Journal of Co-operative Studies Vol 41 No 1

Guest Editorial - Co-operatives in Australia and New Zealand

Alan Robb, p. 3.

Four of the past eight issues of the Journal have contained work from or about co-operatives in Australia and New Zealand. Readers therefore already have some knowledge of mutuality in the Antipodes. The present issue, however, is the first to be devoted to Australasia and follows the Special Canadian Edition of August 2007.

Refereed articles

The diversity of co-operative structures in New Zealand agribusiness

Keith Woodford, pp. 4-10.

Although the importance of co operatives within New Zealand agribusiness is widely recognised, there is less recognition of the diversity of co operative structures that exists. It is this diversity that will be explored in this paper. It will be argued that the framework of the NZ Co operative Companies Act 1996 has been a key factor, but not the only factor. The legislative framework is itself a function of underlying attitudes and the business culture within New Zealand agribusiness and the wider community.

Rochdale consumer co-operatives in Australia: A case of rural survival  

Nikola Balnave and Greg Patmore, pp. 11-21.

Historians have largely ignored the role that Rochdale co operatives have played in the lives of many Australians. When considered by historians, Rochdale co-operatives in Australia are generally dismissed as being insignificant to the plights of the labour movement and the needs of wider society, apart from those situated in coal mining districts. This paper challenges such assumptions by providing an historical overview of the extent and incidence of Rochdale co-operatives in Australia. It primarily focuses on consumer co-operatives at the local level, and maps the extent and impact of the Rochdale movement based on the typology of coalfields, rural and metropolitan co-operatives developed by W K McConnell (1929). While the Rochdale movement in Australia has largely collapsed, Rochdale co-operatives still survive in some rural locations, despite McConnell’s grim predictions.

Strong bonds: Maintaining a commitment to mutuality in a deregulated environment – the case of Australian credit unions

Leanne Cutcher, pp. 22-30.

Since the 1980s Australian credit unions have faced a raft of regulatory changes. These changes have made it increasingly difficult for credit unions to maintain a commitment to mutuality. This paper outlines the impact of regulatory change on credit unions as they seek to operate in a ‘deregulated’ financial services environment. The paper compares the responses of two credit unions to these changes. In one case the credit union emulated the strategies of the large retail banks, while, the other credit union maintained a commitment to the principles of mutuality and co-operativeness. Comparing these two credit unions against the backdrop of regulatory change highlights the importance of credit unions creating and sustaining a distinct organisational identity through a strong bond of association with their members.

Learning from the past: The distress and resuscitation of PSIS, 1979-2003 

Gordon Boyce, pp. 31-42

The Public Service Investment Society (PSIS) was placed under statutory management in 1979 after a period of growth and diversification. Over the next eight years, the statutory manager restructured the Society’s administration and systems, divested assets, freed up the frozen deposits, and restored member confidence. PSIS was released from statutory management in September 1987, and subsequently completed the rest of its restructuring programme. The co-operative refocused its operations on the core savings and loan operation and subsequently emerged as the largest New Zealand–owned co-operative financial services provider. PSIS’s brush with failure and its subsequent revival highlight five key balances that must be managed carefully in order to maintain stability and enhance performance. They are (1) diversity and homogeneity of the membership, (2) democratic processes and strong leadership, (3) mutuality and commercial orientation, (4) preserving continuity with past practice and adapting to changing conditions within the business environment, and (5) effective administrative control and flexible capabilities.

Short articles

Things worth fighting for: Facing down the demutualisers

Race Matthews, pp. 43-50

Book reviews

Co-operatives and the pursuit of peace. Edited by Joy Emmanuel and Ian MacPherson.

Reviewed by Mary Mellor, pp. 51-52.

New Zealand Credit Unions - the First Forty Years. People Helping People. By Gordon McLaughlin.

Reviewed by Paul A Jones, pp. 52-55

Co-operation’s Prophet: the Life and Letters of Dr William King of Brighton with a reprint of The Co-operator, 1828-1830. By T W Mercer.

Re-visited by Professor Stephen Yeo, pp. 55-56.