ETC – AUSTRALIA – MEMBERSHIP

NAB, ANZ face new climate activist vote

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Original article by Richard Gluyas
The Australian – Page: 19 : 21-Oct-19

Activist group Market Forces recently put forward shareholder resolutions calling on Westpac, the ANZ Bank and National Australia Bank to amend their constitutions in regard to reducing their exposure to fossil-fuel assets. A second activist group, the Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility, will table resolutions at the upcoming AGMs of NAB and ANZ, calling on them to withdraw from industry groups whose advocacy stances are at odds with the Paris climate goals. The ACCR states that its resolutions are conditional on shareholders approving the Market Forces resolutions.

CORPORATES
WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, MARKET FORCES, AUSTRALASIAN CENTRE FOR CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY, BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP

BHP holds out against activist push

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Original article by Nick Evans
The Australian – Page: 17 & 20 : 18-Oct-19

BHP CEO Andrew Mackenzie has defended its membership of mining industry groups such as the Minerals Council of Australia and associated entities like Coal 21, amid growing pressure from activist groups and shareholders. Meanwhile, BHP has advised that scheduled maintenance work at Port Hedland resulted in its Pilbara iron ore production falling three per cent to 69 million tonnes in the September quarter. BHP has also approved additional expenditure of $US344m on the Jansen potash project in Canada, ahead of a final investment decision in February 2021.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, COAL 21

BHP to review membership of coal lobby

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 23 : 6-Sep-19

BHP says the latest review of its membership of industry associations will include Coal21, which has links to the Minerals Council of Australia. The resources giant is under growing pressure to sever its links with pro-coal lobbyists, but it has recommended that shareholders vote against a resolution calling for it to cancel its membership of the MCA due to the latter’s stance on climate change. Meanwhile, CFO Peter Beaven says BHP would be open to selling its coal assets at the right price; he adds that a decision on a proposed brownfield expansion of the Olympic Dam copper mine may be delayed until 2022.

CORPORATES
BHP GROUP LIMITED – ASX BHP, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, COAL21 LIMITED, BUSINESS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA

Rio targeted by activist over MCA

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Original article by Peter Ker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 30-Jan-18

The Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility will use Rio Tinto’s upcoming shareholders’ meetings in London and Melbourne to lobby the resources group to review its membership of the Minerals Council of Australia. Rio Tinto is said to have similar concerns as BHP Billiton regarding the MCA’s stance on issues such as climate change and coal-fired power generation. BHP will decide whether to retain its MCA membership by the end of 2018, in response to lobbying by the ACCR.

CORPORATES
RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALASIAN CENTRE FOR CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, WHITEHAVEN COAL LIMITED – ASX WHC, WORLD COAL ASSOCIATION

Minerals Council pushes back over BHP threat

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Original article by Matt Chambers
The Australian – Page: 13 & 18 : 21-Dec-17

A Minerals Council of Australia spokesman says it intends to keep lobbying on the issues of climate and energy policy. This is despite BHP Billiton’s threat to cancel its membership if the MCA continues to advocate polices that are contrary to its own. However, BHP’s 50 per cent stake in the Bass Strait gas fields means it has less exposure to rising electricity prices on the east coast than fellow MCA members such as Rio Tinto and Glencore. BHP’s share of Bass Strait gas is equivalent to about 10 per cent of domestic demand for gas on the east coast. In contrast, BHP’s mining operations on the east coast account for around one per cent of National Energy Market demand.

CORPORATES
BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, MINERALS COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, GLENCORE PLC, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND ENERGY