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APA
Annual Report 2018

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FY2018 Annual Report · APA
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energy. connected.

apa group
annual report.
2018

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

Our  
Vision

Energy affords us the quality of life we have 
come to expect in Australia.  Affordable, 
reliable and sustainable energy is a basic 
expectation of Australians, both consumers 
and businesses.  We live in a country with 
bountiful energy resources, and yet in 
recent times, we’ve incurred rising energy 
bills and concerns about having sufficient 
energy supply to meet demand.  

As a leading energy infrastructure 
business, APA is committed to playing its 
part within the broader energy sector to 
work towards solving Australia’s energy 
trilemma. A collaborative and innovative 
approach combining the commitments 
and skills of the whole energy supply 
chain and governments is what is 
required.  As we work towards our vision 
of connecting Australia to its energy 
future, we will play our part in ensuring 
that energy is affordable, reliable and 
sustainable for us all.  

Construction of the Reedy Creek Wallumbilla Pipeline in Queensland, commissioned in May 2018

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  01

FY2018 IN REVIEW

02  Chairman’s Report
04  Managing Director’s Report
06  APA Leadership
08  Highlights

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST 

10  Directors’ Report
40  Remuneration Report
50  Consolidated Financial Statements

APT INVESTMENT TRUST 

101  Directors’ Report
106  Consolidated Financial Statements
125  Additional information
126  Five year summary 
127 
Investor information 
S01  Sustainability Report 

Contents

Our  
Strategy

MAINTAIN APA’S  
FINANCIAL  
STRENGTH

GROWTH FOCUS TO ENHANCE 
OUR PORTFOLIO OF:

gas transmission pipelines

power generation: 
gas-fired and renewables

mid-stream energy 

infrastructure assets, including gas 
storage and gas processing

CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN 
ASSET MANAGEMENT, 
DEVELOPMENT AND 
OPERATIONAL CAPABILITIES

 
 
 
02 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

chairman’s report.

APA’s vision is to connect Australia to its energy future. 
That future has rapidly evolved particularly in recent years, 
with influences from both domestic circumstances such 
as our dynamic energy markets and government policy, 
and globally with demand for Australia’s energy resources 
and calls for action on climate change. APA plays a key 
role in enabling Australian consumers and businesses 
to have access to affordable, reliable and sustainable 
energy. During the 2018 financial year, we stepped up our 
commitment to this role, working with industry and our 
customers and investing over $700 million in new organic 
growth projects that will contribute to providing a solution 
to Australia’s energy trilemma.

In my first year as your Chairman, I am delighted to share 
some highlights about the progress APA has made in 
delivering on its strategy this past financial year.

Since its inception in 2000, APA has gone from strength 
to strength and our disciplined investment approach has 
delivered a portfolio of assets that we own and/or operate 
of over $20 billion. APA’s vision to connect Australia to  
its energy future is being realised as we progress our 
strategic growth trajectory and continue to deliver value  
for our Securityholders. 

Financial results
In FY2018, APA has presented the market with a solid 
set of financial results. Revenue has increased by 2.8 per 
cent to $1,941.4 million (1). Off the back of the growth 
that we continue to deliver, earnings before interest, tax, 
depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) have increased by 
3.3 per cent to $1,518.5 million and net profit after tax has 
increased by 11.8 per cent to $264.8 million.

The very nature of APA’s business enables predictable 
results for our Securityholders that are largely unaffected 
by market conditions. This is achieved through the longevity 
of our contracts to supply energy and services to our 
customers. These contracts, in turn, support the ongoing 
investment in our infrastructure. Over the last few years, 
the Australian market has been challenged by fluctuating 
commodity prices. We are conscious that the relative 
price of these commodities may have an impact on our 
customer’s demand for infrastructure in the future. By 
applying a customer centric approach, APA sees itself as an 
energy industry team player with the ability to offer flexible 
services that meet our customers’ long-term needs. 

Our total distributions for FY2018 of 45 cents per security 
represent a 3.4 per cent increase over distributions for 
FY2017. Securityholders have also benefited from a total of 
6.33 cents per security of franking credits which accompany 
the distributions. In accordance with our distribution policy, 
distributions have been fully covered by operating cash 
flows. A portion of these cash flows have also been retained 
within the business to support our ongoing growth. 

With growth continuing to drive our strategy, we are 
working on in excess of $1.4 billion of growth projects that 
have been agreed with our customers to meet their future 
energy needs. In FY2018, APA commissioned the Emu 
Downs Solar Farm, Reedy Creek Wallumbilla Pipeline, the 
Mt Morgans Gas Pipeline and the Yamarna Gas Pipeline. 

1)  Total revenue, excluding pass-through (revenue on which no margin is earned).

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  03

These assets will all contribute to earnings in FY2019 and 
beyond. Operating cash flow for FY2018 increased by 5.9 
per cent to $1,031.6 million. Operating cash flow per security 
held strong and increased by 4.1 per cent to 90.7 cents per 
security, despite over 65 million new securities being issued 
during FY2018 as part of the $500 million equity capital 
raise that was undertaken in February.

Delivering for stakeholders
Our success is not only judged by the value created 
for Securityholders, but from our ability to service our 
customers’ long-term energy infrastructure needs. In 
FY2018, APA was one of 15 energy supply chain businesses 
that pledged to develop a consumer charter, putting 
customers first. We believe that for APA to continue to 
succeed, we need to be delivering for our customers and 
Australia’s energy users. Instilling customer confidence in 
the energy industry requires an industry-wide commitment 
across the supply chain for both gas and electricity. At the 
heart of The Energy Charter is an assurance to improve 
the culture throughout the energy industry by putting the 
customer at the centre of each of our business decisions. 
At APA we are committed to The Energy Charter and 
developing a culture of customer focus and good conduct 
across the business.

Energy policy
Throughout FY2018, national energy policy remained highly 
topical within Australia. As policy makers seek to tackle 
the energy ‘trilemma’ and solve a decade-long failure to 
effectively integrate energy and climate policy, ongoing 
uncertainty prevails in the market. This affects investment 
decisions, prices and energy reliability for Australian 
consumers and businesses. 

Policy certainty and clarity are the crucial components 
to maintaining investment confidence in Australia. This 
requires a collaborative approach with the energy industry 
and governments working together. APA continues to 
support integrated energy and climate policies that will 
meet Australia’s carbon reduction commitments, whilst 
ensuring affordability and reliability. 

In this context, APA continues to encourage the 
development of a bipartisan national energy policy which 
will give that certainty for future investment in the sector. 
Gas remains a viable, low-emissions fuel supply that 
Australia has in abundance. 

Governance
Throughout FY2018, I have had the opportunity to 
meet directly with investors, listening to their feedback 
about APA’s strategic direction, board composition and 
remuneration report.

In FY2018, we farewelled Mr Leonard Bleasel AM as 
Chairman of the APA Board after ten successful years 
at the Board’s helm. I was delighted to follow in Len’s 
footsteps and accept the position as Chairman, after 
contributing in my role as an APA Non-Executive Director 
since 2015. APA’s Board also saw Non-Executive Director Mr 
John Fletcher retire and welcomed two new Non-Executive 
Directors, Ms Shirley In’t Veld and Mr Peter Wasow who 
each have a wealth of experience to help navigate the 
opportunities and challenges facing the energy market. 
During the year, Non-Executive Director Ms Patricia 
McKenzie announced her intention to retire at the 2018 
Annual Meeting. Given the CKI proposal, I am delighted to 
advise that Patricia has agreed to continue as a Director 
beyond the Annual Meeting.

CKI Consortium Proposal
As at the time of writing this Report, there have been no 
further developments to the proposed transaction between 
APA and the CKI Consortium since the announcement 
by APA on 13 August 2018 that both parties had entered 
into a binding Implementation Agreement for the CKI 
Consortium to acquire 100 per cent of APA’s securities. 
Your Board believes the Offer of $11.00 cash per security 
is compelling for APA Securityholders and we unanimously 
recommend it to you. It represents a premium of over 30 
per cent (2) on the price APA securities were trading at prior 
to the announcement on 13 June 2018 and an FY2017 
Enterprise Value/EBITDA multiple of 15.3 times and FY2018 
Enterprise Value/EBITDA of 14.8 times (3). We will keep 
Securityholders informed as the transaction progresses, 
with the expectation of a Securityholder meeting and vote 
on the Schemes to be held in late November 2018.

Outlook 
The past year has provided Securityholders with continued 
growth, as APA has delivered solid financial performance 
and further creation of value. Going forward, we will 
certainly continue to act in your best interests to ensure the 
best possible returns.

APA’s guidance for FY2019 is for EBITDA of between 
$1,550 million and $1,575 million and net interest costs of 
between $500 million and $510 million. In the event that 
the CKI proposal does not proceed and APA remains as a 
stand-alone listed company for the full financial year, total 
distributions per security are expected to be in the order of 
46.5 cents per security, prior to the benefits of any franking 
credits that may arise as a result of the ongoing payment 
of company tax by APA. 

On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank our Managing 
Director Mick McCormack, the APA leadership team 
and APA’s employees for their contribution this year. 
Importantly, I would also like to thank all our Securityholders 
for your continued support.

2)  The value of $11.00 per security represents a 30%-35% premium to the 12 June 2018 trading price based on the 5 day, 1 month and 3 month volume weighted 

average prices of $8.434, $8.374 and $8.144 respectively.

3)  Based on 1,179,893,848 APA stapled securities on issue, APA net debt as at 30 June 2018 as per Note 18 of the FY2018 financial statements, APA FY2017 EBITDA 

of A$1,470.1 million for the FY2017 multiple and APA FY2018 EBITDA of A$1,518.5 million for the FY2018 multiple.

Michael Fraser
Chairman

 
04 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

managing director’s report.

At APA, we have always looked to continually improve 
our business, leverage our strengths and deliver for our 
stakeholders. The solid 2018 financial year results reflect 
the success of our approach and as we work towards 
completing the $1.4 billion plus of committed growth 
projects in FY2019, we are on track to continue this success. 

Without our customers, there would be no APA. In FY2018, 
we commenced a program to foster a greater customer 
centric mindset across the business. The energy industry 
has had a tough couple of years in terms of regulatory 
intervention and political focus. Much of this has stemmed 
from the view that the industry is not meeting society’s 
expectations, particularly when it comes to energy 
affordability and consumer trust is at an all-time low.  
For Australian businesses to do well in the longer term,  
the entire energy industry needs to be delivering for 
consumers. I am very proud that APA is a foundation 
member of The Energy Charter initiative. This commitment 
to put customers at the centre of Australia’s energy  
system by each of these businesses is a major step in  
solving Australia’s energy trilemma and meeting  
community expectations. 

In the past year, energy continued to be a highly charged 
and emotive political issue in Australia with any bipartisan 
energy policy still to be agreed. Various mechanisms have 
been touted to address the issues including the Finkel 
Review and resultant draft National Energy Guarantee. 
At APA, we are acutely aware that gas is critical to energy 
security, affordability and sustainability, now and into the 
future. Gas-fired power generation is critical to keeping 
electricity prices down and Australian businesses viable. 
Gas currently accounts for around 40 per cent of mid merit 
and peaking generation capacity in the National Electricity 
Market. Governments and the energy industry need to work 
collaboratively to make more gas available and therefore 
affordable. Whether supporting gas import terminals or 
unlocking additional gas resources that Australia is rich 
with, it is important that all stakeholders work together 
to facilitate and develop new projects, communicating 
the facts and evidence to be considered in a well 
informed public debate. 

Safety and our people remain a priority
The importance of fostering a workplace culture that 
operates safely is a key driver at APA. Compliance with 
our health, safety and environmental (HSE) obligations 
shows continuous improvement and we are working to 
build a sustainable future across our workforce. In FY2018, 
we completed an overhaul of our Alcohol & Other Drugs 
Policy and protocols and launched an online Health and 
Wellbeing platform for employees. Despite our team’s best 
efforts, the Total Recordable Injury Frequency Rate result 
of 8.9 exceeded its target, predominantly due to contractor 
injuries. This indicates that we still have some work to do 
to ensure procedures are in place to keep all of our workers 
safe. We will use data analytics as part of initiatives 
to improve injury performance including contractor 
performance and management, manual handling and  
hand injury prevention.

In FY2018, APA introduced stakeholder engagement 
initiatives as a way to drive best practice in our strategic 
thinking and across our operations. These initiatives, such 
as articulating the APA Way and revising our Code of 
Conduct, contributed to enhancing a more progressive 
and customer centric corporate culture. 

The APA Way is a blueprint that guides how our employees 
are expected to behave and ultimately, defines how we 
strive to manage our business. At its core, our five STARS 
values drive our behaviours and these are supported by 
the five principles of our Decision Compass, which guide 
the way we make decisions. The APA Way and our Code of 
Conduct will help us achieve our vision by ensuring the way 
we work and do business aligns with the expectations of all 
of our stakeholders. 

Strategy
As part of our overall strategy, we continued to deliver 
customer focused energy solutions whilst engaging 
positively with the communities and respecting the 
environment in which we operate. Our $1.4 billion plus 
pipeline of growth projects continues to be realised with 
the commissioning of a variety of new energy infrastructure 
assets across Australia as detailed in the Chairman’s 
Report. We also announced a number of significant 
contracts and renewals, as well as a new solar farm 
development at Badgingarra in Western Australia and the 
potential Crib Point Pakenham Pipeline in Victoria linking 
AGL’s proposed floating LNG regasification terminal to 
APA’s East Coast Grid (subject to AGL FID).

During a year when much uncertainty was generated 
with the introduction of the new gas pipelines arbitration 
and disclosure regimes, APA’s reliable, low risk business 
model and pro-active approach of innovative continual 
improvement came to the fore. In particular, we continued 
to manage counterparty risks by diversifying our customer 
and industry exposure, assessing counterparties’ 
creditworthiness and entering into long-term contracts 
to support major capital spend. As testament to this, the 
average contract tenor at APA is in excess of 12 years and 
all contracts and renewals have continued to be negotiated 
with our customers. 

Growth and securityholder value 
In FY2017, we embarked upon a three year growth program 
which will see APA invest in excess of $1.4 billion in a variety 
of energy infrastructure growth projects. As at the end of 
FY2018, we had committed $1 billion in capital expenditure 
with the balance to be realised in FY2019. We estimate the 
additional revenue contribution from these new assets to 
be in excess of $75 million in FY2019, increasing to over  
$215 million per annum in FY2020. 

And still we see more growth in front of us with in excess of 
$4 billion of growth opportunities currently identified over 
the next four to five years. These opportunities range across 
gas pipeline developments, gas and renewables power 
generation and other opportunities that are currently at 
various stages of development. Despite the challenges 
of continual regulatory reform initiatives and an offer to 
acquire our business, the APA team has remained focused 
on delivering for its customers and growth. 

Long term view
As we have detailed in the 2018 Sustainability Report which 
is contained in this report, APA recognises that climate 
change is a risk that warrants our consideration both as 
a business and as a good global citizen. APA is supportive 
of Australia’s commitment under the Paris Agreement to 
reduce emissions by between 26 and 28 per cent on 2005 
levels by 2030. To meet these emissions reductions, major 
changes are required for the Australian energy industry. 

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  05

We are also aware that the physical impacts of climate 
change may impact operational aspects of APA’s operations 
and financial performance, such as: the ability to operate 
in extreme conditions; maintenance requirements and 
our ability to respond to extreme weather events; as well 
as consequential changes in insurance costs; our supply 
chain. To reinforce our commitment to improving APA’s 
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) performance, 
we have initiated a new program and engaged an 
external advisory firm to review APA’s strategic direction 
for our ESG management and reporting. It is important 
for the sustainability of any business to understand the 
opportunities and risks associated with climate change and 
how we incorporate those into our strategy. A plan is being 
developed which will see a number of ESG initiatives rolled 
out from FY2019 and beyond. 

This financial year, APA has strengthened its advocacy in 
environmental stewardship. We believe that gas is a viable, 
lower-emissions fuel supply that can help respond to the 
intermittent nature of renewable energy generation while 
technology continues to evolve in energy generation.  
APA continues to expand its renewable generation portfolio  
with the commissioning of the Emu Downs Solar Farm  
and the development of our Darling Downs Solar Farm and 
Badgingarra Wind and Badgingarra Solar Farms. 

APA’s extensive gas pipeline footprint was built with 
Australia’s future in mind. Our assets are built for the  
long term to meet our customers’ needs for long term 
energy supply. Sustainable business practice is incorporated 
into the way we work with all our stakeholders including 
customers, the environment, community, employees  
and investors.

Looking ahead
It is prudent to add that while APA has spent the past  
18 years building a pipeline of energy infrastructure assets 
and a growth trajectory to create securityholder value, 
your Board, has advised its unanimous support for the 
Implementation Agreement with the CKI Consortium 
to acquire 100 per cent of APA. The compelling offer is 
testament to APA’s success, evolving from a simple point-
to-point pipeline business with an enterprise value of 
around $1 billion in 2000, to a business now being valued  
by a potential acquirer at $22 billion.

Regardless of the outcome of the proposed transaction 
which remains subject to a number of conditions, our 
vision to connect Australia to its energy future, remains. 
I believe that our burgeoning portfolio of infrastructure 
assets will continue to deliver energy solutions to the 
people, businesses and communities of Australia affordably, 
efficiently and reliably for generations to come. I am very 
proud to have been a part of APA’s growth and success  
and to work alongside all 1,700 members of APA’s team 
over the past year. 

Mick McCormack
Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director 

06 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

apa group board.

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Michael Fraser
BCom FCPA FTI MAICD
Independent Chairman
Appointed 1 September 2015
Appointed Chairman 27 October 2017

Michael has more than 30 years’ 
experience in the Australian energy 
industry. He has held various 
executive positions at AGL Energy 
culminating in his role as Managing 
Director and Chief Executive 
Officer for the period of seven 
years until February 2015.

Michael is a Non-Executive Director 
of Aurizon Holdings Limited. He 
is also a former Chairman of 
the Clean Energy Council, Elgas 
Limited, ActewAGL and the 
NEMMCo Participants Advisory 
Committee, as well as a former 
Director of Queensland Gas 
Company Limited, the Australian 
Gas Association and the Energy 
Retailers Association of Australia. 

Michael is a member of the Audit 
and Risk Management Committee 
and the Chairman of the 
Nomination Committee.

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Russell Higgins AO 
BEc FAICD
Independent Director
Appointed 7 December 2004

Russell has extensive experience 
both locally and internationally, in 
the energy sector and in economic 
and fiscal policy. He was Secretary 
and Chief Executive Officer of the 
Department of Industry, Science 
and Resources from 1997 to 2002 
and Chairman of the Australian 
Government’s Energy Task Force 
from 2003 to 2004.

Russell is a Director of Telstra 
Corporation Limited and Chairman 
of Argo Investments Limited  
and of Argo Global Listed 
Infrastructure Limited. 

He is a former Chairman of the 
Global Carbon Capture and 
Storage Institute, the CSIRO 
Energy Transformed Flagship 
Advisory Committee and Snowy 
Hydro, as well as a former Director 
of Leighton Holdings Limited, 
Ricegrowers Limited (trading 
as SunRice), St James Ethics 
Foundation, Australian Biodiesel 
Group Limited, EFIC and the 
CSIRO. He was also previously a 
member of the Prime Ministerial 
Task Group on Emissions Trading.

Russell is Chairman of the 
Health Safety and Environment 
Committee, a member of the  
Audit and Risk Management 
Committee and a member of the 
Nomination Committee.

Michael (Mick) McCormack
BSurv GradDipEng MBA FAICD
Chief Executive Officer and 
Managing Director
CEO – Appointed 1 July 2005
MD – Appointed 1 July 2006

Mick has over 35 years’ experience 
in the energy infrastructure sector 
in Australia, and his career has 
encompassed all aspects of the 
sector, including commercial 
development, design, construction, 
operation and management of 
most of Australia’s natural gas 
pipelines and gas distribution 
systems. His experience extends 
to gas-fired and renewable power 
generation, gas processing, LNG 
and underground storage.

Mick is a former Director of 
Envestra (now Australian Gas 
Networks), the Australian Pipeline 
Industry Association (now 
Australian Pipelines and Gas 
Association) and the Australian 
Brandenburg Orchestra.

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Shirley In’t Veld
BCom LLB (Hons)
Independent Director
Appointed 19 March 2018

Shirley has considerable expertise 
and experience in the energy, 
mining and renewables sectors. 

Shirley is currently a Non-Executive 
Director with Northern Star 
Resources Limited and NBN Co 
Limited and Deputy Chair of 
CSIRO. She is formerly a Non-
Executive Director of Perth Airport, 
DUET Group, Asciano Limited, 
Alcoa of Australia Limited and a 
Council Member of the Chamber 
of Commerce and Industry of 
Western Australia. She was also 
the Managing Director of Verve 
Energy (2007 – 2012) and, before 
that, she worked for 10 years in 
senior roles at Alcoa of Australia, 
WMC Resources Ltd, Bond 
Corporation and BankWest.

In 2014, she was Chairman of the 
Queensland Government Expert 
Electricity Panel and a member 
of the Renewable Energy Target 
Review Panel for the Department 
of Prime Minister and Cabinet 
and, was until recently, a Council 
member of the Australian Institute 
of Company Directors (WA) and 
an Advisory Board member of 
the SMART Infrastructure Facility 
(University of Wollongong).

Shirley is a member of 
the Health, Safety and 
Environment Committee and 
a member of the People and 
Remuneration Committee.

Steven (Steve) Crane 
BComm FAICD SF Fin
Independent Director
Appointed 1 January 2011

Debra (Debbie) Goodin
BEc FCA MAICD
Independent Director
Appointed 1 September 2015

Steve has over 30 years’ experience 
in the financial services industry. 
His background is in investment 
banking, having previously been 
Chief Executive Officer of  
ABN AMRO Australia and  
BZW Australia.

Steve has considerable experience 
as a Non-Executive Director of 
listed entities. He is currently 
Chairman of nib holdings limited 
and the Taronga Conservation 
Society Australia.

He was formerly Chairman of 
Adelaide Managed Funds Limited 
and Investa Property Group 
Limited, a Director of Bank of 
Queensland Limited, Transfield 
Services Limited, Adelaide Bank 
Limited, Foodland Associated 
Limited and APA Ethane Limited, 
the responsible entity of Ethane 
Pipeline Income Fund, and a 
member of the Advisory Council 
for CIMB Securities International 
(Australia) Pty Ltd.

Steve is a member of the Audit 
and Risk Management Committee 
and a member of the People and 
Remuneration Committee. 

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Patricia McKenzie
LLB FAICD
Independent Director
Appointed 1 January 2011 

Patricia has considerable expertise 
and experience in energy market 
regulation and extensive corporate 
legal experience. She is currently 
Chair of Essential Energy. 

Patricia was formerly the Chair 
and a Director of Healthdirect 
Australia; a Director of Macquarie 
Generation, TransGrid and the 
Australian Energy Market Operator 
Limited (AEMO), the national 
energy market operator for 
electricity and gas; and formerly 
the Chief Executive Officer of  
Gas Market Company Limited,  
the market administrator for  
retail competition in the gas 
industry in New South Wales and 
the Australian Capital Territory.

Patricia is a member of 
the Health Safety and 
Environment Committee, 
and a member of the People 
and Remuneration Committee. 

Debbie has considerable experience 
as a Non-Executive Director, 
including as a member and Chair of 
Board Audit and Risk Committees. 
She is currently a Director of ASX-
listed companies Senex Energy 
Limited, oOh!media Limited and 
Atlas Arteria Limited, and Chairs 
the Audit and Risk Committees 
of Senex Energy Limited and 
oOh!media Limited and Chairs  
the Remuneration Committee for 
Atlas Arteria Limited. She was 
formerly a Director of Ten Network 
Holdings Limited.

Debbie also has extensive executive 
experience in operations, finance 
and corporate development, 
including with engineering and 
professional services firms, and is a 
Fellow of Chartered Accountants 
Australia and New Zealand.

Debbie is the Chairman of the 
Audit and Risk Management 
Committee, a member of the 
Health Safety and Environment 
Committee and a member of the 
Nomination Committee.

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Peter Wasow
BCom, GradDip (Management) 
Fellow (CPA Australia)
Independent Director
Appointed 19 March 2018 

Peter has extensive experience 
in the resources sector as both a 
senior executive and director. He 
retired as Managing Director and 
Chief Executive Officer of Alumina 
Limited in mid-2017. Previously, he 
had held the position of Executive 
Vice President and Chief Financial 
Officer at Santos Limited and, 
in a 20-year plus career at BHP, 
he held senior positions including 
Vice President, Finance, and other 
senior roles in Petroleum, Services, 
Corporate, Steel and Minerals.

Peter is a Non-Executive Director 
with Oz Minerals Limited and the 
privately held GHD Group. He is 
formerly a Non-Executive Director 
of Alcoa of Australia Limited, AWA 
Brazil Limitada, AWAC LLC and 
Alumina Limited.

Peter is the Chair of the People 
and Remuneration Committee and 
a member of the Audit and Risk 
Management Committee.

apa group senior management.

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  07

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Peter Fredricson
BCom CA GAICD
Chief Financial Officer

Peter is responsible for all  
financial aspects of APA Group, 
including accounting and financial 
reporting, financial compliance  
and governance, taxation, treasury, 
balance sheet management, 
capital strategy, insurance,  
Investor Relations and  
Information Technology.

Peter joined APA Group in June 
2009. He has considerable 
expertise in the listed energy 
infrastructure sector and over  
30 years’ experience in senior 
financial roles in energy 
infrastructure, financial services 
and investment banking 
organisations across Australia, 
New Zealand and Asia.

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Sam Pearce
BSc LLB MBA
Group Executive Networks  
& Power

Sam is responsible for the 
operation and management of 
APA Group’s fully and minority 
owned gas distribution and 
power generation and electricity 
transmission assets, as well as for 
Australian Gas Networks’ assets.

Sam joined APA Group in July 
2008 and was formerly General 
Manager Corporate Development 
and Investments. Sam has 
over 20 years’ experience in the 
energy sector, covering mergers 
and acquisitions, investment 
management, commercial and 
business development, greenfields 
project development, strategy  
and operations.

Nevenka Codevelle
BCom LLM GAICD
Group Executive Governance,  
Risk and Legal

Nevenka is responsible for  
APA Group's Secretariat and  
Legal division. The division 
comprises the company  
secretarial, legal, and group  
risk and compliance functions.

Nevenka joined APA Group in 
February 2008 and has held the 
role of General Counsel since June 
2012. In October 2015, she also 
assumed the role of Company 
Secretary and joined the Executive 
team. Nevenka is a lawyer with 
over 20 years' experience in 
energy and other infrastructure 
industries, with particular focus 
on project development, mergers 
and acquisitions, competition 
and industry regulation.

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Elise Manns
BBus CAHRI
Group Executive 
People, Safety and Culture

Elise is responsible for managing 
APA Group’s Human Resources 
division, which covers APA’s people 
strategy, safety and environment 
performance and governance 
and all activities relating to APA’s 
people, their development, health 
and wellbeing, and employment 
arrangements.

Elise joined APA Group in May 
2012 as General Manager Human 
Resources and in October 2015 
joined the Executive team 
becoming Group Executive 
Human Resources. Elise has a 
strong background in employment 
relations and workplace change, 
organisational restructuring and 
business improvement. Elise has 
over 25 years’ human resources 
experience in Australia’s heavy 
manufacturing, engineering,  
steel and utilities sectors.

Ross Gersbach
BBus MAICD
Chief Executive 
Strategy and Development

Kevin Lester
BEng(Civil) MIEAust GAICD 
Group Executive 
Infrastructure Development

Kevin is responsible for the 
project development, engineering, 
procurement and delivery of APA 
Group’s infrastructure expansion 
projects. This division also has 
responsibility for providing asset 
engineering services, the technical 
regulation of all pipeline related 
assets, procurement, engineering 
services and the provision of land, 
approvals and asset protection 
services across APA.

Kevin joined APA Group in 
August 2012 continuing a career 
in the management of major 
infrastructure projects, including 
energy infrastructure.

Kevin is a Director and a Past 
President of the Australian 
Pipelines and Gas Association.

Ross is responsible for APA Group’s 
strategy, energy investments, 
regulatory and government affairs, 
environmental development, and 
mergers and acquisitions.

He has responsibility for further 
enhancing APA Group’s portfolio 
of assets that complement 
the value of its infrastructure, 
including APA Group’s investments 
in midstream gas infrastructure, 
and the operation and 
development of these assets.

Ross was previously a Director 
of APA Group from 2004 to 
2008 joining the management 
team in April 2008 where he was 
responsible for all commercial 
aspects of APA Group. He has 
over 20 years’ experience in senior 
positions across a range of energy 
related sectors, covering areas 
such as infrastructure investments, 
mergers and acquisitions 
and strategic developments. 
Additionally, Ross has extensive 
commercial experience and 
has managed a portfolio of 
infrastructure assets in the natural 
gas and electricity distribution 
network sector.

 7

Rob Wheals
BCom CA GAICD
Group Executive Transmission

Rob is responsible for the 
management of APA Group’s 
transmission and gas storage 
assets including all aspects of 
commercial and operational 
performance.

Rob joined APA Group in 
September 2008 and is responsible 
for managing APA’s customers 
and revenue contracts, as well as 
growing APA’s gas transmission 
revenues. Rob is also responsible 
for managing all operational 
aspects of APA’s 15,000 kilometres 
of owned and operated gas 
transmission pipelines and 
gas storage facilities. Rob has 
over 20 years’ of experience in 
Australia and internationally, 
in energy infrastructure and 
telecommunications, across roles 
in finance, commercial, strategy, 
infrastructure investments and 
M&A, as well as regulatory.

08 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

highlights FY2018.

$1,518.5m

earnings before interest, 
tax, depreciation and  
amortisation (EBITDA)

+3.3%

on FY2017

$875.5m
~$425m

total capital and investment  
expenditure in FY2018

Expected 
in FY2019

$1,031.6m
5.9%

operating cash flow

on FY2017

$11.6 bMarket capitalisation 

as at 30 June 2018

45.0¢
+3.4%

FY2018 total distribution  
per security

on FY2017

plus total franking credits 
of 6.33 cents per security

232mw
257.5mw

renewable power generation owned 
and/or operated as at FY2018

under construction to  
be completed in FY2019

252km

of new pipelines constructed and 
commissioned in FY2018 connecting to 
APA’s east and west coast pipeline grids

normalised (1) business performance.

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  09

EBITDA
($m)

Operating 
cash flow (2)
($m)

Revenue 
excluding 
pass‑through (3)
($m)

Operating cash 
flow per security (4)
(cents)

Distributions 
per security
(cents)

Total
assets
($b)

2
3
0
,
1

4
7
9

2
6
8

8
1
5
,
1

0
7
4
,
1 1
3
3
,
1

2
2
7 8
4
7

5
4
5

0
4
4

9
1
1
,
3 1
9
9

1
4
9
,
1

8
8
8
,
1

6
5
6
,
1

7
.
0
9

1
.
7
8

1
.
7
7

.

6
4
6 5
0
5

.

.

5
3
5 4
.
1
0 4
8
3 3
6
3

.

.

.

7
4
1

.

8
4
1

.

0
5
1

.

2
5
1

.

0
5
4

0
8

.

4
1
Y
F

5
1
Y
F

6
1
Y
F

7
1
Y
F

8
1
Y
F

4
1
Y
F

5
1
Y
F

6
1
Y
F

7
1
Y
F

8
1
Y
F

4
1
Y
F

5
1
Y
F

6
1
Y
F

7
1
Y
F

8
1
Y
F

4
1
Y
F

5
1
Y
F

6
1
Y
F

7
1
Y
F

8
1
Y
F

4
1
Y
F

5
1
Y
F

6
1
Y
F

7
1
Y
F

8
1
Y
F

4
1
Y
F

5
1
Y
F

6
1
Y
F

7
1
Y
F

8
1
Y
F

Financial results.

$ million

Revenue

Revenue excluding pass-through (3)

EBITDA

Profit after tax 

Operating cash flow (2)

Financial position

Total assets

Total drawn debt (5)

Total equity

Financial ratios

Operating cash flow per security (4) (cents)

Earnings per security (cents)

Distribution per security (cents)

Distribution payout ratio (%)

Gearing (6) (%)

Interest cover ratio (times)

30 June 2018

30 June 2017

Changes (%)

2,386.7

1,941.4

1,518.5

264.8

1,031.6

15,227.2

8,810.4

4,126.8

90.7

23.3

45.0

51.5

65.4

2.7

2,326.4

1,888.3

1,470.1

236.8

973.9

15,046.0

9,249.7

3,978.2

87.1

21.2

43.5

49.8

67.4

2.8

2.6

2.8

3.3

11.8

5.9

1.2

4.7

3.9

3.8

9.4

3.4

3.4

3.0

(3.6) 

1)  Normalised financial results exclude significant items.
2)  Operating cash flow = net cash from operations after interest and tax payments.

3)  Pass-through revenue is revenue on which no margin is earned. Pass-through revenue arises in the asset management operations in respect of costs incurred and 

passed on to Australian Gas Networks Limited (AGN) and GDI in respect of the operation of the AGN and GDI assets respectively.

4)  On the 23 March 2018, APA Group issued 65,586,479 new ordinary securities on completion of the fully underwritten pro-rata accelerated institutional tradeable 
renounceable entitlement offer (Entitlement Offer), resulting in total securities on issue as at 30 June 2018 of 1,179,893,848. The Entitlement Offer was offered 
at $7.70 per security, a discount to APA Group's closing market price of $8.26 per security on the 23 February 2018, the last trading day before the record date of 
26 February 2018. The numbers of securities used for calculation of earnings per security and operating cash flow per security from FY2018 to FY2014 have been 
adjusted. An adjustment factor of 1.0038 has been calculated, being the closing market price per security on 23 February 2018, divided by the theoretical ex-rights 
price (TERP) of $8.23 per security. 

  Between 23 December 2014 and 28 January 2015, APA issued a total of 278,556,562 new ordinary securities, resulting in total securities on issue of 1,114,307,369. 

The weighted average number of securities for FY2015 has been adjusted to account for that rights issue.

5) APA’s liability to repay debt at relevant due dates of the drawn facilities. This amount represents current and non-current borrowings as per balance sheet and 
is adjusted for deferred borrowing costs, the effect of unwinding of discount, unrealised foreign exchange differences reported in equity and deducting other 
financial liabilities that are reported as part of borrowings in the balance sheet.

6)  Gearing = net debt divided by net debt plus equity.

10 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

directors’ report.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES

Australian Pipeline Trust and its Controlled Entities (ARSN 091 678 778)
Directors’ Report for the year ended 30 June 2018

The  Directors  of Australian  Pipeline  Limited  (Responsible  Entity)  submit  their  financial  report  of Australian  Pipeline Trust 
(APT) and its controlled entities (together APA or Consolidated Entity) for the year ended 30 June 2018. This report refers to 
the consolidated results of APT and APT Investment Trust (APTIT).

1.  Directors
The names of the Directors of the Responsible Entity during the year and since the year end are:

Michael Fraser 

Chairman from 27 October 2017

Michael (Mick) McCormack 

Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director

Steven (Steve) Crane

Debra (Debbie) Goodin

Russell Higgins AO

Patricia McKenzie

Shirley In’t Veld 

Peter Wasow 

Appointed 19 March 2018

Appointed 19 March 2018

Leonard Bleasel AM 

Retired as Chairman and Director 27 October 2017

John Fletcher 

Retired as a Director 21 February 2018

The Company Secretary of the Responsible Entity during and since the year to 30 June 2018 is Nevenka Codevelle.

2.  Principal Activities
The principal activities of APA during the course of the year were the ownership and operation of energy infrastructure assets 
and businesses, including:

—  energy  infrastructure,  comprising  gas  transmission,  gas  storage  and  processing;  and  gas-fired  and  renewable  energy 

power generation businesses located across Australia;

—  asset management services for the majority of APA’s energy investments and for third parties; and

—  energy investments in unlisted entities.

3.  State of Affairs
On 13 June 2018, APA announced that an unsolicited, indicative non-binding proposal had been received from a consortium 
comprising CK Infrastructure Holdings Limited (CKI), CK Asset Holdings Limited (CKA) and Power Assets Holdings Limited 
(PAH)  (together,  the  Consortium),  to  acquire  all  of  the  stapled  securities  in  APA.  The  indicative  price  proposed  by  the 
Consortium was $11.00 cash per stapled security, plus the final six months distribution for FY2018 of 24.0 cents per stapled 
security to be paid in September as scheduled. The Board considered it was in the best interests of Securityholders to further 
engage with the Consortium and allow due diligence which was undertaken during June – August 2018.

Subsequently, on 13 August 2018, APA announced that it had entered into a conditional Implementation Agreement with CKI, 
CKA, PAH and CKM Australia Bidco Pty Ltd (Bidder) under which Bidder (a wholly owned subsidiary of CKA) will acquire all of 
the stapled securities in APA under trust schemes (Schemes).

If the Schemes are implemented, APA Securityholders will receive A$11.00 cash per APA stapled security. The transaction 
does not affect APA’s final distribution for the 2018 financial year, which the Board announced on 22 August 2018, will be 24.0 
cents per stapled security, and will be paid on 12 September 2018.

If  the  Schemes  are  implemented  at  any  time  after  31  December  2018,  APA  Securityholders  will  receive  an  additional 
distribution of 4.0 cents per APA stapled security for each full month in calendar 2019 which elapses prior to implementation 
of the Schemes (up to, and including, March 2019).

Implementation of the Schemes is subject to certain conditions outlined in the Implementation Agreement (a copy of which 
was attached to APA’s ASX announcement on 13 August 2018). The conditions include:

—  Approval of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and the Foreign Investment Review Board;

—  An Independent Expert opining that the Schemes are fair and reasonable and in the best interests of APA Securityholders;

—  No “material change” or “prescribed events” occurring in relation to APA;

—  CKA shareholder approval;

—  APA Securityholder approval; and

—  Court approval.

The  APA  Directors  unanimously  recommend  the  transaction  in  the  absence  of  a  superior  proposal  and  subject  to  an 
Independent  Expert  concluding  (and  continuing  to  conclude)  that  the  Schemes  are  fair  and  reasonable  and  in  the  best 
interests of APA Securityholders.

Depending  on  the  progress  of  regulatory  approvals,  a  meeting  of  APA  Securityholders  is  targeted  to  be  held  in  late 
November 2018 to consider the Schemes, with implementation and payment to APA Securityholders targeted to occur in 
mid December 2018.

directors’ report. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  11

4.  Subsequent Events
The following events have occurred subsequent to the period end:

—  On 2 July 2018 a new $1,000 million syndicated bank facility came into effect. This new facility has two tranches maturing 

on 30 June 2023 and 31 December 2023 respectively.

—  On  13 August  2018, APA  announced  that  it  had  entered  into  a  conditional  Implementation Agreement  with  CKI,  CKA, 
PAH and CKM Bidder under which Bidder (a wholly owned subsidiary of CKA) will acquire all of the stapled securities in 
APA under trust schemes (Schemes). If the Schemes are implemented, APA Securityholders will receive A$11.00 cash per 
stapled security. The transaction does not affect APA’s final distribution for the 2018 financial year. If the Schemes are 
implemented at any time after 31 December 2018, APA Securityholders will receive an additional distribution of 4.0 cents 
per APA stapled security for each full month in calendar 2019 which elapses prior to implementation of the Schemes (up 
to, and including, March 2019). Implementation of the Schemes is subject to certain conditions, including regulatory and 
shareholder approvals.

—  On 22 August 2018, the Directors declared a final distribution of 24.0 cents per security ($283.2 million) for APA Group, 
an  increase  of  4.3%,  or  1.0  cent  per  security  over  the  previous  corresponding  period  (2H  FY2017:  23.0  cents).  This  is 
comprised of a distribution of 17.96 cents per security from APT and a distribution of 6.04 cents per security from APTIT. 
The APT distribution represents a 8.93 cents per security fully franked profit distribution and 9.03 cents per security capital 
distribution. The APTIT distribution represents a 2.90 cents per security profit distribution and a 3.14 cents per security 
capital distribution. Franking credits of 3.83 cents per security will be allocated to the APT franked profit distribution. The 
distribution is expected to be paid on 12 September 2018.

Other than what is noted above and as disclosed elsewhere in this report, there has not arisen in the interval between the 
end of the full year to 30 June 2018 and the date of this report any matter or circumstance that has significantly affected, 
or may significantly affect, the Group’s operations, the results of those operations, or the Group’s state of affairs, in future 
financial years.

5.  About APA
5.1  APA overview
APA  is  a  leading  Australian  energy  infrastructure  business.  It  owns  and/or  operates  in  excess  of  $20  billion  of  energy 
infrastructure assets across Australia, and operates these with a skilled workforce of in excess of 1,700 people.

APA has a diverse portfolio of over 15,000 kilometres (1) of gas transmission pipelines that spans every state and territory 
on mainland Australia and delivers about half the nation’s natural gas. It also owns or has interests in other related energy 
infrastructure assets such as gas storage facilities, gas processing facilities, gas compression facilities and renewable and gas 
fired power generation assets.

APA has ownership interests in, and/or operates, GDI (EII) Pty Ltd (GDI) and Australian Gas Networks Limited gas distribution 
networks,  which  together  own  approximately  28,600  kilometres  of  gas  mains  and  pipelines,  and  almost  1.4  million  gas 
consumer connections.

APA also has interests in other energy infrastructure assets and businesses, including SEA Gas Pipeline, Mortlake Gas Pipeline, 
Energy Infrastructure Investments (EII) and EII2.

APA is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) and is included in the S&P ASX 50 Index. Since listing in June 2000, 
APA’s market capitalisation has increased more than 24-fold to $11.8 billion (2), and it has achieved securityholder returns of 
17.8% (3) per annum on an annual compounding basis since listing on 13 June 2000 through to 20 August 2018.

5.2  APA objectives and strategies
APA will  continue to  be  a  leading  energy  infrastructure  business,  developing,  owning  and  operating  energy  infrastructure. 
We  are  committed  to  delivering  connected  and  sustainable  energy  solutions  that  are  safe,  reliable,  innovative  and 
cost-effective so that all of our stakeholders are better off as we work together to create a connected and sustainable energy 
future. Our strategy is as follows:

—  Our growth focus is to enhance our portfolio:

–  of gas transmission pipelines;

–  of power generation: gas-fired and renewable; and

–  of midstream energy infrastructure assets, including gas storage and gas processing.

—  Continue to strengthen asset management, development and operational capabilities.

—  Maintain APA’s financial strength.

These  strategies  are  underpinned  by  the  ‘APA Way’  –  how  we  do  business. This  new  blueprint  was  integrated  into  APA’s 
culture and mindset during the reporting period. The APA Way is a combination of how we behave, guided by our values (our 
‘STARS’), and how we make decisions, guided by APA’s Decision Compass.

1)  Owned and/or operated by APA. 

2)  Market capitalisation as at 20 August 2018.

3)  Total securityholder return is the capital appreciation of APA’s security price, adjusted for capital management actions (such as security splits and consolidations) 

and assuming reinvestment of distributions at the declared distribution rate per security. Figures quoted are sourced from IRESS.

12 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

directors’ report. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES

5.2  APA objectives and strategies (continued)
Our ‘STARS’ values set the benchmark for how we operate to ensure business integrity:

—  Safe – We will maintain a safe environment and a professional workplace where staff work collaboratively, are valued and 

treated with respect.

—  Trustworthy – We act with honesty and integrity and accept individual and collective responsibility for the delivery of all 

business outcomes. We do what we say we are going to do.

—  Adaptable – We continually respond and adapt to our changing environment by innovating, modifying our behaviour and 
continually improving our processes and systems to take advantage of opportunities to enhance, improve and grow our business.

—  Results – We consistently meet our commitments and deliver excellent results to the benefit of our employees, customers, 

investors and the community through tenacity and perseverance.

—  Service – We are committed to high quality service delivery achieved through listening, understanding, anticipating and 

responding to our customer needs.

Good decision-making is at the core of successful strategy execution and APA’s Decision Compass sets out clear principles for all 
our employees, empowering them to make good decisions with confidence. Employees and all decision makers right through to the 
Board, are encouraged to take a moment and ask “is this decision consistent with each of the key decision compass points” as below:

—  Do things safely
—  Take a long term focus
—  Manage APA money as if it’s our own
—  Do what we say we will do
—  Know our reputation matters

The APA Way puts all employees on the same page, ensuring that the way we work and the many decisions we make are 
based on consistent values and principles, and are aligned to what we need to execute on our strategy.

5.3  APA assets and operations
APA is a major participant in developing, owning and operating natural gas transportation and energy infrastructure assets 
across Australia.

APA’s assets and operations are reported in three principal business segments:

—  Energy Infrastructure, which includes all of APA’s wholly or majority owned pipelines, gas storage assets, gas compression 

and processing assets and gas-fired and renewable energy power generation assets;

—  Asset  Management,  which  provides  commercial,  operating  services  and/or  asset  maintenance  services  to  its  energy 

investments and third parties for appropriate fees; and

—  Energy Investments, which includes APA’s strategic stakes in a number of investment vehicles that house energy infrastructure 

assets, generally characterised by long-term secure cash flows, with low ongoing capital expenditure requirements.

APA Group assets

APA Group investments

APA managed (not owned by APA)

Integrated Operations Centre

Wind farm

Solar farm

Gas storage facility

Gas processing plant

Gas power station

18

2632

WA

19

21

22

23

20

24

25

27

28

26

32

NT

17

32

8

34

SA

QLD

2

4

9

10

VIC
13

31

34

33

32

30

16

5

3

6

7

34

32

1

34

IOC
29

32

32

NSW

12

11

34

15

14

TAS

directors’ report. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  13

5.3  APA assets and operations (continued)

Energy Infrastructure assets (numbers correspond with those on the map on page 12) 

Length (1)

East Coast and Central Region assets
1   Roma Brisbane Pipeline (including Peat Lateral) 
2   Carpentaria Gas Pipeline 
3   Berwyndale Wallumbilla Pipeline 
4   South West Queensland Pipeline 
5   Wallumbilla Gladstone Pipeline (including Laterals) 
6   Reedy Creek Wallumbilla Pipeline 
7   Darling Downs Solar Farm (2) 
8   Diamantina and Leichhardt Power Stations 
9   Moomba Sydney Pipeline 
10   Ethane Pipeline 
11   Central West Pipeline 
12   Central Ranges Pipeline and 

Tamworth Gas Network (gas distribution) 

13   Victorian Transmission System 
14   Dandenong LNG Storage Facility 
15   Orbost Gas Processing Plant (2) (with connection pipeline) 
16   SESA Pipeline 
17   Amadeus Gas Pipeline (including Laterals) 

583 km
944 km
112 km
936 km
556 km
49 km
110 MW
242 MW / 60 MW
2,029 km
1,375 km
255 km
295 km 
 ~250 km of gas mains, ~3,600 gas consumer connections
1,847 km
12,000 tonnes
12 km / ~70 TJ/d
45 km
1,661 km

West Australian assets
18   Pilbara Pipeline System 
19   Goldfields Gas Pipeline (88.2%) 
20   Eastern Goldfields Pipeline  
21   Yamarna Gas Pipeline 
22   Yamarna Power Station (2) 
23   Mt Morgans Gas Pipeline 
24   Kalgoorlie Kambalda Pipeline 
25   Mid West Pipeline (50%) 
26   Parmelia Gas Pipeline 
27   Mondarra Gas Storage and Processing Facility 
28   Emu Downs Wind Farm 
28   Emu Downs Solar Farm 
28   Badgingarra Wind Farm (2) 
28   Badgingarra Solar Farm (2) 

249 km
1,546 km
293 km
198 km 
45 MW
5 km
44 km
362 km
448 km
18 PJ
80 MW
20 MW
130 MW
17.5 MW

Energy Investment 

29   GDI (EII) 

Ownership

interest  Detail

20%  Gas distribution: Allgas Gas Network ~3,630 km of gas mains, 
~108,500 gas consumer connections in Qld and NSW

30   South East Australia Gas Pty Ltd 
31   SEA Gas (Mortlake) Partnership  
32   Energy Infrastructure Investments 

50%  Gas pipeline: 687 km SEA Gas Pipeline 
50%  Gas pipeline: 83 km Mortlake Gas Pipeline 
19.9%  Gas pipelines: Telfer/Nifty Gas Pipelines and lateral (488 km); 

33   EII2 
34   Australian Gas Networks 

Bonaparte Gas Pipeline (286 km); Wickham Point Pipeline (12 km)
Electricity transmission cables: Murraylink (180 km) and Directlink (64 km)

  Gas-fired power stations: Daandine Power Station (30MW) 

and X41 Power Station (41 MW)

  Gas processing facilities: Kogan North (12 TJ/d); Tipton West (33 TJ/d)

20.2%  Wind generation: North Brown Hill Wind Farm (132MW), SA

Nil  Gas distribution: ~24,710 km of gas mains and pipelines, ~1.28 million 

gas consumer connections, 1,124 km of transmission gas pipelines in 
SA, Vic, NSW, Qld & NT 

6.  Financial Overview
Earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) and EBIT before depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) excluding significant items 
are  financial  measures  not  prescribed  by Australian Accounting  Standards  (AIFRS)  and  represent  the  profit  under AIFRS 
adjusted for specific significant items. The Directors consider these measures to reflect the core earnings of the Consolidated 
Entity, and therefore these are described in this report as ‘normalised’ measures.

1)  Pipeline capacities are available online (www.apa.com.au).

2)  Assets under construction.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
14 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

directors’ report. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES

6.  Financial Overview (continued)
For the financial year to 30 June 2018, APA reported EBITDA of $1,518.5 million, an increase of 3.3% or $48.4 million on the 
previous corresponding period EBITDA of $1,470.1 million. This is slightly above the upper level of APA’s guidance range of 
$1,475 million to $1,510 million, as advised at the announcement of our FY2017 results and reconfirmed at our 1HFY18 results.

Total  revenue  (excluding  pass-through  revenue)  increased  by  $53.1  million  to  $1,941.4  million,  an  increase  of  2.8%  on  the 
previous corresponding period (FY2017: $1,888.3 million).

Increased revenues and EBITDA were primarily attributable to:

—  part year contributions from newly commissioned organic growth assets including the Reedy Creek Wallumbilla Pipeline 
(QLD), Mt Morgans Gas Pipeline (WA) and the Emu Downs Solar Farm (WA). Less than $5 million in revenue in FY2018 
was from the new growth projects, with the full accretive impact from these projects to flow from FY2019;

—  new gas transportation contracts across APA’s East and West Coast Grids, and a new mining customer for the Diamantina 

Power Station; and

—  US CPI escalation and favourable USD/AUD exchange rates in relation to the Wallumbilla Gas Pipeline.

The  solid  FY2018  results  endorse  APA’s  prudent  and  consistent  strategy  of  pursuing  secure  and  sustainable  growth 
opportunities that earn fair commercial returns. The astute investments, acquisitions and organic growth developments over 
the last 18 years, continue to sustain the business as it undertakes the largest growth expansion capital spend in the Group’s 
history.  Across  the  three-year  period  of  FY2017  to  FY2019,  APA  will  spend  in  excess  of  $1.4  billion  on  committed  growth 
projects, all of which will contribute to future operating cash flow.

In FY2018, operating cash flow was $1,031.6 million. This represents an increase of 5.9% or $57.7 million over the previous 
year (FY2017: $973.9 million), with operating cash flow per security increasing by 4.1%, or 3.6 cents, to 90.7 cents per security 
(FY2017: 87.1 (4) cents per security).

On 22 August 2018, the Directors announced a final distribution of 24.0 cents per security, which will take APA’s distributions in 
respect of the financial year to a total of 45.0 cents per security. This represents an increase of 3.4%, or 1.5 cents, over FY2017 
distributions of 43.5 cents. Franking credits of 3.83 cents per security will be allocated to the final distribution, resulting in the 
FY2018 franking credits totalling 6.33 cents per security. APA maintains a sustainable distribution policy to ensure its ability to 
fully fund its distributions out of operating cash flows on a going forward sustainable basis, whilst also retaining appropriate 
levels of cash in the business to support ongoing growth. APA’s distributions have consistently increased every year for the 18 
years the company has been listed.

The following table provides a summary of key financial data for FY2018.

Total revenue 
Pass-through revenue (a) 

Total revenue excluding pass-through 

EBITDA 

Depreciation and amortisation expenses 

EBIT 

Finance costs and interest income 

Profit before income tax 

Income tax expense 

Profit after income tax 

Operating cash flow (b) 
Operating cash flow per security (cents) 
Earnings per security (cents) 
Distribution per security (cents) 
Distribution payout ratio (c) 
Weighted average number of securities (000) (d) 

Notes: Numbers in the table may not add up due to rounding.

30 June 2018 
$000 

30 June 2017 
$000 

2,386,722 

445,307 

2,326,420 

438,140 

1,941,415 

1,888,280 

1,518,474 

(578,916) 

939,558 

(509,664) 

429,894 

(165,055) 

1,470,122 

(570,021) 

900,101 

(513,767) 

386,334 

(149,488) 

264,839 

236,846 

1,031,627 
90.7 
23.3 
45.0 
51.5% 
1,136,875 

973,936 
87.1 
21.2 
43.5 
49.8% 
1,118,523 

Changes

$000 

60,302 

7,167 

53,135 

48,352 

(8,895) 

39,457 

4,103 

43,560 

(15,567) 

27,993 

57,691 
3.6 
2.1 
1.5 
1.7% 
18,352 

%

2.6%

1.6%

2.8%

3.3%

(1.6%)

4.4%

0.8%

11.3%

(10.4%)

11.8%

5.9%
4.1%
9.9%
3.4%
3.4%
1.6%

a) Pass-through revenue is revenue on which no margin is earned. Pass-through revenue arises in the asset management operations in respect of costs incurred in, 

and passed on to Australian Gas Networks Limited (AGN) and GDI in respect of the operation of the AGN and GDI assets respectively.

b) Operating cash flow = net cash from operations after interest and tax payments.

c)  Distribution payout ratio = total distribution applicable to the financial year as a percentage of operating cash flow.

d) On the 23 March 2018, APA Group issued 65,586,479 new ordinary securities on completion of the fully underwritten pro-rata accelerated institutional tradeable 
renounceable entitlement offer (Entitlement Offer), resulting in total securities on issue as at 30 June 2018 of 1,179,893,848. The Entitlement Offer was offered 
at $7.70 per security, a discount to APA Group’s closing market price of $8.26 per security on the 23 February 2018, the last trading day before the record date 
of  26  February  2018.  The  number  of  securities  used  for  FY2018  and  FY2017  calculation  of  earnings  per  security  and  operating  cash  flow  per  security  have 
been adjusted.

4)  Operating  cash  flow  per  security  has  been  adjusted  for  the  Entitlement  Offer  completed  on  the  23  March  2018.  An  adjustment  factor  of  1.0038  has  been 

calculated, being the closing market price per security on 23 February 2018, divided by the theoretical ex-rights price (TERP) of $8.23 per security.

 
 
directors’ report. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  15

7.  Business Segment Performances and Operational Review
Statutory reported revenue and EBITDA performance of APA’s business segments is set out in the table below.

