Tax law vs tax lore at the Tasmanian Convention 2022
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With just two months to go until we welcome tax practitioners from near and far to Hobart for the Tasmanian Convention, we’re gearing up for a spectacular couple of days of tax technical analysis, thought-provoking discussion and community building.
For a taste of what to expect, we chatted with Paul Conde, CTA, Chair of the Organising Committee, about the event and what you can look forward to in Hobart this September.
‘My favorite thing about tax is the intellectual challenge and lifelong learning aspect. The more you learn, the more you discover how much you don’t know.’
- Paul Conde, CTA, Chair of the Organising Committee
What to expect at the Tasmanian Convention in 2022
There has always been a distinction between the letter of the law and the spirit of the law, but lately, that distinction has been thrust into the spotlight for tax professionals as the Commissioner signalled a more revenue-based approach to the interpretation of legislation.
Issues like the Section 100A guidance released this year have shown just how differently regulators and tax practitioners may interpret and implement tax law. At the Tasmanian Convention, we’ll take a deep dive look into the reasons and impacts of these different perspectives.
‘The event was structured around the divide between the tax LAW (the black-letter law as interpreted by the Courts) and tax LORE – what the Tax Office (and practitioners and taxpayers also) think it is, or perhaps what they would like it to be,’ Paul explained.
Sessions at the event look at both tax and broader economic issues you need to understand in order to guide clients forward in uncertain times.
‘I hope it will challenge all of us not to simply take what we’re told is the law for granted; but rather to look a bit deeper and decide for ourselves,’ Paul said.
This year the pre-convention workshop is led by Trusts guru Ken Schurgott, CTA (Life) and is titled ‘The Devil is in The Detail – Difficult Trust Distribution Decisions’, which will give attendees a hands-on start and set the tone for the two-day convention.
Sessions to look forward to
It’s no surprise that Paul pinpointed the Day 1 keynote address from Paul Sokolowski, CTA , of Arnold Bloch Leibler as a not to-be missed session. In this keynote, Sokolowski addresses the overall theme of the event, exploring The LAW and the LORE as illustrated by PCG on income of a professional practice.
And on Day 2, we add to the analysis of this theme with a panel discussion facilitated by Sokolowski, where panelists bring fresh perspectives and experiences to the conundrum of differing interpretations of tax law. Panelists joining Sokolowski are Fiona Dillon, CTA from the ATO, Marg Marshall, CTA from WLF Accounting & Advisory and Chris Wallis, CTA, Victorian Bar.
During the rest of the conference, our line-up of speakers are sharing their expertise across a broad range of tax issues you should be across in your day-to-day practice, in sessions including:
- Is land tax a ticking time bomb for your clients?
- Self-managed super funds
- Cryptocurrency and Non-fungible Tokens
- Policy & Advocacy Update
- Tax Write-offs V Accounting Write-offs
- Tax consolidations for SMEs
- Section 100A
- The Law and the Lore: Panel Discussion
Network with your fellow tax practitioners
This year, we’ll be heading to the prestigious Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania for the convention dinner and networking. Join your colleagues and convention speakers for an evening of dinner, drinks and networking.
About Paul Conde
Paul Conde was born and raised in Hobart. He enjoyed a long career at the Australian Taxation Office, along the way obtaining a degree in Commerce and becoming a Certified Practicing Accountant.
After working in the field of taxation law for many years he decided that his future lay in the law, so he returned to the University of Tasmania where he obtained a degree in Law with Honours in 2006. He was admitted as a Practitioner of the Supreme Court of Tasmania in 2007 and has since returned to his alma mater as a sessional lecturer in Taxation Law.
In 2012, Paul moved to private practice. Now at Tierney Law Paul’s focus is on providing advice to clients on taxation and administrative law, trust law, commercial law, consumer affairs and wills and estate planning. He sees clients in Tierney Law’s Hobart and Sorell offices.
Paul serves The Tax Institute on its Tasmanian State Council and its Education and Quality Assurance Board.
Outside work Paul is an active yachtsman at the Royal Yacht Club of Tasmania, and enjoys 1950s American automobiles and rockabilly music.
Publish date: 11 July 2022
- Convention
- Tasmania
- Trusts
- Section 100A