Co-op sector welcomes Victorian Government support, cutting red tape helps expansion

25 June 2025

The Business Council of Co-operatives and Mutuals (BCCM) said today it welcomed the ongoing support of the Victorian Government as the sector seeks to expand its economic impact in key sectors such as housing, health, energy, retail and agriculture.

*Rohan Mead Australian Unity, Nicole Rich Consumer Affairs Victoria, The Hon Nick Staikos, Melina Morrison BCCM*

Speaking at the BCCM and Australian Unity “Icons” luncheon on Tuesday to mark the formal launch of the United Nations International Year of Cooperatives in Victoria, BCCM Chief Executive Melina Morrison said the success and innovation displayed by co-ops and mutuals in Victoria has been underpinned by the Victorian Government’s commitment to reducing red tape and improving the overall regulatory environment.

“The regulatory settings now in place including the new myCAV system will allow Victoria’s 581 co-ops and mutuals to make an even greater contribution to a more competitive and productive economy,” Ms Morrison said.

The Victorian Government has invested in a modern online portal, myCAV, for co-operatives which went live on 27 May this year. This enables Victorian co-operatives to more easily and quickly apply for and maintain their registration and related transactions with Consumer Affairs Victoria.

The new myCAV system supports co-operatives to get on with focussing more on their core business and contribution to the Victorian community and economy, and less time on administrative functions.

“Co-operatives and mutuals are trusted social businesses, based on values of solidarity, democracy and self-help,” Ms Morrison said.

“Our sector shares with Labor the goal of a sustainable economy that works in the interests of ordinary people. The International Year of Cooperatives 2025 is an excellent time to reflect on this alignment and the diverse application of co-ops and mutuals across Victoria,” she said.

Ms Morrison said the BCCM’s latest National Mutual Economy Report (NME), revealed continued resilience by the sector against a backdrop of on-going global volatility. The top 100 co-operatives and mutuals posted revenue of $47.7 billion in the year to June 30, 2024, a rise of 8.4 percent. Total revenue in Victoria stood at $8.7 billion with total membership of 4.36 million and direct employment of 26,100.

“The co-op sector has made impressive gains in Victoria over recent years, playing a key role in diversifying the housing industry through enterprises such as Common Equity Housing Ltd which provides a secure and affordable form of tenure for residents while mutual banks such as Bank Australia, Bank First, Defence Bank and Bank Vic are focused on providing financial and mortgage support for thousands of Victorian essential workers,” she said.

She also said BCCM members such as Australian Unity are prominent in the health and social care sectors with a commitment to putting care recipients at the centre of their operations, providing aged care and retirement living to more than 4,000 people. Australian Unity is also the largest home care provider in Australia, with its Home Health business servicing more than 60,000 Australians.