30 June 2018 
$000 

30 June 2017 
$000 

Changes

$000 

%

Revenue

Energy Infrastructure

  East Coast: Queensland 

  East Coast: New South Wales 

  East Coast: Victoria 

  East Coast: South Australia 

  Northern Territory 

  Western Australia 

1,153,214 

166,506 

153,699 

2,998 

32,861 

294,681 

1,114,428 

176,000 

156,946 

2,958 

30,932 

291,728 

Energy Infrastructure total 

1,803,959 

1,772,992 

Asset Management 

Energy Investments 

Total segment revenue 

Pass-through revenue 

Unallocated revenue (a) 

Total revenue 

EBITDA

Energy Infrastructure

  East Coast: Queensland 

  East Coast: New South Wales 

  East Coast: Victoria 

  East Coast: South Australia 

  Northern Territory 

  Western Australia 

108,537 

23,068 

1,935,564 

445,307 

5,851 

86,424 

24,382 

1,883,798 

438,140 

4,482 

2,386,722 

2,326,420 

962,231 

147,095 

124,631 

2,577 

22,923 

237,639 

925,366 

149,484 

123,008 

2,319 

18,771 

234,724 

Energy Infrastructure total 

1,497,096 

1,453,672 

Asset Management 

Energy Investments 

Corporate costs 

Total EBITDA 

66,204 

23,068 

(67,894) 

58,719 

24,382 

(66,651) 

1,518,474 

1,470,122 

38,786 

(9,494) 

(3,247) 

40 

1,929 

2,953 

30,967 

22,113 

(1,314) 

51,766 

7,167 

1,369 

60,302 

36,865 

(2,389) 

1,623 

258 

4,152 

2,915 

43,424 

7,485 

(1,314) 

(1,243) 

48,352 

3.5%

(5.4%)

(2.1%)

1.4%

6.2%

1.0%

1.7%

25.6%

(5.4%)

2.7%

1.6%

30.5%

2.6%

4.0%

(1.6%)

1.3%

11.1%

22.1%

1.2%

3.0%

12.7%

(5.4%)

(1.9%)

3.3%

Notes: Numbers in the table may not add up due to rounding.

a) Interest income is not included in calculation of EBITDA, but nets off against interest expense in calculating net interest cost.

APA has delivered a solid result in FY2018 reflecting sustainable operations and the intrinsic value of the business, which is 
more than the sum of its individual assets. APA’s diversity of expertise, asset type and geographic spread all contribute to 
APA’s business sustainability.

Total EBITDA increased by $48.4 million, or 3.3%, to $1,518.5 million, over the FY2017 result of $1,470.1 million. APA derives 
its  revenue  through  a  mix  of  regulated  revenue,  long-term  negotiated  revenue  contracts,  asset  management  fees  and 
investment earnings. Earnings are underpinned by solid cash flows generated from high quality, geographically diversified 
assets and a portfolio of highly creditworthy customers.

7.1  Energy Infrastructure
The  Energy  Infrastructure  segment  consists  of  all  APA’s  interconnected  energy  infrastructure  footprint  across  mainland 
Australia including gas transmission, gas compression, processing and storage assets, renewable energy power generation, 
and gas-fired power generation.

This segment is the largest contributor to group revenue, contributing 93.2% (excluding pass-through) and 94.4% of group 
EBITDA (before corporate costs) during the financial year. Revenue (excluding pass-through revenue) was $1,804.0 million, 
an increase of 1.7% on the previous year (FY2017: $1,773.0 million). EBITDA (before corporate costs) increased by 3.0% on the 
previous year to $1,497.1 million (FY2017: $1,453.7 million).

This segment is characterised by the East Coast Gas Grid and the West Coast Gas Grid, the nature of which will result in 
both positive and negative swings over the longer term in revenue and EBITDA on the individual assets that make up each 
of those grids. In FY2018, for example, increased revenue and EBITDA in Queensland offset reductions in New South Wales 
and Victoria as customers with more flexible multi-asset, multi service contracts determined their respective needs, period on 
period, for gas sourcing and delivery.

 
 
16 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

directors’ report. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES

7.1  Energy Infrastructure (continued)
During the  reporting  period,  new  earnings were  realised from  recently  completed  and  commissioned  assets  including the 
Reedy  Creek  Wallumbilla  Pipeline,  the  Mt  Morgans  Gas  Pipeline  and  the  Emu  Downs  Solar  Farm.  FY2018  earnings  for 
Energy Infrastructure also benefitted from the US CPI increase on the Wallumbilla Gladstone Pipeline contract, along with 
a favourable USD/AUD exchange rate as the majority of contract revenues are in USD.

Energy Infrastructure Revenue by State

Energy Infrastructure EBITDA by State

A$ m

1,600

1,200

800

400

0

90%

A$ m

80%

1,200

70%

800

60%

400

50%

0

FY15

FY16

FY17

FY18

FY15

WA

NT

SA

VIC

NSW

QLD

EBITDA margin

WA

NT

SA

FY16

VIC

FY17

FY18

NSW

QLD

Energy Infrastructure EBITDA by Asset

FY18

FY17

FY16

FY15

0

150

300

450

600

750

900

1,050

1,200

1,350

1,500

A$ m

Wallumbilla Gladstone Pipeline
Carpentaria Gas Pipeline
Victorian Transmission System
Eastern Goldfields Pipeline
Other WA

South West Queensland Pipeline
Diamantina Power Station
SESA Pipeline
Emu Downs Wind and Solar Farm

Roma Brisbane Pipeline
Other Qld assets
Amadeus Gas Pipeline
Pilbara Pipeline System

Reedy Creek Wallumbilla Pipeline
Moomba Sydney Pipeline
Goldfields Gas Pipeline
Mondarra Gas Storage

Note: The charts above exclude discontinued operations previously accounted for within Energy Infrastructure, including earnings from Allgas Networks and Moomba 
to Adelaide Pipeline.

The  majority  of  revenues  in  the  Energy  Infrastructure  segment  derive  from  either  regulatory  arrangements  or  long  term 
capacity-based contracts. Contracts generally have the majority of the revenue fixed over the term of the relevant contract.

WORKING WITH APA’S CUSTOMERS ~ a short term solution for Incitec Pivot

On  25 June  2018, APA  announced  a  one year  gas  transportation  contract  with  Incitec  Pivot  (IPL)  to  deliver  gas  from 
the Northern Territory to IPL’s Gibson Island fertiliser plant near Brisbane. IPL is a long term customer of APA and the 
importance of this contract was to assist IPL in keeping its Gibson Island plant operations running for another year whilst 
other options are explored for future economically viable gas supply, given the East Coast’s tight gas supply market.

Quote from Jeanne Johns, Managing Director and CEO, Incitec Pivot Limited
“An affordable and reliable gas supply is critical to securing the sustainable future of Incitec 
Pivot’s Gibson Island fertiliser manufacturing plant. The Gibson Island site employs around 450 
people and produces 550,000 tonnes of fertiliser per year, which is then used within Australia 
and globally to support farming communities that grow food to feed millions of people.

It was very  satisfying  to  see  the whole  of  the  gas  industry  supply-chain working  together 
with us to develop an interim gas solution that will allow our Gibson Island plant in Queensland 
to operate for another year.

Despite a gas supply being almost on our doorstep, the current local gas price required us 
to  source  a  more  affordable  gas  supply  from  over  3,300  kms  away. The  one-year  interim 
solution has demonstrated that the industry working together can make a huge difference. 
APA,  along  with  our  other  project  partners  has  worked  with  Incitec  Pivot  to  make  that 
long journey viable.“

directors’ report. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  17

7.1  Energy Infrastructure (continued)
During  FY2018,  APA  refreshed  its  suite  of  gas  pipeline  services,  to  provide  customers  with  more  options  and  additional 
flexibility making it simpler for customers to better manage their gas portfolios. The refreshed services and approach provide 
additional clarity and ease of access for customers to APA’s infrastructure, which will help promote gas market liquidity.

During the reporting period, APA announced several significant new or renewal contracts including: a new $40 million revenue 
contract over three years for gas transportation and storage from Queensland into southern markets; a $38 million contract 
extension over two years for an East Coast Grid customer; and a new gas transportation agreement with Incitec Pivot to 
transport gas over 3,300 km from the Northern Territory to their Gibson Island fertilizer plant near Brisbane.

Changes to Part 23 of the National Gas Rules during the reporting period provide a commercial arbitration framework in 
the event parties cannot agree a negotiated contract. APA has continued to successfully negotiate all new contracts and 
contract renewals with its customers.

During the financial year, 78.7% of Energy Infrastructure revenue (excluding pass-through) was from capacity reservation 
charges  from  term  contracts,  4.3%  from  other  contracted  fixed  revenues  and  6.8%  from  throughput  charges  and  other 
variable components. Given the dynamic east coast gas market, there were additional revenues from the provision of flexible 
short term  services,  accounting for  around  1.0%. The  regulated  portion  of APA’s  revenue  makes  up  9.0%  of total  FY2018 
Energy Infrastructure revenue. Given the take-or-pay nature of the majority of APA’s Energy Infrastructure contracts, APA 
had direct oversight of 92.0% of its revenue earning for this business segment during the reporting period.

As part of APA’s product refresh of gas transportation services during the period, many of APA’s standard service offerings 
and tariffs are now effectively 100% capacity reservation.

FY2018 Energy Infrastructure by Revenue Type

APA Pipelines by Regulation Type (a)

Capacity charge revenue: 78.7%
Throughput charge &
other variable revenue: 6.8%
Contracted fixed revenue: 4.3%
Regulated revenue: 9.0%
Flexible short term services: 1.0%
Other: 0.2%

Full regulation pipelines
Light regulation pipelines
Non-scheme pipelines

a) Owned and/or operated by APA

APA manages its counterparty risk in a variety of ways. One aspect is to consider customers’ credit ratings. During FY2018, 
95.6% of Energy Infrastructure revenue was received from investment grade counterparties. Diversification of customer base 
is another strength of APA’s business, with our customers split across the energy, utility, resources and industrial sectors, as 
shown in the chart below.

FY2018 Energy Infrastructure Revenues
by Counterparty Credit Rating

FY2018 Energy Infrastructure Revenues
by Customer Industry Segment

A- rated or better: 44.9%
BBB and BBB+: 27.8%
Investment Grade (a): 22.9%
Not rated: 4.2%
Sub-investment grade: 0.2%

Energy: 49.1%
Utilities: 24.3%
Resources: 21.6%
Industrials & Others: 5.0%

a) An investment grade credit rating from either S&P (BBB- or better) or Moody’s (Baa3 or better), or joint venture with an investment grade average rating across 

owners. Ratings shown as equivalent to S&P rating scale.

APA strives to continually enhance the service offerings available to customers to better address their increasingly complex 
and dynamic gas portfolio needs. Significant investment by APA has been made in energy infrastructure in the last decade 
to support customers’ needs. The state-of-the-art Integrated Operations Centre (IOC) is one of those customer focused 
initiatives that APA has invested in to deliver seamless and reliable services for the benefit of the Australian energy market.

APA’s  IOC  in  Brisbane  has  dramatically  improved  Australia’s  gas  transmission  operations,  providing  customers  access  to 
greater operating flexibility and smarter gas portfolio management. It improves market resilience significantly by utilising the 
breadth of the Grid to respond to contingencies. The facility continues to evolve its services and functions to meet the growing 
and changing needs of both our customers and APA’s operations.

The IOC plays a major role in APA being able to provide the benefits of system flexibility, efficiencies, cost effective solutions 
and safety from having real-time visibility across transmission assets throughout Australia, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

18 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

directors’ report. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES

7.1  Energy Infrastructure (continued)
Engineering, commercial and systems operation skills integrate into daily decision making to give the business both big picture 
and  detailed  oversight  of  operations.  Gas  market  opportunities  for  customers  can  be  quickly  realised  as  can  immediate 
response and management to periods of unplanned plant, market or customer disruption.

The IOC also plays a key role in keeping our remote employees safe by monitoring and managing the In-Vehicle Monitoring 
System (IVMS) thereby better managing APA’s operational risk. More importantly, it provides employees and their families 
with a high level of comfort that someone knows where they are at all times whilst they travel between remote locations.

THE IOC – THE EYES AND EARS OF APA TRANSMISSION 
~ ensuring security of supply in southern markets during Longford operational constraints

During mid-June 2018, the Longford gas facility in Victoria suffered an operational issue resulting in a risk to the security 
of gas supply in southern markets. The Longford gas plant currently supplies the majority of Victoria’s gas requirements, 
as well as gas supplies for NSW and Tasmania.

Peak winter and summer periods are often times when “if something can go wrong, it will…and usually at the worst time.” 
Gas constraints were already in place that week at Longford to undertake repairs of a gas train. APA also had planned 
maintenance and other works underway on the Roma Brisbane Pipeline and at Moomba. Therefore, when the Longford 
gas plant undertook to resolve the operational issue during a further two day period, there was a real possibility of a gas 
supply shortage in southern markets.

A highly coordinated combination of solutions from 
across  APA’s  East  Coast  Grid  and  other  external 
stakeholders  were  put  into  play  to  ultimately 
manage  gas  supply  security.  This 
included 
increased  instantaneous  southern  flow  capacity 
from  APA’s  Grid  into  the  Declared  Wholesale 
Gas  Market;  optimisation  and  management  of 
Moomba  Sydney  Pipeline  (MSP)  line  pack;  Roma 
Brisbane  Pipeline  assistance  to  allow  rebuild  of 
MSP line pack; and Young, Culcairn and Bulla Park 
compressors placed on standby.

The  successful  outcome  as  a  result  of  APA’s 
interconnected  grid  system  with  IOC  oversight, 
meant  that  all  demand  for  gas  across  eastern 
Australia was met, and businesses and consumers 
that  rely  on  gas  as  their  energy  source  were 
not impacted.

Nicholas Edmiston overseeing operations in APA’s Integrated Operations 
Centre in Brisbane

East Coast and Central Region
APA’s 7,500 plus kilometre integrated pipeline grid on the east coast of Australia has the ability to transport gas seamlessly 
from multiple gas production facilities to gas users across four states and the ACT, as well as to the export LNG market which 
has developed out of Gladstone in Queensland.

EBITDA from APA’s assets on the east coast increased by 3.0% during the financial year.

In  NSW  and  Victoria,  continued  demand  for  bi-directional  services  due  to  dynamic  southern  and  northern  gas  markets 
contributed to the earnings increase. The Moomba Sydney Pipeline continues to play a critical role to the operation of the 
East Coast Grid as both a bi-directional gas transmission highway and gas storage facility.

In Queensland, the South West Queensland Pipeline and its bi-directional capability played a key role in gas moving both 
east and west. APA’s newest Queensland pipeline and extension to the East Coast Grid - the 49km Reedy Creek Wallumbilla 
Pipeline - was completed and commissioned in May 2018. An official opening by the Queensland Premier, the Hon. Annastacia 
Palaszczuk, the Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy, the Hon. Dr Anthony Lynham, and the Mayor for Maranoa 
Regional Council, Tyson Golder was held in June 2018, at APA’s Wallumbilla operations site.

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  19

directors’ report. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES

7.1  Energy Infrastructure (continued)

APA RESPONDING TO CUSTOMER NEEDS 
~ connecting APLNG directly to the dynamic east coast domestic gas market

In September 2016, APA announced construction of the new 49 km Reedy Creek Wallumbilla Pipeline to connect the 
Australia  Pacific  LNG  Pipeline  (APLNG)  at  Reedy  Creek  to  APA’s  7,500  km  East  Coast  Grid  system  at Wallumbilla. 
Less than two years on, the recently commissioned pipeline (May 2018) is operating and providing APLNG access to the 
dynamic eastern Australian domestic gas market.

The new bi-directional pipeline was officially opened by the Queensland Premier, The Hon. Annastacia Palaszczuk, at 
APA’s Wallumbilla operations site. Also attending was the Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy, The Hon. 
Dr Anthony Lynham, APLNG’s Chief Executive Warwick King, APA’s Chairman Michael Fraser, APA’s Managing Director 
Mick McCormack and Tyson Golder, the Mayor for Maranoa Regional Council (image below).

“This new pipeline gives APLNG efficient, flexible access to Australia’s dynamic east coast gas market via Wallumbilla,” 
Mr King said. “We are pleased to have reached a long-term agreement with APA that enables us to support the efficient 
movement of gas.”

APA  entered  into  a  20-year  contract  with  APLNG  to  provide  a  bi-directional  service  of  up  to  300  TJ/d  on  the  new 
pipeline. APA is able to utilise its unique gas grid to provide bespoke services that supports our customers’ commercial 
requirements, and shoring up gas security for domestic markets.

From delivery of pipes in November 2016, to the official opening in June 2018, the Reedy Creek Wallumbilla Pipeline is already providing commercial options 
for APLNG to move its gas

APA’s  Diamantina  gas-fired  power  station  in  Mount  Isa,  Queensland  benefitted  from  a  new  mining  customer  during  the 
period.  Capricorn  Copper  operates  the  Capricorn  Copper  mine,  north  of  Mount  Isa  and  was  in  ramp-up  mode  for  the 
first seven months of FY2018, and is now at full contract capacity. The mine is a restart of prior mining operations, which 
recommenced in 2017.

During the financial year, APA’s assets in the Northern Territory recorded an uplift in earnings from additional contracting 
achieved on the Amadeus Gas Pipeline. South Australian earnings were in line with expectations.

Western Australia
APA services a range of customers in Western Australia within the resources, industrial and utility sectors. In recent years, 
interconnections  off  the  main  Goldfields  pipeline  to  mining  sites  has  not  only  extended  the Western  Australian  Grid,  but 
also reinforced the importance of the Goldfields Gas Pipeline in moving gas from the north into the south-eastern region of 
Western Australia.

EBITDA from APA’s Western Australian assets for the financial year increased by 1.2% compared with FY2017.

The Eastern Goldfields Pipeline continues to contribute to increased earnings for APA’s Western Australian assets. During 
the period, the new Mt Morgans Gas Pipeline was completed to supply gas to Dacian Gold mining operations. APA has a 10.5 
year gas transportation agreement with Dacian Gold and the pipeline commenced generating earnings in the second half of 
the reporting period.

In June 2017, APA announced the Yamarna Gas Pipeline and Power Station greenfield projects on behalf of the Gruyere Joint 
Venture mine project. Construction and commissioning of the 198 km pipeline was completed during the reporting period, 
with the power station construction completed recently in August. Commissioning of the Yamarna Power Station will take 
place between August and October. First gold pour is scheduled for the FY2019 June quarter.

With the addition of the Gruyere mine in June 2019, the Eastern Goldfields Pipeline will have five mines using approximately 
1,700 kms of interconnected pipelines to the eastern goldfields region in Western Australia. APA expects further opportunities 
for growth in this area as miners are seeking reliable and economical energy solutions to ensure their operations are viable for 
the life of the mines.

APA is developing a significant renewable energy precinct in the West and during FY2018 completed and commissioned the 
20 MW Emu Downs Solar Farm which was underpinned by a 13 year power purchase agreement with Synergy. The project 
received $5.5 million funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA).

20 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

directors’ report. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES

7.1  Energy Infrastructure (continued)

CO-LOCATED EMU DOWNS WIND AND SOLAR 
FARMS ~ maximising resources and infrastructure

The site is co-located with APA’s 80 MW Emu Downs Wind 
Farm, taking advantage of shared transmission connection 
infrastructure.  The  wind  and  solar  generation  profiles  at 
this  location  are  largely  predictable  and  complementary, 
enabling  APA  to  leverage  the  combined  wind  and  solar 
resources and transmit renewable energy through a single 
infrastructure  network.  During  the  period,  there  was  a 
minor impact on earnings for the Emu Downs Wind Farm 
due  to  the  cut-in  of  the  Solar  Farm,  this  was  more  than 
offset by the contribution of the Solar Farm, in the latter 
part of the financial year.

In  FY2017,  APA  announced  construction  of  the  130  MW 
Badgingarra  Wind  Farm  after  entering  into  a  long  term 
offtake  agreement  with  Alinta  to  satisfy  its  renewable 
energy  requirements.  Construction  was  advanced  during 
the  reporting  period  and  is  due  for  completion  in  early 
2019.  During  FY2018,  APA  agreed  with  Alinta  to  extend 
the  original  12  year  power  purchase  agreement  for  the 
Badgingarra  Wind  Farm  by  five  years,  and  undertake  a 
new  17.5  MW  co-located  Solar  Farm  on  the  Badgingarra 
site, which is adjacent to the Emu Downs renewables farm. 
Both  Badgingarra  Wind  and  Solar  farms  will  also  share 
transmission connection infrastructure.

When  complete,  APA  will  have  an  energy  precinct  in 
Western  Australia  delivering  over  245  MW  of  renewable 
energy  capitalising  on the  complementary wind  and  solar 
relationship in this region.

7.2  Asset Management
APA provides asset management and operational services 
to the majority of its energy investments and to a number 
Its  main  customers  are  Australian 
of  third  parties. 
Gas  Networks  Limited  (AGN)  (5),  Energy  Infrastructure 
Investments and GDI (EII). Asset management services are 
provided to these customers under long-term contracts.

APA has the expertise and diversified skillset to provide whole-of-life asset management and operational services for high 
voltage power, power generation, gas rotating plant and equipment, stationary engines, gas transmission pipelines and gas 
distribution pipelines. These services also include asset inspection, vegetation management, aerial patrols, metering services 
and specialist utility asset services.

Revenue (excluding pass-through revenue) from asset management services increased by $22.1 million or 25.6% to $108.5 
million (FY2017: $86.4 million) and EBITDA (excluding corporate costs) increased by $7.5 million or 12.7% to $66.2 million 
(FY2017: $58.7 million).

Asset Management Revenue

Asset Management EBITDA

A$ m

100

80

60

40

20

0

A$ m

80

50

40

30

20

10

0

FY15

FY16

FY17

FY18

FY15

FY16

FY17

FY18

One-off Customer Contributions
Underlying Asset Management Revenue

One-off Customer Contributions
Underlying Asset Management Revenue

Note: From FY2017 onwards, DPS and the Ethane Pipeline became fully owned assets and are managed within APA’s Energy Infrastructure segment and therefore 
no asset management fees earnt.

5) APA sold its 33.05% stake in AGN in August 2014, however, the operating and maintenance agreements remain on foot until 2027.

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  21

directors’ report. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES

7.2  Asset Management (continued)

GAS IS A FUEL OF CHOICE ~ 2018 Commonwealth Games village

APA  as  the  operator  and  a  minority  investor  in 
the GDI Allgas Distribution Network in Brisbane 
was engaged by the Gold Coast Commonwealth 
Games organisers in 2015 to supply natural gas 
to the proposed new Athletes’ Village in time for 
Games held on the Gold Coast in April 2018. The 
work  involved  extending  the  GDI  gas  network 
to  the  greenfield  site  and  reticulating  the  gas 
infrastructure  throughout  the  development  as 
construction proceeded.

Redevelopment  of  the  precinct  was  one  of  the 
largest  urban  renewal  projects  ever  undertaken 
on  the  Gold  Coast.  Natural  gas  was  used  to 
supply bulk hot water and cooking to apartments, 
pool heating and catering.

Transformation  of  the  athletes’  accommodation  is  underway  to  develop  permanent  apartments  for  both  student 
and  general  accommodation.  The  remainder  of  the  site  is  also  being  developed  into  a  new  Gold  Coast  Health 
and Knowledge precinct.

APA worked closely with the developer to ensure that the construction of the gas infrastructure was well coordinated 
to  work  in  with  the  immediate  and  future  needs  of  the  site,  and  ensured  gas  was  provided  to  the  facilities  well  in 
advance of the Commonwealth Games. 

Customer Contributions

APA Operated Gas Networks Statistics

30

20

10

0

Average ~$12m p.a.

1.40

(million)

(km)

29,000

1.35

1.30

1.25

28,000

27,000

FY14

FY15

FY16

FY17

FY18

FY15

FY16

FY17

FY18

Gas consumer connections (LHS)

Networks managed (RHS)

Customer contributions are payments received from a third party for APA to undertake work on the assets it manages to 
accommodate that third party’s project. Customer contributions have increased in FY2018 moving the long term average 
per annum to approximately $12 million from $10 million per annum average over the last five years. APA continues to expect 
annual swings in customer contributions, as these are driven by customer requirements.

Excluding  customer  contributions,  both  revenue  and  EBITDA  increased  for  the  Asset  Management  business  due  to  tariff 
adjustments in line with regulatory approvals. Solid connection growth for the gas distribution businesses of AGN and GDI 
continues  through  ongoing  investment  in  new  housing  estates  and  high-rise  apartment  developments,  with  natural  gas 
continuing to be a fuel of choice for cooking, hot water and heating in these markets.

REWARDING EXCELLENCE ~ APA Employee Excellence Award winner focusing on Network customers

Each year, APA holds annual awards to celebrate the efforts and success of our employees. During FY2018, the awards 
were refreshed and rebranded to the APA Excellence Awards and were aligned to APA’s five ‘STARS’ values - Safety, 
Trustworthy, Adaptable, Results and Service.

Nicole Butler from APA’s Commercial Networks division was the dual winner of the APA Excellence “Service” Award, 
along with Silvana Alessandro from the Financial Accounting division. Nicole won the award for her role in removing 
barriers and roadblocks that were making new Network connection processes unnecessarily complicated for internal 
and external customers.

Nicole’s  belief  that  every  customer  is  important  resonates  with  APA’s  Values.  Nicole  is  a  team  player,  reinforcing  a 
customer centric ethos and believes that while it may only take one person to care about the customer’s needs, it takes 
a team of people to ensure those needs are met. Nicole’s commitment is testament to all of APA’s Values (S.T.A.R.S) 
Safety, Trustworthy, Adaptable, Results and importantly for our Network customers, Service.

22 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

directors’ report. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES

7.3  Energy Investments
APA has interests in a number of complementary energy investments across Australia.

Asset and ownership interests

Mortlake Gas Pipeline

SEA Gas Pipeline

50% 
SEA Gas 
(Mortlake) 
Partnership

50% 
South East 
Australia 
Gas Pty Ltd

Asset details an 
APA services

83 km gas pipeline 
connecting the Otway 
Gas Plant to the Mortlake 
Power Station

MAINTENANCE

Partners

Rest

687 km gas pipeline from 
Iona and Port Campbell 
in Victoria to Adelaide

Rest

MAINTENANCE

North Brown Hill  
Wind Farm

20.2% 
EII2

132 MW wind farm in  
South Australia

Infrastructure Capital Group 
Osaka Gas

Allgas Gas  
Distribution Network

20% 
GDI (EII)

CORPORATE SERVICES

~3,630 km Allgas gas 
distribution network 
in Queensland with 
~108,500 connections

Marubeni Corporation 
State Super

CORPORATE SERVICES

OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT

Daandine and X41  
Power Stations

Kogan North and Tipton 
West Processing Plants

Directlink and Murraylink 
Electricity Interconnectors

Nifty and Telfer Gas Pipelines

Wickham Point and Bonaparte 
Gas Pipelines

Marubeni Corporation 
Osaka Gas

19.9% 
Energy 
Infrastructure 
Investments

Gas-fired power 
generation 
 71 MW

Gas processing 
facilities 45 TJ/day

Electricity transmission 
cables 244 km

Gas pipelines 
totaling 786 km

CORPORATE SERVICES

OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT

APA’s  ability  to  manage  these  investments  and  provide 
operational  and/or  corporate  support  services  gives  it 
flexibility  in  the  way  it  grows  the  business  and  harnesses 
expertise in-house, thereby delivering services from a lower 
cost base due to portfolio synergies.

EBITDA from Energy Investments was marginally reduced for 
the reporting period to $23.0 million (FY2017: $24.4 million).

7.4  Corporate Costs
Corporate costs of $67.9 million for the financial year were 
slightly  above  the  previous  corresponding  period  (FY2017: 
$66.7 million) due to additional costs associated with the 
new  Part  23  compliance  requirements.  Excluding  those 
additional compliance costs, APA has kept corporate costs 
contained during the largest organic growth cycle that the 
business has undertaken.

Energy Investments Revenue & EBITDA

25 (A$ m)

Corporate Costs

(A$ m)

20

15

80

60

40

20

0

FY15

FY16

FY17

FY18

FY15

FY16

FY17

FY18

Divested & transferred investments
Continuing investments

Note: DPS and EPX earnings are classified as divested and transferred
investments within Energy Investments up until financial close for the
purpose of the segment reporting.

directors’ report. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  23

8.  Capital and Investment Expenditure
Capital  and  investment  expenditure  for  FY2018  totalled  $875.5  million.  Total  capital  expenditure  (including  stay-in-
business  capital  expenditure  but  excluding  acquisitions  and  other  investing  cash  flows)  for  FY2018  was  $855.5  million 
compared  with  $340.7  million  last year.  Growth  project  expenditure  of  $742.9  million  (FY2017:  $271.9  million)  was  largely 
related to the following projects during the year:

—  Construction of the Darling Downs Solar Farm and completion and commissioning of the Reedy Creek Wallumbilla 

Pipeline in Queensland;

—  Construction and completion of Western Australia projects including the Yamarna Gas Pipeline, Mt Morgans Gas 

Pipeline and Emu Downs Solar Farm;

—  Construction of the Murrin Compressor Station. Yamarna Power Station and Badgingarra Wind Farm are also well 

underway, and will be completed in FY2019;

—  Commencement of the upgrade of the Orbost Gas Processing Plant in Victoria; and

—  Pre-investigative and preliminary license approval undertakings for the proposed Western Slopes Pipeline and Crib 

Point Pakenham Pipeline.

APA’s  growth  capital  expenditure  continues  to  be  fully  underwritten  through  long-term  contractual  arrangements  or  to 
have regulatory approval through a relevant access arrangement. Capital and investment expenditure for FY2018 is detailed in 
the table below.

Capital and investment   
expenditure (a) 

Description of major projects 

30 June 2018 
($ million) 

30 June 2017
($ million)

Growth expenditure

Regulated 

Non-regulated

Queensland 

Victorian-Northern Interconnect expansion, South West 
Pipeline Westernhaul Expansion 

33.0 

106.1

Darling Downs Solar Farm, Reedy Creek Wallumbilla Pipeline 

199.2 

Victoria 

Orbost Gas Processing Plant, early works on Crib Point to Pakenham Pipeline 

116.7 

New South Wales 

Western Slopes Pipeline early works 

Western Australia 
and Northern Territory  Badgingarra Wind Farm, Mt Morgans Gas Pipeline, 
Murrin Compressor Station 

Yamarna Gas Pipeline and Power Station, Emu Downs Solar Farm,  

Other 

VIC Metering 

Sub-total non-regulated capex 

Total growth capex 

Stay-in business capex 

Total capital expenditure 

Investment and acquisitions 

Total capital and investment expenditure 

Notes: Numbers in the table may not add up due to rounding.

10.7 

369.1 

14.2 

709.9 

742.9 

112.6 

855.5 

20.0 (b) 

875.5 

78.3

–

0.4

30.6

56.5

165.8

271.9

68.8

340.7

36.8

377.5

a) The  capital  expenditure  shown  in  this  table  represents  net  cash  used  in  investing  activities  as  disclosed  in  the  cash  flow  statement,  and  excludes  accruals 

brought forward from the prior period and carried forward to next period.

b) Represents the share purchase price for the Orbost Gas Processing Plant.

As part of the FY2016 results, APA announced that it had 
identified around $1.5 billion of organic growth opportunities 
across  FY2017  to  FY2019.  APA  continues  to  successfully 
pursue  organic  growth  opportunities.  To-date  across 
FY2017 and FY2018, APA has spent in excess of $1.0 billion 
on these growth projects in the areas of pipeline extensions 
and expansions, renewables and mid-stream assets.

Capital and investment expenditure

6,284.4 

A$ m

1,000

750

500

250

0

875.5

673.6

377.5

FY15

FY16

FY17

FY18

SIB capex
Growth capex
Acquisitions & other investment cash flows

 
 
 
 
24 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

directors’ report. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES

8.  Capital and Investment Expenditure (continued)
In FY2018, growth capex expenditure was $742.9 million, which is almost double the average annual growth capex spend of 
previous years. The FY2018 actual spend is lower than the approximate $850 million figure indicated to the market in May 
2018. This is due to finessing of project timings for procurement contracts as projects have progressed to ensure materials 
are better timed to arrive when required. This has resulted in some committed capital expenditure moving from FY2018 into 
FY2019. APA expects to spend in the order of $425 million during FY2019 on the in-flight committed organic growth projects 
as detailed in the table below.

Some of the new projects completed in FY2018 have now commenced generating revenues. These revenues will increase in 
FY2019 as more projects are completed and the projects completed in FY2018 provide a full year of earnings. The full benefit 
of the now $1.4 billion plus of growth projects will be received from FY2020 onwards.

Beyond the approximately $425 million guidance for FY2019, APA expects growth capital expenditure in the order of $300 
to $400 million per annum over the next two to three years as further growth projects come to fruition across all energy 
infrastructure sectors. All projects will continue to be underwritten by long term contracts with customers and will increase 
APA’s earnings base as they are commissioned.

Growth Projects Announced FY2017 – FY2019

Projects

FY17

FY18

1H FY19

2H FY19

1H FY20

2H FY20

Customer

Project (% spent)

Pipeline projects

Renewables projects

Midstream projects

Emu Downs Solar Farm
(incl. $5.5m ARENA funding)

Reedy Creek Wallumbilla Pipeline

Darling Downs Solar Farm
(incl. $20m ARENA funding)

Yamarna Pipeline & Power Station

Badgingarra Wind & Solar Farm

Orbost Gas Processing Plant

Other Projects

Total growth capex
(‘in-flight’ to date)

Total revenue contribution

Note: Above diagram is illustrative only.

100%

100%

~88%

~91%

~66%

~50%

13-year contract

20-year contract

12-year contract

Synergy

APLNG

Origin

15-year contract

Gold Road/
Gold Fields JV

17-year contract

Alinta

Multi year contract

Cooper

Various

FY17:
$272m

FY18:
$743m

FY18:
<$5m

FY19:
~$425m

FY19:
~$75m+

FY20:
~$300-400m

FY20:
~$215m+

As detailed in Section 7 above, progress on the remaining major committed projects is as follows:

—  The  Badgingarra  Wind  Farm  (130MW  wind  farm)  project  was  extended  during  the  reporting  period  to  include  a  co-
located  17.5  MW  solar  farm  that  will  share  transmission  connection  infrastructure  with  the  wind  farm.  Badgingarra  is 
located adjacent to APA’s operational 100 MW Emu Downs Wind and Solar Farm in Western Australia. Alinta Energy also 
extended the offtake agreement for another 5 years for both the energy and the Large Scale Generation Certificates, 
commencing January 2019 through to end CY2035. The wind farm will consist of 37 turbines each with a total blade and 
tower height of 150 metres and the solar farm will have approximately 61,800 solar tracking panels. Both projects are on 
track for commissioning in December 2018 for contract commencement in January 2019.

directors’ report. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  25

8.  Capital and Investment Expenditure (continued)
—  The Orbost Gas Processing Plant acquired by APA in FY2018 will process raw natural gas from Cooper Energy’s offshore 
Sole gas field under a multi-year Gas Processing Agreement from mid-2019. When complete, up to 70TJ per day of gas will 
be available for the east coast gas market from this new source of supply. APA is undertaking an upgrade of the site, whilst 
also  adding  a  hydrogen  sulphide  treatment  plant  to  the  facility.  During  the  reporting  period, APA  undertook  extensive 
stakeholder engagement with the surrounding community, as well as providing local sponsorship and opportunities for 
employment of local contractors. In March 2018, The Hon. Lily D’Ambrosio, Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate 
Change toured the site and congratulated both APA and Cooper Energy for working together to deliver more gas into 
Victoria  and  the  East  Coast  gas  market  and  jointly  creating  more  than  800  jobs  during  construction  of  onshore  and 
offshore facilities.

—  The Darling Downs Solar Farm near Dalby in Queensland is a 110MW solar farm, being built at a cost of around $200 million 
(partially funded with a $20 million grant from ARENA). Origin Energy has entered into a 12-year offtake agreement for 
both the energy and the Large Scale Generation Certificates. The project is on track for completion in September 2018. 
Over 423,000 fixed solar panels will be installed over a 250 hectare site, connecting to the existing Braemar Substation. 
The Queensland Premier, The Hon. Annastacia Palaszczuk toured the site in January 2018, along with The Hon. Dr Anthony 
Lynham, Minister for Mines and Energy; The Hon. Mark Furner, Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Natural 
Resources; Paul McVeigh, Mayor of the Western Downs Regional Council; and Deputy Mayor, Andrew Smith.

—  APA announced the new build Yamarna Gas Pipeline (YGP) and the Yamarna Power Station (YPS) projects in FY2017. APA 
will transport gas a total of almost 1,600 kms over four APA interconnected pipelines, including the greenfield YGP that will 
connect to the YPS, to deliver energy to the Gruyere Gold Project in Western Australia. The 198 km YGP was fully constructed 
during FY2018 and has now been commissioned to allow the constructed 45MW YPS to be commissioned, which is expected 
to  be  complete  in  between August  and  October  2018. A  15-year  gas  transportation  agreement  and  a  15-year  electricity 
supply agreement have been entered into with the Gruyere Gold Project, a 50:50 joint venture between ASX listed Gold Road 
Resources Ltd and the global miner Gold Fields Limited. Total project cost is estimated to be $180 million.

APA’s growth strategy will continue to be considered using the same principles and criteria that APA has always adhered to, 
which are to:

—  maintain an appropriate risk and return structure;

—  ensure an appropriate funding and capital structure;

—  enter into contracts with highly creditworthy counterparties; and

—  leverage in-house operational expertise.

APA continues to talk with customers to develop new opportunities and help them manage their energy portfolio requirements 
including the potential projects of the Western Slopes Pipeline, the Crib Point Pakenham Pipeline, future mining connection 
opportunities in Western Australia and connecting Northern Queensland gas basins to APA’s East Coast Grid.

In FY2017, APA announced that it had contracted with a subsidiary of Santos Limited to commence development of a new 
450 km Western Slopes Pipeline connecting the proposed Narrabri Gas Project (NGP) to APA’s East Coast Grid through the 
Moomba Sydney Pipeline. The project is subject to FID of the NGP by Santos. During the reporting period, APA commenced 
engagement with stakeholders along a possible pipeline route.

26 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

directors’ report. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES

8.  Capital and Investment Expenditure (continued)
During  FY2018,  APA  announced  that  it  had  entered  into  a  Development  Agreement  and  an  associated  20  Year  Gas 
Transportation Agreement with AGL Energy to develop and construct a new 60 km pipeline with a capacity of at least 550TJ/
day. The  Crib  Point  Pakenham  Pipeline would  connect AGL’s  proposed floating  LNG  regasification  plant  at  Crib  Point, to 
APA’s East Coast Grid via the Victorian Transmission System at Pakenham. APA’s potential capital expenditure investment 
would be in the range of $160 million to $200 million. Since announcing the project in June 2018, APA has been undertaking 
engagement with local communities and environmental reviews to determine the best possible route for the pipeline. The 
project is subject to Final Investment Decision by AGL during FY2019.

PROPOSED CRIB POINT PAKENHAM PIPELINE ~ Community Consultation

On 12 June 2018, APA entered into a Development 
Agreement  and  associated  Gas  Transportation 
Agreement  with  AGL  Energy  for  the  development 
and  construction  of  the  Crib  Point  Pakenham 
Pipeline. The project is subject to AGL Energy making 
a Final Investment Decision during FY2019.

During FY2018, APA commenced a 
comprehensive program of community and 
stakeholder consultation for the proposed Crib 
Point Pakenham Pipeline project including:

—  Multiple one-on-one and community meetings

—  Direct mail-outs

—  Community sessions

—  Development of a project website

In May 2018, APA hosted community drop in sessions in Cardinia and Nar Nar Goon to answer community queries about 
the proposed Crib Point Pipeline project. Topics discussed included cultural and heritage surveys, environment, water and 
pipeline alignment. AGL representatives were also present to provide information. The sessions were well attended by 
landowners and other community members.

A  further  five  community  sessions  were  held  in  the  towns  of  Balnarring,  Hastings,  Crib  Point,  Nar  Nar  Goon  and 
Cardinia  for  landowners,  members  of  the  community  and  other  interested  stakeholders  in  July/August  2018.  APA 
presented key findings of environmental investigations conducted to-date and answered questions from the community. 
AGL  representatives  and  technical  specialists  were  also  present  and  participated  in  the  Q&A  session  following  APA’s 
pipeline presentation.

Stay-in business capex increased to $112.6 million in FY2018 from $68.8 million in FY2017. This remains in line with both the 
long term asset management planning cycle across our assets and the increasing scale of the business and did reflect in 
FY2018  ongoing  business  and technology  spend  of  in the  order  of  $22.4  million  –  reflecting the  continuing  growth  of the 
business.

9.  Financing Activities
9.1  Capital Management
As at 30 June 2018, APA had 1,179,893,848 securities on issue. This changed from 30 June 2017, with 65,586,479 new stapled 
securities issued following the $500 million capital raise (Entitlement Offer) announced on 21 February 2018 and completed 
on 23 March 2018. This additional equity strengthened APA’s balance sheet enabling it to efficiently and prudently fund the 
approximately $1.4 billion plus of committed growth capex projects, due for completion through the period to June 2019.

Over many years, APA has consistently maintained the process of funding its growth from a mix of cash generated from 
within the business and appropriate levels of debt and equity.

Significant debt transactions during FY2018 were the redemption of the $515 million of Subordinated Notes at their first-call 
date of 31 March 2018 and the repayment of $125.8 million (JPY 10 billion) Japanese Medium Term Notes at maturity on 22 
June 2018. Committed bank debt funding was increased and extended with the execution in May 2018 of a two tranche 5 and 
5.5 year $1,000 million Syndicated Bank Facility, to replace the $518.8 million of syndicated facilities maturing in September 
2018 and 2020. Maturity dates of a number of existing bilateral bank facilities with commitments totalling $250 million, were 
also extended during the year.

APA’s debt portfolio has a broad spread of maturities extending out to FY2035, with an average maturity of drawn debt of 6.9 
years at 30 June 2018. APA’s gearing (6) of 65.4% at 30 June 2018 was lower than the 67.4% at 30 June 2017 due to the $500 
million equity raised through the Entitlement Offer. APA remains well positioned to fund its planned growth activities with 
around $1,400 million in cash and committed undrawn facilities post completion of the 2 July 2018 syndicated debt facility, 
as well as ongoing access to a broad range of debt capital markets.

6)  For the purposes of the calculation, drawn debt that has been kept in USD (rather than AUD) has been nominally exchanged at AUD/USD exchange rates of 

0.7772 for Euro and GBP MTN issuances and 0.7879 for US144A notes at their respective inception dates.

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  27

directors’ report. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES

9.1  Capital Management (continued)

APA debt maturity profile and diversity of funding sources (a)

$1,600m

$1,200m

$800m

$400m

0

FY19

FY20

FY21

FY22

FY23

FY24

FY25

FY26

FY27

FY28

FY29

FY30

FY31

FY32

FY33

FY34

FY35

Headroom (bank borrowings)
Bank borrowings
Sterling MTN

Euro MTN
US 144A Notes

Australian MTN
US Private Placement Notes

Canadian MTN
USD denominated obligations (b)

a) APA debt maturity profile as at 2 July 2018.

b) USD denominated obligations translated to AUD at the prevailing rate at inception (USD144A - AUD/USD=0.7879, EMTN & Sterling AUD/USD=0.7772).

APA’s appetite for foreign currency and interest rate risk is low. This is reflected in the Treasury Risk Management Policy that 
requires conservative levels of hedging of interest rate and foreign currency exposures to minimise the potential impacts from 
adverse movements in markets. Other than as noted below, all interest rate and foreign currency exposures on debt raised in 
foreign currencies have been hedged.

The majority of the revenues to be received over the remaining 17 years of the foundation contracts on the Wallumbilla Gladstone 
Pipeline w ill be in received USD. The US$3.7 billion of debt raised to fund that acquisition is being managed as a “designated 
hedge” for these revenues and therefore have been retained in USD. Net USD cash flow (after servicing the USD interest costs) 
that is not part of that “designated relationship” will continue to be hedged into AUD on a rolling basis for an appropriate 
period of time, in-line with APA’s treasury policy. To date, the following net USD cash flow hedging has been undertaken:

Period 

FY2019 (to Feb 2019) 

Average forward USD/AUD exchange rate

0.6927

A large portion of the net revenue from March 2019 is in a designated hedge relationship with the USD debt and as such, 
when that revenue is receivable, will be recognised in the P&L at an average rate of around 0.78.

APA  also  enters  into  hedges  to  manage  its  interest  rate  exposure  on  its  floating  rate  and  other  non-Australian  dollar 
borrowings. As at 30 June 2018, 97.7% (30 June 2017: 94.5%) of interest obligations on gross borrowings was either hedged 
into or issued at fixed interest rates for varying periods extending out to March 2035.

9.2  Borrowings and finance costs
As  at  30 June  2018, APA  had  borrowings  of  $8,810.4  million  ($9,249.7  million  at  30 June  2017) from  a  mix  of  US  Private 
Placement Notes, Medium Term Notes in several currencies, United States 144A Notes and committed bank facilities.

Net finance costs decreased by $4.1 million, or 0.8%, to $509.7million (FY2017: $513.8 million). The decrease is primarily due 
to having a lower level of net drawn debt in FY2018 relative to FY2017. The average interest rate (including credit margins) (7) 
applying to drawn debt was 5.65% for the current period (FY2017: 5.56%).

APA’s interest cover ratio for the current period was 2.7 times (June 2017: 2.8 times). This remains well in excess of its debt 
covenant default ratio of 1.1 times and distribution lock up ratio of 1.3 times.

9.3  Credit ratings
APT Pipelines Limited, the borrowing entity of APA, maintained the following two investment grade credit ratings during the 
FY2018 financial year:

—  BBB long-term corporate credit rating assigned by Standard & Poor’s (S&P) in June 2009, and was placed on CreditWatch 

Positive on 14 August 2018; and

—  Baa2 long-term corporate credit rating (outlook Stable) assigned by Moody’s Investors Service (Moody’s) in April 2010, 

and affirmed on 13 August 2018.

9.4  Income tax
Income  tax  expense  for  the  financial year  of  $165.1  million  results  in  an  effective  income  tax  rate  of  38.4%,  compared  to 
38.7% for the previous corresponding period. The high effective rate is due to the significant amortisation charges relating to 
contract intangibles acquired with the Wallumbilla Gladstone Pipeline, which are not deductible for tax purposes.

7)  For the purpose of the calculation, drawn debt that has been kept in USD (rather than AUD) has been nominally exchanged at AUD/USD exchange rates 

of 0.7772 for Euro and GBP MTN issuances and 0.7879 for US144A notes at their respective inception dates.

28 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

directors’ report. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES

9.4  Income tax (continued)
After utilisation of available tax losses and research and development tax offsets, income tax of $52.0 million will be payable 
in respect of the year ended 30 June 2018. With PAYG instalments of $18.2 million having already been paid, a tax provision 
of $33.8 million has been recognised. APA has provided a Tax Transparency Report, which includes a reconciliation of profit to 
income tax payable on APA’s website at https://www.apa.com.au/investors/my-securities/tax-information/.

9.5  Distributions
Distributions paid to securityholders during the financial year were:

APT franked profit distribution 

APT unfranked profit distribution 

APT capital distribution 

APTIT profit distribution 

APTIT capital distribution 

Total 

Franking credits allocated 

Final FY2017 distribution 
paid 13 September 2017 

Interim FY2018 distribution 
paid 14 March 2018

Cents per 
security 

Total distribution 
$000 

Cents per 
security 

Total distribution 
$000

4.67 

0.79 

10.78 

3.07 

3.69 

23.00 

2.00 

52,001 

8,802 

120,183 

34,198 

41,107 

256,291 

5.83 

2.47 

7.29 

3.03 

2.38 

21.00 

2.50

65,001

27,490

81,202

33,821

26,490

234,004

On 22 August 2018, the Directors declared a final distribution for APA for the financial year of 24.0 cents per security which 
is  payable  on  12  September  2018.  Franking  credits  of  3.83  cents  per  security  will  be  allocated  to  the  APT  franked  profit 
distribution. The FY2018 final distribution will comprise the following components:

APT franked profit distribution 

APT capital distribution 

APTIT profit distribution 

APTIT capital distribution 

Total 

Franking credits allocated 

Final FY2018 distribution 
payable 12 September 2018

Cents per 
security 

Total distribution 
$000

8.93 

9.03 

2.90 

3.14 

24.00 

3.83

105,412

106,513

34,228

37,022

283,175

As a result, the total distribution applicable to the year ended 30 June 2018 is 45.0 cents per security, a 3.4% increase over the 
total distribution of 43.5 cents per security applicable to the year ended 30 June 2017. Franking credits allocated for the year 
ended 30 June 2018 distribution totalled 6.33 cents per security.

The Distribution Reinvestment Plan remains suspended.

9.6  Total securityholder return
APA’s total securityholder return for the financial year, which accounts for distributions paid plus the capital appreciation of 
APA’s security price and assumes the reinvestment of distributions at the declared time, was 11.2% (8).

APA’s total securityholder return since listing in June 2000 on the ASX, is 1,978 (9), a compound annual growth rate of 17.8%.

APA total securityholder returns since listing (June 2000) to 20 August 2018
2,000

1,500

1,000

500

0

Jul 00 Jul 01

Jul 02 Jul 03 Jul 04 Jul 05 Jul 06 Jul 07 Jul 08 Jul 09

Jul 10 Jul 11

Jul 12

Jul 13

Jul 14

Jul 15

Jul 16

Jul 17

Jul 18

APA total securityholder return

Utilities accumulation index

S&P/ASX 200 accumulation index

8) Figures quoted are sourced from IRESS and measured as at 30 June 2018.

9) Indexed from 13 June 2000, the date of APA’s listing on the ASX.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
directors’ report. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  29

9.7  Guidance for 2019 financial year
Based on current operating plans and available information, APA expects EBITDA for the full year to 30 June 2019 to be in a 
range of $1,550 million to $1,575 million.

Net interest cost is expected to be in a range of $500 million to $510 million.

In the event that the CKI proposal does not proceed and APA remains as a stand-alone listed company for the full financial 
year,  distributions  per  security  for  the  2019  financial year  are  expected  to  be  in  the  order  of  46.5  cents  per  security,  with 
franking credits which may be allocated to those distributions enhancing that cash payout.

As per current APA distribution policies, all distributions will be fully covered by operating cash flows.

EBITDA ($ millions) 

Net interest cost ($ millions) 

FY2019 guidance 

FY2018 actual

$1,550 to $1,575 

$500 to $510 

$1,518.5

$509.7

Total distribution (cents per security) 

In the order of 46.5 cents (10) 

45.0 cents

10.  Regulatory Matters
Gas Policy developments
Australia’s economic compliance regime for gas pipelines is set out in the National Gas Law (NGL) and the National Gas Rules 
(NGR). Some of APA’s pipelines have been covered by the National Gas Access Regime since it was introduced in the 1990’s. 
This regime includes mechanisms for regulatory pricing approval for “fully regulated” pipelines, and lesser obligations for “light 
regulation” pipelines.

Additional  information  disclosure  and  commercial  arbitration  rules  came  into  effect  in  August  2017  (December  2017  in 
Western Australia) and applies to APA’s unregulated pipelines, which are known by the term “non-scheme” pipelines. APA 
has worked with the Gas Market Reform Group, Australian Energy Markets Operator and the industry on the design and 
implementation of the additional rules.

Under the additional rules, pipeline operators are required to publish their pricing methodologies for non-scheme pipelines. This 
information for APA’s East Coast and Central Region gas transmission assets was published on APA’s website on 31 January 
2018 and for APA’s Western Australian gas transmission assets on 19 June 2018. It includes APA’s pricing methodology and 
other information in relation to pipeline services and tariffs for these assets consistent with the requirements of the National 
Gas Rules (Part 23). The published tariffs are consistent with tariffs that APA has agreed with its customers over a number 
of  years  and  with  competitive  outcomes.  APA  supports  this  initiative  of  improved  information  transparency.  Additional 
disclosure provisions require publication by 31 October 2018 of individual pipeline financial statements and average prices.

The  commercial  arbitration  rules  provide  negotiating  parties  who  cannot  reach  agreement,  access  to  an  arbitrator  to 
determine a commercial outcome consistent with the outcomes that would occur in a workably competitive market. APA 
has continued to successfully negotiate all new contracts and contract renewals with its customers since the additional rules 
came into effect.

The COAG Energy Council has agreed to final recommendations on the design and implementation of a pipeline capacity 
trading reform package following industry discussions that APA participated in, including:

—  A capacity trading platform to be operated by the Australian Energy Market Operator, to facilitate the secondary trade of 

pipeline capacity between shippers;

—  A  daily  auction  of  un-nominated  contracted  shipper  capacity,  run  by  the  Australian  Energy  Market  Operator,  on  all 

major pipelines.

The new capacity trading market mechanisms are scheduled to commence in March 2019.

Limited Merits Review
On 30 October 2017, the Australian Government abolished the limited merits review process of the Australian Competition 
Tribunal in relation to decisions by the Australian Energy Regulator or Economic Regulation Authority (Western Australia). 
Judicial  review  continues  to  be  available  as  a  means  of  challenging  an  error  by  the  regulator  in  its  access  arrangement 
determinations.

AEMC review of economic regulatory rules
During the year, the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) undertook a review of the scope of economic regulation 
applied to regulated pipelines under Parts 8-12 of the National Gas Rules.

On  July  3  2018,  the  AEMC  released  its  final  report  recommending  a  variety  of  legislative  and  rule  changes.  The  key 
recommendations from APA’s perspective are:

—  The alignment of the arbitration process for covered pipelines to that which applies in Part 23 of the National Gas Rules to 

non-scheme pipelines;

—  All expansions of regulated pipelines, past and present, covered or uncovered are to be included in the access arrangement 
for the pipeline. This means that the currently uncovered expansions of the Goldfields Gas Pipeline would be included in 
that pipeline’s next access arrangement due in January 2020; and

—  The  regulator  to  set  an  initial  capital  base  for  light  regulated  pipelines  that  don’t  currently  have  one.  This  will  have 

application to the Carpentaria Gas Pipeline and the Kalgoorlie Kambalda Pipeline.

10) In the event that the CKI proposal does not proceed and APA remains as a stand-alone listed company for the full financial year.

 
30 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

directors’ report. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES

Regulatory resets
The diagram below outlines the scheduled regulatory reset dates for pipelines owned and operated by APA. During FY2018, 
approximately 9.0% of APA’s Energy Infrastructure revenues were revenues that are subject to regulated outcomes.

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

Central Ranges Pipeline (a)

Central Ranges Network (a)

Goldfields Gas Pipeline

Amadeus Gas Pipeline

Roma Brisbane Pipeline

Victorian Transmission System

a) Asset will cease to be covered as of 1 July 2019 in accordance with the National Gas Law and Rules.

Current regulatory period

Next regulatory period

Key regulatory matters addressed during the year included:

Victorian Transmission System Access Arrangement
In November 2017, the Australian Energy Regulator published its final decision on the access arrangement applying to the 
Victorian  Transmission  System  from  1  January  2018.  The  Australian  Energy  Regulator  approved  APA’s  recent  significant 
expansions of the system to enable gas flows between Victoria and New South Wales, as well as the need for further future 
expansions of the Victorian system, as prudent expenditure. Average tariffs will be largely unchanged from the previous period.

Roma Brisbane Pipeline Access Arrangement
In November 2017, the Australian Energy Regulator also published its final decision on the Roma Brisbane Access Arrangement 
which  will  apply  from  1  January  2018.  The  Regulator  in  its  decision  recognises  changes  in  the  pipeline  configuration  and 
demand profile since the Regulator’s last review through the approval of a bi-directional postage stamp tariff structure. The 
new tariff is in line with that applying in the previous period, and APA’s ongoing revenues that flow from longer term contracts 
that are currently in place, are unchanged by the determination.

