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FY2009 Annual Report · Commonwealth Bank of Australia
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Determined to offer strength in uncertain times.

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Annual Report 2009

The text pages of this Annual Report are printed on Sappi Royal Web Recycled Silk produced in Blackburn, England. 
It features 50% post consumer recycled pulp. Sappi Fine Paper Europe is certifi ed under ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and 
EMAS (Eco Management and Audit system). All virgin fi bre used in Sappi Fine Paper Europe products originates from 
well managed forests and controlled sources. More than one third of the virgin fi bre used is made from saw mill residues.

www.commbank.com.au

CBA1421 010908

Commonwealth Bank of Australia ACN 123 123 124

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Front Cover – Safe deposit vault, 48 Martin Place, Sydney.
Front Cover – Safe deposit vault, 48 Martin Place, Sydney.
Front Cover
The enormous 30 tonne vault door, still the second largest of its kind in the world, was built by Chubb in England, 
and even exhibited at the 1927 Wembley Exhibition. The engineers incorporated the latest metal laminate 
technology and no upgrading has been required. The door was far too heavy for any motor vehicle at the time, 
and was brought from the docks on wagons drawn by teams of eighteen horses.

Chairman’s Statement  

Chief Executive Officer’s Statement 

Highlights 

Group Performance Analysis 

Acquisition of Bankwest and St Andrew’s  

Asset Quality 

Retail Banking Services 

Business and Private Banking 

Institutional Banking and Markets 

Wealth Management 

International Financial Services 

Bankwest 

Other 

Investment Experience 

Presentation of Financial Information  

Integrated Risk Management 

Capital Management 

Description of Business Environment 

Sustainability 

Corporate Governance 

Directors’ Report 

Five Year Financial Summary 

Financial Statements 

Income Statements 

Balance Sheets 

Statements of Recognised Income and Expense 

Statements of Cash Flows 

Notes to the Financial Statements 

Directors’ Declaration 

Independent Auditor’s Report 

Shareholding Information 

International Representation 

Contact Us 

Corporate Directory 

Contents 

2 

5 

8 

13 

18 

19 

20 

22 

24 

26 

30 

33 

34 

35 

36 

37 

41 

46 

49 

53 

59 

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96 

224 

225 

227 

230 

231 

232 

 
 
Chairman’s Statement 

The  2009  financial  year  has  been  another  challenging  one  for 
the  global  financial  services sector.  The continued fall-out  from 
the  ongoing  volatility  in  global  credit  markets  and  slowing 
economic  growth  have  combined  to  place  significant  pressure 
on  the  financial  performance  and  capital  positions  of  a  large 
financial  services 
number  of 
organisations.  

international  banks  and 

In this environment, the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (“the 
Group”)  has  performed  well,  delivering  a  good  profit  at  a  time 
when  many  of  its  international  peers  struggle  to  remain 
profitable. 

The  Group  remains  in  a  strong  financial  position  with  a 
continued  focus  on  delivering  on  its  vision  of  becoming 
through 
finest 
Australia’s 
excelling in customer service.  

financial  services  organisation 

Results 

The Group’s net profit after tax (“statutory basis”) for the full year 
ended  30  June  2009  was  $4,723  million,  which  represents  a 
decrease  of  1%  on  the  prior  year.  Included  in  this  result  as  a 
non-cash item is the gain recognised on acquisition of Bankwest 
of $612 million after tax. 

Net  profit  after  tax  (“cash  basis”)  for  the  full  year  was  $4,415 
million,  which  represents  a  decrease  of  7%  on  the  prior  year. 
This result was impacted by a significant increase in impairment 
expense during the year.  

Key  financial  performance  highlights,  on  a  comparable  basis, 
excluding Bankwest, for the year included: 

Net  interest  income  growth  of  21%  on  the  prior  year, 
reflecting  solid  lending  and  deposit  growth  and  an  eight 
basis point improvement in margins; 

  Other banking income growth of 21% on the prior year, as 
a result of strong trading income, higher commissions and 
lending fees; 
Funds  management  income  decline  of  21%  on  the  prior 
year, due to the adverse impact of the investment market 
downturn  on  Funds  Under  Administration  and  timing  of 
asset sales; 
Insurance income growth of 9% on the prior year, following 
a 19% increase in average inforce premiums;  

  Operating  expense  growth  of  4%  on  the  prior  year, 
reflecting  the  Group’s  continued  disciplined  approach  to 
expense management; and 
Significantly  higher  loan  impairment  provisioning  levels, 
reflecting a cyclical deterioration in portfolio quality and the 
to 
Group’s  prudent  and 
provisioning. 

conservative  approach 

Cash  earnings  per  share  fell  14%  on  the  prior  year  to  305.6 
cents  per  share.  Return  on  Equity  (“cash  basis”)  remained 
strong at 15.8%. 

Having maintained the interim dividend at the same level as the 
prior year ($1.13 per share), the Board took the view that in the 
current  uncertain  environment  and  with the need to maintain a 
strong capital base it was prudent to reduce the final dividend to 
$1.15 per share, a reduction of 25% on last year’s final dividend. 
As a result the total dividends for the year were $2.28 per share 
– down 14% on the prior year. 

The Group’s sound financial position and tightly focused strategy 
enabled it to grow both organically and by acquisition. Acquiring 
Bankwest  at  an  attractive  price  has  provided  a  unique 
opportunity  to  expand  in  Western  Australia.  The  Group  also 
secured  a  strategic  stake  in  Australia’s  leading  home  loan 
mortgage broker – Aussie Home Loans. 

2     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

Retail Banking Services performed strongly over the year ended 
30  June  2009  with  cash  net  profit  after  tax  of  $2,107  million, 
increasing 10% on the prior year. The result was underpinned by 
strong  sales  and  volume  growth  in  key  product  lines,  and 
disciplined  cost  management.  However,  higher  impairment 
expenses, funding costs as well as intense competition for retail 
deposits had a negative impact on margins and profitability. 

Institutional Banking and Markets achieved cash net profit after 
tax  of  $166  million  for  the  year  ended  30  June  2009,  which 
represented a decrease of 78% on the prior year as a result of a 
significant  increase  in  impairment  expense.  The  underlying 
performance  of  the  division  remains  strong  with  total  banking 
income increasing by 37% to $2,402 million. 

Business and Private Banking achieved cash net profit after tax 
of  $736  million,  which  represents  a  2%  increase  on  the  prior 
year.  This  result  was  impacted  by  a  significant  increase  in 
impairment expense during the year. The operating performance 
of the business was strong with total banking income increasing 
9%, driven by strong business lending and deposit volumes and 
effective margin management. 

Underlying  profit  after  tax  for Wealth  Management  fell  35%  on 
the prior year to $514 million. The Insurance business achieved 
strong volume growth over the year with total inforce premiums 
up 25% to $1.6 billion at 30 June 2009. The Funds Management 
businesses were impacted by sustained pressure on investment 
markets  and,  while  down  on  the  prior  year,  market  conditions 
showed 
last  quarter.  Funds  Under 
Administration as at 30 June 2009 decreased 9% to $169 billion. 

improvements 

in  the 

Cash  net  profit  after  tax  for  the Wealth  Management  business 
was down 61% to $286 million, primarily due to unrealised mark 
to market losses from widening credit spreads on the valuation 
of  assets  backing  the  Guaranteed  Annuities  portfolio,  and  the 
impairment of listed and unlisted investments. 

International  Financial Services cash  net  profit  after  tax  for  the 
year was $470 million, a decrease of 19% on the prior year. After 
removing the impact of currency fluctuations, the decrease was 
13%.  The  lower  result  was  due  predominantly  to  increased 
impairment  expense  in  ASB  Bank  which  increased  by  $159 
million to $193 million. 

ASB Bank cash net profit after tax for the year was $332 million. 
Excluding  the  impact  of  realised  gains  on  the  hedge  of  New 
Zealand operations and currency fluctuations, profit reduced by 
9%  on  the  prior  year.  This  result  reflects  the  impacts  of  the 
downturn in the New Zealand economy which entered recession 
in early 2008. Balance sheet growth slowed, margins contracted 
due to higher funding costs and impairment expense increased 
sharply.  Despite  these  challenging  conditions,  ASB  Bank  was 
able to grow revenue, mainly through a strong trading result. 

Since  acquisition,  Bankwest  has  contributed  $113  million  cash 
net  profit  after  tax.  The  result  was  supported  by  solid  volume 
growth  and  expense  discipline  including  the  implementation  of 
integration strategies which have resulted in an improvement in 
productivity. 

Risk Management 

While  the  Group  has  experienced  the  effects  of  the  global 
financial crisis, with loan impairment expense and provisions for 
impairment  losses  increasing  over  the  course  of  the  year,  the 
Group’s approach to risk management has it well positioned to 
offer continued strength in what has been a challenging period 
for the global economy. 

The  Group’s  lending  practices  are  based  on  sound  measures 
that spread risk by providing finance to a broad consumer and 
business base, large and small, across various sectors primarily 

 
 
 
 
in Australia and New Zealand, with selective exposure to quality 
counterparties in other countries. 

The  strength  of  risk  management  policies  in  these  uncertain 
times has been reflected in the recognition of the Group’s overall 
asset  quality  and  capital  position.  In  particular,  the  Group 
remains  in  a  select  group  of  global  banks  with  an  AA  credit 
rating and is ranked one of the safest and most profitable banks 
in  the  world.  At  the  same  time,  whilst  credit  conditions  and 
lending standards have tightened, this strength has allowed the 
Group to continue to lend to its customers, and generate further 
economic growth. 

During the year, and in response to the global financial crisis, the 
Australian  Commonwealth  Government  introduced  guarantees 
on  all  Australian  bank  deposits  and  provided  Australian  banks 
with  the  ability  to  access  Commonwealth  Government  backed 
guarantees for their wholesale debt raising activities. At the time 
of  their  introduction,  these  actions  were  entirely  appropriate 
given the challenges facing global financial markets. In the case 
of  the  wholesale  debt  guarantee,  this  was  essential  in  that  it 
enabled  Australian  banks  to  continue  to  raise  funding  at 
competitive  prices  in  an  environment  where  virtually  all  global 
banks  were  operating  with  similar  guarantees  from  their 
respective governments. However, the point needs to be made 
that while the Group has clearly benefited from the guarantee it 
has paid over $70 million to the Commonwealth Government in 
fees.  As  far  as  the  guarantee  on  deposits  is  concerned,  while 
this  may  have  been  helpful  for  second  tier  banks,  the  Group 
received no direct benefit. In fact, its introduction resulted in the 
significant slowing of deposit inflows that we were experiencing 
(as  a  result  of  the  “flight  to  quality”)  following  the  collapse  of 
Lehman Brothers in the first half of the financial year.  

Dividends and Capital 

The final dividend of 115 cents per share, which is fully franked, 
will  be  paid  on  1  October  2009.  The  Group continues to  issue 
new  shares 
its  Dividend 
Reinvestment Plan (“DRP”). A discount of 1.5% will apply to the 
DRP price in relation to the 2009 final dividend.  

the  requirements  of 

to  satisfy 

Chairman’s Statement 

Issue of $405 million of ordinary shares in March 2009 to 
satisfy  the  DRP  in  respect  of  the  interim  dividend  for 
2008/09; and 

Issue of $865 million of ordinary shares in March 2009 with 
respect to the Share Purchase Plan (33.3 million shares at 
$26.00 per share). 

The  proceeds  from  the  share  placement  in  December  2008 
were  used  to  fund  the  redemption  of  the  PERLS  II  securities 
($750 million), in March 2009. 

The  strength  of  the  Group’s  capital  position  continues  to  be 
reflected in its long-term credit ratings as illustrated on page 17.  

Corporate Governance and Board Performance 

The Board has been through significant change in the last five 
years as the Group has moved to add strength and diversity to 
the  Board.  The  Group  has  paid  particular  attention  to  building 
capability and experience in financial services and specifically in 
the areas of capital and risk management. These changes were 
timely and have been of great benefit to the Group as we have 
been  confronted  with  the  challenges  presented  by  the  global 
financial  crisis  and  the  impacts  of  the  slowing  domestic 
economy.  The  Board’s  Risk  Committee,  chaired  by  the  very 
capable and experienced Harrison Young, has had a particularly 
busy  year  and  the fact  that  all Board members  now  sit  on this 
committee  reflects  the  critical  importance  which  the  Board 
places  on  the  management  of  risk  and  capital  in  the  current 
environment. 

that  period 

In  August  2009  I  announced  that  I  would  be  retiring  from  the 
Board, having served 16 years as a member and five years as 
the  Group  has  undergone 
Chairman.  Over 
substantial  change  and  delivered  strong 
for 
It  has  been  an  exciting  and  challenging 
shareholders. 
experience  as  the  Group  has  evolved  from  government 
ownership  to  being  one  of  Australia’s  largest  and  most 
successful public companies. I feel privileged to have served on, 
and more recently led, the Board and it has been an exciting and 
enriching experience.  

returns 

During the year, dividend and interest payments were also made 
to the holders of the Group’s various capital securities: PERLS 
II, PERLS III, PERLS IV, Trust Preferred Securities 2003, Trust 
Preferred Securities 2006, ASB Capital Preference Shares and 
ASB Capital No 2 Preference Shares. 

The  Group  maintains  a  strong  capital  position  with  the  capital 
ratios  remaining  well  in  excess  of both APRA minimum capital 
adequacy  requirements  and  the  Board’s  approved  minimum 
targets  at  all  times  throughout  the  year.  Tier  One  Capital  and 
Total Capital ratios as at 30 June 2009 were 8.07% and 10.42% 
respectively, and include the consolidation of Bankwest and the 
finalisation  of  the  associated  fair  value  accounting  adjustments 
and purchase price adjustment.  

The  following  significant  initiatives  were  undertaken  during  the 
Financial Year to actively manage the Group’s Tier One Capital: 

Issue of $694 million of ordinary shares in October 2008 to 
satisfy  the  Dividend  Reinvestment  Plan  in  respect  of  the 
final dividend for 2007/08; 

Issue of $2 billion of ordinary shares in October 2008, via a 
share placement, to fund the acquisition of Bankwest and 
St Andrew’s (52.6 million shares at $38.00 per share); 

Issue of $2 billion of ordinary shares through the following 
share  placements  in  December  2008;  $357  million  at  a 
weighted average price of $28.37 per share and a further 
$1.65 billion of shares at $26.00 per share; 

I am pleased to be able to hand over the Chairmanship to David 
Turner who has served on the Board as a non-executive director 
since  August  2006.  With  his  extensive  experience  in  finance, 
international  business  and  governance,  David  will  make  a  fine 
Chairman of what is a very strong Board. He takes over with my 
and the other Directors’ best wishes and I am sure he will find 
his tenure as Chairman as challenging and rewarding as I have. 

Finally,  I  would  like  to  thank  my  fellow  directors  for  their  hard 
last  12  months.
work,  dedication  and  support  over 

the 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     3 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Chairman’s Statement 

Outlook 

Conclusion 

The  2009  financial  year  has  been  a  challenging  one  and  the 
outlook  remains  uncertain.  However,  the  Australian  economy 
has  been  more  resilient  than  many  had  predicted  a  year  ago 
and  it  is  pleasing  to  see  that  there  is  some  evidence  of  the 
beginnings  of  an  economic  recovery  and  improvements  in 
business and consumer confidence, but there are still significant 
risks on the downside. 

Despite these positive signs, overall credit growth in Australia is 
expected  to  slow  through  2010  and  economic  conditions  are 
likely  to  remain  challenging  for  the  Group  and  many  of  its 
customers in the coming year. Accordingly the Group will retain 
its conservative business settings maintaining appropriate levels 
of capital, liquidity and provisioning. The Group will also continue 
with  its  cautious  approach  to  the  management  of  credit  and 
market risk. 

The  Group  has  come  out  of  a  very  difficult  year  in  a  strong 
position.  In  an  environment  where  many  international  peers 
have  been  under  significant  financial  pressure,  the  Group 
remains  highly  profitable  and  goes  into  the  new  financial  year 
well  positioned  both  competitively  and  financially.  Despite  the 
unprecedented pressures on the global financial system and the 
difficult domestic economy, it has remained well funded and has 
been  able  to  support  its  customers  in  this  time  of  need.  This 
performance is a tribute to the strength of the Group’s business 
model  and  the  enormous  commitment  and  hard  work  of  our 
people  who  have  delivered  great  outcomes  for  our  customers 
and shareholders.  

the  Group 

in  such  difficult 
The  solid  performance  of 
circumstances gives me great confidence in its future. I remain 
optimistic about the Group’s ability to use its financial strength to 
build  an  even  stronger  franchise  as  the  domestic  and  global 
economies recover.  

Finally, I would like to thank our customers and shareholders for 
their continuing support of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia.  

John Schubert 

Chairman 

12 August 2009  

4     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009  

   
 
 
 
 
 
 
Chief Executive Officer’s Statement 

The  2009 financial  year  has  been one  of  the most challenging 
that  the  global  financial  services  industry  has  seen  for  some 
decades. While the Australian economy performed well relative 
to  other  similar  economies,  the  Commonwealth  Bank  of 
Australia  (“the  Group”)  and  the  other  major  Australian  banks 
have  not  been  immune  from  the  effects  of  ongoing  volatility  in 
global credit markets and slowing economic conditions.  

At  a  time  when  many  international  banks  have  reported 
substantial losses, have had to raise significant amounts of new 
capital  and  be  rescued  by  governments,  the  Group  has 
delivered a good result. The Group reported cash net profit after 
tax of $4,415 million, driven by strong operating income growth 
and  a  disciplined  approach  to  costs.  Return  on  Equity  was  a 
very  solid  15.8%,  which  enabled  the  Group  to  provide  its 
shareholders  with  an  aggregate  of  $3.7  billion  in  dividends 
during the year. 

The  Group  remains  in  a  strong  financial  position  with  all  its 
businesses  well  positioned  for  the  future,  a  favourable  funding 
position  and  capital  ratios  significantly  above  internal  target 
levels.  Continued  investment  in  the  business  has  seen  further 
progress made on achieving the Group’s vision to be Australia’s 
finest 
in 
customer service. 

financial  services  organisation 

through  excelling 

Operating Environment  

The combination of volatile global credit markets and the slowing 
of  global  economic  growth  made  the  2009  financial  year  a 
challenging  one  for  the  Group  and  its  customers.  While  the 
Group  has  not  been  immune  from  the  impacts  of  the  global 
financial crisis, it has demonstrated a high degree of resilience 
which has enabled it to support its customers through a period 
when many financial institutions have found it difficult to do so. 
This strength can be attributed to a number of factors including: 

Remaining well capitalised with high levels of liquidity; 
The  ability  to  maintain  an  AA  credit  rating  through  the 
business cycle; 
A sound regulatory environment; and 
A determination to maintain high credit standards. 

As a result the Group is emerging from the global financial crisis 
in a very strong position. It ranks in the top 25 banks in the world 
by market capitalisation, it is one of only a  few global banks to 
maintain  an  AA  credit  rating  and  was  recently  listed  by  Global 
Finance  Magazine  as  one  of  the  top  15  safest  banks  in  the 
world. 

The  Group’s financial strength  placed  it  in  a unique  position  at 
the end of December 2008, to acquire at a substantial discount 
to  book  value,  Bankwest  and  St  Andrew’s.  These  excellent 
assets  have  enabled  the  Group  to  realise  a  long  standing 
strategic objective of strengthening its retail banking business in 
Western  Australia  and  building  an  increased  capability  in 
business  banking.  The  integration  of  these  businesses  is 
proceeding according to plan and we are very pleased with their 
performance since we assumed ownership.  

The  Group’s  financial  strength  has  also  enabled  continued 
investment  in  the  Core  Banking  Modernisation  program  which 
has  made  significant  progress  and  remains  on  schedule.  The 
depth  of  our  commitment  to  the  future  is  demonstrated  by  the 
fact that the Group invested over $1 billion during the year in a 
range of growth, productivity and compliance projects. 

The Group has weathered the global financial crisis well and is 
appropriately positioned going into the new financial year. While 
the  Australian  economy  is  expected  to  remain  resilient,  credit 
growth is likely to moderate and credit quality will continue to be 
an issue. In this environment, the Group recognises the need to 

be  prudent,  and  the  importance  of maintaining  a strong capital 
base, high levels of liquidity and conservative provisioning.  

Strategic Priorities 

The  Group  is  committed  to  achieving  its  vision  of  becoming 
through 
Australia’s 
excelling  in  customer  service,  with  the  Group’s  objective  to  be 
ranked number one in customer satisfaction by June 2010.  

financial  services  organisation 

finest 

The  Group’s  “Determined  to  be  Different”  theme  conveys  our 
determination to be better than we have ever been, by making 
real progress across each of our five strategic priorities: 

Customer Service; 
Business Banking; 
Technology and Operational Excellence; 
Trust and Team Spirit; and 
Profitable Growth. 

Customer Service remains the Group’s top strategic priority and 
further good progress was made during 2009, including: 

Embedding of a sales and service culture with a particular 
emphasis on training our front line people;  
Investing in the front line and becoming more accessible to 
customers,  in  particular  refurbishing  retail  branches  and 
opening  new  branches,  increasing  customer  facing  staff, 
and  continuing  training  for  Wealth  Management  and 
insurance advisers to drive cross-sell initiatives; 
Continuously  reviewing  and  refining  the  Group’s  product 
portfolio and introducing new and improved products; and  
Simplifying  procedures  to  improve  responsiveness  and 
speed up approval and processing times. 

These  initiatives  are  being  noticed  by  our  customers,  who  are 
telling us that service is improving. Specific measures of success 
in improving Customer Service include: 

Retail Banking Services recorded the largest improvement 
in  customer  satisfaction  scores  amongst  local  peers, 
increasing  2.9%  on  the  prior  year  to  73.0%.  Weekly 
customer  experience  surveys  have  also  shown  a 
significant improvement across all of the Retail distribution 
channels; 
Twenty  eight  of  the  Group’s  retail  products  received 
CANSTAR CANNEX five star ratings; 
Numerous awards for the NetBank online banking service, 
including Money Magazine’s “Online Bank of the Year”; 
2009  “Lender  of  the  Year”  at  the  annual  Mortgage  and 
Finance Association of Australia (MFAA) industry awards; 
Bankwest was awarded Money Magazine’s “Money Minder 
of  the  Year”  award  for  the  second  consecutive  year  and 
Smart Investor Blue Ribbon 08 “Bank of the Year” award; 
ASB Bank won The Banker’s “Bank of the Year Award for 
New Zealand” for the seventh consecutive year; 
In  Business  and  Private  Banking,  the  percentage  of 
satisfied  and  very  satisfied  customers  was  72.8%,  as 
measured  by  TNS  Business  Finance  Monitor.  The  June 
TNS  survey  rated  the  Group  as  the  most  improved 
business bank in Australia over the past 12 months; 
leader  has  been 
CommSec’s  position  as  market 
recognised by its winning of major industry awards. It was 
awarded a five star rating by CANSTAR CANNEX for both 
its online share trading and margin lending products; 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     5 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Chief Executive Officer’s Statement 

The  “Finest  Online”  program  which  delivered  a  single, 
Group-wide, online sales and service front end and saw the 
Group receive widespread recognition for the quality of its 
online offerings. 

The commitment, engagement and enthusiasm of our people go 
to the heart of our success as an organisation and our ability to 
deliver on the Group’s strategic priorities. Progress on Trust and 
Team Spirit initiatives includes: 

A continued improvement in employee satisfaction scores, 
with the Gallup workplace survey placing the Group at the 
80th percentile of the Gallup Worldwide benchmark; 

  Greater  collaboration  across 

increased 

complaints 

the  Group  and  better 
alignment to the needs of our customers, which is reflected 
in improvements in customer satisfaction scores, declining 
customer 
and 
customer 
compliments; 
ASB  Bank  received  the  Gallup  “Great  Workplace  Award 
2008” for the second consecutive year;  
Improvements  in  workplace  safety  with  the  Group’s  Lost 
Time Injury  Frequency  Rate falling  by  a further  32% from 
3.1 to 2.1; and 
Continued 
including 
commitments  to  a  range  of  initiatives  such  as  financial 
literacy, environmental partnerships and one-off assistance 
for communities in need of help. 

community 

support 

the 

in 

The Profitable Growth priority was introduced to ensure that the 
Group  remains  focused  on  identifying  opportunities  which  will 
ensure continued growth and value creation.  

Examples of progress during the year include: 

Acquisition  of  Bankwest  and  St  Andrew’s  at  a  substantial 
discount to book value; 
The  purchase  of  a  33%  holding  in  Aussie  Home  Loans, 
and  the  acquisition  of  $2.25  billion  of  Wizard  originated 
high quality home loans following Aussie’s purchase of the 
Wizard brand and distribution network; 
Indonesian and Chinese businesses, whilst still a relatively 
small part of the Group, are all performing well; 
Institutional Banking and Markets is seeking to build on its 
high  level  of  expertise  by  further  developing  its  debt  and 
equity  market 
core 
competencies into offshore markets; and  
Continued  focus  on  improving  Group-wide  cross-sell  and 
referral  rates,  designed  to  better  leverage  the  significant 
opportunities in the existing customer base.  

capabilities 

leveraging 

and 

Sustainability and contribution to the community 

The  Group  is  committed  to  a  range  of  sustainability  initiatives 
which  complement  our  strategic  priorities  and  objectives. 
Significant  progress  has  been  made  during  the  year  on  an 
integrated  plan  to  both  manage  and  track  progress  on  these 
initiatives, which embrace our people and customers, as well as 
the  communities  and  the  environment  in  which  the  Group 
operates.  As  part  of  its  commitment  to  its  sustainability 
initiatives,  the  Group  will  release  a  stand-alone  Sustainability 
Report later this year, to improve communication of sustainability 
performance to stakeholders. 

A  summary  of  the  Group’s  progress  to  date,  future  plans  and 
key sustainability metrics are contained in pages 49 to 52 of this 
Annual Report. 

from  Money  Magazine 

CommSec also won the AFR/Smart Investor Blue Ribbon 
Award for “Online Broker of the Year - Fully Featured”, and 
key  awards 
including  “Best 
Innovative Product” for the  CommSec  Cash  Management 
offering; 
East  &  Partners’  Customer  Satisfaction  rated  Institutional 
Banking and Markets best in the market for the fourth year 
running  under 
“Understanding 
the  categories  of 
Customers’ Business” and “Loyalty to the Relationship”; 
Colonial First State  won  awards for  “Best Fund  Manager” 
and  “Best  Master  Trust/Wrap  Provider”  for  FirstChoice  in 
the 2009 Wealth Insights Service Level Survey Reports for 
the second consecutive year; and 
Custom  Solutions  (previously  Avanteos)  was  awarded 
“Best full-service Platform” in the Investment Trends 2008 
Platform report for the third consecutive year. 

Improving the Group’s competitive position in Business Banking 
remains a strategic priority, with key progress and outcomes 
during 2009 including: 

including 

in  March  2009, 

The  launch  of  the  Group’s  Small  Business  Investment 
Package,  announced 
the 
Business  Banking  Support  Line,  a  dedicated  financial 
support  service  to  help  small  business  and  agribusiness 
the  current  challenging  economic 
customers  during 
conditions; 
The introduction of eVolve, a new product which provides 
small  business  customers  with  e-commerce  functionality 
including virtual shop-front and online payment facilities; 
The introduction of SuperGear, a solution for self managed 
Super Funds wishing to invest in property; 
Continued  development  of  industry-leading  transaction 
banking capability through CommBiz saw the integration of 
trade finance, foreign exchange and money market trading 
products as well as global cash management functionality 
onto the platform. The CommBiz client base grew 20% in 
the year and transaction numbers grew by 39%;  
Achievement  of  record  asset  finance  volumes  with  new 
business market share increasing 7% on the prior year to 
21%; 

  Within Institutional Banking and Markets, expanding global 
distribution capabilities to position the Group as the leader 
in fixed income markets; and 
Expanding  the  Institutional  Equities  business  to  meet  the 
demand from major listed corporate clients seeking to raise 
equity  capital,  and  to  meet  the  needs  of  institutional 
investors. 

Technology and Operational Excellence initiatives are designed 
to  deliver  greater  efficiency  across  the  Group  as  well  as 
providing  competitive  leverage  through  innovative  processes 
and systems. Progress during the year included: 

Significant  progress  was  made  on  the  Group’s  Core 
Banking  Modernisation  program  which  will  replace  the 
improvements 
Group’s  legacy  systems  and  drive 
in 
customer  service  and  productivity 
through  process 
simplification  and  the  introduction  of  real  time  straight 
through processing;  
Introduction of a number of initiatives designed to improve 
customer  service,  increase  operational  efficiency  and 
provide increased security to the Group and its customers. 
These  include  Scheme  Debit  Card,  Home  Loan  Top-ups, 
Anti  Money  Laundering,  Data  Centre  Consolidation, 
CommSec/IWL 
Integration,  Global  Markets  Growth 
Initiative and further enhancements to FirstChoice; and 

6     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Chief Executive Officer’s Statement 

As well as providing ongoing support to approximately 11 million 
customers (including Bankwest), the Group’s contribution to the 
community over the last year has been meaningful. The Group 
directly employs over 38,000 people in Australia, and uses the 
services of many thousands of external third party suppliers for a 
wide  range  of  products  and  services.  All  of  these  businesses 
receive  competitive  remuneration,  provide  employment 
to 
thousands  of  Australians  and  contribute  to  the  economy.  The 
Group also remains committed to retaining jobs in Australia and 
has recently committed to retain all its operations and call centre 
activities  in  Australia  and  not  undertake  off-shoring  for  at  least 
the next three years. In addition the Group returns a significant 
proportion  of  its  profit  as  dividends  to  the  nearly  800,000 
domestic  shareholders  who  together  own  over  80%  of  the 
Group’s shares.  

The  collapse  of  Storm  Financial,  a  former  licensed  financial 
planner  group,  has  attracted  understandable  publicity  and 
regulatory scrutiny. Many major financial services organisations, 
including the Group, provided loans to Storm's clients in order for 
them  to  implement  Storm's  financial  advice.  We  have  publicly 
acknowledged  that  there  were  some  shortcomings  in  our 
conduct  when  we  lent  money  to  some  of  Storm's  clients.  We 
have committed to putting right any wrongs on our part and we 
are  proactively  offering  assistance  to  those  facing  hardship 
through  the  establishment  of  a  resolution  scheme  that  will 
provide swift and fair resolution for affected customers.  

The Group also received some criticism in relation to its capital 
raising at the end of 2008. We have taken this matter seriously 
and  have  initiated  actions  to  address  the  underlying  issues 
involved. 

Conclusion 

I am pleased with the financial performance of the Group in what 
has been a challenging period. We have also continued to make 
good progress in delivering on the five strategic priorities which 
are  key  components  in  achieving  our  goal  of  becoming 
through 
finest 
Australia’s 
excelling in customer service. 

financial  services  organisation 

The headwinds which impacted our performance in 2009 have 
continued into the new financial year, although there are some 
signs that they may be moderating. However, the 2010 year will 
present challenges (as well as opportunities) for the Group and 
its  customers  and  the  outlook  is  by  no  means  clear.  In  this 
environment  the  Group  remains  cautious  and  will  continue  to 
maintain  its  conservative  approach  to  capital,  funding,  liquidity 
and provisioning. At the same time the Group recognises that it 
is  well  placed  to  continue  to  strengthen  its  business  franchise 
and 
to 
improve 
shareholders.  

financial  performance  and 

returns 

its 

The ability to deliver the strong performance we have seen over 
the  past  financial  year  across  the  Group  would  not  have  been 
possible  without  the  goodwill  and  commitment  of  our  people.  I 
am  very  grateful  for  the  high  level  of  support  I  have  received 
to  be  enormously 
the  organisation  and  continue 
across 
impressed with the quality and skills of our people.  

It is a great privilege to lead this organisation and I am confident 
that  we  can  continue  to  deliver  for  our  people,  our  customers 
and our shareholders. 

Thank you. 

Ralph Norris 

Chief Executive Officer 

12 August 2009 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     7 

  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Highlights 

Group Performance Highlights 

The Group’s net profit after tax (“statutory basis”) for the full year 
ended  30  June  2009  was  $4,723  million,  which  represents  a 
decrease of 1% on the prior year. Included in this result as non-
cash  items  were  hedging  and  AIFRS  volatility  losses  of  $245 
million  after  tax  and  the  gain  recognised  on  acquisition  of 
Bankwest of $612 million after tax. 

Net  profit  after  tax  (“cash  basis”)  for  the  full  year  was  $4,415 
million,  which  represents  a  decrease  of  7%  on  the  prior  year. 
Excluding Bankwest, net profit after tax (“cash basis”) decreased 
9%.  This  result  was  impacted  by  a  significant  increase  in 
impairment expense during the year.  

Cash  earnings  per  share  decreased  14%  on  the  prior  year  to 
305.6  cents  per  share.  Return  on  Equity  (“cash  basis”)  for  the 
year  ended  30  June  2009  was  15.8%,  reflecting  in  part  the 
Group’s strengthened capital position. 

