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Unit of study_
LAWS3412: Australian Income Tax
2025 unit information
This unit introduces the Australian income tax system by exploring the operation of the tax statutes (and cases interpreting them), the underlying principles that those laws seek to implement, and fundamental issues in tax policy. The topics covered include the concept and categories of income; the calculation and treatment of capital gains; the taxation of remuneration including fringe benefits; business income; deductions; the basics of trading stock accounting and depreciation; an introduction to the taxation of partnerships, trusts and companies; the tax assessment process; the Goods and Services Tax; legislative responses to tax avoidance; and the ethical responsibilities of tax advisers. This unit is a prerequisite for Advanced Taxation Law.
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Sydney Law School
| Study level | Undergraduate |
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| Academic unit | Law |
| Credit points | 6 |
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Prerequisites:
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None |
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Corequisites:
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None |
| Prohibitions:
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LAWS5112 |
| Assumed knowledge:
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None |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. explain the major themes in the history and motivating policy of taxation law
- LO2. explain key features of the organising structure of taxation law (including income tax, fringe benefits tax and Goods and Services Tax) and its administration at the Commonwealth level
- LO3. apply and further develop problem solving skills by learning how to identify tax issues (in relation to income tax, FBT and GST) in a variety of commercial and private relationships
- LO4. identify and apply statutory tax rules and case law (in relation to income tax, FBT and GST) to factual situations involving a variety of commercial and private relationships
- LO5. clearly and accurately communicate analysis of the tax consequences (in relation to income tax, FBT and GST) arising from a variety of commercial and private relationships
- LO6. demonstrate competence in the exercise of professional and social responsibility in the tax context by explaining a tax lawyers’ professional and ethical responsibilities to their clients, the courts and the public in the specific context of the Tax Agents Services Act 2009 (Cth) and more broadly in relation to tax matters.
Unit availability
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Modes of attendance (MoA)
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