Co-operatives Victoria News

The people's Supermarket

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 07:15:28 +1000

At 8:30 p.m on 29 December ABC1 showed the first of four programs on the People's Supermarket in the UK. The programs were first broadcast on Channel 4 in the UK in early 2011. The People's Supermarket was established in May 2010. Is the People's Supermarket a food co-operative or is it something else?

Submissions on Financial Reporting for small co-operatives

Tue, 27 Dec 2011 12:59:40 +1000

On behalf of all States and Territories, on 8 November 2011 NSW Fair Trading invited submissions on reporting requirements for small co-operatives. Submissions closed on the 7 December 2011. Seven submissions were received from - NSW Department of Education and training, the Co-operative Federation of Victoria Ltd, the Australian Accounting Standards Board, Co-operatives WA, Mark Snell and the Sydney Live Steam Locomotive Society Co-operative Ltd.

Federal Labor and Mutuals

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 06:53:47 +1000

When the Reserve Bank raises or cuts rates and how the Big Four banks respond - ANZ, Commonwealth, NAB and Westpac - becomes a matter of controversy about the irrelevance of Federal Labor Treasurer Wayne Swan. What is real, however, is that Federal Labor has encouraged the strengthening of the mutual alternative with three mutuals now allowed to call themselves banks and the Federal Government deposit guarantee applying equally to the Big Four and mutuals. Statistics from APRA show that for the year ended 30 September the assets of credit unions, building societies and mutual banks grew by 8.7% compared with 7.9% for the major banks.

Mutuals Already Better

Fri, 09 Dec 2011 06:48:14 +1000

According to ABACUS Australian Mutuals, before the recent controversy as to whether or not the Big Four Banks would pass on the rate cut by the Reserve Bank of Australia, the variable home loan rates of mutuals have been on average lower than the big four banks' for years. This is according to independent financial comparison websites like Canstar Cannex.

Australia's Co-operative Banks

Sat, 03 Sep 2011 14:33:15 +1000

Australia has two new co-operative banks. On 1 September 2011 the MECU credit union became bankmecu. On the 1 October 2011 the Queensland Teachers' Credit Union will become the QT mutual bank. These developments are milestones in the development of co-operative banking in Australia - and competition for the investor owned banks. The Australian Labor Government has popularised the growth and role of co-operatives offering a real challenge to the investor banks and the emergence of two co-operative banks has been significantly influenced by the Australian Labor Government and it is appropriate the Government's encouragement of co-operative banking - the long term consequences of this encouragement could be significant.

Co-ops and the Japanese Crisis

Thu, 17 Mar 2011 20:34:08 +1000

The International Co-operative Alliance has established an update page on the Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami. The page will be regularly updated and include any swpecific requests for assistance from Japanese co-operatives. Currently the page includes reports from JA-ZENCHU - National Federation of Agricultural Co-operatives and JF ZENGYOREN - National Federation of Fisheries Co-operatives Associations.
JA-ZENCHU web site.
JF ZENGYOREN web site.
The International Co-operative Alliance has just launched an appeal for a Japan Disaster Recovery Fund.

International Day of Co-operatives 2011

Sun, 13 Mar 2011 16:25:44 +1000

The theme for International Day of Co-operatives 2011 has been released:

"Youth, the future of co-operative enterprise"
"Les jeunes, l'avenir de l'entreprise coopérative"
"Los jóvenes, el futuro de la empresa cooperativa"

The International Day of Co-operatives 2011 is on Saturday 2 July 2011. For more information go to the web site of the International Co-operative Alliance.

Use of the Official IYC 2012 Slogan

Sat, 12 Mar 2011 08:20:03 +1000

The Chairman and Secretary of Co-operatives Australia, David Griffiths, has urged co-operatives in their planning for the launch of the International Year of Co-operatives on 1 January 2012 that they incorporate the official IYC slogan in their marketing, newsletters, emails and in anything that the co-operative uses to communicate - Co-operative enterprises build a better world. Co-operatives Australia, as the national body for State Co-operative Federations,

CHOICE Better Banking Proposals

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 12:00:17 +1000

The Choice Report Better Banking was released today and proposes a series of recommendations on banking reform. According to CHOICE CEO, Nick Stace, "CHOICE exists to unlock the power of consumers with a vision that Australians become the most savvy and active consumers in the world." CHOICE is the number one advocate of consumer rights in Australia. As the public face of the Australian Consumers’ Association (ACA) CHOICE is a completely self funded body that is committed to providing consumers with advocacy and advice . Members receive independent and expert advice on the products and services they encounter every day, while the community at large benefits from vocal and active campaigns that champion consumer rights. The 14 recommendations of the Better Banking report follow.

