on
Co-operatives in the ACT
Co-operatives are a rare and strange form of business entity in Australia. Unlike regular companies, which are federally regulated by ASIC, co-operatives are regulated by states and territories, in accordance with a national uniform legislation scheme.
A few weeks ago, for reasons that I will not elaborate further on, I was reading about co-ops in the ACT, and wanted to find out how many co-ops we have.
For some reason, unlike with incorporated associations, Access Canberra does not publish the list of co-ops on its website. I decided that if they're not going to put it on their website then I will, and paid the $25 inspection fee to get the full list of registered co-ops. Access Canberra promptly sent me the list, and I now present it for all to see.
So how many co-ops are currently registered in the ACT? Only 15, plus two interstate co-ops that also operate in Canberra.
Of these co-ops, it seems to me (based on Googling) that a number of them are no longer operational, never were operational, or simply don't have a web presence. Of those that I could find online, there is considerable variety: a building materials supplier, a food retailer, a housing co-op, a handmade crafts shop, even a professional trade magazine.
I have mixed feelings as to whether co-ops are good business structures or not, but what I am certain of is that, at least in Canberra, it's an obscure concept with an obscure regulatory framework that we can perhaps pay a bit more attention to.
List of co-operatives in the ACT as of 31 August 2023
Type | Number | Name | Status |
---|---|---|---|
Local | CO-0201 | Builders Trading Co-operative Limited | Active |
Local | CO-0202 | Food Cooperative Shop Ltd | Active |
Local | CO-0203 | Canberra Student Housing Co-operative Ltd | Active |
Local | CO-0205 | GetRealty Cooperative Limited | Active |
Local | CO-0206 | National Health Cooperative Limited | Active |
Local | CO-0207 | Trove Canberra Cooperative Limited | Active |
Local | CO-0208 | Ethical Wheels Cooperative Limited | Active |
Local | CO-0209 | ACT Water Rewards Cooperative Limited | Active |
Local | CO-0210 | Pre Power One Co-op Limited | Active |
Local | CO-0211 | Interchange Health Co-operative Limited | Active |
Local | CO-0212 | Canberra Seed Savers Co-operative Limited | Active |
Local | CO-0213 | RealKM Cooperative Limited | Active |
Local | CO-0214 | ACT 30K/40K Narrative Gaming Limited | Active |
Local | CO-0215 | AMAR CARE Limited | Active |
Local | CO-0216 | The Elysian Co-op Limited | Active |
Foreign | CO-0301 | Islamic Co-operative Finance Australia Limited | Active |
Foreign | CO-0302 | Jacaranda Cooperative Housing Society Limited | Active |
Discussion and feedback