Have you done your tax return!

30th June marked the end of the financial year 2015-16 which means it is tax time. 

Although there are plenty of things you’d rather be doing than your tax return, the reality is most of us need to lodge a tax return to show how much income we have earned and how much tax we need to pay or claim back from the government.

How much do you know about the tax system in Australia?

1. What do these acronyms stand for: ATO, TFN, ABN, GST?
2. When is the deadline for lodging your tax return?
3. What documents or information do you need to prepare to help you do your tax return?
4. What are ‘deductions’? What are examples of allowable deductions you can claim?
5. How long are you required to keep your tax records for?
6. Do we all pay the same tax rate?  What were the tax rates for 2015-16? 

Use the search field on this website to find answers to your questions.

Watch this video to find out the benefits of using myTax online service. 

Volunteering connects Dominika to her community

Dominika, DL student

I'm from Poland and I live in a small country town in South Australia where I volunteer from time to time at the local golf club.  In Poland volunteering is not valued because it earns you no money.  But now I can see that what you do for free can be worth much more than money.  It is great to be able to help others, use your skills and learn new skills while supporting a local business in a small town.

I help with decorating the club for special events and with registrations for tournaments. Sometimes I also help in the kitchen where I exchange cooking experiences with other staff members.  Most importantly however, I get the chance to talk to people, improve my English and understand the way country people talk which is very quick and full of slang.

The biggest challenge for me is when I do registrations and I have to find people's names on the list.  Because they are club members and locals, they assume I should know their surnames.  I can usually remember the first name and the face but not the surname.  This however helps me understand their Aussie English.  For example there was this member that everyone called "Blue" but I had trouble finding his name on the list under Blue.  When I asked him for his surname it was nothing like the colour blue.  I found out later that in Australia people call you "Blue" when you have red hair!

Volunteering has made me understand the Australian culture and feel part of my community.  I enjoy helping people and I don't feel so homesick in Australia any more.

Talking about country, slang and blue Dominika is sharing this popular Aussie song by country singer John Williamson called "True Blue".

Following The National Volunteer Week we've had a number of responses from DL students with positive stories.  Thanks Dominika for sharing your experience with volunteering and this song.

• What is the meaning of "true blue" in the song?
• Are there any slang expressions that you learned from talking to other Australians?
• Is volunteering valued in your country of origin?  Why / why not?
• If you had the chance to volunteer, what work would you like to do?

Happy 5th Anniversary Distance Learning

National DL Sydney team in 2016

Welcome to the 5th Anniversary of Navitas DL. In July 2011 a small group of 8 teachers began teaching DL nationally. Today Navitas DL has grown to over 100 teachers based in Sydney and Perth, teaching students in NSW, Qld, SA, ACT and WA. Our original teachers reflected on how DL has quickly grown and changed. Here are some thoughts from three original teachers.

National DL Sydney team in 2016

Ross, what do you remember of your first days in DL?

Well the first few days were really interesting! We did very little teaching as we were sorting through all the paperwork. There were lots of cardboard boxes, so we occasionally found ourselves teaching sitting on boxes. We taught students by telephone but we used to get a sore arm after one hour. Also we had books and cassette tapes called "It's Over To You".

National DL Sydney team in 2011

Nadia, how did students do assessments in the old days? 

We used to play listening tapes on an old cassette recorder which we held up to the telephone. It was a bit tricky! Also we made lots of photocopies, sent assessment tasks to students by post and students posted them back. It took so long. Each student had a paper folder but after a while it became so thick.

Ross, when did you start using the Internet and Skype?
We started using Skype a few months later and I do remember saying to my manager "and what is Skype?" At first our computers were slow and didn't have a camera. I also remember the manager saying "here's a new resource called "Your Call" and it is available online.

Anthony, now students use online resources and other technologies. How do you think this helps students to learn? 
In many ways technology has improved what students get out of their lessons. In the past we used to mail the homework out. Now students can send back their work by email which allows for instant feedback from their teacher. Also by using Skype students can do special things they couldn't before, like by using the Skype chat feature teachers can send students extra website links, type words or even send audio files. We can actually use other features such as Skype share screen and Titan Pad so the student and teacher can see the same screen. It's great!

So in 5 years technology in Distance Learning has come such along way. 

• Imagine, what new technology you would like to use in an online English lesson in the future?
• How might you be learning English in 2021?

Please post your comments below; we really would like to read your ideas. 

Meet Teacher Hena

Teacher Hena

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
My name is Hena.  I was born in Iraq but grew up in Turkey so I can speak Arabic and Turkish fluently. I've been in Australia for 18 years. I have two sons, 16 and 12 and they are both very much into soccer.  My oldest son enjoys cooking so we cook a lot together.

Tell us about what you do at Navitas?
I am a Distance Learning teacher, a classroom teacher and an assessor and have been working with Navitas for 5 years.

What do you think are the benefits for classroom students who also study by distance?
The classroom is a great place for students to communicate with each other and be face to face with the teacher.  DL is a great option for those who can't make it to class. But students who study both in the classroom and by distance make the most out of the two modes of learning.  They get extra assistance with their classroom work and they can also focus on their own areas of need at their own level with the DL teacher.  Usually their English improves faster.

How is this week special for you?
This week I celebrate the Eid which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.  We usually have a feast where families and friends get together and indulge in eating delicious traditional food to celebrate the end of a hard month of restricted eating.

What message would you like to give to your students about living in Australia?
Australia is a great country.  You can be part of the Australian community without losing your own identity.  You can participate in work and in mainstream community activities with freedom and respect regardless of your background, religion or gender.

• Compare learning in class with learning by distance.  What option suits you best and why? 
• Do you agree with the statement that you can participate in the mainstream Australian community without losing your identity? Discuss.
• What Australian values do you appreciate the most? 

Share your comments below.