CUA 'committed' to mutual ownership
Credit Union Australia says it is "committed to maintaining mutual ownership", as it undertakes a review of its capital options.As reported on Monday, CUA, the country's largest mutual ADI, plans "a more comprehensive overview" of rules that "inhibit its demutualisation", which the board disclosed in the notice for its annual meeting, which is to be held next month.Catherine Harris, CUA's head of corporate affairs, wrote in an email: "We regard our customer ownership as a true differentiator and [as being] the key to CUA offering a superior customer experience.""APRA is currently consulting with the mutual industry regarding possible 'mutual friendly' capital raising options."Whilst we have no intention to raise capital in the immediate future, we wish to have a degree of flexibility to adapt our constitution, if required, to allow for any recommendations APRA may subsequently make."Thus, requesting a 12 month maintenance of the Demutualisation Rules, where CUA's capital raising options are stated, gives us the required flexibility for any changes to be made."Harris also pointed out that "it is also worth noting that this is the same window that we have requested from our members for the past few years."