For media
The BCCM is the peak body for co-operatives and mutuals in Australia. We unite member-owned businesses operating in all industries to increase awareness and recognition of co-ops and mutuals and the important contribution they make to the economy and community.
For all media enquiries about the Business Council of Co-operatives and Mutuals and the co-operative and mutual sector in Australia, or for comment from our CEO Melina Morrison, please contact Sue Frost on 0409 718 572 or Adrian Thirsk on 0410 287 609, and email [email protected].
About the CEO
Melina Morrison
CEO of Business Council of Co-operatives and Mutuals
Melina Morrison has been a driving force for change in Australia’s co-operative and mutual sector for 25 years.
She is the founder CEO of the country’s first cross-sector body for member-owned enterprises, the Business Council of Co-operatives and Mutuals (BCCM).
Under Melina’s leadership, the BCCM has achieved fundamental reforms to level the playing field for member-owned firms.
She commissioned the first study in Australia’s co-operative and mutual sector, the annual National Mutual Economy report, driving meaningful change and creating the first evidence base to advocate for better support.
Significantly, Melina was at the forefront in advocating and developing amendments to the Corporations Act, opening new opportunities for co-operative and mutual businesses to grow whilst safeguarding mutuality for future generations.
Melina continues to advocate for ethical business models that put the consumer first in sectors ranging from finance to aged care.
BCCM in the media
Protecting communities is life blood of co-ops and mutuals (from 34:15 minutes), NSW Country Hour, 19 August 2024
Co-op housing on The Project, 30 July 2024
BCCM CEO Melina Morrison and The Barossa Co-op CEO Cathy Main (from 16 minutes), ABC Radio’s SA & NT Evenings program , 18 July 2024
Co-ops ease cost of living in regional areas (1:00:39 to 1:30:00), ABC Radio, 11 July 2024
This alternative to supermarkets can help you save on groceries, but most people don’t know it exists, by business reporter Samuel Yang, The Business, ABC news (watch online)
The big idea to take away from the UK election, ausbiz today, 8 July 2024
Melina Morrison’s interview with Rachel Pupazzoni (from 9.10 mins), ABC’sThe Business on Monday, 23 June 2024
Yvonne doesn’t own her home. This housing alternative means she never worries about rent, on SBS News, 25 June 2024
Government has urged the private sector, in particular tourism and export sectors, to include co-operatives in its value chains, The Fiji Times, 19 June 2024
Gray pays $115 a week in rent. But there’s a catch, on Sydney Morning Herald, 15 June 2024
“Express your interest!”: The Bunya Fund, growing the next generation of co-operatives, on the Bank Australia website, 23 May 2024
Unlocking the ‘Missing Middle’: Lessons from Europe’s housing co-ops, in Co-operative News, 31 May 2024
The impact of Fonterra’s asset sales on Australian Dairy Farmers and local workers, with Tony Briscoe on ABC Radio’s Tasmanian Country Hour, 23 May 2024
BCCM says Fonterra sale another blow for Australian dairy farmers, Scoop NZ, 17 May 2024
- Dairy farmers concerns at Fonterra’s ‘step change’, The Canberra Times
- Fonterra plan ‘another blow’ to dairy farmers, Gold Coast Bulletin
- Fonterra to sell its Australian business, Dairy News Australia
More funding necessary to fix housing crisis, FS Sustainability, 20 May 2024
Co-operative sector welcomes budget measures to boost social housing, Australian Property Markets News, 15 May 2024
Budget not investing enough in homelessness prevention, Australian Property Journal, 15 May 2024
Podcast: Benefits of Housing Co-ops with Linda Seaborn, 4 April 2024
Newcastle Building Society turns its focus to community and regional development, Co-operative News, 2 April 2024
‘Time is right’ for government-backed RMBS: Greg Medcraft, in Mortgage Business, 28 March 2024
Australia’s Bunya Fund for co-op development opens for new applications, Co-operative News, 19 March 2024
‘I’m home’: how co-operative housing could take pressure off Australia’s housing crisis, The Conversation, 15 March 2024
Community housing sector can play greater role to ease crisis, in the Australian Property Journal, 18 February 2024
Guest blog: Measuring our mutual value, on The Building Societies Association (BSA) website (5 February 2024)
The missing middle that could help fix the housing crisis, in the Sydney Morning Herald, 5 January 2024 (paywall).