Other access arrangement information
In  July  2018,  the  Australian  Energy  Regulator  released  its  draft  rate  of  return  guideline.  The  revised  guideline,  subject  to 
implementation,  would  not  apply  to  any  APA  pipeline  until  2021.  APA  has  a  number  of  concerns  with  the  rate  of  return 
proposed in the draft decision and will be making submission to the Australian Energy Regulator on that basis. A final decision 
is expected in December 2018.

The Economic Regulation Authority of Western Australia released in June 2018 its draft rate of return guideline. This guideline 
when finalised will apply to the Goldfields Gas Pipeline’s next Access Arrangement, which is due to commence in January 2020. 
There are aspects of the guideline with which APA does not agree and these will be pursued in submissions to the Regulator.

Energy industry developments

THE ENERGY CHARTER ~ the energy industry working together to deliver energy for a better Australia

Energy  is  an  essential  service  and  delivering  it  in  accordance 
with community expectations is what the whole energy industry 
needs to do every day. APA plays an essential part in Australia’s 
energy supply chain, as does each and every producer, generator, 
pipeline and network operator and retailer.

In  FY2018,  15  CEOs  (including  APA’s  Mick  McCormack),  from  across  the  Australian  energy  supply  chain,  committed 
to  develop  a  consumer  charter to  put  customers first  and foremost within  each  of their  businesses  and the  energy 
industry as a whole. The Energy Charter aims to engender collective accountability for customer outcomes across the 
whole industry to ensure that customers can feel confident that their energy needs are being met and that the energy 
sector is working in customers’ interests. This commitment will be demonstrated through the embedding of customer 
focused  culture;  improving  affordability;  focussing  on  reliability,  safety  and  sustainability;  improving  the  customer 
experience; and supporting customers in vulnerable circumstances. It is also about working collaboratively with each 
other, government and community to deliver better outcomes for customers and the community.

Energy Consumers Australia is playing a leadership role in the development of The Energy Charter. All energy businesses 
will be invited to commit to The Energy Charter, by which they agree to publicly identify how they are delivering against 
the Charter Principles, and if not, why not.

Collaboration  with  consumer  and  end  user  advocacy  groups  with  the  energy  industry  has  been  a  critical  feature 
of  the  Energy  Charter’s  development. Together,  our  aim  is  to  deliver  better  energy  outcomes  for  all  customers  and 
Australians alike.

Public consultation on the process to provide input is expected later in CY2018. For more information go to 
www.theenergycharter.com.au.

directors’ report. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  31

11.  Health, Safety and Environment
11.1  Health and safety reporting
During the reporting period, APA continued implementing the Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Strategic Plan with 
FY2018 being the second year of a three year undertaking. The plan is designed to further develop APA’s HSE framework, 
systems,  culture  and  initiatives  to  prevent  harm  to  our  people,  contractors  and  the  broader  community,  and  to  deliver  a 
sustainable future. Key achievements of the HSE strategic initiatives during the period included:

—  Undertaking a comprehensive review of how APA and its contractors report and manage asset strikes to gas and other 
utility underground infrastructure, particularly within Networks operations where infrastructure is located in populated 
areas. The comprehensive review resulted in a focus on asset strike prevention and the trialling of new work practices and 
innovative equipment such as a ground penetrating radar, that has helped reduce the number of related strike incidents;

—  APA’s Alcohol and Other Drugs Policy was updated to reflect a blood alcohol level of 0.00 for all employees and contractors. 
A new protocol was introduced that provides greater emphasis on managing risks associated with alcohol and other drugs. 
It provides for random testing for both field and corporate personnel. The protocol was rolled out with an education and 
awareness program and forms part of the induction and ongoing training program of all employees and contractors; and

—  Introduction of the ‘Bounce – Aspire, Participate, Achieve’ Health and Wellbeing Program. This included the rollout of an 
online Health and Wellbeing portal for all employees that provides the latest information on key wellness topics, as well 
as access to confidential assessments.

APA continues to target being a zero harm workplace for its employees, contractors and the broader communities in which it 
operates. Disappointingly, despite an increased focus on safety and training, APA’s key injury metrics deteriorated during the 
reporting period.

The Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR) at the financial 
year  end  was  1.76,  up  from  0.52  in  the  last  financial  year 
and the Total Reportable Injury Frequency Rate (TRIFR) for 
FY2018  was  8.94,  up  from  7.50  in  FY2017.  Both  frequency 
rates cover employees and contractors. There were multiple 
factors impacting the increases including continued increase 
in  reporting  and  a  large  amount  of  project  work  and 
challenges  in  effective  contractor  management,  which  will 
become key areas for improvement in FY2019. Going forward, 
APA will be focussing on TRIFR as its main lag metric as it 
is  a truer  indicator  of  health  and  safety  performance than 
LTIFR. Importantly, there were no fatalities of employees or 
contractors in FY2018 (FY2017: nil).

Total reportable injury frequency rate (TRIFR)

15

10

5

0

8.11

10.41

8.94

7.5

FY15

FY16

FY17

FY18

Note: TRIFR is measured as the number of lost time and medically
treated injuries sustained per million hours worked. Data includes both
employees and contractors.

Injuries  were  predominantly  hand  and  musculoskeletal  type  injuries.  As  a  result,  APA  has  introduced  targeted  programs 
such as the Hand Safety campaign and is also undertaking a comprehensive review of work practices with the goal to prevent 
manual handling injuries through task risk assessments and improved targeted manual handling training.

ASSET STRIKE – KNOW WHAT’S BELOW ~ LOCATE before you EXCAVATE

In response, APA developed a series of initiatives 
to address these root causes, including:

—  Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) which has been 

successfully trialled

—  Locating equipment training for supervisors and 

users

—  Locating device performance specifications 

to be standardised

—  Asset owners including APA are required to review 
and update their DBYD information where it is 
found to be not correct or incomplete

—  Change in work practices and mindset

—  Successful trial of Excavation Process flowchart 

and checklist

With the change in mindset from implementing these 
initiatives, there has been a sizable reduction in asset 
strike incidences during the reporting period.

With  the  majority  of  gas  and  other  utility  infrastructure 
buried underground and out of sight, asset strikes are an 
ongoing risk to APA’s business, particularly within Networks 
operations  where  infrastructure  is  located  in  populated 
areas.  To  reduce  this  risk,  a  comprehensive  reporting 
mechanism was implemented in 2016 to capture detailed 
asset strike data. This includes recording any strike on both 
gas and electrical assets classified as high risk. 

Increasing  visibility  on  the  incidence  of  asset  strikes  and 
having  a  measure  of  how  significant  the  issue  might 
possibly  be,  meant  that  investigations,  process  reviews 
and preventative actions can take place to reduce the risk 
of  incidence.  All  incidents  are  investigated  following  the 
Incident,  Cause,  Analysis  Method  (ICAM)  which  is  based 
around  4  key  questions:  1)  what  happened?;  2)  why  did  it 
happen?; 3) what are we going to do about it?: and 4) what 
did we learn that we can share?

Following  a  comprehensive  review  of  all  the  incident  root 
causes recorded post implementation of the new reporting 
system, a range of causal issues were revealed, notably:
—  Failure to locate assets – both accurately and 

effectively

—  Limitations of existing cable locating equipment
—  Proliferation of mechanical excavation within three 

metres of assets

—  Non-compliant installation practices
—  Dial Before You Dig (DBYD) information incorrect, 

or not properly displayed

32 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

directors’ report. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES

11.1  Health and safety reporting (continued)
The  Strategic  Improvement  Plan  and  the  planned  initiatives  for  FY2018  have  been  achieved  during  the year  with  further 
details contained in the Sustainability Report. Of particular note for the period was APA’s focus on continuing to foster a 
positive Health and Safety culture at APA. During the reporting period, further development of our leaders to ‘lead a safety 
culture’ was undertaken through various training and development programs.

APA’s employees continue to enthusiastically participate in APA’s annual awards recognition initiative. In FY2018, the format of 
the Excellence Awards was refreshed to align to APA’s ‘STARS’ values of Safety (including health and environment), Trustworthy, 
Adaptable, Results and Service. Over 130 nominations were received, including over 40 for the Safety Award. This award recognises 
those who go above and beyond to ensure APA is a safe and environmentally conscious organisation where people feel respected, 
valued and where their health and wellbeing is a primary focus. The winner in FY2018 was Carlo Corso, APA’s Operational Services 
Manager, for his leadership in assisting colleagues to understand, support and educate each other on the importance of APA safety 
systems, including the Permit to Work system, fire prevention and control, and Safe Work Method Statements.

APA’s initiative in FY2016 as part of the Strategic Improvement Plan SafeDrive+ program of installing in vehicle monitoring 
systems  (IVMS)  in APA  vehicles  continues  to  reap  safety  benefits  and  manage APA’s  operational  risk. APA  has  a  fleet  of 
around  550  vehicles,  with  over  300  currently  fitted  with  the  IVMS  technology.  In  FY2018,  with  over  15  million  kilometres 
travelled by APA vehicles, there was a significant reduction in the high risk violation metrics in the areas of speed and wearing a 
seatbelt whilst moving. Vehicle movements are monitored via APA’s Integrated Operations Centre in Brisbane which provides 
employees working remotely and/or driving long distances, and their families, with a high level of comfort that APA knows 
where they are at all times and when they should arrive at their nominated destinations.

The Safety and Operating Plan for the distribution networks in NSW and Victoria that APA operates has been audited during 
the financial year, in accordance with technical regulatory requirements.

For further information on APA’s health and safety initiatives, please refer to the Sustainability Report (page S11 to S15), 
which forms part of this report.

11.2  Environmental Strategy
Following the completion of APA’s Environmental Strategy and Improvement Plan in FY2017, an Environmental Management 
Plan  (EMP)  Improvement  Program  has  been  developed  and  was  approved  by  the  Board  during  the  reporting  period. 
Implementation of the EMP Program has also commenced.

The  purpose  of  the  EMP  Program  is  to  apply,  at  the  asset  level,  the  environment  framework  delivered  under  the 
Environmental Strategy and Improvement Plan. The central deliverable of the EMP Program is a refresh of APA’s existing 
environmental compliance tools that will achieve alignment, standardisation and more streamlined integration of controls 
into business operations.

As the EMP Program is being implemented across the whole business, input will be incorporated from all operational business 
divisions in Transmission and Networks and Power and the compliance methods applied to these business units will also be 
integrated into APA’s Infrastructure Development projects as they commence.

A key component of the EMP Program is the rollout of a revised environmental risk assessment process. This bespoke risk 
assessment methodology developed under the environmental framework will ensure alignment and standardisation of how 
APA assesses environmental risk throughout the organisation.

The EMP Program also links to and integrates with existing businesses systems and processes wherever possible, for example 
GIS  capabilities,  training  and  on-boarding  programs,  work  planning  and  scheduling,  contractor  management,  emergency 
response and incident management.

The  EMP  Program  will  see  interdepartmental  collaboration  across  the  enterprise,  linking  processes  and  aligning  thinking 
between the Environment Team and key departments including the Group Risk and Compliance, Technical and Regulator 
Compliance, Systems and Assurance, Infrastructure Protection, Enterprise Asset Management and Engineering.

During FY2018, significant planning work was commenced to set the EMP Program up for success. Compliance registers have 
been combined, asset hazard analyses commenced and two pilot Environmental Management Plans have been completed 
for the Dandenong LNG facility (Victoria) and the Central Ranges Pipeline (NSW). These pilots validated the risk assessment 
methodology, tested the system integration of control methods and have been supported by extensive communication and 
awareness in operational business units.

A new Environment Homepage was launched on APA’s Intranet in March 2018. This is designed as the central landing point 
for  all  APA  employees  to  find  compliance  plans,  learning  resources,  tools  and  guidelines  and  more.  The  site  and  central 
information bank for environmental resources has demonstrated its worth by the increased awareness and understanding of 
environmental risk and compliance across APA.

For further information on APA’s environmental management initiatives, please refer to the Sustainability Report (page S04 
to S07), which forms part of this report.

11.3  Environmental regulations
Environmental regulatory frameworks continued to evolve and change across Australia in FY2018. APA monitors, adapts and 
complies with changes in environmental compliance requirements. Where appropriate, APA contributes industry knowledge 
for consideration in the development of environmental legislation.

APA  operates  its  assets  under  approved  licences  within  relevant  state  and  territory  jurisdictions.  Collaboration  between  APA’s 
compliance and environmental functions ensures that environmental obligations are planned for concurrently with other regulatory 
requirements so that pipeline, distribution, power and gas processing assets owned and/or operated by APA are designed, constructed, 
tested, operated and maintained in accordance with licences issued by the relevant state and territory technical regulators.

directors’ report. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  33

11.3  Environmental regulations (continued)
APA a contributor to the ongoing update of the Australian Standard AS 2885 “Pipelines – Gas and Liquid Petroleum” suite of 
documents during the reporting period. This Australian Standard is a key part of all pipeline-related environmental compliance 
frameworks for the high-pressure pipeline industry.

During the period, APA also contributed the expertise of our employees to the working group of the Australian Pipelines and 
Gas Association (APGA) that revised the ‘APGA Code of Environmental Practice (2017)’. The APGA Code of Environmental 
Practice is an important document that provides industry accepted guidance on environmental management through the 
planning and asset acquisition, construction, operational and decommissioning phases of a pipelines’ lifecycle.

Internal  compliance  audits  were  completed  across  the  Transmission,  Networks,  Power  and  Infrastructure  Development 
business divisions during FY2018. Senior management reviews audit report findings and any material non-compliances and 
incidents are communicated.

APA  did  not  receive  any  penalty  notices  relating  to  environmental  compliance  in  any  Australian  jurisdictions  during  the 
reporting period.

11.4 Environmental reporting
APA continues to comply with periodic and ad hoc state and territory environmental reporting obligations. During the period, 
APA’s business units compiled and submitted National Pollutant Inventory (NPI) reports to the responsible state and territory 
regulators for any of the relevant 93 substances that may have been emitted to the air, land and water, and transported 
in waste.

APA’s  business  units  also  submitted  periodic  Environmental  Reports  (including  monthly  and  annual  reports)  to  state  and 
territory regulators in FY2018, verifying the implementation of environmental controls and minimisation of environmental 
risk across our business activities.

In October 2017, APA complied with Australia’s National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (NGER) obligations for FY2017. 
APA’s  main  sources  of  emissions  are from the  combustion  of  natural  gas  in  compressor  stations, from fugitive  emissions 
associated with natural gas pipelines, and from gas fired power stations. NGER compliance reporting applies to assets under 
APA’s operational control, which includes gas transmission/distribution pipelines, power generation facilities (including wind 
farms), gas storage, gas processing, cogeneration, electricity transmission interconnectors and corporate offices.

APA’s summary of Scope 1 and 2 emissions and energy consumption for the 2017 financial year as reported under the NGER, 
are set out in the following table. Reports are completed each year at the end of October for the prior financial year to allow 
organisations time to collect, collate and calculate their energy and emissions data. APA will report its FY2018 data to the 
Clean Energy Regulator in October 2018.

Scope 1 (a) CO2 emissions (tonnes) 
Scope 2 (b) CO2 emissions (tonnes) 
Energy consumption (c) (GJ) 

FY2017 

FY2016 

Change

1,228,807 

1,084,236 

25,012 

26,555 

23,930,506 

19,510,937 

13.33%

(5.81%)

22.65%

a) Scope 1: emissions associated directly with APA facilities, such as company vehicles, ‘fuel combustion’ and fugitive emissions from gas pipelines.

b)  Scope  2:  are  indirect  emissions that  are  emitted  by  sources  owned  by  another  company,  but  result from APA’s  activities  such  as  consumption  of  purchased 

electricity/fuel not generated by the facility but used under its operations.

c) Energy Consumption is referring to the total calculation of all energy consumed and produced by APA across all facilities i.e. it is the calculation of net energy 
consumption  and  energy  production.  Scope  1  and  energy  consumption figures  are  correlated  as the  more  gas that  goes through APA’s  system,  more  gas  is 
consumed to drive the compressors to transport gas through the pipelines, thereby increasing Scope 1 emissions as well as energy consumption.

The  variations  compared  to  the  previous  corresponding  period  are  due  to  FY2016  figures  not  including  Daandine  Power 
Station as this was reported in the on-site service provider’s report only.

12.  Risk Overview
APA identifies risks to its business and puts in place mitigation strategies to remove or minimise the negative effect and 
maximise  opportunities  in  respect  of  those  risks.  Material  risks  are  reviewed  on  an  ongoing  basis  by APA’s  Executive  Risk 
Management Committee and the Board Audit and Risk Management Committee, together with the relevant business units 
and both internal and where appropriate, external, experts.

The  Enterprise  Risk  Management  System  sets  out  the  approach  for  ensuring  risk  is  effectively  identified,  managed  and 
monitored. This comprises three elements including the Risk Management Policy; Risk Management Enablers providing for 
governance, a strong risk culture, technology support and ongoing training; and the Risk Management Framework which sets 
out key risk management processes.

The Enterprise Risk Management System is aligned to the international risk standard ISO 31000. All other functional risk 
frameworks align to the Enterprise Risk Management System to provide consistency and a common language for risk which 
is integral to key business decisions.

Risk assessments consider a combination of the probability and consequence of identified risks. Listed below are a number 
of key risks that could materially affect APA. However, the risks listed may not include all risks associated with APA’s ongoing 
operations. The materiality of risks may change and previously unidentified risks may emerge.

Further  information  on  this  process  is  provided  in  APA’s  Corporate  Governance  Statement  (refer  to  Principle  7),  the 
Sustainability Report (contained in this report) and APA’s website at https://www.apa.com.au/about-apa/our-organisation/
corporate-governance/.

 
34 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

directors’ report. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES

12.  Risk Overview (continued)

APA Risk Management

–  Review current and emerging material risks
–  Review key risks and compliance policies
–  Review insurance arrangements
–  Review of risk strategy and framework
–  Approve crisis management plan
–  Promote a risk aware culture

APA Group Board

APA Group Audit & 
Risk Management Committee

Executive Risk Management 
Committee

–  Approve risk strategy, risk policy and  

risk framework

–  Approve risk appetite
–  Approve key risk and compliance policies
–  Review and monitor current and  
  emerging material risks and actions

Group Risk & Compliance/ 
Group Insurance

–  Enterprise Risk Management/    
  Compliance Frameworks, systems 
  and guidance
–  Business Continuity and Crisis  
  Management framework
–  Asset, project and corporate  

insurance program

Functional risk frameworks 

Aligned to Enterprise Risk
Management Framework including
–  IT Security
–  Safety & Environment
–  Treasury Risk
–  Project Risk

APA Divisions

–  Implement Risk Frameworks
–  Own risks, controls and actions
–  Own compliance plans and controls
–  Support provided from  
  functional risk specialists
–  Review and report risk exposures
–  Apply risk appetite in key decisions

Independent Review

–  Internal Audit
–  External Audit
–  Third party audits and reviews

Divisional Review

–  Functional risk review
–  Divisional audits and testing

12.1  Key risks

Type of Risk

Description

Management Actions to Mitigate Risks

Strategic risks – risks arising from the industry and geographical environments within which APA operates, including its 
markets, customers, brand and reputation, and regulatory policy.

Economic regulation

Bypass and 
competition risk

APA has a number of significant assets and 
investments in its portfolio subject to economic 
regulation, which includes the regulation of 
prices that APA is permitted to charge for 
certain services. Government policy in relation 
to the Australian domestic gas market also 
continues to develop. Changes in policy as to 
which assets are regulated and the settings 
applicable to regulated assets can impact 
APA’s business.

APA’s future earnings may be reduced if 
customers purchase gas transportation services 
from new pipelines that by-pass or compete 
with APA’s pipelines, rather than from APA’s 
existing pipelines.

Gas demand risk

Reduced end user demand for gas driven by its 
price, relative to competing energy sources or 
gas swap contracts, may reduce demand levels 
for services on APA’s assets.

Gas supply risk

A long-term shortage of competitively priced 
gas, either as a result of gas reserve depletion, 
allocation of gas to other markets, or the 
unwillingness or inability of gas production 
companies to produce gas, may adversely affect 
APA’s contracted revenue and the carrying value 
of APA’s assets.

—  Strong regulatory and policy functions, 

active in regulatory management and policy 
development.

—  Assessment of key policy change proposals 
for potential impacts on APA’s business.

—  Structured and flexible services that 

leverage APA’s capability and infrastructure.

—  Customer relationship engagement 
and active management of business 
development opportunities.

—  Asset management plans aligned with 

capacity contracting strategy.

—  Monitoring commodity markets, export 

outlook and gas market developments for 
throughput impacts.

—  Flexible gas transport and storage services 

supporting gas fired generators.

—  Long term gas storage/transportation 

agreements.

—  Recontracting strategy and market 

monitoring.

—  Knowledge and monitoring of gas reserves 

to identify potential opportunities.

 
 
 
 
 
directors’ report. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  35

12.1  Key risks (continued)

Type of Risk

Description

Management Actions to Mitigate Risks

Counterparty risk

The failure of a counterparty to meet its 
contractual commitments to APA, whether in 
whole or in part, could reduce future anticipated 
revenue, unless and until APA is able to secure an 
alternative customer.

—  Portfolio of investment grade credit 

rated customers.

—  Strong counterparty credit due diligence 

with customer credit exposures 
closely monitored.

Contract renewal risk Due to a range of factors, APA may not be 

Reputation risk

Climate Risk

successful in recontracting available pipeline 
capacity or power generation capacity when 
it comes due for contract renewal, or may only 
be able to recontract at reduced prices or for 
shorter periods.

APA relies on a level of public acceptance for 
the development and operation of its assets. 
Community sentiment in relation to the energy 
industry as a whole, as well as APA’s business 
may impact APA’s commercial opportunities, 
its ability to develop new projects and operate 
its assets.

APA and its customers may be adversely 
affected by the physical impacts of climate 
change including increases in temperature, 
sea levels, and the frequency of adverse 
climatic events including fires, storms, floods 
and droughts.

—  Contractual credit support arrangements 

in place.

—  Recontracting strategy in place with close 
monitoring of contract renewal portfolio.

—  Monitoring of emerging gas supply 

alternatives and power generation market 
developments to identify opportunities.

—  Engagement with key stakeholders 
(landowners, producers, customers, 
government etc).

—  Industry engagement and contribution 

to Energy Charter initiative.

—  Commitment to implementation of 

Task Force on Climate Related Financial 
Disclosures (TCFD).

—  Program of work to understand climate 

change impacts on business and strengthen 
climate risk governance is underway.

Financial risks – risks arising from the management of APA’s financial resources, accounting, tax and financial disclosure.

Interest rates and 
refinancing risks

APA is exposed to movements in interest rates 
where floating interest rate funds are not 
effectively hedged. It also remains exposed 
to refinancing risk if it is unable to replace an 
existing loan with a new one at a critical time.

—  Risk limits set by the Board and 

managed in line with APA’s Treasury Risk 
Management Policy.

—  Debt structured to spread maturities over 

a number of years.

—  Maximum and minimum interest rate 

hedging levels defined and managed using 
derivatives and debt issued at fixed interest 
rates through to maturity.

—  Access to broad range of global debt capital 

markets maintained.

Foreign exchange risks APA is subject to currency fluctuations in relation 

—  Risk limits set by the Board and 

Investment risk

Credit rating risks

to the purchase, supply and installation of 
goods and services revenue, and borrowings, 
in a currency other than Australian dollars. 
There can be no assurance that APA will be 
able to effectively hedge its foreign currency 
exposure, particularly in periods of significant 
currency volatility, and/or that APA’s hedges will 
prove effective.

Assumptions and forecasts used in making 
decisions to acquire assets and make 
investments, may ultimately not be realised. 
This may result in lower than expected returns, 
unanticipated costs, new skillsets or capabilities 
needing to be acquired, new types of regulatory 
approvals being needed where APA has 
limited experience.

Any downgrade in APA’s credit rating could harm 
its ability to obtain financing, could increase 
its financing costs or cause the instruments 
governing APA’s future debt to contain more 
restrictive covenants.

managed in line with APA’s Treasury Risk 
Management Policy.

—  Hedging instruments used to cap non-AUD 

denominated revenue and expenses.

—  Foreign currency borrowings fully hedged.

—  Board approved corporate and asset models 
used for investment decisions and planning.

—  Models underpinning investment decisions 

independently reviewed.

—  Oversight by APA’s Due Diligence 

Committees for material investment 
transactions.

—  Board approves all treasury transactions 
with counterparties falling below defined 
credit rating thresholds.

—  Counterparties are risk assessed with 

credit ratings monitored and credit support 
obtained to limit risk exposure.

36 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

directors’ report. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES

12.1  Key risks (continued)

Type of Risk

Description

Management Actions to Mitigate Risks

Operational Risks – risks arising from inadequate or failed internal processes, people or systems or from external events 
including construction and corporate projects, technology, environment, and health and safety.

Operations risk

APA is exposed to a number of risks affecting 
operations including those resulting in 
equipment failures or breakdowns, pipeline 
ruptures, employee or equipment shortages, 
workplace safety issues, environmental damage, 
contractor defaults, damage by third parties, 
integration incidents from acquired or newly 
constructed assets and damage from natural 
hazards, sabotage or terrorist attacks.

Information 
technology and cyber 
risk

APA’s operations rely on a number of 
information technology systems, applications 
and business processes utilised in the delivery 
of business functions, including APA’s customer 
management system, grid network and 
integrated operations centre.

People risk

Construction and 
development risk

APA is dependent on its ability to attract, 
engage, develop and retain the right employees 
within a market where there is varying supply 
of skilled workers. APA’s operations are 
geographically dispersed which can make 
attraction and retention of skilled employees in 
regional and remote locations a challenge.

APA’s business strategy includes the 
development of new pipeline capacity, 
renewable and gas-fired power generation 
plants, gas storage facilities and gas processing 
assets. This involves a number of typical 
construction risks, including potential failure 
to obtain necessary approvals, employee or 
equipment shortages, third party contractor 
failure, higher than budgeted construction costs 
and project delays.

—  Operations are subject to operational safety 
and environment management programs.

—  Maintenance of engineering standards, 

including integrity monitoring and 
maintenance programs as part of risk based 
asset life cycle management.

—  Asset monitoring through control 
rooms to manage flows and asset 
maintenance issues.

—  Comprehensive insurance 

arrangements provided as part of asset 
protection program.

—  IT infrastructure managed in accordance 

with recognised industry standards across 
hardware, software, applications and 
communication systems.

—  Cyber security standards across APA 
IT infrastructure, including IT vendors 
continually assessed for new threats 
and vulnerabilities.

—  IT systems including SCADA are subject to 
regular reviews and independent testing.

—  Leadership capability programs in place.

—  Recruitment practices in place and subject 

to improvement.

—  Talent management programs to 
identify and develop technical and 
leadership personnel.

—  Comprehensive training programs in place 
to maintain and develop competencies.

—  Access and approvals management for 

new construction projects.

—  Dedicated construction project 

management capability and governance to 
manage efficient, safe and quality delivery 
of construction projects.

Compliance risks – legal or regulatory risks arising in respect of laws, regulations, licences and recognised practising codes 
including health, safety and environment, asset construction and operation, and other corporate compliance requirements.

Compliance and 
operating licences

APA is subject to a range of operational 
regulatory requirements including environmental 
laws and regulations, occupational health 
and safety requirements and technical and 
safety standards. Changes in any such laws, 
regulations or policies may increase compliance 
requirements and costs.

—  Comprehensive Enterprise Compliance 
Management System with regulations 
identified, controls monitored and assurance.

—  Comprehensive safety management system 

including safety compliance monitoring.

—  Dedicated specialist teams providing 

asset level assurance for technical and 
environment compliance.

directors’ report. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  37

13.  Directors
13.1  Information on Directors and Company Secretary
See pages 06 to 07 for information relating to qualifications and experience on Directors and the Company Secretary.

13.2 Directorships of other listed companies
Directorships of other listed companies held by Directors at any time in the three years immediately before the end of the 
financial year are as follows:

Name

Company

Period of directorship

Michael Fraser

Aurizon Holdings Limited

Since February 2016

Michael McCormack

–

–

Steven Crane

Debra Goodin

nib holdings limited

Since September 2010, Chair since October 2011

Senex Energy Limited

oOh!media Limited

Since May 2014

Since November 2014

Ten Network Holdings Limited

August 2016 to November 2017

Atlas Arteria Limited

Since September 2017

Russell Higgins AO

Telstra Corporation Limited

Since September 2009

Argo Investments Limited

Since September 2011, Chair since July 2018

Argo Global Listed Infrastructure Limited

Chair since July 2018

Patricia McKenzie 

–

–

Shirley In’t Veld

Asciano Limited

DUET Group

November 2010 to August 2016

August 2013 to May 2017

Northern Star Resources Limited

Since September 2016

Peter Wasow

Alcoa Australia Limited

Oz Minerals Limited

Alumina Limited

January 2014 to July 2017

Since November 2017

September 2011 to May 2017

13.3 Directors’ meetings
During  the  financial  year,  17  Board  meetings,  four  Audit  and  Risk  Management  Committee  meetings,  four  People  and 
Remuneration  Committee  meetings,  four  Health  Safety  and  Environment  Committee  meetings  and  six  Nomination 
Committee meetings were held. The following table sets out the number of meetings attended by each Director while they 
were a Director or a committee member:

Board

People & 
Remuneration 
Committee

Audit & Risk 
Management 
Committee

Health Safety 
& Environment 
Committee

Nomination 
Committee

Directors

Michael Fraser

Michael McCormack

Steven Crane

Debra Goodin

Russell Higgins AO

Patricia McKenzie

Shirley Int’d Veld

Peter Wasow

Leonard Bleasel AM (11)

John Fletcher (12)

A

17

17

17

17

17

17

7

7

6

10

B

16

17

17

17

17

17

6

6

6

9

A

2

–

4

–

–

4

2

2

–

2

B

2

–

3

–

–

4

2

2

–

2

A

4

–

4

4

4

–

–

1

–

3

B

4

–

4

4

4

–

–

1

–

3

A

–

–

–

4

4

4

2

–

–

–

B

–

–

–

4

4

4

2

–

–

–

A:  Number of meetings held during the time the Director held office or was a member of the committee during the financial year.

B:  Number of meetings attended.

A

6

–

1

6

6

1

–

–

1

1

B

6

–

1

6

6

1

–

–

1

1

11)  Leonard Bleasel AM retired as a Director on 27 October 2017.

12)  John Fletcher retired as a Director on 21 February 2018.

38 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

directors’ report. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES

13.4 Directors’ securityholdings
The  aggregate  number  of  APA  securities  held  directly,  indirectly  or  beneficially  by  Directors  or  their  related  entities  at 
30 June 2018 is 800,118 (2017: 1,365,674 (13)).

The following table sets out Directors’ relevant interests in APA securities as at 30 June 2018:

Directors 

Michael Fraser 

Michael McCormack 

Steven Crane 

Debra Goodin 

Russell Higgins AO 

Patricia McKenzie 

Shirley Int’d Veld (14) 

Peter Wasow (15) 

Leonard Bleasel AM (16) 

John Fletcher (17) 

Fully paid 
securities as at 
1 July 2017 

Securities 
acquired 

Fully paid 
Securities  securities as at 
30 June 2018
disposed 

25,000 

320,000 

130,000 

19,200 

122,719 

22,889 

– 

– 

637,616 

88,250 

77,942 

30,000 

– 

3,800 

7,220 

1,348 

25,000 

15,000 

– 

– 

1,365,674 

160,310 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

102,942

350,000

130,000

23,000

129,939

24,237

25,000

15,000

–

–

800,118

The Directors hold no other rights or options over APA securities. There are no contracts to which a Director is a party or under 
which the Director is entitled to a benefit and that confer a right to call for or deliver APA securities.

14.  Options Granted
In this report, the term “APA securities” refers to stapled securities each comprising a unit in Australian Pipeline Trust stapled 
to a unit in APT Investment Trust and traded on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) under the code “APA”.

No options over unissued APA securities were granted during or since the end of the financial year, no unissued APA securities 
were under option as at the date of this report, and no APA securities were issued during or since the end of the financial year 
as a result of the exercise of an option over unissued APA securities.

15.  Indemnification of Officers
During the financial year, the Responsible Entity paid a premium in respect of a contract insuring the Directors and Officers 
of  the  Responsible  Entity  and  any APA  Group  entity  against  any  liability  incurred  in  performing  those  roles  to  the  extent 
permitted by the Corporations Act 2001. The contract of insurance prohibits disclosure of the specific nature of the liability 
and the amount of the premium.

Australian Pipeline Limited, in its own capacity and as Responsible Entity of Australian Pipeline Trust and APT Investment 
Trust, indemnifies each Director and Company Secretary, and certain other executives, former executives and officers of the 
Responsible Entity or any APA Group entity under a range of deed polls and indemnity agreements which have been in place 
since 1 July 2000. The indemnity operates to the full extent allowed by law but only to the extent not covered by insurance, 
and is on terms the Board considers usual for arrangements of this type.

Under its constitution, Australian Pipeline Limited (in its personal capacity) indemnifies each person who is or has been a 
Director, Company Secretary or executive officer of that company.

The Responsible Entity has not otherwise, during or since the end of the financial year, indemnified or agreed to indemnify an officer 
or external auditor of the Responsible Entity or any APA Group entity against a liability incurred by such an officer or auditor.

13)  At 30 June 2017 the aggregate number of APA securities held directly or beneficially by Directors or their related entities included 637,616 securities held by 
Leonard Bleasel AM who retired on 27 October 2017 and 88,250 securities held by John Fletcher who retired on 21 February 2018. The aggregate number of APA 
Securities held directly or beneficially by the current Directors or their related entities as at 30 June 2017 was 639,808.

14)  Shirley In’t Veld was appointed as a Director effective 19 March 2018. She held 25,000 securities on appointment.

15)  Peter Wasow was appointed as a Director effective 19 March 2018. He held nil securities on appointment. 

16)  Leonard Bleasel AM retired as the Chairman and a Director on 27 October 2017. He held 637,616 securities on retirement.

17)  John Fletcher retired as a Director on 21 February 2018. He held 88,250 securities on retirement.

 
 
 
 
 
directors’ report. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  39

16.  Remuneration Report
The remuneration report is attached to and forms part of this report.

17.  Auditor
17.1  Auditor’s independence declaration
A copy of the independence declaration of the auditor, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu (Auditor) as required under section 307C of 
the Corporations Act 2001 is included at page 95.

17.2 Non-audit services
Non-audit  services  have  been  provided  during  the  financial  year  by  the  Auditor.  A  description  of  those  services  and  the 
amounts paid or payable to the Auditor for the services are set out in Note 27 to the financial statements.

The Board has considered those non-audit services provided by the Auditor and, in accordance with advice provided by the Audit 
and Risk Management Committee (Committee), is satisfied that the provision of those services by the Auditor is compatible 
with the general standard of independence for auditors imposed by the Corporations Act 2001 and did not compromise the 
auditor independence requirements of the Act. The Board’s reasons for concluding that the non-audit services provided did 
not compromise the Auditor’s independence are:
—  all non-audit services were subject to APA’s corporate governance procedures with respect to such matters and have been 

reviewed by the Committee to ensure they do not impact on the impartiality and objectivity of the Auditor;

—  the non-audit services provided did not undermine the general principles relating to auditor independence as they did not 
involve reviewing or auditing the Auditor’s own work, acting in a management or decision making capacity for APA, acting 
as an advocate for APA or jointly sharing risks and rewards; and

—  the  Auditor  has  provided  a  letter  to  the  Committee  with  respect  to  the  Auditor’s  independence  and  the  Auditor’s 

independence declaration referred to above.

18.  Information Required for Registered Schemes
Fees paid to the Responsible Entity and its associates (including Directors and Secretaries of the Responsible Entity, related 
bodies corporate and Directors and Secretaries of related bodies corporate) out of APA scheme property during the financial 
year are disclosed in Note 28 to the financial statements.

Except as disclosed in this report, neither the Responsible Entity nor any of its associates holds any APA securities.

The number of APA securities issued during the financial year, and the number of APA securities on issue at the end of the 
financial year, are disclosed in Note 21 to the financial statements.

The value of APA’s assets as at the end of the financial year is disclosed in the balance sheet in total assets, and the basis of 
valuation is disclosed in the notes to the financial statements.

19.  Rounding of Amounts
APA is an entity of the kind referred to in ASIC Corporations Instrument 2016/191 and, in accordance with that Class Order, 
amounts in the Directors’ report and the financial report are rounded to the nearest thousand dollars, unless otherwise indicated.

20.  Corporate Governance Statement
Corporate Governance Statement for the financial year is available at APA’s website on  https://www.apa.com.au/about-
apa/our-organisation/corporate-governance/.

21.  Authorisation
The Directors’ report is signed in accordance with a resolution of the Directors of the Responsible Entity made pursuant to 
section 298(2) of the Corporations Act 2001.

On behalf of the Directors

Michael Fraser 
Chairman 

Sydney, 22 August 2018

Debra Goodin
Director

40 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

remuneration report.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Individuals covered by this Remuneration Report

1. 
The  Remuneration  Report  for  APA  for  FY2018  has  been  prepared  in  accordance  with  Section  300A  of  the  Corporations 
Act 2001. The information provided in this Report has been audited as required by Section 308(3C) of the Corporations Action 
2001, unless indicated otherwise, and forms part of the Directors’ Report.

This Report includes the following KMP:

—  Non-executive Directors (NEDs) – current and former; and
—  Executive Key Management Personnel (KMP) (1).

Name 

NEDs

Michael Fraser 

Steven Crane 

Debra (Debbie) Goodin 

Russell Higgins AO 

Shirley In’t Veld 

Patricia McKenzie 

Peter Wasow 

Leonard Bleasel AM 

John Fletcher 

Executive KMP

Role 

Chairman 

Director 

Director 

Director 

Director 

Director 

Director 

Chairman (former) 

Director (former) 

Michael (Mick) McCormack 

Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director (CEO/MD) 

Peter Fredricson 

Ross Gersbach 

Robert Wheals 

Chief Financial Officer (CFO) 

Chief Executive Strategy and Development 

Group Executive Transmission 

Term as KMP in 2018

Full year (2)

Full year

Full year

Full year

Part year (3)

Full year

Part year (4)

Part year (5)

Part year (6)

Full year

Full year

Full year

Full year

2.  Executive Summary
2.1  FY2018 Remuneration highlights
The table below provides a snapshot of the key changes and outcomes under the relevant remuneration frameworks.

APA’s financial performance 2014 to 2018
Normalised financial results (7) 

FY2014  FY2015  FY2016  FY2017  FY2018

Earnings Before Interest Tax Depreciation and Amortisation (EBITDA) ($m)  747.3 

822.3 

1,330.5 

1,470.1 

1,518.5

Profit after tax ($m) 

Operating cash flow per security (cents) (8) 

Distribution per security (cents) (9) 

Closing security price at 30 June ($) 

199.6 

203.9 

179.5 

236.8 

264.8

49.6 

36.3 

6.89 

56.3 

38.0 

8.24 

77.1 

41.5 

9.24 

87.1 

43.5 

9.17 

90.7

45.0

9.85

1)  The Board reviewed the composition of Executive KMP from 1 July 2017. It was recognised that members of the Executive Committee all had some degree of 
authority and responsibility for planning, directing and controlling the activities of the entity, directly or indirectly. However, by the nature of their positions, some 
had a greater focus on planning and strategy, whilst, conversely, others concentrated more on the tactical execution of the business strategy. The Executive 
KMP disclosed are those whom, the Board deemed, most accurately met the definition prescribed under Australian Accounting Standards Board (AASB) 124. 

2)  Appointed Chairman 27 October 2017.

3)  Appointed 19 March 2018.

4)  Appointed 19 March 2018.

5) Retired 27 October 2017.

6)  Retired 21 February 2018.

7)  Normalised  financial  results  are  the  statutory  financial  results  excluding  significant  items.  The  Board  considers  these  measures  to  best  reflect  the  core 

earnings of APA.

8) The number of securities used for the calculation of operating cash flow per security from FY2018 to FY2014 have been adjusted by an adjustment factor of 
1.0038 to reflect the discounted rights offer issued in March 2018. The average number of securities for FY2015 and FY2014 has been further adjusted by an 
adjustment factor of 1.0360 to reflect the discounted rights offer issued between 23 December 2014 and 28 January 2015. The average number of securities 
for FY2015 and FY2014 has been further adjusted by an adjustment factor of 1.0360 to reflect the discounted rights offer issued between 23 December 2014 
and 28 January 2015.

9) Represents the total distribution applicable to the financial year.

remuneration report. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  41

e   t o t al remun

e

r

a

7.5%

Avera g

i

n

c

r

e

a

se for Exe c u t i v

FY2018

79.0%

t
i

o

n

P

e K M

0

20

40

60

80

100

2.1  FY2018 Remuneration highlights (continued)
Fixed pay

A number of fixed pay 
adjustments were made to 
reflect the increased size, 
scope and complexity of 
executive roles. These roles 
were benchmarked against 
external positions of a 
comparable nature and size.

Short term incentive

  f

e

g

Aver a

i xed pay in

c

r

e

a

s

e

3.6%

f

or Executi v e   K M P

Total remuneration outcomes

In FY2018, APA continued 
to see strong business 
performance and delivery 
of value to Securityholders. 
This drove an increase in 
the average (actual) total 
remuneration received 
compared to FY2017.

STI performance continues to be assessed against 
a balanced scorecard. 

STI awards are subject to the performance gateway 
of Operating Cash Flow per Security (OCFPS). For 
FY2018, OCFPS performance was assessed at 137.1% 
out of a maximum of 150%. This provides the total 
opportunity to which the individual executive 
performance outcomes are applied.

FY2017

80.7%

STI outcome as % maximum

Long term incentive

Reflecting the link between organisational 
performance and executive reward, executives 
will forfeit 50% of their LTI allocation under the 
Relative TSR performance hurdle. The internal 
hurdle, EBITDA/Funds Employed (FE), achieved an 
outcome of 95.4%. This means that 47.7% of the total 
LTI opportunity will be awarded in respect of the 
FY2018 financial year.

120

90

60

30

0

(30)

Minimum shareholding requirements

JUN 14

JUN 15

JUN 16

JUN 17

JUN 18

APA

ASX/S&P 200 Utilities

ASX/S&P 100

APA Market Cap Ranking in ASX100

The  Directors,  CEO/MD  and  CFO  met  the  minimum  security  holding  requirement,  the  only  exception  being  Mr Wasow, 
as a newly appointed Director (19 March 2018). The remaining Executive KMP continued to progress towards the required level 
for this requirement.

Non-executive Directors fees

There were no increases to Non-executive Director and Committee fees. Effective 1 January 2018, the Board adopted a total 
remuneration approach, whereby all NED emoluments are inclusive of any superannuation contributions.

2.2  Actual remuneration earned in FY2018
The table below summarises the actual remuneration earned by the current executive KMP relating to the past financial year.

Name 

M McCormack 

P Fredricson 

R Gersbach 

R Wheals 

Fixed pay (10) $ 

STI (11) $ 

LTI vested (12) $ 

Total $

1,955,000 

1,708,690 

1,740,831 

5,404,521

903,000 

924,980 

780,000 

532,960 

535,330 

503,680 

559,233 

577,932 

446,764 

1,995,193

2,038,242

1,730,444

This table supplements, and is different to, the Statutory Remuneration table, which presents the accounting expense for 
both vested and unvested awards in accordance with the Australian Accounting Standards.

10) Fixed pay is inclusive of cash salary and any salary sacrifice items (including any relevant fringe benefits tax) such as car parking, motor vehicles and superannuation.

11)  STI refers to performance achieved in FY2018 and is paid in September 2018.

12)  LTI vested refers to the cash amount paid in September 2018, based on the VWAP and number of reference units vesting at that time.

42 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

remuneration report. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

2.3  Looking ahead to Financial Year 2019 (FY2019)
The table below provides an overview of the activities concerning remuneration strategies and frameworks planned for FY2019.

Fixed pay

We will continue to set fixed pay levels with reference to comparable external benchmarks.

Short term incentive (STI)

Consistent  with  prior  financial  years,  balanced  scorecards  will  be  established  for  each 
Executive  KMP,  covering  key  performance  indicators  across  financial,  business,  strategic, 
people  development  and  health,  safety  and  environment  with  measures  for  target  and 
stretch outcomes in FY2019.

Long term incentive (LTI)

The  Board  continues  to  believe  that  the  LTI  provides  the  most  effective  link  between 
executive retention and alignment with the creation of longer term Securityholder value.

3.  Executive Remuneration Framework
The Board recognises remuneration plays an important role in both supporting and implementing the achievement of APA’s 
operational strategy over both the short and longer terms. The key principles of the remuneration policy are to:

—  Ensure the remuneration model is aligned with APA’s business strategy and its execution;

—  Provide competitive rewards to attract, motivate and retain highly skilled executives; and

—  Ensure an appropriate component of remuneration is linked to the creation of value for our investors.

3.1  Remuneration overview for FY2018
The following timeline illustrates the time frame for the assessment and delivery of fixed remuneration and variable reward.

Jul 15

Jul 16

Jul 17

Jul 18

Jul 19

Jul 20

Jul 21

Jul 22

Fixed Pay

Fixed pay for following year assessed August 2018

LTI
performance

STI

Award based on performance 1 July 2017 to 30 June 2018
Paid September 2018

LTI – allocation performance period

Fixed Pay

1/3 vesting (after 1 year)

1/3 vesting (after 2 years)

1/3 vesting (after 3 years)

3.2  Remuneration structure
The table to the right provides an 
overview of the pay mix for Executive 
KMP. Each remuneration element 
is expressed as a percentage of 
the target total reward opportunity.

30%

CEO/MD 40%

30%

25%

Other
Executive
KMP

50%

25%

Fixed pay
Fixed pay includes base salary and any salary sacrifice items (including any relevant fringe benefits tax) such as car parking, 
motor vehicles and superannuation. The level of fixed pay is based on a number of factors, including the skills and experience 
of the individual, external market positioning and the size and complexity of the role.

Fixed pay

STI

LTI

APA benchmarks each Executive KMP role against external positions in companies with comparable market capitalisation, 
similar industries and key comparators to gain a comprehensive view of all elements of executive remuneration.

Variable reward
Variable reward consists of incentive schemes which focus on APA and individual performance on an annual (STI) and longer 
term (LTI) basis.

The size of the “pool” of funds available for the short term incentive is determined by the Group’s OCFPS for the year. This 
is  then  subject  to  individual  performance  of  executives  against  key  measures.  Actual  performance  against  STI  objectives 
is assessed at the end of the financial year. This assessment is reviewed by the People and Remuneration Committee (the 
Committee). The Committee (in conjunction with the Board) reviews the assessment of each executive’s outcome in light of 
the overall business performance, and provides final approval of the STI outcomes upon completion of the review.

The LTI complements the STI by focussing executives on the long term performance of APA. Performance is assessed over the 
three years preceding the LTI allocation, based on relative shareholder returns (relative TSR measure) and cash flow leverage 
achieved  based  on  operating  assets  (EBITDA/FE  measure). The  Committee  reviews  the  performance  over  the  preceding 
three year period, with the Board providing final approval of the LTI allocation.

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  43

remuneration report. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

4.  Executive Incentive Plans and FY2018 Outcomes
4.1  Short term incentive plan
The diagram below outlines the STI plan design for FY2018.

r
e
i
f
i
d
o
m
d
n
a
y
a
w
e
t
a
G

l

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o
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a
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i
t
a
r
e
p
O

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t
i
r
u
c
e
S
r
e
p

STI Scorecard

Scorecard area

Financial

Strategic

Health, safety & environment

People development & culture

Personal (including specific
divisional KPIs)

t
n
e
d
n
e
p
e
d
%
g
n
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t
h
g
e
W

i

P
M
K
e
v
i
t
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c
e
x
E
n
o

STI opportunity

Role

Target

Stretch

CEO/MD

30.0%

45.0%

Other
Executive
KMP

25.0%

37.5%

Individual
STI outcome
(delivered
in cash in
September)

STI opportunity is only realisable if the OCFPS gateway performance set by the Board is met.
If the gateway is met, the STI opportunity available may be modified based on OCFPS performance achieved.
The adjustment is based on a sliding scale and the STI is either positively or negatively modified depending on the financial result.  

FY2018 STI outcomes – CEO/MD
The Board reviewed the CEO/MD’s performance in light of APA’s performance in FY2018, taking into account his performance 
against the key performance indicators (KPIs) in his STI scorecard, and determined that the STI outcome is 85.0% of his Target.

CEO/MD FY18 STI scorecard outcomes

Scorecard area

KPI measure

Weighting

Outcome

Financial

Strategic

Deliver OCFPS targets
Delivery of capital projects

Regulatory Management
Strategy Development
Non-Pipeline Growth

Health, safety
& environment

TRIFR

CHAT (Contractor HSE
Assessment Tool) Audits complete 

People development
& culture

Leadership & Succession
Diversity & Inclusion

Personal

Total

At Board Discretion

53%

25%

5%

7%

10%

100%

Threshold

100%

85%

The  CEO/MD  sets  the  scorecard  measures  for  the  other  Executive  KMP,  ensuring  scorecards  reflect  the  priorities  of  the 
relevant  area  of  the  business  as  well  as  APA  as  a  whole.  FY2018  STI  scorecard  outcomes  for  the  Executive  KMP  ranged 
between 84.7% and 94.2% of Target (i.e. 100%).

These are individual performance outcomes which are then adjusted by APA’s performance against the OCFPS performance 
modifier, which acts as a form of ‘gate opener’ and a determinant of the overall STI opportunity.

FY2018 STI outcomes – Executive KMP
Detailed below are the individual scorecard outcomes for each of the Executive KMP. While there are a number of shared 
KPIs,  different weightings  and  KPIs  have  also  been  set for  each  Executive  KMP,  reflecting the  nature  of their  role  and  its 
contribution to APA’s business outcomes.

Executive KMP 

P Fredricson 

R Gersbach 

R Wheals 

KPI outcomes against target outcome (maximum opportunity)

Financial KPIs 

Non-financial KPIs  Performance outcome

100.0% (45.0%) 

74.7% (55.0%) 

86.1% (100%)

100.0% (25.0%) 

79.6% (75.0%) 

84.7% (100%)

100.0% (38.0%) 

90.6% (62.0%) 

94.2% (100%)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
44 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

remuneration report. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

FY2018 STI outcomes – Executive KMP (continued)
The  table  below  provides  an  overview  of  the  STI  outcomes  for  FY2018,  representing  the  combination  of  both  individual 
performance outcomes (against agreed objectives) and the application of the STI Plan modifier (i.e. the OCFPS performance 
level of 137.1% out of a maximum of 150%).

Executive KMP 

M McCormack 

P Fredricson 

R Gersbach 

R Wheals 

STI earned 

STI forfeited

% of maximum 
opportunity 

$ earned 

  % of maximum 
opportunity 

$ foregone

77.7% 

78.7% 

77.4% 

86.1% 

1,708,690 

532,960 

535,330 

503,680 

22.3% 

21.3% 

22.6% 

13.9% 

490,685

144,290

156,170

81,320

4.2  Long term incentive plan
The  Executive  KMP  have  a target  LTI  opportunity  of  100%  of their  allocated  percentage  of total  reward,  increasing to  a 
maximum  of  150%,  where  outstanding  performance  is  achieved  against  the  performance  hurdles.  The  diagram  below 
outlines the LTI plan design for FY2018.

Jul 15

Jul 16

Jul 17

Jul 18

Jul 19

Jul 20

Jul 21

Relative TSR (50%)
Measured relative to a peer group comprising of S&P/ASX 100
constituents and over the three financial years preceding the
allocation of reference units.

1/3 vesting
after one year

EBITDA/FE (50%)
Measured over the three financial years preceding the allocation
of reference units.

1/3 vesting after three years

1/3 vesting after two years

Allocation of reference units based on relative TSR and EBITDA/FE performance
using a 30-day VWAP. Reference units are settled in cash, and do not entitle
the executive to voting rights or distributions. There is no retesting of the allocation. 

Determining the number of reference units

Relative TSR

A  sliding  scale  is  set  each  year  to  deliver  between  0%  and  150%  of  eligible  reference  units,  where  the 
performance gateway is the achievement of the 50th percentile over a three year period.

EBITDA/FE

A sliding scale also ranges between 0% and 150%, which becomes progressively more challenging with the 
maximum amount of 150% available only when EBITDA/FE performance is significantly above the agreed 
financial metrics.

Allocation schedules

Measure

Performance outcome

Allocation outcome

Relative TSR

Less than 50 percentile

0% of eligible reference units

Between 50 percentile and 82.5 percentile

Sliding scale between 0% and 150% of eligible reference units

EBITDA/FE

Less than 10.372%

Greater than 10.372%

0% of eligible reference units

Sliding scale between 80% and 150% of eligible reference units

FY2018 LTI outcomes
Eligible executives received cash-settled reference units with an allocation date of August 2018 (vesting and paid in September 
over the three following years of 2019, 2020 and 2021 in equal parts). The table below provides a summary of LTI awards 
based on performance against the hurdles for the current and previous three years.

Year allocation 

Relative TSR (50%) 

Performance assessment 

LTI awarded % of
EBITDA/FE (50%)  maximum allocation

FY2015 

FY2016 

FY2017 

FY2018 

100.0 

85.3 

73.4 

0.0 

90.8 

62.9 

83.2 

63.6 

95.4

74.1

78.3

31.8

 
 
 
remuneration report. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  45

FY2018 LTI outcomes (continued)
Below  is  a  summary  of  LTI  allocations  relating  to  FY2018  based  on  performance  against  the  hurdles  over  the  three year 
performance period. These units were allocated in August 2018.

Executive KMP 

M McCormack 

P Fredricson 

R Gersbach 

R Wheals 

Number of reference 
units allocated 

Potential value of 
allocation yet to vest ($) (13)

71,364 

21,975 

22,437 

18,981 

699,032

215,252

219,777

185,925

5.  Other Remuneration Elements
5.1  Contractual arrangements
Remuneration  arrangements for  Executive  KMP  are formalised  in  individual  employment  agreements,  summarised  in the 
table below.

Contract type  Notice period 

Termination 
without cause 

Termination 
with cause

CEO/MD 

Permanent 

12 months 

52 weeks fixed pay 

Immediate without notice period

Executive KMP other than CEO/MD  Permanent 

Six months 

13 weeks fixed pay 

Immediate without notice period

5.2  Additional provisions
The table below summarises additional provisions as they relate to the remuneration of Executive KMP.

Provision

Clawback

Cessation of employment

STI

LTI

The Board in its discretion may determine that some, or all, of an Executive KMP’s STI and/
or LTI awards be forfeited in the event of misconduct or of a material misstatement in the 
year-end financial statements in the preceding three years.

If a participant resigns or is dismissed (with 
or without notice), any unpaid STI awards 
are forfeited. If an employee leaves for any 
other reason, an STI award may be paid out 
based on the proportion of the period that 
has passed and performance at the time of 
cessation (subject to Board discretion).

If a participant resigns or is dismissed 
(with or without notice), all unvested 
reference units are forfeited. If an employee 
leaves for any other reason, the Board 
determines the number of reference units 
which will lapse or are retained, subject to 
vesting on the original schedule.

Change of control

Subject to Board discretion, if a change of 
control occurs, an STI award will be paid 
out based on the proportion of the period 
that has passed at the time of change of 
control to the extent to which performance 
conditions have been met.

Subject to Board discretion, if a change 
of control occurs, all previously allocated 
reference units will vest to the extent to which 
performance conditions have been met, i.e. 
tenure. A further number of reference units 
will be allocated based on the proportion of 
the period that has passed in the current 
financial year at the time of change of control 
and will also vest on change of control.

