KPMG to provide $33k to the Griffith Tax Clinic
The big four company announced it will provide the Griffith Tax Clinic with $33,000 in funding to supplement critical community work.
KPMG has announced the company will be a ‘gold ally supporter’ of the clinic for the next three years.
The additional $33,000 funding from KPMG will strengthen the relationship with the Griffith Tax Clinic after having previously collaborated for a number of years.
The funding has been provided with the intention to support the clinic’s important community work.
The revenue will supplement financial support by the federal government and is critical given the rising operating costs of running the clinic.
The Griffith Tax Clinic has been in operation for five years and “enables Griffith University tax students to provide a friendly and supportive taxation advice service to vulnerable individuals, small businesses and community organisations.
KPMG Brisbane tax partner Hayley Lock said the Griffith Tax Clinic has become a crucial and heavily relied-on service.
“The Griffith Tax Clinic is a vital link in improving the tax literacy and compliance for individuals and organisations who are unable to afford professional advice,” she said.
“The Clinic also improves the confidence of clients in being able to deal with their tax obligations going forward.”
According to KPMG, the tax clinic has operated for 278 days with 129 Griffith students having worked there over the last five years.
The clinic has also received 23,052 client inquiries, conducted 1,034 client meetings, assisted 336 SMEs, conducted 96 workshops, and lodged 2,200 tax returns including business activity statements.
KPMG said the collaboration between the company and the clinic provides a pathway for KPMG’s tax professionals to meaningfully contribute to the development of the students participating in the program.
Lock said KPMG has employed a number of graduates from the clinic.
“Within my own group last year, two-thirds of the grads we took on were from there,” Lock said.
“We find they have benefited a lot from the program and can join us and hit the ground running, with the positive experience they have had dealing with clients.”
The clinic’s co-directors Dr Melissa Belle Isle and Professor Brett Freudenberg said they are grateful for the support the big four company provides them.
“It is fantastic to have KPMG as an ally support of the Griffith Tax Clinic,” they said.
“This support will help the clinic to continue its important community service, as well as providing a rich learning experience for students as they develop their skills to be future tax professionals, both in terms of their tax knowledge but also their ability to communicate effectively with clients.”
KMPG said there will be an official launch event of the company’s ‘ally support’ on 27 August at Griffith’s Logan campus.
The event will include a ‘careers in tax session’ by the big four company followed by a free community tax workshop led by the Griffith Tax Clinic.
KPMG said the Griffith Tax Clinic is an influential and significant organisation as it is the only service of its kind in South-East Queensland.
