Program Overview

Unit Overview

The unit LEGL300 - Taxation Law plays a crucial role in understanding the importance of taxation for governments in collecting and utilizing revenues to achieve Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and the common good as per Catholic Social Thoughts (CST). This unit is essential for business students, particularly those in accounting and finance, as it covers various types of taxes, including income tax, goods and services tax (GST), fringe benefits tax (FBT), and other relevant taxes.

Unit Rationale, Description, and Aim

Taxation supports the CST of common good by contributing to the wellbeing of people through the utilization of government revenues for improving lives. The aim of this unit is to understand and apply relevant taxation rules imposed by the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997, the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936, the Goods and Services Tax Act 1999, the Fringe Benefits Tax Assessment Act 1986, Payroll Tax Act 2007, and the case laws and taxation rulings issued by the Australian Tax Office (ATO).

Campus Offering

The unit is offered in different campuses, including:

• Brisbane
• Melbourne
• North Sydney
• Online

Each campus offers the unit in specific terms and modes, such as campus attendance or online unscheduled.

Prerequisites

The prerequisite for this unit is LEGL101 Introduction to Business Law: Legal Frameworks for Businesses.

Learning Outcomes

Upon completing this unit, students will be able to:

1. Understand the importance of tax, taxation framework, and the role of taxation in common good and sustainable development goals.
2. Identify key principles of taxation law in respect to income tax, capital gains tax, GST, and FBT.
3. Apply the fundamentals of calculating taxable income and tax payable for individuals and business entities.
4. Solve practical problems using taxation law databases, textbooks, and the internet.
5. Analyse taxation issues including international transactions and develop appropriate tax management strategies.

Content

The unit covers various topics, including:

• Importance of tax and role of tax in SDG and CST
• Australian taxation framework
• Residency for tax purposes
• Income and sources of income
• Deductions (general and specific)
• Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT)
• Capital Gains Tax (CGT)
• GST, pay as you go withholding (PAYGW), and business activity statements (BAS)
• Individual taxation
• Taxation of companies, taxation of trusts, and taxation of partnerships
• Overview of international tax issues

Assessment Strategy and Rationale

Assessments are designed to foster learning and demonstrate competence in all learning outcomes. The assessment tasks include:

1. Presentation: Students will be given problem-based questions where they will be required to advise, explain, and perform tax-related calculations and present.
2. Research Report: A group research paper where students are assessed on their ability to research an area of tax law, synthesise knowledge, and critically evaluate relevant case laws and legislations.
3. Final Exam: An open-book examination to further assess a student's ability to synthesise knowledge and apply it to relevant scenarios.

Learning and Teaching Strategy and Rationale

The teaching and learning strategy is built on a "student-focused approach" with the aim of engaging students as active participants in the learning process. The unit ensures that learning activities involve real-world scenarios, assisting with 'real-world' preparedness. The schedule of the workshop is designed to help students achieve intended learning outcomes sequentially.

Representative Texts and References

The latest edition of "Principles of Taxation Law" by Sadiq K et al. is the primary textbook. Other references include "Australian Master Tax Guide" by Chow M, "Fundamental Tax Legislation" by Deutsch R et al., and "Australian Tax Handbook" by Deutsch R et al.

Locations and Credit Points

The unit is offered in Brisbane, Melbourne, North Sydney, and Online, with 10 credit points.