5.3  Minimum security ownership requirement
The  minimum  security  ownership  requirement  helps  to  ensure  the  interests  of  Directors,  Executive  KMP  and  investors 
are aligned.

Executive KMP (14) are expected to grow their holding to the minimum security ownership requirement within five years from 
the date of the implementation of the minimum security ownership requirement policy in 2016. These security holdings have 
to be acquired from post-tax income as APA does not have an equity-settled LTI. As at 30 June 2018:

—  The minimum security ownership requirement for the CEO/MD equals his annual gross fixed pay; and

—  The minimum security ownership requirement for Executive KMP is 50% of their annual gross fixed pay.

5.4  Sign-on/loans/termination payments provided to Executive KMP

APA did not pay any sign-on payments to Executive KMP during FY2018.

No loans have been made to any Executive KMP and/or related parties.

No termination payments have been made to Executive KMP during FY2018.

13)  The potential value of the allocation has been estimated based on the cash award valuations at the allocation date.

14)  Subsequently appointed Executive KMP have three years from their date of appointment to meet the minimum security ownership requirement.

 
 
 
 
 
46 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

remuneration report. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

6.  Non-executive Directors
6.1.  Determination of Non-executive Director fees
The Board seeks to attract and retain high calibre Non-executive Directors (NED) who are equipped with diverse skills to 
oversee all functions of APA in an increasingly complex environment. NED fees comprise:

—  A Board fee;

—  An additional fee for serving on a committee of the Board; and

—  Statutory superannuation contributions.

NEDs do not receive incentive  payments or participate in incentive plans of any type. One off ‘per diems’ may be paid in 
exceptional circumstances. No payments were made under this arrangement in this or the prior reporting period. Fees are 
inclusive  of  superannuation  contributions  which  are  provided  in  accordance  with  the  statutory  requirements  under  the 
Superannuation Guarantee Act.

The Board Chairman does not receive additional fees for attending committee meetings.

6.2  Aggregate fee pool
The aggregate fee pool for NEDs is currently $2,500,000 (inclusive of the applicable superannuation guarantee levy).

6.3  Director fees
No changes were made to NED fees in FY2018. Note that the fees detailed below are inclusive of superannuation (15).

Fees 

Board 

Audit and Risk Management Committee 

Health, Safety and Environment Committee 

People and Remuneration Committee 

Nominations Committee 

Effective 1 January 2018

Chairman 
$000 

Member 
$000

511.4 

47.9 

39.9 

39.9 

174.1

23.9

19.9

19.9

None paid 

None paid

6.4  Minimum security ownership requirement
NEDs are expected to hold securities to a value which is not less than the annual base Board fee (before tax and excluding 
fees applicable to membership of Committees). This level of securityholding is to be held throughout their tenure as NEDs 
and is a requirement of their employment agreement. As at 30 June 2018 all NEDs met this requirement, with the exception 
of Peter Wasow, who was newly appointed in March 2018.

7.  Remuneration Governance
7.1  Role of People and Remuneration Committee
The Committee has been established by the Board to oversee Executive KMP and NED remuneration. The role of the Committee 
is to ensure the provision of a robust remuneration system that aligns employee and investor interests whilst facilitating the 
attraction, retention and development of employees. The Committee’s activities are governed by its Charter (a copy of which 
is available on APA’s website: https://www.apa.com.au/about-apa/our-organisation/corporate-governance/).

In addition to making recommendations regarding APA’s remuneration strategy and policy, people and diversity and inclusion 
matters, the Committee is specifically responsible for:

—  Recommending  the  CEO/MD’s  performance  objectives,  remuneration  and  appointment,  retention  and  termination 

policy to the Board;

—  Reviewing and approving remuneration for Executive KMP (based on recommendations from the CEO/MD);

—  Reviewing and recommending the Remuneration Report to the Board; and

—  Reviewing senior executive succession and talent plans.

7.2  Composition of the Committee
The members of the Committee, all of whom are independent NEDs, are:

—  Peter Wasow (Chairman);

—  Steven Crane;

—  Shirley In’t Veld; and

—  Patricia McKenzie.

The CEO/MD and nominated senior executives attend meetings of the Committee by invitation. The Committee met four 
times during the year.

15)  NED  fees,  as  reported  in  FY2017  and  FY2016,  were  exclusive  of  superannuation.  Effective  1 January  2018,  APA  adopted  a  total  remuneration  approach, 

whereby all NED emoluments are inclusive of any superannuation contributions.

 
 
remuneration report. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  47

7.3  Use of external advisors
The Committee seeks external professional advice from time to time on matters within its terms of reference. Remuneration 
advisors are engaged by the Committee and report directly to the Committee. During FY2018, the following remuneration 
information was obtained and considered by the Committee:

—  Ernst & Young provided remuneration benchmarking information and assisted with remuneration governance;

—  Egan & Associates provided fee and remuneration benchmarking information for NED fees; and

—  Orient Capital (part of the Link Group) provided relative TSR benchmarking analysis.

No recommendations were made by these external advisors regarding remuneration arrangements. APA employs internal 
remuneration professionals, providing analysis to the Committee and Board. This advice is used as a guide, and does not serve 
as a substitute for the thorough consideration of the issues by each Director.

8.  Statutory Tables
8.1  Total remuneration earned and received by Executive KMP (16)

Short-Term Employment Benefits $ 

Post-Employment $ 

LTI Plans $ 

Total $

Salary (17) 

Awarded STI (18) 

Superannuation 

Security-Based 
Payments (19)

M McCormack

2018 

2017 

P Fredricson

2018 

2017 

R Gersbach

2018 

2017 

R Wheals

2018 

2017 

Total Remuneration

2018 

2017 

1,930,000 

1,865,000 

1,708,690 

1,724,472 

878,000 

842,000 

904,931 

860,000 

755,000 

702,000 

532,960 

541,944 

535,330 

512,739 

503,680 

461,765 

25,000 

35,000 

25,000 

35,000 

20,049 

35,000 

25,000 

30,000 

1,479,646 

1,485,242 

5,143,336

5,109,714

472,995 

485,756 

1,908,955

1,904,700

488,139 

504,246 

1,948,449

1,911,985

381,368 

374,026 

1,665,048

1,567,791

4,467,931 

3,280,660 

95,049 

2,822,148 

10,665,788

4,269,000 

3,240,920 

135,000 

2,849,270 

10,494,190

16)  This table outlines the total remuneration earned by Executive KMP during FY2017 and FY2018, calculated in accordance with the appropriate accounting 
standard, AASB 2: Share-based Payments. The FY2017 total remuneration differs from the amount disclosed in the Report last year due to the review of 
Executive KMP. 

17)  Salary includes both fixed pay and any salary sacrificed items, such as motor vehicles or car parking (including any applicable fringe benefits tax). It is exclusive 

of superannuation contributions.

18) Awarded STI relates to that element of remuneration which is earned by the Executive KMP in respect of performance during each financial year (or for the 

relevant period that they were KMP as set out in the Report).

19)  With regards to the LTI, this requires three equal instalments to be amortised over a four year period, that is the year of service to which the LTI allocation is 
awarded plus the following three year period in which the reference units vest. Cash settled reference units which were allocated during FY2018, based on an 
estimated VWAP of $9.7953. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
48 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

remuneration report. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

8.2  NED Statutory Remuneration Disclosure – NED Remuneration for FY2017 and FY2018

Financial Year 

M Fraser (20)

FY2018 

FY2017 

S Crane

FY2018 

FY2017 

D Goodin

FY2018 

FY2017 

R Higgins AO

FY2018 

FY2017 

P McKenzie

FY2018 

FY2017 

S In’t Veld (21)

FY2018 

P Wasow (22)

FY2018 

L Bleasel AM (23)

FY2018 

FY2017 

J Fletcher (24)

FY2018 

FY2017 

Total

FY2018 

FY2017 

employment benefits 

Short-term  Post-employment 
benefits 

Fees 
$ 

Superannuation 
$ 

Total 
$

377,667 

196,227 

208,125 

217,200 

211,775 

195,750 

217,200 

213,600 

195,400 

192,200 

35,900 

18,854 

19,775 

20,650 

20,125 

18,600 

20,600 

20,300 

18,600 

18,300 

413,567

215,081

227,900

237,850

231,900

214,350

237,800

233,900

214,000

210,500

56,252 

5,355 

61,607

62,527 

5,930 

68,457

152,129 

453,500 

144,800 

213,600 

1,625,875 

1,682,077 

14,464 

43,100 

13,733 

20,300 

154,482 

160,104 

166,593

496,600

158,533

233,900

1,780,357

1,842,181

8.3  Outstanding LTI awards
The following table sets out the movements in the number of LTI reference units and the number of LTI reference units that 
have been allocated to executives but have not yet vested or been paid, and the years in which they will vest.

Reflecting the equity raising in February 2018, all unvested units have been adjusted by a factor of 1.0017. The adjustment (25) 
is not retrospective and only impacts allocations vesting in August 2018, August 2019 and August 2020.

20) Appointed Chairman 27 October 2017. 

21)  Appointed 19 March 2018.

22) Appointed 19 March 2018.

23) Retired 27 October 2017.

24) Retired 21 February 2018.

25) Effective from 22 August 2018, being the date of Board approval.

 
 
 
APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  49

remuneration report. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

8.3  Outstanding LTI awards (continued)

Opening 
balance 
at 1 Jul 
2017 (26)

45,047

125,636

155,720

15,750

42,672

49,110

16,611

45,024

50,111

10,500

32,277

39,875

Allocation 
Date

M McCormack

2014

P Fredricson

R Gersbach

R Wheals

2015

2016

2017

2018

Total

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

Total

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

Total

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

Total

Units 
allocated 
in 2018

Cash settled 
reference 
units paid

(45,047)

(62,765)

Closing 
balance 
at 30 Jun 
2018

Units 
subject to 
allocation by 
the Board in 
Aug 2018

Reference units allocated that have 
not yet vested or been paid and 
the months in which they will vest

Aug 
2018

Aug 
2019

Aug 
2020

Aug 
2021

62,871

62,871

(51,848)

103,872

51,936

51,936

188,742

188,742

62,914

62,914

62,914

(15,750)

(21,318)

(16,352)

(16,611)

(22,493)

(16,685)

(10,500)

(16,125)

(13,277)

58,077

59,271

48,477

21,354

32,758

58,077

22,531

33,426

59,271

16,152

26,598

48,477

71,364

23,788

23,788

23,788

177,721

138,638

86,702

23,788

21,354

16,379

16,379

19,359

19,359

19,359

21,975

7,325

7,325

57,092

43,063

26,684

22,531

16,713

16,713

19,757

19,757

19,757

22,437

7,479

7,479

59,001

43,949

27,236

7,325

7,325

7,479

7,479

16,152

13,299

13,299

16,159

16,159

16,159

18,981

6,327

6,327

45,610

35,785

22,486

6,327

6,327

8.4  Securityholdings
The following table sets out the relevant interests of NEDs and Executive KMP in APA securities:

Year ended 30 June 2018 

Non-executive Directors
M Fraser (27) 

S Crane 

D Goodin 

R Higgins AO 

P McKenzie 
S In’t Veld (28) 
P Wasow (29) 

Executive KMP

M McCormack 

P Fredricson 

R Gersbach 

R Wheals 

Opening Balance at 
1 July 2017 

Securities 
Acquired 

Securities 
Disposed 

Closing Balance 
at 30 June 2018

25,000 

130,000 

19,200 

122,719 

22,889 

– 

– 

320,000 

40,000 

20,485 

32,000 

77,942 

– 

3,800 

7,220 

1,348 

25,000 

15,000 

30,000 

8,500 

1,206 

1,883 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

102,942

130,000

23,000

129,939

24,237

25,000

15,000

350,000

48,500

21,691

33,883

Executive KMP are subject to APA’s Securities Trading Policy. A Director or Designated Person (as defined in this policy) with 
price-sensitive information relating to APA (which is not generally available) is precluded from trading in APA securities.

26)  The units have been adjusted following the discounted equity entitlement offer.

27) Appointed Chairman 27 October 2017.

28) Appointed 19 March 2018.

29) Appointed 19 March 2018.

 
50 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

consolidated statement of profit or loss and other 
comprehensive income.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Continuing operations

Revenue 

Share of net profits of associates and joint ventures using the equity method 

Asset operation and management expenses 

Depreciation and amortisation expense 

Other operating costs – pass-through 

Finance costs 

Employee benefit expense 

Other expenses 

Profit before tax 

Income tax expense 

Profit for the year 

Other comprehensive income, net of income tax

Items that will not be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss:

Actuarial gain on defined benefit plan 

Income tax relating to items that will not be reclassified subsequently 

Items that may be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss:

Transfer of gain on cash flow hedges to profit or loss 

(Loss)/gain on cash flow hedges taken to equity 

Gain on associate hedges taken to equity 

Income tax relating to items that may be reclassified subsequently 

Other comprehensive income for the year (net of tax) 

Total comprehensive income for the year 

Profit attributable to:

Unitholders of the parent 

Non-controlling interest – APT Investment Trust unitholders 

APA stapled securityholders 

Total comprehensive income attributable to:

Unitholders of the parent 

Non-controlling interest – APT Investment Trust unitholders 

APA stapled securityholders 

Note 

2018 
$000 

2017 
$000

4 

4 

5 

5 

5 

5 

6 

2,364,798 

2,304,627

21,924 

21,793

2,386,722 

2,326,420

(214,339) 

(578,916) 

(445,307) 

(515,515) 

(197,545) 

(5,206) 

429,894 

(165,055) 

(207,329)

(570,021)

(438,140)

(518,249)

(197,747)

(8,600)

386,334

(149,488)

264,839 

236,846

1,588 

(476) 

1,112 

93,901 

(278,831) 

8,632 

52,906 

(123,392) 

(122,280) 

142,559 

196,790 

68,049 

264,839 

74,510 

68,049 

142,559 

2018 

23.3 

5,452

(1,636)

3,816

92,459

164,536

10,921

(80,354)

187,562

191,378

428,224

163,879

72,967

236,846

355,257

72,967

428,224

2017 
(Restated)

21.2

Earnings per security 

Basic and diluted (cents per security) 

7 

The above consolidated statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income should be read in conjunction with the 
accompanying notes.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
consolidated statement of financial position.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
AS AT 30 JUNE 2018

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  51

Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents 
Trade and other receivables 
Other financial assets 
Inventories 
Other 

Current assets 

Non-current assets
Trade and other receivables 
Other financial assets 
Investments accounted for using the equity method 
Property, plant and equipment 
Goodwill 
Other Intangible assets 
Other 

Non-current assets 

Total assets 

Current liabilities
Trade and other payables 
Borrowings 
Other financial liabilities 
Provisions 
Unearned revenue 

Current liabilities 

Non-current liabilities
Trade and other payables 
Borrowings 
Other financial liabilities 
Deferred tax liabilities 
Provisions 
Unearned revenue 

Non-current liabilities 

Total liabilities 

Net assets 

Equity
Australian Pipeline Trust equity:
Issued capital 
Reserves 
Retained earnings 

Equity attributable to unitholders of the parent 

Non-controlling interests:
APT Investment Trust:
Issued capital 
Retained earnings 

Note 

18 
9 
20 

9 
20 
23 
11 
12 
12 
15 

10 
18 
20 
14 

10 
18 
20 
6 
14 

21 

2018 
$000 

2017 
$000

100,643 
251,720 
55,525 
28,534 
12,487 

448,909 

14,030 
591,487 
271,597 
9,691,666 
1,183,604 
2,992,431 
33,502 

394,501
289,709
52,334
25,260
10,527

772,331

15,496
458,773
259,882
9,150,165
1,183,604
3,174,282
31,415

14,778,317 

14,273,617

15,227,226 

15,045,948

381,676 
329,219 
139,401 
83,629 
20,922 

954,847 

5,089 
9,321,377 
128,510 
558,442 
71,951 
60,183 

312,611
126,858
145,768
93,773
19,225

698,235

4,984
9,573,907
182,087
502,265
69,051
37,236

10,145,552 

10,369,530

11,100,399 

11,067,765

4,126,827 

3,978,183

3,288,123 
(331,165) 
105,412 

3,114,617
(207,773)
60,804

3,062,370 

2,967,648

1,030,176 
34,228 

976,284
34,198

Equity attributable to unitholders of APT Investment Trust 

22 

1,064,404 

1,010,482

Other non-controlling interest 

Total non-controlling interests 

Total equity 

53 

53

1,064,457 

1,010,535

4,126,827 

3,978,183

The above consolidated statement of financial position should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
52 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

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consolidated statement of cash flows.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  53

Note 

2018 
$000 

2017 
$000

Cash flows from operating activities

Receipts from customers 

Payments to suppliers and employees 

Dividends received from associates and joint ventures 

Proceeds from repayment of finance leases 

Interest received 

Interest and other costs of finance paid 

Income tax paid 

Net cash provided by operating activities 

Cash flows from investing activities

Payments for property, plant and equipment 

Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment 

Payments for equity accounted investments 

Payments for controlled entities net of cash acquired 

Payments for intangible assets 

Net cash used in investing activities 

Cash flows from financing activities

Proceeds from borrowings 

Repayments of borrowings 

Loans advance to related parties 

Proceeds from issue of securities 

Payments of security issue costs 

Payment of debt issue costs 

Release of restricted cash 

Distributions paid to:

  Unitholders of APT 

  Unitholders of non-controlling interests – APTIT 

Net cash used in financing activities 

Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents 

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of financial year 

Unrealised exchange losses on cash held 

2,635,344 

2,508,269

(1,111,969) 

(1,065,473)

18,841 

1,774 

9,967 

(473,243) 

(49,087) 

1,031,627 

22,411

2,290

5,755

(481,427)

(17,889)

973,936

(875,030) 

(340,753)

663 

– 

– 

(1,161) 

693

(35,250)

(760)

(1,456)

(875,528) 

(377,526)

309,718 

(761,733) 

(282) 

505,016 

(10,554) 

(1,581) 

– 

2,144,576

(1,944,932)

–

–

–

(8,446)

2,149

(354,679) 

(135,616) 

(369,781)

(109,371)

(449,711) 

(285,805)

(293,612) 

394,501 

(246) 

310,605

84,506

(610)

Cash and cash equivalents at end of financial year 

18 

100,643 

394,501

The above consolidated statement of cash flows should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
54 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

consolidated statement of cash flows. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Reconciliation of profit for the year to the net cash provided by operating activities

Profit for the year 

Acquisition costs from business combinations 

Profit on disposal of property, plant and equipment 

Share of net profits of joint ventures and associates using the equity method 

Dividends/distributions received from equity accounted investments 

Depreciation and amortisation expense 

Finance costs 

Unrealised foreign exchange loss 

Realised hedging loss 

Changes in assets and liabilities:

  Trade and other receivables 

Inventories 

  Other assets 

  Trade and other payables 

  Provisions 

  Other liabilities 

Income tax balances 

Net cash provided by operating activities 

2018 
$000 

2017 
$000

264,839 

236,846

– 

(466) 

(21,924) 

18,841 

578,916 

15,569 

1,966 

6,904 

18,894 

(3,177) 

(1,695) 

20,115 

(11,303) 

28,167 

115,981 

1,031,627 

(101)

(311)

(21,793)

22,411

570,021

13,926

28

7,514

(16,766)

(371)

266

27,286

(562)

3,943

131,599

973,936

Cash flows are included in the statement of cash flows on a gross basis. The GST component of cash flows arising from 
investing  and  financing  activities  which  is  recoverable  from,  or  payable  to,  the  taxation  authority  is  classified  within 
operating cash flows.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
notes to the consolidated financial statements.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  55

Basis of Preparation

1.  About this report
In the following financial  statements, note disclosures are grouped  into  six sections being: Basis  of  Preparation; Financial 
Performance; Operating Assets and Liabilities; Capital Management; Group Structure; and Other. Each note sets out the 
accounting policies applied in producing the results along with any key judgements and estimates used.

Basis of Preparation

1.  About this report

2.  General information

Financial Performance

3.  Segment information

4.  Revenue 

5.  Expenses

6. 

Income tax

7.  Earnings per security

8.  Distributions

Capital Management

18.  Net debt

19.  Financial risk management

20.  Other financial instruments

21.  Issued capital

Group Structure

22.  Non-controlling interests

23.  Joint arrangements and associates 

24.  Subsidiaries

Other

Operating Assets and Liabilities

25.  Commitments and contingencies

9.  Receivables

10.  Payables

26.  Director and senior executive remuneration

27.  Remuneration of external auditor

11.  Property, plant and equipment

12.  Goodwill and intangibles

28.  Related party transactions

29.  Parent entity information

13.  Impairment of non-financial assets

30.  Adoption of new and revised Accounting Standards

14.  Provisions

31.  Events occurring after reporting date

15.  Other non-current assets

16.  Employee superannuation plans

17.  Leases

56 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Basis of Preparation

2.  General information
APA Group comprises of two trusts, Australian Pipeline Trust (“APT”) and APT Investment Trust (“APTIT”), which are registered 
managed investment schemes regulated by the Corporations Act 2001. APT units are “stapled” to APTIT units on a one-to-
one basis so that one APT unit and one APTIT unit form a single stapled security which trades on the Australian Securities 
Exchange under the code “APA”.

Australian Accounting Standards require one of the stapled entities of a stapled structure to be identified as the parent entity 
for the purposes of preparing a consolidated financial report. In accordance with this requirement, APT is deemed to be the 
parent entity. The results and equity attributable to APTIT, being the other stapled entity which is not directly or indirectly held 
by APT, are shown separately in the financial statements as non-controlling interests.

The  financial  report  represents  the  consolidated  financial  statements  of  APT  and  APTIT  (together  the  “Trusts”),  their 
respective subsidiaries and their share of joint arrangements and associates (together “APA Group”). For the purposes of 
preparing the consolidated financial report, APA Group is a for-profit entity.

Total  comprehensive  income  attributable  to  non-controlling  interests  is  reported  as  disclosed  in  the  separate  financial 
statements  of APTIT.  Comprehensive  income  arising from transactions  between the  parent  (APT)  group  entities  and the 
non-controlling  interest  (APTIT)  have  not  been  eliminated  in the  reporting  of total  comprehensive  income  attributable to 
non-controlling interests.

All intragroup transactions and balances have been eliminated on consolidation. Where necessary, adjustments are made to 
the assets, liabilities, and results of subsidiaries, joint arrangements, associates, and joint ventures to bring their accounting 
policies into line with those used by APA Group.

APT’s registered office and principal place of business is as follows: 
Level 25 
580 George Street 
Sydney NSW 2000 
Tel: (02) 9693 0000

The consolidated general purpose financial report for the year ended 30 June 2018 was authorised for issue in accordance 
with a resolution of the directors on 22 August 2018.

This general purpose financial report has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Corporations Act 2001, 
Australian Accounting Standards and other authoritative pronouncements of the Australian Accounting Standards Board 
(AASB) and also comply with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) as issued by the International Accounting 
Standards Board.

The financial report has been prepared on the basis of historical cost, except for the revaluation of financial instruments. 
The financial report is presented in Australian dollars and all values are rounded to the nearest thousand dollars ($000) in 
accordance with ASIC Corporations Instrument 2016/191, unless otherwise stated.

Working capital position
The working capital position as at 30 June 2018 for APA Group is that current liabilities exceed current assets by $505.9 million 
(2017: current assets exceeded current liabilities by $74.1 million) primarily as a result of current borrowings of $329.2 million 
and $139.4 million (AUD equivalent) of cash flow hedge liabilities.

APA Group has access to sufficient available committed, un-drawn bank facilities of $868.8 million as at 30 June 2018 (2017: 
$1,068.8 million) to meet the repayment of current borrowings on due date.

The  Directors  continually  monitor  APA  Group’s  working  capital  position,  including  forecast  working  capital  requirements 
and have ensured that there are appropriate refinancing strategies and adequate committed funding facilities in place to 
accommodate debt repayments as and when they fall due.

Foreign currency transactions
Both  the  functional  and  presentation  currency  of  APA  Group  and  APT  is  Australian  dollars  (A$).  All  foreign  currency 
transactions during the financial year are brought to account using the exchange rate in effect at the date of the transaction. 
Foreign currency monetary items at reporting date are translated at the exchange rate existing at that date and resulting 
exchange differences are recognised in profit or loss in the period in which they arise, unless they qualify for hedge accounting.

notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  57

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Financial Performance

3.  Segment information
APA  Group  operates  in  one  geographical  segment,  being  Australia  and  the  revenue  from  major  products  and  services  is 
shown by the reportable segments.

APA Group comprises the following reportable segments:

—  Energy Infrastructure, which includes all wholly or majority owned pipelines, gas storage and processing assets, and power 

generation assets;

—  Asset Management, which provides commercial services, operating services and/or asset maintenance services to APA 

Group’s energy investments and Australian Gas Networks Limited for appropriate fees; and

—  Energy Investments, which includes APA Group’s strategic stakes in a number of investment entities that house energy 
infrastructure assets, generally characterised by long term secure cashflows, with low capital expenditure requirements.

Reportable segments

2018 

Segment revenue (a)

External sales revenue 

Equity accounted net profits 

Pass-through revenue 

Finance lease and investment interest income 

Total segment revenue 

Other interest income 

Consolidated revenue 

Segment result

Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation 
and amortisation (“EBITDA”) 

Share of net profits of joint ventures and 
associates using the equity method 

Finance lease and investment interest income 

Corporate costs 

Total EBITDA 

Depreciation and amortisation 

Energy 

Asset 
Infrastructure  Management 
$000 

$000 

Energy 
Investments 
$000 

Other  Consolidated 
$000
$000 

1,802,505 

108,537 

– 

44,265 

1,454 

– 

401,042 

– 

– 

21,924 

– 

1,144 

1,848,224 

509,579 

23,068 

1,495,642 

66,204 

– 

– 

1,454 

– 

– 

– 

– 

21,924 

1,144 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

1,911,042

21,924

445,307

2,598

2,380,871

5,851

2,386,722

1,561,846

21,924

2,598

1,497,096 

(567,925) 

66,204 

(10,991) 

23,068 

(67,894) 

1,518,474

– 

– 

(578,916)

– 

(67,894) 

(67,894)

Earnings before interest and tax (“EBIT”) 

929,171 

55,213 

23,068 

(67,894) 

939,558

Net finance costs (b) 

Profit before tax 

Income tax expense 

Profit for the year 

Segment assets and liabilities

Segment assets 

Carrying value of investments using 
the equity method 

Unallocated assets (c) 

Total assets 

Segment liabilities 

Unallocated liabilities (d) 

Total liabilities 

13,995,163 

212,521 

10,967 

– 

– 

271,597 

(509,664)

429,894

(165,055)

264,839

– 

– 

14,218,651

271,597

736,978

15,227,226

440,276 

64,829 

– 

– 

505,105

10,595,294

11,100,399

a) The revenue reported above represents revenue generated from external customers. Any intersegment sales were immaterial.

b) Excluding finance lease and investment interest income, and any gains or losses on revaluation of derivatives included as part of EBIT for segment reporting 

purposes, but including other interest income.

c)  Unallocated assets consist of cash and cash equivalents, fair value of interest rate swaps, foreign exchange contracts and equity forwards.

d) Unallocated liabilities consist of current and non-current borrowings, deferred tax liabilities, fair value of interest rate swaps and foreign exchange contracts.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
58 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Energy 

Asset 
Infrastructure  Management 
$000 

$000 

Energy 
Investments 
$000 

Other  Consolidated 
$000
$000 

1,771,349 

86,424 

– 

48,646 

1,643 

– 

389,494 

– 

1,821,638 

475,918 

– 

21,793 

– 

2,589 

24,382 

1,452,029 

58,719 

– 

– 

1,643 

– 

– 

– 

– 

21,793 

2,589 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

1,857,773

21,793

438,140

4,232

2,321,938

4,482

2,326,420

1,510,748

21,793

4,232

900,101

(513,767)

386,334

(149,488)

236,846

Depreciation and amortisation 

(559,033) 

(10,988) 

– 

– 

(570,021)

Earnings before interest and tax (“EBIT”) 

894,639 

47,731 

24,382 

(66,651) 

1,453,672 

58,719 

24,382 

(66,651) 

1,470,122

– 

(66,651) 

(66,651)

Financial Performance

3.  Segment information (continued)

2017 

Segment revenue (a)

External sales revenue 

Equity accounted net profits 

Pass-through revenue 

Finance lease and investment interest income 

Total segment revenue 

Other interest income 

Consolidated revenue 

Segment result

Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation 
and amortisation (“EBITDA”) 

Share of net profits of joint ventures and 
associates using the equity method 

Finance lease and investment interest income 

Corporate costs 

Total EBITDA 

Net finance costs (b) 

Profit before tax 

Income tax expense 

Profit for the year 

Segment assets and liabilities

Segment assets 

Carrying value of investments using 
the equity method 

Unallocated assets (c) 

Total assets 

Segment liabilities 

Unallocated liabilities (d) 

Total liabilities 

13,670,034 

210,449 

10,662 

– 

– 

259,882 

– 

– 

13,891,145

259,882

894,921

15,045,948

376,220 

55,626 

– 

– 

431,846

10,635,919

11,067,765

a) The revenue reported above represents revenue generated from external customers. Any intersegment sales were immaterial.

b) Excluding finance lease and investment interest income, and any gains or losses on revaluation of derivatives included as part of EBIT for segment reporting 

purposes, but including other interest income.

c)  Unallocated assets consist of cash and cash equivalents, fair value of interest rate swaps, foreign exchange contracts and equity forwards.

d) Unallocated liabilities consist of current and non-current borrowings, deferred tax liabilities, fair value of interest rate swaps and foreign exchange contracts.

Information about major customers
Included in revenues arising from energy infrastructure of $1,802.5 million (2017: $1,771.3 million) are revenues of approximately 
$689.4 million (2017: $704.8 million) which arose from sales to APA Group’s top three customers.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  59

Financial Performance

4.  Revenue
An analysis of APA Group’s revenue for the year is as follows: 

Energy Infrastructure revenue 

Pass-through revenue 

Energy Infrastructure revenue 

Asset Management revenue 

Pass-through revenue 

Asset Management revenue 

Operating revenue 

Interest income 

Interest income on redeemable preference shares (GDI) (a) 

Finance lease income 

Finance income 

Rental income 

Total revenue 

2018 
$000 

1,801,962 

44,265 

2017 
$000

1,770,794

48,646

1,846,227 

1,819,440

108,537 

401,042 

509,579 

86,424

389,494

475,918

2,355,806 

2,295,358

5,851 

1,144 

1,454 

8,449 

543 

4,482

2,589

1,643

8,714

555

2,364,798 

2,304,627

Share of net profits of joint ventures and associates using the equity method 

21,924 

21,793

2,386,722 

2,326,420

a) 2017 includes interest on redeemable ordinary shares (EII)

Revenue is recognised to the extent that it is probable that the economic benefits will flow to APA Group and can be reliably 
measured.  Amounts  disclosed  as  revenue  are  net  of  duties  and  taxes  paid.  Revenue  is  recognised  for  the  major  business 
activities as follows:

—  Operating revenue, which is earned from the transportation, processing and storage of gas, generation of electricity and 
other related services and is recognised when the services are provided net of goods and services tax (“GST”), except where 
the amount of GST incurred is not recoverable from the taxation authority;

—  Pass-through  revenue,  for  which  no  margin  is  earned,  is  recognised  when  the  services  are  provided  and  offset  by 

corresponding pass-through costs;

—  Interest revenue, which is recognised as it accrues and is determined using the effective interest method;

—  Dividend revenue, which is recognised when the right to receive the payment has been established; and

—  Finance lease income, which is allocated to accounting periods so as to reflect a constant periodic rate of return on the 

Group’s net investment outstanding in respect of the leases.

 
 
60 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Financial Performance

5.  Expenses

Depreciation of non-current assets 

Amortisation of non-current assets 

Depreciation and amortisation expense 

Energy infrastructure costs – pass-through 

Asset management costs – pass-through 

Other operating costs – pass-through 

Interest on bank overdrafts and borrowings (a) 

Amortisation of deferred borrowing costs 

Other finance costs 

Less: amounts included in the cost of qualifying assets 

Gain on derivatives 

Unwinding of discount on non-current liabilities 

Finance costs 

Defined contribution plans 

Defined benefit plans (Note 16) 

Post-employment benefits 

Termination benefits 

Cash settled security-based payments (b) 

Other employee benefits 

Employee benefit expense 

2018 
$000 

395,904 

183,012 

578,916 

44,265 

401,042 

445,307 

517,503 

8,968 

6,990 

533,461 

(23,697) 

509,764 

743 

5,008 

515,515 

12,417 

2,280 

14,697 

(4,221) 

20,915 

166,154 

197,545 

2017 
$000

387,140

182,881

570,021

48,646

389,494

438,140

506,124

9,578

5,742

521,444

(7,099)

514,345

(152)

4,056

518,249

11,308

3,033

14,341

2,295

25,993

155,118

197,747

a) The average interest rate applying to drawn debt is 5.65% p.a. (2017: 5.56% p.a.) excluding amortisation of borrowing costs and other finance costs.

b) APA Group provides benefits to certain employees in the form of cash settled security-based payments. For cash settled security-based payments, a liability 

equal to the portion of services received is recognised at the current fair value determined at each reporting date.

Income tax

6. 
The major components of tax expense are:

Income statement

Current tax expense in respect of the current year 

Adjustments recognised in the current year in relation to current tax of prior years 

(54,536) 

612 

(34,518)

456

Deferred tax expense relating to the origination and reversal of temporary differences 

(111,131) 

(115,426)

Total tax expense 

Tax reconciliation

Profit before tax 

Income tax expense calculated at 30% 

Non-assessable trust distribution 

Non deductible expenses 

Non assessable income 

Franking credits received 

Previously unbooked losses now recognised 

Adjustments recognised in the current year in relation to the current tax of prior years 

R&D tax incentive 

(165,055) 

(149,488)

429,894 

386,334

(128,968) 

(115,900)

20,415 

(58,319) 

19 

21,891

(59,263)

319

(166,853) 

(152,953)

– 

690 

612 

496 

708

533

456

1,768

(165,055) 

(149,488)

 
 
 
 
 
 
notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  61

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Financial Performance

Income tax (continued)

6. 
Income tax expense comprises of current and deferred tax. Income tax is recognised in profit or loss except to the extent 
that it relates to items recognised directly in other comprehensive income, in which case it is recognised in equity. Current tax 
represents the expected taxable income at the applicable tax rate for the financial year, and any adjustment to tax payable 
in respect of previous financial years.

Income tax expense for the year is $165.1 million (2017: $149.5 million). An income tax provision of $33.8 million (2017: $28.9 
million) has been recognised after utilisation of all available group tax losses and partial utilisation of available transferred 
tax losses (refer to Note 10).

Deferred tax balances
Deferred tax (liabilities)/assets arise from the following:

2018 

Gross deferred tax liabilities

Property, plant and equipment 

Deferred expenses 

Defined benefit obligation 

Other 

Gross deferred tax assets

Provisions 

Cash flow hedges 

Security issue costs 

Deferred revenue 

Investments equity accounted 

Tax losses 

Net deferred tax liability 

2017

Gross deferred tax liabilities

Property, plant and equipment 

Deferred expenses 

Defined benefit obligation 

Other 

Gross deferred tax assets

Provisions 

Cash flow hedges 

Security issue costs 

Deferred revenue 

Investments equity accounted 

Tax losses 

Net deferred tax liability 

Unrecognised deferred tax assets

Opening 
balance 
$000 

Charged to 
income 
$000 

Charged to 
equity 
$000 

Closing 
balance 
$000

(810,121) 

(56,480) 

(68) 

(1,054) 

(93,648) 

1,677 

47 

821 

(867,723) 

(91,103) 

45,891 

87,819 

3,624 

4,406 

2,441 

221,277 

365,458 

(502,265) 

(2,500) 

(118) 

(2,317) 

9,342 

(108) 

(24,327) 

(20,028) 

(111,131) 

– 

– 

(476) 

– 

(476) 

– 

53,534 

2,524 

– 

(628) 

– 

55,430 

54,954 

(903,769)

(54,803)

(497)

(233)

(959,302)

43,391

141,235

3,831

13,748

1,705

196,950

400,860

(558,442)

(724,525) 

(54,563) 

1,383 

(730) 

(85,596) 

(1,917) 

185 

(324) 

– 

– 

(1,636) 

– 

(810,121)

(56,480)

(68)

(1,054)

(778,435) 

(87,652) 

(1,636) 

(867,723)

45,723 

165,027 

5,443 

5,811 

6,445 

245,137 

473,586 

(304,849) 

168 

(305) 

(1,819) 

(1,405) 

(553) 

(23,860) 

(27,774) 

(115,426) 

– 

(76,903) 

– 

– 

(3,451) 

– 

(80,354) 

45,891

87,819

3,624

4,406

2,441

221,277

365,458

(81,990) 

(502,265)

2018 
$000 

2017 
$000

1,641 

1,641

The following deferred tax assets have not been brought to account as assets:

Tax losses – capital 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
62 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Financial Performance

Income tax (continued)

6. 
Deferred tax is provided using the balance sheet liability method, providing for temporary differences between the carrying 
amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for taxation purposes. The following 
temporary differences are not provided for:

i)  initial recognition of goodwill;

ii)  initial recognition of assets or liabilities that affect neither accounting nor taxable profit; and

iii) differences  relating  to  investments  in  wholly-owned  entities  to  the  extent  that  they  will  probably  not  reverse  in  the 

foreseeable future.

Deferred tax is based on the expected manner of realisation or settlement of the carrying amount of assets and liabilities, 
using the appropriate tax rates at the end of the reporting period.

A deferred tax asset is recognised only to the extent that it is probable that future taxable profits will be available against which 
the asset can be utilised and are reduced to the extent that it is no longer probable that the related tax benefit will be realised.

Tax consolidation
APT and its wholly-owned Australian resident entities formed a tax-consolidated group with effect from 1 July 2003 and are 
therefore taxed as a single entity from that date. The head entity within the tax-consolidated group is APT. The members of 
the tax-consolidated group are identified at Note 24.

Tax expense/income, deferred tax liabilities and deferred tax assets arising from temporary differences of the members of 
the tax-consolidated group are recognised in the separate financial reports of the members of the tax-consolidated group 
using the ‘separate taxpayer within group’ approach, by reference to the carrying amounts in the separate financial reports 
of each entity and the tax values applying under tax consolidation.

Any current tax liabilities (or assets) and deferred tax assets arising from unused tax losses of the wholly-owned entities are 
assumed  by the head  entity in the tax-consolidated group and are recognised as amounts payable (receivable) to (from) 
other entities in the tax-consolidated group in conjunction with any tax funding arrangement amounts.

The head entity recognises deferred tax assets arising from unused tax losses of the tax-consolidated group to the extent that 
it is probable that future taxable profits of the tax-consolidated group will be available against which the assets can be utilised.

Nature of tax funding arrangement and tax sharing agreement
Entities within the tax-consolidated group have entered into a tax funding arrangement and a tax sharing agreement with 
the head entity. Under the terms of the tax funding arrangement, each of the entities in the tax-consolidated group have 
agreed to pay a tax equivalent payment to or from the head entity based on the current tax liability or current tax asset of 
the entity. Such amounts are reflected in amounts receivable from or payable to other entities in the tax-consolidated group.

The tax sharing agreement entered into between members of the tax-consolidated group provides for the determination of the 
allocation of income tax liabilities between the entities should the head entity default on its tax payment obligations or if an entity 
should leave the tax-consolidated group. The effect of the tax sharing agreement is that each member’s liability for the tax payable 
by the tax-consolidated group is limited to the amount payable to the head entity under the tax funding arrangement.

7.  Earnings per security 

Basic and diluted earnings per security 

2018 
cents 

23.3 

2017
 (Restated) 
cents

21.2

The earnings and weighted average number of ordinary securities used in the calculation of basic and diluted earnings per 
security are as follows:

Net profit attributable to securityholders for calculating basic and diluted

earnings per security 

2018 
$000 

2017 
$000

264,839 

236,846

2018 
No. of securities 
000 

2017 
(Restated) 
No. of securities 
000

Adjusted weighted average number of ordinary securities used in the 
calculation of basic and diluted earnings per security 

1,136,875 

1,118,522

During March 2018, APA Group issued 65,586,479 new ordinary securities on completion of the fully underwritten pro-rata 
accelerated institutional tradeable renounceable entitlement offer (Entitlement Offer). The Entitlement Offer was offered 
at  $7.70  per  security,  a  discount  to  APA  Group’s  closing  market  price  of  $8.26  per  security  on  the  23  February  2018,  the 
last trading day before the record date of 26 February 2018. The number of securities used for the current and prior period 
calculation of earnings per security have been adjusted for the discounted rights issue. An adjustment factor of 1.0038 has 
been calculated, being the closing market price per security on 23 February 2018, divided by the theoretical ex-rights price 
(TERP) of $8.23 per security.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  63

Financial Performance

8.  Distributions

Recognised amounts

Final distribution paid on 13 September 2017

(2017: 16 September 2016)

Profit distribution – APT (a) 

Capital distribution – APT 

Profit distribution – APTIT (a) 

Capital distribution – APTIT 

Interim distribution paid on 14 March 2018

(2017: 15 March 2017)
Profit distribution – APT (b) 

Capital distribution – APT 
Profit distribution – APTIT (a) 

Capital distribution – APTIT 

Total distributions recognised

Profit distributions 

Capital distributions 

Unrecognised amounts
Final distribution payable on 12 September 2018 (c)

(2017: 13 September 2017)
Profit distribution – APT (d) 

Capital distribution – APT 
Profit distribution – APTIT (a) 

Capital distribution – APTIT 

2018 
cents per 
security 

2018 
Total 
$000 

2017 
cents per 
security 

2017 
Total 
$000

5.46 

10.78 

3.07 

3.69 

23.00 

8.30 

7.29 

3.03 

2.38 

60,803 

120,183 

34,198 

41,107 

256,291 

92,491 

81,202 

33,821 

26,490 

16.34 

1.78 

3.75 

0.63 

22.50 

9.59 

5.47 

3.48 

1.96 

182,063

19,869

41,811

6,976

250,719

106,890

60,959

38,770

21,814

21.00 

234,004 

20.50 

228,433

19.86 

24.14 

44.00 

221,313 

268,982 

490,295 

8.93 

9.03 

2.90 

3.14 

24.00 

105,412 

106,513 

34,228 

37,022 

283,175 

33.16 

9.84 

43.00 

5.46 

10.78 

3.07 

3.69 

23.00 

369,534

109,618

479,152

60,803

120,183

34,198

41,107

256,291

a) Profit distributions were unfranked (2017: unfranked).

b) Interim profit distributions were 5.83 cents per security franked and 2.47 cents per security unfranked (2017: 4.67 cents per security franked and 4.92 cents per 

security unfranked).

c)  Record date 29 June 2018.

d) Final profit distributions are to be fully franked (2017: 4.67 cents per security franked and 0.79 cents per security unfranked).

The  final  distribution  in  respect  of  the  financial  year  has  not  been  recognised  in  this  financial  report  because  the  final 
distribution was not declared, determined or publicly confirmed prior to the end of the financial year.

Adjusted franking account balance (tax paid basis) 

2018 
$000 

3,228 

2017 
$000

4,413

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
64 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Operating Assets and Liabilities

9.  Receivables

Trade receivables 

Allowance for doubtful debts 

Trade receivables 

Receivables from associates and related parties 

Finance lease receivables (Note 17) 

Interest receivable 

Other debtors 

Current 

Finance lease receivables (Note 17) 

Non-current 

2018 
$000 

226,315 

(1,494) 

224,821 

25,252 

1,480 

88 

79 

2017 
$000

275,331

(2,120)

273,211

13,028

1,787

1,605

78

251,720 

289,709

14,030 

14,030 

15,496

15,496

Trade receivables are non-interest bearing and are generally on 30 day terms. There are no material trade receivables past 
due and not provided for.

Trade receivables, loans, and other receivables that have fixed or determinable payments that are not quoted in an active 
market are classified as loans and receivables. Trade and other receivables are initially recognised at fair value plus any directly 
attributable transaction costs. Subsequent to initial recognition, they are stated at amortised cost less impairment.

10.  Payables
Trade payables (a) 

Income tax payable 

Other payables 

Current 

Other payables 

Non-current 

41,392 

33,754 

306,530 

381,676 

5,089 

5,089 

40,827

28,914

242,870

312,611

4,984

4,984

a) Trade payables are non-interest bearing and are normally settled on 15 – 30 day terms.

Trade and other payables are recognised when APA Group becomes obliged to make future payments resulting from the 
purchase of goods and services. Trade and other payables are initially recognised at fair value plus any directly attributable 
transaction costs. Subsequent to initial recognition, they are stated at amortised cost.

Payables are recognised inclusive of GST, except for accrued revenue and accrued expense at balance dates which exclude GST.

The net amount of GST recoverable from, or payable to, the taxation authority is included as part of receivables or payables. 
GST receivable or GST payable is only recognised once a tax invoice has been issued or received.

11.  Property, plant and equipment

Gross carrying amount

Balance at 1 July 2016 

Additions 

Disposals 

Transfers 

Balance at 30 June 2017 

Additions 

Disposals 

Transfers 

Freehold land 
and buildings 
- at cost 
$000 

Leasehold 
improvements 
- at cost 
$000 

Plant and 
equipment 
- at cost 
$000 

234,838 

5,072 

10,059,642 

2,280 

(24) 

5,639 

242,733 

702 

– 

5,282 

– 

– 

5,095 

10,167 

– 

– 

493 

5,150 

(9,089) 

295,300 

(306,034) 

10,351,003 

31,278 

(4,071) 

229,407 

905,622 

– 

272,876 

(278,651) 

Work in 
progress 
- at cost 
$000 

195,132 

340,309 

– 

Total 
$000

10,494,684

347,739

(9,113)

–

10,833,310

937,602

(4,071)

–

Balance at 30 June 2018 

248,717 

10,660 

10,651,086 

856,378 

11,766,841

 
 
 
 
 
 
notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  65

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Operating Assets and Liabilities

11.  Property, plant and equipment (continued)

Freehold land 
and buildings 
– at cost 
$000 

Leasehold 
improvements 
– at cost 
$000 

Plant and 
equipment 
– at cost 
$000 

Work in 
progress 
– at cost 
$000 

Accumulated depreciation

Balance at 1 July 2016 

Disposals 

Depreciation expense (Note 5) 

Transfers 

Reclassification to inventories 

(32,015) 

24 

(7,430) 

260 

– 

(2,279) 

(1,271,303) 

– 

(750) 

– 

– 

8,707 

(378,960) 

(260) 

861 

Balance at 30 June 2017 

(39,161) 

(3,029) 

(1,640,955) 

Disposals 

Depreciation expense (Note 5) 

Balance at 30 June 2018 

– 

(7,184) 

(46,345) 

– 

(923) 

3,874 

(387,797) 

(3,952) 

(2,024,878) 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

Total 
$000

(1,305,597)

8,731

(387,140)

–

861

(1,683,145)

3,874

(395,904)

(2,075,175)

Net book value

As at 30 June 2017 

As at 30 June 2018 

203,572 

202,372 

7,138 

6,708 

8,710,048 

8,626,208 

229,407 

856,378 

9,150,165

9,691,666

Property, plant and equipment is stated at cost, less accumulated depreciation and impairment losses. Work in progress is 
stated at cost. Cost includes expenditure that is directly attributable to the acquisition or construction of the item.

Depreciation is provided on property, plant and equipment excluding land. Depreciation is calculated on either a straight-line 
or throughput basis depending on the nature of the asset so as to write off the net cost of each asset over its estimated 
useful life.

Leasehold improvements are depreciated over the period of the lease or estimated useful life, whichever is the shorter, using 
the straight-line method. The estimated useful lives and depreciation methods are reviewed at the end of each reporting 
period, with the effect of any changes recognised on a prospective basis.

Borrowing costs directly attributable to the acquisition, construction or production of qualifying assets (i.e. assets that take 
a substantial period of time to get ready for their intended use or sale) are added to the cost of those assets until such time 
as the assets are substantially ready for their intended use or sale.

All other borrowing costs are recognised in profit or loss in the period in which they are incurred.

Critical accounting judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty – useful lives of non-current assets
APA Group reviews the estimated useful lives of property, plant and equipment at the end of each annual reporting period. 
Any reassessment of useful lives in a particular year will affect the depreciation expense.

The following estimated useful lives are used in the calculation of depreciation:

—  buildings 

—  compressors 

30 – 50 years;

10 – 50 years;

—  gas transportation systems 

10 – 80 years;

—  meters 

20 – 30 years;

—  power generation facilities 

3 – 25 years; and

—  other plant and equipment 

3 – 20 years.

12.  Goodwill and intangibles

Goodwill

Balance at beginning of financial year 

Finalisation of provisional purchase price accounting 

Balance at end of financial year 

2018 
$000 

2017 
$000

1,183,604 

1,184,588

– 

(984)

1,183,604 

1,183,604

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
66 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Operating Assets and Liabilities

12.  Goodwill and intangibles (continued)
Allocation of goodwill to cash-generating units
Goodwill has been allocated for impairment testing purposes to individual cash-generating units.

The  East  Coast  Grid  is  an  interconnected  pipeline  network  that  includes,  inter  alia,  the  Wallumbilla  Gladstone,  Moomba 
Sydney,  Roma  Brisbane,  Carpentaria  Gas  and  South  West  Queensland  pipelines  and  the  Victorian  Transmission  System. 
Since the acquisition of the South West Queensland Pipeline to complete the formation of APA’s East Coast Grid in December 
2012, APA has installed facilities to enable bi-directional transportation of gas to meet the demand of our major customers 
who now typically operate portfolios of gas supply and demand. Through the provision of multi-asset services, bi-directional 
transportation, capacity trading and gas storage and parking facilities, APA’s East Coast Grid delivers options for customers 
to  choose  from,  and  move  gas  between,  more  than  40  receipt  points  and  over  100  delivery  points  on  the  east  coast  of 
Australia. The East Coast Grid is categorised as an individual cash-generating unit.

The  carrying  amount  of  goodwill  allocated  to  cash-generating  units  that  are  significant  individually  or  in  aggregate  is  as 
follows:

Asset Management business 

Energy Infrastructure

  East Cost Grid 

  Diamantina Power Station 

  Other energy infrastructure (a) 

2018 
$000 

21,456 

2017 
$000

21,456

1,060,681 

1,060,681

43,104 

58,363 

43,104

58,363

1,183,604 

1,183,604

a) Primarily represents goodwill relating to the Pilbara Pipeline System ($32.6m) and the Goldfields Gas Pipeline ($18.5m).

Goodwill acquired in a business combination is initially measured at cost and subsequently at cost less accumulated impairment.

Contract and other intangibles

Gross carrying amount

Balance at beginning of financial year 

Acquisitions / additions 

Write-offs 

Balance at end of financial year 

Accumulated amortisation and impairment

Balance at beginning of financial year 

Amortisation expense (Note 5) 

Write-offs 

Balance at end of financial year 

3,589,799 

3,604,143

1,161 

– 

1,456

(15,800)

3,590,960 

3,589,799

(415,517) 

(183,012) 

– 

(248,436)

(182,881)

15,800

(598,529) 

(415,517)

2,992,431 

3,174,282

APA Group holds various third party operating and maintenance contracts. The combined gross carrying amount of $3,591.0 
million amortises over terms ranging from one to 20 years. Useful life is determined based on the underlying contractual 
terms plus estimations of renewal of up to two terms where considered probable by management. Amortisation expense is 
not a cash item, and is included in the line item of depreciation and amortisation expense in the statement of profit or loss 
and other comprehensive income.

Intangible  assets  acquired  separately  are  carried  at  cost  less  accumulated  amortisation  and  accumulated  impairment 
losses. Intangible assets acquired in a business combination are identified and recognised separately from goodwill and are 
initially recognised at their fair value at the acquisition date and subsequently at cost less accumulated amortisation and 
accumulated impairment losses.

Amortisation is recognised on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of each asset. The estimated useful life and 
amortisation method are reviewed at the end of each annual reporting period, with the effects of any changes in estimate 
being accounted for on a prospective basis.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  67

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Operating Assets and Liabilities

13.  Impairment of non-financial assets
APA Group tests property, plant and equipment, intangibles and goodwill for impairment at least annually or whenever there 
is an indication that the asset may be impaired. Assets other than goodwill that have previously reported an impairment are 
reviewed for possible reversal of the impairment at each reporting period.

If the asset does not generate independent cash inflows and its value in use cannot be estimated to be close to its fair value, 
the asset is tested for impairment as part of the cash-generating unit (CGU) to which it belongs.

Assets are impaired if their carrying value exceeds their recoverable amount. The recoverable amount of an asset or CGU is 
determined as the higher of its fair value less costs of disposal or value-in-use.

Determining whether identifiable intangible assets and goodwill are impaired requires an estimation of the value-in-use or 
fair value of the cash-generating units. The calculations require APA Group to estimate the future cash flows expected to 
arise from cash-generating units and suitable discount rates in order to calculate the present value of cash-generating units. 
These estimates and assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis.

The recoverable amounts of cash-generating units are determined based on value-in-use calculations. These calculations use 
cash flow projections based on a five year financial business plan and thereafter a further 15 year financial model. This is the 
basis of APA Group’s forecasting and planning processes which represents the underlying long term nature of associated 
customer contracts on these assets.

In  accordance  with  the  requirements  of  AASB  136  Impairment  of  Assets,  APA  Group  reviewed  its  CGUs  for  indicators  of 
impairment at the end of the reporting period. No such indicators were identified and no impairment recognised.

Critical accounting judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty – impairment of assets
For fully regulated assets, cash flows have been extrapolated on the basis of existing transportation contracts and government 
policy settings, and expected contract renewals with a resulting average annual growth rate of 1.0% p.a. (2017: 1.1% p.a.). 
These expected cash flows are factored into the regulated asset base and do not exceed management’s expectations of the 
long-term average growth rate for the market in which the cash generating unit operates.

For  non-regulated  assets,  APA  has  assumed  no  capacity  expansion  beyond  installed  and  committed  levels;  utilisation  of 
capacity is based on existing contracts, government policy settings and expected market outcomes.

As contracts mature, given ongoing demand for capacity, it is assumed that the majority of the capacity is resold at similar 
pricing levels.

Asset Management cash flow projections reflect long term agreements with assumptions of renewal on similar terms and 
conditions based on management’s expectations.

Cash flow projections are estimated for a period of up to 20 years, with a terminal value, recognising the long term nature of 
the assets. The pre-tax discount rates used are 8.25% p.a. (2017: 8.25% p.a.) for Energy Infrastructure assets and 8.25% p.a. 
(2017: 8.25% p.a.) for Asset Management.

These assumptions have been determined with reference to historic information, current performance and expected changes 
taking into account external information.

14.  Provisions

Employee benefits 

Other 

Current 

Employee benefits 

Other 

Non-current 

Employee benefits

Incentives 

Cash settled security-based payments 

Leave balances 

Termination benefits 

Current 

Cash settled security-based payments 

Defined benefit liability (Note 16) 

Leave balances 

Non-current 

2018 
$000 

78,433 

5,196 

83,629 

30,180 

41,771 

71,951 

28,153 

8,299 

41,981 

– 

78,433 

14,791 

5,032 

10,357 

30,180 

2017 
$000

83,787

9,986

93,773

33,598

35,453

69,051

29,357

8,857

39,976

5,597

83,787

18,939

4,645

10,014

33,598

 
 
68 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Operating Assets and Liabilities

14.  Provisions (continued)
A provision is recognised when there is a legal or constructive obligation as a result of a past event, it is probable that future 
economic benefits will be required to settle the obligation and the amount of the provision can be measured reliably.