Group Performance excluding Bankwest 

The  acquisition  of  Bankwest  and  St  Andrew’s  at  a  substantial 
discount to fair value created a one-off gain of $612 million. For 
ease  of  comparison  the  results  of  Bankwest,  which  was  only 
owned for six months and contributed $113 million to cash profit 
after tax, have been excluded from the following commentary.  

The Group’s net profit after tax (“underlying basis”) was $4,498 
million, representing a 5% decrease on the prior year. 

In  a  challenging  market  environment  and  slowing  economic 
conditions  the  Group’s  operating  performance  has  been  solid. 
Operating income growth has been strong, up 14% on the prior 
year,  whilst  operating expense  growth  was  up  4%  on  the  prior 
year.  This  resulted  in  a  430  basis  point  improvement  in  the 
expense to income ratio to 44.6%. 

Drivers of the Group’s financial performance were: 

  Net  interest  income  growth  of  21%  on  the  prior  year, 
reflecting solid lending and deposit growth and an eight basis 
point improvement in underlying margins; 

  Other banking income growth of 21% on the prior year, as a 
result  of  strong  trading  income,  early  repayment  fees 
received from customers exiting fixed rate loans and higher 
commissions and lending fees; 

  Funds management income decline of 21% on the prior year, 
due to the adverse impact of the investment market downturn 
on Funds under administration and timing of asset sales; 
Insurance income growth of 9% on the prior year, following a 
19% increase in average inforce premiums; and 

  Operating expense growth of 4% on the prior year, reflecting 
the Group’s continued disciplined expense management. 

Offsetting  this  solid  operating  performance  was  a  significant 
increase  in  impairment  expense  on  the  prior  year  to  $2,935 
million.  This  outcome  reflects  higher  retail  and  corporate 
provisioning,  increased  management  overlay  and  additional 
provisions  taken  to  cover  a  small  number  of  single  name 
corporate exposures in the first half. The increase in impairment 
expense reflects both the cyclical deterioration in portfolio quality 
and the Group’s conservative provisioning. 

8     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

The  Group’s net  profit  after tax  (“underlying  basis”)  for  the  half 
year  ended  30  June  2009  was  $2,353  million,  up  10%  on  the 
prior  half.  The  increase  reflects  solid  volume  growth,  improved 
margins  and  a  lower  second  half  impairment  expense,  partly 
offset  by  reduced  funds  management  income  due  to  adverse 
investment markets and higher operating expenses. 

Other  performance  highlights  relating  to  strategic  priorities  that 
position the Group well for the medium to long term include: 

Improvement 
satisfaction relative to industry peers over the year; 

retail  and  business  customer 

in  both 

  The purchase of a strategic interest in Aussie Home Loans, a 

leading player in the Australian mortgage broker market; 

  Restructure  of  the  Premium Business  Services  division into 
Business  &  Private  Banking  and  Institutional  Banking  & 
Markets, enabling the Group to further improve its focus on 
supporting and servicing these diverse customer segments; 
  Continued  progress  on  the  Core  Banking  Modernisation 

project which is tracking ahead of schedule; and 

  Continued improvements in People Engagement Workplace 

survey results (Source: Gallup). 

Capital 

The Group maintained its cautious and conservative approach in 
the  current  economic  environment  by  maintaining  a  strong 
capital position. This was reflected in a Tier One capital ratio of 
8.07% at 30 June 2009. The Bank is also one of only eight AA 
rated banks worldwide. 

Dividends 

The final dividend declared was $1.15 per share, a reduction of 
25% on the prior year in response to continued uncertainty in the 
global and domestic economies. The total dividend for the year 
to  30  June  2009  was  $2.28,  taking  the  dividend  payout  ratio 
(“cash basis”) to 78.2%. 

The final dividend payment will be fully franked and will be paid 
on 1 October 2009 to owners of ordinary shares at the close of 
business  on  21  August  2009  (“record  date”).  Shares  will  be 
quoted ex–dividend on 17 August 2009.  

The  Bank  issued  $405  million  of  shares  to  satisfy  shareholder 
participation  in  the  Dividend  Reinvestment  Plan  (“DRP”)  in 
respect of the interim dividend for 2008/09. 

Outlook 

The  2009  financial  year  has  been  a  challenging  one  and  the 
outlook  remains  uncertain.  However,  the  Australian  economy 
has  been  more  resilient  than  many  had  predicted  a  year  ago 
and  it  is  pleasing  to  see  that  there  is  some  evidence  of  the 
beginnings  of  an  economic  recovery  and  improvements  in 
business and consumer confidence but there are still significant 
risks on the downside.  

Despite these positive signs, overall credit growth in Australia is 
expected  to  slow  through  2010  and  economic  conditions  are 
likely  to  remain  challenging  for  the  Group  and  many  of  its 
customers in the coming year. Accordingly the Group will retain 
its conservative business settings maintaining appropriate levels 
of capital, liquidity and provisioning. The Group will also continue 
with  its  cautious  approach  to  the  management  of  credit  and 
market risk. 

Net Profit after30/06/0930/06/0830/06/0931/12/08Income Tax$M$M$M$MStatutory basis4,7234,7912,1502,573Cash basis4,4154,7332,4022,013Underlying basis ex Bankwest4,4984,7462,3532,145Full Year EndedHalf Year Ended 
 
 
 
 
Highlights continued 

(1) For purposes of presentation, Policyholder tax (benefit)/expense components of Corporate tax expense are shown on a net basis for the years ended 30 June 2009: 

($164) million, 30 June 2008: ($115) million and for the half years ended 30 June 2009: $31 million and 31 December 2008: ($195) million.  

(2) Minority interests include preference dividends paid to holders of preference shares in ASB Capital. 

(3) Other non-cash items represent the following items: 30 June 2009: merger related amortisation expense, Bankwest integration expenses, defined benefit 

superannuation expense, treasury shares valuation adjustment and other one-off expenses; 30 June 2008: Gain on Visa initial public offering, investment and 
restructuring, defined benefit superannuation expense and treasury share valuation adjustments. 

(4) Includes the Bankwest result from the date of acquisition by profit and loss line item. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     9 

Full YearEndedIncl. (4)Bankwest30/06/0930/06/08Jun 09 vs30/06/0931/12/08Jun 09 vs30/06/09Group Performance Summary$M$MJun 08 %$M$MDec 08 %$MNet interest income9,5957,907215,0524,5431110,186Other banking income4,0083,312211,9722,036(3)4,176Total banking income13,60311,219217,0246,579714,362Funds management income1,8132,307(21)8081,005(20)1,813Insurance income910832947843211910Total operating income16,32614,358148,3108,016417,085Investment experience(267)(17)large(84)(183)54(267)Total income16,05914,341128,2267,833516,818Operating expenses7,2827,02143,7313,55157,765Impairment expense2,935930large1,3281,607(17)3,048Net profit before income tax5,8426,390(9)3,1672,675186,005Corporate tax expense (1)1,5101,626(7)864646341,560Minority interests (2)3031(3)1416(13)30Net profit after tax excluding Bankwest ("cash basis") 4,3024,733(9)2,2892,013144,415Bankwest net profit after tax ("cash basis")113-large113-largen/aNet profit after tax ("cash basis")4,4154,733(7)2,4022,013194,415Hedging and AIFRS volatility(245)(42)large(237)(8)large(245)Gain on acquisition of controlled entities612-large65547(88)612Other non-cash items (3)(59)100large(80)21large(59)Net profit after tax ("statutory basis")4,7234,791(1)2,1502,573(16)4,723Represented by: Retail Banking Services2,1071,911109881,119(12)Business and Private Banking7367212363373(3)Institutional Banking and Markets166771(78)334(168)largeWealth Management286737(61)111175(37)International Financial Services470581(19)192278(31)Other53712large30123628Net profit after tax excluding Bankwest ("cash basis")4,3024,733(9)2,2892,01314Investment experience - after tax19613large64132(52)Net profit after tax excluding Bankwest 4,4984,746(5)2,3532,14510("underlying basis")Bankwest net profit after tax113-large113-largeNet profit after tax ("underlying basis")4,6114,746(3)2,4662,14515Full Year EndedHalf Year Ended 
 
 
 
 
Highlights continued  

(1) Further details are disclosed in Note 7, Earnings Per Share. 

(1) Lending assets comprise Loans, Bills Discounted, and Other Receivables (gross of provisions for impairment and excluding securitisation) and Bank acceptances of 

customers. 

(2) Includes Funds Under Administration balances relating to St Andrew’s Australia Pty Ltd of $823 million as at 30 June 2009. 

(3) Growth is inflated as the balance sheet as at 30 June 2008 does not include Bankwest. 

10     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

30/06/0930/06/08Jun 09 vs30/06/0931/12/08Jun 09 vsShareholder SummaryJun 08 %Dec 08 %Dividends per share - fully franked (cents)228266(14)1151132Dividend cover - cash (times)1. 31. 3-1. 41. 217Earnings per share (cents)Statutory basis - basic328. 5363. 0(10)142. 2188. 4(25)Cash basis - basic305. 6356. 9(14)158. 5146. 38Dividend payout ratio (%)Statutory basis73. 174. 1(100)bpts82. 465. 3largeCash basis78. 275. 0320bpts73. 783. 6largeWeighted average no. of shares - statutory basic (M)1,4201,30791,4901,35210Weighted average no. of shares - cash basic (M) (1)1,4261,31391,4951,35810Return on equity - cash (%) 15. 820. 4(460)bpts16. 315. 0130bptsHalf Year EndedFull Year Ended30/06/0931/12/0830/06/08Jun 09 vsJun 09 vs (3)Balance Sheet Summary$M$M$MDec 08 %Jun 08 %Lending assets (1)473,715449,861369,597528Total assets620,372618,761487,572-27Total liabilities588,930588,774461,435-28Shareholders' Equity31,44229,98726,137520Assets held and Funds Under Administration (FUA)On Balance Sheet:Banking assets596,919595,051461,944-29Insurance Funds Under Administration15,40716,17417,345(5)(11)Other insurance and internal funds management assets8,0467,5368,2837(3)620,372618,761487,572-27Off Balance Sheet:Funds Under Administration (2)159,927148,275173,9608(8)Total assets held and FUA780,299767,036661,532218As at 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
Highlights continued  

(1) Prior periods have been restated in line with market updates. 

(2) As at 31 May 2009. 

(3) Personal lending market share includes personal loans and margin loans. 

(4) In accordance with RBA guidelines, these measures include some products relating to both the Retail and Corporate segments. 

(5) During the half year to 30 June 2009, Bankwest market share was impacted by a reclassification of balances from personal lending to home loans. Comparatives 

have not been restated. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     11 

Market Share Percentage30/06/0931/12/0830/06/0830/06/0931/12/08Home loans21. 920. 319. 325. 123. 3Credit cards (2)18. 718. 318. 121. 820. 9Personal lending (APRA and other Household) (3) (5)13. 614. 215. 815. 720. 3Household deposits28. 829. 129. 132. 332. 6Retail deposits (4)22. 623. 223. 426. 627. 3Business Lending - APRA (1)13. 613. 613. 819. 418. 9Business Lending - RBA (1)13. 713. 713. 617. 016. 9Business Deposits - APRA (1)15. 716. 415. 820. 821. 3Asset Finance13. 612. 812. 713. 612. 8Equities trading (CommSec) (1)6. 46. 06. 36. 46. 0Australian Retail - administrator view (1)14. 213. 913. 914. 414. 1FirstChoice Platform (1)9. 99. 89. 79. 99. 8Australia (total risk) (1)14. 614. 714. 715. 415. 5Australia (individual risk) (1)13. 313. 313. 214. 514. 5NZ Lending for housing23. 323. 423. 323. 323. 4NZ Retail Deposits21. 221. 621. 221. 221. 6NZ Lending to business8. 88. 58. 78. 88. 5NZ Retail FUM20. 320. 116. 420. 320. 1NZ Annual inforce premiums 31. 731. 731. 731. 731. 7As at(ex Bankwest and St Andrew's)(inc Bankwest and St Andrew's)Group Group  
 
  
Highlights continued  

(1) Cash net profit after tax less Investment experience after tax. 

(2) Average interest earning assets and average interest bearing liabilities have been adjusted to remove the impact of securitisation. Average interest earning assets 

and interest bearing liabilities relating to Bankwest have been included for the full and half years to 30 June 2009. 

(3) Average funds under administration and average inforce premiums relating to St Andrew’s have been included from date of acquisition. 

(4) Net operating income represents total operating income less volume expenses.  

12     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

30/06/0930/06/08Jun 09 vs30/06/0931/12/08Jun 09 vsKey Performance Indicators - GroupJun 08 %Dec 08 %GroupUnderlying profit after tax ($M) (1)4,6114,746(3)2,4662,14515Net interest margin (%)2. 102. 028 bpts2. 162. 0412 bptsAverage interest earning assets ($M) (2)481,248385,66725526,512436,72221Average interest bearing liabilities ($M) (2)453,458362,24925496,742410,88021Funds management income to average FUA (%) 1. 041. 19(15)bpts0. 981. 11(13)bptsFunds Under Administration (FUA) - average ($M) 173,872194,156(10)167,001179,371(7)Insurance income to average inforce premiums (%) 50. 655. 1(450)bpts51. 150. 290 bptsAverage inforce premiums ($M) 1,7981,511191,8851,70810Operating expenses to total operating income (%)45. 448. 9(350)bpts46. 544. 3220 bptsEffective corporate tax rate (%) 26. 025. 460 bpts27. 424. 1330 bptsRetail Banking ServicesCash net profit after tax ($M)2,1071,911109881,119(12)Operating expenses to total banking income (%)42. 946. 1(320)bpts43. 442. 4100 bptsBusiness and Private BankingCash net profit after tax ($M)7367212363373(3)Operating expenses to total banking income (%)48. 850. 5(170)bpts48. 649. 1(50)bptsInstitutional Banking and MarketsCash net profit after tax ($M)166771(78)334(168)largeOperating expenses to total banking income (%)28. 334. 1large29. 526. 9260 bptsWealth ManagementUnderlying profit after tax ($M) (1)514789(35)186328(43)FUA - average ($M) (3)167,677186,696(10)160,974173,001(7)Average inforce premiums ($M) (3)1,4051,136241,4691,31412Funds management income to average FUA (%)1. 031. 20(17)bpts0. 961. 11(15)bptsInsurance income to average inforce premiums (%)45. 349. 0(370)bpts45. 246. 3(110)bptsOperating expenses to net operating income (%) (4)62. 052. 7large68. 956. 3largeInternational Financial ServicesUnderlying profit after tax ($M) (1)467555(16)198269(26)FUA - average ($M) 6,1957,460(17)6,0276,370(5)Average inforce premiums ($M)39337554163946Funds management income to average FUA (%) 0. 790. 6415 bpts0. 770. 81(4)bptsInsurance income to average inforce premiums (%)66. 467. 2(80)bpts68. 859. 9largeOperating expenses to total operating income (%)50. 751. 9(120)bpts47. 653. 8largeBankwestCash net profit after tax ($M)113-large113-largeOperating expenses to total banking income (%)63. 6-large63. 6-largeCapital Adequacy - (Basel II) Tier One (%)8. 078. 17(10)bpts8. 078. 75(68)bptsTotal (%)10. 4211. 58(116)bpts10. 4211. 39(97)bptsFull Year EndedHalf Year EndedKey Performance Indicators - 30/06/0930/06/08Jun 09 vs30/06/0931/12/08Jun 09 vsExcluding BankwestJun 08 %Dec 08 %Underlying profit after tax ($M)4,4984,746(5)2,3532,14510Net interest margin (%)2. 112. 029 bpts2. 182. 0414 bptsAverage interest earning assets ($M)450,830385,66717465,173436,7227Average interest bearing liabilities ($M)425,395362,24917440,149410,8807Operating expenses to total operating income (%)44. 648. 9(430) bpts44. 944. 360 bptsFull Year EndedHalf Year Ended 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Financial Performance and Business Review 

Average Interest Earning Assets 

Group Performance Analysis 

In  order  to  enhance  the  understanding  and  comparability  of 
financial  information  between  periods,  commentary  in  the 
Financial  Performance  and  Business  Review  excludes 
Bankwest unless otherwise stated. The results for St Andrew’s 
have been included but are not material to the Group’s result. 

The  Group’s  net  profit  after  tax  (“underlying  basis”)  for  the  full 
year ended 30 June 2009 was $4,498 million, which represents 
a 5% decrease on the prior year. 

The performance during the year was underpinned by: 

  Solid  growth  in  lending  and  deposit  balances,  with  home 
lending  up  19%  to  $257  billion,  business  lending  up  6%  to 
$135  billion,  and  domestic  deposits  up  23%  to  $287  billion 
since June 2008; 

  Underlying  net  interest  margin  improvement  of  eight  basis 

points since June 2008; 

  Decline  in  average  funds  under  administration  of  10%, 
reflecting the  adverse impact  of  volatile investment markets 
and outflows of short-term cash mandates; 

  CommInsure  inforce  premium  growth  of  25%  since  June 
2008 to $1,560 million, with both Life and General insurance 
businesses experiencing strong volumes; partly offset by 

  Operating  expense  growth  of  4%,  reflecting  continued 
investment  in  people  and  technology  as  well  as  higher 
occupancy and volume expenses; and 

  Significantly  higher  loan  impairment  provisioning  levels, 
reflecting  a  cyclical  deterioration  in  portfolio  quality  and  the 
Group’s prudent and conservative approach to provisioning. 

The Group’s net profit after tax (“underlying basis”) for the half to 
30  June  2009  increased  by  10%  on  the  prior  half  to  $2,353 
million.  The  second  half  increase  reflects  a  continuation  of 
themes  from  the  first  half  and  a  lower  second  half  impairment 
expense. 

More  comprehensive  disclosure  of  performance  highlights  by 
key  business  segments  is  contained  on  pages  20-35  of  this 
report. 

Net Interest Income 

Net  interest  income  increased  by  21%  on  the  prior  year  to 
$9,595  million.  The  increase  was  a  result  of  continued  strong 
growth in average interest earning assets of 17% together with 
an  eight  basis  point  improvement  in  underlying  net  interest 
margin. 

Net interest income increased by 11% on the prior half to $5,052 
million.  The  increase  was  driven  by  strong  growth  in  average 
interest earning assets of 7% and a 14 basis point improvement 
in underlying net interest margin. 

Factors impacting net interest margin are discussed on page 14. 

Average interest earning assets increased by $65 billion on the 
prior  year  to  $451  billion,  reflecting  a  $51  billion  increase  in 
average  lending  interest  earning  assets  and  a  $14  billion 
increase in average non-lending interest earning assets. 

loan  average  balances  excluding 

Home 
impact  of 
securitisation increased by $33 billion since June 2008 to $223 
billion,  following  above  market  volume  growth  whilst  tightening 
credit standards. 

the 

Average balances for business and corporate lending increased 
by  $20  billion  since  June  2008  to  $137  billion,  largely  due  to 
growth in Institutional Banking & Markets. 

The growth of $14 billion in average non-lending interest earning 
assets reflects higher levels of liquid assets held in response to 
uncertain  economic  and  financial  market  conditions  as  well  as 
additional liquid assets acquired to fund Bankwest’s operations 
upon acquisition. 

Average Interest Earning Assets ($M) 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     13 

327,825378,920406,08757,84271,91075,161Jun 08 ex BankwestJun 09 ex BankwestJun 09 inc BankwestLending Interest Earning AssetsNon-Lending Interest Earning Assets (Excl Bank Accept)Bankwest Interest Earning assets385,667450,83017%481,248 
 
 
 
Group Performance Analysis continued 

Net Interest Margin 

Other Banking Income 

Underlying  net  interest  margin  improved  eight  basis  points  on 
the  prior  year.  Key  drivers  of  the  improvement  in  underlying 
margin were: 

Asset  Pricing:  Overall  increase  in  margin  of  13  basis  points, 
reflecting  the  impact  of  repricing  on  home  loans  (four  basis 
points), personal lending (six basis points) and business lending 
(three basis points). This has been in response to higher funding 
costs and increased credit risk. 

Deposit pricing: Deposit margins decreased 24 basis points due 
to strong price competition for retail deposits and the decline in 
the official cash rate. 

Mix  and  Liquids:  Average  liquid  asset  holdings  increased  $14 
billion  since  June  2008,  resulting  in  six  basis  points  of  margin 
decline. This was driven by higher levels of liquid assets held in 
response to uncertain economic and financial market conditions 
(five basis points) together with liquid assets acquired to fund the 
Bankwest operations upon acquisition (one basis point). 

The  adverse  impact  of  higher  relative  growth  in  lower  margin 
home loans contributed one basis point of margin contraction. 

Replicating  portfolio:  As  deposit  margins  have  been  adversely 
impacted by the declining cash rate environment the replicating 
portfolio has acted as a “buffer” and contributed 16 basis points 
to margin.  

Treasury:  Increase  of  eight  basis  points  driven  by  higher 
earnings due to the free funding benefit of $5 billion from capital 
raised  during  the  year  (four  basis  points)  and  Treasury  gains 
generated through the management of short dated interest rate 
exposures (four basis points). 

Other: Increase of two basis points driven by higher margins in 
offshore business units (four basis points), partly offset by lower 
margins in ASB (two basis points). 

NIM movement since June 2008 

Additional information, including the average balances, is set out 
in Note 4 to the Financial Statements. 

(1) Includes one basis point reduction from Bankwest and one basis point 

increase from AIFRS volatility.  

14     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

Excluding  the  impact  of  AIFRS  non-trading  derivative  volatility 
and  Bankwest,  other  banking  income  increased  20%  over  the 
year. 

Factors impacting Other banking income were: 

  Commissions:  increased  by  7%  on  the  prior  year  to  $1,961 
million. This outcome reflects portfolio growth, the benefit of 
increased  collection  rates  in  credit  cards  and  personal 
lending and higher credit card loyalty  reward income (offset 
by an increase in operating expenses). CommSec brokerage 
commissions were lower following weaker volumes; 

  Lending fees: increased by 38% on the prior year to $1,348 
million.  The  increase  was  due  to  growth  in  retail,  corporate 
and  institutional  lending  fees  arising  from  higher  lending 
volumes, together with $244 million of early repayment fees 
received  from  customers  exiting  fixed  rate  loans.  The 
associated costs from the unwind of swaps related to these 
fixed  rate  loans  will  largely  be  incurred  over  the  next  three 
years; 

  Trading income: increased by 32% on the prior year to $720 
million. The increase was driven by higher foreign exchange 
and  interest  rate  trading  income  generated  from  volatile 
market  conditions  together  with  Treasury  income  derived 
through  the  management  of  short  dated  interest  rate  risk 
exposures; and 

  Other  income:  increased  by  11%  on  the  prior  year  to  $254 
million,  reflecting  additional  equity  accounted  profits  from 
investments  in  Asia,  together  with  higher  operating  lease 
rentals. 

Excluding  the  impact  of  AIFRS  volatility  and  Bankwest,  other 
banking  income  in  the  current  half  decreased  4%  on  the  prior 
half  to  $2,100  million.  This  outcome  was  the  result  of  lower 
trading income in the second half following the adverse impact 
of the steepening yield curve on Treasury earnings, partly offset 
by higher early repayment fees received from customers exiting 
fixed rate loans. 

30/06/0930/06/0830/06/0931/12/08$M$M$M$MCommissions1,9611,827984977Lending fees1,348976731617Trading income720546272448Other income2542281131414,2833,5772,1002,183AIFRS reclassification of net swap costs(275)(265)(128)(147)Other banking income ex Bankwest4,0083,3121,9722,036Bankwest168-168-Other banking income4,1763,3122,1402,036Full Year EndedHalf Year Ended2.02%0.13%(0.24%)(0.07%)0.16%0.08%0.02%2.10%1.50%1.65%1.80%1.95%2.10%Jun 08Asset PricingDeposit PricingMix & LiquidsReplicating PortfolioTreasuryOtherJun 09(1) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Group Performance Analysis continued 

Funds Management Income 

Operating Expenses 

Funds management income decreased by 21% on the prior year 
to $1,813 million. The decline was due to a reduction in average 
funds under administration and funds under management, both 
down  10%  on  the  prior  year,  reflecting  the  adverse  impact  of 
falling  investment  markets  and  outflows  of  short  term  cash 
mandates from institutional investors. 

Funds under administration (spot) as at 30 June 2009 was $175 
billion,  representing an  8%  decrease since  30 June  2008. The 
fall in funds under administration compares favourably with the 
ASX  200  and  MSCI  World  (AUD)  indices,  which  fell  24%  and 
16%  respectively  over  the  same  period,  reflecting  the  Group’s 
diversification by asset class and geography. 

Funds  management  income  to  average  FUA  decreased  by  15 
basis points on the prior year to 1.04% due to seed asset sales 
in the prior year and the adverse impact of higher levels of low 
margin short term cash mandates in the current year. 

Funds management income in the current half decreased 20% 
on  the  prior  half  due  to  similar  themes  as  those  described 
above. 

Insurance Income 

Insurance  income  increased  by  9%  on  the  prior  year  to  $910 
million. The increase  was  a  result of growth in average  inforce 
premiums  of  19%  due  to  strong  sales  in  Life  and  General 
insurance, partly offset by higher retail and wholesale life claims. 

Insurance income in the current half increased 11% on the prior 
half following 10% growth in average inforce premiums. 

Operating  expenses  increased  by  4%  over  the  prior  year  to 
$7,282 million. The increase was driven by: 

  Continued investment in people and technology;  
  Higher volume related expenses resulting from strong growth 
in  inforce  premiums,  an  increase  in  depreciation  charges 
relating to operating leases and additional credit card loyalty 
program costs (offset in other banking income); and 

  Higher occupancy expenses following market rent increases 
and  one-off  costs  relating  to  the  relocation  of  offices  to 
Sydney Olympic Park and Darling Park.  

Gross  investment  continued  to  be  strong,  up  5%  on  the  prior 
year  to  $1,075  million.  This  includes  spend  on  Core  Banking 
Modernisation,  Finest  Online  and  the  branch  refurbishment 
program, together with other key strategic initiatives. 

Operating expenses in the current half increased 5% on the prior 
half  to  $3,731  million.  Excluding  the  impact  of  additional  card 
loyalty costs, expenses increased 3%.  

Group Expense to Income Ratio (excluding Bankwest) 

The expense to income ratio improved by 430 basis points over 
the  prior  year to  44.6%. The  improvement  reflects  the  Group’s 
strong  income  growth  combined  with  a  continued  focus  on 
operational  efficiencies,  including  mortgage  and  commercial 
loans  processed  per  full  time  equivalent  up  by  25%  and  17% 
respectively. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     15 

30/06/0930/06/0830/06/0931/12/08$M$M$M$MCFS GAM7731,068331442Colonial First State696884329367CommInsure and Other266281109157ASB and Other78743939Funds management income1,8132,3078081,005Full Year EndedHalf Year Ended30/06/0930/06/0830/06/0931/12/08$M$M$M$MCommInsure and Other636557329307Sovereign and Other274275149125Insurance income910832478432Full Year EndedHalf Year Ended49.3%48.9%44.6%Jun 07Jun 08Jun 09 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Group Performance Analysis continued  

Impairment Expense 

Provisions for Impairment 

The  Group  maintains  a  prudent  and  conservative  approach  to 
provisioning, with total provisions for impairment losses including 
Bankwest at 30 June 2009 of $4,954 million. This represents a 
$1,346  million  increase  since  December  2008  and  $3,209 
million increase since June 2008. The current level reflects: 

  The low risk, high quality nature of the home lending portfolio 
lending  assets  excluding 

which 
represented  61%  of 
securitisation at 30 June 2009; 

  Significantly  increased  specific  provisioning  in the corporate 
portfolio resulting from the deterioration in market conditions 
and  exposure  to  a  number  of  single  name  corporate 
customers; 

  Higher  collective  provisioning  following  an  increase  in  retail 
arrears and adverse migration in corporate credit ratings; 
  A management overlay of $1,320 million to cover the impact 

of economic conditions, and other risks; 

  No  direct  exposure  to  US  sub-prime  or  non-recourse 

mortgages; and 

  No  material  exposure  to  Collateralised  Debt  Obligations 

(“CDO’s”). 

Taxation Expense 

The corporate tax expense was $1,510 million, representing an 
effective tax rate of 25.8%. The effective tax rate was below the 
expected  long  term  underlying  effective  tax  rate  of  between 
26.0% and 27.5% due to: 

Investment allowance deductions; 

  An increased domestic impairment expense that resulted in a 
higher proportion of profit coming from offshore jurisdictions 
which have lower corporate tax rates compared to Australia; 
and 

  Tax  benefits  from  structured  finance  transactions  that  was 
offset by an equivalent reduction in pre-tax operating income. 

for 

Impairment  expense 
the  year  was  $2,935  million, 
representing  72  basis  points  of  average  gross  loans  and 
acceptances.  This  expense  reflects  a  write  off  of  listed  notes 
issued by ABC Learning Limited (nine basis points), the Group’s 
exposure to a small number of single name corporate customers 
(10 basis points), an increase in management overlay (12 basis 
points), and higher retail and corporate collective and individual 
provisioning (41 basis points). 

Home  loan  arrears  over  90  days  and  personal  lending  arrears 
have increased on the prior year with deterioration in the second 
half.  Credit  card  arrears  deteriorated  over  the  year,  although 
have stabilised in the second half. As a result of higher arrears 
levels,  additional  resources  have  been  deployed  to collections. 
Credit policies for all retail products have also been tightened. 

The corporate  lending  portfolio  has  been significantly  impacted 
by a large increase in individual and collective provisioning due 
to  a  number  of  single  name  exposures.  In  addition,  corporate 
collective provisioning has increased in response to a number of 
downgrades and  adverse migration  in credit  ratings across  the 
portfolio as a result of the deteriorating domestic economy. 

Impairment expense for the current half decreased $279 million 
on the prior half to $1,328 million. 

impaired  assets 

Gross 
significantly over the prior year to $2,844 million.  

(excluding  Bankwest) 

increased 

Impairment Expense as a % of Average Gross Loans and 
Acceptances 

16     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

0.200.410.280.540.100.200.090.190.060.120.140.10Jun 08FYJun 09FYDec 08HYJun 09HYBaseSingle NamesABC NotesOverlay0.260.810.720.64 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Group Performance Analysis continued 

(1) Gross of provisions for impairment which are included in Other assets. 

(2) Other assets include Bank acceptances of customers, derivative assets, and provisions for impairment, securitisation assets, insurance assets and intangibles. 

(3) Non-interest bearing liabilities include derivative liabilities and insurance policy liabilities. 

(4) Growth rate is inflated as the balance sheet as at 30 June 2008 does not include Bankwest. 

Credit Ratings 

Fitch Ratings 
Moody’s Investor Services 
Standard & Poor's 

Long–term 

Short–term 

AA 
Aa1 
AA 

F1+ 
P-1 
A-1+ 

Outlook 

Stable 
Negative 
Stable 

The Group continues to maintain a strong capital position that is reflected in its credit ratings which remained unchanged for the year. 
Additional information regarding the Bank’s capital is disclosed in the Capital Management Section of this report, pages 41-45. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     17 

30/06/0931/12/0830/06/08Jun 09 vsJun 09 vs (4)Total Group Assets & Liabilities$M$M$MDec 08 %Jun 08 %Interest earning assetsHome loans including securitisation292,206265,694215,7431035Less: securitisation(12,568)(14,769)(11,676)(15)8Home loans excluding securitisation279,638250,925204,0671137Personal19,26019,30320,265-(5)Business and corporate160,089164,901126,987(3)26Loans, bills discounted and other receivables (1)458,987435,129351,319531Provisions for loan impairment(4,924)(3,578)(1,713)38largeNet loans, bills discounted and other receivables454,063431,551349,606530Non-lending interest earning assets72,68874,39149,385(2)47Total interest earning assets531,675509,520400,704433Other assets (2)88,697109,24186,868(19)2Total assets620,372618,761487,572-27Interest bearing liabilitiesTransaction deposits66,11766,68559,917(1)10Saving deposits79,73671,61153,4201149Investment deposits135,314136,08598,745(1)37Other demand deposits78,93866,35844,0141979Total interest bearing deposits360,105340,739256,096641Deposits not bearing interest8,6169,4457,610(9)13Deposits and other public borrowings368,721350,184263,706540Debt issues88,81486,67673,785220Other interest bearing liabilities43,74451,85944,756(16)(2)Total interest bearing liabilities492,663479,274374,637332Securitisation debt issues13,00515,72312,032(17)8Non-interest bearing liabilities (3)83,26293,77774,766(11)11Total liabilities588,930588,774461,435-28Provisions for impairment lossesCollective provision3,2252,4741,46630largeIndividually assessed provisions1,7291,13427952largeTotal provisions for impairment losses4,9543,6081,74537largeLess off balance sheet provisions(30)(30)(32)-(6)Total provisions for loan impairment4,9243,5781,71338largeAs at 
 
 
 
 
 
Acquisition of Bankwest and St Andrew’s  

Acquisition Overview 

Integration Progress 

The  Group  acquired  100%  of  the  share  capital  of  the  Bank  of 
Western  Australia  Limited  (“Bankwest”)  and  St  Andrew’s 
Australia Pty Ltd (“St Andrew’s”) on 19 December 2008. 

the  domestic  market  providing  a 
Bankwest  operates 
comprehensive  range  of  products,  focusing  on  the  small 
business banking and retail segments. 

in 

Since  acquisition,  Bankwest  has  continued  to  expand  its 
customer base. As at 30 June 2009 Bankwest provided services 
to  more  than  960,000  retail  customers  and  26,000  business 
clients, through an extensive network of 135 retail branches, 78 
Business  Banking  centres,  direct  and  third  party  distribution 
channels,  agencies  and  electronic,  telephone  and  internet 
banking facilities. 

