Co-op Advocacy : Australia
The Co-op and the Supermarkets
Feb 7, 2011 - 4:52:04 PM
Dairy Farmers Milk Co-operative in New South Wales has called on the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to investigate "supermarket bullies" Coles and Woolworths for cutting the price of milk by as much as a third. For more read Dairy farmers 'at war' with Coles, Woolworths in The Sydney Morning Herald.

Investor Ownership
Credit Union and Building Societies Risk Claim
Nov 25, 2010 - 12:33:57 PM
In an article by Lisa Pham, Australia Bid to Boost Bank Competition May Be Risky, UBS Says publ;ished by Bloomberg on 24 November 2010 - UBS AG  argues that increasing Australian government support for credit unions and building societies to boost banking competition could be risky. For the credit union and building society view visit ABACUS Australian Mutuals.

Co-op Events
Parmalat Withdraws?
Aug 8, 2008 - 10:39:25 AM
According to Bllomberg, Parmalat Spa, Italy's biggest dairy business, has ceased discussions with Murray Goulburn Co-operative Co Ltd about acquiring the Dairy Farmers co-operative.
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Co-ops & Government
The ACCC and Murray Goulburn
Jul 26, 2008 - 10:40:02 AM
On the 24 July 2008 the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) released a Statement of Issues concerning the proposed acquisition of Australian Co-operative Foods Limited (Dairy Farmers) by a consortium comprising Murray Goulburn Co-operative Co Ltd and Parmalat SpA.
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Co-op Governance : Demutual
Dairy Farmers Demutualisation Push
Apr 20, 2008 - 1:21:22 PM
New South Wales co-operative Dairy Farmers is persisting with its proposed demutualisation - refusing to learn from the experience of New Zealand co-operative Fonterra whose attempted capital restructure has encountered intense member opposition. Read a recent statement by Dairy Farmers.
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Co-op Values
Should Australia's dairy farmers only supply co-operatives?
Feb 25, 2008 - 2:50:27 PM
See the new poll at the bottom of this page: Should Australia's dairy farmers only supply co-operatives? Co-operatives are member owned and controlled. Why shouldn't dairy farmers support dairy businesses that they own and control? Fonterra, for instance, is a co-operative in New Zealand but not in Australia. In Australia its suppliers are not owners. Dairy Farmers in NSW is proposing to list on the ASX and if this occurs it will cease to be a co-operative. Why should dairy farmers in NSW continue to supply a company that is no longer a co-operative?

Investor Ownership
"Members" in a non-mutual Building Society
Nov 19, 2007 - 5:42:46 PM
From the Mackay Building Society in Queensland:"Mackay Permanent Building Society is a highly respected financial institution based in Mackay. With total assets of $310 million and over 21 000 member accounts, Mackay Permanent is one of the largest publicly listed companies in the Mackay region and takes its place among the top Building Societies in regional Queensland." Note member accounts - not members.
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Co-op Advocacy
Pharmacy Ownership in Australia
Oct 28, 2007 - 6:52:54 PM
A brief listing of pharmacy ownership in various countries throughout the world - including Australia.
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Co-op Advocacy
"the bank that treats its customers like members"
Oct 11, 2007 - 7:04:38 AM
It was on commercial radio station 3AW, Melbourne, Victoria, on 10 October 2007 - "the bank that treats its customers like members."
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Co-op Advocacy
Privatisation of the AWB
Jul 23, 2007 - 5:02:02 PM
A discussion paper on the Australian Wheat Board has argued that the privatisation of the AWB coincided with the operation of the Oil-for-Food program.
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