The amount recognised as a provision is the best estimate of the consideration required to settle the present obligation at 
the end of the financial year, taking into account the risks and uncertainties surrounding the obligation. Where a provision is 
measured using the cash flows estimated to settle the present obligation, its carrying amount is the present value of those 
cash flows.

When some or all of the economic benefits required to settle a provision are expected to be recovered from a third party, the 
receivable is recognised as an asset if it is probable that recovery will be received and the amount of the receivable can be 
measured reliably.

Provision  is  made  for  benefits  accruing  to  employees  in  respect  of  wages  and  salaries,  incentives,  annual  leave  and  long 
service leave when it is probable that settlement will be required. Provisions made in respect of employee benefits expected 
to be settled within 12 months, are recognised for employee services up to reporting date at the amounts expected to be 
paid when the liability is settled. Provisions made in respect of employee benefits which are not expected to be wholly settled 
within 12 months are measured as the present value of the estimated future cash outflows using a discount rate based on 
the corporate bond yield in respect of services provided by employees up to reporting date.

15.  Other non-current assets

Line pack gas 

Gas held in storage 

Defined benefit asset (Note 16) 

Other assets 

2018 
$000 

20,607 

6,010 

6,693 

192 

33,502 

2017 
$000

20,343

6,010

4,870

192

31,415

16.  Employee superannuation plans
All employees of APA Group are entitled to benefits on retirement, disability or death from an industry sponsored fund, or an 
alternative fund of their choice. APA Group has three plans with defined benefit sections (due to the acquisition of businesses) 
and a number of other plans with defined contribution sections. The defined benefit sections provide lump sum benefits upon 
retirement based on years of service. The defined contribution sections receive fixed contributions from APA Group and APA 
Group’s legal and constructive obligations are limited to these amounts.

The most recent actuarial valuations of plan assets and the present value of the defined benefit obligations were determined 
at 30 June 2018. The present value of the defined benefit obligations, and the related current service cost and past service 
cost, were measured using the projected unit credit method.

The following sets out details in respect of the defined benefit plans only:

Amounts recognised in the statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income

Current service cost 

Net interest expense 

Components of defined benefit costs recognised in profit or loss (Note 5) 

Amounts recognised in the statement of financial position

Fair value of plan assets 

Present value of benefit obligation 

Defined benefit asset – non-current (Note 15) 

Defined benefit liability – non-current (Note 14) 

Opening defined benefit obligation 

Current service cost 

Interest cost 

Contributions from plan participants 

Actuarial loss 

Benefits paid 

Administrative expenses, taxes and premiums paid 

Closing defined benefit obligation 

2,234 

46 

2,280 

135,620 

(133,959) 

6,693 

(5,032) 

2,842

191

3,033

135,029

(134,804)

4,870

(4,645)

134,804 

143,101

2,234 

5,369 

786 

5,138 

(13,873) 

(499) 

133,959 

2,842

4,599

1,001

1,550

(17,665)

(624)

134,804

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  69

Operating Assets and Liabilities

16.  Employee superannuation plans (continued)
Movements in the present value of the plan assets in the current period were as follows:

Opening fair value of plan assets 

Interest income 

Actual return on plan assets excluding interest income 

Contributions from employer 

Contributions from plan participants 

Benefits paid 

Administrative expenses, taxes and premiums paid 

Closing fair value of plan assets 

2018 
$000 

2017 
$000

135,029 

138,488

5,323 

6,726 

2,128 

786 

(13,873) 

(499) 

4,408

7,002

2,419

1,001

(17,665)

(624)

135,620 

135,029

Defined contribution plans
Contributions to defined contribution plans are expensed when incurred.

Defined benefit plans
Actuarial gains and losses and the return on plan assets (excluding interest) are recognised immediately in the statement 
of  financial  position  with  a  charge  or  credit  recognised  in  other  comprehensive  income  in  the  period  in  which  they  occur. 
Remeasurement, comprising of actuarial gains and losses and the return on plan assets (excluding interest), is recognised 
in other comprehensive income and immediately reflected in retained earnings and will not be reclassified to profit or loss.

Past service cost is recognised in profit or loss in the period of a plan amendment.

The defined benefit obligation recognised in the consolidated statement of financial position represents the actual deficit 
or surplus in APA Group’s defined benefit plans. Any asset resulting from this calculation is limited to the present value of 
economic benefits available in the form of refunds and reductions in future contributions to the plan.

Key actuarial assumptions used in the determination of the defined benefit obligation is a discount rate of 4.1% gross of 
tax (2017: 4.1%), based on the corporate bond yield curve published by Milliman, an expected salary increase rate of 3.0% 
(2017: 3.0%), and pension indexation rate of 2.0% (2017: 2.0%). The sensitivity analysis below has been determined based 
on reasonable possible changes of the respective assumptions occurring at the end of the reporting period, while holding all 
other assumptions constant:

—  If the discount rate is 50 basis points higher (lower), the defined benefit obligation would decrease by $5,722,000 (increase 

by $6,321,000); and

—  If the expected salary growth increases (decreases) by 0.5%, the defined benefit obligation would increase by $1,813,000 

(decrease by $1,715,000).

—  If the expected pension indexation rate increases (decreases) by 0.5%, the defined benefit obligation would increase by 

$4,313,000 (decrease by $3,932,000).

The sensitivity analysis presented above may not be representative of the actual change in the defined benefit obligation 
as it is unlikely that the change in assumptions would occur in isolation of one another as some of the assumptions may 
be correlated.

Furthermore,  in  presenting  the  above  sensitivity  analysis,  the  present  value  of  the  defined  benefit  obligation  has  been 
calculated using the projected unit credit method at the end of the reporting period, which is the same as that applied in 
calculating the defined benefit obligation liability recognised in the statement of financial position.

APA Group expects to pay $2.0 million in contributions to the defined benefit plans during the year ending 30 June 2019.

 
 
70 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Operating Assets and Liabilities

17.  Leases
Leases are classified as finance leases when the terms of the lease transfer substantially all the risks and rewards incidental 
to the ownership of the leased asset to the lessee. All other leases are classified as operating leases.

Finance  lease  receivables  relate  to  the  lease  of  a  metering  station,  natural  gas  vehicle  refuelling  facilities  and  two 
pipeline laterals.

Finance lease receivables

Not longer than 1 year 

Longer than 1 year and not longer than 5 years 

Longer than 5 years 

Minimum future lease payments receivable (a) 

Gross finance lease receivables 

Less: unearned finance lease receivables 

Present value of lease receivables 

Included in the financial statements as part of:

Current trade and other receivables (Note 9) 

Non-current receivables (Note 9) 

2018 
$000 

2,775 

8,763 

12,832 

24,370 

24,370 

(8,860) 

15,510 

1,480 

14,030 

15,510 

2017 
$000

3,227

9,655

14,715

27,597

27,597

(10,314)

17,283

1,787

15,496

17,283

a) Minimum future lease payments receivable include the aggregate of all lease payments receivable and any guaranteed residual.

APA Group as a lessor
Amounts due from a lessee under finance leases are recorded as receivables. Finance lease receivables are initially recognised 
at amounts equal to the present value of the minimum lease payments receivable plus the present value of any unguaranteed 
residual value expected to accrue at the end of the lease term. Finance lease income is allocated to accounting periods so as 
to reflect a constant periodic rate of return on the net investment outstanding in respect of the leases.

APA Group as a lessee
Assets held under finance leases are initially recognised at their fair value or, if lower, at amounts equal to the present value 
of the minimum lease payments, each determined at the inception of the lease. The corresponding liability to the lessor is 
included  in  the  consolidated  statement  of  financial  position  as  a  finance  lease  obligation.  Lease  payments  are  allocated 
between finance charges and reduction of the lease obligation so as to achieve a constant rate of interest on the remaining 
balance of the liability.

Finance lease assets are amortised on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of the asset.

Non-cancellable operating leases
Operating lease obligations are primarily related to commercial office leases and motor vehicles.

Not longer than 1 year 

Longer than 1 year and not longer than 5 years 

Longer than 5 years 

13,641 

36,487 

22,437 

72,565 

12,970

41,660

26,462

81,092

Operating lease payments are recognised as an expense on a straight-line basis over the lease term, except where another 
systematic basis is more representative of the time patterns in which economic benefits from the leased asset are consumed. 
Operating lease incentives are recognis ed as a liability when received and released to the statement of profit or loss on a 
straight line basis over the lease term.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  71

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Capital Management

APA Group’s objectives when managing capital are to safeguard its ability to continue as a going concern while maximising 
the return to securityholders through the optimisation of the debt to equity structure.

APA  Group’s  overall  capital  management  strategy  is  to  continue  to  target  BBB/Baa2  investment  grade  ratings  through 
maintaining sufficient flexibility to fund organic growth and investment from internally generated and retained cash flows, 
equity and, where appropriate, additional debt funding.

The capital structure of APA Group consists of cash and cash equivalents, borrowings and equity attributable to securityholders 
of APA. APA Group’s policy is to maintain balanced and diverse funding sources through borrowing locally and from overseas, 
using a variety of capital markets and bank loan facilities, to meet anticipated funding requirements.

Operating cash flows are used to maintain and expand APA Group’s assets, make distributions to securityholders and to 
repay maturing debt.

Controlled entities are subject to externally imposed capital requirements. These relate to the Australian Financial Services 
Licence held by Australian Pipeline Limited, the Responsible Entity of APA Group, and were adhered to for the entirety of the 
2018 and 2017 periods.

APA Group’s capital management strategy remains unchanged from the previous year.

APA Group’s Board of Directors reviews the capital structure on a regular basis. As part of the review, the Board considers the 
cost of capital and the state of the markets. APA Group targets gearing in a range of 65% to 68%. Gearing is determined as 
the proportion of net debt to net debt plus equity. APA Group balances its overall capital structure through equity issuance, 
new debt or the redemption of existing debt and through a disciplined distribution payment policy.

18.  Net debt
Cash and cash equivalents comprise of cash on hand, at call bank deposits and investments in money market instruments 
that are readily convertible to known amounts for cash. Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the financial year as shown 
in  the  statement  of  cash  flows  are  reconciled  to  the  related  items  in  the  statement  of  financial  position  detailed  in  the 
table below.

Borrowings are recorded initially at fair value less attributable transaction costs and subsequently stated at amortised cost. 
Any difference between the initial recognised cost and the redemption value is recognised in the statement of profit or loss 
and other comprehensive income over the period of the borrowing using the effective interest method.

Cash at bank and on hand 

Short-term deposits 

Cash and cash equivalents 

Guaranteed senior notes (a) 

Other financial liabilities 

Current borrowings 

Guaranteed senior notes (a) 

Bank borrowings (b) 

Subordinated notes (c) 

Other financial liabilities 

Less: unamortised borrowing costs 

Non-current borrowings 

Total borrowings 

Net debt 

2018 
$000 

99,277 

1,366 

100,643 

(318,373) 

(10,846) 

2017 
$000

43,087

351,414

394,501

(115,738)

(11,120)

(329,219) 

(126,858)

(9,089,991) 

(9,022,710)

(200,000) 

–

– 

(515,000)

(73,458) 

42,072 

(82,059)

45,862

(9,321,377) 

(9,573,907)

(9,650,596) 

(9,700,765)

(9,549,953) 

(9,306,264)

a) Represents USD denominated private placement notes of US$384 million, CAD medium term notes (MTN) of C$300 million, GBP MTNs of £950 million, EUR 
MTN  of  €1,350  million  and  USD  denominated  144A  notes  of  US$3,000  million  measured  at the  exchange  rate  at  reporting  date,  and A$211  million  of AUD 
denominated private placement notes and AUD MTN of A$500 million (2017: Includes JPY MTN of ¥10,000 million). Refer to Note 19 for details of interest rates 
and maturity profiles.

b) Refer to Note 19 for details of interest rates and maturity profiles.

c)  Represents AUD denominated subordinated notes. Refer to Note 19 for details of interest rates and maturity profiles.

 
 
72 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Capital Management

18.  Net debt (continued)

Cash and 
cash 
equivalents 
$000 

Borrowings 
due within 
1 year 
$000 

Borrowings 
due after 
1 year 
$000 

Net debt 
$000

Reconciliation of net debt
Net debt as at 1 July 2016 

Cash movements 

84,506 

310,605 

Foreign exchange movements due to fair value changes 

(610) 

Transfer from due after 1 year to due within 1 year 

Amortisation of deferred borrowing costs 

– 

– 

(409,829) 

(9,314,373) 

(9,639,696)

392,437 

27,519 

(136,985) 

– 

(592,081) 

196,360 

136,985 

(798) 

110,961

223,269

–

(798)

Net debt as at 30 June 2017 

394,501 

(126,858) 

(9,573,907) 

(9,306,264)

Net debt as at 1 July 2017 

Cash movements 

Foreign exchange movements due to fair value changes 

Transfer from due after 1 year to due within 1 year 

Amortisation of deferred borrowing costs 

394,501 

(293,612) 

(246) 

– 

– 

(126,858) 

(9,573,907) 

(9,306,264)

137,015 

(13,298) 

(326,078) 

– 

315,000 

158,403

(384,758) 

(398,302)

326,078 

(3,790) 

–

(3,790)

Net debt as at 30 June 2018 

100,643 

(329,219) 

(9,321,377) 

(9,549,953)

Financing facilities available

Total facilities

Guaranteed senior notes (a) 

Bank borrowings (b) 

Subordinated notes (c) 

Facilities used at balance date

Guaranteed senior notes (a) 

Bank borrowings (b) 

Subordinated notes (c) 

Facilities unused at balance date

Guaranteed senior notes (a) 

Bank borrowings (b) 

Subordinated notes (c) 

2018 
$000 

2017 
$000

9,408,364 

1,068,750 

– 

9,138,448

1,068,750

515,000

10,477,114 

10,722,198

9,408,364 

200,000 

9,138,448

–

– 

515,000

9,608,364 

9,653,448

– 

–

868,750 

1,068,750

– 

–

868,750 

1,068,750

a) Represents USD denominated private placement notes of US$384 million, CAD medium term notes (MTN) of C$300 million, GBP MTNs of £950 million, EUR 
MTN  of  €1,350  million  and  USD  denominated  144A  notes  of  US$3,000  million  measured  at the  exchange  rate  at  reporting  date,  and A$211  million  of AUD 
denominated private placement notes and AUD MTN of A$500 million (2017: Includes JPY MTN of ¥10,000 million). Refer to Note 19 for details of interest rates 
and maturity profiles.

b) Refer to Note 19 for details of interest rates and maturity profiles.

c)  Represents AUD denominated subordinated notes. Refer to Note 19 for details of interest rates and maturity profiles.

19.  Financial risk management
APA  Group’s  corporate  Treasury  department  is  responsible  for  the  overall  management  of  APA  Group’s  capital  raising 
activities,  liquidity,  lender  relationships  and  engagement,  debt  portfolio  management,  interest  rate  and foreign  exchange 
hedging,  credit  rating  maintenance  and  third  party  indemnities  (bank  guarantees)  within  risk  management  parameters 
reviewed  by  the  Board.  The  Audit  and  Risk  Management  Committee  (“”ARMC””)  approves  written  principles  for  overall 
risk management, as well as policies covering specific areas such as liquidity and funding risk, foreign currency risk, interest 
rate  risk,  credit  risk,  contract  and  legal  risk  and  operational  risk. APA  Group’s ARMC  ensures there  is  an  appropriate  Risk 
Management Policy for the management of treasury risk and compliance with the policy through monthly reporting to the 
Board from the Treasury department.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  73

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Capital Management

19.  Financial risk management (continued)

APA Group’s activities generate financial instruments comprising of cash, receivables, payables and interest bearing liabilities 
which expose it to various risks as summarised below:

a) Market risk including currency risk, interest rate risk and price risk;

b) Credit risk; and

c)  Liquidity risk.

Treasury as a centralised function provides APA Group with the benefits of efficient cash utilisation, control of funding and its 
associated costs, efficient and effective management of aggregated financial risk and concentration of financial expertise, 
at an acceptable cost and manages risks through the use of natural hedges and derivative instruments. APA Group does 
not engage in speculative trading. All derivatives have been transacted to hedge underlying or existing exposures and have 
adhered to the ARMC approved Treasury Risk Management Policy.

a)  Market risk
APA Group’s market risk exposure is primarily due to changes in market prices such as interest and foreign exchange rates. 
APA  Group  enters  into  a  variety  of  derivative  financial  instruments  to  manage  its  exposure  to  interest  rate  and  foreign 
currency risk, including:

—  forward exchange contracts to hedge the exchange rate risk arising from foreign currency cash flows, mainly US dollars, 

derived from revenues, interest payments and capital equipment purchases;

—  cross currency interest rate swaps to manage the currency risk associated with foreign currency denominated borrowings;

—  foreign  currency  denominated  borrowings  to  manage  the  currency  risk  associated  with  foreign  currency  denominated 

revenue and receivables; and

—  interest rate swaps to mitigate interest rate risk.

APA Group is also exposed to price risk arising from its forward purchase contracts over listed equities and electricity price risk 
arising from the electricity contract for difference.

Foreign currency risk
APA  Group’s  foreign  exchange  risk  arises  from  future  commercial  transactions  (including  revenue,  interest  payments  and 
principal  debt  repayments  on  long-term  borrowings  and  the  purchases  of  capital  equipment).  Exchange  rate  exposures 
are managed within approved policy parameters utilising forward exchange contracts, cross currency swap contracts and 
foreign currency denominated borrowings. All foreign currency exposure was managed in accordance with the Treasury Risk 
Management Policy.

The  carrying  amount  of  APA  Group’s  foreign  currency  denominated  monetary  assets,  monetary  liabilities  and  derivative 
notional amounts at the reporting date is as follows:

2018 

US Dollar (USD) 

Japanese Yen (JPY) 

Canadian Dollar (CAD) 

British Pound (GBP) 

Euro (EUR) 

Swedish Krona (SEK) 

Danish Krona (DKK) 

2017

US Dollar (USD) 

Japanese Yen (JPY) 

Canadian Dollar (CAD) 

British Pound (GBP) 

Euro (EUR) 

Swedish Krona (SEK) 

Danish Krona (DKK) 

Cash & cash 
Total 
equivalents  Receivables  borrowings 
$000 

$000 

$000 

Cross 
currency 
swaps 
$000 

Foreign  Net foreign 
currency 
position 
$000

exchange 
contract 
$000 

3,143 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

3,143 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

(4,576,684) 

(433,791) 

(109,807) 

(5,117,139)

– 

– 

(308,496) 

308,496 

(1,694,493) 

1,694,493 

(2,129,801) 

2,129,801 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

18,911 

43,344 

4,102 

–

–

–

18,911

43,344

4,102

(8,709,474) 

3,698,999 

(43,450) 

(5,050,782)

3,393 

40,002 

(4,406,537) 

(417,663) 

(347,362) 

(5,128,167)

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

(115,738) 

115,738 

(301,230) 

301,230 

(1,610,280) 

1,610,280 

(2,007,377) 

2,007,377 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

–

–

–

45,024 

61,196 

45,024

61,196

104,038 

104,038

3,393 

40,002 

(8,441,162) 

3,616,962 

(137,104) 

(4,917,909)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
74 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Capital Management

19.  Financial risk management (continued)

a)  Market risk (continued)
Forward foreign exchange contracts
To manage foreign exchange risk arising from future commercial transactions such as forecast capital purchases, revenue 
and  interest  payments,  APA  Group  uses  forward  foreign  exchange  contracts.  Gains  and  losses  recognised  in  the  cash 
flow  hedge  reserve  (statement  of  comprehensive  income)  on these  derivatives will  be  released to  profit  or  loss when the 
underlying anticipated transaction affects the statement of profit or loss or will be included in the carrying value of the asset 
or liability acquired.

It  is  the  policy  of  APA  Group  to  hedge  100%  of  all  foreign  exchange  exposures  in  excess  of  US$1  million  equivalent  that 
are  certain.  Forecast foreign  currency  denominated  revenues  and  interest  payments will  be  hedged  by forward  exchange 
contracts on a rolling basis with the objective being to lock in the AUD gross cash flows and manage liquidity.

The following table details the forward foreign exchange currency contracts outstanding at reporting date:

Cash flow hedges 

2018 

Average 
exchange 
rate 
$ 

Foreign 
currency 

Contract Value

< 1 year 
$000 

1 – 2 years 
$000 

2 – 5 years 
$000 

Fair value 
$000

Forecast revenue and associated receivable

Pay USD / receive AUD 

USD 

0.6528 

137,462 

– 

Forecast capital purchases

Pay AUD / receive USD 

Pay AUD / receive EUR 

Pay AUD / receive SEK 

Pay AUD / receive DKK 

USD 

EUR 

SEK 

DKK 

0.7596 

0.6821 

5.7572 

5.1321 

(27,515) 

(17,039) 

(2,087) 

(4,102) 

– 

– 

(1,795) 

(140) 

(77) 

(7,045) 

(34,212) 

– 

– 

15,957

734

1,706

(3,142)

387

2017

Forecast revenue and associated receivable

Pay USD / receive AUD 

USD 

0.7082 

306,474 

146,605 

– 

33,119

86,719 

(7,262) 

(36,007) 

15,642

Forecast capital purchases

Pay AUD / receive USD 

Pay AUD / receive EUR 

Pay AUD / receive SEK 

Pay AUD / receive DKK 

USD 

EUR 

SEK 

DKK 

0.7507 

0.6884 

5.8684 

5.2308 

(92,269) 

(26,461) 

(18,108) 

(99,936) 

(13,308) 

(16,691) 

(1,831) 

(4,102) 

(140) 

(1,872) 

(41,257) 

– 

(2,113)

2,153

(2,129)

6,543

69,700 

110,673 

(43,269) 

37,573

As  at  reporting  date,  APA  Group  has  entered  into  forward  contracts  to  hedge  net  US  exchange  rate  risk  arising  from 
anticipated future transactions with an aggregate notional principal amount of $137.5 million (2017: $453.1 million) which are 
designated in cash flow hedge relationships. The hedged anticipated transactions denominated in US dollars are expected to 
occur at various dates between one month to three years from reporting date.

Cross currency swap contracts
APA Group enters into cross currency swap contracts to mitigate the risk of adverse movements in foreign exchange rates 
in relation to principal and interest payments arising from foreign currency borrowings. APA Group receives fixed amounts 
in the various foreign currencies and pays both variable interest rates (based on Australian BBSW) and fixed interest rates 
for the full term of the underlying borrowings. In certain circumstances borrowings are retained in the foreign currency, or 
hedged from one foreign currency to another to match payments of interest and principal against expected future business 
cash flows in that foreign currency.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  75

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Capital Management

19.  Financial risk management (continued)

a)  Market risk (continued)
Cross currency swap contracts (continued)
The following table details the cross currency swap contract principal payments due as at the reporting date:

Cash flow hedges 

2018 

Foreign 
currency 

Exchange 
rate 
$ 

Less than 
1 year 
$000 

1 – 2 years 
$000 

2 – 5 years 
$000 

  More than 
5 years 
$000

Pay AUD / receive foreign currency

2003 USPP Notes 

2007 USPP Notes 

2009 USPP Notes 

2012 CAD Medium Term Notes 

2012 US144A 

2012 GBP Medium Term Notes 

2017 US144A 

Pay USD / receive foreign currency

2015 EUR Medium Term Notes 

2015 GBP Medium Term Notes 

2017

Pay AUD / receive foreign currency

2003 USPP Notes 

2007 USPP Notes 

2009 USPP Notes 

AUD/USD 

AUD/USD 

AUD/USD 

AUD/CAD 

AUD/USD 

AUD/GBP 

AUD/USD 

0.6573 

0.8068 

0.7576 

1.0363 

1.0198 

0.6530 

0.7668 

USD/EUR 

USD/GBP 

0.9514 

0.6773 

(95,847) 

(151,215) 

– 

– 

– 

(153,694) 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

(98,997) 

(289,494) 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

(735,438) 

– 

– 

(535,988)

(1,108,503)

(994,901) 

(924,013)

– 

(1,198,134)

(247,062) 

(388,491) 

(1,884,033) 

(3,766,638)

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

AUD/USD 

AUD/USD 

AUD/USD 

0.6573 

0.8068 

0.7576 

– 

– 

– 

(95,847) 

– 

(151,215) 

(153,694) 

2012 JPY Medium Term Notes 

AUD/JPY 

79.4502 

(125,865) 

2012 CAD Medium Term Notes 

2012 US144A 

2012 GBP Medium Term Notes 

2017 US144A 

Pay USD / receive foreign currency

2015 EUR Medium Term Notes 

2015 GBP Medium Term Notes 

AUD/CAD 

AUD/USD 

AUD/GBP 

AUD/USD 

USD/EUR 

USD/GBP 

1.0363 

1.0198 

0.6530 

0.7668 

0.9514 

0.6773 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

(98,997) 

– 

(289,494) 

– 

– 

– 

(735,438)

(535,988)

(1,108,503)

(957,914) 

(889,661)

– 

(1,153,591)

(125,865) 

(247,062) 

(1,500,099) 

(4,423,181)

Foreign currency denominated borrowings
APA Group maintains a level of borrowings in foreign currency, or swapped from one foreign currency to another to match 
payments of interest and principal against expected future business cash flows in that foreign currency. This mitigates the 
risk of adverse movements in foreign exchange rates in relation to principal and interest payments arising from these foreign 
currency borrowings as well as future revenues.

Foreign currency sensitivity analysis
The  analysis  below  shows  the  effect  on  profit  and  total  equity  of  retranslating  cash,  receivables,  payables  and  interest-
bearing liabilities denominated in USD, CAD, GBP and EUR into AUD, had the rates been 20 percent higher or lower than the 
relevant year end rate, with all other variables held constant, and taking into account all underlying exposures and related 
hedges. A sensitivity of 20 percent has been selected and represents management’s assessment of the possible change in 
rates taking into account the current level of exchange rates and the volatility observed both on an historical basis and on 
market expectations for possible future movements.
—  There would be no impact on net profit as all foreign currency exposures are fully hedged (2017: nil); and
—  Equity reserves would decrease by $1,272.0 million with a 20 percent depreciation of the A$ or increase by $849.4 million with 
a 20 percent increase in foreign exchange rates (2017: decrease by $1,255.0 million or increase by $839.8 million respectively).

Interest rate risk
APA Group’s interest rate risk is derived predominately from borrowings subject to fixed and floating interest rates. This risk 
is managed by APA Group by maintaining an appropriate mix between fixed and floating rate borrowings, through the use of 
interest rate swap contracts. Hedging activities are evaluated regularly to align with interest rate views and defined policy, 
ensuring appropriate hedging strategies are applied.

APA Group’s exposures to interest rate risk on financial liabilities are detailed in the liquidity risk management section of this 
note. Exposure to financial assets is limited to cash and cash equivalents amounting to $100.6 million as at 30 June 2018 
(2017: $394.5 million).

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
76 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Capital Management

19.  Financial risk management (continued)

a)  Market risk (continued)
Cross currency swap and interest rate swap contracts
Cross currency swap and interest rate swap contracts have the economic effect of converting borrowings from floating to 
fixed rates and/or fixed rate foreign currency to fixed or floating AUD rates on agreed notional principal amounts enabling 
APA Group to mitigate the risk of cash flow exposures on variable rate debt held. The fair value of interest rate swaps at 
the reporting date is determined by discounting the future cash flows using the yield curves at reporting date. The average 
interest rate is based on the outstanding balances at the end of the financial year.

The following table details the notional principal amounts and remaining terms of the cross currency and interest rate swap 
contracts outstanding as at the end of the financial year:

Weighted average 
interest rate 

Notional 
principal amount 

Fair value

2018 
% p.a. 

2017 
% p.a. 

2018 
$000 

2017 
$000 

2018 
$000 

2017 
$000

Cash flow hedges – Pay fixed AUD interest – 
receive floating AUD or fixed foreign currency

Less than 1 year 

1 year to 2 years 

2 years to 5 years (a) 

5 years and more (a) 

7.30 

8.05 

5.14 

5.11 

6.80 

7.30 

5.18 

5.38 

247,062 

388,491 

125,865 

247,062 

1,036 

11,950 

1,884,033 

1,500,099 

338,786 

3,766,638 

4,423,181 

24,031 

(14,249)

(9,706)

85,006

81,206

6,286,224 

6,296,207 

375,803 

142,257

a) This amount includes a notional amount of USD 2.3 billion (2017: USD 2.3 billion) which is subject to USD interest rate risk.

The  cross  currency  swap  and  interest  rate  swap  contracts  settle  on  a  quarterly  or  semi-annual  basis.  The  floating  rate 
benchmark on the interest rate swaps is Australian BBSW. APA Group will settle the difference between the fixed and floating 
interest rate on a net basis.

All cross currency swap and interest rate swap contracts exchanging floating rate interest amounts for fixed rate interest 
amounts are designated as cash flow hedges in order to reduce APA Group’s cash flow exposure on borrowings.

Interest rate sensitivity analysis
The  sensitivity  analysis  below  has  been  determined  based  on  the  exposure  to  interest  rates  for  both  derivative  and 
non-derivative instruments held. A 100 basis point increase or decrease is used and represents management’s assessment of 
the greatest possible change in interest rates. At reporting date, if interest rates had been 100 basis points higher or lower 
and all other variables were held constant, APA Group’s:

—  net  profit  would  decrease  by  $2,000,000  or  increase  by  $2,000,000  (2017:  decrease  by  $5,150,000  or  increase 
by $5,150,000). This is mainly attributable to APA Group’s exposure to interest rates on its variable rate borrowings; and

—  equity reserves would increase by $40,738,000 with a 100 basis point decrease in interest rates or decrease by $31,154,000 
with a 100 basis point increase in interest rates (2017: increase by $31,379,000 or decrease by $27,772,000 respectively). 
This is due to the changes in the fair value of derivative interest instruments.

APA Group’s profit sensitivity to interest rates has decreased during the current year due to the overall decrease in the level 
of APA Group’s unhedged floating rate borrowings. The increase/decrease in equity reserves is based on 1.00% p.a. increase/
decrease in the yield curve at the reporting date. The increase in sensitivity in equity is due to the impact of the 1.00% change 
in interest rates on the higher derivative fair value this year, which has been partially offset by the reduction in the tenor 
of the derivatives.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  77

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Capital Management

19.  Financial risk management (continued)

a)  Market risk (continued)
Price risk – equity price
APA Group is exposed to price risk arising from its forward purchase contracts over listed equities. The forward purchase 
contracts are held to meet hedging objectives rather than for trading purposes. APA Group does not actively trade these 
holdings.

Price risk sensitivity
The sensitivity analysis below has been determined based on the exposure to price risks at the reporting date. At the reporting 
date, if the prices of APA Group’s forward purchase contracts over listed equities had been 5 percent p.a. higher or lower:

—  net profit would have been unaffected as there is no effect from the forwards as the corresponding exposure will offset in 

full (2017: $nil); and

—  there is no effect on equity reserves as APA Group holds no available-for-sale investments (2017: $nil).

Price risk – electricity price
APA Group is exposed to electricity price risk arising from a contract for difference in an electricity agreement with a customer. 
The contract guarantees the Group a fixed price for electricity offtake. The sensitivity of the contract for difference to changes 
in the electricity price is provided in the fair value of financial instrument section.

b)  Credit risk
Credit risk refers to the risk that a counterparty will default on its contractual obligations resulting in financial loss to APA 
Group. APA Group has adopted the policy of only dealing with creditworthy counterparties and obtaining sufficient collateral 
or bank guarantees where appropriate as a means of mitigating the risk of loss. For financial investments or market risk 
hedging,  APA  Group’s  policy  is  to  only  transact  with  counterparties  that  have  a  credit  rating  of  A-  (Standard  &  Poor’s)/
A3 (Moody’s) or higher unless specifically approved by the Board. Where a counterparty’s rating falls below this threshold 
following a transaction, no other transactions can be executed with that counterparty until the exposure is sufficiently reduced 
or their credit rating is upgraded above APA Group’s minimum threshold. APA Group’s exposure to financial instrument and 
deposit credit risk is closely monitored against counterparty credit limits imposed by the Treasury Risk Management Policy 
approved by the ARMC. These limits are regularly reviewed by the Board.

Trade  receivables  consist  of  mainly  corporate  customers  which  are  diverse  and  geographically  spread.  Most  significant 
customers  have  an  investment  grade  rating from  either  Standard  &  Poor’s  or  Moody’s.  Ongoing  credit  monitoring  of the 
financial position of customers is maintained.

The carrying amount of financial assets recorded in the financial statements, net of any allowances, represents APA Group’s 
maximum exposure to credit risk in relation to those assets.

Cross guarantee
In  accordance  with  a  deed  of  cross  guarantee,  APT  Pipelines  Limited,  a  subsidiary  of  APA  Group,  has  agreed  to  provide 
financial support, when and as required, to all wholly-owned controlled entities with either a deficit in shareholders’ funds 
or an excess of current liabilities over current assets. The fair value of the financial guarantee as at 30 June 2018 has been 
determined to be immaterial and no liability has been recorded (2017: $nil).

c)  Liquidity risk
APA Group has a policy of dealing with liquidity risk which requires an appropriate liquidity risk management framework for 
the management of APA Group’s short, medium and long-term funding and liquidity management requirements. Liquidity 
risk is managed by maintaining adequate cash reserves and banking facilities, by monitoring and forecasting cash flow and 
where possible arranging liabilities with longer maturities to more closely match the underlying assets of APA Group.

Detailed in the table following are APA Group’s remaining contractual maturities for its non-derivative financial liabilities. The 
table is presented based on the undiscounted cash flows of financial liabilities taking account of the earliest date on which 
APA Group can be required to pay. The table includes both interest and principal cash flows.

78 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Capital Management

19.  Financial risk management (continued)

c)  Liquidity risk (continued)
The  table  below  shows  the  undiscounted  Australian  dollar  cash  flows  associated  with  the  AUD  and  foreign  currency 
denominated notes, cross currency interest rate swaps and fixed interest rate swaps in aggregate.

Average 
interest rate 
% p.a. 

Less than 
1 year 
$000 

More than 
1 – 5 years 
$000 

Maturity 

5 years 
$000

2018

Unsecured financial liabilities

Trade and other payables 

Unsecured bank borrowings (a) 

Denominated in A$

Other financial liabilities (b) 

Guaranteed Senior Notes (c)

Denominated in A$

2007 Series E 

2007 Series G 

2007 Series H 

2010 AUD Medium Term Notes 

2016 AUD Medium Term Notes 

Denominated in US$

2003 Series D 

2007 Series D 

2007 Series F 

2009 Series B 

2012 US 144A 

2015 US 144A (b) 

2015 US 144A (b) 

2017 US 144A 

Denominated in stated foreign currency
2012 CAD Medium Term Notes 

2012 GBP Medium Term Notes 

2015 GBP Medium Term Notes (b) 

2015 EUR Medium Term Notes (b) 

2015 EUR Medium Term Notes (b) 

15 May 19 

15 May 22 

15 May 22 

22 Jul 20 

20 Oct 23 

9 Sep 18 

15 May 19 

15 May 22 

1 Jul 19 

11 Oct 22 

23 Mar 25 

23 Mar 35 

15 Jul 27 

24 Jul 19 

26 Nov 24 

22 Mar 30 

22 Mar 22 

22 Mar 27 

– 

3.07 

381,676 

6,114 

– 

204,419 

–

–

7,903 

29,578 

29,367

7.40 

7.45 

7.45 

7.75 

3.75 

6.02 

5.99 

6.14 

8.86 

3.88 

4.20 

5.00 

4.25 

4.25 

4.25 

3.50 

1.38 

2.00 

73,214 

6,002 

4,617 

23,250 

7,500 

99,360 

162,324 

11,354 

11,761 

49,123 

62,483 

20,287 

58,523 

19,529 

39,351 

53,726 

36,341 

40,615 

– 

98,588 

75,837 

334,875 

30,000 

– 

– 

187,787 

104,797 

907,572 

249,932 

81,147 

235,087 

299,179 

157,727 

215,008 

1,103,923 

162,458 

1,175,053 

4,477,914 

–

–

–

–

203,750

–

–

–

–

–

1,612,832

649,400

1,371,999

–

595,446

1,574,423

–

1,086,471

7,123,688

a) Bank  facilities  mature  or  expire  on  2  July  2018  ($518.75  million  limit),  18  May  2019  ($50  million  limit),  19  December  2019  ($100  million  limit),  18  May  2020 
($150 million limit), 19 December 2020 ($100 million limit) and 18 July 2022 ($150 million limit). A new $1,000 million syndicated bank facility came into effect 
on 2 July 2018. The two tranches of this facility mature on 30 June 2023 and 31 December 2023 respectively.

b) Facilities are denominated in or fully swapped by way of CCIRS into US$. Cashflows represent the US$ cashflow translated at the USD/AUD spot rate as at 

30 June 2018. These amounts are fully hedged by forward exchange contracts or future US$ revenues.

c)  Rates shown are the coupon rate.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  79

Capital Management

19.  Financial risk management (continued)

c)  Liquidity risk (continued) 

Average 
interest rate 
% p.a. 

Less than 
1 year 
$000 

More than 
1 – 5 years 
$000 

Maturity 

5 years 
$000

2017

Unsecured financial liabilities
Trade and other payables 
Unsecured bank borrowings (a) 
2012 Subordinated Notes (b) 
Denominated in A$
Other financial liabilities (c) 

Guaranteed Senior Notes (d)
Denominated in A$
2007 Series E 
2007 Series G 
2007 Series H 
2010 AUD Medium Term Notes 
2016 AUD Medium Term Notes 
Denominated in US$
2003 Series D 
2007 Series D 
2007 Series F 
2009 Series B 
2012 US 144A 
2015 US 144A (c) 
2015 US 144A (c) 
2017 US 144A 
Denominated in stated foreign currency
2012 JPY Medium Term Notes 
2012 CAD Medium Term Notes 
2012 GBP Medium Term Notes 
2015 GBP Medium Term Notes (c) 
2015 EUR Medium Term Notes (c) 
2015 EUR Medium Term Notes (c) 

1 Oct 72 

15 May 19 
15 May 22 
15 May 22 
22 Jul 20 
20 Oct 23 

9 Sep 18 
15 May 19 
15 May 22 
1 Jul 19 
11 Oct 22 
23 Mar 25 
23 Mar 35 
15 Jul 27 

22 Jun 18 
24 Jul 19 
26 Nov 24 
22 Mar 30 
22 Mar 22 
22 Mar 27 

– 
– 
6.30 

7.40 
7.45 
7.45 
7.75 
3.75 

6.02 
5.99 
6.14 
8.86 
3.88 
4.20 
5.00 
4.25 

1.23 
4.25 
4.25 
3.50 
1.38 
2.00 

312,611 
– 
32,221 

– 
– 
142,361 

–
–
2,567,692

7,609 

30,436 

33,927

5,045 
6,002 
4,617 
23,250 
7,500 

6,930 
11,111 
11,354 
5,897 
49,123 
60,160 
19,533 
48,046 

134,424 
19,529 
39,783 
51,729 
34,990 
39,105 

73,214 
104,590 
80,454 
358,125 
30,000 

99,360 
162,324 
199,141 
116,558 
196,627 
240,641 
78,130 
235,087 

– 
318,708 
157,619 
207,013 
1,097,872 
156,419 

–
–
–
–
211,250

–
–
–
–
760,068
1,613,033
644,790
1,430,522

–
–
634,905
1,567,617
–
1,085,184

930,569 

4,084,679 

10,548,988

a) Undrawn bank facilities mature on 18 May 2018 ($100 million limit), 19 September 2018 ($311.25 million limit), 18 May 2019 ($50 million limit), 19 December 
2019 ($100 million limit), 18 May 2020 ($50 million limit), 19 September 2020 ($207.5 million limit), 19 December 2020 ($100 million limit) and 18 May 2021 
($150 million limit).

b) The first call date is 31 March 2018.

c)  Facilities are denominated in or fully swapped by way of CCIRS into US$. Cashflows represent the US$ cashflow translated at the USD/AUD spot rate as at 

30 June 2017. These amounts are fully hedged by forward exchange contracts or future US$ revenues.

d) Rates shown are the coupon rate.

Critical accounting judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty – fair value of financial instruments
APA Group has financial instruments that are carried at fair value in the statement of financial position. The best evidence 
of fair value is quoted prices in an active market. If the market for a financial instrument is not active, APA Group determines 
fair value by using various valuation models. The objective of using a valuation technique is to establish the price that would 
be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability between market participants. The chosen valuation models make 
maximum use of market inputs and rely as little as possible on entity specific inputs. The fair values of all positions include 
assumptions made as to recoverability based on the counterparty’s and APA Group’s credit risk.

Fair value measurements recognised in the statement of financial position
The following table provides an analysis of financial instruments that are measured subsequent to initial recognition at fair 
value, grouped into Levels 1 to 3 based on the degree to which the fair value is observable.

—  Level 1 fair value measurements are those derived from quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets 

or liabilities.

—  Level 2 fair value measurements are those derived from inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are 

observable for the asset or liability, either directly (i.e. as prices) or indirectly (i.e. derived from prices).

—  Level 3 fair value measurements are those derived from valuation techniques that include inputs for the asset or liability 

that are not based on observable market data (unobservable inputs).

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
80 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Capital Management

19.  Financial risk management (continued)

Fair value measurements recognised in the statement of financial position (continued)
Transfers between levels of the fair value hierarchy occur at the end of the reporting period. There have been no transfers 
between the levels during 2018 (2017: none). Transfers between level 1 and level 2 are triggered when there are changes to 
the availability of quoted prices in active markets. Transfers into level 3 are triggered when the observable inputs become no 
longer observable, or vice versa for transfer out of level 3.

Fair value of the Group’s financial assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis
The fair values of financial assets and financial liabilities are measured at the end of each reporting period and determined as follows:
—  the fair values of available-for-sale financial assets and financial liabilities with standard terms and conditions and traded 
on active liquid markets are determined with reference to quoted market prices. These instruments are classified in the fair 
value hierarchy at level 1;

—  the  fair  values  of  forward  foreign  exchange  contracts  included  in  hedging  assets  and  liabilities  are  calculated  using 
discounted cash flow analysis based on observable forward exchange rates at the end of the reporting period and contract 
forward  rates  discounted  at  a  rate  that  reflects  the  credit  risk  of  the  various  counterparties.  These  instruments  are 
classified in the fair value hierarchy at level 2;

—  the fair values of interest rate swaps, cross currency swaps, equity forwards and other derivative instruments included in 
hedging assets and liabilities are calculated using discounted cash flow analysis using observable yield curves at the end 
of the reporting period and contract rates discounted at a rate that reflects the credit risk of the various counterparties. 
These instruments are classified in the fair value hierarchy at level 2;

—  the  fair  values  of  other  financial  assets  and  financial  liabilities  (excluding  derivative  instruments)  are  determined  in 
accordance with generally accepted pricing models based on discounted cash flow analysis using prices from observable 
current markets discounted at a rate that reflects the credit risk of the various counterparties. These instruments are 
classified in the fair value hierarchy at level 2;

—  the  fair  value  of  financial  guarantee  contracts  is  determined  based  upon  the  probability  of  default  by  the  specified 
counterparty  extrapolated  from  market-based  credit  information  and  the  amount  of  loss,  given  the  default.  These 
instruments are classified in the fair value hierarchy at level 2; and

—  the carrying value of financial assets and liabilities recorded at amortised cost in the financial statements approximate 

their fair value having regard to the specific terms of the agreements underlying those assets and liabilities.

Contract for difference
The  financial  statements  include  a  contract  for  difference  arising  from  an  electricity  agreement  with  a  customer  that 
guarantees the Group a fixed price for electricity offtake for the agreed term which is measured at fair value. The fair value 
of  the  contract  for  difference  is  derived  from  internal  discounted  cash  flow  valuation  methodology,  which  includes  some 
assumptions that are not able to be supported by observable market prices or rates.

In determining the fair value, the following assumptions were used:
—  estimated  long  term  forecast  electricity  pool  prices  are  applied  as  market  prices  are  not  readily  observable  for  the 

corresponding term;

—  forecast electricity volumes are estimated based on an internal forecast output model;
—  the discount rates are based on observable market rates for risk-free instruments of the appropriate term;
—  credit  adjustments  are  applied  to  the  discount  rates  to  reflect  the  risk  of  default  by  either  the  Group  or  a  specific 
counterparty. Where a counterparty specific credit curve is not observable, an estimated curve is applied which takes into 
consideration the credit rating of the counterparty and its industry; and

—  these instruments are classified in the fair value hierarchy at level 3.

Changes in any of the aforementioned assumptions may be accompanied by changes in other assumptions which may have 
an offsetting impact.

Fair value hierarchy

2018 

Level 1 
$000 

Level 2 
$000 

Level 3 
$000 

Total 
$000

Financial assets measured at fair value

Equity forwards designated as fair value through profit or loss 

Cross currency interest rate swaps used for hedging 

Forward foreign exchange contracts used for hedging 

Financial liabilities measured at fair value

Interest rate swaps used for hedging 

Cross currency interest rate swaps used for hedging 

Forward foreign exchange contracts used for hedging 

Contract for difference used for hedging (a) 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

2,045 

592,244 

29,130 

623,419 

800 

215,641 

13,486 

– 

229,927 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

6,536 

6,536 

2,045

592,244

29,130

623,419

800

215,641

13,486

6,536

236,463

a) This represents the fair value change during the year. There were no settlements during the year.

 
 
 
notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  81

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Capital Management

19.  Financial risk management (continued)

Fair value hierarchy (continued)

2017 

Financial assets measured at fair value

Equity forwards designated as fair value through profit or loss 

Cross currency interest rate swaps used for hedging 

Forward foreign exchange contracts used for hedging 

Financial liabilities measured at fair value

Interest rate swaps used for hedging 

Cross currency interest rate swaps used for hedging 

Forward foreign exchange contracts used for hedging 

Level 1 
$000 

Level 2 
$000 

Level 3 
$000 

Total 
$000

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

2,673 

416,256 

65,485 

484,414 

4,977 

269,019 

27,912 

301,908 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

2,673

416,256

65,485

484,414

4,977

269,019

27,912

301,908

Fair value measurements of financial instruments measured at amortised cost
The financial liabilities included in the following table are fixed rate borrowings. Other debts held by APA Group are floating 
rate borrowings and amortised cost as recorded in the financial statements approximate their fair values.

Financial liabilities

Unsecured long term Private Placement Notes 

Unsecured Australian Dollar Medium Term Notes 

Unsecured Japanese Yen Medium Term Notes 

Unsecured Canadian Dollar Medium Term Notes 

Unsecured US Dollar 144A Medium Term Notes 

Unsecured British Pound Medium Term Notes 

Unsecured Euro Medium Term Notes 

Carrying amount 

Fair value (level 2) (a)

2018 
$000 

2017 
$000 

2018 
$000 

2017 
$000

730,049 

500,000 

– 

308,496 

4,057,344 

1,694,492 

2,129,801 

710,742 

500,000 

115,738 

301,230 

3,906,504 

1,610,281 

2,007,377 

768,992 

528,646 

– 

312,539 

3,992,019 

1,768,993 

2,108,339 

9,420,182 

9,151,872 

9,479,528 

774,803

534,030

116,681

308,490

4,008,505

1,721,799

1,976,924

9,441,232

a) The  fair  values  have  been  determined  in  accordance  with  generally  accepted  pricing  models  based  on  discounted  cash  flow  analysis  using  prices  from 
observable current markets, discounted at a rate that reflects the credit risk of the various counterparties. These instruments are classified in the fair value 
hierarchy at level 2.

20.  Other financial instruments

Derivatives at fair value:

  Equity forward contracts 

Assets 

Liabilities

2018 
$000 

2017 
$000 

2018 
$000 

2017 
$000

1,236 

1,484 

– 

–

Derivatives at fair value designated as hedging instruments:

  Foreign exchange contracts – cash flow hedges 

Interest rate swaps – cash flow hedges 

29,101 

– 

  Cross currency interest rate swaps – cash flow hedges 

24,903 

  Contract for difference – cash flow hedges 

Financial item carried at amortised cost:

  Redeemable preference share interest 

Current 

– 

285 

55,525 

32,991 

– 

17,574 

– 

285 

52,334 

10,656 

2,100 

120,551 

6,094 

– 

14,267

4,214

127,287

–

–

139,401 

145,768

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
82 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Capital Management

20.  Other financial instruments (continued)

Assets 

Liabilities

2018 
$000 

2017 
$000 

2018 
$000 

2017 
$000

Financial items carried at amortised cost:

  Redeemable preference shares 

10,400 

10,400 

Derivatives – at fair value:

  Equity forward contracts 

Indexed revenue contracts 

Derivatives at fair value designated as hedging instruments:

  Foreign exchange contracts – cash flow hedges 

Interest rate swaps – cash flow hedges 

809 

– 

29 

– 

  Cross currency interest rate swaps – cash flow hedges 

580,249 

  Contract for difference – cash flow hedges 

– 

1,189 

– 

32,494 

– 

414,690 

– 

– 

– 

3,767 

2,830 

– 

121,471 

442 

–

–

–

13,645

2,072

166,370

–

Non-current 

591,487 

458,773 

128,510 

182,087

Redeemable preference shares relate to APA Group’s 20% interest in GDI (EII) Pty Ltd. In December 2011, APA sold 80% of its 
gas distribution network in South East Queensland (Allgas) into an unlisted investment entity, GDI (EII) Pty Ltd. At that date 
GDI issued 52 million Redeemable Preference Shares (RPS) to its owners. The shares attract periodic interest payments and 
have a redemption date 10 years from issue.

Recognition and measurement

Hedge accounting
APA Group designates certain hedging instruments, which include derivatives, embedded derivatives and non-derivatives in 
respect of foreign currency risk, as either fair value hedges or cash flow hedges. There are no fair value hedges in the current 
or prior year, hedges of foreign exchange and interest rate risk are accounted for as cash flow hedges.

At the inception of the hedge relationship, APA Group formally designates and documents the hedge relationship, including 
the risk management strategy for undertaking the hedge. This includes identification of the hedging instrument, hedged item 
or transaction, the nature of the risk being hedged and how the entity will assess the hedging instrument’s effectiveness. 
Hedges are expected to be highly effective in achieving offsetting changes in fair value or cash flows and they are regularly 
assessed to ensure they continue to be effective.

Note 19 contains details of the fair values of the derivative instruments used for hedging purposes. Movements in the hedging 
reserve in equity are detailed in the Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity.

Derivatives are initially recognised at fair value at the date a derivatives contract is entered into and subsequently remeasured 
to fair value at each reporting period. The resulting gain or loss is recognised in profit or loss immediately unless the derivative 
is designated and effective as a hedging instrument, in which event the timing of the recognition in profit or loss depends on 
the nature of the hedge relationship. A derivative with a positive fair value is recognised as a financial asset, a derivative with 
a negative fair value is recognised as a financial liability.

The  fair  value  of  hedging  derivatives  is  classified  as  either  current  or  non-current  based  on  the  timing  of  the  underlying 
discounted cash flows of the instrument. Cash flows due within 12 months of the reporting date are classified as current and 
cash flows due after 12 months of the reporting date are classified as non-current.

Cash flow hedges
For cash flow hedges, the portion of the gain or loss on the hedging instrument that is effective is recognised directly in equity, 
while the ineffective portion is recognised in profit or loss.

Amounts recognised in equity are transferred to the profit or loss when the hedged transaction affects profit or loss, such as when 
the hedged income or expenses are recognised or when a forecast sale occurs. When the hedged item is the cost of a non-financial 
asset or liability, the amounts taken to equity are transferred to the initial carrying amount of the non-financial asset or liability.

If the forecast transaction  is  no  longer  expected to  occur,  amounts  previously  recognised  in  equity  are transferred to the 
profit or loss. If the hedging instrument expires or is sold, terminated or exercised, or if its designation as a hedge is revoked, 
amounts previously recognised in equity remain in equity until the forecast transaction occurs.

 
 
 
 
 
notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  83

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Capital Management

20.  Other financial instruments (continued)
Impairment of financial assets
Financial assets, other than those at fair value through profit or loss, are assessed for indicators of impairment at the end of 
each reporting period. Financial assets are impaired where, as a result of one or more events that occurred after the initial 
recognition of the financial asset, there is objective evidence that the estimated future cash flows of the investments have 
been unfavourably impacted.

For financial assets carried at amortised cost, the amount of the impairment is the difference between the asset’s carrying amount 
and the present value of estimated future cash flows, discounted at the original effective interest rate. The carrying amount of 
the asset is reduced through the use of an allowance account and the loss is recognised in the statement of profit or loss.

With the exception of available-for-sale equity instruments, if, in a subsequent period, the amount of the impairment loss 
decreases  and  the  decrease  can  be  related  objectively  to  an  event  occurring  after  the  impairment  was  recognised,  the 
previously recognised impairment loss is reversed through profit or loss, to the extent the carrying amount of the investment 
at the date the impairment is reversed does not exceed what the amortised cost would have been had the impairment not 
been recognised. In respect of available-for-sale equity instruments, any subsequent increase in fair value after an impairment 
loss is recognised in other comprehensive income.

21.  Issued capital 

Units

2018 
$000 

2017 
$000

1,179,893,848 securities, fully paid (2017: 1,114,307,369 securities, fully paid) (a) 

3,288,123 

3,114,617

Movements

Balance at beginning of financial year 

Securities issued under entitlement offer 

Capital distributions paid (Note 8) 

Issue costs of securities 

Tax relating to security issue costs 

2018  
No. of units 
000 

2018 
$000 

2017 
No. of units 
000 

2017 
$000

1,114,307 

65,586 

– 

– 

– 

3,114,617 

380,782 

(201,385) 

(8,415) 

2,524 

1,114,307 

3,195,445

– 

– 

– 

– 

–

(80,828)

–

–

Balance at end of financial year 

1,179,893 

3,288,123 

1,114,307 

3,114,617

a) Fully paid securities carry one vote per security and carry the right to distributions.

Changes to the then Corporations Law abolished the authorised capital and par value concept in relation to issued capital 
from  1 July  1998. Therefore,  the Trust  does  not  have  a  limited  amount  of  authorised  capital  and  issued  securities  do  not 
have a par value.

 
 
 
 
 
 
84 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Group Structure

22.  Non-controlling interests
APT is deemed the parent entity of APA Group comprising of the stapled structure of APT and APTIT. Equity attributable to 
other trusts stapled to the parent is a form of non-controlling interest and represents 100% of the equity of APTIT.

Summarised financial information for APTIT is set out below, the amounts disclosed are before inter-company eliminations.

Financial position
Current assets 
Non-current assets 

Total assets 

Current liabilities 

Total liabilities 

Net assets 

Equity attributable to non-controlling interests 

Financial performance
Revenue 
Expenses 

Profit for the year 

Total comprehensive income allocated to non-controlling interests for the year 

Cash flows
Net cash provided by operating activities 
Net cash (used in)/provided by investing activities 
Distributions paid to non-controlling interests 
Net cash used in financing activities 

2018 
$000 

2017 
$000

774 
1,063,708 

738
1,009,757

1,064,482 

1,010,495

78 

78 

13

13

1,064,404 

1,010,482

1,064,404 

1,010,482

68,061 
(12) 

68,049 

68,049 

68,852 
(54,725) 
(135,616) 
(14,127) 

72,979
(12)

72,967

72,967

75,570
33,801
(109,371)
(109,371)

The accounting policies of APTIT are the same as those applied to APA Group.

There are no material guarantees, contingent liabilities or restrictions imposed on APA Group from APTIT’s non-controlling interests.

