Lismore residents and small businesses can access free tax and financial support through a TAFE NSW tax clinic being delivered in the Northern Rivers for the first time.
Lismore MP Janelle Saffin visited the Lismore TAFE campus with NSW Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education Minister Steve Whan to see students put their accounting skills into practice during tax time.
The outreach brings the TAFE NSW Tax Clinic, previously based at TAFE NSW Ultimo, to the region and provides eligible individuals and small businesses with free and confidential assistance.
Support available through the clinic includes help with tax returns, business tax matters, accessing myGov, locating missing documentation, dealing with Australian Taxation Office enquiries and understanding payment arrangements.
The program gives accounting students an opportunity to gain practical experience while providing a service to people who may otherwise find it difficult to access professional tax assistance.
Ms Saffin said the clinic was a useful addition to services available in the Northern Rivers.
The outreach also comes as the accounting profession faces concerns about future workforce supply. Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand has predicted Australia could face a shortage of around 6,000 accountants by 2030.
The clinic provides students with practical exposure to tax and financial matters while they complete their training, linking classroom learning with real-world situations.
Ms Saffin also highlighted enrolments in Fee-Free TAFE across the Lismore electorate, with more than 6,800 students having enrolled in fee-free training.
The figure reflects demand for vocational education and training pathways among people seeking qualifications linked to employment opportunities in their local communities.
The Lismore TAFE campus is part of the broader vocational training network supporting students across the Northern Rivers, with the tax clinic providing an additional opportunity for students to apply their skills while assisting eligible community members.
Ms Saffin thanked TAFE NSW Head Teacher Marianne Said, Financial Planning Teacher Zaved Karim and Project Manager Education Operations Nancy Mikhail for showing her the clinic and its work.
The tax clinic is expected to provide eligible community members with access to assistance during the tax period while giving TAFE students further experience in working with clients and addressing practical financial matters.
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