ABACUS and CHOICE on Better Banking

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 10:33:43 +1000

Abacus – Australian Mutuals, the industry body for credit unions and mutual building societies, today broadly welcomed CHOICE's Better Banking Report. "CHOICE's recommendations set an agenda that demands a response from industry, Government and other stakeholders," said Abacus CEO Louise Petschler. "We unambiguously support CHOICE's recommendation for a permanent consumer deposit guarantee properly explained to consumers. Abacus is calling for the current $1 million cap on the guarantee to be maintained permanently.

Co-ops and Christchurch Earthquake

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 11:39:15 +1000

the New Zealand Cooperatives Association has created a rolling blog page on it's website with the responses of co-ops and mutuals to the Christchurch earthquake. As information comes into the Association, the page is being updated.

CBH Group Commits to Co-operation

Mon, 07 Feb 2011 18:03:04 +1000

The co-operative CBH Group has committed itself to remaining a co-operative after assessing various model, The CBH Group has concluded that the co-operative structure provides the best outcome for growers in Western Australia and warns that other grain co-operatives that demutualised lost their focus on growers and, instead, were takenm over by multinational companies seeking to provide returns to external shareholders. Read the CBH Group news release.

The Co-op and the Supermarkets

Mon, 07 Feb 2011 16:52:04 +1000

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.

CBH Joins the ICA

Fri, 04 Feb 2011 18:07:06 +1000

The CBH Group co-operative in Western Australia has joined the International Co-operative Alliance. The CBH Group is the second Australian co-operative to join the ICA - both co-operatives are from Western Australia. The other co-operaqtive is the Capricorn Society Limited.

CBH Taxation Win

Fri, 04 Feb 2011 11:03:18 +1000

Co-operative Bulk Handling Ltd in Western Australis has won a Full Court of the Federal Court case between itself and the Commissioner of Taxation. The case concerned whether the co-operative was established for the purpose of promoting the development of Australian agricultural resource and meets the special condition under item 8.2 of section 50-40 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997.

IYC 2012 National Call To Action

Sun, 30 Jan 2011 10:49:17 +1000

On behalf of the Australian International Year of Co-operatives 2012 Steering Committee, Social Business Australia has distributed a National Call To Action information pack to about 2500 co-operatives, credit unions and mutuals throughout Australia. This is the first ever national mail out to all of Australia's co-operatives, credit unions and mutuals. To contact the National IYC Steering Committee: iyc@socialbusiness.coop

Co-operatives in Tasmania

Sat, 15 Jan 2011 17:45:03 +1000

The Co-operative Federation of Victoria Ltd jas written to all co-operatives in the State of Tasmania proposed a meeting for an agreed time in February 2011 to discuss (a) representation of the co-operative movement in Tasmania and (b) the participation of co-operatives in Tasmania in the International Year of Co-operatives 2012. There are 23 registered co-operatives in Tasmania and there is no co-operative body as there is in the other States - New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia.

Social Business Australia

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 14:10:31 +1000

Social Business Australia has redesigned its web site. The site's navigation bar inclues About Us, Social Business, News and Events and Tools and Re4sources. Social Business Australia (SBA) was formed in 2009 by a group of like-minded social businesses, to assist Australian social businesses to develop and grow in the competitive environment of the mainstream economy.Sometimes described as social enterprise, social businesses have social objectives at their core, and diverse ownership structures. The businesses we support are different to not-for-profit and for profit types of enterprise - the former do not make profits and the latter use profits to reward capital.

Macarthur Credit Union Supports Bank Reform

Sat, 18 Dec 2010 15:47:25 +1000

Macarthur Credit Union welcomed the Federal Government’s banking reform package unveiled by Treasurer Wayne Swan on Sunday. “There are some real positives for credit unions and building societies in the Government’s announcement. Macarthur Credit Union is ready to compete with the banks and this package gives a welcome boost to our efforts,” said David Cadden, GM of Macarthur Credit Union.

Australian Central Savings & Loans and Bank Reforms

Fri, 17 Dec 2010 17:37:51 +1000

Australia’s second-largest credit union has welcomed the Federal Government announcement to introduce greater competition in the banking industry by banning mortgage exit fees on new home loans. Peter Evers - Managing Director of Australian Central Savings & Loans - said the announcement was “a step in the right direction” for the development of greater competition in the banking sector.