APT Investment Trust 
Other non-controlling interest 

APT Investment Trust
Issued capital:
Balance at beginning of financial year 
Issue of securities under entitlement offer 
Distribution – capital return (Note 8) 
Issue costs of units 

Reserves:

Retained earnings:
Balance at beginning of financial year 
Net profit attributable to APTIT unitholders 
Distributions paid (Note 8) 

Other non-controlling interest
Issued capital 
Reserves 
Retained earnings 

1,064,404 
53 

1,010,482
53

1,064,457 

1,010,535

976,284 
124,234 
(67,597) 
(2,745) 

1,005,074
–
(28,790)
–

1,030,176 

976,284

– 

–

34,198 
68,049 
(68,019) 

34,228 

41,812
72,967
(80,581)

34,198

4 
1 
48 

53 

4
1
48

53

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  85

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Group Structure

23.  Joint arrangements and associates
The table below lists APA Group’s interest in joint ventures and associates that are reported as part of the Energy Investments 
segment. APA Group provides asset management, operation and maintenance services and corporate services, in varying 
combinations to the majority of energy infrastructure assets housed within these entities.

Principal activity 

Country of incorporation 

2018 

2017

Ownership interest %

Energy Infrastructure Investments 

Energy infrastructure 

Gas transmission 

Gas transmission 

Power generation (wind) 

Australia 

Australia 

Australia 

Australia 

50.00 

50.00 

19.90 

20.20 

50.00

50.00

19.90

20.20

Name of entity 

Joint ventures

SEA Gas 

SEA Gas (Mortlake) 

EII 2 

Associates

GDI (EII) 

Gas distribution 

Australia 

20.00 

20.00

2018 
$000 

2017 
$000

Investment in joint ventures and associates using the equity method 

271,597 

259,882

Joint Ventures

Aggregate carrying amount of investment 

APA Group’s aggregated share of:

  Profit from continuing operations 

  Other comprehensive income 

Total comprehensive income 

Associates

242,768 

229,693

17,105 

9,039 

26,144 

17,175

8,007

25,182

Aggregate carrying amount of investment 

28,829 

30,189

APA Group’s aggregated share of:

  Profit from continuing operations 

  Other comprehensive income 

Total comprehensive income 

4,819 

(407) 

4,412 

4,618

2,914

7,532

Investment in associates
An associate is an entity over which APA Group has significant influence and that is neither a subsidiary nor a joint arrangement. 
Investments in associates are accounted for using the equity accounting method.

Under  the  equity  accounting  method  the  investment  is  recorded  initially  at  cost  to  APA  Group,  including  any  goodwill  on 
acquisition. In subsequent periods the carrying amount of the investment is adjusted to reflect APA Group’s share of the 
retained post-acquisition profit or loss and other comprehensive income, less any impairment.

Losses of an associate or joint venture in excess of APA Group’s interests (which includes any long-term interests, that in 
substance, form part of the net investment) are recognised only to the extent that there is a legal or constructive obligation 
or APA Group has made payments on behalf of the associate or joint venture.

Contingent liabilities and capital commitments
APA Group’s share of the contingent liabilities, capital commitments and other expenditure commitments of joint operations 
is disclosed in Note 25.

APA Group is a venturer in the following joint operations:

Name of venture 

Principal activity 

Goldfields Gas Transmission 

Gas pipeline operation – Western Australia 

Mid West Pipeline 

Gas pipeline operation – Western Australia 

Output interest

2018 
% 

88.2 (a) 

50.0 (b) 

2017 
%

88.2 (a)

50.0 (b)

a) On 17 August 2004, APA acquired a direct interest in the Goldfields Gas Transmission joint operations as part of the SCP Gas Business acquisition.

b) Pursuant to the joint venture agreement, APA Group receives a 70.8% share of operating income and expenses.

 
 
 
 
 
 
86 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Group Structure

23.  Joint arrangements and associates (continued)
Interest in joint arrangements
A joint arrangement is an arrangement whereby two or more parties have joint control. Joint control is the contractually 
agreed sharing of control such that decisions about the relevant activities of the arrangement (those that significantly affect 
the returns) require the unanimous consent of the parties sharing control. APA Group has two types of joint arrangements:

Joint  ventures:  A  joint  arrangement  in  which  the  parties  that  share  joint  control  have  rights  to  the  net  assets  of  the 
arrangement. Joint Ventures are accounted for using the equity accounting method; and

Joint operations: A joint arrangement in which the parties that share joint control have rights to the assets, and obligations 
for the liabilities, relating to the arrangement. In relation to its interest in a joint operation, APA Group recognises its share of 
assets and liabilities, revenue from the sale of its share of the output and its share of any revenue generated from the sale 
of the output by the joint operation and its share of expenses. These are incorporated into APA Group’s financial statements 
under the appropriate headings.

24.  Subsidiaries
Subsidiaries are entities controlled by APT. Control exists where APT has power over the entities, i.e. existing rights that give 
it the current ability to direct the relevant activities of the entities (those that significantly affect the returns); exposure, or 
rights, to variable returns from its involvement with the entities; and the ability to use its power to affect those returns.

Name of entity 

Parent entity
Australian Pipeline Trust (a)

Subsidiaries
Agex Pty. Ltd. (b),(c) 
Amadeus Gas Trust (e) 
APA (BWF Holdco) Pty Ltd (b),(c) 
APA (EDWF Holdco) Pty Ltd (b),(c) 
APA (EPX) Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APA (NBH) Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APA (Pilbara Pipeline) Pty Ltd (b),(c) 
APA (SWQP) Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APA (WA) One Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APA AIS 1 Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APA AIS 2 Pty Ltd (b),(c) 
APA AIS Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APA AM (Allgas) Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APA BIDCO Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APA Biobond Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APA Country Pipelines Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APA DPS Holdings Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APA DPS2 Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APA East Pipelines Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APA EE Australia Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APA EE Corporate Shared Services Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APA EE Holdings Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APA EE Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APA Ethane Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APA Facilities Management Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APA Midstream Holdings Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APA Operations (EII) Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APA Operations Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APA Orbost Gas Plant Pty Ltd (c),(d) 
APA Pipelines Investments (BWP) Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APA Power Holdings Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APA Power PF Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APA Reedy Creek Wallumbilla Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APA SEA Gas (Mortlake) Holdings Pty Ltd (b),(c) 
APA SEA Gas (Mortlake) Pty Ltd (b) 
APA Services (Int) Inc. 
APA Sub Trust No 1 (b),(e) 

Country of
registration/ 
incorporation 

Ownership interest

2018 
% 

2017 
%

Australia 
– 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
United States 
– 

100 
96 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 

100
96
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
–
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100

 
 
 
notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  87

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Group Structure

24.  Subsidiaries (continued) 

Name of entity 

APA Sub Trust No 2 (b),(e) 
APA Sub Trust No 3 (b),(e) 
APA Transmission Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APA VTS A Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APA VTS Australia (Holdings) Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APA VTS Australia (NSW) Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APA VTS Australia (Operations) Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APA VTS Australia Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APA VTS B Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APA Western Slopes Pipeline Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APA WGP Pty Ltd (b),(c) 
APT (MIT) Services Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APT AM (Stratus) Pty Limited (b),(c)  
APT AM Employment Pty Limited (b),(c)  
APT AM Holdings Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APT Facility Management Pty Limited (b),(c)  
APT Goldfields Pty Ltd (b),(c) 
APT Management Services Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APT O&M Holdings Pty Ltd (b),(c)  
APT O&M Services (QLD) Pty Ltd (b),(c)  
APT O&M Services Pty Ltd (b),(c)  
APT Parmelia Holdings Pty Ltd (b),(c) 
APT Parmelia Pty Ltd (b),(c) 
APT Parmelia Trust (b),(e) 
APT Petroleum Pipelines Holdings Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APT Petroleum Pipelines Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APT Pipelines (NSW) Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APT Pipelines (NT) Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APT Pipelines (QLD) Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APT Pipelines (SA) Pty Limited (b),(c)  
APT Pipelines (WA) Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APT Pipelines Investments (NSW) Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APT Pipelines Investments (WA) Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APT Pipelines Limited (b),(c) 
APT Sea Gas Holdings Pty Limited (b),(c) 
APT SPV2 Pty Ltd (b) 
APT SPV3 Pty Ltd (b) 
Australian Pipeline Limited (b) 
Central Ranges Pipeline Pty Ltd (b),(c) 
Darling Downs Solar Farm Pty Ltd (b),(c) 
Diamantina Holding Company Pty Limited (b),(c) 
Diamantina Power Station Pty Limited (b),(c) 
East Australian Pipeline Pty Limited (b),(c) 
EDWF Holdings 1 Pty Ltd (b),(c) 
EDWF Holdings 2 Pty Ltd (b),(c) 
EDWF Manager Pty Ltd (b),(c) 
Epic Energy East Pipelines Trust (b),(e) 
EPX Holdco Pty Limited (b),(c) 
EPX Member Pty Limited (b),(c) 
EPX Trust (b),(e) 
Ethane Pipeline Income Financing Trust (b),(e) 
Ethane Pipeline Income Trust (b),(e) 
Gasinvest Australia Pty Ltd (b),(c) 
GasNet A Trust (e) 
GasNet Australia Investments Trust (e) 
GasNet Australia Trust (b),(e) 
GasNet B Trust (b),(e),(f) 

Country of
registration/ 
incorporation 

Ownership interest

2018 
% 

2017 
%

– 
– 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
– 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
– 
Australia 
Australia 
– 
– 
– 
Australia 
– 
– 
– 
– 

100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
– 

100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100

 
 
88 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Group Structure

24.  Subsidiaries (continued) 

Name of entity 

Goldfields Gas Transmission Pty Ltd (b) 
Gorodok Pty. Ltd. (b),(c) 
Griffin Windfarm 2 Pty Ltd (b) 
Moomba to Sydney Ethane Pipeline Trust (b),(e) 
N.T. Gas Distribution Pty Limited (b),(c) 
N.T. Gas Easements Pty. Limited (b),(c) 
N.T. Gas Pty Limited 
Roverton Pty. Ltd. (b),(c) 
SCP Investments (No. 1) Pty Limited (b),(c) 
SCP Investments (No. 2) Pty Limited (b),(c) 
SCP Investments (No. 3) Pty Limited (b),(c) 
Sopic Pty. Ltd. (b),(c) 
Southern Cross Pipelines (NPL) Australia Pty Limited (b),(c) 
Southern Cross Pipelines Australia Pty Limited (b),(c) 
Trans Australia Pipeline Pty Ltd (b),(c) 
Votraint No. 1606 Pty Limited (b) 
Votraint No. 1613 Pty Limited (b) 
Western Australian Gas Transmission Company 1 Pty Ltd (b),(c) 
Wind Portfolio Pty Ltd (b),(c) 

a) Australian Pipeline Trust is the head entity within the APA tax-consolidated group.

b) These entities are members of the APA tax-consolidated group.

Country of
registration/ 
incorporation 

Ownership interest

2018 
% 

2017 
%

Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
– 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 
Australia 

100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
96 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 

100
100
100
100
100
100
96
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100

c)  These wholly-owned subsidiaries have entered into a deed of cross guarantee with APT Pipelines Limited pursuant to ASIC Corporations Instrument 2016/785 

and are relieved from the requirement to prepare and lodge an audited financial report.

d) Entity was acquired or registered during the 2018 year.

e)  These trusts are unincorporated and not required to be registered. In respect of APT Parmelia Trust, the governing law of the trust deed was changed from 

Cayman Islands to New South Wales, Australia on 7 August 2017.

f)  APA GasNet B trust terminated on 17 May 2018.

Other

25.   Commitments and contingencies

Capital expenditure commitments

APA Group – plant and equipment 

APA Group’s share of jointly controlled operations – plant and equipment 

Contingent liabilities

Bank guarantees 

APA Group had no contingent assets as at 30 June 2018 and 30 June 2017.

2018 
$000 

2017 
$000

287,506 

2,293 

289,799 

583,387

2,698

586,085

52,586 

43,034

 
 
 
 
 
notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  89

Other

26.  Director and senior executive remuneration
Remuneration of Directors
The aggregate remuneration of Directors of APA Group is set out below:

Short-term employment benefits 

Post-employment benefits 

Total remuneration: Non-Executive Directors 

Short-term employment benefits 

Post-employment benefits 

Cash settled security-based payments 

Total remuneration: Executive Director (a) 

Total remuneration: Directors 

Remuneration of senior executives (a),(b)

The aggregate remuneration of senior executives of APA Group is set out below:

Short-term employment benefits 

Post-employment benefits 

Cash settled security-based payments 

Total remuneration: senior executives 

2018 
$ 

1,625,875 

154,482 

1,780,357 

3,638,690 

25,000 

1,479,646 

5,143,336 

6,923,693 

2017 
$

1,682,077

160,104

1,842,181

3,589,472

35,000

1,485,242

5,109,714

6,951,895

7,748,591 

95,049 

2,822,148 

7,509,920

135,000

2,849,270

10,665,788 

10,494,190

a) The remuneration for the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Michael (Mick) McCormack, is included in both the remuneration disclosure for Directors 

and senior executives.

b) The FY2017 total remuneration differs from the amount disclosed in the prior year due to the review of the composition of Executive KMP, refer to the remuneration 

report for further details.

27.  Remuneration of external auditor

Amounts received or due and receivable by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu for:

Auditing the financial report 

Compliance plan audit 

Other assurance services (a) 

Other non-audit, non-assurance services (b) 

734,800 

19,300 

544,915 

9,091 

654,900

18,900

263,700

–

1,308,106 

937,500

a) Services provided were in accordance with the external auditor independence policy. Other assurance services mainly comprise assurance services in relation 
to the AER financial reporting guideline for Non-Scheme pipelines, security related transactions (equity and debt raisings) and procedures in relation to ASIC 
Regulatory Guide 231 requirements (2017: Consisted of 2017 144A debt issuance and procedures in relation to ASIC Regulatory 231 requirements).

b) Services provided were in accordance with the external auditor independence policy. Other non-audit, non-assurance services comprise the facilitation of an 

industry charter workshop.

 
 
 
90 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Other

28.  Related party transactions
a)  Equity interest in related parties
Details of the percentage of ordinary securities held in subsidiaries are disclosed in Note 24 and the details of the percentage 
held in joint operations, joint ventures and associates are disclosed in Note 23.

b)  Responsible Entity – Australian Pipeline Limited
The Responsible Entity is wholly owned by APT Pipelines Limited.

c)  Transactions with related parties within APA Group
Transactions between the entities that comprise APA Group during the financial year consisted of:

—  dividends;

—  asset lease rentals;

—  loans advanced and payments received on long-term inter-entity loans;

—  management fees;

—  operational services provided between entities;

—  payments of distributions; and

—  equity issues.

The above transactions were made on normal commercial terms and conditions. The Group charges interest on inter-entity 
loans from time to time.

All transactions between the entities that comprise APA Group have been eliminated on consolidation.

Refer to Note 24 for details of the entities that comprise APA Group.

Australian Pipeline Limited
Management fees of $4,717,014 (2017: $3,967,352) were paid to the Responsible Entity as reimbursement of costs incurred 
on behalf of APA Group. No amounts were paid directly by APA Group to the Directors of the Responsible Entity, except as 
disclosed at Note 26.

Australian Pipeline Limited, in its capacity as trustee and Responsible Entity of the Trust, has guaranteed the payment of 
principal, interest and other amounts as provided in the senior debt facilities of APT Pipelines Limited, the principal borrowing 
entity of APA Group.

d)  Transactions with other associates and joint ventures
The following transactions occurred with APA Group’s associates and joint ventures on normal market terms and conditions:

2018 

SEA Gas 

Energy Infrastructure Investments 

EII 2 

GDI (EII) 

2017

SEA Gas 

Energy Infrastructure Investments 

EII 2 

GDI (EII) 

Dividends 
from 
related 
parties 
$000 

5,975 

3,841 

3,253 

5,772 

18,841 

10,357 

4,689 

3,244 

4,121 

22,411 

Sales to 
related 
parties 
$000 

3,853 

46,671 

764 

62,053 

113,341 

3,717 

26,553 

752 

51,711 

82,733 

Purchases 
from 
related 
parties 
$000 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

99 

99 

Amount 
owed by 
related 
parties 
$000 

311 

15,486 

47 

7,417 

23,261 

96 

5,792 

46 

7,094 

13,028 

Amount 
owed to 
related 
parties 
$000

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

–

At year end, APA Group had a shareholder loan receivable from SEA Gas of $0.3 million (2017: $nil).

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  91

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Other

29.  Parent entity information
The accounting policies of the parent entity, which have been applied in determining the financial information below, are the 
same as those applied in the consolidated financial statements.

Financial position

Assets

Current assets 

Non-current assets 

Total assets 

Liabilities

Current liabilities 

Total liabilities 

Net assets 

Equity

Issued capital 

Retained earnings 

Total equity 

Financial performance

Profit for the year 

Total comprehensive income 

2018 
$000 

2017 
$000

2,695,971 

731,861 

2,497,220

757,947

3,427,832 

3,255,167

132,313 

132,313 

127,269

127,269

3,295,519 

3,127,898

3,288,123 

7,396 

3,114,616

13,282

3,295,519 

3,127,898

147,408 

147,408 

283,264

283,264

Guarantees entered into by the parent entity in relation to the debts of its subsidiaries
Australian Pipeline Limited, in its capacity as trustee and Responsible Entity of the Trust, has guaranteed the payment of 
principal, interest and other amounts as provided in the senior debt facilities of APT Pipelines Limited, the principal borrowing 
entity of APA Group.

Due to the contingent nature of these financial guarantees no liability has been recorded (2017: $nil).

Contingent liabilities of the parent entity
No contingent liabilities have been identified in relation to the parent entity.

30.  Adoption of new and revised Accounting Standards
Standards and Interpretations affecting amounts reported in the current period (and/or prior periods)
There have not been any new or revised Standards and Interpretations issued by the AASB that are relevant to the consolidated 
entity’s operations that would be effective for the current reporting period.

Standards and Interpretations issued not yet adopted
At the date of authorisation of the financial statements, the Standards and Interpretations listed below were on issue but 
not yet effective.

Standard/Interpretation 

Effective for annual 
reporting periods 
beginning on or after 

Expected to be 
initially applied in the 
financial year ending

—  AASB 9 ‘Financial Instruments’, and the relevant amending standards 

—  AASB 15 ‘Revenue from Contracts with Customers’, and AASB 2015-8 

‘Amendments to Australian Accounting Standards – Effective date of AASB 15’

1 January 2018 

1 January 2018 

30 June 2019

30 June 2019 

—  AASB 16 ‘Leases’ 

1 January 2019 

30 June 2020

As per the table above a number of new standards and amendments to standards are effective for annual periods beginning 
after 1 January 2018 with earlier adoption permitted. APA Group has chosen not to early adopt the new or amended standards 
in preparing these consolidated financial statements.

 
 
 
 
92 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Other

30.  Adoption of new and revised Accounting Standards (continued)
The expected impacts of the new standards on APA Group include:

AASB 9 ‘Financial Instruments’
AASB  9  ‘Financial  Instruments’  (AASB  9)  is  effective  for  annual  periods  beginning  on  or  after  1 January  2018,  with  early 
adoption permitted. APA Group will apply this new standard from 1 July 2018 (financial year ended 30 June 2019). AASB 9 
addresses the classification, measurement and de-recognition of financial assets and financial liabilities, introduces new rules 
for hedge accounting and a new impairment model for financial assets.

APA Group has completed an assessment of the potential impact of the adoption of AASB 9 on the consolidated financial 
statements and does not expect the new standard to affect the classification and measurement of its financial assets or 
financial liabilities. The new hedge accounting rules will align the accounting for hedging instruments more closely with APA 
Group’s risk management practices. AASB 9 will expand the range of eligible hedging instruments, and allow for a portfolio 
management approach to hedge accounting. Changes in the fair value of foreign exchange forward contracts attributable to 
forward points, and basis spread in relation to cross currency swaps, provide the option to be deferred in a new cost of hedging 
reserve within equity. The deferred amounts are to be recognised against the related hedge transaction when it occurs. APA 
Group confirms that its current hedge relationships will qualify as continuing hedges upon the adoption of AASB 9.

AASB 9 requires the recognition of impairment provisions based on expected credit losses rather than only incurred credit 
losses as is the case under AASB 139. Based upon this assessment, aside from the additional disclosure requirements, it is not 
expected that AASB 9 will have any material impact on APA Group’s accounts.

APA Group will apply the new rules retrospectively, except for hedge accounting which is applied prospectively, with practical 
expedients permitted under the standard, although no material changes are expected. A review of the current classification 
and measurement of financial assets and liabilities has been undertaken to see if any changes are required. However due to 
the nature of instruments held, no changes were identified. A detailed assessment of all current hedge relationships has been 
undertaken to ensure they comply under the new rules and confirm if any of the new concepts could be employed to better 
manage the existing risks. Once again nothing has been identified. New hedge documentation has been completed for each 
type of current hedge relationship and regression testing completed in the Treasury Management System for a sample of 
relationships to ensure no system errors or constraints result, and that effectiveness results are as expected. Recognition of 
impairment is also not expected to change. The history of collection rates shows that APA Group does not have an expected 
loss on collection of debtors or loans.

AASB 15 ‘Revenue from Contracts with Customers’
AASB 15 is effective for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2018, with early adoption permitted. APA will apply this 
new standard from 1 July 2018 (financial year ended 30 June 2019).

APA Group has completed an assessment of the impact of the adoption of AASB 15 on the consolidated financial statements.

The key components of the assessment project included stratification of revenue streams, data gathering, review of contracts, 
and assessment and quantification of the expected impact.

APA Group’s approach to assessing the impact of the transition to AASB 15 centred on detailed reviews of the major contracts 
covering each of the revenue streams, contracts were selected based on their representativeness of and significance for that 
revenue stream. Each contract reviewed was assessed against the AASB 15 five-step model and other considerations under 
the standard. A comparison was also made against APA Group’s current accounting policies to quantify the impact. The key 
judgements and assumptions made have been reviewed by internal stakeholders.

Apart from providing more extensive disclosures on the Group’s revenue transactions, APA Group does not anticipate that 
the application of AASB 15 will have a significant impact on the financial position and/or financial performance of the Group.

AASB 16 ‘Leases’
AASB 16 ‘Leases’ (AASB 16) is effective for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2019. Early adoption is permitted 
for entities that apply AASB 15 at or before the date of initial application of AASB 16. APA will apply AASB 16 in the financial 
year beginning 1 July 2019 (financial year ended 30 June 2020).

Under AASB 16, the Group’s accounting for leases as a lessee will result in the recognition of a right-of-use (ROU) asset and an 
associated lease liability in the Consolidated Statement of Financial Position. The lease liability represents the present value of 
future lease payments, with the exception of short-term leases. An interest expense will be recognised on the lease liabilities 
and a depreciation charge will be recognised for the ROU assets. There will also be additional disclosure requirements under 
the new standard. The Group’s accounting for leases as a lessor remains unchanged under AASB 16.

APA  Group  has  completed  an  initial  assessment  of the  impact  of the  adoption  of AASB  16  on the  consolidated financial 
statements. This assessment covered a variety of scenarios based on the various transition options and practical expedients 
applied. At this stage no decision has been made as to the transition option to be taken. The key judgements and assumptions 
made to date have been reviewed by internal stakeholders.

APA  Group’s  approach  to  assessing  the  impact  of  the  transition  to  AASB  16  centred  on  data  gathering,  discount  rate 
determination, detailed reviews of each lease contract, and evaluation under the requirements of AASB 16.

notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  93

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Other

30.  Adoption of new and revised Accounting Standards (continued)
The impact on the Group’s consolidated statement of Profit or Loss as a result of the adoption of AASB 16 will depend on, 
inter alia, the transition method chosen, discount rates applied, the extent to which APA Group uses the practical expedients 
and recognition exemptions, and any additional leases that APA Group enters into prior to 1 July 2019.

As at 30 June 2018, APA Group had non-cancellable undiscounted operating lease commitments of $72.6 million as disclosed 
in Note 17 of the 2018 APA Group consolidated financial statements. These commitments predominantly relate to commercial 
offices, motor vehicles and Crown leases which will require recognition as ROU assets and associated lease liabilities. The 
implementation of AASB 16 is not expected to result in the recognition of ROU assets or lease liabilities each totalling more 
than the reported commitments as at 30 June 2018, nor does APA Group expect the adoption of AASB 16 to materially affect 
its financial results or to impact its ability to comply with any of its loan covenants.

31.  Events occurring after reporting date
On 2 July 2018 a new $1,000 million syndicated bank facility came into effect. This new facility has two tranches maturing on 
30 June 2023 and 31 December 2023 respectively.

On 13 August 2018, APA announced that it had entered into a conditional Implementation Agreement with CK Infrastructure 
Holdings Limited (CKI), CK Asset Holdings Limited (CKA), Power Assets Holdings Limited (PAH) and CKM Australia Bidco Pty 
Ltd (Bidder) under which Bidder (a wholly owned subsidiary of CKA) will acquire all of the stapled securities in APA under trust 
schemes (Schemes). If the Schemes are implemented, APA Securityholders will receive A$11.00 cash per stapled security. The 
transaction does not affect APA’s final distribution for the 2018 financial year. If the Schemes are implemented at any time 
after 31 December 2018, APA Securityholders will receive an additional distribution of 4.0 cents per APA stapled security for 
each full month in calendar 2019 which elapses prior to implementation of the Schemes (up to, and including, March 2019). 
Implementation of the Schemes is subject to certain conditions, including regulatory and shareholder approvals.

On 22 August 2018, the Directors declared a final distribution of 24.00 cents per security ($283.2 million) for APA Group. 
This is comprised of a distribution of 17.96 cents per unit from APT and a distribution of 6.04 cents per unit from APTIT. The 
APT distribution represents a 8.93 cents per unit fully franked profit distribution and 9.03 cents per unit capital distribution. 
The  APTIT  distribution  represents  a  2.90  cents  per  unit  profit  distribution  and  a  3.14  cents  per  unit  capital  distribution. 
Franking credits of 3.83 cents per security will be allocated to the franked profit distribution. The distribution will be paid on 
12 September 2018.

Other than the events disclosed above, there have not been any events or transactions that have occurred subsequent to year 
end that would require adjustment to or disclosure in the financial statements.

94 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

directors’ declaration.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES

For the financial year ended 30 June 2018

The Directors declare that:

a) in the Directors’ opinion, there are reasonable grounds to believe that Australian Pipeline Trust will be able to pay its 

debts as and when they become due and payable;

b) in the Directors’ opinion, the attached financial statements and notes thereto are in accordance with the Corporations 
Act 2001, including compliance with Accounting Standards and giving a true and fair view of the financial position and 
performance of APA Group;

c)  in the Directors’ opinion, the financial statements and notes thereto are in accordance with International Financial 

Reporting Standards issued by the International Accounting Standards Board; and

d) the Directors have been given the declarations by the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer required by 

section 295A of the Corporations Act 2001.

Signed in accordance with a resolution of the Directors of the Responsible Entity made pursuant to section 295(5) of the 
Corporations Act 2001.

On behalf of the Directors

Michael Fraser 
Chairman 

Sydney, 22 August 2018

Debra Goodin
Director

auditor’s independence declaration.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
TO AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE LIMITED AS RESPONSIBLE ENTITY FOR AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  95

Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu 
ABN 74 490 121 060 

Grosvenor Place 
225 George Street 
Sydney NSW 2000 
PO Box N250 Grosvenor Place 
Sydney NSW 1220 Australia 

DX: 10307SSE 
Tel:  +61 (0) 2 9322 7000 
Fax:  +61 (0) 2 9322 7001 
www.deloitte.com.au 

22 August 2018 

The Directors 
Australian Pipeline Limited as responsible entity for 
Australian Pipeline Trust 
Level 25, 580 George Street 
Sydney NSW 2000 

Dear Directors 

Auditor’s Independence  Declaration to Australian Pipeline Limited as responsible entity 
for Australian Pipeline Trust 

In  accordance  with  section  307C  of  the  Corporations  Act  2001,  I  am  pleased  to  provide  the 
following declaration of independence to the directors of Australian Pipeline Limited as responsible 
entity for Australian Pipeline Trust. 

As lead  audit partner  for the audit of the financial statements of  Australian Pipeline Trust  for the 
financial  year  ended  30  June  2018,  I  declare  that  to  the  best of  my  knowledge  and  belief,  there 
have been no contraventions of: 

(i)  the auditor independence requirements of the Corporations Act 2001 in relation to the 

audit; and 

(ii)  any applicable code of professional conduct in relation to the audit.   

Yours sincerely 

DELOITTE TOUCHE TOHMATSU 

A V Griffiths 
Partner 
Chartered Accountants 
Sydney, 22 August 2018 

Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation 
Member of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited 

132 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
96 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

independent auditor’s report.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
TO THE UNITHOLDERS OF AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST

Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu 
ABN 74 490 121 060 

Grosvenor Place 
225 George Street 
Sydney NSW 2000 
PO Box N250 Grosvenor Place 
Sydney NSW 1220 Australia 

DX: 10307SSE 
Tel:  +61 (0) 2 9322 7000 
Fax:  +61 (0) 2 9322 7001 
www.deloitte.com.au 

Independent Auditor’s Report 
to the Unitholders of Australian Pipeline Trust 

Report on the Audit of the Financial Report 

Opinion  

We  have  audited  the  financial  report  of  Australian  Pipeline  Trust  (the  “Trust”)  and  its  controlled 
entities (the “Group”), which comprises the consolidated statement of financial position as at 30 June 
2018, the consolidated statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income, the consolidated 
statement of changes in equity and the consolidated statement of cash flows for the year then ended, 
and  notes  to  the  financial  statements,  including  a  summary  of  significant  accounting  policies  and 
other explanatory information, and the directors’ declaration. 

In our opinion, the accompanying financial report of the Group is in accordance with the Corporations 
Act 2001, including:  

(i)   giving a true and fair view of the Group’s financial position as at 30 June 2018 and of its financial 

performance for the year then ended; and   

(ii)   complying with Australian Accounting Standards and the Corporations Regulations 2001. 

Basis for Opinion 

We conducted our audit in accordance with Australian Auditing Standards. Our responsibilities under 
those standards are further described in the Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial 
Report  section  of  our  report.  We  are  independent  of  the  Group  in  accordance  with  the  auditor 
independence  requirements  of  the  Corporations  Act  2001  and  the  ethical  requirements  of  the 
Accounting  Professional  and  Ethical  Standards  Board’s  APES  110  Code  of  Ethics  for  Professional 
Accountants (the Code) that are relevant to our audit of the financial report in Australia. We have 
also fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with the Code. 

We  confirm  that  the  independence  declaration  required  by  the  Corporations  Act  2001,  which  has 
been given to the directors of Australian Pipeline Limited (the “Responsible Entity”), would be in the 
same terms if given to the directors as at the time of this auditor’s report. 

We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis 
for our opinion. 

Key Audit Matters  

Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professional judgement, were of most significance 
in our audit of the financial report for the current period. These matters were addressed in the context 
of our audit of the financial report as a whole, and in forming our opinion thereon, and we do not 
provide a separate opinion on these matters.  

Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation 
Member of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited 

133 

 
 
   
 
 
 
 
               
 
 
  
 
 
  
  
  
 
  
 
  
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
independent auditor’s report.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
TO THE UNITHOLDERS OF AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  97

Key Audit Matter 

Carrying Value of Property, Plant and 
Equipment, Goodwill and Other 
Intangible Assets  

As at 30 June 2018 the Group’s balance 
sheet includes property, plant and 
equipment (PPE) of $9.7 billion, goodwill of 
$1.2 billion and other intangible assets of 
$3.0 billion, which are allocated across 
several cash generating units (CGUs) as 
disclosed in Notes 11 and 12. 

The assessment of the recoverable amount 
of the Group’s PPE, goodwill and other 
intangible asset balances requires the 
exercise of significant judgement in respect 
of factors such as discount rates, future 
contract renewals, contracting of spare 
capacity, as well as economic assumptions 
such as inflation. 

How the scope of our audit responded to the Key 
Audit Matter 
Our procedures included, but were not limited to: 

  Assessing management’s determination 
of the Group’s CGUs based on our 
understanding of the business. We have 
also analysed the internal reporting to 
assess how earning streams are 
monitored and reported, 

  Understanding the appropriateness of 
management’s controls over the 
evaluation of the carrying value of the 
Group’s PPE, goodwill and other 
intangible assets to determine any asset 
impairments, 

  Challenging in conjunction with our 

o 

corporate finance specialists the Group’s 
assumptions and estimates used to 
determine the recoverable amount of a 
sample of CGUs, including those relating 
to:  

forecast revenue by reference to:  

 
 

future contract renewals 
contracting of spare capacity 
o  operating and maintenance expenses 
with reference to actual costs incurred 
in the current period and approved 
budgets for forecast periods 
o  discount rates with reference to:  
external data 

 
  Deloitte developed discount 

 

rates. 
  Assessing historical accuracy of 
managements budgeting and 
forecasting of the Group,  
Testing on a sample basis, the 
mathematical accuracy of the cash flow 
models and agreeing relevant data to 
approved budgets and latest forecasts, 
and 
Performing sensitivity analysis in 
relation to key assumptions, with 
particular focus on the discount rate and 
assumptions relating to contract 
renewals and contracting of spare 
capacity; and 

 

We also assessed the appropriateness of the 
disclosures in Notes 11 and 12 to the 
financial statements. 

134 

 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
98 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

independent auditor’s report.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
TO THE UNITHOLDERS OF AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST

How the scope of our audit responded to the Key 
Audit Matter 
Our procedures included, but were not limited to,  
engaging our Treasury specialists to assist with: 

 

 

  Understanding management’s controls over 
the recording of derivative transactions and 
the application of hedge accounting, 
Testing the accuracy and completeness of 
derivative transactions and balances by 
agreeing to third-party confirmations,  
Evaluating the appropriateness of the 
valuation methodologies applied and testing 
on sample basis the valuation of the derivative 
financial instruments, and 
Testing on a sample basis the application of 
hedge accounting (including hedge 
effectiveness and measurement of 
ineffectiveness), in particular for WGP, and 
validating that the derivative financial 
instruments qualified for hedge accounting are 
in accordance with the relevant accounting 
standards.  

 

We also assessed the appropriateness of the 
disclosures in Notes 18 and 19 to the financial 
statements. 

Key Audit Matter 

Derivative transactions and balances 
including the application of hedge 
accounting  

As at 30 June 2018 the Group has variable 
and fixed rate borrowings totalling $9.7 
billion extending through to 2035.  These 
borrowings are denominated in Australian, 
US and Canadian dollars as well as British 
Pounds and Euros as disclosed in Note 18.   

As a result, the Group is exposed to 
interest rate and foreign exchange rate 
movements and enters into the following 
types of derivative financial instruments to 
manage those exposures: 

 

Interest rate swaps to mitigate the 
risk of rising interest rates, and 
  Cross currency interest rate swaps 

to manage the currency risk 
associated with foreign currency 
denominated borrowings. 

In addition, as disclosed in Note 19, 
revenue for the Wallumbilla Gladstone 
Pipeline (WGP) is denominated in US 
dollars.  In order to manage the currency 
risk the Group designates US dollar 
borrowings (which acts as a natural hedge 
of the forecast US dollar denominated 
revenue) against a portion of the US dollar 
revenue stream.  The Group also uses 
forward exchange contracts to hedge that 
portion of the exchange rate risk not 
covered by the US dollar borrowings.  The 
Group applies hedge accounting in respect 
of these arrangements which are complex. 

Other Information  

The directors of the Responsible Entity (“the Directors”) are responsible for the other information. 
The other information comprises the information included in the Group’s annual report for the year 
ended 30 June 2018, but does not include the financial report and our auditor’s report thereon. 

Our opinion on the financial report does not cover the other information and we do not express any 
form of assurance conclusion thereon.  

In connection with our audit of the financial report, our responsibility is to read the other information 
and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial 
report or our knowledge obtained in the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If, 
based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a  material misstatement of this 
other information, we are required to report that fact. We have nothing to report in this regard. 

135 

 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
independent auditor’s report.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
TO THE UNITHOLDERS OF AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  99

Responsibilities of the Directors for the Financial Report  

The directors are responsible for the preparation of the financial report that gives a true and fair view 
in  accordance  with  Australian  Accounting  Standards  and  the  Corporations  Act  2001  and  for  such 
internal  control  as  the  directors  determine  is  necessary  to  enable  the  preparation  of  the  financial 
report that gives a true and fair view and is free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud 
or error.  

In preparing the financial report, the directors are responsible for assessing the ability of the Group 
to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using 
the going concern basis of accounting unless the directors either intend to liquidate the Group or to 
cease operations, or have no realistic alternative but to do so.  

Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Report  

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial report as a whole is 
free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that 
includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that 
an audit conducted in accordance with the Australian Auditing Standards will always detect a material 
misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material 
if,  individually  or  in  the  aggregate,  they  could  reasonably  be  expected  to  influence  the  economic 
decisions of users taken on the basis of this financial report. 

As part of an audit in accordance with the Australian Auditing Standards, we exercise professional 
judgement and maintain professional scepticism throughout the audit. We also:   

 

Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial report, whether due 
to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain 
audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. The risk 
of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting 
from  error,  as 
intentional  omissions, 
involve  collusion, 
fraud  may 
misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.  

forgery, 

  Obtain  an  understanding  of  internal  control  relevant  to  the  audit  in  order  to  design  audit 
procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing 
an opinion on the effectiveness of the Group’s internal control.  

 

Evaluate  the  appropriateness  of  accounting  policies  used  and  the  reasonableness  of 
accounting estimates and related disclosures made by the directors.  

  Conclude  on  the  appropriateness  of  the  directors’  use  of  the  going  concern  basis  of 
accounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists 
related  to  events  or  conditions  that  may  cast  significant  doubt  on  the  Group’s  ability  to 
continue  as  a  going  concern.  If  we  conclude  that  a  material  uncertainty  exists,  we  are 
required to draw attention in our auditor’s report to the related disclosures in the financial 
report  or,  if  such  disclosures  are  inadequate,  to  modify  our  opinion.  Our  conclusions  are 
based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our auditor’s report. However, future 
events or conditions may cause the Group to cease to continue as a going concern. 

 

Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the financial report, including the 
disclosures,  and  whether  the  financial  report  represents  the  underlying  transactions  and 
events in a manner that achieves fair presentation. 

  Obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence regarding the financial information of the entities 
or business activities within the Group to express an opinion on the financial report. We are 
responsible for the  direction, supervision and performance  of the Group audit. We  remain 
solely responsible for our audit opinion. 

136 

 
  
  
 
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
100 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

independent auditor’s report.

AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
TO THE UNITHOLDERS OF AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE TRUST

We communicate with the directors regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing 
of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that 
we identify during our audit. 

We  also  provide  the  directors  with  a  statement  that  we  have  complied  with  relevant  ethical 
requirements  regarding  independence,  and  to  communicate  with  them  all  relationships  and  other 
matters that may reasonably be thought to bear on our independence, and where applicable, related 
safeguards. 

From the matters communicated with the directors, we determine those matters that were of most 
significance in the audit of the financial report of the current period and are therefore the key audit 
matters. We describe these matters in our auditor’s report unless law or regulation precludes public 
disclosure about the matter or when, in extremely rare circumstances, we determine that a matter 
should  not  be  communicated  in  our  report  because  the  adverse  consequences  of  doing  so  would 
reasonably be expected to outweigh the public interest benefits of such communication.

Report on the Remuneration Report

Opinion on the Remuneration Report

We  have  audited  the  Remuneration  Report  of  the  Responsible  Entity  of  Australian  Pipeline  Trust 
included in pages 40 to 49 of the Directors’ Report for the year ended 30 June 2018. 

In  our  opinion,  the  Remuneration  Report  of  Australian  Pipeline  Limited  as  responsible  entity  of 
Australian Pipeline Trust for the year ended 30 June  2018, has been prepared in accordance  with 
section 300A of the Corporations Act 2001. 

Responsibilities 

The  directors  have  voluntarily  presented  the  Remuneration  Report  of  the  Responsible  Entity  of 
Australian Pipeline Trust in accordance  with the requirements of section 300A of the  Corporations 
Act 2001. We conducted our audit in accordance with Australian Auditing Standards.

DELOITTE TOUCHE TOHMATSU

A V Griffiths
Partner
Chartered Accountants
Sydney, 22 August 2018 

137 

directors’ report.

APT INVESTMENT TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  101

APT Investment Trust and its Controlled Entities (ARSN 115 585 441)
Directors’ Report for the year ended 30 June 2018

The Directors of Australian Pipeline Limited (“Responsible Entity”) submit their report and the annual financial report of APT 
Investment Trust (“APTIT”) and its controlled entities (together “Consolidated Entity”) for the financial year ended 30 June 
2018. This report refers to the consolidated results of APTIT, one of the two stapled entities of APA Group, with the other 
stapled entity being Australian Pipeline Trust (together “APA”).

1.  Directors
The names of the Directors of the Responsible Entity during the year are:

Michael Fraser 

Chairman as at 27 October 2017

Michael (Mick) McCormack 

Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director

Steven (Steve) Crane

Debra (Debbie) Goodin

Russell Higgins AO

Patricia McKenzie

Shirley In’t Veld 

Peter Wasow 

Appointed 19 March 2018

Appointed 19 March 2018

Leonard Bleasel AM 

Retired as Chairman and Director 27 October 2017

John Fletcher 

Retired as a Director 21 February 2018

The Company Secretary of the Responsible Entity during and since the current period is Nevenka Codevelle.

2.  Principal Activities
The Consolidated Entity operates as an investment and financing entity within the APA Group.

3.  State of Affairs
On 13 June 2018, APA announced that an unsolicited, indicative non-binding proposal had been received from a consortium 
comprising CK Infrastructure Holdings Limited (CKI), CK Asset Holdings Limited (CKA) and Power Assets Holdings Limited 
(PAH)  (together,  the  Consortium),  to  acquire  all  of  the  stapled  securities  in  APA.  The  indicative  price  proposed  by  the 
Consortium was $11.00 cash per stapled security, plus the final six months distribution for FY2018 of 24.0 cents per stapled 
security to be paid in September as scheduled. The Board considered it was in the best interests of Securityholders to further 
engage with the Consortium and allow due diligence which was undertaken during June – August 2018.

Subsequently, on 13 August 2018, APA announced that it had entered into a conditional Implementation Agreement with CKI, 
CKA, PAH and CKM Australia Bidco Pty Ltd (Bidder) under which Bidder (a wholly owned subsidiary of CKA) will acquire all of 
the stapled securities in APA under trust schemes (Schemes).

If the Schemes are implemented, APA Securityholders will receive A$11.00 cash per APA stapled security. The transaction 
does not affect APA’s final distribution for the 2018 financial year, which the Board announced on 22 August 2018, will be 24.0 
cents per stapled security, and will be paid on 12 September 2018.

If  the  Schemes  are  implemented  at  any  time  after  31  December  2018,  APA  Securityholders  will  receive  an  additional 
distribution of 4.0 cents per APA stapled security for each full month in calendar 2019 which elapses prior to implementation 
of the Schemes (up to, and including, March 2019).

Implementation of the Schemes is subject to certain conditions outlined in the Implementation Agreement (a copy of which 
was attached to APA’s ASX announcement on 13 August 2018). The conditions include:

—  Approval of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and the Foreign Investment Review Board;

—  An Independent Expert opining that the Schemes are fair and reasonable and in the best interests of APA Securityholders;

—  No “material change” or “prescribed events” occurring in relation to APA;

—  CKA shareholder approval;

—  APA Securityholder approval; and

—  Court approval.

The  APA  Directors  unanimously  recommend  the  transaction  in  the  absence  of  a  superior  proposal  and  subject  to  an 
Independent  Expert  concluding  (and  continuing  to  conclude)  that  the  Schemes  are  fair  and  reasonable  and  in  the  best 
interests of APA Securityholders.

Depending  on  the  progress  of  regulatory  approvals,  a  meeting  of  APA  Securityholders  is  targeted  to  be  held  in  late 
November 2018 to consider the Schemes, with implementation and payment to APA Securityholders targeted to occur in mid 
December 2018.

102 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

directors’ report. continued.

APT INVESTMENT TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES

4.  Subsequent Events
On 13 August 2018, APA announced that it had entered into a conditional Implementation Agreement with CKI, CKA, PAH and 
CKM Bidder under which Bidder (a wholly owned subsidiary of CKA) will acquire all of the stapled securities in APA under trust 
schemes (Schemes). If the Schemes are implemented, APA Securityholders will receive A$11.00 cash per stapled security. The 
transaction does not affect APA’s final distribution for the 2018 financial year. If the Schemes are implemented at any time 
after 31 December 2018, APA Securityholders will receive an additional distribution of 4.0 cents per APA stapled security for 
each full month in calendar 2019 which elapses prior to implementation of the Schemes (up to, and including, March 2019). 
Implementation of the Schemes is subject to certain conditions, including regulatory and shareholder approvals.

On 22 August 2018, the Directors declared a final distribution for the 2018 financial year of 6.04 cents per unit ($71.3 million). 
The distribution represents a 2.90 cents per unit unfranked profit distribution and 3.14 cents per unit capital distribution. The 
distribution is expected to be paid on 12 September 2018.

Other than what is noted above and as disclosed elsewhere in this report, there has not arisen in the interval between the 
end of the full year to 30 June 2018 and the date of this report any matter or circumstance that has significantly affected, 
or may significantly affect, the Group’s operations, the results of those operations, or the Group’s state of affairs, in future 
financial years.

5.  Review and Results of Operations
The Consolidated Entity reported net profit after tax of $68.0 million (FY2017: $73.0 million) for the year ended 30 June 2018 
and total revenue of $68.1 million (FY2017: $73.0 million).

6.  Distributions
Distributions paid to Securityholders during the financial year were:

APTIT profit distribution 

APTIT capital distribution 

Total 

Final FY2017 distribution 
paid 13 September 2017 

Interim FY2018 distribution 
paid 14 March 2018

Cents per 
security 

Total distribution 
$000 

Cents per 
security 

Total distribution 
$000

3.07 

3.69 

6.76 

34,198 

41,107 

75,305 

3.03 

2.38 

5.41 

33,821

26,490

60,311

On 22 August 2018, the Directors declared a final distribution for APTIT for the financial year of 6.04 cents per security which 
is payable on 12 September 2018 and will comprise the following components:

APTIT profit distribution 

APTIT capital distribution 

Total 

Final FY2018 distribution 
payable 12 September 2018

Cents per 
security 

Total distribution 
$000

2.90 

3.14 

6.04 

34,228

37,022

71,250

Distribution  information  is  presented  on  an  accounting  classification  basis.  The  APA  Group  Annual  Tax  Statement  and 
Annual Tax Return Guide (to be released in September 2018) will provide the classification of distribution components for the 
purposes of preparation of Securityholder income tax returns.

7.  Directors

Information on Directors and Company Secretary

7.1 
See pages 06 to 07 for information relating to qualifications and experience of the Directors and the Company Secretary.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
directors’ report. continued.

APT INVESTMENT TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  103

7.2  Directorships of other listed companies
Directorships of other listed companies held by Directors at any time in the three years immediately before the end of the 
financial year are as follows:

Name

Company

Period of directorship

Michael Fraser

Aurizon Holdings Limited

Since February 2016

Michael McCormack

–

–

Steven Crane

Debra Goodin

nib holdings limited

Since September 2010, Chair since October 2011

Senex Energy Limited

oOh!media Limited

Since May 2014

Since November 2014

Ten Network Holdings Limited

August 2016 to November 2017

Atlas Arteria Limited

Since September 2017

Russell Higgins AO

Telstra Corporation Limited

Since September 2009

Argo Investments Limited

Since September 2011, Chair since July 2018

Argo Global Listed Infrastructure Limited

Chair since July 2018

Patricia McKenzie 

–

–

Shirley In’t Veld

Asciano Limited

DUET Group

November 2010 to August 2016

August 2013 to May 2017

Northern Star Resources Limited

Since September 2016

Peter Wasow

Alcoa Australia Limited

Oz Minerals Limited

Alumina Limited

January 2014 to July 2017

Since November 2017

September 2011 to May 2017

7.3  Directors’ meetings
During  the  financial  year,  17  Board  meetings,  four  Audit  and  Risk  Management  Committee  meetings,  four  People  and 
Remuneration  Committee  meetings,  four  Health  Safety  and  Environment  Committee  meetings  and  six  Nomination 
Committee meetings were held. The following table sets out the number of meetings attended by each Director while they 
were a Director or a committee member:

Board

People & 
Remuneration 
Committee

Audit & Risk 
Management 
Committee

Health Safety 
& Environment 
Committee

Nomination 
Committee

Directors

Michael Fraser

Michael McCormack

Steven Crane

Debra Goodin

Russell Higgins AO

Patricia McKenzie

Shirley Int’d Veld

Peter Wasow

Leonard Bleasel AM (1)

John Fletcher (2)

A

17

17

17

17

17

17

7

7

6

10

B

16

17

17

17

17

17

6

6

6

9

A

2

–

4

–

–

4

2

2

–

2

B

2

–

3

–

–

4

2

2

–

2

A

4

–

4

4

4

–

–

1

–

3

B

4

–

4

4

4

–

–

1

–

3

A

–

–

–

4

4

4

2

–

–

–

B

–

–

–

4

4

4

2

–

–

–

A: Number of meetings held during the time the Director held office or was a member of the committee during the financial year.

B: Number of meetings attended.

A

6

–

1

6

6

1

–

–

1

1

B

6

–

1

6

6

1

–

–

1

1

1)  Leonard Bleasel AM retired as a Director on 27 October 2017.

2)  John Fletcher retired as a Director on 21 February 2018.

104 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

directors’ report. continued.

APT INVESTMENT TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES

7.4  Directors’ securityholdings
The aggregate number of APA securities held directly, indirectly or beneficially by Directors or their Director related entities at 
30 June 2018 is 800,118 (2017: 1,365,674 (3)).

The following table sets out Directors’ relevant interests in APA securities as at 30 June 2018:

Directors 

Michael Fraser 

Michael McCormack 

Steven Crane 

Debra Goodin 

Russell Higgins AO 

Patricia McKenzie 

Shirley Int’d Veld (4) 

Peter Wasow (5) 

Leonard Bleasel AM (6) 

John Fletcher (7) 

Fully paid 
securities as at 
1 July 2017 

Securities 
acquired 

Fully paid 
Securities  securities as at 
30 June 2018
disposed 

25,000 

320,000 

130,000 

19,200 

122,719 

22,889 

– 

– 

637,616 

88,250 

77,942 

30,000 

0 

3,800 

7,220 

1,348 

25,000 

15,000 

– 

– 

1,365,674 

160,310 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

– 

102,942

350,000

130,000

23,000

129,939

24,237

25,000

15,000

–

–

800,118

The Directors hold no other rights or options over APA securities. There are no contracts to which a Director is a party or under 
which the Director is entitled to a benefit and that confer a right to call for or deliver APA securities.

8.  Options Granted
In this report, the term “APA securities” refers to stapled securities each comprising a unit in Australian Pipeline Trust stapled 
to a unit in APT Investment Trust and traded on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) under the code “APA”.

No options over unissued APA securities were granted during or since the end of the financial year, no unissued APA securities 
were under option as at the date of this report, and no APA securities were issued during or since the end of the financial year 
as a result of the exercise of an option over unissued APA securities.

Indemnification of Officers

9. 
During the financial year, the Responsible Entity paid a premium in respect of a contract insuring the Directors and Officers 
of  the  Responsible  Entity  and  any APA  Group  entity  against  any  liability  incurred  in  performing  those  roles  to  the  extent 
permitted by the Corporations Act 2001. The contract of insurance prohibits specific disclosure of the nature of the liability 
and the amount of the premium.

Australian Pipeline Limited, in its own capacity and as Responsible Entity of Australian Pipeline Trust and APT Investment 
Trust, indemnifies each Director and Company Secretary, and certain other executives, former executives and officers of the 
Responsible Entity or any APA Group entity under a range of deed polls and indemnity agreements which have been in place 
since 1 July 2000. The indemnity operates to the full extent allowed by law but only to the extent not covered by insurance, 
and is on terms the Board considers usual for arrangements of this type.

Under its constitution, Australian Pipeline Limited (in its personal capacity) indemnifies each person who is or has been a 
Director, Company Secretary or executive officer of that company.

The Responsible Entity has not otherwise, during or since the end of the financial year, indemnified or agreed to indemnify 
an officer or external auditor of the Responsible Entity or any APA Group entity against a liability incurred by such an officer 
or auditor.

3)  At 30 June 2017 the aggregate number of APA securities held directly or beneficially by Directors or their related entities included 637,616 securities held by 
Leonard Bleasel AM who retired on 27 October 2017 and 88,250 securities held by John Fletcher who retired on 21 February 2018. The aggregate number of APA 
Securities held directly or beneficially by the current Directors or their related entities as at 30 June 2017 was 639,808. 

4)  Shirley In’t Veld was appointed as a Director effective 19 March 2018. She held 25,000 securities on appointment.

5) Peter Wasow was appointed as a Director effective 19 March 2018. He held nil securities on appointment. 

6)  Leonard Bleasel AM retired as the Chairman and a Director on 27 October 2017. He held 637,616 securities on retirement.

7)  John Fletcher retired as a Director on 21 February 2018. He held 88,250 securities on retirement.

 
 
 
 
 
directors’ report. continued.

APT INVESTMENT TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  105

10.  Information Required for Registered Schemes
Fees paid to the Responsible Entity and its associates (including Directors and Secretaries of the Responsible Entity, related 
bodies corporate and Directors and Secretaries of related bodies corporate) out of APA scheme property during the financial 
year are disclosed in Note 18 to the financial statements.

Except as disclosed in this report, neither the Responsible Entity nor any of its associates holds any APTIT units.

The number of APTIT units issued during the financial year, and the number of APTIT units on issue at the end of the financial 
year, are disclosed in Note 13 to the financial statements.

The value of the Consolidated Entity’s assets as at the end of the financial year is disclosed in the balance sheet in total 
assets, and the basis of valuation is disclosed in the notes to the financial statements.

11.  Auditor’s Independence Declaration
A copy of the independence declaration of the auditor, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu (“Auditor”) as required under section 307C 
of the Corporations Act 2001 is included at page 121.

12.  Rounding of Amounts
The Consolidated Entity is an entity of the kind referred to in ASIC Corporations Instrument 2016/191 and, in accordance 
with that Class Order, amounts in the Directors’ report and the financial report are rounded to the nearest thousand dollars, 
unless otherwise indicated.

13.  Authorisation
The Directors’ report is signed in accordance with a resolution of the Directors of the Responsible Entity made pursuant to 
section 298(2) of the Corporations Act 2001.

On behalf of the Directors

Michael Fraser 
Chairman 

Sydney, 22 August 2018

Debra Goodin
Director

106 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

consolidated statement of profit or loss and other 
comprehensive income.

APT INVESTMENT TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Continuing operations

Revenue 

Expenses 

Profit before tax 

Income tax expense 

Profit for the year 

Other comprehensive income

Total comprehensive income for the year 

Profit Attributable to:

Unitholders of the parent 

Total comprehensive income attributable to:

Unitholders of the parent 

Earnings per unit 

Basic and diluted (cents per unit) 

Note 

4 

4 

5 

6 

2018 
$000 

68,061 

(12) 

68,049 

– 

68,049 

2017 
$000

72,979

(12)

72,967

–

72,967

68,049 

72,967

68,049 

68,049 

72,967

72,967

68,049 

72,967

2018 

6.0 

2017 
(Restated)

6.5

The above consolidated statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income should be read in conjunction with the 
accompanying notes.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
consolidated statement of financial position.

