Andrew Leigh

LABOR WELCOMES GOVERNMENT ADOPTING LABOR’S COOPS & MUTUALS POLICIES

Labor welcomes the Government’s commitment to facilitating greater access to capital for mutuals and cooperatives, and clearly defining mutual enterprises in the Corporations Act.

Labor made these commitments on 10 November 2016, as part of our “Inclusive Ownership, Inclusive Growth” package.

We welcome the government’s assistance in delivering these measures in a bipartisan fashion.

As the first spokesperson of a major party to have designated responsibility for member-owned firms, I also call on the Government to also commit to giving member-owned firms eligibility to access government grants on an equal footing with other organisations.

The clearest example is the Indigenous Advancement Strategy, which does not allow non-corporations to apply for grants above a certain threshold without special exemption. Cooperatives are a way for Indigenous collectives to further the goal of self-determination. Labor calls on the Government to remove the barriers to Indigenous cooperatives.

WEDNESDAY, 8 NOVEMBER 2017