Researcher

Associate Professor Ann Kayis-Kumar

My Expertise

Ann's research conceptualises tax as a mechanism to achieve social justice across the taxpaying spectrum, ranging from improving the integrity of taxing multinationals to improving the wellbeing of financially vulnerable individuals and small businesses. This has significance and practical application across academia, the profession and government both domestically and internationally.

Keywords

Fields of Research (FoR)

Taxation Law, International Law (excl. International Trade Law), Comparative Law, Public Economics- Taxation and Revenue, Optimisation

Biography

Associate Professor Ann Kayis-Kumar is author of Taxing Multinationals (Oxford University Press, 2019). Ann's research conceptualises tax as a mechanism to achieve social justice across the taxpaying spectrum; ranging from improving the integrity of taxing multinationals to improving the wellbeing of financially vulnerable individuals and small businesses.

She is the Founding Director of UNSW Tax and Business Advisory Clinic, an international...view more

Associate Professor Ann Kayis-Kumar is author of Taxing Multinationals (Oxford University Press, 2019). Ann's research conceptualises tax as a mechanism to achieve social justice across the taxpaying spectrum; ranging from improving the integrity of taxing multinationals to improving the wellbeing of financially vulnerable individuals and small businesses.

She is the Founding Director of UNSW Tax and Business Advisory Clinic, an international award-winning platform for experiential work-integrated learning, innovative grassroots research and catalysing social impact across Australia.

​​​She has provided expert evidence to the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Tax and Revenue, and consultancy advice on investigations by the Inspector-General of Taxation. She has presented her research at national and international conferences, including at Oxford University and the University of Cambridge. Ann is also regularly involved to the media, including appearances on ABC Radio National and Channel 10's The Project. 

Ann serves on industry-level committees including the ATO's Small Business and National Tax Clinic Stewardship Groups, the Law Council of Australia's Taxation Committee, and the Tax Institute’s NSW Technical and SME & Tax Practitioner Committees. She is also Vice President of the Australasian Tax Teachers Association, and former Deputy President of the UNSW Academic Board.


My Grants

  • Australian Government’s Australian Taxation Office National Tax Clinic Program 2022-24 – Chief Investigator on project entitled "UNSW Tax and Business Advisory Clinic"
  • Ecstra Foundation Grant 2022-24 – Chief Investigator on the project entitled "UNSW Tax Clinic – Overcoming serious financial hardship"
  • NSW Department of Communities & Justice's Investing in Women Funding Program 2022-23 – Chief Investigator on project entitled "From economic abuse to economic empowerment: Identifying and supporting financially vulnerable Indigenous women in small business"
  • Australian Human Rights Institute Seed Funds Grant 2021 – Lead Investigator on the project entitled “Let’s talk about tax – Identifying and supporting women experiencing economic abuse”
  • NSW Government’s NSW Women’s Week Grant 2021 – Chief Investigator on the project entitled “Improving financial wellbeing, financial literacy, and mental health outcomes for financially vulnerable women in NSW”
  • Australian Government’s Australian Taxation Office National Tax Clinic Program 2021 – Chief Investigator on project entitled "UNSW Tax Clinic"
  • Australian Government’s Australian Taxation Office National Tax Clinic Program 2020 – Chief Investigator on project entitled "UNSW Tax Clinic"
  • Health@Business and UNSW Medicine Collaboration Seed Funds Grant 2020 – Chief Investigator on the project entitled "Improving mental health outcomes for small businesses in financial distress"
  • CSI Business School Research Grant 2019 – Chief Investigator on the project entitled “UNSW Tax Clinic and Beyond”
  • UNSW Business School Linkage Research Seed Funding 2019 – Co-Chief Investigator on the project entitled “Counting the costs of tax advice: Value added or added burden?”
  • Australian Government’s Australian Taxation Office National Tax Clinic Pilot 2019 – Co-Chief Investigator 1 on project entitled "UNSW Tax Clinic"
  • UNSW Business School Breakthrough Research Grant 2019 – Co-Chief Investigator 1 on the project entitled “Tax Clinic”
  • UNSW Business School Special Research Grant 2018 – Chief Investigator on a SRG entitled “Reforming the Cost of Managing Tax Affairs Deduction: A Framework for Balancing Equity, Efficiency and Integrity”

My Qualifications

PhD (UNSW) | BCom (Distinction) / LLB (Honours) (UNSW) | FULT (UNSW) | GDLP (College of Law) | Solicitor of the Supreme Court of NSW, Federal Court & High Court of Australia (non-practising)


My Awards

  • Finalist, The Australian Financial Review (AFR) Higher Education Awards (2023)
  • Finalist, The Australian Financial Review (AFR) Higher Education Awards (2022)
  • Cedric Sandford Medal for Best Paper at the 14th International ATAX Tax Administration Conference (2021)
  • AACSB International's Innovations That Inspire Award (2021)
  • UNSW Business School's Social Engagement: UN Principles of Responsible Management Education (PRME) Award (2020) 
  • UNSW Business School Dean's Emerging Leadership Award (2019)
  • UNSW Business School's John Prescott Award for Outstanding Teaching Innovation (2018)
  • Best Teaching Paper, Australasian Tax Teachers Association Conference (2017)
  • Graham Hill IFA Research Prize (Fully paid participation in the IFA Congress and Poster Program in Seoul, Korea) (2017)
  • UNSW Learning and Teaching Forum: Favourite Forum Poster (2016)
  • UNSW Business School Dean’s Award for Service (2016)
  • UNSW Business School Student Research Fair: Best Higher Degree Research Poster (2015)
  • UNSW Business School 3MT Faculty Heat: Winner; and, UNSW Interfaculty 3MT Final: Highly Commended (2014)
  • University of Sydney Business School Dean’s Citation for Tutoring (2013, 2014)

My Research Supervision


Supervision keywords


Areas of supervision

Ann's research applies a combination of pure economic theory, optimisation modelling and applied legal research, with a focus on the behavioural responses incentivised by mismatches in the tax system. Ann has a strong interest in supervising research projects on the interaction of these aspects on international tax policy and law design.


My Engagement

  • Detailed Assessor, Australian Research Council (ARC)
  • Vice President (elect), Australasian Tax Teachers Association (ATTA)
  • BLS Taxation Committee Member, Law Council of Australia
  • Committee Member, The Tax Institute's SME Technical Committee
  • Committee Member, UNSW Business School Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Committee
  • Appointed Member, Westminster Tax Discussion Group
  • Member, International Fiscal Association (IFA)
  • Member, Taxation Research Network (TRN) UK
  • Research Affiliate, ANU's Tax and Transfer Policy Institute
  • Institute Associate, Australian Human Rights Institute
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Location

School of Accounting, Auditing and Taxation (incorporating Atax)
Room 3105, Level 3, Quadrangle Building (E15)
UNSW Sydney 2052