Western Australian Co-operatives
The co-operative sector in Western Australia consisted of 63 co-operatives
(excluding financial mutuals) at June 2018, comprising 3.0% of the
total number of co-operatives in Australia.
1
Co-operatives first emerged in Western Australia in the late 1880's following a
Royal Commission into that state's rural industry.
At the start of the 20th
century, the Western Australian government enacted the
Co-operative and Provident Societies Act 1903,
however, the act was deemed not suitable for
rural based co-operatives and most elected to be registered under the state's
companies law. A small number of mainly urban retail co-operatives were formed
under the 1903 act prior to World War One.
The
Companies (Co-operative) Act
was enacted in 1943 to cater for all co-operatives, however a number of
co-operatives
remained under the 1903 law.
2
In 1998, the
Western Australian Parliament's Standing Committee on Uniform Legislation and Intergovernmental Agreements
recommended the government sign
the national
Co-operatives Laws Agreement,
however, the WA co-operative sector was reluctant to be part of a national
scheme and did not encourage the government to implement the agreement in the
state.
The state government's failure to adopt the
parliamentary committee's
recommendation delayed implementing consistent co-operative's law around
Australia for over a decade.
Pressure from other state governments in the mid noughties
resulted in
the
Western Australian government releasing in 2006 draft legislation for public
consultation. This resulted in the
Co-operatives Act 2009,
replacing the earlier acts,
thereby bringing the state's co-operatives law in line with those of
other
states and territories.
Today, Western Australian co-operatives are involved in a range of economic and
social
activities. The majority are
distributing co-operatives
in the agricultural, fishing, forestry, retail,
transport, water and wholesale trade industries, with the balance being
non distributing co-operatives
in the education, training and interest group industries.
The following are links to Western Australian co-operatives with websites. Some
co-operatives are listed more than once due to their activities covering more
than one industry.
Agriculture
The South West Wine & Food Co-operative Ltd
Agriculture Support Services
United Crate Co-operative Ltd
Commodity Marketing
 Agriculture Products Wholesaling
Inputs Supplies
Hardware, Building and Rural Supplies
Fishing Support Services
Geraldton Fishermen's Co-operative Ltd
Engineering and Manufacturing Industry Co-operative Ltd
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ELECTRICITY, WATER and WASTE SERVICES
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Energy Related Services
Fremantle Wind Farm Co-operative Ltd
Water Supply
Gascoyne Water Co-operative Ltd
Ord Irrigation Co-operative Ltd
South West Irrigation Asset Co-operative Ltd
South West Irrigation Management Co-operative Ltd
Southern Forests Irrigation Co-operative Ltd
Meat processing
Organic & Biodynamic Meats Western Australia Co-operative Ltd
Western Australian Meat Marketing Co-operative Ltd
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PROFESSIONAL and TECHNICAL SERVICES
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Technical services
Galactic Co-operative WA Ltd
Residential Property Operators
(Housing co-operatives)
Phoenix Pond Co-operative Ltd
Sustainable Housing for Artists & Creatives Co-operative Ltd
Fuel Retailing
Cocos Islands Co-operative Ltd
Mount Barker Co-operative Ltd
Hardware, Building and Rural Supplies
BKW Co-operative Ltd
Boyup Brook Co-operative Company Ltd
Cocos Islands Co-operative Ltd
Demark Co-operative Company Ltd
Geraldton Organised Primary Producers Co-operative Ltd
Mount Barker Co-operative Ltd
Nungarin Farmers Co-operative Company Ltd
Ord River District Co-operative Ltd
Quairading Farmers Co-operative Ltd
Supermarket and Grocery Stores
Beacon Co-operative Ltd
BKW Co-operative Ltd
Cocos Islands Co-operative Ltd
Mount Barker Co-operative Ltd
Quairading Farmers Co-operative Ltd
York & District Co-operative Ltd
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TRANSPORT and POSTAL SERVICES
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Road Passenger Transport
Swan Taxis Co-operative Ltd
Transport Support Services
Cocos Islands Co-operative Ltd
Postal Services
Beacon Co-operative Ltd
Agriculture Products Wholesaling
Co-operative Bulk Handling Ltd
Fruit West Co-operative Ltd
Nannup Truffle Growers Co-operative Ltd
Noodle Co-operative Ltd
Sweeter Banana Co-operative Ltd
Grocery and Liquor Wholesaling
Liquor Barons Co-operative Ltd
Seafood Wholesaling
Geraldton Fishermen's Co-operative Ltd
Other Goods Wholesaling
Wesbuilders Co-operative Ltd
Business and Professional Association Services
Co-operative Federation of Western Australia Ltd
Interest groups
Contractors & Self-Represented Workers Co-operative Ltd
1. WA Register of Co-operatives, 11 June 2018.
2. Gary Lewis, The Democracy Principle: Farmer Co-operatives in Twentieth
Century Australia, 2006.
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