Consumer co-operatives

Focus: Co-operative provides for the co-ordination/delivery of care services to its members (who are the individuals receiving the benefit of the services)

Primary Activity

The primary activity of the Co-operative is to advocate, promote and facilitate the delivery of high quality Care Services to its members in accordance with the Aged Care Quality Standards and/or NDIS Practice Standards (as applicable).

Active Membership Requirements

1. In order to maintain active membership, each member must:
   1. acquire a Care Service from the Co-operative at least once per financial year (with no set minimum value); or
   2. attend at least one (1) meeting of the Co-operative per financial year (whether it be a general meeting, special general meeting, or informal event).
2. All members of the Co-operative must be active members.
3. Subject to sections [123 and 124 of the Co-operatives Act / 159 and 160 of the Co-operatives National Law], a member who fails to be or stops being an active member must, under the Law, have their membership cancelled.

The following word has a special meaning for the purposes of the primary activities and active membership requirements:

“Care Services means aged care, disability care and/or health services”.

Primary Activity

The primary activities of the co-operative are:

1. To develop, own, operate and manage a wind farm or farms;
2. Generate and supply energy from the co-operative wind farm or farms;
3. Provide advice and assistance to its members to reduce energy usage and increase energy efficiency; and
4. Raise community awareness of the benefits of sustainable and renewable energy.

Active membership

In order for a member to establish and maintain active membership of the co-operative the member:

1. must purchase or consume energy generated directly or indirectly by the co-operative; or
2. subscribe to the co-operative’s information advisory service relating to energy usage and efficiency; or
3. subscribe to the co-operative’s newsletter.

Primary Activity

The  primary activities of the co-operative are to provide services and products to member organisations that have charitable purposes, such services include, but are not limited to:

1. Advocacy and negotiation services,
2. Administrative, marketing and organisational support services,
3. Procurement and contract management services,
4. Training, educational and development products and services to members and
5. Communication and training services for members and the broader community.

Active membership

In order for a member to establish and maintain active membership of the co-operative the member must

1. Attend at least one training, educational or development service offered by the co-operative in each financial year, and
2. Provide the co-operative with proof of its compliance with its charitable purposes and proof of its financial position each financial year.

The following words and phrases have a special meaning for the purposes of the active membership requirements in this rule:

“attend” means that a member will enable its staff, including volunteers, to physically attend a training, educational or development service offered by the co-operative at no charge to the staff member or volunteer.

“proof of compliance with its charitable purposes” means its most current annual information statement that the member organisation must lodge with the Australian Charities and Not for Profits Commission (ACNC) or any other regulator that performs the same role, provided that the member is not required to provide such proof prior to having lodged with the ACNC or other regulator.

“proof of its financial position” means the audited financial statements including any auditor’s report or advice for the immediately preceding financial year.

Primary Activity

The primary activities of the co-operative are:

1. Brewing, distributing and selling craft beer, and
2. Conducting beer brewing classes and events.

Active membership

In order for a member to establish and maintain active membership of the co-operative the member must:

1. Purchase a minimum value of $100 worth of goods or services from the co- operative each financial year, or
2. Participate in a beer brewing class or event at least once each financial

Primary Activity

The primary activities of the co-operative are:

1. Operating a retail produce store in ……, stocking locally sourced Food, organic food and related products;
2. Buying fresh produce from local farmers for sale in the retail produce store; and
3. Providing information and awareness-raising activities on the benefits of buying and consuming locally sourced or organic products.

Active membership

In order for a member to establish and maintain active membership of the co-operative the member must pay the annual membership fee under rule …. to the co-operative and one of the following:

1. purchase a minimum of $100.00 worth of products from the co-operative each year; or
2. supply the co-operative with $100.00 (wholesale price) worth of food, food related products, or other products sought by the co-operative, each year; or
3. provide volunteer labour to the co-operative for a minimum of 50 hours each year.