St  Andrew’s  provides  life  insurance  and  wealth  management 
products to the Australian marketplace. Its range of products is 
similar  to  those  provided  by  the  Group’s  existing  Wealth 
Management business. 

The  acquisition  of  Bankwest  provides  the  Group  with  a 
significant  opportunity  to  further  develop  its  business  in  the 
Western Australian market. It complements the Group’s existing 
operations  and  delivers  additional  growth  opportunities  in  key 
market  segments,  as  well  as  enhanced  product  and  service 
delivery opportunities to customers. 

The  Group’s  Executive  Committee  and  Bankwest  Board  are 
committed  to  delivering  sustainable  growth  of  the  business  in 
line  with  the  Group’s  existing  strategic  priorities.  Bankwest  will 
continue  to  operate  under  the  retained  brand  name,  with  a 
separate Board of Directors.  

Acquisition Accounting 

Following the finalisation of the fair value of assets and liabilities 
acquired,  the  gain  on  acquisition  was  $983  million  before  tax 
and  has  been  treated  as  a  non-cash  item.  The  gain  is 
significantly higher than the $660 million indicated at the time the 
acquisition was announced, due to the increase in the final fair 
value of net assets acquired, including $719 million of intangible 
assets.  This  is  despite  an  increase  of  $1,059  million  to  the 
collective and individual provisions arising from the acquisition. 

As part of the acquisition, fair value adjustments relating to fixed 
interest  assets  and  liabilities  and  intangible  assets  subject  to 
amortisation  were  recognised.  Due  to  the  significant  size  and 
non-recurring  nature  of  these  adjustments,  the  amortisation  of 
the adjustments will be treated as non-cash and recognised over 
the assets and liabilities remaining useful lives. 

Further  details  on  the  acquisition  are  disclosed  in  Note  49 
Acquisition of Controlled Entities, page 223. 

The integration of Bankwest and St Andrew’s into the Group is 
progressing  smoothly.  The  initial  phase  is  focused  on  aligning 
the operations  of Bankwest  and  the  Group  across  the country, 
and consolidating systems and processes for efficiency. 

The  operations  of  St  Andrew’s  are  run  as  part  of  the  Group’s 
Wealth  Management  business.  The  integration  of  St  Andrew’s 
will  enable  existing  customers  to  benefit  from  a  wide  range  of 
investment platforms and product offerings.  

During  the  half  year  to  30  June  2009,  several  key  integration 
milestones have been achieved, including: 

  Reciprocal  ATM  access,  with  customers  of  both 

the 
Commonwealth Bank and Bankwest having access to more 
than 4,000 ATMs, the largest network of any bank nationally, 
without paying any additional fees; 

  Established an integration/synergy program including a cross 

business steering group; 

  Commenced restructuring activities; 

Initiated a review of major contracts and licences to identify 
savings through additional buying power, notably for large IT 
licensing arrangements; 

  Established initial technology links; and 
  Delivered a directional target operating model for Bankwest. 

Integration Expenses and Synergies 

Total integration expenditure for the initial phase is anticipated to 
be  $313  million.  The  expenditure  will  be  incurred  over  three 
years  and  due  to  its  size  and  non-recurring  nature  it  will  be 
treated as a non-cash item. 

The amount of integration expenditure for the six months to 30 
June 2009 was $112 million.  

Anticipated  cost  synergies  have  increased  from  an  annualised 
run rate (by 2012) of $220 million to $250 million. This includes 
benefits  associated  with  restructuring,  cessation  of  the  East 
Coast store  rollout  and  other  IT  and  property synergies. A  low 
risk approach to the integration is being adopted that focuses on 
minimising distraction while maximising customer and business 
outcomes. 

18     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

Purchase Consideration as at30 June 2009$MOriginal purchase price2,100Additional purchase price adjustment26Costs relating to acquisition37Purchase consideration2,163Fair value of net identifiable assets acquired3,676Less: preference share placement(530)Gain on acquisition983Income tax expense(371)Gain on acquisition after tax612Integration Expenditurefor the year ended 30 June 2009$MRestructuring16Property7Operations24IT expenditure60Other5Total112 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The tables below illustrate the key measures of Asset Quality for the Group. 

Asset Quality 

(1) The ratio at 31 December 2008 has been adjusted to include an estimate of Bankwest risk weighted and credit risk weighted assets. 

(2) For the full year ended 30 June 2008, this ratio uses a simple average pro-forma Basel II RWA at 31 December 2007 and actual Basel II RWA at 30 June 2008. 

(3) Growth rate is inflated as 30 June 2008 does not include Bankwest. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     19 

30/06/0930/06/08Jun 09 vs (3)30/06/0931/12/08Jun 09 vsAsset Quality - GroupJun 08 %Dec 08 %Gross loans and acceptances ($M)488,500383,50227488,500466,8685Risk weighted assets ("RWA") - Basel II ($M)288,836205,50141288,836239,28921Credit risk weighted assets ($M)258,453187,44038258,453221,23117Gross impaired assets ($M)4,210683large4,2102,71455Net impaired assets ($M)2,481404large2,4811,58057Collective provision as a % of risk weighted assets - Basel II (1)1. 120. 7141 bpts1. 120. 8923 bptsCollective provision as a % of credit risk weighted assets - Basel II (1)1. 250. 7847 bpts1. 250. 9728 bptsCollective provision as a % of gross loans and acceptances0. 660. 3828 bpts0. 660. 5313 bptsIndividually assessed provisions for impairment as a % of gross impaired assets41. 140. 830 bpts41. 141. 8(70)bptsImpairment expense annualised as a % of average RWA - Basel II (1) (2)1. 250. 4679 bpts1. 031. 43(40)bptsImpairment expense annualised as a % of average gross loans and acceptances0. 680. 2642 bpts0. 610. 81(20)bptsFull Year EndedHalf Year Ended30/06/0930/06/08Jun 09 vs30/06/0931/12/08Jun 09 vsAsset Quality - Excluding BankwestJun 08 %Dec 08 %Gross loans and acceptances ($M)430,650383,50212430,650408,1746Risk weighted assets ("RWA") - Basel II ($M)246,001205,50120246,001239,2893Credit risk weighted assets ($M)218,664187,44017218,664221,231(1)Gross impaired assets ($M)2,844683large2,8441,94446Net impaired assets ($M)1,735404large1,7351,04866Collective provision as a % of risk weighted assets - Basel II0. 930. 7122 bpts0. 930. 8013 bptsCollective provision as a % of credit risk weighted assets - Basel II1. 040. 7826 bpts1. 040. 8618 bptsCollective provision as a % of gross loans and acceptances0. 530. 3815 bpts0. 530. 476 bptsIndividually assessed provisions for impairment as a % of gross impaired assets39. 040. 8(180) bpts39. 046. 1largeImpairment expense annualised as a % of average RWA - Basel II (2)1. 270. 4681 bpts1. 101. 43(33) bptsImpairment expense annualised as a % of average gross loans and acceptances0. 720. 2646 bpts0. 640. 81(17) bptsFull Year EndedHalf Year Ended 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Retail Banking Services  

Financial Performance and Business Review 

Consumer Finance 

Retail Banking Services performed strongly over the year ended 
30  June  2009  with  cash  net  profit  after  tax  of  $2,107  million, 
increasing 10% on the prior year. The result was underpinned by 
strong sales and volume growth in key product lines, disciplined 
cost management and a higher impairment expense. 

Customer  service  remains  a  key  focus,  with  the  business 
recording  the  largest  improvement  in  customer  satisfaction 
scores amongst local peers, increasing 2.9% on the prior year to 
73.0%(1). Weekly customer experience surveys have also shown 
a significant improvement across all major channels.  

Consumer Finance income increased 28% on the prior year to 
$1,441 million. This includes the impact of higher income relating 
to loyalty redemptions following changes to the Qantas Frequent 
Flyer  program  (offset  in  expenses).  Excluding  the  impact  of 
higher  loyalty  income,  growth  was  22%  on  the  prior  year  and 
10%  on  the  prior  half.  The  focus  on  profitable  growth  has 
resulted  in  sustainable  balance  growth  as  well  as  improved 
margins  to  offset  increased  funding  costs  and  risk.  Other 
banking  income  increased  21%  on  the  prior  year  excluding 
loyalty  income,  mainly  as  a  result  of  increased  collection  rates 
and an uplift in interchange income. 

A  number  of  initiatives  have  been  implemented  that  have 
contributed to this achievement. Highlights include: 

Retail Deposits 

  Enhancements to NetBank and the launch of mobile phone 

banking providing more convenience to our customers; 

  Removal of a direct charge by the Group for our customers 
using  non-CBA  ATMs,  and  free  access  to  over  4,000  CBA 
and Bankwest ATMs for Group customers; 

  Over 1.6 million customers signing up to Online Statements; 
  The purchase of a 33% holding in Aussie Home Loans Pty 
Limited,  and  the  acquisition  of  $2.25  billion  of  Wizard 
originated  home  loans  following  Aussie’s  purchase  of  the 
Wizard brand and distribution network; 

  Offering  access  to  more  than  1,000  branches  across 
Australia with a continued focus on branch refurbishment; 
  The launch of Australia’s only “60 minute” home loan, where 
eligible customers can obtain a completed home loan within 
an hour of walking into a branch; and 

  A  home  loan  “repayment  holiday”  of  up  to  12  months  for 
customers  who  lose  their  jobs  due  to  the  current  economic 
downturn  and  assistance  packages  for  victims  of  Victorian 
bushfire and NSW and Queensland floods.  

The success of these initiatives is reflected in: 

  The Group’s retail products received 28 five star ratings from 
CANSTAR CANNEX and the Branch and ATM network was 
named the most comprehensive in recognition of the Group’s 
reach and accessibility to customers; 

  A number of awards for the NetBank online banking service, 
including Money Magazine’s Online Bank of the year; and 
  2009  “Lender  of  the  Year”  at  the  annual  Mortgage  and 
Finance Association of Australia (MFAA) industry awards. 

In  addition,  a  record  number  of  staff  across  the  business 
participated in the annual People & Culture Survey with results 
showing that the business is supported by an engaged group of 
people. 

Home Loans 

Home loan income  increased  32%  on  the prior  year  to  $1,742 
million.  Strong  balance  growth  of  21%,  compared  to  market 
growth of 7%, was achieved through “flight-to-quality”, increased 
lending capability in the branch network and significant presence 
in  the  broker  market,  while  credit  standards  were  tightened.  In 
addition,  CBA  continues  to  offer  the  equal  lowest  priced 
standard  variable  home  loans  amongst  local  peers.  Margins 
have  benefited  through  a considered  approach  to  repricing  but 
continue to be impacted by higher funding costs. Other banking 
income  was  up  18%  on  prior  year,  underpinned  by  increased 
volumes and package fee collection rates.  

(1) Source: Roy Morgan Research satisfaction with Main Financial Institution 
(MFI) six monthly moving averages based on respondents aged 14+. 
Represents the percentage of customers who answered as being either very 
or fairly satisfied. 

20     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

Deposit income of $3,069 million was in line with the prior year. 
Balances grew 16%, reflecting both “flight-to-quality” and a shift 
to  more  conservative  style  investment  products.  This  was 
marginally below market growth due to strong price competition. 
However,  the  Group  has  maintained  its  number  one  market 
share  position  with  a  significant  gap  to  the  next  competitor. 
Transaction account balances grew 11%, with personal account 
openings  across  all  channels  up  30%  on  the  prior  year, 
supported  by  new  product  offerings  such  as 
the  Debit 
MasterCard. 
During  the  second  half  margins  were  negatively  impacted  by 
declining  cash  rates  (net  of  replicating  portfolio  benefit)  and 
intense  competition.  Other  banking  income  decreased  10%  on 
the  prior  half  mainly  as  a  result  of  a  reduction  in  ATM  fees 
following the introduction of direct charging. 

Distribution 

Commissions received primarily from the distribution of business 
banking,  wealth  management,  and  foreign  exchange  products 
through the retail distribution network increased 29% on the prior 
year.  This  was  mainly  due  to  increased  focus  on  foreign 
exchange  volumes  and  general  insurance  cross  sell  initiatives. 
Cross-sell  has  improved  due  to  enhanced  skills  in  the  branch 
network  and  record  numbers  of  needs  analysis  conversations 
conducted with customers. 

Operating Expenses 

Operating expenses increased 6% on the prior year, mainly due 
to  higher  credit  card  loyalty  costs.  Excluding  loyalty,  operating 
expense  growth  was  2%  with  staff  and  occupancy  cost 
increases partly offset by productivity improvements.  Operating 
expenses  for  the  second  half  excluding  loyalty  increased  only 
1% on the prior half despite increased staff costs as a result of 
higher  home  loan  volumes  and  continued  focus  on  collections 
and origination criteria to manage asset quality. The expense to 
income ratio for the year has decreased to 42.9%, a productivity 
improvement of 7%. 

Impairment Expense 

Impairment  expense,  including  provision  for  Storm  Financial 
customer remediation, increased significantly on the prior year to 
$699  million.  Increased  volumes  and  higher  arrears  due  to 
deteriorating  economic  conditions  both  contributed  to  the 
underlying increase. Home and personal lending arrears over 90 
days increased on the prior year, with deterioration in the second 
half. Credit card arrears increased significantly in the first half of 
the  year,  but  have  stabilised  in  the  second  half.  Additional 
resources have been allocated to collections, resulting in fewer 
arrears flowing into losses. Credit policies for all products have 
been tightened. 

 
 
Retail Banking Services continued 

(1) Consumer Finance includes personal loans and credit cards. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     21 

ConsumerRetailHome Loans Finance (1) DepositsDistributionTotal$M$M$M$M$MNet interest income1,5759582,392-4,925Other banking income1674836772241,551Total banking income1,7421,4413,0692246,476Operating expenses2,781Impairment expense699Net profit before tax2,996Corporate tax expense889Cash net profit after tax2,107Full Year Ended 30 June 2009ConsumerRetailHome Loans Finance (1) DepositsDistributionTotal$M$M$M$M$MNet interest income1,1787792,381-4,338Other banking income1413466791731,339Total banking income1,3191,1253,0601735,677Operating expenses2,619Impairment expense331Net profit before tax2,727Corporate tax expense816Cash net profit after tax1,911Full Year Ended 30 June 2008ConsumerRetailHome Loans Finance (1) DepositsDistributionTotal$M$M$M$M$MNet interest income8565111,146-2,513Other banking income85265321108779Total banking income9417761,4671083,292Operating expenses1,430Impairment expense462Net profit before tax1,400Corporate tax expense412Cash net profit after tax988Half Year Ended 30 June 200930/06/0931/12/0830/06/08Jun 09 vsJun 09 vsMajor Balance Sheet Items $M$M$M Dec 08 % Jun 08 %Home loans (including securitisation)226,457200,460186,9421321Consumer finance (1)12,06411,73711,42836Total assets238,521212,197198,3701220Home loans (net of securitisation)217,855190,381175,2661424Transaction deposits20,33520,31518,267-11Savings deposits55,33450,00544,2611125Investments and other deposits60,81762,77855,388(3)10Deposits not bearing interest2,8582,8822,305(1)24Total liabilities139,344135,980120,221216As at 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Business and Private Banking 

Financial Performance and Business Review 

Business  and  Private  Banking  services  the  unique  financial 
needs of a range of business customers, from small business to 
medium  sized  corporate  and  agribusiness  sectors  through  a 
range  of  product  offerings  including  business  loans,  deposits, 
global markets products and asset finance facilities. In addition, 
private  banking  services  are  provided  to  high  net  worth 
individuals. The Equities and Margin Lending business offers a 
range of investment and cash products, including online broking 
services to retail and wholesale customers.  

Business  and  Private  Banking  achieved  a  cash  net  profit  after 
tax of $736 million, which represents a 2% increase on the prior 
year.  This  result  was  impacted  by  a  significant  increase  in 
impairment expense during the year. 

The operating performance of the business was strong with total 
banking  income  increasing  9%  on  the  prior  year,  driven  by 
strong business lending and deposit volumes particularly in the 
first half of the year and effective margin management. Profit in 
the second half of the year decreased 3% on the first half largely 
due to a higher impairment expense. 

The continued  focus  on improving customer service  levels  has 
been  reflected  in  the  June  2009  TNS  Business  Finance 
Monitor(1).  The  Group  is  now  closer  to  the  number  one  peer 
bank(2)  in  terms  of  business  customer  satisfaction  ratings,  with 
the gap contracting from 10.4%  at  June  2008 to  5.1%  at June 
2009. 

Other performance highlights during the year included: 

  The  launch  of  the  Group’s  Small  Business  Investment 
Package, announced in March 2009, including the Business 
Banking Support Line, a dedicated financial support service 
to  help  small  business  and  agribusiness  customers  during 
the challenging economic conditions; 

  The  introduction  of  eVolve,  a  new  product  which  provides 
small  business  customers  with  e-commerce  functionality 
including virtual shop-front and online payment facilities; 

  The  introduction  of  SuperGear,  a  solution  for  self  managed 

Super Funds wishing to invest in property; 

  Continued  development  of  our  industry-leading  transaction 
banking  capability  through  CommBiz  saw  the  integration  of 
trade finance, FX and money market trading products as well 
as Global Cash Management functionality onto the platform. 
The  CommBiz  client  base  grew  20%  in  the  year  and 
transaction numbers grew by 39%; and 

  Achievement  of  record  asset  finance  volumes  with  new 
business  market  share  increasing  7%  on  the  prior  year  to 
21%. 

Corporate Financial Services 

Corporate Financial Services income increased 11% on the prior 
year  to  $951  million.  There  has  been  significant  investment  in 
people, systems & processes to deliver better customer service, 
including the  opening  of  a further  three  new  Business Banking 
Centres  during  the  year.  The  continued  focus  on  assisting 
customers  during  more  challenging  times,  through  proactive 
contact and delivering solutions tailored to customer needs has 
led  to  improved  customer  satisfaction  scores  over  the  year. 
There  has  also  been  a  strong  focus  on  industry  specialisation 
and advisory services to niche industries, including accounting, 
legal, franchising and healthcare. 

Regional and Agribusiness Banking 

Regional  and  Agribusiness  Banking  income  has  increased  by 
10%  on  the  prior  year  to  $307  million.  This  result  has  been 
assisted  by  increased  volumes  from  interest  rate  hedging  and 

22     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

commodity  linked  products.  Regional  and  Agribusiness  has 
recently  expanded  to  include  some  regionally  based  Local 
Business Banking and Corporate Financial Services teams. This 
better  aligns  all  business  banking  staff  under  one  team  in 
regional  areas  and  provides  a  greater  focus  on  customer 
service.  

Local Business Banking 

Local Business Banking income increased by 15% on the prior 
year  to  $613  million.  The  business  continued  embedding  its 
distinctive  support  model,  including  a  personalised,  24  hour  7 
days a week support centre, and continued roll-out of Business 
Bankers  in  branches  –  over  80%  of  the  branch  network  is 
supported by a designated Business Banker. 

Private Bank 

Private Bank income increased by 14% on the prior year to $208 
million. This result has been driven by strong deposit and home 
lending  growth,  slightly  offset  by  declining  revenue  from  the 
advisory business due to the weakened market conditions.  

During  the  year  two  new  offices  were  opened  to  service  the 
needs  of  high  net  worth  customers.  The  continued  focus  on 
customer  satisfaction  has  seen 
the  Private  Bank  being 
recognised  in  the  Australian  Private  Banking  Council  Awards, 
winning  “Best  Private  Bank”  for  high  net  worth  customers  with 
investible assets of between $1m - $10m.  

Equities and Margin Lending 

Equities  and  Margin  Lending  income  decreased  by  3%  on  the 
prior  year  to  $403  million,  impacted  by  the  equity  market 
downturn  and  a  42%  decline  in  margin  lending  balances.  This 
has been partly offset by continued balance growth in the new 
integrated CommSec cash management products. 

CommSec’s position as market leader has been recognised by 
its winning major industry awards. It is the only online broker to 
be awarded a five star rating by CANSTAR CANNEX for both its 
online  share  trading,  and  margin  lending  products.  CommSec 
also won the AFR/Smart Investor Blue Ribbon Award for Online 
Broker of the Year - Fully Featured, and key awards from Money 
Magazine including “Best Innovative Product” for the CommSec 
Cash Management offering. CommSec continues to be a global 
innovator  in  mobile  technologies  by  winning  an  international 
Webby award for its iPhone application. 

the 

Integration  of 
IWL  business,  rebranded  Core  Equity 
Services, is progressing well, with the launch of the first phase of 
its new equities trading platform. 

Operating Expenses 

Operating  expenses  of  $1,272  million  increased  by  6%  on  the 
prior year. This result was driven by increased IT costs relating 
to  system  improvements  together  with  the  full  year  impact  of 
IWL Limited.  

Impairment Expense 

impact  of  the  deterioration 

Impairment  expense  increased  significantly  on  the  prior  year, 
in  the  domestic 
due  to  the 
environment on small to medium sized businesses. The growth 
in  impairment  expense  includes  higher  individual  provision 
charges  together  with some  adverse migration in credit  ratings 
across  the  portfolio  contributing  to  an  increase  in  collective 
provisions.  In  addition,  provision  has  been  made  for  losses 
arising from margin lending to clients of Storm Financial. 

(1) Measured all businesses with annual turnover to $100 million (excluding 

agribusinesses), 12 months rolling average. 

(2) Peer banks include NAB, ANZ, WBC and St George. 

 
 
Business and Private Banking continued 

(1) Other assets include intangible assets and Other non-interest bearing liabilities include bank acceptances. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     23 

CorporateRegional & LocalEquities &FinancialAgri-BusinessPrivateMarginServicesbusinessBankingBankLendingOtherTotal$M$M$M$M$M$M$MNet interest income590205389108177561,525Other banking income361102224100226671,080Total banking income9513076132084031232,605Operating expenses1,272Impairment expense309Net profit before tax1,024Corporate tax expense288Cash net profit after tax736Full Year Ended 30 June 2009CorporateRegional & LocalEquities &FinancialAgri-BusinessPrivateMarginServicesbusinessBankingBankLendingOtherTotal$M$M$M$M$M$M$MNet interest income48117428589158641,251Other banking income37510524993259531,134Total banking income8562795341824171172,385Operating expenses1,205Impairment expense167Net profit before tax1,013Corporate tax expense292Cash net profit after tax721Full Year Ended 30 June 2008CorporateRegional & LocalEquities &FinancialAgri-BusinessPrivateMarginServicesbusinessBankingBankLendingOtherTotal$M$M$M$M$M$M$MNet interest income298106200538535777Other banking income184531115110745551Total banking income482159311104192801,328Operating expenses645Impairment expense189Net profit before tax494Corporate tax expense131Cash net profit after tax363Half Year Ended 30 June 200930/06/0931/12/0830/06/08Jun 09 vsJun 09 vsMajor Balance Sheet Items $M$M$MDec 08 %Jun 08 %Interest earning lending assets (excluding margin loans)55,04253,66350,115310Bank acceptances of customers12,09911,59413,5134(10)Non-lending interest earning assets1,3111,15011514largeMargin loans4,5695,1927,815(12)(42)Other assets (1)1,7944162,047large(12)Total assets74,81572,01573,60542Transaction deposits39,37939,21739,763-(1)Savings deposits4,9824,3693,0881461Investment deposits30,24331,29226,215(3)15Certificates of deposits and other1721148451largeDue to other financial institutions2,101443935largelargeOther non-interest bearing liabilities (1)17,92217,41319,5923(9)Total liabilities94,79992,84889,67726As at 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Institutional Banking and Markets  

Financial Performance and Business Review 

Institutional Banking 

Operating  income  increased  31%  on  the  prior  year  to  $1,536 
million,  driven  primarily  by  effective  margin  management  and 
focusing  on  meeting  customers’  overall  financial  services 
requirements, which has contributed to lending balance growth 
of 4% whilst maintaining high asset quality. 

Markets 

Markets  income  increased  by  50%  on  the  prior  year  to  $866 
million, primarily driven by strong growth in customer demand for 
hedging and trading activities in foreign exchange, interest rate 
and commodity markets.  

This  result  was  achieved  by  actively  managing  the  portfolio 
whilst  continuing  to  adopt  a  disciplined  approach  to  risk 
management. 

Operating Expenses 

Operating expenses of $679 million increased 14% on the prior 
year. The increase was driven by depreciation charges relating 
to operating leases, higher staff costs, adverse foreign exchange 
effect  on  offshore  activities  and  investment  in  infrastructure  to 
support business growth. 

Impairment Expense 

Impairment expense increased significantly on the prior year to 
$1,708  million.  Impairment  expense  during  the  year  has  been 
impacted by the write off of listed notes issued by ABC Learning 
Ltd and higher individual and collective provisions taken to cover 
a  small  number  of  single  name  exposures.  In  addition,  the 
collective  provision  has  increased  in  response  to  a  number  of 
downgrades across the portfolio as a result of the deteriorating 
global economy. 

Impairment expense for the second half was lower than the first 
half.  This  was  largely  due  to  the  ABC  notes  write  off  and 
provisions  taken  to  cover  a  small  number  of  single  name 
exposures in the first half. 

Corporate Tax Expense 

The Corporate tax benefit for the year ended 30 June 2009 was 
$151  million.  This  was  largely  due  to  the  increased  domestic 
impairment  expense  which  resulted  in  a  higher  proportion  of 
lower 
profit  coming  from  offshore  jurisdictions  that  have 
corporate  tax  rates.  In  addition,  the  tax  expense  for  the  year 
benefitted from structured finance transactions, which are offset 
by an equivalent reduction in pre-tax operating income. 

Institutional  Banking  and  Markets  services  the  Group’s  major 
corporate, 
institutional  and  government  clients,  creating 
customised  solutions  based  on  specific  needs,  industry  trends 
and  market  conditions.  The  Total  Capital  Solutions  offering 
includes  debt  and  equity  capital 
risk 
management and transactional banking capabilities. Institutional 
Banking and Markets also has wholesale banking operations in 
London, Malta, New York, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong 
and Japan. 

financial 

raising, 

Customer  Satisfaction  continues  to  be  a  key  focus.  Several 
successful  customer  orientated  initiatives  implemented  in  the 
year ended 30 June 2009 were recognised in the bi-annual, April 
2009,  East  &  Partners’  Institutional  Banking  &  Markets  report. 
This  report  rated  Institutional  Banking  and  Markets  best  in  the 
market  for  the  third  year  running  under  the  categories  of 
“Understanding  Customers’  Business”  and  “Loyalty  to  the 
Relationship.”  The  division  also  ranked  ahead  of  its  domestic 
peers in the other key satisfaction categories of “Understanding 
Customers’  Industry  Sector”,  “Relationship  Management”  and 
“Quality of People.” 

Institutional Banking and Markets achieved cash net profit after 
tax  of  $166  million  for  the  year  ended  30  June  2009,  which 
represented a decrease of 78% on the prior year as a result of a 
significant increase in impairment expense during the year.  

The  underlying  performance  remains  strong  with  operating 
income up 37% to $2,402 million. This was a positive result in a 
challenging market and a reflection of: 

  The  ability 

to 

focus  on  meeting  customer’s  capital 
management requirements by offering a full range of capital 
solutions during uncertain times; 
Improved  net  interest  margins  across  the  loan  portfolio 
reflecting market and risk conditions; and 

  Targeted  lending  interest  earning  asset  growth,  achieved 
while  maintaining  credit  disciplines  to  ensure  high  asset 
quality levels are preserved. 

Institutional  Banking  and  Markets  continues  to  focus  on 
productivity  with  the  expense  to  income  ratio  improving  from 
34.1%  for  the  prior  year  to  28.3%  for  the  year  ended  30  June 
2009.  

The  cash  net  profit  after  tax  for  the  half  year  ended  30  June 
2009  was  $334  million,  up  significantly  on  the  prior  half.  The 
increase  reflects  the  impact  of  improved  margins  and  a  lower 
second  half  impairment  expense,  partly  offset  by  higher 
operating expenses. 

Asset  balances  declined  in  the  second  half  due  to  companies 
raising  equity  and  deleveraging  in  response  to  the  current 
market  environment, 
the 
together  with 
strengthening Australian dollar. 

impact  of 

the 

A  number  of  key  initiatives  were  implemented  or  approved 
during  the  year  to  further  strengthen  the  Institutional  Banking 
and Markets vision of being the leading provider of Total Capital 
Solutions. These include expansion of: 

  Global  distribution  capabilities  to  position  the  Group  as  the 

leader in fixed income markets; 

  Foreign  Exchange  capacity  through  investment  in  the 

product platform; and 
Institutional Equities division to meet the demand from major 
corporate clients seeking to raise equity capital, and to meet 
the needs of institutional investors. 

24     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

 
 
 
 
Institutional Banking and Markets continued 

(1) Other assets include intangible assets and derivative assets, and Other non-interest bearing liabilities include derivative liabilities. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     25 

Institutional BankingMarketsTotal$M$M$MNet interest income1,0204331,453Other banking income516433949Total banking income1,5368662,402Operating expenses679Impairment expense1,708Net profit before tax15Corporate tax expense(151)Cash net profit after tax166Full Year Ended 30 June 2009Institutional BankingMarketsTotal$M$M$MNet interest income846151997Other banking income330425755Total banking income1,1765761,752Operating expenses598Impairment expense259Net profit before tax895Corporate tax expense124Cash net profit after tax771Full Year Ended 30 June 2008Institutional BankingMarketsTotal$M$M$MNet interest income547216763Other banking income208269477Total banking income7554851,240Operating expenses366Impairment expense512Net profit before tax362Corporate tax expense28Cash net profit after tax334Half Year Ended 30 June 200930/06/0931/12/0830/06/08Jun 09 vsJun 09 vsMajor Balance Sheet Items$M$M$MDec 08 %Jun 08 %Interest earning lending assets67,21373,94263,612(9)6Bank acceptances of customers2,6293,1384,765(16)(45)Non-lending interest earning assets30,85827,52418,6951265Other assets (1)12,50023,42810,582(47)18Total assets113,200128,03297,654(12)16Certificate and other deposits12,72510,7026,5671994Investment deposits9,0086,8413,51332largeDue to other financial institutions11,62715,16915,724(23)(26)Liabilities at fair value through the Income Statement2,5982,4161,914836Debt issues11,37624,43725,438(53)(55)Loan Capital644720581(11)11Other non-interest bearing liabilities (1)33,86345,48922,824(26)48Total liabilities81,841105,77476,561(23)7As at 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Wealth Management 

Financial Performance and Business Review 

Underlying  profit  after  tax  decreased  35%  on  the  prior  year  to 
$514 million. 

The  Insurance  business  achieved  strong  volume  growth  over 
the year with total Inforce Premiums up 25% to $1.6 billion at 30 
June 2009.  

The  Funds  Management  businesses  were 
impacted  by 
sustained  pressure  on  investment  markets  and  while  down  on 
the  prior  year,  market  conditions  showed  improvements  in  the 
last  quarter.  Funds  under  Administration  as  at  30  June  2009 
decreased 9% on the prior year to $169 billion. 

Cash  net  profit  after  tax  for  the Wealth  Management  business 
was down 61% on the prior year to $286 million. This outcome 
was  adversely  impacted  by  significantly  lower  investment 
experience returns after tax, primarily due to unrealised mark to 
market losses from widening credit spreads on the valuation of 
assets  backing  the  Guaranteed  Annuities  portfolio,  and  the 
impairment of listed and unlisted investments. 

CFS Global Asset Management (CFS GAM) 

CFS  Global  Asset  Management  provides  asset  management 
services to wholesale and institutional investors. Underlying net 
profit after tax of $207 million was down 50% on the prior year, 
impacted by the overall decline in investment markets over the 
year and one off gains from the sell down of seed assets in the 
prior year. 

Funds under Management as at 30 June 2009 was $138 billion, 
down 10% on the prior year due to the decline in equity markets 
and the outflows of short-term cash mandates from institutional 
investors.  The  fall  in  Funds  under  Management  compares 
favourably  to  a  24%  decline  in  the  ASX  200  and  a  16% 
reduction  in  the  MSCI  World  (AUD)  indices  over  the  year 
reflecting  CFS  GAM’s  diversification  by  asset  class  and 
geography. 

