The latest cohort of Defence Community Dogs has graduated, ready to assist veterans living with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

The dogs undergo intensive training for six months and must pass high standards before they can be paired with a veteran. The dogs are trained by experts with the assistance of inmates at Bathurst Correctional Centre.

The program is funded by Defence Bank's charitable foundation.

Race Mathews has published a new book on the history of Distributism in Victoria, entitled Of Labour and Liberty (Monash University Publishing).

The text has been described as an important contribution to labour, co-operative and Catholic history.

Distributism is a philosophy based on Catholic social teaching that, in practice, focused on the development of co-operatives.

Mathews, a former Chief of Staff to Gough Whitlam, will be discussing the book and the history and future of co-operatives at a number of events.

Find more information about the book and events.

The 10th Asia-Pacific Co-operative Ministers' Conference was held in Hanoi, Vietnam on 18-21 April.

Australia was represented by BCCM CEO Melina Morrison, who presented a letter of support to the conference from Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce. 

This was a landmark event; we understand it is the first  time the Australian government has been engaged in the Asia-Pacific Co-operative Ministers' Conference since the inaugural conference in 1990.

The focus of the conference was strengthening partnerships between government and the co-operative sector. 

Employers Mutual Limited (EML), a member of the BCCM, has been announced as the sole agent for the NSW Government's Insurance and Care (icare) workers' compensation scheme from 2018, while GIO and Allianz will be transition agents.

EML CEO Mark Coyne said “We are committed to working closely with icare and their partners in supporting icare’s vision to providing NSW business with choice, flexibility and easy-to-use options when it comes to their workers insurance.”

icare Group Executive Workers Insurance John Nagle said clients can expect a significant enhancement in service delivery.

Previously, workers compensation claims in NSW have been managed by EML, QBE and CGU.

Co-operative Research Group at University of Sydney 'Of Labour and Liberty' symposium, Sydney, 5 May

Employee Ownership Australia 2017 Awards and Conference, Melbourne, 19 May

Platform Cooperativism events: Adelaide, 22 May; Sydney, 24 May; Melbourne, 25-26 May

Farming Together national forum, Adelaide, 6 June

For all the latest news from the co-operative and mutual sector, please visit the BCCM website and for information on how to run and set up a co-operative, visit Get Mutual.