APT INVESTMENT TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
AS AT 30 JUNE 2018

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  107

Current assets

Receivables 

Non-current assets

Receivables 

Other financial assets 

Non-current assets 

Total assets 

Current liabilities

Trade and other payables 

Total liabilities 

Net assets 

Equity

Issued capital 

Retained earnings 

Total equity 

Note 

2018 
$000 

2017 
$000

8 

8 

11 

9 

13 

774 

738

7,737 

8,511

1,055,971 

1,001,246

1,063,708 

1,009,757

1,064,482 

1,010,495

78 

78 

13

13

1,064,404 

1,010,482

1,030,176 

34,228 

976,284

34,198

1,064,404 

1,010,482

The above consolidated statement of financial position should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
108 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

consolidated statement of changes in equity.

APT INVESTMENT TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Balance at 1 July 2016 

Profit for the year 

Total comprehensive income for the year 

Distributions to unitholders 

Balance at 30 June 2017 

Balance at 1 July 2017 

Profit for the year 

Total comprehensive income for the year 

Issue of capital (net of issue costs) 

Distributions to unitholders 

Balance at 30 June 2018 

Note 

7 

13 

7 

Issued 
capital 
$000 

1,005,074 

– 

– 

(28,790) 

976,284 

976,284 

– 

– 

121,489 

(67,597) 

Retained 
earnings 
$000 

41,812 

72,967 

72,967 

Total 
$000

1,046,886

72,967

72,967

(80,581) 

(109,371)

34,198 

1,010,482

34,198 

68,049 

68,049 

– 

1,010,482

68,049

68,049

121,489

(68,019) 

(135,616)

1,030,176 

34,228 

1,064,404

The above consolidated statement of changes in equity should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
consolidated statement of cash flows

APT INVESTMENT TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  109

Cash flows from operating activities

Trust distribution – related party 

Interest received – related parties 

Proceeds from repayment of finance leases 

Receipts from customers 

Payments to suppliers 

Net cash provided by operating activities 

Cash flows from investing activities

Proceeds from transfer of financial asset to related party 

(Advances to)/receipts from related parties 

Net cash (used in)/provided by investing activities 

Cash flows from financing activities

Proceeds from issue of units 

Payment of unit issue costs 

Distributions to unitholders 

Net cash used in financing activities 

Net increase in cash and cash equivalents 

Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of financial year 

Cash and cash equivalents at end of financial year 

2018 
$000 

27,979 

39,349 

1,167 

369 

(12) 

2017 
$000

28,610

45,531

1,167

274

(12)

68,852 

75,570

– 

(54,725) 

(54,725) 

124,234 

(2,745) 

(135,616) 

(14,127) 

– 

– 

– 

32,566

1,235

33,801

–

–

(109,371)

(109,371)

–

–

–

The above consolidated statement of cash flows should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes.

Cash flows are included in the statement of cash flows on a gross basis. The GST component of cash flows arising from 
investing and financing activities which is recoverable from, or payable to, the taxation authority is classified within operating 
cash flows.

 
 
110 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

notes to the consolidated financial statements.

APT INVESTMENT TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Basis of Preparation

1.  About this report
In the following financial statements, note disclosures are grouped into six sections being: Basis of Preparation; Financial 
Performance; Operating Assets and Liabilities; Capital Management; Group Structure; and Other. Each note sets out the 
accounting policies applied in producing the results along with any key judgements and estimates used.

Basis of Preparation 

1.  About this report

2.  General information

Financial Performance

3.  Segment information

4.  Profit from operations 

5. 

Income tax 

6.  Earnings per unit

7.  Distributions

Capital Management

11.  Other financial instruments

12.  Financial risk management

13.  Issued capital 

Group Structure

14.  Subsidiaries

Other

15.  Commitments and contingencies

16.  Director and senior executive remuneration

Operating Assets and Liabilities

17.  Remuneration of external auditor

8.  Receivables

9.  Payables

10.  Leases

18.  Related party transactions

19.  Parent entity information

20.  Adoption of new and revised Accounting Standards

21.  Events occurring after reporting date

notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  111

APT INVESTMENT TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Basis of Preparation

2.  General information
APT  Investment  Trust  (“APTIT”  or  “Trust”)  is  one  of  the  two  stapled  trusts  of  APA  Group,  the  other  stapled  trust  being 
Australian  Pipeline  Trust  (“APT”).  Each  of  APT  and  APTIT  are  registered  managed  investment  schemes  regulated  by  the 
Corporations Act 2001. APTIT units are “stapled” to APT units on a one-to-one basis so that one APTIT unit and one APT unit 
form a single stapled security which trades on the Australian Securities Exchange under the code “APA”.

This  financial  report  represents  the  consolidated  financial  statements  of  APTIT  and  its  controlled  entities  (together 
the  “Consolidated  Entity”).  For  the  purposes  of  preparing  the  consolidated  financial  report,  the  Consolidated  Entity  is  a 
for-profit entity.

All intragroup transactions and balances have been eliminated on consolidation. Where necessary, adjustments are made to 
the assets, liabilities, and results of subsidiaries, joint arrangements and associates to bring their accounting policies into line 
with those used by the Consolidated Entity.

APTIT’s registered office and principal place of business is as follows: 
Level 25 
580 George Street 
Sydney NSW 2000 
Tel: (02) 9693 0000

APTIT operates as an investment entity within APA Group.

The financial report for the year ended 30 June 2018 was authorised for issue in accordance with a resolution of the directors 
on 22 August 2018.

This general purpose financial report has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Corporations Act 2001, 
Australian Accounting Standards and other authoritative pronouncements of the Australian Accounting Standards Board 
(AASB), and also complies with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) as issued by the International Accounting 
Standards Board.

The financial report has been prepared on the basis of historical cost, except for the revaluation of financial instruments. 
The financial report is presented in Australian dollars and all values are rounded to the nearest thousand dollars ($000) in 
accordance with ASIC Corporations Instrument 2016/191, unless otherwise stated.

Financial Performance

3.  Segment information
The Consolidated Entity has one reportable segment being energy infrastructure investment.

The Consolidated Entity is an investing entity within the Australian Pipeline Trust stapled group. As the Trust only operates in 
one segment, it has not disclosed segment information separately.

4.  Profit from operations
Profit before income tax includes the following items of income and expense:

Revenue

Distributions

Trust distribution – related party 

Finance income

Interest – related parties 

Loss on financial asset held at fair value through profit or loss 

Finance lease income – related party 

Other revenue

Other 

Total revenue 

Expenses

Audit fees 

Total expenses 

2018 
$000 

2017 
$000

27,979 

27,979 

39,350 

– 

430 

28,610

28,610

44,141

(510)

464

39,780 

44,095

302 

68,061 

274

72,979

(12) 

(12) 

(12)

(12)

 
 
 
 
112 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

APT INVESTMENT TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Financial Performance

4.  Profit from operations (continued)
Revenue is recognised to the extent that it is probable that the economic benefits will flow to the Consolidated Entity and 
can be reliably measured. Amounts disclosed as revenue are net of duties and taxes paid. Revenue is recognised for the major 
business activities as follows:

—  Interest revenue, which is recognised as it accrues and is determined using the effective interest method;

—  Distribution revenue, which is recognised when the right to receive a distribution has been established;

—  Finance lease income, which is recognised when receivable.

Income tax

5. 
Income tax expense is not brought to account in respect of APTIT as, pursuant to Australian taxation laws, APTIT is not liable 
for income tax provided that its realised taxable income (including any assessable realised capital gains) is fully distributed to 
its unitholders each year.

6.  Earnings per unit

Basic and diluted earnings per unit 

2018 
cents 

6.0 

2017 
(Restated) 

cents

6.5

The earnings and weighted average number of units used in the calculation of basic and diluted earnings per unit are as follows:

Net profit attributable to unitholders for calculating basic and diluted earnings per unit 

2018 
$000 

68,049 

2018 
No. of 
units 
000 

2017 
$000

72,967

2017 
(Restated) 
No. of 
units 
000

Adjusted weighted average number of ordinary units used in the

calculation of basic and diluted earnings per unit 

1,136,875 

1,118,522

During March 2018, APA Group issued 65,586,479 new ordinary securities on completion of the fully underwritten pro-rata 
accelerated institutional tradeable renounceable entitlement offer (Entitlement Offer). The Entitlement Offer was offered 
at  $7.70  per  security,  a  discount  to  APA  Group’s  closing  market  price  of  $8.26  per  security  on  the  23  February  2018,  the 
last trading day before the record date of 26 February 2018. The number of securities used for the current and prior period 
calculation of earnings per security has been adjusted for the discounted rights issue. An adjustment factor of 1.0038 has 
been calculated, being the closing market price per security on 23 February 2018, divided by the theoretical ex-rights price 
(TERP) of $8.23 per security.

7.  Distributions

2018 
cents per 
unit 

2018 
Total 
$000 

2017 
cents per 
unit 

2017 
Total 
$000

Recognised amounts

Final distribution paid on 13 September 2017

(2017: 16 September 2016)

Profit distribution (a) 

Capital distribution 

Interim distribution paid on 14 March 2018

(2017: 15 March 2017)

Profit distribution (a) 

Capital distribution 

3.07 

3.69 

6.76 

3.03 

2.38 

5.41 

34,198 

41,107 

75,305 

33,821 

26,490 

60,311 

3.75 

0.63 

4.38 

3.48 

1.96 

5.44 

41,811

6,976

48,787

38,770

21,814

60,584

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

APT INVESTMENT TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  113

Financial Performance

7.  Distributions (continued)

Total distributions recognised

Profit distributions (a) 

Capital distributions 

Unrecognised amounts

Final distribution payable on 12 September 2018 (b)

(2017: 13 September 2017)

Profit distribution (a) 

Capital distribution 

a) Profit distributions unfranked (2017: unfranked).

b) Record date 29 June 2018.

2018 
cents per 
unit 

6.10 

6.07 

12.17 

2.90 

3.14 

6.04 

2018 
Total 
$000 

68,019 

67,597 

135,616 

34,228 

37,022 

71,250 

2017 
cents per 
unit 

7.23 

2.59 

9.82 

3.07 

3.69 

6.76 

2017 
Total 
$000

80,581

28,790

109,371

34,198

41,107

75,305

The  final  distribution  in  respect  of  the  financial  year  has  not  been  recognised  in  this  financial  report  because  the  final 
distribution was not declared, determined or publicly confirmed prior to the end of the financial year.

Operating Assets and Liabilities

8.  Receivables

Finance lease receivable – related party (Note 10) 

Current 

Finance lease receivable – related party (Note 10) 

Non-current 

2018 
$000 

774 

774 

7,737 

7,737 

2017 
$000

738

738

8,511

8,511

In determining the recoverability of a receivable, the Consolidated Entity considers any change in the credit quality of the 
receivable from the date the credit was initially granted up to the reporting date. The directors believe that there is no credit 
provision required.

None of the above receivables is past due.

9.  Payables

Other payables 

78 

13

Trade and other payables are recognised when the Consolidated Entity becomes obliged to make future payments resulting 
from the purchase of goods and services. Trade and other payables are stated at amortised cost.

The net amount of GST recoverable from, or payable to, the taxation authority is included as part of receivables or payables. 
GST receivable or GST payable is only recognised once a tax invoice has been issued or received.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
114 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

APT INVESTMENT TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Operating Assets and Liabilities

10.  Leases

Finance leases

Leasing arrangements – receivables

Finance lease receivables relate to the lease of a pipeline lateral.

There are no contingent rental payments due.

Finance lease receivables

Not longer than 1 year 

Longer than 1 year and not longer than 5 years 

Longer than 5 years 

Minimum future lease payments receivable (a) 

Gross finance lease receivables 

Less: unearned finance lease receivables 

Present value of lease receivables 

Included in the financial statements as part of:

Current receivables (Note 8) 

Non-current receivables (Note 8) 

2018 
$000 

2017 
$000

1,167 

4,669 

4,669 

10,505 

10,505 

(1,994) 

8,511 

774 

7,737 

8,511 

1,167

4,669

5,837

11,673

11,673

(2,424)

9,249

738

8,511

9,249

a) Minimum future lease payments receivable include the aggregate of all lease payments receivable and any guaranteed residual.

Leases are classified as finance leases when the terms of the lease transfer substantially all of the risks and rewards incidental 
to ownership of the leased asset to the lessee. All other leases are classified as operating leases.

Consolidated Entity as lessor
Amounts due from a lessee under a finance lease are recorded as receivables. Finance lease receivables are initially recognised at 
the amount equal to the present value of the minimum lease payments receivable plus the present value of any unguaranteed 
residual value expected to accrue at the end of the lease term. Finance lease receipts are allocated between interest revenue 
and reduction of the lease receivable over the term of the lease in order to reflect a constant periodic rate of return on the net 
investment outstanding in respect of the lease.

Capital Management

11.  Other financial instruments

Non-current

Advance to related party 

Investments carried at cost:

Investment in related party (a) 

2018 
$000 

2017 
$000

948,592 

893,867

107,379 

107,379

1,055,971 

1,001,246

a) The investment in related party reflects GasNet Australia Investments Trust’s (“GAIT”) investment in 100% of the B Class units in GasNet A Trust. The B Class 
units give GAIT preferred rights to the income and capital of GasNet A Trust, but hold no voting rights. The A Class unitholder may however suspend for a period 
or terminate all of the B Class unitholder rights to income and capital. As such, GAIT neither controls nor has a significant influence over GasNet A Trust. GasNet 
Australia Trust, a related party wholly owned by APA Group, owns 100% of the A Class units in GasNet A Trust and, accordingly, GasNet A Trust is included in 
the consolidation of the APA Group. The investment has not been measured at fair value as the units of GasNet A Trust are not available for trade on an active 
market and as such, the fair value of the units cannot be reliably determined. The Consolidated Entity does not intend to dispose of its interest in GasNet A Trust.

Financial  assets  are  classified  into  the  following  specified  categories:  ‘available-for-sale’  financial  assets  and  ‘loans 
and receivables’.

The classification depends on the nature and purpose of the financial assets and is determined at the time of initial recognition.

 
 
 
 
 
 
notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  115

APT INVESTMENT TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Capital Management

11.  Other financial instruments (continued)
Effective interest method
The effective interest method is a method of calculating the amortised cost of a financial asset and of allocating interest 
income over the relevant period. The effective interest rate is the rate that exactly discounts estimated future cash receipts 
through the expected life of the financial asset, or where appropriate, a shorter period.

Receivables and loans
Trade receivables, loans, and other receivables that have fixed or determinable payments that are not quoted in an active 
market are classified as ‘loans and receivables’. Trade and other receivables are stated at their amortised cost less impairment.

Impairment of financial assets
Financial assets are assessed for indicators of impairment at the end of each reporting date. Financial assets are impaired 
where, as a result of one or more events that occurred after initial recognition of the financial asset, there is objective evidence 
that the estimated future cash flows of the investment have been adversely impacted.

12.  Financial risk management
APA Group’s corporate Treasury department is responsible for the overall management of the Consolidated Entity’s capital 
raising  activities,  liquidity,  lender  relationships  and  engagement,  debt  portfolio  management,  interest  rate  and  foreign 
exchange  hedging,  credit  rating  maintenance  and  third  party  indemnities  (bank  guarantees)  within  risk  management 
parameters reviewed by the Board. The Audit and Risk Management Committee (“ARMC”) approves written principles for 
overall risk management, as well as policies covering specific areas such as liquidity and funding risk, foreign currency risk, 
interest rate risk, credit risk, contract and legal risk and operational risk. The Consolidated Entity’s ARMC ensures there is an 
appropriate Risk Management Policy for the management of treasury risk and compliance with the policy through monthly 
reporting to the Board from the Treasury department.

The  Consolidated  Entity’s  activities  generate  financial  instruments  comprising  of  cash,  receivables,  payables  and  interest 
bearing liabilities which expose it to various risks as summarised below:

a) Market risk including currency risk, interest rate risk and price risk;

b) Credit risk; and

c)  Liquidity risk.

Treasury  as  a  centralised  function  provides  the  Consolidated  Entity  with  the  benefits  of  efficient  cash  utilisation,  control 
of  funding  and  its  associated  costs,  efficient  and  effective  management  of  aggregated  financial  risk  and  concentration 
of  financial  expertise,  at  an  acceptable  cost,  and  minimises  risks  through  the  use  of  natural  hedges  and  derivative 
instruments. The Consolidated Entity does not engage in speculative trading. All derivatives have been transacted to hedge 
underlying or existing exposures and have adhered to the Audit and Risk Management Committee approved Treasury Risk 
Management Policy.

a)  Market risk
The Consolidated Entity’s activities exposure is primarily to the financial risk of changes in interest rates. There has been no 
change to the Consolidated Entity’s exposure to market risk or the manner in which it manages and measures the risk from 
the previous year.

Interest rate sensitivity analysis
The sensitivity analysis below has been determined based on the exposure to interest rates on loans with related parties. A 
100 basis points increase or decrease is used and represents management’s assessment of the greatest possible change in 
interest rates within a given period of time. At reporting date, if interest rates had been 100 basis points higher or lower and all 
other variables were constant, the Consolidated Entity’s net profit would increase by $6,023,000 or decrease by $5,968,000 
(2017: increase by $6,431,000 or decrease by $6,372,000 respectively). This is mainly attributable to the Consolidated Entity’s 
exposure  to  interest  rates  on  its  variable  rate  inter-entity  balances. The  sensitivity  has  decreased  due  to  lower  weighted 
average inter-entity balances.

b)  Credit risk
Credit risk refers to the risk that a counterparty will default on its contractual obligations resulting in financial loss to the 
Consolidated Entity. The Consolidated Entity has adopted the policy of only dealing with creditworthy counterparties and 
obtaining sufficient collateral or bank guarantees where appropriate as a means of mitigating any risk of loss. For financial 
investments or market risk hedging, the Consolidated Entity’s policy is to only transact with counter parties that have a credit 
rating of A- (Standard & Poors)/A3 (Moody’s) or higher unless specifically approved by the Board. Where a counterparty’s 
rating falls below this threshold following a transaction, no other transactions can be executed with that counterparty until 
the exposure is sufficiently reduced or their credit rating is upgraded above the Consolidated Entity’s minimum threshold. 
The Consolidated Entity’s exposure to financial instrument and deposit credit risk is closely monitored against counterparty 
credit limits imposed by the Treasury Risk Management Policy approved by the Board. These limits are regularly reviewed by 
the Board.

The  carrying  amount  of  financial  assets  recorded  in  the  financial  statements,  net  of  any  allowances,  represents  the 
Consolidated Entity’s maximum exposure to credit risk in relation to those assets.

c)  Liquidity risk
The Consolidated Entity’s exposure to liquidity risk is limited to other payables of $78,000 (2017: $13,000), all of which are 
due in less than 1 year (2017: less than 1 year).

116 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

APT INVESTMENT TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Capital Management

13.  Issued capital

Units

2018 
$000 

2017 
$000

1,179,893,848 units, fully paid (2017: 1,114,307,369 units, fully paid) (a) 

1,030,176 

976,284

Movements

Balance at beginning of financial year 

Issue of units under entitlement offer 

Capital distributions paid (Note 7) 

Issue cost of units 

2018 
No. of units 
000 

2018 
$000 

2017 
No. of units 
000 

2017 
$000

1,114,307 

65,586 

– 

– 

976,284 

124,234 

(67,597) 

(2,745) 

1,114,307 

1,005,074

– 

– 

– 

–

(28,790)

–

Balance at end of financial year 

1,179,893 

1,030,176 

1,114,307 

976,284

a) Fully paid units carry one vote per unit and carry the right to distributions.

Changes to the then Corporations Law abolished the authorised capital and par value concept in relation to issued capital 
from 1 July 1998. Therefore, the Trust does not have a limited amount of authorised capital and issued securities do not have 
a par value.

Group Structure

14.  Subsidiaries
Subsidiaries are entities controlled by APTIT. Control exists where APTIT has power over an entity, i.e. existing rights that give 
APTIT the current ability to direct the relevant activities of the entity (those that significantly affect the returns); exposure, or 
rights, to variable returns from its involvement with the entity; and the ability to use its power to affect those returns.

Name of entity 

Parent entity
APT Investment Trust

Subsidiary
GasNet Australia Investments Trust 

Other

Country of
registration/ 
incorporation 

Ownership interest

2018 
% 

2017 
%

Australia 

100 

100

15.  Commitments and contingencies
The Consolidated Entity had no material contingent assets, liabilities and commitments as at 30 June 2018 and 30 June 2017.

16.  Director and senior executive remuneration
Remuneration of Directors
The aggregate remuneration of Directors of the Consolidated Entity is set out below:

Short-term employment benefits 

Post-employment benefits 

Total remuneration: Non-Executive Directors 

Short-term employment benefits 

Post-employment benefits 

Cash settled security-based payments 

Total remuneration: Executive Director (a) 

Total remuneration: Directors 

2018 
$ 

1,625,875 

154,482 

1,780,357 

3,638,690 

25,000 

1,479,646 

5,143,336 

6,923,693 

2017 
$

1,682,077

160,104

1,842,181

3,589,472

35,000

1,485,242

5,109,714

6,951,895

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

APT INVESTMENT TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  117

Other

16.  Director and senior executive remuneration (continued)

Remuneration of senior executives (a),(b)

The aggregate remuneration of senior executives of the Consolidated Entity is set out below:

Short-term employment benefits 

Post-employment benefits 

Cash settled security-based payments 

Total remuneration: senior executives 

2018 
$ 

2017 
$

7,748,591 

95,049 

2,822,148 

7,509,920

135,000

2,849,270

10,665,788 

10,494,190

a) The remuneration of the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Michael (Mick) McCormack, is included in both the remuneration disclosure for Directors 

and senior executives.

b) The FY2017 total remuneration differs from the amount disclosed in the prior year due to the review of the composition of Executive KMP, refer to the remuneration 

report for further details.

17.  Remuneration of external auditor

Amounts received or due and receivable by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu for:

Auditing the financial report 

Compliance plan audit 

Other assurance services (a) 

6,000 

5,700 

15,990 

27,690 

5,900

5,600

–

11,500

a) Services provided were in accordance with the external auditor independence policy. Other assurance services comprise assurance services in relation to security 

related transactions (equity raising).

18.  Related party transactions
a)  Equity interest in related parties
Details of the percentage of ordinary securities held in subsidiaries are disclosed in Note 14.

b)  Responsible Entity – Australian Pipeline Limited
The Responsible Entity is wholly owned by APT Pipelines Limited (2017: 100% owned by APT Pipelines Limited).

c)  Transactions with related parties within the Consolidated Entity
During the financial year, the following transactions occurred between the Trust and its other related parties:

—  loans advanced and payments received on long-term inter-entity loans; and

—  payments of distributions.

All transactions between the entities that comprise the Consolidated Entity have been eliminated on consolidation.

Refer to Note 14 for details of the entities that comprise the Consolidated Entity.

d)  Transactions with other related parties
APTIT and its controlled entities have a loan receivable balance with another entity in APA. This loan is repayable on agreement 
between the parties. Interest is recognised by applying the effective interest method, agreed between the parties at the end 
of each month and is determined by reference to market rates.

The following balances arising from transactions between APTIT and its other related parties are outstanding at reporting date:

—  current  receivables  totalling  $774,000  are  owing  from  a  subsidiary  of  APT  for  amounts  due  under  a  finance  lease 

arrangement (2017: $738,000);

—  non-current receivables totalling $7,737,000 are owing from a subsidiary of APT for amounts due under a finance lease 

arrangement (2017: $8,511,000); and

—  non-current receivables totalling $948,592,000 (2017: $893,867,000) are owing from a subsidiary of APT for amounts due 

under inter-entity loans.

Australian Pipeline Limited
Management fees of $1,152,000 (2017: $943,000) were paid to the Responsible Entity as reimbursement of costs incurred on 
behalf of APTIT. No amounts were paid directly by APTIT to the Directors of the Responsible Entity.

Australian Pipeline Trust
Management fees of $1,152,000 (2017: $943,000) were reimbursed by APT.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
118 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

APT INVESTMENT TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

Other

19.  Parent entity information
The accounting policies of the parent entity, which have been applied in determining the financial information below, are the 
same as those applied in the consolidated financial statements.

Financial position

Assets

Current assets 

Non-current assets 

Total assets 

Liabilities

Current liabilities 

Total liabilities 

Net assets 

Equity

Issued capital 

Retained earnings 

Reserves 

Total equity 

Financial performance

Profit for the year 

Other comprehensive income 

Total comprehensive income 

2018 
$000 

2017 
$000

774 

738

1,063,708 

1,009,757

1,064,482 

1,010,495

78 

78 

13

13

1,064,404 

1,010,482

1,030,176 

34,228 

– 

976,284

34,198

–

1,064,404 

1,010,482

68,049 

– 

68,049 

72,967

–

72,967

Guarantees entered into by the parent entity in relation to the debts of its subsidiaries
No guarantees have been entered into by the parent entity in relation to the debts of its subsidiaries.

Contingent liabilities of the parent entity
No contingent liabilities have been identified in relation to the parent entity.

20.  Adoption of new and revised Accounting Standards

Standards and Interpretations affecting amounts reported in the current period (and/or prior periods)
There have not been any new or revised Standards and Interpretations issued by the AASB that are relevant to the consolidated 
entity’s operations that would be effective for the current reporting period.

Standards and Interpretations issued not yet adopted
At the date of authorisation of the financial statements, the Standards and Interpretations listed below were on issue but 
not yet effective.

Standard/Interpretation 

Effective for annual 
reporting periods 
beginning on or after 

Expected to be 
initially applied in the 
financial year ending

—  AASB 9 ‘Financial Instruments’, and the relevant amending standards 

1 January 2018 

30 June 2019

—  AASB 15 ‘Revenue from Contracts with Customers’, 
  and AASB 2015-8 ‘Amendments to Australian Accounting 
  Standards – Effective date of AASB 15’

1 January 2018 

30 June 2019 

—  AASB 16 ‘Leases’ 

1 January 2019 

30 June 2020

As per the table above a number of new standards and amendments to standards are effective for annual periods beginning 
after 1 January 2018 with earlier application permitted. The Consolidated Entity has not chosen to early adopt the new or 
amended standards in preparing these consolidated financial statements.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
notes to the consolidated financial statements. continued.

APT INVESTMENT TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED 30 JUNE 2018

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  119

Other

20.  Adoption of new and revised Accounting Standards (continued)

The expected impacts of the new standards on the Consolidated Entity include:

AASB 9 ‘Financial Instruments’
AASB 9 is effective for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2018, with early adoption permitted. The Consolidated 
Entity will apply this new standard from 1 July 2018 (financial year ended 30 June 2019). AASB 9 addresses the classification, 
measurement and de-recognition of financial assets and financial liabilities, introduces new rules for hedge accounting and a 
new impairment model for financial assets.

The Consolidated Entity has completed an assessment of the potential impact of the adoption of AASB 9 on the consolidated 
financial statements and does not expect the new standard to affect the classification and measurement of its financial 
assets or financial liabilities. The new hedge accounting rules will align the accounting for hedging instruments more closely 
with APA Group’s risk management practices. The new impairment model requires the recognition of impairment provisions 
based  on  expected  credit  losses  rather  than  only  incurred  credit  losses  as  is  the  case  under  AASB  139.  Based  upon  the 
Consolidated Entity’s assessment, aside from the additional disclosure requirements, it is not expected that AASB 9 will have 
any material impact to the Consolidated Entity’s accounts.

Due to the nature of instruments held, no changes are required to the current classification and measurement of financial 
assets and liabilities. The Consolidated Entity currently has not entered into any hedge relationships, and as a result will not 
be impacted by the hedge accounting changes in AASB 9. Recognition of impairment is not expected to change, with historic 
collection rates demonstrating that the Consolidated Entity does not have an expected loss on collection of debtors or loans.

AASB 15 ‘Revenue from Contracts with Customers’
AASB 15 is effective for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2018, with early adoption permitted. The Consolidated 
Entity will apply this new standard from 1 July 2018 (financial year ended 30 June 2019).

The Consolidated Entity has completed an assessment of the potential impact of the adoption of AASB 15. As the revenue of 
the Consolidated Entity is limited to interest earnt on inter-entity loans, distribution revenue and finance lease income, AASB 
15 does not have any impact on the Consolidated Entity.

AASB 16 ‘Leases’
AASB 16 is effective for annual periods beginning on or after 1 January 2019. Early adoption is permitted for entities that apply 
AASB 15 at or before the date of initial application of AASB 16. The consolidated entity will apply AASB 16 in the financial year 
beginning 1 July 2019 (financial year ended 30 June 2020).

The Consolidated Entity has completed an assessment of the potential impact of the adoption of AASB 16. As the Consolidated 
Entity is a lessor only, the new standard will not have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.

21.  Events occurring after reporting date
On 13 August 2018, APA announced that it had entered into a conditional Implementation Agreement with CK Infrastructure 
Holdings Limited (CKI), CK Asset Holdings Limited (CKA), Power Assets Holdings Limited (PAH) and CKM Australia Bidco Pty 
Ltd (Bidder) under which Bidder (a wholly owned subsidiary of CKA) will acquire all of the stapled securities in APA under trust 
schemes (Schemes). If the Schemes are implemented, APA Securityholders will receive A$11.00 cash per stapled security. The 
transaction does not affect APA’s final distribution for the 2018 financial year. If the Schemes are implemented at any time 
after 31 December 2018, APA Securityholders will receive an additional distribution of 4.0 cents per APA stapled security for 
each full month in calendar 2019 which elapses prior to implementation of the Schemes (up to, and including, March 2019). 
Implementation of the Schemes is subject to certain conditions, including regulatory and shareholder approvals.

On 22 August 2018, the Directors declared a final distribution for the 2018 financial year of 6.04 cents per unit ($71.3 million). 
The distribution represents a 2.90 cents per unit unfranked profit distribution and 3.14 cents per unit capital distribution. The 
distribution will be paid on 12 September 2018.

Other than the events disclosed above, there have not been any events or transactions that have occurred subsequent to year 
end that would require adjustment to or disclosure in the financial statements.

120 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

directors’ declaration.

APT INVESTMENT TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES

For the financial year ended 30 June 2018

The Directors declare that:

a) in the Directors’ opinion, there are reasonable grounds to believe that APT Investment Trust will be able to pay its debts as 

and when they become due and payable;

b) in the Directors’ opinion, the attached financial statements and notes thereto are in accordance with the Corporations 
Act 2001, including compliance with Accounting Standards and giving a true and fair view of the financial position and 
performance of the Consolidated Entity;

c)  in  the  Directors’  opinion,  the  financial  statements  and  notes  thereto  are  in  accordance  with  International  Financial 

Reporting Standards issued by the International Accounting Standards Board; and

d) the  Directors  have  been  given  the  declarations  by  the  Chief  Executive  Officer  and  Chief  Financial  Officer  required  by 

section 295A of the Corporations Act 2001.

Signed in accordance with a resolution of the Directors of the Responsible Entity made pursuant to section 295(5) of the 
Corporations Act 2001.

On behalf of the Directors

Michael Fraser 
Chairman 

Sydney, 22 August 2018

Debra Goodin
Director

auditor’s independence declaration.

APT INVESTMENT TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
TO AUSTRALIAN PIPELINE LIMITED AS RESPONSIBLE ENTITY FOR APT INVESTMENT TRUST

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  121

Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu 
ABN 74 490 121 060 

Grosvenor Place 
225 George Street 
Sydney NSW 2000 
PO Box N250 Grosvenor Place 
Sydney NSW 1220 Australia 

DX: 10307SSE 
Tel:  +61 (0) 2 9322 7000 
Fax:  +61 (0) 2 9322 7001 
www.deloitte.com.au 

h 

22 August 2018 

The Directors 
Australian Pipeline Limited as responsible entity for  
APT Investment Trust 
Level 25, 580 George Street 
Sydney NSW 2000 

Dear Directors 

Auditor’s Independence  Declaration to Australian Pipeline Limited as responsible entity 
for APT Investment Trust 

In accordance with section 307C of the Corporations Act 2001, I am pleased to provide the following 
declaration of independence to the directors of Australian Pipeline Limited as responsible entity for 
APT Investment Trust. 

As  lead  audit  partner  for  the  audit  of  the  financial  statements  of  APT  Investment  Trust  for  the 
financial year ended 30 June 2018, I declare that to the best of my knowledge and belief, there have 
been no contraventions of: 

(i)  the auditor independence requirements of the Corporations Act 2001 in relation to the 

audit; and 

(ii)  any applicable code of professional conduct in relation to the audit.   

Yours sincerely 

DELOITTE TOUCHE TOHMATSU 

A V Griffiths 
Partner 
Chartered Accountants 
Sydney, 22 August 2018 

Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation 
Member of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited 

163 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
122 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

independent auditor’s report.

APT INVESTMENT TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
TO THE UNITHOLDERS OF APT INVESTMENT TRUST

Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu 
ABN 74 490 121 060 

Grosvenor Place 
225 George Street 
Sydney NSW 2000 
PO Box N250 Grosvenor Place 
Sydney NSW 1220 Australia 

DX: 10307SSE 
Tel:  +61 (0) 2 9322 7000 
Fax:  +61 (0) 2 9322 7001 
www.deloitte.com.au 

Independent Auditor’s Report 
to the Unitholders of APT Investment Trust 

Report on the Audit of the Financial Report 

Opinion 

We  have  audited  the  accompanying  financial  report  of  APT  Investment  Trust  (the  “consolidated 
entity”), which comprises the consolidated statement of financial position as at 30 June 2018, the 
consolidated  statement  of  profit  or  loss  and  other  comprehensive  income,  the  consolidated 
statement  of  changes  in  equity  and  the  consolidated  statement  of  cash  flows  for  the  year  then 
ended,  and  notes  to  the  financial  statements  comprising  a  summary  of  significant  accounting 
policies and other explanatory information and the directors’ declaration. 

In our opinion the accompanying financial report of the consolidated entity is in accordance with 
the Corporations Act 2001, including:  

(i)  giving a true and fair view of the consolidated entity’s financial position as at 30 June 2018 

and of its performance for the year then ended; and 

(ii)  complying with Australian Accounting Standards and the Corporations Regulations 2001; and 

The financial statements also comply with International Financial Reporting Standards as disclosed 
in Note 2. 

Basis for Opinion 

We  conducted  our  audit  in  accordance  with  Australian  Auditing  Standards.  Our  responsibilities 
under  those  standards  are  further  described  in  the  Auditor’s  Responsibilities  for  the  Audit  of  the 
Financial Report section of our report. We are independent of the consolidated entity in accordance 
with  the  auditor  independence  requirements  of  the  Corporations  Act  2001  and  the  ethical 
requirements of the Accounting Professional and Ethical Standards Board’s APES 110 Code of Ethics 
for  Professional  Accountants  (the  Code)  that  are  relevant  to  our  audit  of  the  financial  report  in 
Australia. We have also fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with the Code.  

We  confirm  that  the  independence  declaration  required  by  the  Corporations  Act  2001,  which  has 
been given to the directors of the Company, would be in the same terms if given to the directors as 
at the time of this auditor’s report. 

We  believe  that  the  audit  evidence  we  have  obtained  is  sufficient  and  appropriate  to  provide  a 
basis for our opinion. 

Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation 
Member of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited 

164 

 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
               
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
independent auditor’s report.

APT INVESTMENT TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
TO THE UNITHOLDERS OF APT INVESTMENT TRUST

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  123

Other Information 

The  directors  of  Australian  Pipeline  Limited  (“the  directors”)  as  responsible  entity  for  the 
consolidated entity are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the 
information  included  in  the  consolidated  entity’s  annual  report  for  the  year  ended  30  June  2018, 
but does not include the financial report and our auditor’s report thereon. 

Our opinion on the financial report does not cover the other information and we do not express any 
form of assurance conclusion thereon.  

In  connection  with  our  audit  of  the  financial  report,  our  responsibility  is  to  read  the  other 
information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with 
the financial report or our knowledge obtained in the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially 
misstated.  If,  based  on  the  work  we  have  performed,  we  conclude  that  there  is  a  material 
misstatement  of  this  other  information,  we  are  required  to  report  that  fact.  We  have  nothing  to 
report in this regard. 

Responsibilities of the Directors for the Financial Report  

The directors are  responsible for the preparation of  the financial report that  gives a true  and  fair 
view  in  accordance  with  Australian  Accounting  Standards  and  the  Corporations  Act  2001  and  for 
such  internal  control  as  the  directors  determine  is  necessary  to  enable  the  preparation  of  the 
financial report that gives a true and fair view and is free from material misstatement, whether due 
to fraud or error.  

In  preparing  the  financial  report,  the  directors  are  responsible  for  assessing  the  ability  of  the 
consolidated  entity  to  continue  as  a  going  concern,  disclosing,  as  applicable,  matters  related  to 
going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the directors either intend to 
liquidate  the  consolidated  entity  or to cease operations, or have  no realistic alternative but to do 
so.  

Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Report  

Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial report as a whole is 
free  from  material  misstatement,  whether  due  to  fraud  or  error,  and  to  issue  an  auditor’s  report 
that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee 
that an audit conducted in accordance with the Australian Auditing Standards will always detect a 
material  misstatement  when  it  exists.  Misstatements  can  arise  from  fraud  or  error  and  are 
considered  material  if,  individually  or  in  the  aggregate,  they  could  reasonably  be  expected  to 
influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of this financial report. 

As part of an audit in accordance with the Australian Auditing Standards, we exercise professional 
judgement and maintain professional scepticism throughout the audit. We also:   

 

Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial report, whether due 
to  fraud  or  error,  design  and  perform  audit  procedures  responsive  to  those  risks,  and 
obtain audit evidence  that is sufficient  and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. 
The  risk  of  not  detecting  a  material  misstatement  resulting  from  fraud  is  higher  than  for 
one  resulting  from  error,  as  fraud  may  involve  collusion,  forgery,  intentional  omissions, 
misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.  

  Obtain  an  understanding  of  internal  control  relevant  to  the  audit  in  order  to  design  audit 
procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing 
an opinion on the effectiveness of the consolidated entity’s internal control.  

 

Evaluate  the  appropriateness  of  accounting  policies  used  and  the  reasonableness  of 
accounting estimates and related disclosures made by the directors.  

165 

 
 
 
 
 
  
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
124 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

independent auditor’s report.

APT INVESTMENT TRUST AND ITS CONTROLLED ENTITIES
TO THE UNITHOLDERS OF APT INVESTMENT TRUST

  Conclude  on  the  appropriateness  of  the  directors’  use  of  the  going  concern  basis  of 
accounting  and,  based  on  the  audit  evidence  obtained,  whether  a  material  uncertainty 
exists  related  to  events  or  conditions  that  may  cast  significant  doubt  on  the  consolidated 
entity’s  ability  to  continue  as  a  going  concern.  If  we  conclude  that  a  material  uncertainty 
exists, we are required to draw attention in our auditor’s report to the related disclosures in 
the  financial  report  or,  if  such  disclosures  are  inadequate,  to  modify  our  opinion.  Our 
conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our auditor’s report. 
However,  future  events  or  conditions  may  cause  the  consolidated  entity  to  cease  to 
continue as a going concern.  

 

Evaluate  the  overall  presentation,  structure  and  content  of  the  financial  report,  including 
the  disclosures,  and  whether  the  financial  report  represents  the  underlying  transactions 
and events in a manner that achieves fair presentation.  

We communicate with the directors regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing 
of  the  audit  and  significant  audit  findings,  including  any  significant  deficiencies  in  internal  control 
that we identify during our audit. 

DELOITTE TOUCHE TOHMATSU 

A V Griffiths 
Partner 
Chartered Accountants 
Sydney, 22 August 2018 

166 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
additional information.

APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  125

Additional information required by the Listing Rules of the Australian Securities Exchange Limited and not provided elsewhere 
in this report (the information is applicable as at 16 August 2018).

Twenty largest holders 

No. of securities 

HSBC Custody Nominees (Australia) Limited 

BNP Paribas Nominees Pty Ltd 

J P Morgan Nominees Australia Limited 

Citicorp Nominees Pty Limited 

National Nominees Limited 

Custodial Services Limited 

BNP Paribas Noms Pty Ltd 

Argo Investments Limited 

HSBC Custody Nominees (Australia) Limited 

HSBC Custody Nominees (Australia) Limited-GSCO ECA 

Citicorp Nominees Pty Limited 

BKI Investment Company Limited 

Bainpro Nominees Pty Limited 

Australian Foundation Investment Company Limited 

AMP Life Limited 

BNP Paribas Nominees Pty Ltd 

Milton Corporation Limited 

Ecapital Nominees Pty Limited 

Navigator Australia Ltd 

HSBC Custody Nominees (Australia) Limited 

251,232,285 

199,497,155 

144,944,108 

96,896,463 

31,669,578 

21,426,315 

13,356,245 

10,882,525 

7,016,040 

6,277,124 

6,076,864 

4,394,714 

4,384,931 

4,040,000 

3,887,302 

3,032,000 

2,077,766 

1,951,896 

1,718,769 

1,357,648 

%

21.29

16.91

12.28

8.21

2.68

1.82

1.13

0.92

0.59

0.53

0.52

0.37

0.37

0.34

0.33

0.26

0.18

0.17

0.15

0.12

Total for Top 20 

Distribution of holders
Ranges 

100,001 and Over 

10,001 to 100,000 

5,001 to 10,000 

1,001 to 5,000 

1 to 1,000 

Total 

816,119,728 

69.17

No. of holders 

% 

No. of securities 

154 

8,257 

10,458 

29,869 

27,237 

75,975 

0.20 

10.87 

13.77 

39.31 

35.85 

852,716,546 

165,131,072 

74,101,397 

76,931,769 

11,013,064 

100.00 

1,179,893,848 

100.00

%

72.27

14.00

6.28

6.52

0.93

1,821 holders hold less than a marketable parcel of securities (market value less than $500 or 51 securities based on a market 
price on 16 August 2018 of $9.96).

Substantial holders
By notice dated 13 March 2018, BNP Paribas Nominees Pty Limited as custodian for UniSuper Limited advised that it had an 
interest in 189,951,079 stapled securities, as at 9 March 2018.

By notice dated 21 June 2017, BlackRock Group advised that it had an interest in 55,818,084 stapled securities, as at 19 June 2017.

By notice dated 4 January 2017, The Vanguard Group Inc. advised that it had an interest in 56,186,718 stapled securities, as at 
30 December 2017.

Voting rights
On a show hands, each holder has one vote.

On a poll, each holder has one vote for each dollar of the value of the total interests they have in the scheme.

On-market buy-back
There is no current on-market buy-back.

126 —  APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018

five year summary.

Financial Performance (Statutory) 

2018 

2017 

2016 

2015 

2014

Revenue 

Revenue excluding pass-through (1) 

EBITDA 

Depreciation and amortisation expense 

EBIT 

Interest expense 

Tax (expense)/benefit 

Profit after tax including significant items 

Significant items – after income tax 

Profit after tax excluding significant items 

Financial Position

Total assets 

Total drawn debt (2) 

Total equity 

Operating Cash Flow

Operating cash flow (3) 

Key Financial Ratios

Earnings per security (4) 

Operating cash flow per security (4) 

Distribution per security 

Gearing (net debt to net debt plus equity) 

Interest cover ratio 

Weighted average number of securities (4) 

$m 

$m 

$m 

$m 

$m 

$m 

$m 

$m 

$m 

$m 

$m 

$m 

$m 

2,386.7 

1,941.4 

1,518.5 

(578.9) 

939.6 

(509.7) 

(165.1) 

264.8 

– 

264.8 

2,326.4 

1,888.3 

1,470.1 

(570.0) 

900.1 

(513.8) 

(149.5) 

236.8 

– 

236.8 

2,094.3 

1,656.0 

1,330.5 

(520.9) 

809.7 

(507.7) 

(122.5) 

179.5 

– 

179.5 

1,553.6 

1,119.2 

1,269.5 

(208.2) 

1,061.3 

(324.2) 

(177.2) 

559.9 

356.0 

203.9 

15,227.2 

15,045.9 

14,842.7 

14,652.9 

8,810.4 

4,126.8 

9,249.7 

3,978.2 

9,037.3 

4,029.1 

8,642.8 

4,382.7 

1,396.0

992.5

747.3

(156.2)

591.1

(325.1)

77.7

343.7

144.1

199.6

7,972.5

4,789.4

2,496.5

$m 

1,031.6 

973.9 

862.4 

562.2 

431.5

cents 

cents 

cents 

% 

times 

m 

23.3 

90.7 

45.0 

65.4 

2.7 

21.2 

87.1 

43.5 

67.4 

2.8 

16.0 

77.1 

41.5 

66.4 

2.6 

56.1 (5) 

39.5 (5)

56.3 

38.0 

63.4 

2.6 

49.6

36.3

64.2

2.3

1,136.9 

1,118.5 

1,118.5 

999.4 (5) 

870.2 (5)

EBITDA by Segment (Excluding Significant Items)

EBITDA (Continuing businesses)

Energy Infrastructure

  East Coast:

  Queensland 

  New South Wales 

  Victoria 

  South Australia 

  Northern Territory 

  Western Australia 

Asset Management 

Energy Investments 

Corporate costs 

Divested businesses (6) 

Notes:

$m 

$m 

$m 

$m 

$m 

$m 

$m 

$m 

$m 

$m 

962.2 

147.1 

124.6 

2.6 

22.9 

237.6 

66.2 

23.1 

(67.9) 

– 

925.4 

149.5 

123.0 

2.3 

18.8 

234.7 

58.7 

24.4 

855.8 

121.7 

120.6 

2.5 

17.5 

217.6 

53.9 

27.8 

(66.7) 

(86.7) 

– 

– 

340.1 

120.8 

130.2 

1.9 

18.0 

212.6 

49.5 

21.8 

(73.6) 

1.0 

234.5

115.6

127.6

2.4

15.2

189.0

67.6

18.0

(72.5)

50.1

1)  Pass-through revenue is revenue on which no margin is earned. Pass-through revenue arises in the asset management operations in respect of costs incurred and 

passed on to Australian Gas Networks Limited (AGN) and GDI in respect of the operation of the AGN and GDI assets respectively.

2)  APA’s liability to repay debt at relevant due dates of the drawn facilities. This amount represents current and non-current borrowings as per balance sheet and 
is adjusted for deferred borrowing costs, the effect of unwinding of discount, unrealised foreign exchange differences reported in equity and deducting other 
financial liabilities that are reported as part of borrowings in the balance sheet.

3)  Operating cash flow = net cash from operations after interest and tax payments.

4)  On the 23 March 2018, APA Group issued 65,586,479 new ordinary securities on completion of the fully underwritten pro-rata accelerated institutional tradeable 
renounceable entitlement offer, resulting in total securities on issue as at 30 June 2018 of 1,179,893,848. The entitlement offer was offered at $7.70 per security, a 
discount to APA Group’s closing market price of $8.26 per security on the 23 February 2018, the last trading day before the record date of 26 February 2018. The 
numbers of securities used for calculation of earnings per security and operating cash flow per security from FY2018 to FY2014 have been adjusted. An adjustment 
factor of 1.0038 has been calculated, being the closing market price per security on 23 February 2018, divided by the theoretical ex-rights price (TERP) of $8.23 per 
security.

5) Between  23  December  2014  and  28 January  2015,  APA  Group  issued  a  total  of  278,556,562  new  ordinary  securities  on  completion  of  the  fully  underwritten 
accelerated renounceable entitlement offer, resulting in total securities on issue as at 30 June 2015 of 1,114,307,369. The entitlement offer was offered at $6.60 
per security, a discount to APA’s closing market price of $7.67 per security on 9 December 2014, the last trading day before the record date of the entitlement offer 
of 15 December 2014. The weighted average number of securities for FY2015 and FY2014 used for calculation of earnings per security and operating cash flow per 
security have been adjusted. An adjustment factor of 1.036 has been calculated, being the closing market price per security on 9 December 2014, divided by the 
theoretical ex-rights value (TERP) of $7.40 per security.

6)  Australian Gas Networks Limited sold in August 2014.

 
APA GROUP —  ANNUAL REPORT 2018 —  127

29 June 2018

12 September 2018

25 October 2018

20 February 2019 (1)

31 December 2018 (1)

13 March 2019 (1)

Securityholder Details
It  is  important  that  Securityholders  notify  the  APA  Group 
registry  immediately  if  there  is  a  change  to  their  address 
or  banking  arrangements.  Securityholders  with  enquiries 
should also contact the APA Group registry.

Distribution Payments
Distributions  will  be  paid  semi-annually  in  March  and 
September.  Securityholders  will 
tax 
in  September. 
statements  with  the  final  distribution 
Payment  to  Securityholders  residing  in  Australia  and  New 
Zealand will be made only by direct credit into an Australian 
or New Zealand bank account. Securityholders with enquires 
should contact the APA Group registry.

receive  annual 

Online Information
Further  information  on  APA  is  available  at  apa.com.au, 
including:

—  Results, market releases and news

—  Asset and business information

—  Corporate responsibility and sustainability reporting

—  Securityholder information such as the current APA 

security price, distribution and tax information.

Electronic Communication
Securityholders  can  elect  to 
receive  communication 
electronically  by  registering  their  email  address  with  the 
APA  Group  registry.  Electing  to  receive  annual  reports 
electronically will reduce the adverse impact we have on the 
environment.

investor information.

Calendar of events

Final distribution FY2018 record date 

Final distribution FY2018 payment date 

Annual meeting 

Interim results announcement 

Interim distribution FY2019 record date 

Interim distribution FY2019 payment date 

1) Subject to change.

Annual Meeting Details
Date: 

Thursday, 25 October 2018

Venue: 

InterContinental Sydney Hotel, 
James Cook Ballroom, 
117 Macquarie Street, 
Sydney NSW

Time: 

10.30am

Registration commences at 10.00am.

ASX Listing
An APA Group security comprises a unit in Australian Pipeline 
Trust  and  a  unit  in  APT  Investment  Trust.  These  units  are 
stapled together to form a stapled security which is listed on 
the ASX (ASX Code: APA). Australian Pipeline Limited is the 
Responsible Entity of those trusts.

APA Group Responsible Entity and Registered Office
Australian Pipeline Limited
ACN 091 344 704

Level 25, 580 George Street, 
Sydney NSW 2000

PO Box R41, 
Royal Exchange NSW 1225

Telephone: +61 2 9693 0000 
Facsimile: +61 2 9693 0093 
Website: apa.com.au

APA Group Registry
Link Market Services Limited
Level 12, 680 George Street, 
Sydney NSW 2000

Locked Bag A14, 
Sydney South NSW 1235

Telephone: +61 1800 992 312 
Facsimile: +61 2 9287 0303

Email: apagroup@linkmarketservices.com.au 
Website: linkmarketservices.com.au 

Disclaimer:

APA Group comprises two registered investment schemes, Australian Pipeline Trust (ARSN 091 678 778) and APT Investment Trust (ARSN 115 585 441), the securities 
of which are stapled together. Australian Pipeline Limited (ACN 091 344 704) is the responsible entity of Australian Pipeline Trust and APT Investment Trust. Please 
note that Australian Pipeline Limited is not licensed to provide financial product advice in relation to securities in APA Group. This publication does not constitute 
financial product advice and has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or particular needs. Before relying on any statements 
contained in this publication, including forecasts and projections, you should consider the appropriateness of the information, having regard to your own objectives, 
financial situations and needs and seek professional advice if necessary.

This publication contains forward looking information, including about APA Group, its financial results and other matters which are subject to risk factors. APA 
Group believes that there are reasonable grounds for these statements and whilst due care and attention have been used in preparing this publication, certain 
forward looking statements are made in this publication which are not based on historical fact and necessarily involve assumptions as to future events and analysis, 
which may or may not be correct. These forward looking statements should not be relied on as an indication or guarantee of future performance.

All references to dollars, cents or ‘$’ in this presentation are to Australian currency, unless otherwise stated.

EBIT, EBITDA and other “normalised” measures are non-IFRS measures that are presented to provide an understanding of the performance of APA Group. Such 
non-IFRS information is unaudited, however the numbers have been extracted from the audited financial statements.

 
 
 
sustainability. matters.

apa group 
sustainability report.
2018.

APA GROUP —  SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2018

our sustainability approach.

contents

S01 

 Message from the  
Managing Director

S02  Customers
S04  Environment
S08  Community
S11  Employees
S16 

Investors

the apa way.
how we do business

the apa way is how we do business – it comprises 
how we behave, guided by our values & how we 
make decisions guided by our decision compass.

how we act 
and behave

Safe

Trustworthy

Adaptable

Results

Service

    Do things safely

 Take a long term 
focus

 Manage APA money 
as if it's our own

 Do what we say  
we do

 Know our reputation 
matters

our val u e s

how we  
make decisions

o

u

r decision  c o m p a ss

APA Group is one of Australia’s largest companies and a 
leading Australian energy infrastructure business, playing 
a key role in defining and delivering the future of Australian 
energy. Our infrastructure is built for long-term use and 
is underpinned by long-term contracts with creditworthy 
counterparties. Our business practices must be sustainable 
to reflect and support these long-term customer and 
capital commitments.

Our vision is to connect Australia to its energy future and to 
do this we must connect with and respect our stakeholders. 
We are committed to delivering connected and sustainable 
energy solutions that are safe, reliable, innovative and 
cost-effective.

Through a stakeholder lens, APA profiles the five 
stakeholder groups that are essential to our sustainability 
as a business and to the energy industry as a whole.  
To achieve sustainable outcomes, ‘how’ we go about 
managing our business is as important as the outcomes or 
‘what’ our business does. The actions and decisions that our 
employees make each day impact each other,  
our customers, securityholders, and the communities  
and environment in which we operate. 

The APA Way guides how we behave – it is our blueprint for 
how we want to do business. At its core, five values known 
as our 'STARS' drive our behaviours. These are supported by 
the five principles of our Decision Compass, which guide the 
way we make decisions. 

APA recognises the importance of addressing all aspects  
of sustainability. In FY2018, APA initiated an enterprise wide 
sustainability review and improvement program, identifying 
strategic improvements for our Environmental, Social and 
Governance (ESG) profile to ensure ongoing sustainability. 
The program is being resourced with senior APA staff  
and external consultants who bring specialised subject 
matter knowledge and an independent perspective to 
this transformational program. Given the significance  
and broad ranging nature of the program, it is anticipated  
'it' will be undertaken over multiple years. 

While the program is reviewing all aspects of ESG, key 
elements of the program include: 

 —  Assessing climate risk with Task Force on Climate-related 

Financial Disclosures criteria; 

 —  Reviewing environmental management practices 

to ensure APA is meeting or exceeding environment 
regulatory compliance;

 —  Reviewing key sustainability metrics and targets related 

to APA and our stakeholders.

The FY2018 Sustainability Report details APA’s financial 
year performance against targeted sustainability actions 
for the period. The Report also outlines material economic, 
environmental and social sustainability risks, and how 
APA mitigates those risks.

APA’s Annual Report and Sustainability Report are printed on ecoStar 
uncoated 100% recycled paper. ecoStar is an environmentally 
responsible paper made Carbon Neutral. The greenhouse gas emissions 
of the manufacturing process including transportation of the finished 
product to Ball & Doggett Warehouses has been measured by the 
Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Neutral Company and the fibre source 

has been independently certified by the Forest Stewardship Council 
(FSC). ecoStar is manufactured from 100% Post Consumer Recycled 
paper in a Process Chlorine Free environment under the ISO 14001 
environmental management system. By using ecoStar Offset rather 
than a non-recycled paper, the environmental impact was reduced by:

1,892 kg 
of landfill

3,250 kWh  
of energy

55,325 litres  
of water

2,797 km  
travel in the average 
European car

3,074 kg  
of wood

280 kg  
CO2 and  
greenhouse gases

   
   
   
   
message from the managing director.