Investment  performance  has  improved  relative  to  the  market 
with  76%  of funds outperforming benchmark over  a three  year 
period,  reflecting  the  success  of  CFS  GAM’s  research  based 
investment philosophy. 

Highlights include: 

  First State Investments has consistently ranked in the top 10 
for net flows in the UK reflecting the profile and performance 
of its suite of specialist funds;  

  The  property  management  business  continues  to  perform 
well  with  the  flagship  Listed  Property  Funds  outperforming 
the sector  and is  well  positioned in  a  challenging  economic 
environment; and 

  The Responsible Investment team issued its first report. This 
report outlines activities and progress towards implementing 
the United Nations Principles for Responsible Investment in 
the business. 

Cash net profit after tax was down 77% on the prior year to $93 
million.  This  result  was  adversely  impacted  by  impairment  of 
investments in listed vehicles and other assets. 

Colonial First State  

Colonial First State provides product packaging, administration, 
distribution and advice to retail customers. Cash net profit after 
tax was down 54% on the prior year to $94 million. 

Net operating income was down 21% on the prior year to $544 
million  due  to  lower  Funds  under  Administration  as  a  result  of 
the decline in investment markets. 

The FirstChoice platform performed well in a tough market with 
positive  net  flows  of  $2.2  billion  for  the  year  ended  30  June 

26     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

2009.  FirstChoice  retained  the  number  two  Flagship  platform 
position with a market share of 9.9%.  

Highlights include: 

  Colonial  First  State  won  the  coveted  awards  of  Best  Fund 
Manager  and  Best  Master  Trust/Wrap  Provider 
for 
FirstChoice in the 2009 Wealth Insights Service Level Survey 
Reports for the second consecutive year; 

  Custom  Solutions  (previously  Avanteos)  awarded  best  full-
service  platform  in  the  Investment  Trends  2008  Platform 
report for the third consecutive year; and 

  Continued development of the FirstChoice platform including 
the  addition  of  cash  deposit  products  (FirstRate  Saver, 
FirstRate  Term  Deposits)  plus  new  investment  options  and 
service enhancements. 

CommInsure 

CommInsure  is  a  provider  of  life  and  general  insurance. 
Underlying  profit  after  tax,  which  excludes  unrealised  annuity 
impacts, increased 24% on the prior year to $309 million. 

The  life  insurance  business  attracted  strong  new  business 
volumes in both retail and wholesale lines driving 17% growth in 
inforce premiums to $1,132 million at 30 June 2009.  

The general insurance business also experienced strong growth 
with Inforce Premiums up 29% to $360 million at 30 June 2009 
driven  by  new  business  volumes  in  the  motor  portfolio  and 
growth in average premiums across all lines of business. 

Highlights include: 

  Received  the  Investment  Bonds,  and  Insurance  Investment 
Bonds  Awards,  in  addition  to  the  Lifetime  Annuities  and 
Trauma  Insurance  Awards  in  the  2009  Association  of 
Financial Advisers/Plan for Life awards; and 

  Granted a coveted five-star rating from CANSTAR CANNEX 

on home insurance products.  

Cash net profit after tax was down 16% on the prior year to $177 
million.  This  outcome  was  adversely  impacted  by  unrealised 
mark  to  market  losses  of  $117  million  after  tax  on  the 
Guaranteed Annuities portfolio. Actual losses are expected to be 
much lower as the underlying assets in the portfolio mature and 
tentative  signs  of  recovery  are  emerging  with  some  first  half 
losses starting to unwind. 

St Andrew’s Australia Pty Ltd  

St  Andrew’s  Australia  Pty  Ltd,  acquired  by  the  Group  on  19 
December  2008,  is  a  domestic  provider  of  life  and  general 
insurance  and  wealth  management  products.  Cash  net  profit 
after tax of $3 million has been included in the “Other” segment 
and relates to the six months to 30 June 2009. 

As at 30 June 2009, St Andrew’s Funds under Administration of 
$823  million  has  been  included  in  the  categories  of  Legacy 
products  ($164  million)  and  Cash  Management  ($659  million). 
Inforce  Premiums  of  $68  million,  which  are  classified  as  life 
insurance products, have been included as a separate category. 

Operating Expenses 

Total  operating  expenses  (excluding  St  Andrew’s)  of  $1,156 
million  decreased  4%  on  the  prior  year.  Expenses  have  been 
managed in line with current market conditions while maintaining 
strategic investment spend.  

Drivers of the expense reductions on the prior year are: 

  Cost  management  initiatives  across  Wealth  Management; 

and 

  Reduced  employee  incentives,  commensurate  with  lower 

profits. 

 
Wealth Management continued 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     27 

ColonialCFS GAMFirst StateCommInsureOtherTotal$M$M$M$M$MFunds management income77369625881,735Insurance income--61521636Total operating income773696873292,371Volume expenses1341521838477Net operating income639544690211,894Operating expenses3534082671471,175Net profit before tax286136423(126)719Corporate tax expense7941114(29)205Underlying profit after tax20795309(97)514Investment experience after tax(114)(1)(132)19(228)Cash net profit after tax9394177(78)286Full Year Ended 30 June 2009ColonialCFS GAMFirst StateCommInsureOtherTotal$M$M$M$M$MFunds management income1,06888427922,233Insurance income--557-557Total operating income1,06888483622,790Volume expenses153192163-508Net operating income91569267322,282Operating expenses369416321971,203Net profit before tax546276352(95)1,079Corporate tax expense13684103(33)290Underlying profit after tax410192249(62)789Investment experience after tax314(38)(31)(52)Cash net profit after tax413206211(93)737Full Year Ended 30 June 2008ColonialCFS GAMFirst StateCommInsureOtherTotal$M$M$M$M$MFunds management income3313291009769Insurance income--30821329Total operating income331329408301,098Volume expenses6072948234Net operating income27125731422864Operating expenses17320013686595Net profit before tax9857178(64)269Corporate tax expense311750(15)83Underlying profit after tax6740128(49)186Investment experience after tax(62)(6)(12)5(75)Cash net profit after tax534116(44)111Half Year Ended 30 June 2009 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Wealth Management continued 

(1) FUM does not include the Group’s interests in the China Joint Venture, AWG plc or ENW Limited. 

(2) This asset class includes direct wholesale and listed property trusts as well as indirect listed property securities funds which are traded through the ASX. 

(3) Inforce premiums relate to risk business. Savings products are disclosed within Funds Management. 

(4) Other movements for the current year represent balances from the acquisition of St Andrew’s. Prior year represent renewals not previously included in comparatives. 

28     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

30/06/0930/06/08Jun 09 vs30/06/0931/12/08Jun 09 vsSummary$M$MJun 08 %$M$MDec 08 %Funds under administration - average167,677186,696(10)160,974173,001(7)Funds under administration - spot169,210184,970(9)169,210158,0267Funds under management - average136,604152,328(10)130,818141,247(7)Funds under management - spot138,204152,940(10)138,204128,5947Retail Net funds flows (Australian Retail)(1,364)1,888large(349)(1,015)66Full Year EndedHalf Year Ended30/06/0930/06/08Jun 09 vs30/06/0931/12/08Jun 09 vsFunds Under Management (FUM) (1)$M$MJun 08 %$M$MDec 08 %Australian equities17,74123,502(25)17,74116,7256Global equities35,70535,589-35,70529,67920Cash and fixed interest61,39566,729(8)61,39556,8138Property and Infrastructure (2)23,36327,120(14)23,36325,377(8)Total138,204152,940(10)138,204128,5947Full Year EndedHalf Year Ended30/06/0930/06/08Jun 09 vs30/06/0931/12/08June 09 vsSources of Profit from CommInsure$M$MJun 08 %$M$MDec 08 %Life insurance operating marginsPlanned profit margins14914537475(1)Experience variations141217410(60)Funds management operating margins156117335898(41)General insurance operating margins(10)(25)60(8)(2)largeOperating margins30924924128181(29)Investment experience after tax(132)(38)large(12)(120)90Cash net profit after tax177211(16)1166190Full Year EndedHalf Year EndedOpeningClosingBalanceSales/NewOther (4)Balance30/06/08 BusinessLapses Movements30/06/09Annual Inforce Premiums (3)$M$M$M$M$MRetail life605205(113)-697Wholesale life366103(34)-435General insurance279136(55)-360St Andrew's-7(7)6868Total1,250451(209)681,560Full Year Ended 30 June 2009OpeningClosingBalanceSales/NewOther (4)Balance30/06/07 BusinessLapses Movements30/06/08Annual Inforce Premiums (3)$M$M$M$M$MRetail life530156(81)-605Wholesale life30891(33)-366General insurance184113(39)21279St Andrew's-----Total1,022360(153)211,250Full Year Ended 30 June 2008OpeningClosingBalanceSales/NewOther (4)Balance31/12/08 BusinessLapses Movements30/06/09Annual Inforce Premiums (3)$M$M$M$M$MRetail life651108(62)-697Wholesale life40345(13)-435General insurance32464(28)-360St Andrew's-7(7)6868Total1,378224(110)681,560Half Year Ended 30 June 2009 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Wealth Management continued 

(1) Avanteos has been rebranded Custom Solutions, which includes the FirstWrap product. 

(2) St Andrew’s FUA balances have been included as at 30 June 2009. This includes $164 million in legacy products and $659 million in cash management.  

(3) Includes stand alone retail and legacy retail products. 

(4) Retail products align to Plan for Life market release. 

(5) Includes listed equity trusts and regular premium plans. These retail products are not reported in market share data.  

(6) Includes life company assets sourced from retail investors but not attributable to a funds management product. 

(7) Includes foreign exchange gains and losses from translation of internationally sourced business. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     29 

OpeningInvestmentClosingBalanceIncome &Balance30/06/08InflowsOutflowsNet FlowsOther (7)30/06/09Funds Under Adminstration$M$M$M$M$M$MFirstChoice38,70710,862(8,617)2,245(4,997)35,955Custom Solutions (1)6,2572,176(2,165)11(927)5,341Cash management (2)2,5762,121(2,545)(424)7072,859Legacy products (2) (3)27,5001,666(4,708)(3,042)(2,367)22,091Retail products (4)75,04016,825(18,035)(1,210)(7,584)66,246Other retail (5)1,36654(208)(154)(58)1,154Australian retail76,40616,879(18,243)(1,364)(7,642)67,400Wholesale52,37621,457(27,089)(5,632)(1,652)45,092Property20,2101,281(2,336)(1,055)(433)18,722Other (6)3,248508(165)343(355)3,236Domestically sourced152,24040,125(47,833)(7,708)(10,082)134,450Internationally sourced32,7309,589(8,728)8611,16934,760Total Wealth Management184,97049,714(56,561)(6,847)(8,913)169,210Full Year Ended 30 June 2009OpeningInvestmentClosingBalanceIncome &Balance30/06/07InflowsOutflowsNet FlowsOther (7)30/06/08Funds Under Adminstration$M$M$M$M$M$MFirstChoice39,54517,537(12,610)4,927(5,765)38,707Custom Solutions (1)5,8752,365(1,079)1,286(904)6,257Cash management3,1301,767(2,411)(644)902,576Legacy products (3)34,0612,477(6,110)(3,633)(2,928)27,500Retail products (4)82,61124,146(22,210)1,936(9,507)75,040Other retail (5)1,577209(257)(48)(163)1,366Australian retail84,18824,355(22,467)1,888(9,670)76,406Wholesale34,46937,097(17,470)19,627(1,720)52,376Property14,8433,481(1,713)1,7683,59920,210Other (6)3,635159(267)(108)(279)3,248Domestically sourced137,13565,092(41,917)23,175(8,070)152,240Internationally sourced31,67517,481(12,042)5,439(4,384)32,730Total Wealth Management168,81082,573(53,959)28,614(12,454)184,970Full Year Ended 30 June 2008OpeningInvestmentClosingBalanceIncome &Balance31/12/08InflowsOutflowsNet FlowsOther (7)30/06/09Funds Under Adminstration$M$M$M$M$M$MFirstChoice33,1725,314(3,812)1,5021,28135,955Custom Solutions (1)5,727945(1,601)(656)2705,341Cash management (2)2,2991,367(1,431)(64)6242,859Legacy products (2) (3)22,525805(1,844)(1,039)60522,091Retail products (4)63,7238,431(8,688)(257)2,78066,246Other retail (5)1,25225(117)(92)(6)1,154Australian retail64,9758,456(8,805)(349)2,77467,400Wholesale39,66315,344(10,351)4,99343645,092Property20,442564(1,405)(841)(879)18,722Other (6)3,30849(83)(34)(38)3,236Domestically sourced128,38824,413(20,644)3,7692,293134,450Internationally sourced29,6385,842(3,986)1,8563,26634,760Total Wealth Management158,02630,255(24,630)5,6255,559169,210Half Year Ended 30 June 2009 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
International Financial Services  

Financial Performance and Business Review 

Sovereign Insurance 

International  Financial  Services 
the  Group’s 
banking  operations  in  New  Zealand,  Indonesia,  China,  Fiji, 
Japan,  India  and  Vietnam.  It  also  includes  life  insurance  and 
funds distribution activities in several of these countries. 

incorporates 

Cash  net  profit  after  tax  for  the  year  was  $470  million,  a 
decrease of 19% on the prior year. After removing the impact of 
currency fluctuations, the decrease was 13% on the prior year. 
The 
increased 
result  was  due  predominantly 
impairment  expense  in  ASB  Bank  which  increased  by  $159 
million to $193 million for the year. 

lower 

to 

life 

The 
predominantly under the Sovereign brand. 

insurance  operations 

in  New  Zealand  operate 

Sovereign’s  cash  net  profit  after  tax  for  the  year  was  $97 
million(1),  a  slight  increase  on  the  prior  year.  The  NZD  result 
increased  by  11%  on  the  prior  year.  The  main  drivers  of  this 
result were: 

  Market leading new business sales with Sovereign capturing 
30.9% of new business sales market share to 30 June 2009 
on a rolling 12 month basis; 

  Growth  in  risk  and  health  inforce  premiums  of  10%  on  the 

ASB Bank 

prior year; 

  Positive  claims  experience  in  the lump sum  disability  class; 

and 

  Lower persistency levels. 

Sovereign pre-tax income in the current year has been impacted 
by  a  change  in  accounting  treatment,  which  results  in  the 
recognition  of  a  $10  million  tax  benefit  under  current  New 
Zealand  tax  legislation  within  tax  expense,  offset  by  an 
equivalent reduction in Sovereign pre-tax income. 

Other Asia Pacific Business 

Focus on the Asia Pacific region has continued during the year. 
Significant developments in the region were: 

Indonesia:  PT  Bank  Commonwealth  established  an 
additional seven branches during the year and consolidated 
two,  bringing  the  total  number  of  branches  to  57  as  at  30 
June 2009. 

  Vietnam: The Group’s first branch in Vietnam was opened in 

August 2008 in Ho Chi Minh city; 

  China:  The  shareholding  in  Qilu  Bank  (formerly  Jinan  City 
Commercial Bank) was increased to 20% in December 2008 
from 11% at June 2008. The banking investments in China 
achieved strong profit growth during the year; 
India:  In  October  2008  the  Group  was  granted  a  licence  to 
open a branch in Mumbai; and  

  Fiji: Net interest margin improved over the year, whilst there 

was limited deterioration in arrears. 

Other  net  profit  after  tax  decreased  on  the  prior  year  due  to 
lower  investment  experience  returns  and  a  higher  effective  tax 
rate. 

Operating Expenses 

Operating  expenses  increased  by  2%  over  the  prior  year  to 
$843 million. The main drivers of the expense increase were: 

  Expanding  the  Group’s  presence  in  Asia,  including  branch 
openings  in  PT  Bank  Commonwealth  in  Indonesia,  the 
branch  opening  in  Vietnam  and  preparations  for  new 
branches in Shanghai and Mumbai; 

  Depreciation  of 

the  Australian  dollar  against  Asian 
currencies, offset by an appreciation against the NZD, partly 
offset by; 

  Cost saving initiatives in ASB Bank. 

(1) Represents Group Management view for the product segment rather than 

statutory view. 

ASB  Bank  cash  net  profit  after  tax  for  the  year  was  $332 
million(1). Excluding the impact of realised gains on the hedge of 
New  Zealand  operations  and  currency  fluctuations,  profit 
reduced by 9% on the prior year. The result reflects the impacts 
of  the  downturn  in  the  New  Zealand  economy  which  entered 
recession in early 2008. Balance sheet growth slowed, margins 
contracted due to higher funding costs and impairment expense 
increased  sharply.  Despite  these  challenging  conditions,  ASB 
Bank was able to grow revenue, mainly through a strong trading 
result.  Expenses  reduced  from  $542  million  to  $520  million  as 
cost  saving  initiatives  were  implemented  to  offset  the  slowing 
revenue momentum. Key drivers of the result were: 

  Home loan balances increased by 4% to NZD38 billion at 30 
June 2009, with market share increasing to 23.3%. Business 
lending  market  share  was  stable  at  8.8%,  following  4% 
growth in balances to NZD7 billion over the prior year. Retail 
deposits  grew  by  8%  to  NZD30  billion  at  30  June  2009. 
Market share for retail deposits was 21.2%; 

  Trading  income  was  strong,  principally  due  to  Treasury 
income  derived  through  the  management  of  short  dated 
interest rate and foreign exchange risk exposures; 

  Other banking income was impacted by the recovery of costs 
associated  with  customers  exiting  fixed  rate  mortgages  as 
interest rates dropped sharply. Part of the cost of unwinding 
swap  positions  associated  with  these  fixed  rate  loans  was 
included  in  net  interest  income  during  the  year,  with  the 
remainder to unwind over the next three years; 

  Net interest margin declined by 23 basis points on the prior 
year  due  to  higher  wholesale  funding  costs  and  intense 
competition for retail deposits; 
In October 2008, the New Zealand government introduced a 
guarantee  scheme 
financial 
institutions.  ASB  Bank  has  opted  into  the  scheme  that 
includes payment of a fee to the New Zealand government, 
the cost of which is recorded in net interest income;  

retail  depositors  of 

for 

  Lower operating expenses which reduced from $542 million 

to $520 million as a result of cost saving initiatives; and 

  Higher  impairment  expense  of  $193  million  was  driven  by 
increased specific corporate provisions and higher collective 
provisions  as  a  result  of  a  general  deterioration  in  loan 
arrears. Past due and impaired assets have increased from 
historic lows across all asset classes. 

ASB Bank cash net profit after tax declined in the second half of 
the year largely due to an increase in impairment expense and 
slowing revenue growth. 

30     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
International Financial Services continued  

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     31 

ASBSovereignOtherTotal$M$M$M$MNet interest income737-111848Other banking income418-88506Total banking income1,155-1991,354Funds management income53-(4)49Insurance income-21942261Total operating income1,2082192371,664Operating expenses520164159843Impairment expense193-9202Net profit before tax4955569619Corporate tax expense163(24)10149Minority interests--33Underlying profit after tax3327956467Investment experience after tax-18(15)3Cash net profit after tax3329741470Full Year Ended 30 June 2009ASBSovereignOtherTotal$M$M$M$MNet interest income784-120904Other banking income317-66383Total banking income1,101-1861,287Funds management income57-(9)48Insurance income-21537252Total operating income1,1582152141,587Operating expenses542150132824Impairment expense34-943Net profit before tax5826573720Corporate tax expense176(6)(7)163Minority interests--22Underlying profit after tax4067178555Investment experience after tax-25126Cash net profit after tax4069679581Full Year Ended 30 June 2008ASBSovereignOtherTotal$M$M$M$MNet interest income361-56417Other banking income206-53259Total banking income567-109676Funds management income25-(2)23Insurance income-12319142Total operating income592123126841Operating expenses2378083400Impairment expense136-6142Net profit before tax2194337299Corporate tax expense93(6)1299Minority interests--22Underlying profit after tax1264923198Investment experience after tax--(6)(6)Cash net profit after tax1264917192Half Year Ended 30 June 2009 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
International Financial Services continued  

(1) Excludes deposits held in other overseas countries (30 June 2009: $18 billion, 31 December 2008: $14 billion and 30 June 2008: $7 billion). 

32     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

30/06/0931/12/0830/06/08Jun 09 vsJun 09 vsMajor Balance Sheet Items$M$M$M Dec 08 % Jun 08 %Home lending (including securitisation)30,08230,78128,347(2)6Assets at fair value through Income Statement5,9775,7555,186415Other lending assets13,92114,37912,328(3)13Non-lending interest earning assets2,1422,5371,654(16)30Other assets5,1196,7784,119(24)24Total assets57,24160,23051,634(5)11Deposits (1)26,16727,71122,810(6)15Liabilities at fair value through Income Statement13,30312,72212,59256Debt issues3,0153,9443,556(24)(15)Other liabilities6,3746,8393,792(7)68Total liabilities48,85951,21642,750(5)14Balance SheetAssetsASB Bank52,42954,78646,958(4)12Other4,8125,4444,676(12)3Total assets57,24160,23051,634(5)11LiabilitiesASB Bank45,28447,06939,231(4)15Other3,5754,1473,519(14)2Total liabilities48,85951,21642,750(5)14As atSources of Profit from Insurance30/06/0930/06/08Jun 09 vs30/06/0931/12/08Jun 09 vsActivities$M$MJun 08 %$M$MDec 08 %The Margin on Services profit from ordinaryactivities after income tax is represented by:Planned profit margins7276(5)3636-Experience variations191173181largeOperating margins91875543746Investment experience after tax1941(54)-19largeCash net profit after tax110128(14)5456(4)Full Year EndedHalf Year EndedNew Zealand - Funds Under 30/06/0930/06/08Jun 09 vs30/06/0931/12/08Jun 09 vsAdministration$M$MJun 08 %$M$MDec 08 %Opening balance6,3358,261(23)6,2456,335(1)Inflows1,7342,382(27)6581,076(39)Outflows(1,536)(2,905)(47)(557)(979)(43)Net Flows198(523)large101974Investment income & other(409)(1,403)(71)(222)(187)19Closing balance6,1246,335(3)6,1246,245(2)Full Year EndedHalf Year EndedNew Zealand - Annual Inforce30/06/0930/06/08Jun 09 vs30/06/0931/12/08Jun 09 vsPremiums$M$MJun 08 %$M$MDec 08 %Opening balance371379(2)41637112Sales/New business575462532(22)Lapses(19)(14)36(10)(9)11Other movements6(48)large(16)22largeClosing balance41537112415416-Full Year EndedHalf Year Ended 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Financial Performance and Business Review 

The  Group  acquired  100%  of  the  share  capital  of  Bank  of 
Western  Australia  Ltd  (“Bankwest”)  on  19  December  2008, 
providing the opportunity to expand the Group’s business in the 
Western Australian and East Coast markets. 

Bankwest  operates  in  the  domestic  market  and  is  focused  on 
providing  a  comprehensive  range  of  products  to  the  business 
banking and retail segments.  

Since  acquisition,  Bankwest  has  continued  to  expand  its 
customer  base  and  as  at  30  June  2009  provided  services  to 
more than 960,000 retail customers and 26,000 business clients 
through its extensive network of 135 retail branches, 78 Business 
Banking  Centres,  direct  and  third  party  distribution  channels, 
agencies and electronic, telephone and internet banking facilities. 

Bankwest  is  a  market  leader  in  Western  Australia,  having  a 
banking  relationship  with  more  than  a  quarter  of  Western 
Australians.  Outside  Western  Australia,  Bankwest  has 
established  itself  on  the  East  Coast  as  a  challenger  brand  in 
Australia. 

Achievements during the period include: 

  Gold  award  winner  for  six  products  in  Money  Magazine’s 
2009  Best  of  the  Best  Awards  and  the  winner  of  their  2009 
Money Minder of the year award; and 

  Four retail deposit and three credit card products received a 

five star rating from CANSTAR CANNEX. 

Retail 

Retail operating income during the half year benefited from solid 
home loan volume growth. Home lending balances of $35 billion 
have  increased  by  4%  over  the  half,  driven  by  the  East  Coast 

Bankwest 

expansion,  first  home  buyers  grant  stimulus  and  successful 
customer acquisition campaigns. 

Lending  margins  have  improved  following  repricing  initiatives 
implemented  to  partly  offset  increased  funding  costs  and  credit 
risk as arrears deteriorate.  

Deposit margins have improved over the half, benefiting from 
effective  margin  management  and  the  run  off  of  low  margin 
term  deposits.  Deposit  balances  have  been 
favourably 
impacted  by  the  launch  of  innovative  new  products  such  as 
Smart eSaver. 

Business 

Business operating income during the half was strong, supported 
by  solid  asset  growth  and  favourable  margins  from  improved 
lending pricing strategies. 

Business advances and business deposits increased 6% and 5% 
respectively during the half to 30 June 2009. 

Operating Expenses 

Operating  expenses  for  the  half  to  30  June  2009  were  $483 
million.  The  implementation  of  cost  management  initiatives  and 
integration  strategies  has  resulted 
in 
productivity over the half. The expense to income ratio as at 30 
June 2009 was 63.6%. 

improvement 

in  an 

Impairment Expense 

Impairment expense for the half year to 30 June 2009 was $113 
million.  To  strengthen  asset  quality,  credit  risk  management 
disciplines  and 
lending  practices  have  been 
implemented. 

improved 

(1) Assets at fair value through income statement previously held to meet liquid asset ratio requirements have been sold during the half and placed on deposit with Group 

Treasury. The deposit is included in other assets. 

(2) Includes amounts due to group companies of $19.1 billion at June 2009 ($13.6 billion at December 2008). 

(3) Deposits held with RBA in relation to Series 2008 securitisation funding repaid in January 2009. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     33 

Half Year Ended30/06/09$MNet interest income591Other banking income168Total banking income759Operating expenses483Impairment expense113Net profit before tax163Corporate tax expense50Cash net profit after tax11330/06/0931/12/08Jun 09 vsMajor Balance Sheet Items$M$M Dec 08 %Home lending (including securitisation)35,04833,6854Other lending assets26,36625,0095Assets at fair value through income statement (1)485,776largeOther assets (1)6,8651,726largeTotal assets68,32766,1963Transaction deposits4,3214,1364Savings deposits10,9489,64913Investment deposits20,55820,2561Certificates of deposits and other (2)21,57216,34232Debt issues4,9035,221(6)Due to other financial institutions (3)274,587largeOther liabilities2,0592,324(11)Total liabilities64,38862,5153As at 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Other 

(1) Excludes the impact of the reclassification of net swap costs from Net interest income to Other banking income related to certain economic hedges which do not qualify 

for AIFRS hedge accounting (June 2009: $275 million; June 2008: $265 million; half year to 30 June 2009: $128 million). 

Corporate  Centre  includes  the  results  of  unallocated  Group 
support  functions  such  as  Investor  Relations,  Group  Strategy, 
Secretariat and Treasury. Cash net profit after tax increased by 
$510 million on the prior year, following higher Treasury income 
derived through the management of short dated interest rate risk 
exposures,  early  repayment  fees  received  from  customers 
exiting  fixed  rate  loans  (the  associated  swap  unwind  costs  will 
be  borne  over  the  next  three  years)  and  the  passing  on  of 

34     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

additional funding costs absorbed by Treasury in the first half of 
the prior year to the revenue generating businesses. 

Eliminations/Unallocated includes intra-group elimination entries 
arising  on  consolidation,  centrally  raised  provisions  and  other 
unallocated revenue and expenses.  

CorporateEliminations/ Centre UnallocatedTotal$M$M$MNet interest income (1)710(141)569Other banking income (1)230(33)197Total banking income940(174)766Funds management income-2929Insurance income-1313Total operating income940(132)808Operating expenses55-55Impairment expense-1717Net profit before tax885(149)736Corporate tax expense237(36)201Minority interests-2727Underlying profit after tax648(140)508Investment experience after tax-2929Cash net profit after tax648(111)537Full Year Ended 30 June 2009CorporateEliminations/  CentreUnallocatedTotal$M$M$MNet interest income (1)288(136)152Other banking income (1)(12)(22)(34)Total banking income276(158)118Funds management income-2626Insurance income-2323Total operating income276(109)167Operating expenses64-64Impairment expense-130130Net profit before tax212(239)(27)Corporate tax expense74(129)(55)Minority interests-2929Underlying profit after tax138(139)(1)Investment experience after tax-1313Cash net profit after tax138(126)12Full Year Ended 30 June 2008CorporateEliminations/  CentreUnallocatedTotal$M$M$MNet interest income (1)461(7)454Other banking income (1)127(93)34Total banking income588(100)488Funds management income-1616Insurance income-77Total operating income588(77)511Operating expenses61-61Impairment expense-2323Net profit before tax527(100)427Corporate tax expense153(22)131Minority interests-1212Underlying profit after tax374(90)284Investment experience after tax-1717Cash net profit after tax374(73)301Half Year Ended 30 June 2009 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Investment Experience 

(1) Investment experience of ($267) million before tax was impacted by unrealised mark to market losses from widening credit spreads on the valuation of assets backing 

the guaranteed annuities portfolio of ($166) million and the impairment of listed and unlisted investments. 

(1) Includes Shareholders’ funds in the CFS Global Asset Management, Colonial First State, CommInsure and St Andrew’s businesses. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     35 

30/06/0930/06/08Jun 09 vs 30/06/0931/12/08Jun 09 vsInvestment Experience$M$M Jun 08 %$M$M Dec 08 %Wealth Management(317)(74)large(95)(222)57International Financial Services825(68)(8)16largeEliminations4232311923(17)Investment experience before tax (1)(267)(17)large(84)(183)54Corporate tax expense(71)(4)large(20)(51)(61)Investment experience after tax(196)(13)large(64)(132)52Full Year EndedHalf Year EndedAustralia (1)New ZealandAsia TotalShareholder Investment Asset Mix (%)%%%%Local equities1---International equities-110-Property14-3012Sub-total1514012Fixed interest31555838Cash5444250Sub-total85996088Total100100100100As at 30 June 2009Australia (1)New ZealandAsia TotalShareholder Investment Asset Mix ($M)$M$M$M$MLocal equities101-11International equities-1910Property253-24277Sub-total263233298Fixed interest57329147911Cash96923411,204Sub-total1,542525482,115Total1,805527812,413As at 30 June 2009 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Presentation of Financial Information 

"Underlying net profit after tax" refers to net profit after tax, “cash 
basis”, before investment experience. "Underlying net profit after 
tax" is referred to across all businesses. The underlying profit is 
the result of core operating performance. Management believes 
it is meaningful to highlight the underlying profit in order to show 
performance on a comparable basis, in particular excluding the 
volatility of equity markets. 

"Underlying" productivity ratios: 

  Exclude Investment experience from funds management and 

life insurance income;  

  Exclude policyholder tax from the funds management income 

and life insurance income lines; and 

  Exclude  the  impacts  of  transition  to  AIFRS  on  unwinding 

structured transactions. 

"Underlying" productivity ratios have been presented to provide 
what management believes to be a more relevant presentation 
of  productivity 
these 
adjustments enable comparison of productivity ratios from period 
to period to be more meaningful as it reflects the Group’s core 
operating performance. 

ratios.  Management  believes 

that 

Definitions 

In this Annual Report, the Group presents its profit from ordinary 
activities  after  tax  on  a  “statutory  basis”,  which  is  calculated  in 
accordance with Australian equivalents to International Financial 
Reporting Standards (“AIFRS”).  

integration  expenses,  merger 

The  Group  also  presents  its  results  on  a  “cash  basis”.  "Cash 
basis"  is  defined  by  management  as  net  profit  after  tax  and 
minority  interests,  before  the  gain  on  acquisition  of  controlled 
entities,  Bankwest 
related 
amortisation,  the  gain  on  the  Visa  Initial  Public  Offering, 
provisions  for  investment  and  restructuring,  defined  benefit 
superannuation plan income/expense, treasury shares valuation 
adjustment, unrealised gains and losses related to hedging and 
AIFRS  volatility  and  other  one-off  expenses.  Management 
believes  "cash  basis"  is  a  meaningful  measure  of  the  Group’s 
performance  and  it  provides  the  basis  for  the  determination  of 
the Bank’s dividends.  

The Group  also  presents its Earnings  per share  on  a  statutory 
basis  and  on  a  cash  basis.  Earnings  per  share  on  a  statutory 
basis  is  affected  by  the  impact  of  the  gain  on  acquisition  of 
controlled  entities,  Bankwest  integration  expenses,  merger 
related amortisation, the gain on the Visa Initial Public Offering, 
provisions  for  investment  and  restructuring,  defined  benefit 
superannuation  plan  income/expense,  changes  in  the  treasury 
shares  valuation  adjustment,  unrealised  gains  and  losses 
related  to  hedging  and  AIFRS  volatility  and  other  one-off 
expenses.  "Earnings  per  share  (cash  basis)"  is  defined  by 
management  as  “cash  basis”  net  profit  after  tax  as  described 
above, divided by the weighted average of the Bank’s  ordinary 
shares outstanding over the relevant period. 

