ABOUT IFA
International Fiscal Association
The International Fiscal Association (IFA) is the only non-governmental and non-sectoral international organisation dealing with fiscal matters. IFA’s objects are the study and advancement of international and comparative law in regard to public finance, specifically international and comparative fiscal law and the financial and economic aspects of taxation. As a non-profit organisation, IFA provides a neutral and independent platform where representatives of all professions and interests can meet and discuss international tax issues at the highest level.
Since its establishment in 1938 in the Netherlands, IFA has grown to a truly global association with more than 12,900 members from 114 countries. IFA members have established IFA Branches in 72 countries. For members in countries where an IFA Branch has not yet been established, IFA facilitates direct membership. IFA provides a unique forum for discussing international fiscal matters.
Australian Branch
The Australian Branch of IFA was established more than 60 years ago in 1957, as the sixteenth IFA Branch to be founded globally. The Australian Branch is an unincorporated association (ABN 96 791 414 272) with the objects of advancing the study of international tax law of Australia, international and comparative fiscal law and the financial and economic aspects of taxation.
The Australian Branch holds webinars, seminars and congresses in the field of tax law and other activities in the field of scientific research, publication and distribution of knowledge with a particular view to the consideration of tax from an Australian perspective. Seminars are open to interested participants from the public as well as members.
IFA Australia hosted two of IFA’s Annual International Congresses in Sydney in 1978 and 2003. IFA Australia has been selected to host the IFA Annual Congress in 2026 in Melbourne.
As a member of the IFA Asia Pacific Region, in 2019 IFA Australia hosted the 5th Asia Pacific Regional Meeting of IFA in Melbourne. For further information, refer to Events.
Conferences are organised by International Fiscal Association Australia Ltd.
The IFA Australian Branch and IFA Australia Ltd have charitable status as educational not for profit organisations. Details about charitable status are available on the Australian Charities and Not for Profits Commission website.
Australian Branch Executive Committee Members
Dr Niv Tadmore
Jones Day
Ms Chloe Burnett SC
Sixth Floor Selborne & Wentworth Chambers
Mr Shaun Cartoon
Arnold Bloch Leibler, Melbourne
Mr Jock McCormack
DLA Piper Australia
Professor Miranda Stewart
University of Melbourne Law School
Mr Andrew Mills
University of Melbourne Law School
Ms Michelle de Niese
Corporate Tax Association
Ms Sarah Blakelock
Slaughter and May
Professor Dale Pinto
Curtin University Law School
Ms Diane Brown
Australian Treasury
Ms Kirsten Fish
Australian Taxation Office
Ms Denise Honey
Pitcher Partners
Mr David Watkins
Deloitte
Mr Thomas Ickeringill
Allens
Ms Amanda Kazacos
King & Wood Mallesons
Asia-Pacific Region
There are 13 IFA Branches in the Asia-Pacific Region. The IFA activities in the region are organised by the IFA Asia Pacific regional committee and the country branches. Every year, the Committee organises one or more Asia Pacific regional meetings, which provides an opportunity to meet with international professionals and colleagues and discuss international and regional fiscal issues. The IFA Branches in the Asia Pacific region also host seminars and events to promote IFA’s global and regional research activities, where both public and private sector representatives have the opportunity to come together to network and discuss international tax and fiscal issues.
IFA Global
The International Fiscal Association (IFA) was established in the winter of 1938 in The Hague, Netherlands. The platform was created in recognition of the need for more studies of comparative fiscal law and with the aim to encourage research on international tax issues. Since then, IFA has organised annual congresses, regional conferences and seminars with the aim to create a platform to exchange thoughts and stimulate discussion on topical international tax issues. IFA Global also publishes annual cahiers with general reports on international subjects, and provides incentives on scientific work through its various prizes and awards offered each year.
Today, IFA is a truly global association with around 13,000 members from 117 countries. IFA members have established IFA Branches in 71 countries, which includes Australia.
Supervisory Board
The IFA Supervisory Board was developed to advise the Executive board in order to be proactive in addressing challenges faced by local IFA branches. It is chaired by Dr Niv Tadmore (Branch President of IFA Australia) and its Vice Chair is Marta Villar Ezcurra (IFA Spain). Its members compose of branch members from USA, People’s Rep. of China, Germany, Japan, Sweden, Switzerland, Mexico, Italy, India, Portugal, South Africa and Bulgaria.
Executive Board
The Executive Board of IFA is responsible for the management of the Association and for developing strategy to manage the Association. The Executive Board is supervised and advised by the Supervisory Board. The Board composes of President Peter Barnes (USA), Vice President Guglielmo Maisto (Italy), Secretary General, Jean-Blaise Eckert (Switzerland), the Chair of the Permanent Scientific Committee Robert Danon (Switzerland) and Chair of IFA Regions Kuntal Dave (India).
Permanent Scientific Committee
The Permanent Scientific Committee (PSC) selects the topics for IFA’s scientific programme, as well as coordinating the planning and implementation of the scientific work of the Association. The Chair and Vice-Chairs of the PSC report to the Executive Board. The PSC is chaired by Robert Danon (Switzerland) and its Vice Chairs are Georg Kofler (Austria) and Miranda Stewart (Australia).