Worker-owned care firms could bring services to rural and remote areas, The Australian, 6 August 2023
ABC Riverina interview: How the co-operative model empowers communities to fight back, 3 August 2023
Overcoming the capital conundrum, ICMIF, 6 July 2023
Calls rise for expansion of co-operative housing in Australia, Sky News, 1 July 2023
ABC’s Western Australia Country Hour (from 4:35 min): WA co-ops and mutuals, CBH and the NME on ABC Radio, 26 June
North Coast farming co-ops tally up monstrous flood cost, Daily Telegraph, 13 June 2023
Offshoring of Australia’s food processing must be reversed: BCCM, Australian Rural & Regional News, 8 June 2023
Time to revive co-ops, The Weekly Times, 24 May 2023
The sector that wants to sandbag itself from private equity, Australian Financial Review, 29 May 2023
European launch for BCCM’s new tool to measure value of co-op businesses, Co-op News, 25 May 2023
BCCM launches the Mutual Value Measurement framework in Europe, ICMIF, 25 May 2023
A delicate balancing act between people and business, ausbiz, 10 May 2023.
Half of Australia’s GDP: Why the budget should focus on SME growth, SmartCompany, 8 May 2023
Mutual benefits: in the rush to DMFs, core principles must not be forgotten, Insurance News, 24 April 2023
Letters: Financial Review, 19 April 2023
Why acquisition of milk processors raises concerns for food security: Melina Morrison’s insights, ABC Radio’s Warwick Long (WL) on Country Hour, 10 April 2023 (Listen to recorded interview on ABC Tasmania: 01:39 – 07.51)
BCCM chief gives evidence to Australian Senate on value of co-op sector, Co-operative News, 23 February 2023
Riverland and South East SA Rural Report, 7 February 2023
Annual Q&A with BCCM CEO Melina Morrison, Co-operative News, 11 January 2023
Forbes Australia: Manufacturing’s missing middle: solving the riddle
Insurance News: Conduct code for mutuals launched as ‘traditional’ premiums rise
NSW Country Hour, ABC: Gas price cap a just-in-time measure
Australian Financial Review: Beware the trade-offs a gas price cap brings
ABC Radio Country Breakfast: Interview with Enrique de los Rios and the BCCM
Co-operative News: Australian co-op apex BCCM calls for fresh action on climate change
Various: Heritage-People’s Choice merger is a milestone for banking industry competition
ABC RN Breakfast: Are co-operatives and mutuals one answer to Australia’s weak wages growth?
ABC News: Are cooperatives and mutuals one answer to Australia’s weak wages growth?
Co-operative News: Australian co-op apex launches country’s first development fund for the sector
InnovationAus.com: In the room at the Advanced Manufacturing skills forum
Southern Riverina News: State unprepared for NSW floods: inquiry
Pro Bono Australia: Making co-ops visible
The Courier: Farmers join forces in environmental push
Soundcloud: Co-ops bounce back from pandemic woes and lows
The Australian: Mutuals and co-ops resilient in challenging economic times
The Australian: Time is right for co-operatives with ESG in focus, says Melina Morrison
Sydney Morning Herald: Manufacturers warn thousands of jobs at risk unless gas held back from export
The Australian: Migration a fix for labour shortage: CEOs
Onimpact: The impact of investing in co-ops and mutuals
auzbiz: How to reinvigorate regional Australia
ABC Life Matters: Whose job is it to buffer communities from natural disasters? (16’05 to 19’58)
Co-op News: Australian co-op sector responds to catastrophic Queensland and NSW floods
ABC RN Breakfast with Cathy Van Extel: Push for big business to boost Indigenous employment
Your Mortgage: Mutual sector posts strong growth in home lending
South Coast ABC, Breakfast with Simon Lauder: Community resilience and recovery
Co-op News: Mutuality, ESG & sustainable business – a new catalyst for Australian climate action
Australian Ageing Agenda: ACSA and co-op peak sign MOU
Australian Financial Review: What aged care could look like
ABC’s NSW Country Hour, discussing why the co-op model is great for farmers
Interview about co-ops and mutuals with Adam Creighton on Your Money
RN Breakfast: Could more co-ops help fix the aged care crisis?
Rural Queensland Today, discussing the Co-operative Farming project
Melina on Rural Queensland Today radio
Co-op News: Australia’s BCCM stresses power of co-operation against Covid-19
Farm Weekly: Time to rethink manufacturing with co-ops
Australian Institute of Company Directors: The value of sitting on a cooperative board
The Australian: The leadership conversation: John Eales meets Melina Morrison
SBS: Mutuals get chance to take on big banks
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