Western Australian Co-operatives
The co-operative sector in Western Australia consisted of 66 co-operatives
(excluding financial services mutuals) at October 2020.
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 1943
was enacted 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. In 2010, the government replaced the earlier 1943 act with the
Co-operatives Act 2009,
bringing the state's co-operatives law in line with those of
other
states and territories.
In 2016, the state government amended its 2009 act
(Co-operatives Amendment Act 2016)
to achieve consistency with the
Co-operatives National Law
and to allow
Western Australian co-operatives to participate in a national regulatory scheme
for the
registration and regulation of co-operatives.
3
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, housing and other services 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.
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AGRICULTURE, FORESTRY and FISHING
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Agriculture Support Services
United Crate Co-operative Ltd
Commodity Marketing
 Agriculture Products Wholesaling
Inputs Supplies
Hardware, Building and Rural Supplies
Forestry Support Services
Australian Sandalwood Co-operative Ltd
Fishing Support Services
Geraldton Fishermen's Co-operative Ltd
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ARTS and RECREATION SERVICES
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Creative and Performing Arts Activities
Perth Improvised Theatre Society Co-operative Ltd
Technical and Vocational Education and Training
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
Preston Valley 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 and Meat Product Manufacturing
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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Management Advice and Related Consultancy Services
Enkel Collective Co-op Ltd
Sustainability Practitioners Network Co-operative Ltd
The Pack Music Co-operative Ltd
Technical services
Galactic Co-operative WA Ltd
Residential Property Operators
Broomehill Village Co-operative Ltd
Kyloring Housing 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
Boyup Brook Co-operative Company Ltd
Cocos Islands Co-operative Ltd
Demark Co-operative Company Ltd
Esperance Organised Primary Producers Co-operative Ltd
Geraldton Organised Primary Producers Co-operative Ltd
Mount Barker Co-operative Ltd
Ord River District Co-operative Ltd
Quairading Farmers Co-operative Ltd
York & District Co-operative Ltd
Supermarket and Grocery Stores
Beacon 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
Bunbury 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
Sweeter Banana Co-operative Ltd
WA Hemp Growers' Co-op 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
Tourism Geraldton Midwest Co-operative Ltd
1. WA Register of Co-operatives, 22 October 2020.
2. Gary Lewis, The Democracy Principle: Farmer Co-operatives in Twentieth
Century Australia, 2006.
3. Second reading, Co-operatives Amendment Bill 2015, WA Legislative Council,
18 November 2015, Hansard p8451.
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