36     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

 
 
Risk Governance 

Risk  Management  governance  originates  at  Board  level,  and 
cascades through to the CEO and businesses via Group policies 
and delegated authorities and regular reviews of outcomes. This 
ensures  Board  level  oversight  and  is  based  on  a  clear 
segregation  of  duties  between  those  who  originate  and  those 
who  approve  risk  exposures.  Independent  review  of  the  risk 
management framework is carried out by Group Audit. 

The Board and its Risk Committee operate under the direction of 
their respective charters. The Board Charter stipulates amongst 
other things that: 

The Board is responsible for “overseeing the establishment 
of  systems  of  risk  management  by  approving  accounting 
policies,  financial  statements  and  reports,  credit  policies 
and  standards,  risk management  policies  and  procedures 
and  operational  risk  policies  and  systems  of  internal 
controls”; and 
The  CEO  is  responsible  for  “implementing  a  system, 
including  a  system  of  internal  controls  and  audits,  to 
identify and manage risks that are material to the business 
of the Group”. 

The  Risk  Committee  of  the  Board  oversees  credit,  market 
(including traded, interest rate risk in the banking book (IRRBB), 
lease  residual  values,  non-traded  equity  and  structural  foreign 
exchange  risks),  liquidity  and  funding,  operational,  regulatory 
and  compliance  and  insurance  risks  assumed  by the  Group  in 
the course of carrying on its business. Strategic and reputational 
risks are governed by the full Board with input from the various 
Board sub-committees. Tax and accounting risks are governed 
by the Audit Committee. 

A  primary  action  of  the  Risk  Committee  is  to  construct  the 
Group’s Risk Appetite for consideration by the Board in its role of 
oversight of the Internal Capital Adequacy Assessment Process, 
which is updated on at least an annual basis. 

The  Committee 
recommending 
framework consistent with the agreed risk appetite. 

responsible 
for  Board  approval  a 

is  also 

for  agreeing  and 
risk  management 

Further  information  of  the  role  and  function  of  the  Risk 
Committee is discussed in the Corporate Governance section of 
this report. 

Risk Management Organisation 

The  Group  has  in  place  an  integrated  risk  management 
framework to identify, assess, manage and report risks and risk 
adjusted returns on a consistent and reliable basis. 

Accountability  for  risk  management  is  structured  by  a,  “Three 
Layers of Assurance” model as follows: 

Layer  1:  Business  Managers  –  owners  of  the  risks  within 
their businesses; 

Layer 2: Risk Management and Compliance – independent 
review and oversight of risks and their management; and 

Layer  3:  Group  Audit  -  review  the  risk  management 
framework and internal controls. 

This framework requires each business to manage the outcome 
of  its  risk-taking  activities  and  benefit  from  the  resulting  risk 
adjusted  returns.  Risk  management  professionals  deployed  in 
each Business Unit measure risks and provide advice on what 
risks might be taken for better returns. These risk professionals 
report to the Group Chief Risk Officer, who in turn reports to the 
CEO  and  also  has  direct  reporting  requirements  to  the  Risk 
Committee. 

The  independent  risk  management  function  undertaken  by  the 
Chief  Risk  Officer  is  managed  through  the  Risk  Management 
Business  Unit  which  is  comprised  of  risk  management  teams 

Integrated Risk Management 

embedded in the businesses and at Group level. All employees 
within  these  risk  management  teams  report  directly  through  to 
the Chief Risk Officer. 

the 

independent  risk  management 

Whilst 
is  an 
important  component  of  the  risk  management  framework, 
business  managers  remain  the  owners  of  the  risks  in  their 
business and must adhere to risk policies and procedures. 

function 

failures, 

creating 

transparency 

Governance processes and disciplines around the Risk Appetite 
Framework  help  to  protect  the  Group  from  control  and  other 
risk 
operational 
management  and  strategy  decisions  and,  in  turn,  promote  a 
strong  risk  culture.  Furthermore,  governance  processes  and 
disciplines  create  independence  of  the  Risk  Management 
function from the Group’s Business Units and the internal audit 
function,  as  well  as  encourage  and  protect  whistle  blowing 
actions when required. 

over 

Independent  review  of  the  risk  management  framework  is 
carried out through Group Audit. 

Risk Appetite Statement 

it 

The Risk Appetite of the Group represents the types and degree 
of  risk  that 
its  shareholders. 
is  willing  to  accept  for 
Fundamentally  it  guides  the  Group’s  risk  culture  and  sets  out 
quantitative  and  qualitative  boundaries  on  risk-taking  activities 
which apply Group wide. 

The Board is of the view that a well articulated Risk Appetite is 
important in giving the Group’s stakeholders a clear expectation 
as to how the Group will operate from a risk taking perspective. 

This  expectation  is  defined  by  a  number  of  principles  and 
metrics  which  are  aligned  to  the  Board’s  risk  philosophy  and 
sets  minimum  standards  for  shareholder  value  allowing  for 
capital 
asset/liability 
management,  liquidity,  profit  volatility  and  risks  to  which  the 
Group is intolerant. 

resilience, 

funding, 

rating, 

debt 

Risk Appetite is dynamic in nature and is reviewed on a regular 
basis  in  conjunction  with  the  Group’s  strategic  plans  and 
business  actions.  The  validation  of  strategic  plans  against  the 
Risk Appetite  ensures  that  the  assessment  of  the  adequacy of 
capital  and  contingent  capital  plans  into  the  future  are  also 
aligned with the Risk Appetite, resulting in a solid risk culture. 

The  Group’s  risk  culture  is  to  take  risks  that  are  adequately 
rewarded  and  that support  its  aspiration  of  achieving solid and 
sustainable  growth  in  shareholder  value  at  a  rate  equal  to  or 
above the best of the major banking groups in Australia. 

Supporting this culture, the Group will: 

  Operate  responsibly,  meet  the  needs  of  its  customers, 
provide  excellent  customer  service  and  maintain 
impeccable professional standards and business ethics; 

  Make business decisions only after careful consideration of 

risk; 

Understand  the  risks  it  takes  on,  increasing  exposure  to 
new  strategic 
initiatives/products  only  as  sufficient 
experience and insight is gained; 

Exercise disciplined moderation in risk taking, underpinned 
with strength in capital, funding and liquidity; 

Diligently strive to protect and enhance its reputation whilst 
being intolerant of regulatory and compliance breaches or 
risks associated with its people; 

  Maintain  a  control  environment 
constraints, minimises risks; and 

that,  within  practical 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     37 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Integrated Risk Management 

Promote  a  culture  aimed  at  the  achievement  of  best 
practice in the recognition, assessment, management and 
pricing of risk.  

The principal risk types, their relevant governing policies and how 
they support the Risk Appetite are outlined in the table below. 

Principal Risk Types 

Risk  Policies  and  Tolerances  support 
Statement by: 

the  Risk  Appetite 

Credit Risk 

Summarising the principles and practices to be used by the 
Group in managing its major risks; and 

  Quantifying  the  financial  operating  limits  for  major  risks, 
principally  credit  risk,  market  risk  (both  traded  and  non-
traded) and operational risk. 

The  Group  continuously  benchmarks  and  aligns  its  policy 
framework against existing prudential and regulatory standards. 
Potential developments in Australian and international standards 
and  best  practice  generally  are  considered  during  a  review.  In 
the past year, management have completed reviews of policies 
relating  to  Credit  Risk  (particularly  relating  to  country,  industry 
and large exposure concentration policies, as well as risk model 
oversight), Market Risk, Operational Risk and Compliance Risk. 
Liquidity  and  Funding  Risk  policy  was  also  reviewed  and  the 
main  parameter  settings  confirmed  as  being  appropriate  for 
current and forecast economic conditions. 

Risks  that  are  readily  quantifiable,  such  as  credit,  market  and 
liquidity  risks  have  their  risk  profiles  restricted  by  limits.  Other 
significant  risk categories  are  not managed in terms  of  defined 
financial  limits,  but  via  comprehensive  qualitative  management 
standards and procedures. 

Tolerances are designed to be practical, relevant and capable of 
being  aggregated  across  the  Group.  Some  tolerances  are 
explicitly contained in Risk Policies. 

Credit risk is the potential of loss arising from failure of a debtor or 
counterparty  to  meet  their  contractual  obligations.  At  a  portfolio 
level,  credit  risk 
from 
interdependencies  between 
credit 
exposures), and concentrations of exposure to countries, industry 
sectors and geographical regions. 

includes  concentration  risk  arising 
counterparties 

(large 

The Group’s credit risk policies have been developed as a matter 
of sound  risk management  practice  and  in  accordance  with  the 
expectations of APRA and relevant prudential standards. 

The measurement of credit risk is based on an internal credit risk 
rating  system,  which  uses  analytical  tools  to  estimate  expected 
and unexpected loss for the credit portfolio. 

Following 
the  acquisition  of  Bankwest,  risk  policies  and 
procedures have been aligned where appropriate. In addition, the 
Group  is  supporting  Bankwest’s  efforts  to  achieve  accreditation 
from  APRA  to  use  the  Advanced  Internal  Ratings  Based 
approach to determine regulatory capital for credit risk. 

Further information on credit risk management and measurement 
is included in Note 15 to the Financial Statements. 

Risk Type 

Governing Policies 

How Policy Supports Risk Appetite 

Principal Risk Type / Governance Framework 

Credit Risk 
including 
Concentration Risk 

Group Credit Policy; 
Country Risk Policy; 
Aggregation Policy; 
Large Credit Exposure Policy; 
Industry Sector Concentration Policy; 
Securitisation Policy. 

Market Risk 

Group Market Risk Policy; 
Funds Management and Insurance 
Market Risk Policy. 

Quantitative limits/tolerances: 

Control Country Risk through a limits structure that captures cross-border 
credit risk exposures to other countries or entities based overseas; 
Govern the authority of management with regard to the amount of credit 
provided to any single counterparty after applying the aggregation policy 
within the Credit Risk Rated segment by term to maturity and Credit Risk 
Rating; 
Set industry limits for exposures by industry; and 
Govern all Securitisation activities undertaken by the Bank. 

Quantitative limits/tolerances: 

Traded Market Risk (Total VaR and Stress Testing limits); 
Non-Traded Market Risk (Market Value and Interest Rate Gap limits); 
Seed Trust Market Risk Limits; 
Residual Value Risk limits; and 
Investment mandates for insurance Asset and Liability Management risk. 

Liquidity Risk 

Group Liquidity and Funding Policy 

Quantitative limits/tolerances: 

Operational and 
Strategic Business 
Risk, 
Reputational Risk 

Operational Risk Policy and 
Framework, including Group 
Operational and Strategic Business 
Risk Management Policy 

Liquid asset holdings under name crisis scenario; and 
Wholesale funding limits. 

Management via: 

A suite of risk mitigating policies; 
Reporting and case management of loss incidents; 
Comprehensive risk assessment and control assurance processes; 
Quantitative Risk Assessment Framework and Capital modelling; and 
Support from skilled risk professionals embedded throughout the Group. 

Insurance Risk 

Risk Management Statement 

Management via: 

Compliance Risk 

Compliance Risk Policy Framework 
document 

38     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

Underwriting standards; 
Retaining the right to amend premiums on risk policies; and 
Use of re-insurance. 

Management via: 

Minimum Group standards for compliance; 
Group Obligations Register and Guidance Notes that detail specific 
requirements and accountabilities; and 
Business Unit compliance frameworks. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Market Risk 

Market risk is the potential of loss arising from adverse changes 
in interest rates, foreign exchange prices, commodity and equity 
prices,  credit  spreads,  lease  residual  values,  and  implied 
volatility  levels.  Market  risk  also  includes  risks  associated  with 
funding and liquidity management. 

Further information on market risk is included in Note 41 to the 
Financial Statements. 

Liquidity and Funding Risk 

Liquidity  risk  is  the  risk  of  being  unable  to  meet  financial 
obligations  as  they  fall  due.  Funding  risk  is  the  risk  of  over-
reliance on a funding source to the extent that a change in that 
funding  source  could  increase  overall  funding  costs  or  cause 
difficulty in raising funds.  

Further information on liquidity and funding risk is also included 
in Note 41 to the Financial Statements. 

Operational and Strategic Business Risk 

Integrated Risk Management 

Each business manager is responsible for the identification and 
assessment  of  these  risks,  and  for  maintaining  appropriate 
internal  controls.  Skilled  operational 
risk  professionals 
embedded  in  the  business  maintain  and  improve  the  Group’s 
operational risk framework and governance structures to support 
business managers through a suite of risk mitigating policies, the 
reporting  of  internal  loss  incidents  and  key  risk  indicators,  and 
qualitative  and  quantitative  assessment  of  risk  exposures. 
Further governance and control oversight is provided by Group 
Audit. 

The  Group’s  operational 
risk  measurement  methodology 
combines  expert  assessment  of  individual  risk  exposures  with 
internal  loss  data to calculate  operational  risk economic capital 
and determine potential loss. 

The Group benchmarks and monitors its insurance risk transfer 
program  for  efficiency  and  effectiveness.  This  is  primarily 
achieved 
total 
shareholder returns and determines the most appropriate blend 
of economic capital coverage and insurance risk transfer. 

through  a  methodology 

that  optimises 

Operational risk is defined as the risk of economic loss resulting 
from: 

Business Continuity 

Inadequate or failed internal processes and methodologies; 
People; 
Systems  and models  used  in making  business  decisions; 
or 
External events. 

risk 
The  Group’s  operational  and  strategic  business 
its 
management  framework  supports 
financial and business goals. Framework objectives approved by 
the Risk Committee are: 

the  achievement  of 

  Maintenance  of  an  effective  internal  control  environment 

and system of internal control; 
Demonstration  of  effective  governance, 
including  a 
consistent  approach  to  operational  risk  management 
across the Group; 
Transparency, escalation and resolution of risk and control 
incidents and issues; 

  Making  decisions  based  upon  an  informed  risk-return 
analysis  and  appropriate  standards  of  professional 
practice; and 
financial 
Achieving  business  growth  and  enhancing 
performance  through  efficient  and  effective  operational 
processes. 

Security  risk  is  defined  as  threats  associated  with  theft  and 
fraud, information and IT security, protective security and crisis 
management. 

The Group’s security risk management framework forms part of 
the  operational  risk  framework  and  sets  out  the  key  roles, 
responsibilities  and  processes  for  security  risk  management 
across the Group. 

Strategic business risk is defined as the risk of economic gain or 
loss resulting from changes in the business environment caused 
by the following factors: 

  Macroeconomic conditions; 
Competitive forces at work; 
Social trends; or 
Regulatory changes. 

Strategic  business  risk  is  taken  into  account  when  defining 
business strategy and objectives. The Risk Committee receives 
reports on business plans, major projects and change initiatives. 
The Risk Committee monitors progress and reviews successes 
compared to plans. 

(BCM) 

Business  Continuity  Management 
the 
development, maintenance and testing of advance action plans 
to  respond  to  threats  that  have  the  potential  to  impact  the 
Group’s  operations.  BCM  ensures  that  business  processes 
continue  with  minimal  adverse  impact  on  customers,  staff, 
products, services and brands. 

involves 

BCM  constitutes  an  essential  component  of  the  Group’s  risk 
management  process  by  providing  a  controlled  response  to 
business  disruption  events that could  have  a significant  impact 
on  the  Group’s  critical  processes  and  revenue  streams.  It 
includes both cost-effective responses to mitigate the impact of 
risk events or disasters and crisis management plans to respond 
to crisis events. 

Insurance Risk 

Insurance  risk  is  the  risk  of  loss  due  to  increases  in  policy 
benefits  arising  from  variations  in  the  incidence  or  severity  of 
insured events. 

Insurance  Risk  exposure  arises  in  insurance  business  as  the 
risk that claims payments are greater than expected. In the life 
insurance business this arises primarily through mortality (death) 
or morbidity (illness or injury) risks being greater than expected, 
whereas  for  the  general  insurance  business  variability  arises 
mainly  through  weather  related  incidents  (floods  or  bushfires) 
and  similar  calamities,  as  well  as  general  variability  in  home, 
motor and travel insurance claim amounts. 

The  management  of  insurance  risk  is  an  integral  part  of  the 
operation  of  the  insurance  business  and  is  essential  in  the 
control  of  claims  on  an  end  to  end  basis,  from  underwriting  to 
claim termination or payment, without which there is significant 
potential for negative financial results. 

The major methods of mitigating insurance risk are: 

Sound  product  design  and  pricing,  to  ensure  that  robust 
procedures  are  in  place  to  ensure  that  there  are  no  risks 
which have not been priced into contracts; 

Regular  review  of  insurance  experience,  to  ensure  that 
product design and pricing remains sound; 

Carrying  out  underwriting,  so  that  the  level  of  risk 
associated  with  an  individual  contract  can  be  accurately 
assessed,  charged 
through  premium  rates,  and 
reserved for; 

for 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     39 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Stress  testing  also  provides  an  input  into  the  development  of 
“capital  contingency  plans”  which  detail  how  the  Group  would 
respond  to  the  need  for  increases  in  capital  held  to  cover  the 
potential future surprising outcomes. 

For  further  detail  on  the  Group’s  assessment  of  capital 
management,  refer  to  the section on  Capital  Management and 
Note 34 to the Financial Statements. 

As  mentioned  above,  the  Group  regularly  carries  out  stress 
tests; it does so across its various businesses, as part of: 

Formal business/strategic planning and capital assessment 
at Board level; 

Regular risk management stress testing exercises; and 

Business  contingency  planning  and 
regulators or external agencies. 

requests 

from 

Specific  risk  types  for  which  stress  tests  are  conducted  on  a 
routine  basis  for  business  risk  management  purposes  are 
outlined below. 

Credit Risk 

Business  Units  conduct  credit  risk  stress  tests  on  the  Home 
Loan  portfolio,  as  well  as  for  secured  and  unsecured  non-
mortgage products (Credit Cards, Personal Loans, and Cheque 
Accounts), in conjunction with Group-wide stress tests. 

Business  Units  also  conduct  stress  testing  of  the  risk  rated 
portfolio. 

Market Risk 

Traded market risk stress testing is performed on a daily basis, 
with results reported to line and senior management. There is a 
daily  process  in  place  to  stress  test  each  IRRBB  risk  type 
(including repricing, yield curve, optionality and basis risks). 

Stress  testing  is  also  regularly  performed  on  non-traded  equity 
investments as part of the Market Risk function. 

Stress testing in the Wealth Management Business is part of the 
risk  and  governance  framework  of  The  Colonial  Mutual  Life 
Assurance Society Limited (CMLA). Stress testing is undertaken 
as part of the annual review of the CMLA Capital Management 
Policy. 

Liquidity and Funding Risk 

Formal  liquidity  stress  testing  is  incorporated  into  the  Group’s 
Funding  and  Liquidity  Policy  approved  by  the  Board  Risk 
Committee. The key tests are undertaken for a “name crisis” and 
a “market-systemic crisis”. 

Operational Risk 

Operational risk stress tests are undertaken periodically; the last 
was completed in June 2009. 

Integrated Risk Management 

Claims management, where an assessment is made such 
that  only  genuinely  insured claims are  admitted  and paid, 
and only paid to the insured extent; and 

Transferring a proportion of the risk carried to reinsurers. 

The  insurance  risk  management  framework  is  subject  to  a 
process of regular review and enhancement. 

Further information on the Life Insurance Business is included in 
Note 36 to the Financial Statements. 

Compliance Risk  

Compliance  risk  is  the  risk  of  legal  or  regulatory  sanctions, 
material financial loss, or loss of reputation that the Group may 
suffer as a result of its failure to comply with the requirements of 
relevant laws, regulatory bodies, industry standards and codes. 

The  Group’s  Compliance  Risk  Management  Framework 
(CRMF)  is  a  key  element  of  the  Group’s  integrated  risk 
management  framework.  The  CRMF  is  designed  to  meet  the 
Group’s  obligations  under  relevant  financial  services  laws  and 
industry  standards.  It  incorporates  a  number  of  components 
including  Group  Standards  and  Guidance  Notes  that  detail 
requirements  and  accountabilities.  These  are 
specific 
complemented  by  Business  Unit  compliance 
frameworks 
including obligations registers, standards and procedures.  

The  CRMF  provides  for  the  assessment  of  compliance  risks, 
implementation of controls, monitoring and testing of framework 
effectiveness  and  the  escalation,  remediation  and  reporting  of 
compliance incidents and control weaknesses. 

The Group's compliance strategy is based on two fundamental 
principles:  

Line  Management  in  each  Business  Unit  have  the 
responsibility  to  ensure  their  business  is  and  remains 
compliant  with  legislative,  regulatory,  industry  code  and 
organisational requirements; and  

  Group and Business Unit Regulatory Risk and Compliance 
teams  work  together  to  monitor,  overview  and  report  on 
compliance  to  management,  compliance  committees  and 
the Board. 

Stress Testing Framework 

testing 

informs 

Stress 
the  Group’s  view  of  risk,  where 
consideration is given to potential losses related to the Group’s 
material risk types in a stressed environment and tested against 
the Group’s Risk Appetite Statement. 

In addition to more standard risk measures that may be used for 
limit  setting,  regular  and  ad-hoc  risk  stress  testing  is  also 
undertaken to identify and assess the risk profile of the Group. 
Stress  testing  tolerances  used  in  combination  with  more 
traditional  risk  measurements  help  the  Group  understand  and 
manage its risks. 

The stress testing framework includes: 

  Group-wide  stress  scenarios  embedded  in  the  strategic 
planning process, which informs and engages the Board in 
assessing  capital  adequacy  under  various  adverse 
tests  are  conducted 
operating  circumstances.  These 
across risk types with the results aggregated to the Group 
level; and 

Risk  Management  related  stress  testing,  which  supports 
enhanced risk identification, assessment and management 
within  the  Group’s  Risk  Appetite.  This  stress  testing 
facilitates a more robust understanding of the Group’s risks 
and 
facilitates  better  management  policies  and 
predictability of capital requirements. 

40     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Capital Management 

The Bank is an Authorised Deposit-taking Institution (“ADI”) and 
is  subject  to  regulation  by  APRA  under  the  authority  of  the 
Banking  Act  1959.  APRA  has  set  minimum  regulatory  capital 
requirements for banks that are consistent with the International 
Convergence of Capital Measurement and Capital Standards: A 
Revised Framework (“Basel II”) issued by the Basel Committee 
on  Banking  Supervision.  These  requirements  define  what  is 
acceptable  as  capital  and  provide  methods  of  measuring  the 
risks incurred by the Bank.  

The  regulatory  capital  requirements  are  measured  for  the 
Extended  Licence  Entity  Group  (known  as  “Level  One”, 
comprising the Bank and APRA approved subsidiaries) and for 
the  Bank  and  all  of  its  banking  subsidiaries  (known  as  “Level 
Two” or the “Group”).  

All entities which are consolidated for accounting purposes are 
included within the Group capital adequacy calculations except 
for: 

The insurance and funds management operations; and 

The  entities  through  which  securitisation  of  Group  assets 
are conducted. 

Regulatory capital is divided into Tier One and Tier Two Capital. 
Tier One Capital primarily consists of Shareholders’ Equity plus 
other capital instruments acceptable to APRA, less goodwill and 
other  prescribed  deductions.  Tier  Two  Capital  is  comprised 
primarily  of  hybrid  and  debt  instruments  acceptable  to  APRA 
less any prescribed deductions. Total Capital is the aggregate of 
Tier  One  and  Tier  Two  Capital.  A  detailed  breakdown  of  the 
components of capital is detailed on pages 43 to 45. 

The tangible component of the investment in the insurance and 
funds management operations  are  deducted  from capital,  50% 
from Tier One and 50% from Tier Two. 

Capital adequacy is measured by means of a risk based capital 
ratio.  The  capital  ratios  reflect  capital  (Tier  One,  Tier  Two  or 
Total  Capital)  as  a  percentage  of  total  Risk  Weighted  Assets 
(“RWA”). RWA represents an allocation of risks associated with 
the Group’s assets and other related exposures. 

its  capital 

the 
The  Group  actively  manages 
requirements  of  various  stakeholders 
rating 
agencies and shareholders). This is achieved by optimising the 
mix  of  capital  while  maintaining  adequate  capital  ratios 
throughout the financial year.  

to  balance 

(regulators, 

The  Group  has  a  range  of  instruments  and  methodologies 
available  to  effectively  manage  capital  including  share  issues 
and buybacks, dividend and dividend reinvestment plan policies, 
hybrid capital raising and dated and undated subordinated debt 
issues. All major capital related initiatives require approval of the 
Board. 

The Group’s capital position is monitored on a continuous basis 
and reported monthly to the Asset and Liability Committee of the 
Group.  Three  year  capital  forecasts  are  conducted  on  a 
quarterly  basis  and  a  detailed  capital  and  strategy  plan  is 
presented to the Board annually. 

The  Group’s  capital  ratios  throughout  the  2008  and  2009 
Financial  Years  were  in  compliance  with  both  APRA  minimum 
capital adequacy requirements and the Board Approved Target. 

The  Group’s  Tier  One  target  range  was  formally  amended  by 
the Board in February 2009, from a range of 6.5% to 7.0%, to 
above 7.0%.  

The Bank is required to inform APRA immediately of any breach 
its  minimum  capital  adequacy 
or  potential  breach  of 

Capital Management 

requirements,  including  details  of  remedial  action  taken  or 
planned to be taken. 

Dividends 

Banks may not pay dividends if, immediately after payment, they 
are  unable  to  meet  the  minimum  capital  requirements.  Banks 
cannot pay dividends from Retained Profits without APRA’s prior 
approval.  Under APRA  guidelines,  the  expected  dividend must 
be deducted from Tier One Capital. 

Regulatory Changes  

Basel II 

The  Basel  Committee  on  Banking  Supervision  introduced  the 
new  Basel  II  risk  based  capital  framework  in  June  2004.  The 
new  framework  reflects  advances  in  the  management  of  risk 
since the introduction of the original Basel Accord in 1988.  

The aim of Basel II is to improve the stability and soundness of 
the financial system by more closely linking capital requirements 
to  risks.  This  is  achieved  by  allowing  banks  with  sophisticated 
risk  management  systems  and  techniques  to  use  internal 
models to align the assessment of risk with the assessment of 
regulatory capital required. 

The Basel II framework consists of three pillars: 

Pillar  1  –  defines  the  rules  for  calculating  the  minimum 
regulatory  capital  requirements  for  credit,  market  and 
operational risk; 

Pillar  2  –  addresses  the  supervisory  review  process 
including 
capital  adequacy 
assessment process (ICAAP); and 

the  Group’s 

internal 

Pillar 3 – specifies public disclosure requirements to enable 
market participants to assess key pieces of information on 
risk exposures and processes of a banking group. 

The  Group  was  granted  “advanced”  Basel  II  accreditation  by 
APRA on 10 December 2007. 

As  a  result  of  receiving  advanced  Basel  II  accreditation,  the 
advanced internal ratings based approach (AIRB) for credit risk 
for 
the  advanced  measurement  approaches  (AMA) 
and 
operational risk were adopted in the calculation of RWA effective 
from 1 January 2008.  

APRA  specifically  requested  Australian  banks  to  incorporate 
regulatory  capital  for  interest  rate  risk  in  the  banking  book 
(IRRBB)  in  their  assessment  of  total  regulatory  capital  from  1 
July 2008. This is not a requirement under the Basel II Pillar 1 
framework.  The  Group’s capital  calculation  framework  includes 
an appropriate allowance for IRRBB capital in its 2009 financial 
year regulatory capital calculations. 

There  is  an  agreed methodology  for measuring market  risk for 
traded assets, which remained unchanged from Basel I.  

The  work  undertaken  for  the  Bank  to  achieve  the  advanced 
increased 
accreditation  has  provided 
sophistication  in  risk  measurement  and  management,  thereby 
increasing  the  flexibility  with  which  the  Group  manages  its 
decision making and capital management.  

the  Group  with 

Active Capital Management 

The  Group  maintains  a  strong  capital  position  with  the  capital 
ratios  well  in  excess  of  APRA  minimum  capital  adequacy 
requirements  (Prudential  Capital  Ratio  (“PCR”))  and  the  Board 
Approved Target level at all times throughout the 2009 Financial 
Year. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     41 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Capital Management 

Capital Management (continued) 

Bankwest  

The Tier One Capital and Total Capital ratios as at 30 June 2009 
were  8.07%  and  10.42%  respectively,  and 
the 
consolidation of Bankwest and the finalisation of the associated 
fair  value  accounting  adjustments  and  purchase  price 
adjustments.  

include 

Tier  One  Capital  declined  by  68  basis  points  (bpts)  during  the 
half  year  to  30  June  2009,  primarily  influenced  by  the 
consolidation  of  Bankwest,  growth  in  Risk  Weighted  Assets 
(“RWA”) and the impact of foreign exchange and other balance 
sheet movements. This was partially offset by profit after tax (net 
of dividends and Dividend Reinvestment Plan) which contributed 
an additional 29 bpts of Tier One Capital. 

The Group’s Total Capital ratio remained strong at 10.42% albeit 
97 bpts down since 31 December 2008, additionally impacted by 
foreign exchange movements and the redemption of Lower Tier 
Two debt together with growth in RWA. 

RWA were $289 billion at 30 June 2009, and include $43 billion 
associated  with  Bankwest.  Excluding  the  impact  of  Bankwest, 
RWA increased $7 billion or 3% since December 2008. 

Capital Initiatives 

The  following  significant  initiatives  were  undertaken  during  the 
Financial  Year  ended  30  June  2009  to  actively  manage  the 
Group’s capital: 

Tier One Capital 

Issue  of  $694  million  ordinary  shares  in  October  2008  to 
satisfy the Dividend Reinvestment Plan (“DRP”) in respect 
of the final dividend for 2007/08; 
Issue  of  $2  billion  ordinary  shares in  October  2008,  via  a 
share placement, to fund the acquisition of Bankwest and 
St Andrew’s (52.6 million shares at $38.00 per share); 
Issue  of  $2  billion  ordinary  shares 
through  share 
placements in December 2008: $357 million at a weighted 
average  price  of  $28.37  per  share  and  a  further  $1.65 
billion of ordinary shares at $26.00 per share; 
Issue  of  $405  million  ordinary  shares  in  March  2009  to 
satisfy  the  DRP  in  respect  of  the  interim  dividend  for 
2008/09; and 
Issue  of  $865  million  ordinary  shares  in  March  2009  with 
respect to the Share Purchase Plan (33.3 million shares at 
$26.00 per share). 

The PERLS II securities ($750 million), which were redeemed in 
March  2009,  were funded from the  proceeds  of  the  December 
2008 share placement. 

Tier Two Capital 

Issue of $500 million of subordinated Lower Tier Two debt 
in September 2008; offset by 

$500  million  of  subordinated  Lower  Tier  Two  debt 
redeemed in February 2009. 

Regulatory Capital Requirements for Other Major  ADI’s 
in the Group 

ASB Bank Limited 

ASB  Bank  Limited  (ASB  Bank)  is  subject  to  regulation  by  the 
Reserve Bank of New Zealand (“RBNZ”). The RBNZ applies a 
similar  methodology  to  APRA  in  calculating  regulatory  capital 
requirements.  ASB  Bank  operates  under  Basel  II  advanced 
status. 

At 30 June 2009 ASB Bank had a Tier One ratio of 10.18% and 
a Total Capital ratio of 12.41%, 

ASB  Bank  was  in  compliance  with  its  regulatory  capital 
requirements at all times throughout the 2009 Financial Year. 

42     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

On  19  December  2008,  the  Group  acquired  Bank  of  Western 
Australia Limited (“Bankwest”) and St Andrew’s Australia Pty Ltd 
(“St  Andrew’s”)  for  $2.2  billion  (including  transaction  costs), 
funded through a $2 billion share placement.  

At  31  December  2008,  APRA  allowed  the  Group  to  treat 
Bankwest  as  a  non-consolidated  subsidiary.  Effective  from  1 
January  2009,  Bankwest  has  been  consolidated  for  regulatory 
capital purposes. 

Bankwest  operates  as  a  separate  ADI  and  is  separately 
regulated by APRA. Bankwest operated under the existing Basel 
I  prudential  standards  at  31  December  2008  and  has  adopted 
the standardised Basel II methodology effective from 1 January 
2009.  Bankwest  is  in  the  process  of  seeking  advanced 
accreditation from APRA. 

Bankwest’s capital ratios, as at 30 June 2009, are in excess of 
both  APRA  minimum  requirements  and  Board  approved 
targeted levels. The Tier One ratio was 7.32% and Total Capital 
was  11.19%.  Bankwest  was  in  compliance  with  its  regulatory 
capital requirements at all times during the 2009 financial year. 

The  St  Andrew’s  operations,  which  include  life  insurance, 
general  insurance  and  funds  management  businesses,  are 
treated as non-consolidated subsidiaries for regulatory reporting 
purposes. The life and general insurance entities are separately 
regulated by APRA. 

