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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.

Co-operative Health

USA Health Care Legislation and Co-ops

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Written by David Griffiths Thursday, 08 April 2010 22:21

The National Cooperative Business Association in the USA has issued a statement on the passage of Health Care Reform in the USA. The NCBA is concerned that the final bill contains provision for "Consumer Operated and Oriented Plan"?(CO-OP) - providing USA$6 billion to foster the creation of non=profit, member-run health insurance companies but that co-operatives are not the only entities that can qualify for funding. The program does not require that the entities be member-owned and controlled co-operatives recognised as such under relevant law. NCBA wants the program to change so that only member-owned co-operatives are formed.
 

Co-operatives and Health Care Reform in the USA

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Last Updated on Wednesday, 29 July 2009 10:04 Written by David Griffiths Wednesday, 29 July 2009 09:47

As in Australia, the USA is debating healthcare reform and President Obama has made this a high priority. The Obama Plan includes a government-run insurance program and it is this that has divided USA lawmakers.

A bipartisan group of senators, Democrat and Republican, are working on an alteranative plan. The alternative plan involves a system of co-operatives - saying that this alternative offers more choice without increasing the role of government in healthcare.

Democrat Kent Conrad is proposing that insurance co-operatives are controlled by consumers rather than the government or profit driven companies. Under his proposal, the USA federal government would provide seed money to help set up co-operatives.

Source:,Levey, Noam N and Hook, Janet "The centrist alternative on healthcare::Cooperatives" in the Los Angeles Times, 28 July 2009.
 

Largest Social Enterprise Sector in the World

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Last Updated on Wednesday, 01 September 2010 05:45 Written by David Griffiths Wednesday, 01 September 2010 05:22

The Department of Health in the United Kingdom wants to hand over services to National Health Services staff. The Department has released a whiite paper which proposes that power will be devolved from Whitehall to patients and professionals - Equity and Excellence: - Liberating the NHS. The Government proposes to (a) patients will be at the heart of everything we do (b) there will be a relentless focus on clinical outcomes and (c0 we will empower health professionals. There will be a consultation on the white paper.
Equity and excellence.pdf The white paper's chapter headings are as follows - Liberating the NHS, Putting patients and the public first, Improving healthcare outcomes, Autobomy accountability and democratic legitimacy, Cutting bureaucracy and improving efficiency and Conclusion: making it happen.
   

A Healthier Future Without Co-operation?

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Written by David Griffiths Tuesday, 28 July 2009 03:18

The Australian Government has just released A Healthier Future For All Australians - Final Report of the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission. It is an important report that neglects an important area - the co-operative option.? The Commission argues "our reform agenda urges action to: tackle the major access and equity issues that affect people now; redesign our health system to meet emerging challenges; and create an agile, responsive and self-improving health system for future generations."

Read more: A Healthier Future Without Co-operation?

 

Girudala Health Centre

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Last Updated on Wednesday, 21 July 2010 08:55 Written by David Griffiths Wednesday, 21 July 2010 08:43

The Girudala Community Co-operative Ltd has opened a medical centre in Bowen, south of Townsville, Queensland, which will operate as a GP clinic for Indigenous and non-Indigenous patients. The co-operative already provides health services at Collinsville and Proserpine. The co-oerative is a member of the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation which has 141 members - employing 2,500 full-time equivalent staff including 180 doctors and 230 nurses. The Aboriginal community health sector is the single greatest non-government employer of Aboriginal people in Australia.
   

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