Recommendations
Recommendation 1
2.32 The committee recommends that the Commonwealth Government
ensures that a national collection of statistics and data is undertaken to
provide an accurate picture of the scale and extent of the co-operative and
mutual sector.
Recommendation 2
3.28 The committee recommends that co-operative and
mutuals sector be better represented in government policy discussions, and is
actively promoted as a possible option for service delivery particularly where
community based initiatives are being considered.
Recommendation 3
3.29 The committee recommends the Commonwealth Government
work with states and territories to develop a program of supports to encourage the
establishment of new co-operatives and mutual enterprises.
Recommendation 4
3.49 The committee recommends that a mutual enterprise
is explicitly defined in the Corporations Act 2001, and its associated
regulations.
Recommendation 5
3.51 The committee recommends that the role of
directors in mutual enterprises is defined in the Corporations Regulations to
align with the proposed definition of a mutual enterprise in the Corporations
Act.
Recommendation 6
3.75 The committee recommends the Commonwealth Government
work with states and territories to ensure the continual improvement to advice,
guidance and information provided at all stages in the establishment,
governance and regulation of co-operatives.
Recommendation 7
3.80 The committee recommends that the Commonwealth
Government to work with all relevant stakeholders to undertake a program of
education and training to inform them about the role of co-operatives and
mutuals.
Recommendation 8
3.81 The committee recommends that the Commonwealth
Government examine ways in which it can improve the recognition and
understanding of the co-operative and mutual sector in the national secondary
school curriculum and that tertiary institutions consider the inclusion of
co-operative and mutuals in accounting, business, commerce, economics and law
degrees.
Recommendation 9
3.82 The Committee recommends that professional
accreditation bodies, such as the Law Society and Institute of Chartered
Accountants, require a demonstrated knowledge of the co-operatives and mutual
structure before it will licence its members to practice accounting or law.
Recommendation 10
3.92 The committee recommends that the Commonwealth Government
amend the Indigenous Advancement Strategy to allow registered co-operatives the
same access to allow levels of grant funding as other entities.
Recommendation 11
3.93 The committee recommends that the Commonwealth Government
review, and where necessary amend the eligibility criteria for grants and funds
across all of government grants and program guidelines to ensure that
co-operatives and mutual enterprises are not excluded on the basis of their
business structure.
Recommendation 12
4.17 The committee recommends that the co-operative
and mutual sector be considered when the government is preparing a Regulatory
Impact Statement that accompanies new regulatory policies.
Recommendation 13
4.18 The committee recommends that the Commonwealth Government
liaise with its state and territory counterparts to ensure that the regulatory
burden for small and medium sized co-operative and mutual enterprise aligns
with the needs of these organisations and ensures they are not disadvantaged
relative to companies of a similar size.
Recommendation 14
4.26 The committee recommends that the Commonwealth Government
closely monitor the progress of the International Accounting Standards Board in
developing solutions to bring co-operative shares under the definition of
capital under AASB 132, and, where possible, facilitate equivalent amendments
as expeditiously as possible.
Recommendation 15
4.42 The committee recommends that Commonwealth and
State Governments support the formalisation of some of innovative market-based
approaches to raising capital for small and medium sized co-operative and
mutual enterprises, in the form of advice and information, as they become
available.
Recommendation 16
4.45 The committee recommends that APRA set a target
date for the outcome of discussions with the co-operative and mutuals sector on
issues of capital raising and bring those discussions to a timely
conclusion.
Recommendation 17
4.49 The committee recommends that the Commonwealth Government
examine proposals to amend the Corporations Act 2001 to provide co-operative and
mutual enterprises with a mechanism to enable them access to a broader range of
capital raising and investment opportunities.
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