Regulatory  Capital  Requirements  for  Insurance  and 
Funds Management Business 

The Group’s life insurance business in Australia is regulated by 
APRA.  The  Life  Insurance  Act  1995  includes  a  two  tiered 
framework for the calculation of regulatory capital requirements 
for 
“capital 
adequacy”.  The  capital  adequacy  test  for  statutory  funds  is 
always equal to or greater than the solvency test (1). 

insurance  companies  – 

“solvency”  and 

life 

There  are  no  regulatory  capital  requirements  for  life  insurance 
companies  in  New  Zealand,  though  the  directors  of  any 
company  must  certify  its  solvency  under  the  Companies  Act 
1993. The Group determines the minimum capital requirements 
for  its  New  Zealand  life  insurance  business  according  to  the 
professional  standard,  “Solvency  Reserving  for  Life  Insurers”, 
issued by the New Zealand Society of Actuaries. 

The  Group’s  general  insurance  businesses  are  regulated  by 
APRA  under  the  Insurance  Act  1973.  The  Group  determines 
capital  requirements 
in 
accordance with APRA Prudential Standards. 

insurance  businesses 

for  general 

the  Australian  Securities  and 

Fund managers in Australia are subject to, “Responsible Entity” 
regulation  by 
Investment 
Commission (“ASIC”). The regulatory capital requirements vary 
depending on the type of Australian Financial Services Licence 
or Authorised Representatives’ Licence held, but a requirement 
of up to $5 million of net tangible assets applies. 

APRA  supervises  approved  trustees  of  superannuation  funds 
and requires them to also maintain net tangible assets of at least 
$5  million.  These  requirements  are  not  cumulative  where  an 
entity is both an approved trustee for superannuation purposes 
and a responsible entity. 

The Group’s insurance and funds management companies held 
assets  in  excess  of  regulatory capital  requirements  at  30  June 
2009. The Group’s Australian and New Zealand insurance and 
funds management businesses held $1,036 million of assets in 
excess  of  regulatory  solvency  requirements  at  30  June  2009 
(2008: $949 million).  

(1)  The  Shareholders’  fund  is  subject  to  a  separate  capital  requirement. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Capital Adequacy  

Capital Management 

(1) Represents shares of the Bank held by the Group's life insurance operations and employee share scheme trusts.  

(2) Trust Preferred Securities 2006 issued 15th March 2006 USD 700 million. These instruments qualify as Tier One Innovative Capital of the Group. 

(3) The Group's general reserve, capital reserve and foreign currency translation reserve (excluding balances related to non-consolidated subsidiaries) qualify as 

Fundamental Tier One Capital. 

(4) Represents expected dividends required to be deducted from current period earnings. 

(5) Based on reinvestment experience related to the Bank's Dividend Reinvestment Plan (DRP) as approved by APRA.  

(6) APRA prescribed that the gain on acquisition recognised on the acquisition of Bankwest be excluded from capital whilst Bankwest was treated as a non-

consolidated subsidiary at 31 December 2008. 

(7) Represents the write back of retained earnings upon adoption of AIFRS within the non-consolidated subsidiaries. This retained earnings write back is incorporated 

as part of the net equity deduction of non-consolidated subsidiaries. 

(8) Minority interest classified as Tier One Innovative Capital under Basel II regulations. Comprised predominately of ASB Perpetual Preference Shares of NZD 550 

million issued by New Zealand subsidiary entities. These shares are non-redeemable and carry limited voting rights. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     43 

GroupBasel IIBasel IIBasel II30/06/0931/12/0830/06/08Risk Weighted Capital Ratios%%%Tier One8. 078. 758. 17Tier Two2. 352. 643. 41Capital Base10. 4211. 3911. 58GroupBasel IIBasel IIBasel II30/06/0931/12/0830/06/08Regulatory Capital$M$M$MTier One CapitalOrdinary Share Capital21,64220,36515,727Treasury shares (1)278287264Ordinary Share Capital and Treasury Shares21,92020,65215,991Other Equity Instruments939939939Trust Preferred Securities 2006 (2)(939)(939)(939)Reserves (3)5169581,206Cash flow hedge reserve813675(341)Employee compensation reserve-3239Asset revaluation reserve(173)(194)(195)Available-for-sale investments reserve55(72)41Foreign currency translation reserve related to non-consolidated subsidiaries12(32)39Total Reserves1,2231,367789Retained Earnings and Current Period Profits7,8257,2067,747Expected dividend (4)(1,747)(1,662)(2,029)Estimated reinvestment under Dividend Reinvestment Plan (5)507548609Gain on acquisition recognised on consolidation of Bankwest (6)-(547)-Retained earnings AIFRS adjustment for non-consolidated subsidiaries (7)752752752Other(181)(77)(65)Net Retained Earnings7,1566,2207,014Minority Interest (8)520519518ASB Perpetual Preference Shares(505)(505)(505)Minority interests less ASB Perpetual Preference Shares151413Total Fundamental Tier One Capital30,31428,25323,807 
 
 
 
  
 
  
Capital Management 

Capital Adequacy (continued) 

(8) Minority interest classified as Tier One Innovative Capital under Basel II regulations. Comprised predominately of ASB Perpetual Preference Shares of NZD 550 million 

issued by New Zealand subsidiary entities. These shares are non-redeemable and carry limited voting rights. 

(9) APRA approved Innovative Tier One Capital instruments (PERLS III and Trust Preferred Securities 2003 and 2006). PERLS II were redeemed in March 2009. 

(10) Perpetual Exchangeable Resaleable Listed Securities (PERLS IV) of $1,465 million (less costs) issued by the Bank in July 2007 and approved by APRA as Tier One Non-

Innovative Capital instruments. 

(11) Residual Capital eligible for inclusion as Tier One Capital is subject to an APRA prescribed limit of 25% of Tier One capital with any excess transferred to Upper Tier Two 
Capital. The Group was granted transitional relief to 1 January 2010 with respect to the Innovative Capital limit of 15% of Tier One capital of $765 million. This relief is to be 
reduced by 20% each quarter, effective from March 2009 onwards. 

(12) Represents total Goodwill and other intangibles (excluding capitalised computer software costs) which is required to be deducted from Tier One Capital. 

(13) In accordance with APRA regulations, the surplus (net of tax) in the Bank's defined benefit superannuation fund which is included in Shareholders' equity must be 

deducted from Tier One Capital. 

(14) Represents 50% Tier One and 50% Tier Two Capital deductions under Basel II. 

(15) Represents the Group's non-controlling interest in major infrastructure assets and unit trusts. 

(16) Represents the net equity within the non-consolidated subsidiaries (primarily the Colonial group) which is deducted 50% from Tier One and 50% from Tier Two Capital. 
This deduction is net of $1,707 million in Non-Recourse Debt issued by Colonial Finance Limited (December 2008: $1,739 million, June 2008: $1,739 million) and the 
Colonial Hybrid Issue $700 million (December 2008: $700 million, June 2008: $700 million). 

(17) APRA approved that Bankwest to be treated as a non-consolidated subsidiary as at 31 December 2008. As a result the capital invested into Bankwest, represented by 

ordinary share capital and subordinated Lower Tier Two capital, was deducted from the Group's capital, 50% Tier One and 50% Tier Two. From 1 January 2009 Bankwest 
has been consolidated from a regulatory capital perspective and the items are eliminated. 

(18) Regulatory Expected Loss (pre tax) using stressed loss given default assumptions associated with the loan portfolio in excess of eligible credit provisions (collective 

provision net of tax and individually assessed provision pre tax) are deducted 50% from both Tier One and Tier Two capital. 

44     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

GroupBasel IIBasel IIBasel II30/06/0931/12/0830/06/08$M$M$MResidual Tier One CapitalInnovative Tier One CapitalNon-cumulative preference shares (9)2,7623,6213,396Minority Interests (8)505505505Eligible loan capital248291209Total Innovative Tier One Capital3,5154,4174,110Non-Innovative Residual Tier One Capital (10)1,4431,4431,443Less: Residual capital in excess of prescribed limits transferred to Upper Tier Two Capital (11)-(627)(1,359)Total Residual Tier One Capital4,9585,2334,194Tier One Capital Deductions - 100%Goodwill (12)(8,572)(7,915)(8,010)Capitalised expenses(257)(137)(110)Capitalised computer software costs(673)(571)(353)Defined benefit superannuation plan surplus (13)(347)(36)(1,075)Deferred tax(257)(157)(38)(10,106)(8,816)(9,586)Tier One Capital Deductions - 50% (14)Equity investments in other companies and trusts (15)(422)(506)(561)Equity investments in non-consolidated subsidiaries (net of intangibles) (16)(529)(519)(376)Investment in Bankwest (17)-(1,828)-Expected impairment losses (before tax) in excess of eligible credit provisions (net of deferred tax) (18)(654)(605)(587)Other deductions(250)(264)(100)(1,855)(3,722)(1,624)Total Tier One Capital Deductions(11,961)(12,538)(11,210)Total Tier One Capital23,31120,94816,791 
 
  
Capital Adequacy (continued) 

Capital Management 

(1) Residual Capital eligible for inclusion as Tier One Capital is subject to an APRA prescribed limit of 25% of Tier One Capital with any excess transferred to 

Upper Tier Two Capital. 

(2) Prudential general reserve for credit losses represents the after tax collective provisions and general reserve for credit losses of Banking entities in the Group 

(including Bankwest) which operate under the Basel II Standardised methodology. 
(3) APRA allows only 45% of asset revaluation reserve to be included in Tier Two Capital. 
(4) APRA requires these Lower Tier Two note and bond issues to be included as if they were unhedged. 
(5) For regulatory capital purposes, Lower Tier Two note and bond issues are amortised by 20% of the original amount during each of the last five years to 

maturity. 

(6) Represents 50% Tier One and 50% Tier Two Capital deductions under Basel II rules. 

(1) APRA requires risk weighted assets amounts that are derived from IRB risk weighted functions be multiplied by a scaling factor of 1.06. 
(2) Risk Weighted Assets for Interest Rate Risk in the Banking Book was not effective until 1 July 2008 and was $ nil as at 31 December 2008. 
(3) 30 June 2009 Risk Weighted Assets (RWA) include the consolidation of Bankwest which operates under the Basel II Standardised methodology. As at 31 

December 2008 APRA approved for Bankwest to be treated as a non-consolidated subsidiary and as a result the RWA of Bankwest were not incorporated into 
the Group RWA numbers. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     45 

GroupBasel IIBasel IIBasel II30/06/0931/12/0830/06/08Regulatory Capital$M$M$MTier Two CapitalUpper Tier Two CapitalResidual capital in excess of prescribed limits transferred from Tier One Capital (1)-6271,359Prudential general reserve for credit losses (net of tax) (2)590--Asset revaluation reserve (3)788788Upper Tier Two note and bond issues373320196Other564257Total Upper Tier Two Capital1,0971,0761,700Lower Tier Two CapitalLower Tier Two note and bond issues (4) (5)7,5618,9666,977Holding of own Lower Tier Two Capital(19)(11)(40)Total Lower Tier Two Capital7,5428,9556,937Tier Two Capital Deductions50% Deductions from Tier Two Capital (6)(1,855)(3,722)(1,624)Total Tier Two Capital6,7846,3097,013Total Capital30,09527,25723,804GroupBasel IIBasel IIBasel II30/06/0931/12/0830/06/08Risk Weighted Assets$M$M$MCredit RiskSubject to Advanced IRB approachCorporate90,38993,13181,431Sovereign1,7132,1441,802Bank8,04012,5105,292Residential mortgage54,84145,23139,128Qualifying revolving retail5,6985,5626,070Other retail6,3365,4795,274Impact of the regulatory scaling factor (1)10,0219,8438,340Total risk weighted assets subject to Advanced IRB approach177,038173,900147,337Specialised lending (SL) exposures subject to slotting criteria22,62726,62421,053Subject to Standardised approachCorporate23,0186,4915,347Sovereign28243084Bank170116320Residential mortgage20,576316241Other retail2,398--Other7,5178,7639,229Total risk weighted assets subject to standardised approach53,96116,11615,221Securitisation2,7242,8903,536Equity exposures2,1031,701293Total risk weighted assets for credit risk exposures258,453221,231187,440Market risk3,4504,1384,501Interest rate risk in the banking book (2)8,944--Operational risk17,98913,92013,560Total risk weighted assets (3)288,836239,289205,501 
 
  
  
Description of Business Environment 

Funds Management 

The  long  term  growth  outlook  for  retail  funds  remains  positive, 
underpinned  by  compulsory  superannuation  and  retirement 
savings. The downturn in equity markets is reducing investment 
returns  and  fund  flows  as  well  as  driving  changes  in  the 
competitive  landscape.  The  simplification  of  superannuation 
legislation,  including  the  removal  of  taxes  on  end  benefits  for 
over  60‘s,  should  support  continuing  growth  in  superannuation 
investment and self managed superannuation. 

The  search  for  above-market  return  investments  has  seen  an 
increased allocation of funds to boutiques, hedge funds, private 
equity  players  and  alternative  asset  classes.  The  recent 
uncertainties have slowed this movement with investors showing 
some flight from risk to quality.  

Over the last decade, the corporate bond market in Australia has 
benefited  from  the  growth  in  funds  under  management  with 
many  of 
the  major  Australian  corporations  now  directly 
accessing capital markets domestically and around the world.  

Insurance 

Solid  growth  in  the  sector  is  expected  to  continue  given  the 
current levels of underinsurance and beneficial treatment of life 
insurance  inside  superannuation.  The  growing  debt  levels  of 
households  will  increase  the  importance  of  life  insurance  and 
other wealth protection products. As the population ages, there 
will be an increased demand for products that address longevity 
risk.  The  general  insurance  market  is  mature,  diversified  and 
highly  competitive.  Margin  pressure  and  other  competitive 
activity will necessitate targeted growth strategies. 

New Zealand 

The  Group‘s  activities  in  New  Zealand  are  conducted  through 
ASB  Group.  Through  its  wholly  owned  subsidiaries,  Sovereign 
Group and ASB Group Investments, ASB Group also competes 
in the New Zealand insurance and investment market.  

The  New  Zealand  banking  system  is  characterised  by  strong 
competition.  New  Zealand  banking  activities  are  led  by  four 
financial services groups, owned by the big four Australian major 
banks.  In  addition,  there  are  several  financial  institutions 
operating  largely  in  the  wholesale  banking  sector.  As  in 
Australia,  there  is  strong  competition  with  non-bank  financial 
institutions in the areas of funds management and the provision 
of  insurance. The  New  Zealand  economy  entered  recession in 
early  2008.  Major  trends  in  the  New  Zealand  market  include 
continued margin pressure, a slowing housing market, declining 
net migration and the commoditisation of retail lending. 

Australia 

Financial Services 

Financial  services  providers  in  Australia  offer  household  and 
business  customers  a  wide  range  of  products  and  services 
encompassing  retail,  business  and  institutional  banking,  funds 
management,  superannuation, 
investment  and 
stockbroking  services.  The  domestic  competitive  landscape 
includes the four major banks, regional banks, building societies 
and credit unions, foreign entrants to the Australian market, local 
and global investment banks and fund managers, private equity 
firms, insurance companies and third party distributors. 

insurance, 

Banking 

Over  the  past  18  months,  the  global  financial  system  has 
experienced  considerable  stress.  These  difficulties  saw  a 
marked  rise  in  risk  aversion  around  the  world,  impairing  the 
normal functioning of the credit supply process and significantly 
increasing money market spreads. The financial crisis also saw 
many long standing large banks collapse or significantly reduce 
in size.  

The crisis in the global financial system led to substantial public 
sector  support  being  provided  to  financial  institutions  in  a 
number of countries. Support for banks include increased caps 
on  deposit  insurance  schemes,  guarantees  on  wholesale 
funding,  the  injection  of  capital,  removal  of  certain  types  of 
assets completely or providing insurance against losses on the 
assets  of  banks‘  balance  sheets,  and  the  establishment  of 
public-private investment funds.  

While the Australian and New Zealand banking industries have 
not been immune to this disruption, the banking industries have 
weathered  the  global  financial  crisis  significantly  better  than 
global  peers.  Australia  is  considered  to  have  the  strongest 
banking industry in the world, with four of the largest 15 banks 
by market capitalisation and four of only eight banks that have 
AA credit ratings. This is also reflected in the ratings of the New 
Zealand subsidiaries of the big four Australian banks.  

factors 

including 
The  good  performance  reflects  several 
Australian  banks  having  been  much  more  conservative  and 
cautious in the risks undertaken in the lead up to the crisis, for 
example, with lending standards not easing by the same extent 
as  in  the  United  States.  As  an  industry,  there  is  relatively  little 
exposure  to  financial  instruments  such  as  collateralised  debt 
obligations (CDOs) and major banks are marginal players in low-
doc and non-conforming lending. The success is also attributed 
to better governance and regulatory oversight systems. 

Despite this ongoing performance, investors became reluctant to 
buy  debt  from  the  domestic  market  with  some  depositors  also 
feeling nervous about the financial environment. In Australia and 
New  Zealand,  Governments  introduced  guarantees  of  both 
deposits  and  wholesale  borrowing  by  banks.  The 
Commonwealth Bank, ASB Bank and Bankwest are supportive 
of  the  Government‘s  intention  of  enhancing  certainty  and 
confidence, particularly in the local banking system.  

However,  these  schemes  have  not  completely  eased  the 
pressure faced in the wholesale funding markets as uncertainty 
still  remains.  Looking  ahead,  a  reduction  in  risk  aversion  is 
central to resolving these domestic and global concerns.  

46     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

 
Description of Business Environment 

Financial System Regulation in Australia 

Supervisory Arrangements 

Australia has, by international standards, a high quality financial 
system  which  regulates 
financial  products  and  services 
consistently  regardless  of  the  type  of  financial  institutions 
providing them. 

The  Bank  and  its  subsidiaries  Commonwealth  Development 
Bank  and  Bank  of  Western  Australia  are  Authorised  Deposit-
taking Institutions (―ADIs‖) under the Banking Act 1959 and are 
subject to prudential regulation by APRA.  

the  Australian  Securities  and 

The  main  regulators  of  financial  services  in  Australia  are  the 
Reserve Bank of Australia, the Australian Prudential Regulation 
Authority, 
Investments 
Commission,  the  Australian  Transaction  Reports  and  Analysis 
the  Australian  Competition  and  Consumer 
Centre  and 
Commission. Each agency has system-wide responsibilities for 
the different objectives of government oversight of the financial 
system.  A  description  of  these  agencies  and  their  general 
responsibilities and functions is set out below. 

Reserve Bank  of  Australia  (―RBA‖)  is  responsible for monetary 
policy, financial system stability and regulation of the payments 
system.  The  RBA  also  administers  sanctions  implemented  via 
the Banking (Foreign Exchange) Regulations 1959. 

The  Australian  Prudential  Regulation  Authority  (―APRA‖)  has 
responsibility  for  the  prudential  supervision  of  banks,  building 
insurance 
societies  and  credit  unions, 
companies, 
funds 
(pension  funds).  Unless  an  institution  is  authorised  under  the 
Banking  Act  1959  or  exempted  by  APRA,  it  is  prohibited  from 
engaging in the general business of deposit-taking. 

friendly  societies  and  superannuation 

life  and  general 

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (―ASIC‖) 
has  responsibility  for  regulating  and  enforcing  Company  and 
financial  services  laws  that  protect  consumers,  investors  and 
creditors, including the Corporations Act 2001. The Corporations 
Act 2001 provides for a single licensing regime for sales, advice 
and dealings in financial products and services, consistent and 
financial  product  disclosure  and  a  single 
comparable 
authorisation  procedure  for  financial  exchanges  and  clearing 
and settlement facilities. The current financial services regulatory 
framework  is  intended  to  facilitate  innovation  and  promote 
business while at the same time ensuring consumer protection 
and market integrity.  

The  Australian  Transaction  Reports  and  Analysis  Centre 
(―AUSTRAC‖) has responsibility for overseeing compliance with 
the  Anti-Money  Laundering  and  Counter  Terrorism  Financing 
Act 2006 and the Financial Transaction Reports Act 1988. As a 
provider of financial services in Australia and internationally, the 
Group is committed to the principles of the Financial Action Task 
Force  as  the  international  standard  setter  for  anti-money 
laundering and counter-terrorism financing efforts.  

The  Australian  Competition  and  Consumer  Commission 
(―ACCC‖)  promotes  competition  and  fair  trade  to  benefit 
consumers,  business  and 
the 
administration of the Trade Practices Act 1974. 

the  community 

through 

In addition to the above, the Department of Foreign Affairs and 
federal  government  department,  has 
Trade  (―DFAT‖),  a 
responsibility 
to 
sanctions-related  decisions  of  the  United  Nations  Security 
Council (UNSC), including the freezing of terrorist assets. 

legislation  giving  effect 

implementing 

for 

In  carrying  out  its  prudential  responsibilities,  APRA  closely 
monitors  the  operations  of  banks  to  ensure  that  they  operate 
within  the  prudential  framework  and  that  sound  management 
practices are followed.  

APRA  currently  supervises  ADIs  by  a  system  of  off-site 
examination. It closely monitors the operations of banks through 
the collection of regular statistical returns and regular prudential 
consultations  with  each  bank‘s  management.  APRA  also 
conducts  a  program  of  specialised  on-site  visits  to  assess  the 
adequacy of individual banks‘ systems for identifying, measuring 
and  controlling  risks  associated  with  the  conduct  of  these 
activities. 

In  addition,  APRA  has  established  arrangements  under  which 
each  bank‘s  external  auditor  reports  to  APRA  regarding 
observance  of  prudential  standards  and  other  supervisory 
requirements. 

The  prudential  framework  applied  by  APRA  is  embodied  in  a 
series of prudential standards and other requirements including: 

(i) Capital Adequacy 

APRA  has  approved  the  Group‘s  application  to  use  the 
advanced internal ratings-based approach to credit risk and the 
advanced  measurement  approach  to  operational  risk  for  the 
purposes  of calculating capital  requirements  under the Basel II 
Framework. 

(ii) Funding and Liquidity 

APRA  exercises  liquidity  control  by  requiring  each  bank  to 
develop  a  liquidity management strategy that  is  appropriate for 
itself. Each policy is formally approved by APRA. A key element 
of the Group‘s liquidity policy is the holding of high quality liquid 
assets to meet liquidity requirements. 

The  liquid  assets  held  are  assets  that  are  available  for 
repurchase by the RBA (over and above those required to meet 
the Real Time Gross Settlement obligations, AUD Certificates of 
Deposit/Bills of other banks and AUD overnight interbank loans) 
liquid  market  securities.  More  detailed 
and  other  highly 
comments  on  the  Group‘s  liquidity  and  funding  risks  are 
provided in Note 41 to the Financial Statements. 

(iii) Large Credit Exposures 

APRA  requires  banks  to  ensure that,  other  than  in  exceptional 
circumstances,  individual  credit  exposures  to  non-bank,  non-
government  clients  do  not  exceed  25%  of  the  capital  base. 
Exposure to unrelated ADIs is not to exceed 50% of the capital 
base.  Prior  consultation  must  be  held  with  APRA  if  a  bank 
intends to exceed set thresholds. For information on the Bank‘s 
large exposures refer to Note 15 to the Financial Statements. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     47 

 
Description of Business Environment 

APRA‘s prudential supervision of both life insurance and general 
insurance  companies  is  exercised  through  the  setting  of 
minimum standards for solvency and financial strength to ensure 
obligations  to  policyholders  can  be  met.  Trustees  operating 
APRA  regulated superannuation  entities  are  required to  hold a 
Registrable Superannuation Entity (―RSE‖) licence from APRA. 

including 

standards 

Life insurance and general insurance companies are subject to 
prudential 
risk 
management  and  reinsurance  arrangements.  Compliance  with 
returns, 
APRA 
independent  actuarial  investigations,  Auditor  certification  and 
supervisory inspections. 

capital  adequacy, 

is  monitored 

regulation 

through 

regular 

Life and general insurance companies are also subject to similar 
Fit and Proper and Governance requirements as those applying 
to ADIs. 

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates 

The  Group‘s  accounting  policies  are  set  out  in  Note  1  to  the 
Financial Statements. 

Critical accounting policies and estimates are set out in Note 1 
(mm) to the Financial Statements. 

Supervisory Arrangements (continued) 

(iv) Ownership and Control 

In  pursuit  of  transparency  and  risk  minimisation,  the  Financial 
Sector  (Shareholding)  Act  1998  embodies  the  principle  that 
regulated  financial  institutions  should  maintain  widespread 
ownership.  The  Act  applies  a  common  15%  shareholding  limit 
for  ADIs,  insurance  companies  and  their  holding  companies. 
The Treasurer has the power to approve acquisitions exceeding 
15%  where  this  is  in  the  national  interest,  taking  into  account 
advice from the ACCC in relation to competition considerations 
and  APRA  on  prudential  matters.  The  Treasurer  may  also 
delegate  approval  powers  to  APRA  where  one  financial 
institution seeks to acquire another. 

The Government‘s present policy is that mergers among the four 
major  banks  will  not  be  permitted  until  the  Government  is 
satisfied that competition from new and established participants 
in the financial industry has increased sufficiently. 

Proposals for foreign acquisition of Australian banks are subject 
to approval by the Treasurer under the Foreign Acquisitions and 
Takeovers Act 1975. 

(v) Banks‘ Association With Non-Banks 

There are formal guidelines (including maximum exposure limits) 
that  control  investments  and  dealings  with  subsidiaries  and 
associates.  A  bank‘s  equity  associations  with  other  institutions 
should normally be in the field of finance. APRA has expressed 
an unwillingness to allow subsidiaries of a bank to exceed a size 
which  would  endanger the stability  of the  parent.  No  bank can 
enter  into  any  agreements  or  arrangements  for  the  sale  or 
disposal  of  its  business,  or  effect  a  reconstruction  or  carry  on 
business in partnership  with  another  bank,  without the consent 
of the Commonwealth Treasurer. 

(vi) Fit & Proper and Governance  

ADIs are subject to APRA‘s ―Fit and Proper‖ and ―Governance‖ 
prudential  standards.  ADIs  are  required  to  implement  a  Board 
approved Fit and Proper policy covering minimum requirements 
for the fitness and proprietary of their responsible persons which 
include designated members of senior management. ADIs also 
have  to  comply  with  APRA‘s  Governance  prudential  standard 
which  sets  out  requirements  for  Board  size  and  composition, 
independence of directors and other APRA governance matters.  

(vii) Supervision of Non-Bank Group Entities 

The  Australian  life  insurance  company  subsidiaries,  general 
insurance  company  subsidiaries  and 
the  superannuation 
trustees of the Group also come within the supervisory review of 
APRA. 

48     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

 
 
 
Commitment to Sustainability  

UN Principles for Responsible Investment  

Sustainability 

The long-term sustainability of the Group is essential for creating 
enduring  value  for  shareholders  and  the  Australian  community 
as  a  whole.  A  commitment  to  sustainability  is  particularly 
important  in  the  current  economic  climate.  During  2009  the 
Group's  key  stakeholders  —  its  customers,  its  people,  its 
shareholders  and  the  wider  community  —  faced  significant 
challenges as a result of the global financial crisis and the Group 
has responded with initiatives to support each of them. 

Excellence in corporate governance is a fundamental aspect of 
corporate  sustainability,  and  the  Group  continues  to  support  a 
comprehensive governance framework. Details can be found in 
the Corporate Governance section of this report on page 53. 

In  recognising  the  importance  of  sustainability  for  business,  in 
2009  the  Group  became  a  member  of  the  World  Business 
Council  for  Sustainable  Development,  a  CEO-led,  global 
association  of  some  200  companies,  dealing  exclusively  with 
business and sustainable development issues. 

Customers 

Excellence  in  customer  service  remains  the  Group's  most 
important strategic priority. During 2009, the Group implemented 
a  series  of  initiatives  designed  to  improve  the  day-to-day 
customer  experience.  More  information  on  those  initiatives  is 
available  on  page  71.  As  a  result,  the  Group  recorded  some 
notable improvements in customer satisfaction: 

The Group‘s main financial institution (MFI) retail customer 
satisfaction  levels,  measured  on  a  six  month  rolling 
average  by  Roy  Morgan,  improved  by  2.9%  during  the 
year to 73%; 

In a challenging environment, all major banks experienced 
a  decline  in  main  financial  institution  (MFI)  business 
customer satisfaction over the 12 months to June 2009, as 
measured  by  the  TNS  Business  Finance  Monitor.  The 
Group  experienced  the  smallest  decline  of  all  the  major 
banks over this period; and  

Colonial  First  State‘s  FirstChoice  product  platform  was 
once again  ranked  number  one for  overall satisfaction  by 
financial advisers in the 2009 Wealth Insights MasterTrust 
survey. 

(1)  Roy  Morgan  MFI  customer  satisfaction  measures  the  proportion  of  MFI 
retail  customers  that  are  either  ‗Very  Satisfied‘  or  ‗Fairly  Satisfied‘.  The 
metric  is  reported  as  a  6-month  rolling  average.  Ranking  captures  the 
relative position of the Group compared to the other three major banks and 
St George. 

(2)  TNS  Business  Finance  Monitor  MFI  customer  satisfaction  measures  the 
proportion  of  MFI  business  customers  that  are  either  ‗Very  Satisfied‘  or 
‗Fairly  satisfied‘.  The  metric  is  reported  as  a  12-month  moving  average. 
Ranking captures the relative position of the Group compared to the other 
three major banks and St George.  

(3)  The  percentage  of  financial  advisers  giving  the  Colonial  FirstChoice 
platform an overall satisfaction score of 7-10, on a scale of 1-10 where 1 is 
‗Poor‘  and  10  is  ‗Excellent‘,  in  the  Wealth  Insights  MasterTrust/Wrap 
survey.  Ranking  captures  the  relative  position  of  Colonial  FirstChoice 
compared with bank peer master trusts measured in the survey, based on 
the percentage of advisers giving 7-10 for overall satisfaction. 

Complete definitions for these metrics are available at  

www.commbank.com.au/sustainability.  

The  Group‘s  insurance  division,  CommInsure,  and  its  asset 
management  division,  Colonial  First  State  Global  Asset 
Management,  are  both  signatories  to  the  United  Nations 
Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI).  

Since  becoming  a  signatory  on  1  March  2007,  Colonial  First 
State  Global  Asset  Management  has  embedded  responsible 
investment principles in the  investment  disciplines followed  by 
investment  managers  in  each  asset  class.  The  business 
strongly  believes that this  approach  will  not  only lead to more 
sustainable investment practices, but will also deliver improved 
risk-adjusted returns for its clients. 

Financial literacy 

During  2009,  the  Commonwealth  Bank  Foundation  continued 
the roll-out of the StartSmart Program – a series of classroom 
sessions  and  workshops  designed  to  help  young  Australians 
build  better  money  management  skills.  In  the  12  months  to 
June  2009,  over  51,000  secondary  school  students  and  their 
teachers  booked  to  attend  the  1,541  classroom  sessions  and 
223 workshops delivered through StartSmart. 

The Commonwealth Bank Foundation also supported financial 
literacy with a range of other targeted programs: 

Australian  Financial  Literacy  Assessment,  a  tool  for 
teachers  to  develop  and  assess  the  financial  literacy  of 
Year 9 and 10 students; 

Financial  Literacy  Curriculum  Resource.  A  free  resource 
for Australian teachers  developed  in  partnership  with the 
NSW  Department  of  Education  and  Training  and  a 
steering  committee  of  education  representatives  from 
across Australia; and  

Financial  Literacy  Grants.  The  Commonwealth  Bank 
Foundation  awarded  100  grants  of  $3,500  each  to 
secondary schools across Australia during the year.  

Responsible banking 

As Australians navigated the ongoing global financial crisis the 
Group  responded  with  special  assistance  to  help  customers 
who were experiencing financial stress.  

to  providing  solutions 

The  Group  allocated  extra  resources  to  the  Customer  Assist 
team,  dedicated 
to  customers 
experiencing  financial  difficulties.  The  team  took  steps  to 
ensure  customers  had  easy  access  to  short-term  assistance 
options  when  their  circumstances  changed  unexpectedly, 
including the offer of a home loan repayment holiday of up to 12 
months  to  customers  who  lost  their  job  as  a  result  of  the 
economic downturn. 

The  Group  also  introduced  the  Small  Business  Investment 
Package,  offering  a  range  of  discounted  solutions  to  small 
business customers, and the Emergency Assistance Package, 
to assist retail and business customers who were victims of the 
Victorian bushfires and the New South Wales and Queensland 
floods. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     49 

Retail (1) 73.04th70.14th70.55thBusiness (2) 72.84th73.95th60.75thWealth (3)84.11st88.21st89.42nd200920082007Score RankScore%RankScore%Rank 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Sustainability 

People 

The past 12 months presented challenging times for Australian 
workers.  In  managing  the  potential  effects  of  slowing  business 
activity,  the  Group focused  on  preserving  jobs  while managing 
costs for a weaker economy. 

(1) The 2009 figure is the annualised figure as at 31 May 2009. Absenteeism 

refers to sick leave, reported by domestic, permanent employees.  

