A co-operative is an autonomous association of persons who voluntarily join together to meet common business, social and cultural needs through a jointly owned and democratically controlled enterprise.
Co-operatives play an important role in our economy and community. They are diverse organisations and are often regionally based supporting a wide range of industries including retail, agriculture, water distribution, manufacturing, taxi services and arts and crafts.
In Western Australia all co-operatives must be registered with Consumer Protection.
You may wish to investigate other forms of organisation including forming an association, a partnership or a limited liability (pty ltd) company before deciding which legal structure to use.
Co-operatives National Law
As a result of the implementation of the Co-operatives National Law in Western Australia on 1 January 2017, co-operatives registered in this state can operate in any participating jurisdiction without any additional registration or reporting requirements. As at 1 January 2017, all Australian States and Territories with the exception of Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory are participating jurisdictions.
Contact Us
If you require any information about co-operatives please do not hesitate to contact the staff in the co-operatives unit.
Telephone: 1300 304 074
Postal Address: Locked Bag 100, EAST PERTH WA 6892
Physical Address: Gordon Stephenson House, 140 William Street, Perth 6000