EquiTax: Taxation made equal

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Project Description

Australia's population includes millions of migrants and people with disabilities, who face unique challenges navigating the complex tax and superannuation systems. These challenges are primarily due to language barriers, accessibility issues, and low digital literacy, all of which make tax compliance and access to entitlements more difficult.

Migrants, especially those from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds, often encounter language barriers that hinder their understanding of tax processes, leading to missed deadlines and unclaimed benefits. This issue is compounded by low digital literacy among vulnerable groups, making it difficult for them to engage with digital tax systems.

To address these issues, we propose Equitax AI, a digital platform specifically designed for vulnerable groups, particularly disabled and migrant individuals, to help them navigate the tax and super systems with ease. The key features personalized service locator uses open data about service providers, helping users find the nearest assistance centerer migrants to understand complex tax laws and regulations, and an accessibility-first design for disabled individuals, who requires voice navigation. The platform is optimized for screen readers and voice navigation, and even offers human support when needed. Real-time assistance is available, providing advice and suggestions for both tax filing and benefit claims, ensuring compliance and maximizing potential refunds. Additionally, a personalize device locator uses open data about service providers, helping users find the nearest assistance centerer migrants to understand complex tax laws and regulations, and an accessibility-first design for disabled individuals, who requires voice navigation. The platform is optimized for screen readers and voice navigation, and even offers human support when needed. Real-time assistance is available, providing advice and suggestions for both tax filing and benefit claims, ensuring compliance and maximizing potential refunds. Additionally, a personalized service locator uses open data about service providers, helping users find the nearest assistance center that caters to elderly or disabled individuals.

The project leverages open government data to design the solution and target vulnerable groups accurately. NDIS datasets help map out disabled individuals who need assistance with digital access, while migrant data from open datasets helps understand which groups are most in need of multilingual support and localized services. The Digital Inclusion Index highlights the gaps in digital access for various demographics, such as rural populations, elderly individuals, and those with disabilities, allowing Equitax AI to prioritize those who face digital exclusion. Taxation Statistics and Help Statistics datasets help identify trends in non-compliance and missed tax entitlements for migrants and people with disabilities.

The Equitax AI prototype has been built with these data insights in mind, providing a seamless, user-friendly interface that can be adapted to the needs of each user. Who requires voice navigation, Also to, a migrant struggling with English, Equitax AI adjusts to the needs of every individual. The platform is a step towards the Australian Taxation Office's (ATO) 2030 mission to go fully digital, making tax compliance easy, accessible, and fair for everyone. Equitax AI aligns directly with the ATO's digital transformation goals by providing an inclusive platform that not only facilitates tax compliance but also enhances user engagement and trust with the tax system.

Visualizations to support the case include a compliance gap chart showing the growing gap between theoretical tax liabilities and voluntary compliance payments, highlighting the disproportionate impact on migrants and disabled individuals. A migrant population distribution visual representation shows the largest communities, like those from India, China, and England, that face language barriers and tax literacy challenges. A graph displays the level of digital access across different age groups for disabled people, using data from the Digital Inclusion Index. Additionally, maps show the distribution of service providers across Australia, ensuring vulnerable groups can access in-person support when digital tools aren't sufficient.

Equitax AI is more than just a tool—it’s a bridge, connecting vulnerable groups to the tax system and ensuring that everyone has a fair chance to meet their obligations and claim their entitlements. By leveraging government data, innovative design, and a focus on inclusivity, Equitax AI offers a sustainable, long-term solution for tax compliance in Australia. It not only aligns with the ATO’s vision for 2030 but also uplifts vulnerable communities, ensuring that the future of taxation in Australia is both digital and inclusive. The final message is clear: Equitax AI—Empowering Everyone, Equitably. Together, we can close the compliance gap, improve financial equity, and make tax systems accessible to all Australians, regardless of their background or abilities.

References:
1. ATO Digital Strategy Framework
https://www.ato.gov.au/about-ato/managing-the-tax-and-super-system/in-detail/ato-digital-strategy-2022-25/digital-strategy-framework

1. ATO Our services for people with disability
   https://www.ato.gov.au/people-with-disability/our-services-for-people-with-disability

2. Skilled migration and disability | Parliament of Australia
   https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Committees/Joint/Completed_Inquiries/mig/disability/chapter6

3. Migration Amendment | Parliament of Australia
   https://www.aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_Business/Hansard/Hansard_Display?bid=chamber/hansards/27132/&sid=0011

Data Story

Equitax AI is designed to address the challenges that vulnerable groups—such as people with disabilities, older citizens, and migrants—face in navigating Australia's tax and super systems. By leveraging open datasets, the platform ensures accessibility and ease of use for individuals with low digital ability and language barriers.

1. Accessibility for Low Digital Ability
   Data from the Australian Digital Inclusion Index (ADII) shows that people with disabilities score 17.2 points lower than the national average in digital ability, making it harder for them to use digital platforms​. Equitax AI’s voice assistant simplifies tax processes for those with low digital literacy or visual impairments, making tax compliance accessible and reducing errors.

2. Multilingual Support for Migrants
   Migrants often face language barriers when navigating tax forms, with 39% of recently-arrived CALD migrants reporting difficulty reading English. Equitax AI’s multilingual chat feature allows users to access tax help in their preferred language, breaking down language barriers and ensuring accurate filings.

3. Localized Support for Disabilities
   By integrating NDIS data, Equitax AI connects users to local service providers who can offer personalized, in-person assistance when needed. This feature ensures that individuals with complex disabilities can access both digital and physical support.

4. Narrowing the Tax Gap
   The ATO’s tax gap data highlights the challenges vulnerable groups face in compliance​ Australian Taxation Office. Equitax AI helps reduce this gap by offering tailored guidance, simplifying tax processes, and ensuring vulnerable groups can meet their obligations. Equitax AI provides a user-friendly, accessible, and multilingual solution, aligning with Australia's 2030 digital vision. By empowering vulnerable groups, the platform ensures inclusivity, helping everyone navigate the tax system with confidence.

https://dataresearch.ndis.gov.au/datasets/provider-datasets
https://dataresearch.ndis.gov.au/explore-data
https://data.gov.au/data/dataset/australian-tax-gaps
https://www.digitalinclusionindex.org.au/dashboard/Total.aspx
https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/people-and-communities/migrant-data-matrices/latest-release
https://www.digitalinclusionindex.org.au/