(2)  Employee  turnover  refers  to  all  voluntary  exits  of  domestic  permanent 

employees. 

(3) The Gallup Survey Grand Mean measures employee engagement out of a 

possible score of five. 

(4) LTIFR is the reported number of occurrences of lost time arising from injury 
or disease that have resulted in an accepted workers compensation claim, 
for  each  million  hours  worked  by  domestic  employees.  The  metric 
captures  claims  relating  to  domestic  employees  only  (permanent,  casual 
and those contractors paid directly by the Group). Data is complete as at 
30  June  each  year,  however  it  may  be  updated  in  future  reports  due  to 
post-publication reporting of incidents that occurred during the year, or the 
subsequent acceptance or rejection of claims made in the year. 

Safety 

The Group's commitment to the health, safety and wellbeing of 
its  people  continues  to  be  demonstrated  in  a  range  of  safety 
awareness  and  prevention  programs.  As  a  result,  the  Group 
has  seen  continued  improvement  in  the  Lost  Time  Injury 
Frequency Rate over recent years. 

In  2008,  the  Group  moved  to  the  Federal  Government‘s 
Comcare  System,  a  single,  national  approach  to  workers 
compensation, injury management and occupational health and 
safety.  The  first  12  months  within  the  Comcare  scheme  has 
allowed the Group to streamline its safety management system 
and  implement  new  training  programs,  risk  management 
activities and internal audit processes. 

The  Group  also  developed  and  implemented  new  safety 
consultation  arrangements  with  the  formation  of  a  national 
Occupational Health and Safety Committee. 

Community  

For almost 100 years, the Group has been an active part of the 
Australian  community,  with  programs  and  partnerships 
spanning  from  financial  literacy  to  health,  the  arts,  sport  and 
social welfare. Commitment to these partnerships helps support 
communities and organisations to achieve outcomes that make 
an impact.  

This year the Group was proud to receive the 2009 Australian 
Business  Award  for  Community  Contribution,  awarded  in 
recognition  of  the  Group‘s commitment to  developing financial 
literacy  in  the  Australian  community,  through  the  work  of  the 
Commonwealth Bank Foundation. 

Indigenous reconciliation 

Complete definitions for these metrics are available at  
www.commbank.com.au/sustainability. 
The Group also remains committed to retaining jobs in Australia 
and  has  recently committed to  retain  all  its  operations  and call 
centre activities in Australia and not undertake off-shoring for at 
least  the  next  three  years.  In  addition  the  Group  returns  a 
significant  proportion  of  its  profit  as  dividends  to  the  nearly 
800,000 domestic shareholders who together own over 80% of 
the Group‘s shares. 
In April 2009, the Group announced a reduction in remuneration 
for the Board and Senior Executives. The Remuneration Report 
provides further detail, page 65. 
Culture and engagement 
Trust  and  team  spirit  is  an  important  strategic  priority  for  the 
Group. This year the Group introduced new initiatives to improve 
workplace  culture  and  gain  more  accurate  insights  into  people 
performance. 
The  Group 
launched  a  refreshed  set  of  key  behaviour 
expectations designed to align the Group‘s culture more closely 
with  its  goal  of  being  number  one  in  customer  service: 
Performance  Driven,  Accountable,  Customer  Focussed,  and 
Teamwork (―PACT‖).  
A 
talent  management  and  career 
development, combined with the economic downturn, helped to 
reduce  turnover  and  absenteeism.  Among  other  initiatives,  the 
Group maintained the Leadership Capabilities framework, which 
outlines the leadership capabilities expected at different levels of 
management and helps staff with their development.  
The Group has recorded continued improvements in the people 
engagement  survey  and  is  ranked  in  the  80th  percentile 
worldwide (Source: Gallup), which is considered by Gallup to be 
best practice. 
The  Group  is  committed  to  creating  and  maintaining  a  diverse 
workforce.  It  recognises  and  values  the  varied  perspectives, 
skills,  and  backgrounds  its  people  bring  to  work.  The  Group 
continues to support its people through its diversity program. 

leadership, 

focus  on 

50     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

The  Group  launched  its  Reconciliation  Action  Plan  (RAP)  in 
July  2008.  The  RAP  focuses  on  areas  where  the  Group  can 
have a positive impact on enhancing the involvement, inclusion 
and  progression  of  Indigenous  Australians.  One  year  on,  the 
Group  has  made  real  progress  towards  the  RAP‘s  goals  of 
providing  meaningful  employment,  supporting  financial  literacy 
education,  offering 
fostering 
enterprise  development  and  encouraging  appreciation  of 
Australia‘s unique Indigenous cultures.  

financial  services, 

relevant 

In  May  2009,  the  Group  piloted  its  Indigenous  Customer 
Assistance Line (ICAL). The ICAL, a dedicated assistance line 
for  remotely  domiciled  Indigenous  customers,  is the  first  of  its 
kind  among  Australian  banks.  The  pilot  program  is  servicing 
remote communities in Far North Queensland helping to meet 
the  unique  geographical,  cultural  and  language  needs  of  the 
members of these communities.  

In  addition  the  Group  expanded  its  Indigenous  School  Based 
Traineeship  program.  The  program  provides  opportunities  for 
Year 11 and 12 students to gain valuable work experience. The 
program  commenced  in  the  branch  network  and  due  to  its 
success,  was  expanded  to  include  training  positions  within 
Enterprise Services and Business and Private Banking. 

The success of the School Based Traineeship program laid the 
foundations for the Group to develop an Aboriginal and Torres 
Strait  Islander  Employment  Strategy,  as  part  of  the  Group‘s 
commitment to building diversity within its workforce. The aim of 
the strategy is to address current barriers around employment 
and 
training  and  work 
opportunities  to  Aboriginal  and  Torres  Strait  Islanders  across 
the Group. 

retention  and  provide  ongoing 

200920082007Absenteeism (1) Average days per FTE5.9Employee Turnover(voluntary) % (2) 11.37Employee satisfactionGallup Survey Grand Mean (3)4.37SafetyLost Time Injury Frequency Rate(LTIFR) (4)2.16.56.218.4514.944.284.133.13.7 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Community partnerships 

Environment 

Sustainability 

2009  saw  the  establishment  of  two  major  new  community 
partnerships,  with  the  Bangarra  Dance  Theatre  and  Clean  Up 
Australia Day, as well as the continued commitment to a range 
of existing partnerships. 

The  Group  became  Bangarra‘s  20th  Anniversary  Partner  in 
2009, supporting one of the Reconciliation Action Plan‘s goals of 
promoting 
through  an  understanding  and 
appreciation of Indigenous culture.  

reconciliation 

The new partnership with Clean Up Australia Day reinforced the 
Group‘s support for programs that provide practical solutions to 
environmental  issues  and  encourage  individuals  to  make  a 
difference. 

The  Group  continued  its  relationship  with  the  Australian 
Business  and  Community  Network  (ABCN).  The  Group‘s 
partnership  with  ABCN  helps 
to  run  practical  mentoring 
programs for school students from lower socio-economic areas. 
These much needed school-based programs include mentoring 
initiatives for high school students, literacy programs for primary 
school students and learning partnerships with school principals. 

The Group‘s support for the Breast Cancer Institute of Australia 
continued  in  2009,  with  the  sale  of  the  Australian  Women‘s 
Health Diary in Commonwealth Bank branches. Since 1995, the 
Group  has  helped  to  raise  over  $1.3  million  for  breast  cancer 
research. 

2009 also saw the continuation of the Group‘s support of sport in 
Australia, which includes sponsorship of the Australian One Day 
International  Cricket  Series,  the  Australian  women‘s  cricket 
team,  the  Commonwealth  Bank  Southern  Stars,  the  Australian 
Country  Cricket  Championships,  and  the  Imparja  Cup,  the 
national Indigenous cricket competition.  

The Group celebrated 30 years as the proud major sponsor of 
the  Australian  of  the  Year  Awards.  As  a  key  part  of  local 
Australian  communities,  the  Group  understands  how  valuable 
the  contributions  of  everyday  Australians  are  both  locally  and 
further  afield  and  the  importance  of  celebrating  these  great 
achievements. 

The  Group  also  continues  to  support  a  range  of  other 
community  programs  – 
further  details  are  available  at 
www.commbank.com.au/about-us.  

Staff contribution 

In 2009, staff continued to make a valuable contribution to their 
local  communities  and  to  actively  participate  in  volunteering 
activities supported by the Group. 

Staff also contributed through the Staff Community Fund and its 
fundraising  activities.  The  Fund  supports  the  health  and 
wellbeing  of Australian  children through the  Community Grants 
program,  with  grants  of  up  to  $10,000  to  youth  and  childrens‘ 
charities. In  2009,  a total  of  $350,245  was  awarded to  support 
grassroot  projects  around 
initiatives 
supported by the Fund include the Humour Foundation‘s Clown 
Doctors program and Midnight Basketball. 

the  country.  Other 

A new Group Environment Policy was endorsed by the Board in 
October  2008,  creating  a  framework  for  the  responsible 
management  of  the  Group‘s  direct  and  indirect  environmental 
impacts. 

In  conjunction  with  this  policy,  the  Group  has  achieved  some 
important  milestones  in  2009,  taking  steps  to  better  measure 
and report carbon emissions and making real progress towards 
reducing the Group's overall environmental footprint.  

Improving property environmental performance 

In 2009, the Group continued its shift to more environmentally-
friendly  commercial  properties.  The  Sydney  Olympic  Park 
precinct reached full occupation and the first phase of tenancy 
at Darling Park commenced. Environmental performance was a 
key  requirement  for  both  these  premises.  Work  on  the  new 
Darling  Walk  building,  which  will  target  a  6  Star  Green  Star 
Office  Design  and  5  Star  NABERS 
rating,  has  also 
commenced.  

In May 2009, the listed property trust Commonwealth Property 
Office  Fund  within  the  Group‘s  asset  management  business, 
Colonial  First  State  Global  Asset  Management,  was  granted 
more than $2.7 million from the Australian Government‘s Green 
Building  Fund  to  implement  its  Wind  Array  proposal  at  385 
Bourke  Street  in  Melbourne.  Wind  turbines  on  top  of  the  41-
storey  tower  will  generate  enough  energy  to  deliver  a  30  per 
cent improvement in energy efficiency. 

In  June  2009,  Colonial  First  State  Global  Asset  Management 
launched  the  Sustainable  Property  Guide  in  conjunction  with 
the Department of Environment and Climate Change NSW. The 
Guide  provides  the  commercial  property  sector  with  practical 
tools to integrate sustainability into core business activities and 
asset management. 

Managing carbon emissions 

In  2009,  the  Group  established  a  carbon  emissions  reduction 
target for its Australian operations of 20 per cent by June 2013, 
from  2009  levels.  Achievement  of  this  target  will  be  through 
initiatives  in  the  Group‘s  retail  and  commercial  properties  and 
the tool-of-trade fleet. 

(1) Emissions relate to consumption of electricity, gas and fuel (gasoline and 
diesel) by domestic retail and commercial properties, the business use of 
domestic tool-of-trade vehicle fleets, business use of private vehicles and 
domestic ATMs. Due to the electricity billing cycle, 19.5 % of 2008-2009 
electricity data was estimated to meet publication deadlines. The 2007 and 
2008 figures previously reported have been adjusted to take into account the 
Group‘s reporting boundaries under the National Greenhouse and Energy 
Reporting Act 2007. 

Complete definitions for these metrics are available at  
www.commbank.com.au/sustainability. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     51 

200920082007EnvironmentProperty and fleet carbon emissions total (tonnes CO2-e) (1)169,589173,397163,964 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Sustainability 

Reducing environmental impacts through online banking 

Future developments 

Over the coming year the Group will continue to implement its 
sustainability  program 
long-term, 
to  ensure 
sustainable  value  to  its  customers,  people,  shareholders,  and 
the community. 

it  delivers 

The  Group  will  publish  a  Sustainability  Report  during  October 
2009,  an 
the  Group‘s 
sustainability performance to its stakeholders.  

in  communicating 

important 

tool 

The  Sustainability  Report  will  be  available  online  at 
www.commbank.com.au/sustainability. 

One  of  the  key  ways  in  which  the  Group  can  lower  its 
environmental impact is by raising awareness of the advantages 
of  online  banking,  especially  for  the  delivery  of  account 
statements.  During  the  year,  the  Group  broadened  its  online 
offering with new features including a range of online application 
forms in Netbank and online transaction account and credit card 
statements.  As  a  result,  the  Group  made  significant  paper 
savings,  with  over  1.6  million  accounts  now  using  online 
statements instead of paper. 

Reporting 

The  Group  is  subject  to  the  Federal  Government‘s  Energy 
Efficiency Opportunities Act (EEO), which provides a framework 
for  identifying  cost-effective  energy  savings,  and  the  National 
Greenhouse  and  Energy  Reporting  Scheme  (NGERS).  As  a 
result of a long history of voluntary reporting, the Group is well 
placed to meet the Scheme's mandatory requirements, and has 
recently  revised  its  data  capture  and  reporting  systems  to 
comply with the new legislation.  

The Group also voluntarily reported its carbon emissions to the 
Carbon Disclosure Project in May 2009.  

52     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

 
 
 
Corporate Governance 

Approving documents (including reports and statements to 
shareholders)  required  by  the  Bank‘s  Constitution  and 
relevant regulation; 

Employment of the Chief Executive Officer; and 

Approval of the Group‘s major HR policies and overseeing 
the development strategies for senior and high performing 
executives. 

The Board carries out the legal  duties of its role in accordance 
with the Group‘s values of trust, honesty and integrity and having 
the  Group‘s  customers,  staff, 
regard 
shareholders  and  the  broader  community  in  which  the  Group 
operates. 

interests  of 

the 

to 

The Board delegates to the Chief Executive Officer the authority 
to achieve the Group‘s objective of creating long term value for 
its  shareholders  through  providing  financial  services  to  its 
customers and providing sustained best-in-industry performance 
in safety, community reputation and environmental impact. 

Composition 

There are currently 11 Directors of the Bank and details of their 
experience, 
and 
attendance at meetings are set out in the Directors‘ Report. 

responsibilities 

qualifications, 

special 

Membership of the Board and Committees is set out below: 

Introduction 

This  statement  reflects  the  key  aspects  of  the  Commonwealth 
Bank‘s  corporate  governance 
framework.  The  Board  has 
consistently  placed  great  importance  on  the  governance  of  the 
Group, which it believes is vital to its well-being. The Board has 
adopted  a  comprehensive  framework  of  Corporate  Governance 
Guidelines which are designed to properly balance performance 
and  conformance  and  thereby  allow  the  Group  to  undertake,  in 
an  effective  manner,  the  prudent  risk-taking  activities  which  are 
the basis of its business. The Guidelines and the practices of the 
Group comply with the revised ―Corporate Governance Principles 
and  Recommendations‖  published  in  August  2007  by  the 
Australian  Securities  Exchange  (ASX)  Limited‘s  Corporate 
Governance Council. 

Charter 

The role and responsibilities of the Board of Directors are set out 
in the Board Charter. The responsibilities include: 

The  corporate  governance  of  the  Group,  including  the 
establishment of Committees; 

  Oversight of the business and affairs of the Group by: 

  Establishing,  with  management,  and  approving 

the 

strategies and financial objectives; 

  Approving  major  corporate  and  capital  initiatives  and 
approving capital expenditure in excess of limits delegated 
to management; 

  Overseeing  the  establishment  of  appropriate  systems  of 
risk  management  including  defining  the  Group‘s  risk 
appetite  and  establishing  appropriate  financial  policies 
such as target capital and liquidity ratios; and 

  Monitoring  the  performance  of  management  and  the 

environment in which the Group operates; 

Board Membership  Position Title 

Committee Membership 

Director  
J M Schubert (1)  Non-Executive, 

R J Norris 

J A Anderson 

R J Clairs (1) 

independent 
Executive 

Non-Executive, 
independent 
Non-Executive, 
independent 

C R Galbraith (1)  Non-Executive, 

independent 

J S Hemstritch  Non-Executive, 

S C H Kay (1) 

F D Ryan 

D Turner 

H H Young 

A M Mohl (1) 

independent 
Non-Executive, 
independent 
Non-Executive, 
independent 
Non-Executive, 
independent 
Non-Executive, 
independent 
Non-Executive, 
independent 

Board Performance 
& Renewal 

People 
& Remuneration 

Audit 

Chairman 

Chairman 

Member 

Chief Executive 
Officer  

Chairman 

Risk 

Member  

Member 

Member 

Member 

Member 

Member 

Member 

Member 

Member 

Member 

Member 

Member 

Chairman 

Member 

Member 

Member 

Member 

Member 

Chairman 

Member 

Member 

(1) Mr Schubert, Mr Clairs, Mr Galbraith, Ms Kay and Mr Mohl were appointed as members of the Risk Committee with effect from 1 January 2009. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     53 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Corporate Governance 

Constitution  

The Constitution of the Bank specifies that: 

The  Chief  Executive  Officer  and  any  other  Executive 
Director  shall  not  be  eligible  to  stand  for  election  as 
Chairman of the Bank; 
The  number  of  Directors  shall  not  be  less  than  nine  nor 
more  than  13  (or  such  lower  number  as  the  Board  may 
from  time  to  time  determine).  The  Board  has  determined 
that the number of directors shall be 11; and 
At  each  Annual  General  Meeting  one  third  of  Directors 
(other  than  the  Chief  Executive  Officer)  shall  retire  from 
office and may stand for re-election. 

The  Board  has  established  a  policy  that  the  term  of  Directors‘ 
appointments  would  be  limited  to  12  years  (except  where 
succession planning for Chairman and appointment of Chairman 
requires an  extended term.  On  appointment, the  Chairman  will 
be expected to be available for that position for five years). 

Independence 

The  Board  regularly  assesses  the  independence  of  each 
Director.  For  this  purpose  an  independent  Director  is  a  Non-
Executive Director whom the Board considers to be independent 
of  management  and  free  of  any  business  or  other  relationship 
that could materially interfere with the exercise of unfettered and 
independent judgment. 

themselves 

to  conduct 

to  being  required 

In  addition 
in 
accordance with the ethical policies of the Group, Directors are 
required  to  be  meticulous  in  their  disclosure  of  any  material 
contract or relationship in accordance with the Corporations Act 
and this disclosure extends to the interests of family companies 
and  spouses.  Directors  are  required  to  strictly  adhere  to  the 
constraints on their participation and voting in relation to matters 
in  which  they  may  have  an  interest  in  accordance  with  the 
Corporations Act and the Group‘s policies. 

Each Director may from time to time have personal dealings with 
the  Group.  Each  Director  is  involved  with  other  companies  or 
professional  firms  which  may  from  time  to  time  have  dealings 
with  the  Group.  Details  of  offices  held  by  Directors  with  other 
organisations  are  set  out  in  the  Directors'  Report  and  on  the 
Group's website. Full details of related party dealings are set out 
in notes to the Financial Statements as required by law. 

All the current Non-Executive Directors of the Bank have been 
assessed  as 
that 
determination, the Board  has taken  into  account  (in  addition to 
the matters set out above): 

independent  Directors. 

reaching 

In 

The specific disclosures made by each Director as referred 
to above;  

  Where  applicable,  the  related  party  dealings  referrable  to 
each  Director,  noting  that  those  dealings  are  not  material 
under accounting standards; 
That no Director is, or has been associated directly with, a 
substantial shareholder of the Bank; 
That  no  Non-Executive  Director  has  ever  been  employed 
by the Bank or any of its subsidiaries; 
That no Director is, or has been associated with, a supplier, 
professional  adviser,  consultant  to  or  customer  of  the 
Group which is material under accounting standards; and 
That no Non-Executive Director has a material contractual 
relationship with the Group other than as a Director of the 
Bank. 

54     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

Education 

Directors participate in an induction program upon appointment 
and  in  a  refresher  program on  a regular basis. The Board  has 
established a program of continuing education to ensure that it is 
kept  up  to  date  with  developments  in  the  industry  both  locally 
and  globally.  This  includes  sessions  with  local  and  overseas 
experts in the particular fields relevant to the Group‘s operations. 

Review 

The  Board  has  in  place  a  process  for  annually  reviewing  its 
performance,  policies  and  practices.  These  reviews  seek  to 
identify where improvements can be made and also assess the 
quality  and  effectiveness  of  information  made  available  to 
Directors.  Every  two  years,  this  process  is  facilitated  by  an 
external  consultant,  with  an  internal  review  conducted  in  the 
intervening years. The review process includes an assessment 
of the performance of the Board Committees and each Director. 

the 

After  consideration  of 
the  performance 
assessment,  the  Board  will  determine  its  endorsement  of  the 
Directors  to  stand  for  re-election  at  the  next  Annual  General 
Meeting. 

results  of 

The  Non-Executive  Directors  meet  at  least  annually,  without 
management,  in  a  forum  intended  to  allow  for  an  open 
discussion  on Board  and management  performance.  This is in 
addition  to  the  consideration  of  the  Chief  Executive  Officer‘s 
performance and remuneration which is conducted by the Board 
in the absence of the Chief Executive Officer. 

Selection of Directors 

The  Board  Performance  and  Renewal  Committee  has 
developed a set of criteria for Director appointments which has 
been adopted by the Board. The criteria are aimed at creating a 
Board  capable  of  challenging,  stretching  and  motivating 
to  achieve  sustained  outstanding  company 
management 
performance in all respects. These criteria, which are reviewed 
annually,  aim  to  ensure  that  any  new  appointee  is  able  to 
contribute to the Board constituting a competitive advantage for 
the Group and: 

and 

exhibit 

outstanding 

performance 

Be capable of operating as part of an exceptional team; 
Contribute 
impeccable values; 
Be  capable  of  inputting  strongly  to  risk  management, 
strategy and policy; 
Provide skills and experience required currently and for the 
future strategy of the Group; 
Be  excellently  prepared  and  receive  all  necessary 
education; 
Provide  important  and  significant  insights,  input  and 
questions to management  from their  experience  and skill; 
and 
Vigorously debate and challenge management. 

the  skill  base  and 
The  Committee  regularly  compares 
experience of existing Directors with that required for the future 
strategy  of  the  Group  to  enable  identification  of  attributes 
required in new Directors. 

Executive  search  firms  are  engaged  to  identify  potential 
candidates based on the identified criteria. 

Candidates for appointment as Directors are considered by the 
Board Performance and Renewal Committee, recommended for 
decision  by  the  Board  and,  if  appointed,  stand  for  election,  in 
accordance with the Constitution, at the next general meeting of 
shareholders. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The  Group  has  adopted  a  policy  whereby,  on  appointment,  a 
letter is provided from the Chairman to the new Director setting 
out  the  terms  of  appointment  and  relevant  Board  policies 
including  time  commitment,  code  of  ethics  and  continuing 
education. All current Directors have been provided with a letter 
confirming the terms of their appointment. A copy of the form of 
letter of appointment appears on the Group‘s website.  

Policies 

Board  policies  relevant  to  the  composition  and  functions  of 
Directors include: 

The  Board  will  consist  of  a  majority  of  independent  Non-
Executive  Directors  and  the  membership  of  the  Board 
Performance  and  Renewal,  People  &  Remuneration  and 
Audit  Committees  should  consist  solely  of  independent 
Non-Executive  Directors.  The  Risk  Committee  should 
consist  of  a  majority  of 
independent  Non-Executive 
Directors; 
The  Chairman  will  be  an  independent  Non-Executive 
Director.  The  Audit  Committee  will  be  chaired  by  an 
independent  Non-Executive  Director  other  than the Board 
Chairman; 
The Board will meet regularly with an agenda designed to 
provide  adequate  information  about  the  affairs  of  the 
Group, allow the Board to guide and monitor management 
and assist in involvement in discussions and decisions on 
strategy.  Matters  having  strategic  implications  are  given 
priority  on  the  agenda  for  regular  Board  meetings.  In 
addition, ongoing strategy is the major focus of at least one 
Board meeting annually; 
The  Board  has  an  agreed  policy  on  the  basis  on  which 
Directors  are  entitled  to  obtain  access  to  Company 
documents and information and to meet with management; 
and 
The  Group  has  in  place  a  procedure  whereby,  after 
appropriate  consultation,  Directors  are  entitled  to  seek 
independent  professional  advice,  at  the  expense  of  the 
Group, to assist them to carry out their duties as Directors. 
The  policy  of  the  Group  provides  that  any  such  advice  is 
generally made available to all Directors.  

Ethical Standards 

Conflicts of Interest  

In  accordance  with  the  Constitution  and  the  Corporations  Act 
2001,  Directors  are  required  to  disclose  to  the  Board  any 
material  contract  in  which  they  may  have  an  interest.  In 
compliance  with section  195  of  the  Corporations Act  2001 any 
Director  with  a  material  personal  interest  in  a  matter  being 
considered by the Board will not be present when the matter is 
being considered and will not vote on the matter. In addition, any 
Director  who  has  a  conflict  of  interest  in  connection  with  any 
matter being considered by the Board or a Committee does not 
receive a copy of any paper dealing with the matter. 

Share Trading  

The restrictions imposed by law on dealings by Directors in the 
securities of the Group have been supplemented by the Board 
of  Directors  adopting  guidelines  which  further  limit  any  such 
dealings by Directors, their spouses, any dependent child, family 
Company or family trust. 

The  guidelines  provide,  that in  addition to  the  requirement  that 
Directors  not  deal  in the  securities  of the Group  or any  related 
Company  when  they  have  or  may  be  perceived  as  having 
relevant  unpublished  price-sensitive  information,  Directors  are 
only  permitted  to  deal  within  certain  periods.  These  periods 
include between three and 30 days after the announcement of 
half  yearly  and  final  results  and  from  the  date  of  the  Annual 

Corporate Governance 

General Meeting until 14 days after the Annual General Meeting. 
Further,  the  guidelines  require  that  Directors  not  deal  on  the 
basis of considerations of a short term nature or to the extent of 
trading 
to 
executives of the Group. 

those  securities.  Similar  restrictions  apply 

in 

In addition, Group policy prohibits: 

For  Directors  and  executives  who  report  to  the  Chief 
Executive  Officer,  any  hedging  of  publicly  disclosed 
shareholding positions; 
For executives, any trading (including hedging) in positions 
prior to vesting of shares or options; and 
The  use,  by  Directors  and  executives  who  report  to  the 
Chief Executive Officer, of investments of arrangements for 
margin  borrowing,  short  selling  or  stock  lending,  in 
connection with the securities of the Group. 

Remuneration Arrangements 

Details of the governance arrangements and policies relevant to 
remuneration are set out in the Directors‘ Report - Remuneration 
Report. 

Audit Arrangements 

Audit Committee 

The  purpose  of  the  Audit  Committee  is  to  assist  the  Board  in 
fulfilling its statutory and fiduciary responsibilities by providing an 
objective  non-executive  review  of  the  effectiveness  of  the 
external  reporting  of  financial  information,  and  the  internal 
control  environment  of  the  Group,  including  obtaining  an 
understanding  of  the  tax  and  accounting  risks  which  face  the 
Group.  The  Audit  Committee  is  also  responsible  for  the 
oversight  of  accounting  policies,  professional  accounting 
requirements,  internal  and  external  audit  and  APRA  statutory 
regulatory  requirements,  and  the  appointment  of  the  external 
auditor. 

The Charter of the Audit Committee incorporates a number of 
policies and practices to ensure that the Committee is 
independent and effective. Among these are: 

  The Audit Committee shall comprise at least three members. 
All  members  must  be  non-executive,  independent  directors 
and  financially  literate.  At  least  one  member  must  be  a 
―Financial  Expert‖  within  the  meaning  of  that  term  as 
described in the ASX Corporate Governance guidelines. The 
financial expert will be determined by the Board from time to 
time; 

  The Audit Committee chairman may not be the Chairman of 
the Board. The term of each member will be determined by 
the  Board  through  annual  review.  The  Risk  Committee 
chairman will be a member of the Audit Committee and vice-
versa to ensure the flow of relevant information between the 
two committees; 

  The  Audit  Committee  will  meet  at  least  quarterly,  and  as 
required. The Audit Committee will invite the external auditor 
to all meetings of the Committee; 

  The  Audit  Committee  has  the  power  to  call  attendees  as 
required,  including  open  access  to  management,  auditors 
(external and internal) and the right to seek explanations and 
additional information; 

  The  Audit  Committee  will  meet  from  time  to  time  with  the 
Group  Auditor  and  external  auditor  without  management  or 
others being present; 

  Similarly,  senior  management  and  the  internal  and  external 
auditor  have  free  and  unfettered  access  to  the  Audit 
Committee, with the Group Auditor having a direct reporting 
line,  whilst  maintaining  a  management  reporting  line  to  the 
Chief Financial Officer; and 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     55 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Corporate Governance 

  The Audit Committee has the option, with the concurrence of 
the  Chairman  of  the  Board,  to  retain  independent  legal, 
accounting,  or  other  advisors  to  the  extent  the  Committee 
considers necessary at the Group‘s expense. 

Non-Audit Services 

The  Board  has  in  place  an  External  Auditor  Services  Policy 
which requires the Audit Committee (or its delegate) to approve 
all  audit  and  non-audit  services  before  engaging  the  Auditors. 
The  policy  also  prohibits  the  Auditors  from  providing  certain 
services to the Group or its affiliates. The objective of this policy 
is to avoid prejudicing the independence of the Auditors.  

The policy is designed to ensure that the Auditors do not: 

Assume the role of management or act as an employee; 
Become an advocate for the Group; 
Audit their own work; 
Create a mutual or conflicting interest between the Auditor 
and the Group; 
Require an indemnification from the Group to the Auditor;  
Seek contingency fees; nor 
Have  a  direct  financial  or  business  interest  or  a  material 
indirect financial or business interest in the Group or any of 
its affiliates, or an employment relationship with the Group 
or any of its affiliates.  

Under  the  policy,  the  Auditor  shall  not  provide  certain  services 
including the following services: 

Bookkeeping  or  other  services  relating  to  accounting 
records or Financial Statements of the Group; 
Financial information systems design and implementation; 
Appraisal or valuation services (other than certain tax only 
valuation services) and fairness opinions; 
Actuarial  services  when  approved  in  accordance  with 
independence guidelines; 
Internal audit outsourcing services; 

  Management  functions,  including  acting  as  an  employee 

and secondment arrangements; 
Human resources; 
Broker-dealer,  investment  adviser  or  investment  banking 
services; 
Legal services; or 
Expert services for the purpose of advocating the interests 
of the Group. 

In general terms, the permitted services are: 

the 

Audit services to the Group or an affiliate; 
Related  services  connected  with 
lodgement  of 
statements  or  documents  with  the  ASX,  ASIC,  APRA  or 
other regulatory or supervisory bodies;  
Services reasonably related to the performance of the audit 
services; 
Agreed-upon procedures or comfort letters provided by the 
Auditor  to  third  parties  in  connection  with  the  Group‘s 
financing or related activities; and 

  Other services pre-approved by the Audit Committee. 

Auditor 

PricewaterhouseCoopers  was  appointed  as  the  Auditor  of  the 
Bank  at  the  2007  Annual  General  Meeting,  effective  from  the 
beginning of the 2008 financial year. 

The audit partner from PricewaterhouseCoopers will attend the 
2009 Annual General Meeting of the Bank and will be available 
to respond to shareholder audit-related questions. 

The Group currently requires that the partner managing the audit 
for the external Auditor be changed after a period of no longer 
than five years. 

56     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

The Chief Executive Officer is authorised to appoint and remove 
the  Group  Auditor  only  after  consultation  with  the  Audit 
Committee. 

Due to SEC rules that apply to various activities that the Group 
continues to undertake in the United States, notwithstanding the 
Bank‘s  de-registration  under  the Exchange Act, the  Group  and 
its  Auditor  must  continue 
to  comply  with  U.S.  Auditor 
independence requirements. 

Risk Management 

Risk  Management  governance  originates  at  Board  level,  and 
cascades through to the CEO, and businesses via policies and 
delegated authorities. This ensures Board level oversight and a 
clear  segregation  of  duties  between  those  who  originate  and 
those  who  approve  risk  exposures.  Independent  review  of  the 
risk management framework is carried out through Group Audit. 

The Board and its Risk Committee operate under the direction of 
their respective charters. The Board Charter stipulates amongst 
other things that: 

The Board is responsible for ―overseeing the establishment 
of  systems  of  risk  management  by  approving  accounting 
policies,  financial  statements  and  reports,  credit  policies 
and  standards,  risk management  policies  and  procedures 
and  operational  risk  policies  and  systems  of  internal 
controls‖; and 
The  CEO  is  responsible  for  ―implementing  a  system, 
including  a  system  of  internal  controls  and  audits,  to 
identify and manage risks that are material to the business 
of the Group‖. 

Risk Committee 

The  Risk  Committee  oversees  the  Group‘s  risk  management 
framework,  including  the  credit,  market  (including  traded, 
IRRBB,  lease  residual  values,  non-traded  equity  and  structural 
foreign exchange), liquidity and funding, operational, insurance, 
compliance  and  regulatory  risks  assumed  by  the  Group  in  the 
course of carrying on its business.  

