News Feeds

Co-operative News

  • Co-operative Research Group Seminar
    The Co-operative Research Group at the University of Sydney has organised a seminar on 26 August 2010 with Professor Francesco Capalbo and Professor Frank Clarke. Professor Capalbo (Second University of Naples) will address The Co-operative Experience in Italy. Professor Clarke (University of Sydney) will address Co-operative case study: Death of a co-operative.
    For more information email
    Details of the Co-operative Group activities are listed on the website
  • Ownership and Australia's newest political party
    The Parents, Families and Carers Party has released a Family and Small Business and Economic Ownership Policy for the Federal election in Australia to be held on 21 August 2010. It is the only party that has developed a policy based on ownership.
  • South West Slopes Country Credit Union
    ABACUS Australian Mutuals has announced that South West Slopes Credit Union has won the distinction of being the first Australian Credit Licensee under new laws regulating consumer credit.South West Slopes Credit Union is a community credit union operating in south western NSW, including the towns of Young, Cootamundra, West Wyalong, Harden, Boorowa and Temora.
    Read more...
  • Competitive Banking in Australia
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    According to ABACUS Australian Mutuals research out today revealing that three in four Australians believe the big four banks have too much market power should trigger action to promote a more competitive banking market.The Australia Institute research paper Money and power says one in five people, or three million Australians, believe that a bank with bigger profits is safer and that younger people are much more likely to believe that a bank with big profits is safer.
    Read more...
  • Australian IYC Steering Committee
    The first Australian IYC Steering Committee meeting will be held in Sydney on Monday 30 August 2010. The Chairman of the Steering Committee is Trent Bartlett.  The Steering Committee is being resourced by Social Business Australia.  The IYC aims at raising awareness on the socio-economic impact of co-operatives, and for promoting the autonomous formation and growth of co-operatives. For more on the International Year of Co-operatives Steering Committee visit the web site of the International Co-operative Alliance.
  • Housing Co-operative History
    The SouthEast Housing Co-operative Ltd in Dandenong, Victoria,will be celebrating its 25th anniversary in October 2010. As part of the celebrations a booklet will be published on the co-operative.  The booklet will outline the experience of rental housing co-operatives since 1985 qand the external and internal challenges over the years. While SouthEast Housing Co-operative Ltd was formed in 2000, the co-operatives that merged at the time were originally formed in 1985.
  • Mutuality and Taxable income
    The Australian Taxation Office has published a guide on Mutuality and taxable income. The guide is for non-profit clubs, societies and associations that are taxable.  It can be downloaded as a pdf from the ATO web site.

Services

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Co-operatives Victoria services include Co-operative Advocacy, Co-operative Education, Co-operative Information and Co-operative Legislation.

Co-operative Advocacy

Co-operatives Victoria recently persuaded the Victorian Government to allow small co-operatives to seek exemption from audits and, therefore, generate considerable financial savings. Co-operatives Victoria was the first co-operative to take advantage of this exemption.

Co-operatives Victoria has also been actively campaigning for the co-operative model in the dairy industry. Recently, a submission was made to the Senate Economics Committee Inquiry into Liquidators and Administrators.

Co-operatives Victoria is an active participant in Co-operatives Australia - the national peak body for State Co-operative Federations. Co-operatives Australia has? issued?four statements on (a) Public Policy and Co-operatives, (b) Australia's Top Co-operatives, Credit Unions and Mutuals, (c) Co-operative Education and? (d) Valuing Mutuality. ?and has made a submission to the Australian Prime Minister on the co-operative option.

Co-operative Education

Co-operative education is the key that allows co-operatives to integrate co-operative values and principles with their business goals and practices - enabling co-operatives to examine the operating environment of their co-operative, how their co-operative works and how well it meets its co-operative aims and objectives.

Co-operatives Victoria introduced the UK Co-operative College to Australia commencing in 2005. Since then, the Co-operative College has provided Co-operative Identity Workshops in NSW, Victoria and WA. Victorian co-operatives that have participated include the Murray Goulburn Co-operative Co Ltd and the South East Housing Co-operative Ltd.

Co-operative Information

australia.coop went live in January 2003. The site was established to provide a portal for Australian co-operative news and views. It is the first country co-operative portal established throughout the world under the new Dot Coop top-level domain established in January 2002. In 2009 Co-operatives Australia agreed to take over responsibility for australia.coop and Co-operatives Victoria established the victoria.coop web site.

Co-operative Legislation

A new Cooperatives National Law is being proposed to creaqte a uniform system of governance for co-operatives across States and Territories. A submission was made to the inquiry.