APA GROUP —  SUSTAINABILITY  REPORT 2018 —  S01

It is important for the sustainability of any business to 
understand the opportunities and risks associated with 
climate change and how we incorporate those into our 
strategy. A plan is being developed which will see a number 
of ESG initiatives rolled out from FY2019 and beyond. 

Our commitment to developing long-term community 
relationships runs parallel to safely operating our assets,  
as we are mindful of the impact our operations have  
on the surrounding communities and environment.  
We believe that continuing to maintain and improve  
strong connections with local communities helps foster  
an internal appreciation of the regions where we operate. 
This Report shares with you some of those two-way 
connections developed during FY2018. 

During the financial year, APA completed numerous 
employee initiatives including undertaking “Strategy into 
Action” leadership workshops and introducing diversity and 
inclusion working groups to drive our inclusivity, flexibility, 
cross-generational and employer of choice strategic 
objectives. Safety of our people, the environment and 
communities where we operate and our assets themselves, 
remains paramount in our mindset and how we go about 
our daily business.

During FY2018, investor interest was strong with the 
completion of the $500 million equity capital raise to 
help fund the largest capital expenditure program in  
APA’s history. We thank our investors for their support  
of our business. 

On behalf of the whole APA team, I thank all our 
stakeholders for helping us deliver assets that support  
APA achieving our vision of connecting Australia to its 
energy future.

Mick McCormack
Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director 

FY2018 was a year when the message of ensuring all 
Australians have access to affordable, sustainable and 
reliable energy was heard loud and clear by the energy 
industry and policy makers. Solving Australia’s energy 
trilemma requires a collaborative approach, and APA is 
doing its part. Gas will play a critical role in Australia’s 
future energy mix, as will technological advancements  
and energy policy certainty.

APA’s flexible, long-term investment approach has 
supported the development of the market we have today, 
connecting new gas sources with market participants and 
providing innovative solutions for our customers. In our 
18 year history APA has invested over $13 billion in energy 
infrastructure, delivering energy to the people, businesses 
and communities that rely on it for essential services and to 
fuel Australia’s growth. 

In APA’s FY2018 Sustainability Report, we are pleased to 
update you on our key sustainability initiatives as it relates 
to our stakeholders. 

We have continued to execute on our $1.4 billion plus 
pipeline of growth projects with the commissioning of the 
Emu Downs Solar Farm, Reedy Creek Wallumbilla Pipeline, 
the Mt Morgans Gas Pipeline and the Yamarna Gas 
Pipeline. Our customers are central to APA’s success and we 
will continue to work diligently to service their commercial 
needs in Australia’s dynamic energy market.

APA was one of 15 energy businesses across the supply 
chain during the year that committed to develop a 
consumer charter focused on delivering improved customer 
outcomes. APA is a foundational member of the initiative 
and part of the Industry Working Group developing  
The Energy Charter. 

As Australia’s efforts to meet the Paris Agreement 
commitments continue, APA strengthened its advocacy in 
environmental stewardship. Gas is a viable, low-emissions 
fuel supply that Australia has in abundance. Renewable 
energy technology is fast evolving but its reliability to 
respond to market needs is some way off. So when the sun 
is not shining and the wind is not blowing, Australia needs 
access to a fast start up, flexible, reliable and low emissions 
energy supply which gas already provides. 

In FY2018, we registered as a supporter of the Task Force 
on Climate-related Financial Disclosures. We also bolstered 
our renewable generation portfolio with the commissioning 
of the Emu Downs Solar Farm. We continued construction 
of APA’s Darling Downs Solar Farm and the Badgingarra 
Wind Farm, and announced an adjacent new solar project. 

To reinforce our commitment to improving APA’s 
Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) performance, 
we have initiated a new program and engaged an external 
advisory firm to comprehensively review APA’s strategic 
direction for our ESG management and reporting. 

S02 —  APA GROUP —  SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2018

customers.

We will deliver value to our customers 
and create responsive solutions to meet 
their needs by:

 —  Working together with customers to provide optimal 

energy market solutions.

 —  Providing market-leading flexible solutions to meet our 

customers’ changing requirements.

 —  Ensuring the highest level of service reliability to enable 

customers to manage their operations.

 —  Strengthening our business relationships by seeking 

regular feedback to improve our services and  
customer experience.

FY2018 Performance

Actions for FY2019

Growth
 —  Progress construction and development of various 
energy infrastructure projects to meet agreed 
commissioning schedules including the Darling Downs 
Solar Farm, Badgingarra Wind and Solar Farms, 
Yamarna Power Station and the Orbost Gas Processing 
Plant. 

 —  Continue to identify and capture opportunities that 

deliver flexible, responsive and sustainable solutions for 
our customers.

 —  Continue to work with customers to realise planned 
projects into committed projects to deliver projects 
in transmission, storage, power generation and gas 
processing sectors.

Customer Solutions
 —  Continue to offer flexible transportation and storage 

services and innovative solutions to meet our customers’ 
diverse requirements across Australia.

 —  Continue to refine APA’s Integrated Operations Centre, 
grid operations and customer management system to 
provide enhanced services and deliver reliable supply.

 —  Continue to implement Gas Market Reform Group  

rules – financial reporting, capacity trading and auction.

 —  Continue proactive engagement with customers and 

the development of feedback-led business improvement 
initiatives to improve services and customer experience.

Growth 
 —  Completion of the Emu Downs Solar Farm, Reedy Creek 
Wallumbilla Gas Pipeline, Mt Morgans Gas Pipeline and 
Yamarna Gas Pipeline.

 —  Progressed construction of the Darling Downs Solar 
Farm, Badgingarra Wind Farm, Yamarna Power 
Station, as well as the refurbishment of the Orbost Gas 
Processing Plant.

 —  Announced the extension of the Purchase Power 

Agreement with Alinta Energy from 12 years to 17 years 
for the 130 MW Badgingarra Wind Farm, along with the 
additional greenfield construction of the adjacent 17.5 
MW Badgingarra Solar Farm.

 —  Customers entered into new flexible multi-asset 

contracts including a three-year contract with a major 
existing customer on the East Coast, expansion of 
existing multi-asset contracts in Western Australia and 
a one-year contract with Incitec Pivot to deliver gas 
3,300km from the Northern Territory to Brisbane.

 —  Continued to connect new gas sources with market 

participants, including agreements entered into with AGL 
Energy to construct the Crib Point Pakenham Pipeline 
(subject to project FID by AGL).

 —  Continued distribution network growth with around 

35,000 additional customer connections across Victoria, 
South Australia, Queensland and New South Wales on 
networks owned and/or operated by APA. 

Customer Solutions
 —  Progressed implementation of Gas Market Reform 

Group (GMRG) rules, meeting information disclosure 
requirements on 31 January 2018 for east and central 
regions and on 19 June 2018 for Western Australia.

 —  Launched ‘services refresh’ and a new standard Gas 
Transportation Agreement framework across APA’s 
transmission assets to better accommodate the 
market’s needs for simplicity and flexibility of services.

 —  Introduced customer feedback surveys seeking feedback 

to improve services and customer experience.

 —  Foundational member of The Energy Charter initiative, 
which encompasses the whole energy supply chain to 
improve customer outcomes. 

APA GROUP —  SUSTAINABILITY  REPORT 2018 —  S03

Key Sustainability Risks

Risk Management

 —  Demand for gas – the volume of gas that is transported 

 —  Long-term contractual agreements with strong 

by APA is dependent on end user demand, which is 
influenced by the strength of the industry sectors that 
require gas to operate. The relative price of gas and its 
competitive position with other energy sources (such as 
electricity, coals, fuel oil, renewable sources) may change 
demand levels for services on APA’s assets.

counterparties underpin assets.

 —  Ability to provide flexible and innovative customer 

solutions.

 —  Complementary investments in gas storage and power 

generation and continued evaluation of emerging 
growth opportunities such as wind and solar farms and 
gas processing plants.

 —  Ongoing monitoring and market intelligence of domestic 

and global gas markets.

 —  Supply of gas – availability of competitively priced gas is 
essential for ongoing use of gas infrastructure assets.

 —  Long-term agreements with strong counterparties 

underpinning APA’s assets.

 —  Connect more gas resources with additional gas 

markets such as:

   –   East Coast Grid provides flexibility for customers to 

manage their gas portfolios.

   –   Working with new/emerging gas producers to bring 

new gas supply to market.

   –   APA’s Western Australian assets have become 

increasingly interconnected to deliver energy across 
longer distances to reach remote mining locations. 

 —  Provide infrastructure connectivity/flexibility to existing 

and emerging gas markets.

 — Flexible and innovative customer solutions.

 —  APA operates assets in accordance with all relevant 

regulations and standards, including robust 
maintenance and asset monitoring regimes. 

 —  Management of urban encroachment and excavation 

activities close to APA infrastructure. 

 —  An integrated approach to Emergency Response, 

Business Continuity and Crisis Management is applied 
across the business.

 —  Participation in anti-terrorist exercises and testing 

to provide effective emergency response systems to 
manage a potential cyber attack.

 —  Given the change in market dynamics, customers are 
seeking increased flexibility in their energy delivery. 
APA continually reviews its product and service suite 
and provides innovative and optimal solutions to 
our customers.

 —  APA has introduced customer surveys to seek feedback 
on areas to improve services and customer experience.

The new supplier prequalification process will provide 
greater certainty and confidence to our customers and 
other stakeholders about the suppliers APA works with.

Melissa Ogden from APA’s Infrastructure Procurement team running training 
for APA’s new Supplier Pre-qualification (ASP) Program

 —  Operations – APA and our customers are exposed to a 
number of operational risks such as equipment failures 
or breakdowns, pipeline rupture, technology failures 
including sabotage or terrorism attack including  
cyber attack.

 —  Poor service delivery to customers impacting customer 

confidence.

New supplier prequalification program 
~ safeguarding against supply chain risk

APA relies on a multitude of suppliers’ goods and services to 
help deliver connected, sustainable energy solutions to our 
customers. In FY2018, APA’s procurement team introduced 
a supplier prequalification assessment and compliance 
program to manage elements of potential supply chain 
risk. The new process will measure and monitor each 
key supplier against critical prerequisites to protect APA 
from risks such as Health Safety and Environment (HSE) 
management policies, procedures and breaches, associated 
legal actions, insolvency events, child labour policies and 
prevention, equal opportunity, diversity and fair pay. An up-
to-date database of key suppliers’ policies and procedures 
will be maintained in a central repository. This will enable 
APA to assess financial, legal and insurance, HSE, quality 
management and supply chain risks. It will also confirm 
that the suppliers’ operations are consistent with APA’s core 
values - safe, trustworthy, adaptable, results and service.  

S04 —  APA GROUP —  SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2018

environment.

We will continue to deliver 
an environmentally responsible 
safe and essential service by:

 —  Taking a systematic and risk-based approach to 

environmental management.

 —  Maintaining compliance with environmental obligations 

 —  Contributing to policy and responding to climate change 
initiatives to promote the use of gas as essential to a low 
emissions energy mix.

in all jurisdictions we conduct our business.

 —  Evaluating further renewable energy and low emission 

 —  Meeting or exceeding the Australian Pipelines and Gas 
Association ("APGA") Code of Environmental Practice.

 —  Considering environmental risks in all investment and 

procurement decision-making.

gas generation opportunities.

 —  Expanding the understanding of Environmental,  

Social and Governance (ESG) and climate risks across  
our business. 

FY2018 Performance

Actions for FY2019

 —   APA did not receive any penalty notices relating to 

environmental compliance in any Australian jurisdictions 
in FY2018.

 —  Continue to expand our renewable energy portfolio with 
the scheduled commissioning of the Darling Downs 
Solar Farm and the Badgingarra Wind and Solar Farms.

 —  Commenced an Environmental Management Plan (EMP) 

 —  Contribute to industry and government policy 

Improvement Program across the business.

 —  Registered as a supporter of the Task Force on Climate-
related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) to demonstrate 
APA’s support for voluntary and consistent climate-
related financial risk disclosures and initiated a project to 
improve disclosures for FY2019.

discussions on environmental regulation and climate 
policy.

 —  Continue to develop relationships with APA’s industry 

member bodies, the Clean Energy Council and Business 
Council of Australia, to promote effective climate 
change policy.

 —  Continued to expand APA’s renewable generation 

 —  Explore and analyse risks and opportunities associated 

with ESG and climate risk across our business in 
accordance with the TCFD guidelines.

capacity with the completion of the Emu Downs Wind 
Farm, ongoing construction of the Darling Downs Solar 
Farm, Badgingarra Wind Farm, and the announcement 
of the new greenfield Badgingarra Solar Farm.

 —  Contributed to the ongoing update of the Australian 

Standard AS 2885 “Pipelines – Gas and Liquid 
Petroleum” suite of documents.

 —  Contributed to the Australian Pipelines and Gas 

Associations (APGA) working group that revised the 
‘APGA Code of Environmental Practice (2017)’. 

 —  Contributed to climate policy discussions and 

recommendations contained in the Finkel Report,  
and in relation to the proposed National Energy 
Guarantee promoting the role of renewables and gas  
as important contributors to achieving meaningful 
emission reduction targets.

 —  Continued to develop relationships with APA’s industry 
member bodies, the Clean Energy Council and Business 
Council of Australia, to promote effective climate  
change policy.

 —  FY2018 APA Annual Report and Sustainability  

Report was printed on 100% recycled paper made 
Carbon Neutral. 

Key Sustainability Risks

Risk Management

 —  Environmental Harm – If not managed appropriately, 
APA’s activity in the operation and construction of 
our assets, has the potential to cause harm to the 
environment, through air emissions, release of chemicals 
or hydrocarbons, inappropriate waste storage and 
disposal, the disturbance of heritage sites or protected 
flora and fauna.

 —  APA has an HSE Management System called 

“Safeguard” that provides a framework to manage  
our Health, Safety and Environment risks. 

 —  Operational procedures underpin this framework and 

include important steps to manage environmental risks 
such as waste storage and disposal, the handling and 
storage of chemicals and prevention of the spread of 
declared weeds. 

 —  APA has in place management plans that identify  

local environmental risks and outline control  
measures that are applied and integrated into  
our operational procedures. 

Environmental management at APA 
Our Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Policy approved 
by APA’s Board HSE Committee sets outs APA’s goal to 
achieve zero harm for all employees, contractors and 
third party stakeholders operating our assets or working 
near them. It also applies to community members living 
near our assets and importantly, avoiding and minimising 
environmental harm. Every employee, contractor and sub-
contractor has an obligation to prevent or minimise any 
environmental harm arising from APA’s operations  
and activities. 

Environmental Social Governance (ESG) Performance
During FY2018, APA engaged an external advisory firm 
to commence an independent analysis of APA’s strategic 
direction regarding Environmental, Social, Governance 
(ESG) practices and reporting. This work is intended to 
provide senior management with recommendations for 
improvements and inform a transformation program 
scheduled to commence in FY2019. This will include 
reviewing all key aspects of ESG such as environmental 
practices, climate risk management and broader 
sustainability practices and metrics.

Emissions management
APA’s extensive energy infrastructure asset base embeds 
our operations across Australia’s rural and metropolitan 
communities. As part of this, our obligation to safely 
operate and maintain our infrastructure includes managing 
potential emissions from our activities. Hence managing 
emissions such as noise, light, vibration or odour is part of 
our commitment to the community and environment.

Consideration of emissions risks is factored into our 
environmental risk assessments. APA stores environmental 
information in our Environmental Management Plans, and 
emissions are a key environment area in our corporate 
environment framework.

Reducing emissions 
~ Moomba and Wallumbilla Compressor Stations

APA’s compressor stations at Moomba and Wallumbilla 
(station 3) are integral components in the delivery of gas 
through both our South West Queensland Pipeline (SWQP) 
and Wallumbilla Gladstone Pipeline (WGP).

In FY2018, members from both our Integrated Operation 
Centre and SWQP Reliability Improvement Project teams 
modified each compressors’ operating conditions to assist 
with their efficiency. 

This was achieved by reducing the minimum on-load speed 
of the engine gas-producers within the compressor units by 
around 5%.  

This modification will help towards reducing the hours a 
unit is required online. This is the first (and essential) step 
towards online optimisation of machine usage. It helps APA 
better align machine utilisation with the continual changes 
from our customer’s gas orders. A win-win all around. 

Achieving these kinds of sustainability benefits for the 
business, both financial and environmental, as well as the 
potential for scalability of initiatives and resulting benefits 
to other parts of our transmission operations is one of the 
key reasons why APA is one of Australia’s leading energy 
infrastructure businesses.

APA GROUP —  SUSTAINABILITY  REPORT 2018 —  S05

Across our asset footprint and across various emissions 
types, APA’s pipeline assets have a low impact on 
communities. A very small proportion of our facilities trigger 
any local, state or territory emissions licencing thresholds. 
However, APA is committed to respecting the communities 
where we operate. We maintain lines of contact with the 
community via our Integrated Operations Centre, which is 
available 24/7 to receive notification from the community  
of any issues that may arise. 

APA complies with the Commonwealth National 
Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007, and reports its 
annual Scope 1 and 2 emissions (refer to section 11.4 of the 
FY2018 Directors’ Report).

Native Vegetation Management
APA takes a risk-based approach to environmental 
management. Identification, assessment and management 
of risks associated with native vegetation is undertaken 
through our environmental risk assessment process and 
actioned through environmental management plans. 

Soil and Water Management
APA continues to manage our activities and our contractors’ 
operations on land and watercourses in a way that strives 
to avoid or minimise risk. Some examples include: frequent 
patrols of our transmission pipeline easements to identify 
erosion issues early; we factor watercourses into our risk 
assessment; and avoid interaction with watercourses 
whenever practicable.

Moomba Compressor Station, South Australia

 
S06 —  APA GROUP —  SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2018

Respecting indigenous cultures and the environment

The location of APA’s latest greenfield gas pipeline 
construction project, the Yamarna Gas Pipeline (YGP) 
in remote Western Australia, travels through native title 
claimant areas and sites of cultural significance. The 198km 
pipeline is an extension of APA’s Eastern Goldfields Pipeline, 
connecting the Gruyere Gold Project to a reliable gas supply 
for its mining operations.

From the onset, APA committed to developing the project in 
collaboration with the local community. 

The team engaged with representatives from the 
Nangaanya language group in Laverton, members of the 
Council of Tribal Elders and the Yilka claimant group. This 
ensured all stakeholders were informed and comfortable 
with APA’s plans, as well as guaranteeing that APA had met 
its environmental compliance obligations. 

APA’s extensive assessment of the landscape also provided 
support to multiple ethnographic and archaeological 
surveys, and contributed substantial data to the regional 
knowledgebase.

From these surveys, six unregistered culturally significant 
sites were identified and three previously known sites were 
accurately positioned. This information was provided to the 
Department of Land, Planning and Heritage to assist with 
future management.

Bunting boundary protecting Yamarna cultural heritage site during 
construction of the Yamarna Gas Pipeline, Western Australia

Managing Climate Change Issues

Carbon Disclosure Project
APA participated in the Carbon Disclosure Project during 
the reporting period, a voluntary disclosure to investors on 
carbon emissions, liability, reduction activities, strategies 
and management. APA’s overall score of “C”, which is in line 
with the sector peers and ASX200 average. 

APA’s ESG Improvement Program will recommend 
initiatives that will positively impact APA’s overall score in 
future years. 

Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures 
APA expressed support for voluntary and consistent 
climate-related financial disclosures in FY2018 by 
registering as a supporter of the Task Force on Climate-
related Financial Disclosures (TCFD). APA is currently 
undertaking an extensive review of its Environmental, 
Social and Governance reporting with the assistance of an 
independent advisory firm, to determine climate-related 
opportunities and risks for the business. This includes a 
detailed assessment of APA’s climate risk disclosure against 
the four TCFD categories of governance, strategy, risk 
management and metrics and developing an associated 
plan to improve this disclosure in FY2019.

Clean energy policy
APA continues to support reducing carbon emissions as a 
risk mitigation response to minimise the effects of climate 
change. APA supports technology agnostic domestic 
solutions that integrate energy and climate policies to meet 
Australia’s carbon reduction commitments, while ensuring 
affordability and reliability. APA continues to encourage the 
development of bipartisan national energy policy. Certainty, 
clarity and a commitment to a national energy policy are 
crucial to maintaining investment confidence. APA’s mix 
of assets will play an important role in meeting these 
goals through the combination of intermittent renewable 
generation with reliable, low emissions gas-fuelled 
generation in Australia’s future energy mix. 

Investing in renewable energy
In 2018, APA commissioned the 20 MW Emu Downs Solar 
Farm, which will add to the production and reliability of 
the Emu Downs Wind Farm. APA also announced the 
Badgingarra Solar Farm project which is a 17.5 MW tracking 
array that will be co-located with the 130 MW Badgingarra 
Wind Farm. It is the same concept that APA deployed at 
the adjacent Emu Downs Wind and Solar Farm. In this 
particular location, wind and solar have complementary 
generation profiles due to the predictable nature of the 
underlying wind and solar resources. APA’s combined solar 
and wind farm site maximises the collection and generation 
of renewable energy, efficiently transmitting that energy 
through the same transmission connection infrastructure. 
Taking advantage of this complementary resource and 
maximising use of shared infrastructure has enabled APA  
to successfully develop this project. 

During FY2019, APA expects to commission the 110 MW 
Darling Downs Solar Farm, the 130 MW Badgingarra 
Wind Farm and the 17.5 MW Badgingarra Solar Farm. 
APA continues to evaluate further renewable energy 
opportunities together with stand-alone and integrated  
low emission gas generation. This combination of 
intermittent renewable generation with reliable, low 
emissions gas-fuelled generation is well positioned to help 
deliver energy to people, businesses and communities that 
use it, affordably, efficiently and reliably.

APA GROUP —  SUSTAINABILITY  REPORT 2018 —  S07

Construction of APA’s Badgingarra Wind Farm, Western Australia

S08 —  APA GROUP —  SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2018

community.

We will positively engage with the 
communities where we operate by:

 —  Building long-term strategic community relationships to 

maintain support and goodwill for APA’s activities.

 —  Increasing employee connections with local communities 
through sponsorships, employee awareness initiatives 
and giving programs that target vulnerable communities.

 —  Exploring opportunities to involve employees in the 

community programs we support, and reciprocating by 
inviting socially disadvantaged children and young adults 
to APA workplaces to learn about our business and 
encourage education.

FY2018 Performance

Actions for FY2019

 —  APA donated to four initiatives as part of its Building 
Brighter Futures program: Clontarf Foundation, Bill 
Crews Charitable Trust Literacy Program, The Fred 
Hollows Foundation and Australian Schools Plus.

 —  APA undertook key sponsorships of the Taronga Zoo 

Foundation and the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra. 
As part of the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra 
sponsorship, APA sponsored concerts in two locations 
where it has substantial operations with a concert in 
Brisbane and a free community concert in Toowoomba.

 —  Selected APA employees engaged directly with our 

Building Brighter Futures partners by travelling to their 
communities to work with them. This included the five-
day Clontarf Kununurra Experience; the week-long Fred 
Hollows Foundation See Australia field trip to Bourke;  
and multiple day-long exchanges with Clontarf 
Foundation academies at the schools where they  
operate and at APA sites.

 —  Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) is an important aspect 
of working life at APA, and APA supported three 
D&I-focused charities: Dress for Success, Orange Sky 
Laundry and White Ribbon Australia.

 —  As part of an APA program where employees were 

sponsored by APA to donate time to a charity, several 
APA employees volunteered at registered charitable 
organisations of their choice.

 —  APA offices held individually organised events to raise 
money for causes such as Australia’s Biggest Morning 
Tea, Pink Ribbon Day (both Cancer Council), Black Dog 
Institute and Movember.

 —  APA continued with ongoing annual contact and 

engagement programs with landowners and occupiers 
along existing transmission pipelines to facilitate safety 
awareness and provide a forum for concerns and issues 
to be raised and addressed.

 —  29 APA employees participated in the Sydney Street 
Choir Corporate Challenge in Martin Place which 
raised $5,000 to help men and women dealing with 
homelessness, mental illness, addiction and/or social 
disadvantage. 

 —  Commenced a community and stakeholder consultation 

program for the proposed Crib Point Pakenham  
Pipeline project. 

 —  Continued ongoing community and stakeholder 
consultation for the proposed Western Slopes  
Pipeline project. 

 —  Maintain support of our community investment 

program, Building Brighter Futures, through headline 
partnerships and promote and support fundraising 
events across the business.

 —  Financially support and maintain employee engagement 
with our three key D&I charitable initiatives: Dress for 
Success, Orange Sky Laundry and White Ribbon Australia.

 —  Continue to financially support community events  
by encouraging and empowering APA worksites  
across Australia to organise fundraising events.

 —  Progress the community and stakeholder consultation 

program of activities for the various new infrastructures 
projects across the business.

Raj Kallath – Reedy Creek Wallumbilla Pipeline Project Manager,  
Wallumbilla, Queensland

APA GROUP —  SUSTAINABILITY  REPORT 2018 —  S09

Key Sustainability Risks

Risk Management

 —  Community Relations – Maintaining community support 

 —  APA engagement with community interests including 

and goodwill for APA’s activities.

through local sponsorships.

 —  Encroachment – urban encroachment around existing 
pipeline easements can increase the potential for 
damage with pipeline location changes.

 —  Community education and communication for 

construction activities including “Dial Before you Dig” 
(DBYD) service.

 —  Landowner liaison and education.

 —  Participation in Australian Pipelines and Gas Association 

Corridor Committee/pipeline operator groups.

 —  Liaison with council and planning authorities to manage 

potential encroachment issues.

 —  Prequalification and ongoing monitoring of suppliers 

to ensure compliance with APA standards.

APA and the Clontarf Foundation supporting  
Indigenous communities 

APA has been supporting the Clontarf Foundation for eight 
years, as part of its commitment to promote community 
development. With many of APA’s facilities situated at 
or near Indigenous Australian communities, the Clontarf 
Foundation’s goal to improve the health and educational 
standards for young Indigenous Australians is an important 
one. APA’s partnership with the Clontarf Foundation 
provides financial support, sharing of skills via mentoring, 
traineeships and work experience to help deliver the 
Clontarf program to over 6,000 boys nationally each year.

APA Corporate Development team member Gordon Sue with Clontarf 
youngsters and other partner representatives during their engagement 
experience, in the Top End, Northern Territory

 —  Supplier practices – working with our suppliers 
to manage environment, safety and social 
responsibility issues.

Community Investment Program
Building Brighter Futures is APA’s community investment 
program. Designed to provide support to socially 
disadvantaged communities including Indigenous and Torres 
Strait Islander communities, the program targets locations 
where APA operates. In addition to financial support, APA’s 
relationships with Building Brighter Futures beneficiaries 
is an intrinsic partnership including knowledge sharing, 
employee engagement and exchange activities. 

In financial year 2018, APA’s Building Brighter Futures 
headline partnerships included: The Clontarf Foundation; 
The Fred Hollows Foundation; Bill Crews Charitable Trust 
Literacy Program; and Australian Schools Plus.

Furthermore, APA donated to three charitable 
organisations that supported our Diversity and Inclusion 
focus on age, gender and culture: 

 — Orange Sky Laundry.

 — Dress for Success.

 — White Ribbon Australia. 

Sponsorship and Donations
APA continued to provide monetary and in-kind support to 
a number of groups or causes that achieve one or more of 
the following:

 —  Improve the lives of the individuals and communities we 

are supporting.

 —  Strengthen APA’s reputation in the local community.

 —  Enhance APA’s relationships with key community 

stakeholders.

 —  Increase community awareness and understanding  

of APA.

 —  Provide positive networking opportunities with 

community stakeholders.

Of these, the two major sponsorships in FY2018 were for 
Taronga Zoo Foundation and the Australian Brandenburg 
Orchestra. As part of our support for the Australian 
Brandenburg Orchestra, we sponsored a concert in 
Brisbane and a free community concert in Toowoomba;  
two locations where we have substantial operations.

S10 —  APA GROUP —  SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2018

Reedy Creek Wallumbilla Pipeline stakeholder engagement 
~ testimonial from Colin Maunder – owner of Maunder 
Pastoral Company

We were kept up to date regarding key project 
developments in the lead up to construction so nothing 
occurred that surprised us as landholders.

“Right from the start of the Reedy Creek Pipeline proposal 
we have found APA a good company to work with. 
Consultation with people involved was always done in a 
positive and non-threatening manner. Ian Crombie, our 
Liaison Officer, was polite and co-operative, as a go to 
person and Matthew Morrow explained the construction 
processes clearly. We would have to agree that we were well 
informed about the project development and progress.

We found the communication networks easy to work  
with. Employees explained the process clearly and they  
were prepared to listen to us in a respectful manner.  
APA kept us well informed regarding all aspects of the 
projects development.

The easement negotiation process was straightforward and 
we found APA to be reasonable. If any concerns arose, there 
was always someone whom we could contact easily.  
If our Officer was going to be away/on leave he advised us, 
by phone or email, what to do if we had any concerns.

Regular feedback about developments occurring regarding 
the routing of the pipeline was offered. We did suggest the 
re-routing of the pipeline because of rough terrain and this 
was taken on board. APA observed suggestions and concerns 
about existing infrastructure, such as access lanes to cattle 
yards, and these problems were worked around effectively.

Community and Stakeholder Engagement 
APA values and respects its relationships with the 
stakeholders and communities where we operate.  
We are committed to building and maintaining long-term 
relationships with our stakeholders, as well as meeting  
all applicable regulatory and legislative requirements.

APA’s approach to stakeholder engagement is guided by  
the following principals:

 —  No surprises: inform and engage community members 
and key stakeholders early in the project’s consultation 
process, and ensure that they remain fully informed.

 —  Be inclusive: ensure the community has easy access 

to clear and concise information about projects, while 
ensuring it is communicated in language (for example, 
non-technical) appropriate for each audience.

 —  Be honest and act with integrity: always use facts and 
speak the truth. If the answer is not known then the 
question will be taken on notice, the appropriate parties 
spoken with and a response provided promptly. 

 —  Be responsive: respond to all stakeholder contact in a 

timely manner and make every effort to resolve issues to 
the satisfaction of all stakeholders. 

 —  Be a part of the community: use the business’ projects as 
a way to contribute to stronger local communities with 
the potential to provide economic and social benefits.

 —  Honour all obligations: deliver on promises made to the 

community and stakeholders.

Where community consultation is required, APA develops a 
Community Consultation Plan to identify stakeholders and 
their likely area of interest in the proposed project, along 
with identifying who in the project team has responsibility 
for engaging the stakeholder(s) and the best timing and 
format for these engagements. 

The plans are not static documents, evolving as the project 
progresses. They require revision and flexibility to meet 
changing needs and circumstances. Each project plan is 
usually reviewed every three months or as required.

Compensation for the easement granted by APA seemed 
adequate and fair, and we felt our overall relationship with 
them was valued.

We were adequately informed regarding key milestones in 
the lead up to construction, and were satisfied that suitable 
arrangements were in place to manage the impacts that 
may inevitably occur.

Given the fact that we were compensated for 
inconveniences, it must be said that when the pipeline was 
completed we were happy that impacts of construction  
had been suitably managed and best practice observed.  
We were able to continue our grazing operation without  
any major inconveniences due to construction works.

The rehabilitation progress is satisfactory at this point  
in time.

APA also were involved with fundraising activities within 
the community, which was to be admired, as sometimes, 
it is difficult for these companies to be seen by the general 
public as doing anything good for the communities. There 
is always a lot of negativity presented by the likes of the 
media, and vocal groups. 

Overall commitments made by APA were observed and 
the journey so far has been amicable throughout, leading 
us to believe APA have done their best to form positive 
relationships with landholders.”

Business Continuity/Emergency Response/ 
Crisis Management
APA’s approach to emergency recovery is integral to our 
operations and values. It seeks to protect our assets, 
property, people and IT systems, and to consider the 
environment and local communities we impact. Our 
integrated approach to Business Continuity/Emergency 
Response/Crisis Management provides for effective 
recovery whilst continuing to service our customers and 
meet regulatory requirements by assessing:

 —  Emergency response for energy infrastructure  

assets incidents.

 —  Business continuity response for premises, people,  

IT systems and cyber type incidents.

 —  Crisis management response, involving APA’s Executive 

team which focusses on high severity incidents.

APA maintains programs of testing to ensure our approach 
remains current and reflects changes in our business, our 
customers and the communities we are part of.

APA regularly participates in internal and external testing 
of emergency response procedures, exploring scenarios 
and stress testing our emergency response plans and crisis 
management plans. This ensures that should an emergency 
situation occur, APA is equipped with the necessary tools to 
help manage the situation.

Exploring scenarios and testing emergency response and 
crisis management plans is a vital way to share information 
and best practice. In FY2018, APA participated in the 
Australian Government’s Trusted Information Sharing 
Network for Critical Infrastructure Resilience full-day 
workshop. Representatives from the banking and finance, 
communications, food and grocery and health sectors also 
attended, along with the police. The exercise focused on 
emergency information and communication needs, the 
interdependencies between the different sectors and the 
importance of raising awareness amongst all stakeholders. 

employees.

We are committed to providing an 
inclusive, rewarding and collaborative 
working environment where all our  
people can contribute, perform and 
succeed. We do this by:

APA GROUP —  SUSTAINABILITY  REPORT 2018 —  S11

 —  Fostering a culture to ensure our health, safety and 

environmental obligations show continuous improvement 
in performance and that risks are identified and 
managed to prevent harm and build a sustainable future.

 —  Attracting, developing and enabling our people to build 
their own and the organisation’s capability for future 
growth and success.

 —  Developing deep technical expertise in a continuous 

learning environment with inspiring, accountable leaders.

 —  Living and embedding the APA Way so our culture is a 

key enabler of our success.

FY2018 Performance

Actions for FY2019

Safety 
 —  All leading HSE indicators (1) were met or exceeded 

including HSE leadership activities. 

 —  The Total Recordable Injury Frequency Rate (TRIFR) 

result was 8.9 (2), predominantly due to contractor injuries 
exceeding target. No fatalities occurred.

 —  The Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTFIR) result was  

1 .76 which exceeded the FY2018 target of <1.

 —  Completed overhaul of Alcohol & Other Drugs Policy  

and protocols.

 —  An online Health and Wellbeing platform was launched 

for employees with good uptake.

 —  Commenced implementation of action plan to improve 
Chain of Responsibility capability which will meet new 
National Chain of Responsibility laws and managing our 
supply chain risk.

 —  Targeted promotion and education on key HSE matters 

such as contractor management, distractions, gas safety 
and safety leadership.

 —  Utilised data from APA’s In Vehicle Monitoring System  
to develop campaigns to target speeding and use of  
seat belts.

 —  Conducted necessary Crisis and Emergency 

Management training and tests. 

 —  Delivered a safety reset training module to employees 
and contractors in APA’s Transmission and Networks 
business to address safety risks, seek employee input 
about how APA can improve its safety performance and 
reinforce the collective responsibility employees have in 
being mindful of workplace safety.

Leading for growth and diversity 
 —  297 leaders completed Leadership Styles & Climate 
“Strategy into Action” workshops with structured 
coaching sessions. 

 —  Employee Survey conducted with 78% participation and  

a positive engagement score (71% favourable).

Safety 
 —  Target TRIFR of no more than 7. APA will use data 
analytics to develop activities to improve injury 
performance including (but not limited to) contractor 
performance and management, manual handling and 
focus on prevention of hand injuries.

 —   Continued development of a comprehensive process 
safety framework, measures and integration with 
current Safety Management system.

 —  Implement company-wide Health and Wellbeing 

program targeting areas identified from APA’s Health 
and Wellbeing online platform.

 —  Safety Leadership initiatives and programs as part of 
APA’s overall leadership and development framework.

 — Improve mobility and usability of HSE reporting.

Leading for growth and diversity 
 —  Launch a new people management fundamentals 
program called Leading @ APA, aimed at new and 
frontline leaders.

 — Implementation of engineering capability framework.

 —  Develop business specific competencies and learning 

frameworks to embed and improve technical know-how 
and capability.

 —  HR Systems project re-commenced to upgrade people 

processes and system capability.

 —  Improve capability and processes around key people 
functions such as recruitment, resource planning, 
business partnering, change management and  
learning design.

 — Continue work on the D&I strategy with emphasis on:

  –  Development of Employee Value Proposition

  –  Gender Targets Action Plan implementation

  –  New Apprenticeship program

  –  Increased use of flexibility arrangements.

 —  Review and redesign the performance and reward/ 

 —  Engineering capability framework completed and ready 

remuneration models.

for roll-out in FY2019.

 —  HR Systems review project commenced but put on hold 

for some months due to resourcing constraints.

 —  Introduction of Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Working  

Groups to assist in the implementation of D&I Strategy 
in key objectives of Inclusivity, Flexibility, Cross-
generational and Employer of Choice.

 —  APA’s Board approved a Gender Targets Action  
Plan to work towards achievement of female 
participation targets.

 —  Introduced new, structured Talent Review process  

to improve talent and succession outcomes.

 —  Continued promotion of APA values and culture via 
the launch of The APA Way, APA Excellence Awards, 
leadership programs, and extensive refresh of APA’s  
Code of Conduct. 

 —  Refreshed Code of Conduct to be rolled out to 

employees and contractors.

1)  Leading HSE indicators refers to performance measures of activities 

undertaken in the workplace at the time they occur aimed at preventing 
HSE incidents.

2) Lag indicators refer to performance measures capturing HSE events after 
they have occurred. TRIFR is measured as the number of lost time and 
medically treated injuries sustained per million hours worked. APA’s figure 
includes employees and contractors.

S12 —  APA GROUP —  SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2018

Key Sustainability Risks

Risk Management

 —  Failure to provide a safe workplace resulting in serious or 

 —  APA maintains a comprehensive workplace HSE 

fatal injuries (Safety). 

 —  Potential for legal proceedings for failure to comply with 
Health, Safety and Environmental legislative obligations.

 —  Employee capability, recruitment and 

engagement – Failure to develop, attract and 
retain talented employees.

 —  Failure to focus on the health and wellbeing of our  
people impacting productivity, absenteeism and  
culture/behaviour. 

 —  Failure to comply with Employment, Discrimination 

(sex, race, disability, age, gender), EEO and 
Diversity regulations resulting in potential fines 
or negative publicity.

Management System. It is predicated on the principles  
of hazard and risk identification, control measures and  
a robust assurance framework.

 —  HSE training, education and awareness is a cornerstone 

of the HSE Management System.

 —  As part of our assurance framework, Health and  

Safety audits are undertaken across all parts of the 
business to ensure that health and safety risks are 
effectively controlled.

 —  Maintain and monitor compliance to APA’s HSE 
Management System including undertaking  
regular compliance monitoring through audits  
and workplace inspections.

 —  Provide Health, Safety and Environment training  

to managers and employees.

 —  APA maintains a number of initiatives to ensure there  
is a pool of talent and internal capability for now and  
in the future.

 —  These include formal succession and talent 

management, a diversity and inclusion strategy, as 
well as technical, functional, business and leadership 
development.

 —  The business has introduced a strong internal 

recruitment capability to ensure we identify and secure 
external resources as and when needed.

 —  APA maintains a comprehensive workplace HSE 

Management System. It is predicated on the principles  
of hazard and risk identification, control measures and  
a robust assurance framework.

 —  Health and wellbeing education and awareness is a 

key element of the system. In FY2018 APA introduced 
a Health and Wellbeing employee platform to support 
employee learning.

 —  As part of our assurance framework and HSE audits, 
APA regularly reviews its people metrics and trends,  
as well as conducting employee surveys.

 —  APA has several initiatives in place to strengthen the 
cultural, gender and age diversity of APA’s workforce 
including the 2017-2020 Diversity & Inclusion Strategy 
and Gender Targets Action Plan. 

 —  Employees are regularly trained in their obligations 
with respect to lawful and appropriate behaviour, 
discrimination and complaints and investigation 
processes are in place to address issues. 

 —  Employment terms and conditions are established 

and regularly reviewed to ensure they meet or exceed 
legislative requirements.

 —  Potential for a Process Safety incident at an APA asset 

 —  A Process Safety framework is currently under 

resulting in a major accident or explosion.

development and is being incorporated into APA’s HSE 
Management system. 

 —  It is predicated on Industry best practice and the 
principals of understanding Process Safety risk, 
specifying the critical control measures to safeguard 
those risks. 

 —  As part of APA’s assurance program, Health and Safety 
audits are also undertaken in all parts of the business, 
including on some key Process Safety critical controls.

APA GROUP —  SUSTAINABILITY  REPORT 2018 —  S13

Leading for growth 
 In FY2018, 297 of APA’s leaders participated in our 
Leadership Styles and Climate (Strategy into Action) 
program which now has seen all of APA’s existing leaders 
attend in the last two years. This program focused on 
connecting leaders to the APA strategy, setting a standard 
on how to lead at APA and then providing tools and 
techniques on how to leverage various leadership styles to 
lead for growth, improved team climate and performance. 

 Via this program, 138 leaders (those who manage >3 
people) received a 1:1 report debrief and coaching on how 
they lead and the impact this has on the climate in their 
team. After this training, 91% of attendees reported to have 
communicated the strategy to their team with the majority 
also reporting positive team improvements. In FY2019, we 
will commence re-assessing our leaders who have previously 
completed the program and will provide this program to 
new leaders within APA.

 We also successfully piloted a new leadership program to 
build core people management skills expected of all leaders 
at APA: Leading at APA. It is aimed at new and frontline 
leaders in particular, and covers such topics as:

 — Understanding their role as a leader at APA.

 — Building high trust relationships.

 —  Conducting good quality conversations - in person  

and remotely – to:

 –   Manage for performance, set expectations,  

provide enriched feedback, delegate tasks and  
develop their people.

  –   Empower people to take ownership of and be 

accountable for achieving their goals while managing 
the how, not just the result.

  –  Be fair and consistent in how they manage.

  –   Leverage delegation as a way to develop and grow 

team member capability.

 In FY2019 we will commence the rollout of this programme 
to leaders within APA.

Diversity and inclusion
APA’s 2017-2020 Diversity & Inclusion Strategy focuses on 
achieving diversity of thought, by strengthening the cultural, 
gender and age diversity of APA’s workforce.

To achieve this goal, in FY2018 APA established four working 
groups aligned to the diversity and inclusion priority areas 
of Flexibility, Inclusion, Cross-Generational and Employer of 
Choice, with the objective of creating a workplace where 
APA is known as:

 —  Inclusive – where differences are recognised and 

language and behaviour demonstrate organisational 
commitment to diversity and inclusion;

 —  An Employer of Choice – attracting and retaining diverse 
talent and increased female representation in senior 
leadership and engineering/operational roles;

 —  Flexible – flexible work practices providing greater 

role accessibility and supporting individuals to balance 
personal and work requirements; and 

 —  Cross-generational – a strong talent pipeline, supported 
by an engaged and skilled workforce, mentoring and 
succession planning, leverage and transfer of critical  
skills and knowledge.

Each working group is led by a member of APA’s Executive 
Committee as the sponsor and comprises representatives 
from across the business who meet at least monthly to 
design and deliver initiatives aligned to APA’s Diversity & 
Inclusion Strategy.

In addition, APA has established a Diversity and Inclusion 
Champion network, comprising of employees across the 
business who meet approximately once a month to keep 
informed on APA's diversity and inclusion progress, as well 
as to contribute to the discussion and help design and  
co-ordinate future initiatives and priorities. 

Some of the work undertaken by the D&I Working Groups  
is highlighted below: 

Inclusive
The “Inclusivity” working group co-ordinated a series of 
diversity and inclusion site events to recognise and celebrate 
inclusivity, including Harmony Day and International 
Women’s Day. These events were promoted across the 
business to increase awareness and generate discussion 
about creating an inclusive work environment. Focus areas 
for FY2019 include:

 —  Recognising and celebrating the National Aboriginal and 
Islanders Day of Celebration with our partners The Fred 
Hollows Foundation and Clontarf Foundation.

 —  Launching an Inclusive Leadership Program for all  

people leaders, alongside Unconscious Bias training  
for employees, commencing in FY2019.

Cultural

clusion

In

I

n

c

l

u

s

i

o

n

Diversity of  
thought

diversity of 
thought:

APA’s workplace is naturally inclusive and 
respectful of all employees. Employees 
are empowered to think innovatively and 
leverage cultural, gender and age diversity 
to improve business performance

cultural:

APA embraces differences in culture, 
beliefs and customs to build upon our 
diversity of thought

gender:

APA seeks to attract and retain a high 
quality, gender balanced workforce

Gender

Age

age:

APA leverages value through the 
experience and potential of a cross-
generational workforce

Inclusion

 
 
 
 
 
S14 —  APA GROUP —  SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2018

An Employer of Choice
APA is aiming to increase the female participation in its 
workforce and set targets in FY2017 to be achieved by  
2022. The targets and our progress to achieving them  
are set out below:

Area

Female % 
Target by 
2022

FY18 status 
against 
Target

FY17 status 
against 
Target

30%

27%

27%

25%

17%

17%

Total 
Workforce

Senior 
Leaders (3)

Talent 
Pipeline (4) 

Cross-Generational 
The “Cross-Generational” working group analysed the 
demographic composition of the workforce at APA. It 
identified a number of key areas of focus including, the 
development of new capabilities and bringing different 
generations into specific skill areas. During the Reporting 
Period, the focus has been on developing an apprenticeship 
program and revising and extending our current graduate 
program. An APA wide mentoring program and a phased 
retirement program has also been established.

APA’s Gender Diversity Profile
The following tables provide an overview of the percentage 
of women at APA, as well as the percentage of women 
in leadership roles, as reported to the Workplace Gender 
Equality Agency (WGEA) in 2018.

>30%

30%

22%

Table 1: Women profile (as reported to WGEA for the period  
1 April 2017 - 31 March 2018)

The “Employer of Choice” working group has carriage of the 
Gender Targets. During FY2018 we completed the Gender 
Targets Action Plan, which was approved by the Board. 
The Plan sets out APA’s actions for the next four years to 
achieve its gender targets including:

 —  Attraction of females to APA – ensuring APA has 
a positive image and is attracting diverse talent 
(e.g. improved advertising and promotion; external 
partnerships).

 —  Recruitment/Selection – increasing the quantity of 
females recruited in line with APA’s merit/quality 
requirements (e.g. improved recruitment capability  
and policies).

 —  Development – ensuring our development efforts are 
effective for women and men at all levels in APA (e.g. 
revised Talent Review process, coaching, networking,  
and technical development opportunities).

Percentage of non-executive Directors who 
are women

Percentage of workforce who are women

Percentage of total leadership roles filled by 
women (1)

Percentage of technical and trades roles 
filled by women

42%

27%

20%

3%

1)  Leadership roles are defined in accordance with the WGEA occupational 
categories and comprise all levels of management (i.e. key management 
personnel, general managers, senior managers and other manager roles 
excluding team leader and supervisory roles.)

Table 2: Breakdown of women in leadership roles (as reported 
to WGEA for the period 1 April 2017-31 March 2018) 

0%

29%

24%

14%

22%

 —  Retention – improving retention of females at all points  

of their career (e.g. senior sponsorship; pay equity).

CEO

Executive Committee 

Other executives/general managers

Senior managers

Other managers

 —  Performance and Metrics – what gets measured, gets 
done (e.g. KPIs for senior leaders; regular reporting; 
recruitment targets).

This working group has also undertaken work on reviewing 
how our recruitment companies “sell” the benefits of APA 
to external candidates as well as completing an internal 
survey on what APA’s Employee Value Proposition should 
be. This will be a key input into the development of our 
Employer of Choice program in FY2019. 

Flexibility
The “Flexibility” working group analysed how many people 
are on flexible working agreements and has also liaised with 
external organisations on what flexibility they are offering 
to their employees. It is currently redefining flexibility for 
APA and educating leaders through a new initiative on how 
to manage flexibly. APA provides primary carers with 14 
weeks of parental leave at full pay, or 28 weeks at half pay. 
In 2017 – 2018, APA achieved a return-to-work rate of  
94% for those on parental leave and continues to 
pro-actively work with and support working parents 
with flexible work options. APA provides a supportive 
working environment for breastfeeding mothers and is 
accredited by the Australian Breastfeeding Association 
as a Breastfeeding Friendly Workplace.

3)  Senior Leaders comprises “Other executives/general managers” and “senior managers” as reported to WGEA above.

4)  Talent Pipeline refers to the pipeline of candidates in our talent pools 

APA GROUP —  SUSTAINABILITY  REPORT 2018 —  S15

Developing Talent and Capability
APA’s leaders continue to participate in talent management 
sessions to identify and build a strong pipeline of critical 
capability to meet the organisation’s current and future 
requirements and ensure long-term continuation of core 
business activities.

Developing and celebrating APA’s culture 
Employee Survey 
During the Reporting period, APA conducted its two yearly 
employee survey, Your Voice, aimed at gaining a better 
understanding of the organisation’s culture, identifying 
strengths and opportunities. 

78% of APA’s employees participated in the survey with 
the top results including:

 — Safety approach (90% favourable).

 — Diversity & Inclusion (77% favourable).

 — Employee Engagement (71% favourable).

 —  Business Alignment and Collaboration (both 69% favourable).

The key areas identified for improvement across the 
company were Agility, Personal Growth and Development, 
and Process Efficiency. Corporate and divisional action 
plans are in place and being regularly monitored to look 
to address areas of concern.

Employee Awards
As part of continuing to strengthen the implementation 
and articulation of APA’s values, the APA Excellence Awards 
for 2017-18 were redesigned and structured around the 
STARS values. There were six awards – five individual 
awards, one for each value, namely Safety, Trustworthy, 
Adaptable, Results and Service, and a sixth Team award 
for the team displaying at least 3 of the 5 values. There 
were an unprecedented 135 nominations for this year’s 
Awards with winners announced across Australia in April 
2018, through a series of presentations recognising all 
nominees as well as winners.

All senior leaders have participated in the talent review 
process in 2018, to identify high potential and emerging 
talent as well as potential successors for key roles. 
The process was also to identify capability gaps across 
the organisation. This year employees were asked to 
submit a detailed employee profile that captured their 
career aspirations, mobility and their strengths and 
development needs. This information fed into the talent 
review process. Employees identified through this process 
receive development via a talent program ranging from 
structured assessments and feedback, on-the-job training, 
secondments, coaching and tailored development. 
Approximately 150 employees were assessed using 
a new structured talent review process. 

APA continues to focus on building its internal development 
tools. It will be launching an APA mentoring program in 
August 2018 to proactively develop talent and potential 
successors for key roles. 

Work has also been ongoing in establishing key technical 
and functional capability frameworks and learning 
environments to continue to improve and deepen APA’s 
technical expertise. During the reporting period areas 
of focus included establishing a broad, company-wide 
Engineering Capability framework, improved competency 
development at our LNG facility in Dandenong, a learning 
framework for our Transmission Market Services functions 
and improved training and assessments for permit issuing.

Case study ~ Health and Safety program bounces  
into action 

APA’s three-year Health Safety and Environment (HSE) 
Strategic Plan aims to promote employee wellbeing 
and progress our HSE framework, systems, culture and 
initiatives to prevent harm to our employees and the 
broader community. One of FY2018’s key HSE highlights 
was the introduction of an employee Health and Wellbeing 
program ‘Bounce’ that has the tagline Aspire, Participate, 
Achieve (APA). This online Health and Wellbeing portal 
was launched in August 2017 and provides employees with 
up-to-date information on topical health and wellbeing 
subjects such as exercise tips, healthy recipes and managing 
stress, as well as offering access to confidential online 
health assessments. An extension of the program will 
be rolled out in FY2019 across the company, with specific 
target areas identified from the platform driving next  
year's initiatives.

S16 —  APA GROUP —  SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2018

investors.

We will continue to be a reliable and 
attractive investment which delivers solid 
returns for securityholders by:

 —  Achieving reliable and sustainable earnings growth  

by focusing on long-term revenue and reduced costs. 

 — Maintaining a strong and robust balance sheet.

 —  Identifying and evaluating additional attractive 
infrastructure style investments in related  
energy businesses.

 —  Providing clarity and transparency of the business 
through appropriate and timely reporting and 
communication.

FY2018 Performance

Actions for FY2019

 —  Ensure APA’s communications with investors regarding 
the current CKI Consortium takeover proposal are  
clear and timely.

 —  Progress or complete current growth capital  

projects underway.

 —  Continue to evaluate and develop additional revenue 
streams in related energy infrastructure businesses.

 — Maintain investment grade credit ratings.

 —  Total securityholder return of 11.2% for FY2018  

(FY2017, 4.1%).

 — Delivered investors a 3.4% increase in distributions.

 — Maintained investment grade credit ratings (BBB/Baa2).

 —  Raised ~$500 million through a fully underwritten 
pro-rata accelerated institutional tradeable retail 
renounceable entitlement offer in Feb 2018. New 
Securities were offered at a 6.8% discount to the last 
closing price on 20 February 2018. Both the Institutional 
and Retail campaigns were well supported by investors. 
~65.6 million new securities were issued in March 2018.

 —  Redeemed the $515 million Subordinated Notes at the 
first call date in March 2018, reducing net interest by  
$4.1 million to $509.7 million. (FY2017, $513.8 million).

 —  Maintained corporate costs as a proportion of EBITDA 
(continuing business) at 4.3% in FY2018 (FY2017, 4.3 %).

 —  APA remains on track in delivering $1.4 billion plus of 

growth opportunities between FY2017-2019, which will 
contribute incremental annual revenue of ~$215 million  
of revenue from FY2020.

 —  $875.5 million of capital and investment expenditure 

during FY2018.

 —  Voluntarily published APA’s third Tax Transparency Report 
(available on APA’s website). The Federal Government 
with support of the Australian Board of Taxation were 
seeking greater public disclosure of tax information by 
businesses and endorsed the Tax Transparency Code  
as part of the 2017-2018 Budget announcements.

APA’S HISTORICAL ANNUAL DISTRIBUTIONS (CENTS PER SECURITY), HAS CONTINUED TO INCREASE

28.0 

29.5 

32.8 

31.0 

34.4 

35.0 

35.5 

36.3 

38.0 

43.5 

45.0

41.5 

22.0 

21.5 

21.5 

21.5 

22.5 

24.0 

FY01

FY02

FY03

FY04

FY05

FY06

FY07

FY08

FY09

FY10

FY11

FY12

FY13

FY14

FY15

FY16

FY17

FY18

APA GROUP —  SUSTAINABILITY  REPORT 2018 —  S17

Key Sustainability Risks

Risk Management

 —  Debt and equity – Ensuring continued support from debt 
and equity markets for ongoing capital requirements. 
Inability to secure new debt facilities at appropriate 
quantum and price may adversely affect APA’s 
operations and/or financial position and performance. 

 —  APA’s investment decisions are made and its balance 

sheet is utilised with a continuous focus on maintaining 
long-term investment grade credit ratings.

 —  A diverse portfolio of long-life assets underpinned 
by regulated and long-term bilateral agreements, 
underscores APA’s ability to service debt and sustain 
steady equity distributions.

 —  Maintain diversified funding base and access to deep 
and liquid global debt capital and banking markets.

 —  APA has a long-term sustainable distribution policy 

having regard for the capital needs of the business and 
economic conditions. Distributions are fully covered by 
operating cash flow.

 —  Financial results and other salient developments are 

communicated regularly to investors in a timely manner.

As at 30 June 2018, APA had over 77,000 securityholders 
holding 1.2 billion securities, with the top 20 investors 
holding 68.7% of securities. Currently, approximately 74% of 
APA’s investors are based in Australia and/or New Zealand.

Emu Downs Solar Farm, Western Australia