covering a commentary on the relevant legislation, rulings and reports and other pronouncements of the Australian Taxation Office. These on-line tax services are also available in multi-volume loose-leaf formats.The on-line service of CCH can be accessed from the University Library’s database.

Useful Internet sites: Internet resources are a very valuable source of information relating to current developments on taxation issues. Some useful sites include:

  1. ATO website: The Australian Taxation Office Internet site www.ato.gov.au . This site offers access to:
  • all ATO rulings and other pronouncements
  • current ATO publications
  • legislation
  • Australian and selected overseas tax case law
  • all ATO forms

 Access to other internet sites which are relevant to tax issues can be located at:

Professional Reference Texts

  • 2021 Australian Master Tax Guide (CCH)
  • 2021 Australian Tax Handbook (Thomson Reuters)
  • 2021 Australian Master GST Guide (CCH)
  • 2021 Australian GST Handbook (Thomson Reuters)

Journals 

  • Articles in legal and accounting journals are invaluable aids in keeping up to date with developments in tax law and practice.These include:

  • Australian Tax Review

  • Australian Tax Forum, a journal of taxation policy, law and reform
  • Taxation in Australia
  • The Tax Specialist
  • The Australian Accountant
  • The Journal of Australian Taxation
  • The Chartered Accountant in Australia
  • The Australian Law Journal, it contains a section called "Revenue Notes" which features articles on important decisions.

Update on Tax Developments 

For a weekly update on tax developments, students are advised to consult either CCH Tax Week or the Thomson Reuters Weekly Tax Bulletin; the former can be accessed from the University Library’s database

 

Unit Schedule

Unit Schedule

Topic

Lecture 1 (29/11/2021)

The sources of tax law

Tax formula, tax rates and tax offsets

Tax administration

International aspect of taxation 

Lecture 2 (1/12/2021) 

General principles of income 

Income from personal exertion 

Lecture 3 (06/12/2021)  

Income from Business

Income from Property 

Lecute 4 (8/12/2021)

General Deductions

Lecture 5 (13/12/2021)

Specific Deductions 

Capital Allowances

Lecture 6 (15/12/2021)

Statutory Income

Mid-Session Break (20 December 2021 to 2 January 2022)

Lecture 7 (03/01/2022) 

Fringe Benefits Tax

Goods and Services Tax

Lecture 8 (5/01/2022)

Principles of Compensation

Trading Stock 

Lecture 9 (10/01/2022) 

Partnerships

Companies 

Lecture 10 (12/01/2022),

Trust Estates and Beneficiaries, minors

Anti-Avoidance Legislation

REVISION

 

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Learning Skills

Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to help you improve your marks and take control of your study.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.

Student Enquiries

For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au

If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.


Unit information based on version 2021.02 of the Handbook