Strategic  and  reputational  risks  are  governed  by  the  full Board 
with  input  from  the  various  Board  sub-committees.  Tax  and 
accounting risks are governed by the Board Audit Committee. 

A primary action is to help the Board formulate the Group‘s risk 
appetite for consideration by the Board in its role of oversight of 
the  Internal  Capital  Adequacy  Assessment  Process,  which  is 
updated on at least an annual basis. 

the  Group‘s  credit  policies  and  ensures 

The Committee guides the setting of risk appetite for credit risks, 
that 
considers 
management  maintains  a  set  of  credit  underwriting  standards 
designed  to  achieve  portfolio  outcomes  consistent  with  the 
Group‘s risk/return expectations.  

The  Committee  approves  risk  management  policies  and 
procedures  for  market,  funding  and  liquidity  risks  incurred  or 
likely to be incurred in the Group‘s business. It guides the setting 
of risk appetite for traded and non-traded market risks, including 
the  establishment  of  limits  for  these  risk  exposures.  The 
Committee  reviews  progress  in  implementing  management 
procedures  and  identifying  new  areas  of  exposure  relating  to 
market, funding and liquidity risk. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Committee guides the setting of risk appetite for operational 
risks, including ratification of the Group‘s operational risk policies 
for approval by the Board and reviews and informs the Board of 
the  measurement  and  management  of  operational  risk. 
Operational risk is a basic line management responsibility within 
the  Group  consistent  with  the  policies  established  by  the 
Committee.  A  range  of  insurance  policies  maintained  by  the 
Group  mitigates  some  operational  risks,  with  insurance  risk 
coverage levels disclosed to the Risk Committee for comment. 
The  Committee  oversees  risk  management  of  compliance  risk 
through the Group‘s Compliance Risk Management Framework, 
which  provides 
risks, 
implementation of controls, monitoring and testing of framework 
effectiveness,  and  the  escalation,  remediation  and  reporting  of 
compliance incidents and control weaknesses. 
The  Committee 
for  agreeing  and 
is  also 
recommending  for  Board  approval  a  risk  framework  consistent 
with the agreed risk appetite. This framework includes: 

for  assessment  of  compliance 

responsible 

A  capital  policy,  determined  as  part  of  an  annual  Internal 
Capital Adequacy Assessment Process (ICAAP); 
High-level  risk  management  policies  for  each  of  the  risk 
areas it is responsible for overseeing; and 
A  set  of  risk 
limits 
concentrations.  

to  manage  exposures 

to  risk 

The  Committee  is  charged  with  making  recommendations 
regarding  the  high-level  liquidity  and  funding  policies  and 
strategy, at least annually. This includes the use of securitisation 
and Special Investment Vehicles.  
In overseeing the risk framework, and through its dialogues with 
the  risk  leadership  team  and  executive  management,  the 
Committee also monitors the health of the Group‘s risk culture, 
and reports any significant issues to the Board. 
The  Committee  meets,  at  least  seven  times  each  year  and  at 
least annually with the Group Chief Risk Officer, in the absence 
of other management to allow the Committee to form a view on 
the  independence  of  the  function.  The  Chairman  of  the  Risk 
Committee  provides  a  report  to  the  Board  following  each  Risk 
Committee meeting. 
Framework 
The  Group  has  in  place  an  integrated  risk  management 
framework to identify, assess, manage and report risks and risk 
adjusted returns on a consistent and reliable basis. 
A description of the functions of the framework and the nature of 
the risks is set out in the Integrated Risk Management section of 
the  Annual  Report  and  in  Notes  15  and  41  to  the  Financial 
Statements. 

Board Performance and Renewal Committee 
The  Board  Performance  and  Renewal  Committee  critically 
reviews, at least annually, the corporate governance procedures 
of  the  Group  and  the  composition  and  effectiveness  of  the 
Commonwealth Bank of Australia Board and the Boards of the 
major wholly owned subsidiaries. The policy of the Board is that 
the  Committee  shall  consist  solely  of 
independent  Non-
Executive  Directors.  The  Chief  Executive  Officer  attends  the 
meeting by invitation. 
In  addition  to  its  role  in  proposing  candidates  for  Director 
appointment  for  consideration  by  the  Board,  the  Committee 
reviews  fees  payable  to  Non-Executive  Directors  and  reviews, 
and  advises  the  Board  in  relation  to  Chief  Executive  Officer 
succession planning and Board renewal. 

Corporate Governance 

―Guidelines 

securities.  The  Group‘s 

Continuous Disclosure 
The  Corporations  Act  2001  and  the  ASX  Listing  Rules  require 
that a Company discloses to the market matters which could be 
expected  to  have  a material effect  on the price  or  value  of the 
for 
Company‘s 
Communication  between  the  Bank  and  Shareholders‖  sets  out 
the  processes  to  ensure  that  shareholders  and the market  are 
provided  with  full  and  timely  information  about  the  Group‘s 
activities in compliance with continuous disclosure requirements. 
Continuous  Disclosure  Policy  and  Processes  are  in  place 
throughout  the  Commonwealth  Bank  Group  to  ensure  that  all 
material  matters  which  may  potentially  require  disclosure  are 
promptly  reported  to  the  Chief  Executive  Officer,  through 
established reporting lines, or as a part of the deliberations of the 
Group‘s  Executive  Committee.  Matters  reported  are  assessed 
and,  where  required  by  the  ASX  Listing  Rules,  advised  to  the 
market.  A  Disclosure  Committee  has  been  formed  to  provide 
advice  on  the  requirements  for  disclosure  of  information  to the 
market.  The  Company  Secretary 
for 
communications  with  the  ASX  and  for  ensuring  that  such 
information  is  not  released  to  any  person  until  the  ASX  has 
confirmed its release to the market. 
Shareholder Communication 
The Group believes it is important for its shareholders to make 
informed decisions about their investment in the Group. In order 
for  shareholders  to  have  an  understanding  of  the  business 
operations  and  performance,  the  Group  seeks  to  provide 
shareholders  with  access  to  quality  information  in  a  timely 
fashion. This will be communicated in the form of: 

responsible 

is 

Interim and final Results; 
Annual Reports; 
Shareholder newsletters; 
Annual General Meetings; 

  Quarterly  trading  updates  and  Business  Unit  briefings 

where considered appropriate;  
All other price sensitive information will be released to the 
ASX in a timely manner; and 
The  Group‘s  dedicated 
shareholder  website  at 
www.commbank.com.au  is  kept  up  to  date  so  that 
shareholders can access this information at all times. 

through  providing 
and 

range  of  communication 
The  Group  employs  a  wide 
approaches,  including  direct  communication  with  shareholders, 
publication of all relevant Group information on the shareholder 
centre  section  of  the  website  and  webcasting  of  most  market 
briefings for shareholders. 
The Group is committed to maintaining a level of disclosure that 
meets  the  highest  of  standards  and  provides  all  investors  with 
timely and equal access to information. 
Ethical Policies 
The  Group‘s  objective  is  to  create  long  term  value  for  its 
shareholders 
its 
customers 
best-in-industry 
performance in safety, community, reputation and environmental 
impact. 
The  Group‘s  vision  is  to  be  Australia‘s  finest  financial  services 
organisation through excelling in customer service. 
The  values  of  the  Group  are  trust,  honesty  and  integrity.  The 
Board carries out the legal duties of its role in accordance with 
the values and having appropriate regard to the interests of the 
Group‘s  customers,  shareholders,  staff  and 
the  broader 
community in which the Group operates. 
Policies  and  codes  of  conduct  have  been  established  by  the 
Board  and  the  Group  Executive  team  to  support  the  Group‘s 
objectives, vision and values. 

financial  services 

producing 

sustained 

to 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     57 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Code of Conduct 
In  carrying  out  its  role,  the  Board  will  operate  in  a  manner 
reflecting the Group‘s values and in accordance with its agreed 
corporate  governance  guidelines,  the  Bank‘s  Constitution,  the 
Corporations Act and all other application regulations. 
The  Board  operates  and  requires  at  all  levels,  impeccable 
values,  honesty  and  openness.  Through  its  processes  it 
achieves  transparent,  open  governance  and  communications 
under  all  circumstances  with  both  performance  and 
conformance addressed. 
The  Board‘s  policies  and  codes  include  detailed  provisions 
dealing with: 

The  interface  between  the  Board  and  management  to 
ensure  there  is  effective  communication  of  the  Board‘s 
views  and  decisions  resulting  in  motivation  and  focus 
towards  long  term  shareholder  value  behaviours  and 
outcomes; 
Disclosure  of  relevant  personal  interests  so  that  potential 
situations  of  conflict  of  interest  can  be  identified  and 
appropriate  action  undertaken  to  avoid  compromising  the 
independence of the Board; and 
Securities  dealings  in  compliance  with  the  Group‘s  strict 
guidelines  and  in  accordance  with  the  values  of  honesty 
and integrity. 

Corporate Governance 

Statement of Professional Practice 
The Group has adopted a code of ethics, known as a Statement 
of  Professional  Practice,  which  sets  standards  of  behaviour 
required of all employees and directors including: 

To act properly and efficiently in pursuing the objectives of 
the Group; 
To  avoid  situations  which  may  give  rise  to  a  conflict  of 
interest; 
To  know  and  adhere  to  the  Group‘s  Equal  Employment 
Opportunity policy and programs; 
To maintain confidentiality in the affairs of the Group and its 
customers; and 
To be absolutely honest in all professional activities. 
These  standards  are  regularly  communicated  to  staff.  In 
addition, the Group has established insider trading guidelines for 
staff to ensure that unpublished price-sensitive information about 
the  Group  or  any  other  Company  is  not  used  in  an  illegal 
manner or so that inside information could be used for personal 
advantage. 
Our People 
The Group is committed to providing fair, safe, challenging and 
rewarding  work,  recognising  the  importance  of  attracting  and 
retaining high quality staff and consequently, being in a position 
to excel in customer service. 
There  are  various  policies  and  systems  in  place  to  enable 
achievement of these goals, including: 

Fair Treatment Review; 
Equal Employment Opportunity; 
  Occupational Health and Safety; 
Recruitment and selection; 
Performance management; 
Talent management and succession planning; 
Remuneration and recognition; 
Employee share plans; and 
Supporting Professional Development. 

Behaviour Issues 
The  Group  is  strongly  committed  to  maintaining  an  ethical 
workplace,  complying  with  legal  and  ethical  responsibilities. 
Policy  requires  staff  to  report  fraud,  corrupt  conduct,  mal-
administration  or  serious  and  substantial  waste  by  others.  A 
system  has  been  established  which  allows  staff  to  remain 
anonymous, if they wish, for reporting of these matters. 
The  policy  has  been  extended  to  include  reporting  of  auditing 
and  accounting  issues,  which  will  be  reported  to  the  Chief 
Compliance  Officer  by 
the  Chief  Security  Officer,  who 
administers  the  reporting  and  investigation  system.  The  Chief 
Security  Officer  reports  any  such  matters 
the  Audit 
Committee,  noting  the  status  of  resolution  and  actions  to  be 
taken. 

to 

58     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
the 

report, 

special 

financial 

report  of 

qualifications, 

together  with 

responsibilities 

The  Directors  of  the  Commonwealth  Bank  of  Australia  submit 
their 
the 
Commonwealth  Bank  of  Australia  (―the  ‗Bank‖)  and  of  the 
Group,  being  the  Bank  and  its  controlled  entities,  for  the  year 
ended 30 June 2009. 
The  names  of  the  Directors  holding  office  during  the  financial 
year  are  set  out  below,  together  with  details  of  Directors‘ 
experience, 
and 
organisations  in  which  each  of  the  Directors  has  declared  an 
interest. 
John M Schubert, Chairman 
Dr Schubert has been a member of the Board since 1991 and 
Chairman since November 2004. He is Chairman of the Board 
Performance & Renewal Committee and a member of the Risk 
Committee and People & Remuneration Committee. He holds a 
Bachelor‘s  Degree  and  PhD  in  Chemical  Engineering  and  has 
executive  experience  in  the  petroleum,  mining  and  building 
materials  industries.  Dr  Schubert  is  the  former  Managing 
Director  and  Chief  Executive  Officer  of  Pioneer  International 
Limited  and  the  former  Chairman  and  Managing  Director  of 
Esso Australia Ltd. 
Chairman:  G2  Therapies  Limited,  Great  Barrier  Reef 
Foundation. 
Director:  BHP  Billiton  Limited,  BHP  Billiton  Plc  and  Qantas 
Airways Limited. 
Interests:  Academy  of  Technological  Science  and 
Other 
Engineering  (Fellow), 
Institute  of  Engineers  (Fellow)  and 
Honorary  Member  &  Past  President,  Business  Council  of 
Australia. 
Dr Schubert is a resident of New South Wales. Age 66. 
David  Turner  will  succeed  John  Schubert  as  Chairman  in 
February 2010. 
Ralph J Norris, KNZM, Managing Director and Chief 
Executive Officer 
Mr  Norris  was  appointed  as  Managing  Director  and  Chief 
Executive  Officer  with  effect  from  September  2005.  Mr  Norris 
had been Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Air 
New  Zealand  since  2002  and  had  been  a  Director  of  that 
Company since 1998. He retired from that Board in 2005 to take 
up  his  position  with  the  Group.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Risk 
Committee. 
Mr  Norris  has  a  30  year  career  in  Banking.  He  was  Chief 
Executive Officer of ASB Bank Limited from 1991 until 2001 and 
Head of International Financial Services from 1999 until 2001. 
In  2005,  Mr  Norris  retired  from  the  Board  of  Fletcher  Building 
Limited where he had been a Director since 2001. 
Chairman: Australian Bankers‘ Association and 
CommFoundation Pty Limited 
Director:  Business  Council  of  Australia  and  Financial  Markets 
Foundation for Children  
Other Interests: New Zealand Institute of Management (Fellow) 
and New Zealand Computer Society (Fellow). 
Mr Norris is a resident of New South Wales. Age 60. 
Sir John A Anderson, KBE  
Sir John joined the Board on 12 March 2007. He is a member of 
the Risk Committee. Sir John is a highly respected business and 
community  leader,  having  held  many  senior  positions  in  New 
Zealand finance including Chief Executive and Director of ANZ 
National Bank Limited from 2003 to 2005 and the National Bank 
of New Zealand Limited from 1989 to 2003.  
In 1994, Sir John was awarded Knight Commander of the Civil 
Division of the Order of the British Empire, and in 2005 received 
―Outstanding  Leadership 
inaugural  Blake  Medal 
the 
Contributions to New Zealand‖. 

for 

Directors’ Report 

Chairman:  Television  New  Zealand  Limited,  Capital  and  Coast 
District  Health  Board,  New  Zealand  Venture  Investment  Fund 
and Hawke‘s Bay District Health Board. 
Other Interests: Institute of Financial Professionals New Zealand 
(Fellow), Institute of Directors (Fellow), New Zealand Society of 
Accountants  (Fellow),  Australian  Institute  Banking  and  Finance 
(Life Member). 
Sir John is a resident of Wellington, New Zealand. Age 64. 
Reg J Clairs, AO 
Mr  Clairs  has  been  a member  of the  Board  since  1999  and is 
Chairman  of  the  People  &  Remuneration  Committee,  and  a 
member of the Risk Committee. As the former Chief Executive 
Officer  of  Woolworths  Limited,  he  had  33  years  experience  in 
retailing, branding and customer service. 
Director: David Jones Limited 
Other  Interests:  Australian  Institute  of  Company  Directors 
(Member). 
Mr Clairs is a resident of Queensland. Age 71.  
Colin R Galbraith, AM 

Mr Galbraith has been a member of the Board since 2000 and is 
a member of the Risk Committee, Audit Committee and Board 
Performance & Renewal Committee. He is a special advisor for 
Gresham Partners Limited. 

Chairman: BHP Billiton Community Trust. 

Director: OneSteel Limited and Australian Institute of Company 
Directors. 

Other Interests: CARE Australia (Director) and Royal Melbourne 
Hospital Neuroscience Foundation (Trustee).  

Mr Galbraith is a resident of Victoria. Age 61. 

Jane S Hemstritch  

Ms Hemstritch was appointed to the Board  effective 9 October 
2006  and  is  a  member  of  the  People  &  Remuneration 
Committee and Risk Committee. 

Ms Hemstritch was Managing Director - Asia Pacific, Accenture 
Limited from 2004 until her retirement in February 2007. In this 
role,  she  was  a  member  of  Accenture‘s  global  executive 
leadership  team  and  oversaw  the  management  of  Accenture‘s 
business  portfolio  in  Asia  Pacific.  She  holds  a  Bachelor  of 
Science  Degree  in  Biochemistry  and  Physiology  and  has 
professional  expertise  in  technology,  communications,  change 
management  and  accounting. She  also  has  experience  across 
the financial services, telecommunications, government, energy 
and manufacturing sectors and in business expansion in Asia. 

Director:  The  Global  Foundation  and  Tabcorp  (Appointed  13 
November 2008). 

Other  Interests:  Institute  of  Chartered  Accountants  in  Australia 
(Fellow),  Institute  of  Chartered  Accountants  in  England  and 
Wales (Fellow), Chief Executive Women Inc. (Member), Council 
of Governing Members of The Smith Family and CEDA‘s Policy 
and Research Committee (Member). 

Ms Hemstritch is a resident of Victoria. Age 55. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     59 

 
Mr  Young  serves  on  the  Court  of  Directors  of  the  Bank  of 
England and is a member of its Financial Stability Committee.  

Chairman: Howard Florey Institute Foundation. 

Deputy Chairman: The Asia Society AustralAsia and Asialink. 

Director: Florey  Neuroscience  Institutes  and Financial  Services 
Volunteer Corps. 

Trustee: The Asia Society AustralAsia. 

Mr Young is a resident of Victoria. Age 64. 

Andrew M Mohl 

Mr Mohl was appointed to the Board effective 1 July 2008 and is 
a member of the Risk and People & Remuneration Committees. 
He has over 30 years of financial services experience. Mr Mohl 
was  Managing  Director  and  Chief  Executive  Officer  of  AMP 
Limited from October 2002 until the end of December 2007.  

Previous  roles  at  AMP  included  Managing  Director,  AMP 
Financial Services and Managing Director and Chief Investment 
Officer, AMP Asset Management. 

Mr Mohl was a former Chief Economist and Managing Director, 
ANZ Funds Management at ANZ Banking Group. He began his 
career at the Reserve Bank of Australia where his roles included 
Senior Economist and Deputy Head of Research.  

Chairman: Federal Government Export Finance and Insurance 
Corporation. 

Director: AMP Foundation. 

Interests:  Coaching  services 

Other 
to  senior  executives, 
member  of  the  Advisory  Council  of  the  Australian  School  of 
Business. 

Mr Mohl is a resident of New South Wales. Age 53. 

Directors’ Report 

Carolyn H Kay 

Ms Kay has been a member of the Board since 2003 and is also 
a member of the Audit, People & Remuneration and Risk 
Committees. She holds Bachelor Degrees in Law and Arts and a 
Graduate Diploma in Management. She has extensive 
experience in Finance, particularly in International Finance 
having worked as both a banker and a lawyer at Morgan 
Stanley, JP Morgan and Linklaters & Paines in London, New 
York and Australia. 

Director: Allens Arthur Robinson, Brambles Industries Limited 
and Sydney Institute. 

Other Interests: Australian Institute of Company Directors 
(Fellow) and Chief Executive Women‘s Inc (member). 

Ms Kay is a resident of New South Wales. Age 48. 

Fergus D Ryan 

Mr  Ryan  has  been  a  member  of  the  Board  since  2000  and  is 
Chairman  of  the  Audit  Committee  and  a  member  of  the  Risk 
Committee.  He  has  extensive  experience  in  accounting,  audit, 
finance and risk management. He was a senior partner of Arthur 
Andersen until his retirement in 1999 after 33 years with that firm 
including five years as Managing Partner Australasia. Until 2002, 
he  was  Strategic  Investment  Co-ordinator  and  Major  Projects 
Facilitator for the Commonwealth Government. 

Director:  Australian  Foundation  Investment  Company  Limited, 
Centre  for  Social  Impact,  National  Australia  Day  Council  and 
Deputy Chairman for National Library of Australia. 

Other  Interests:  Committee  for  Melbourne  (Counsellor)  and 
Pacific Institute (Patron). 

Mr Ryan is a resident of Victoria. Age 66. 

David J Turner  

Mr Turner was appointed to the Board in August 2006 and is a 
member of the Risk, Audit and Board Performance and Renewal 
Committees.  

Until  his  retirement  on  30  June  2007,  Mr  Turner  was  CEO  of 
Brambles. He occupied that role since October 2003. He joined 
Brambles  as  Chief  Financial  Officer  in  2001  having  previously 
been Finance Director of GKN plc. Mr Turner has also served as 
a member of the Board of Whitbread plc and as Chairman of its 
Audit  Committee  from  2000  until  2006.  He  is  a  Fellow  of  The 
Institute  of  Chartered  Accountants  in  England  and  Wales  and 
has  wide  experience  in  finance,  international  business  and 
governance. 

Chairman: Cobham plc. 

Mr Turner is a resident of the United Kingdom. Age 64. 

Harrison H Young 

Mr Young has been  a member of the Board since 2007. He is 
Chairman  of  the  Risk  Committee  and  a  member  of  the  Audit 
Committee. At the time of appointment to the Board, Mr Young 
retired as Chairman of Morgan Stanley Australia, a position he 
had  held  since  2003.  From  1997  to  2003  he  was  a  Managing 
Director  and  Vice  Chairman  of  Morgan  Stanley  Asia.  Prior  to 
that, he spent two years in Beijing as Chief Executive of China 
International Capital Corporation. From 1991 to 1994 he was a 
senior  officer  of  the  Federal  Deposit  Insurance  Corporation  in 
Washington.  

60     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

 
 
Directors’ Report 

Other Directorships 

The Directors held directorships on listed companies within the last three years as follows: 

Director 

Company 

J M Schubert 

BHP Biliton Limited 
Qantas Airways Limited 
BHP Biliton Plc 

R J Clairs 

David Jones Limited 
Cellnet Group Limited 

C R Galbraith 

OneSteel Limited 
GasNet Australia Group  

J S Hemstritch  Tabcorp Holdings Ltd 

S C H Kay 

Brambles Industries Limited 
Symbion Health Limited 

F D Ryan 

Australian Foundation Investment Company Limited 

D J Turner 

Brambles Limited 
Cobham plc 

Directors’ Meetings 

Date Appointed 

Date of Ceasing 
(if applicable) 

01/06/2000 
23/10/2000 
29/06/2001 

22/02/1999 
01/07/2004 

25/10/2000 
17/12/2001 

13/11/2008 

01/06/2006 
28/09/2001 

08/08/2001 

21/03/2006 
01/12/2007 

20/08/2007 

10/11/2006 

02/03/2007 

16/11/2007 

The number of Directors‘ meetings (including meetings of committees of Directors) and number of meetings attended by each of the 
Directors of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia during the financial year were: 

Director 

J M Schubert 
R J Norris 
J A Anderson 
R J Clairs 
C R Galbraith 
J S Hemstritch 
S C H Kay 
A M Mohl 
F D Ryan 
D J Turner 
H H Young 

(1) The number of meetings held during the time the Director was a member of the Board and was eligible to attend. 

No. of Meetings 
Held (1) 
20 
20 
20 
20 
20 
20 
20 
20 
20 
19 
19 

No. of Meetings 
Attended  

20 
20 
18 
17 
19 
18 
17 
19 
20 
16 
19 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     61 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Directors’ Report 

Committee Meetings 

Director 

J M Schubert 
R J Norris 
J A Anderson 
R J Clairs 
C R Galbraith 
J S Hemstritch 
S C H Kay 
A M Mohl 
F D Ryan 
D J Turner 
H H Young 

Director 

J M Schubert 
C R Galbraith 
D J Turner 

Risk Committee 

Audit Committee 

People & Remuneration 
Committee 

No. of Meetings 
Held (1) 

No. of Meetings 
Attended 

No. of Meetings 
Held (1) 

No. of Meetings 
Attended 

No. of Meetings 
Held (1) 

No. of Meetings 
Attended 

3 
8 
8 
3 
3 
8 
3 
3 
8 
8 
8 

3 
8 
8 
3 
3 
8 
3 
3 
8 
8 
8 

- 
- 
- 
- 
9 
- 
9 
- 
9 
9 
9 

- 
- 
- 
- 
9 
- 
9 
- 
9 
8 
9 

8 
- 
- 
8 
- 
8 
8 
8 
- 
- 
- 

8 
- 
- 
7 
- 
8 
8 
8 
- 
- 
- 

Board Performance & Renewal 
Committee 

No. of Meetings 
Held (1) 

No. of Meetings 
Attended 

6 
6 
6 

6 
6 
6 

(1) The number of meetings held during the time the Director was a member of the relevant committee.  

Principal Activities 

(iv) Wealth Management  

The  Wealth  Management  segment  conducts  Australian  funds 
retail 
management  business  comprising  wholesale  and 
investment,  superannuation  and  retirement  funds.  Investments 
are  across  all  major  asset  classes  including  Australian  and 
international  shares,  property,  fixed  interest  and  cash.  St 
Andrew‘s  is  also  reported  as  part  of  the  Wealth  Management 
segment. This segment also has funds management businesses 
in the United Kingdom and Asia. 

The Wealth Management segment also provides Australian term 
insurance,  disability 
trusts, 
investment products and general insurance. 

insurance,  annuities,  master 

(v) International Financial Services 

The Group has full service banking operations in New Zealand, 
Fiji,  Indonesia  and  Vietnam.  The  Group  conducts  wholesale 
operations  in  London  and  Hong  Kong  and  is  represented  in 
Japan  and  selected  regions  of  China 
together  with  a 
representative office in India. The Group‘s International Financial 
Services  segment  also  conducts  Life  Insurance  operations  in 
New Zealand, where it has the leading market share, as well as 
Asia  and  the  Pacific,  and  conducts  Funds  Management 
business in New Zealand. 

(vi) Bankwest 

Bankwest offers retail and small business banking services and 
provides  a  comprehensive  range  of  products  for  these  clients. 
Bankwest is a market leader in Western Australia with more than 
a  quarter of Western Australians  having  a  relationship  with the 
Bankwest. 

integrated 

financial  services 

institutional  banking,  superannuation, 

The  Commonwealth  Bank  Group  is  one  of  Australia‘s  leading 
including  retail, 
providers  of 
business  and 
life 
insurance,  general  insurance,  funds  management,  broking 
services and finance company activities. The principal activities 
of  the  Commonwealth  Bank  Group  during  the  financial  year 
were: 

(i) Retail Banking Services 

The  Group  provides  retail  banking  services  within  Australia 
including  housing  loans,  credit  cards,  personal  loans,  savings 
and cheque accounts, and demand and term deposits.  

(ii) Institutional Banking and Markets 

The  Group  provides  Total  Capital  Solutions  offering  debt  and 
capital  markets  products,  risk  management  solutions  and 
transactional banking to corporate and institutional clients. This 
segment also has wholesale banking operations in London, New 
York, Singapore, Hong Kong and Malta.  

(iii) Business and Private Banking 

The Group offers commercial products within Australia including 
business loans, deposits and asset finance facilities to small and 
medium  sized  corporate  customers  and 
rural  and 
agribusiness  customers.  In  addition,  the  division  also  provides 
private banking services to high net worth individuals and margin 
lending through CommSec.  

to 

62     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Consolidated Profit 
Consolidated net profit after income tax and minority interests for 
the financial year ended 30 June 2009 was $4,723 million (2008: 
$4,791 million).  
The net operating profit for the year  ended 30 June 2009 after 
tax and minority interests and before the gain on acquisition of 
controlled  entities,  Bankwest  integration  expenses,  merger 
related  amortisation,  the  gain  on  Visa  Initial  Public  Offering, 
provisions  for  investment  and  restructuring,  defined  benefit 
treasury  shares  valuation 
superannuation  plan  expense, 
adjustment,  hedging  and  AIFRS  volatility  and  other  one  off 
expenses was $4,415 million. This is a decrease of $318 million 
or  7%  over  the  year  ended  30 June  2008. The  results  include 
the contribution of Bankwest and St Andrew‘s since the date of 
acquisition.  
The  result  for  the  year  has  been  impacted  by  a  substantial 
increase in loan impairment expense. 
Despite 
the  Group‘s 
operating performance has been solid. Operating income growth 
was  strong,  reflecting  solid  volume  growth,  improved  margins 
and higher trading income. 
Operating  expense  growth  reflects  the  effect  of  inflation  on 
salary and general expenses as well as higher occupancy and 
volume expenses.  
There  have  been  no  significant  changes  in  the  nature  of  the 
principal activities of the Group during the financial year. 
Dividends 
The  Directors  have  declared  a  fully  franked  (at  30%)  final 
dividend  of  115  cents  per  share  amounting  to  $1,747  million. 
The dividend will be payable on 1 October 2009 to shareholders 
on the register at 5pm on 21 August 2009. Dividends paid in the 
year to 30 June 2009 were as follows: 

the  challenging  market  environment 

As  declared  in  the  30  June  2008  Annual  Report,  a  fully 
franked final dividend of 153 cents per share amounting to 
$2,029 million was paid on 1 October 2008. The payment 
comprised cash disbursements of $1,335 million with $694 
the 
million  being  reinvested  by  participants 
Dividend Reinvestment Plan (DRP); and 
In  respect  of  the  year  to  30  June  2009,  a  fully  franked 
interim  dividend  of  113  cents  per  share  amounting  to 
$1,662 million was paid on 23 March 2009. The payment 
comprised  direct  cash  disbursements  of  $1,257  million, 
with  $405 million  being  reinvested by  participants  through 
the DRP.  

through 

Review of Operations 
An analysis of operations for the financial year is set out in the 
Highlights section in pages 8 to 12 and in the sections for Retail 
Banking  Services,  Business  and  Private  Banking,  Institutional 
Banking  and  Markets,  Wealth  Management, 
International 
Financial Services, Bankwest and Other on pages 20 to 34.  
Changes in State of Affairs 
During  the  year,  the  Group  continued  to  make  significant 
progress  in  implementing  a  number  of  initiatives  designed  to 
ensure a better service outcome for the Group‘s customers.  
Highlights included: 

Restructure of the Premium Business Services division into 
Business  &  Private  Banking  and  Institutional  Banking  & 
Markets enabling the Group to further improve its focus on 
these  diverse  customer 
supporting  and  servicing 
segments;  
Free  access  to  over  4,000  CBA  and  Bankwest  ATMs  for 
Group customers; 
A  home  loan  ―repayment  holiday‖  of  up  to  12  months  for 
customers who lose their jobs due to the current economic 

Directors’ Report 

downturn and assistance packages for victims of Victorian 
bushfires and New South Wales and Queensland floods;  
Continued investment in Local Business Banking including 
a personalised 24 hour, 7 days a week support centre and 
continued roll-out of Business Bankers in branches; and  
  On  19  December  2008,  the  Group  acquired  100%  of  the 
share capital of Bank of Western Australia Ltd (consisting 
of retail and business banking), St Andrew's Australia Pty 
Ltd  (consisting  of  insurance  and  wealth  management 
services businesses) and HBOSA Group (Services) Pty Ltd 
(an 
for  cash 
consideration (including transaction costs) of $2.2 billion.  

internal  administrative  support  entity) 

There were no other significant changes in the state of affairs of 
the Group during the financial year. 
Events Subsequent to Balance Date 
On  6  August  2009  the  Group  issued  a  10  year  EUR  1,000 
million Subordinated Note with a coupon of 5.500% as part of its 
ongoing funding activities. 
On  6  August  2009  the  Group  announced  that  effective  from 
February  2010  the  current  Chairman,  John  Schubert,  will  step 
down and be succeeded by David Turner. 
The Directors are not aware of any matter or circumstance that 
has  occurred  since  the  end  of  the  financial  year  that  has 
significantly affected or may significantly affect the operations of 
the Group, the results of those operations or the state of affairs 
of the Group in subsequent financial years. 
The  Bank  expects  to  issue  around  $507  million  of  shares  in 
respect of the Dividend Reinvestment Plan for the final dividend 
for the year ended 30 June 2009. 
Business Strategies and Future Developments 
Acquisition of Bank of Western Australia Ltd and St 
Andrew’s Australia Pty Ltd 
On  19  December  2008  the  Group  acquired  the  businesses  of 
Bank  of  Western  Australia  Ltd  (―Bankwest‖)  and  St.  Andrew‘s 
Australia  Pty  Ltd  (―St  Andrews‖)  from  the former  parent  HBOS 
Australia.  The  acquisition  has  seen  the  Group  expand  its 
customer  base  and  market  share  in  Western  Australia,  and 
broaden  the  range  of  products  available  to  customers  around 
Australia.  The  integration  of  these  two  entities  is  ongoing,  and 
due for completion within three years of the acquisition date.  
Accommodation Strategy 
The  Group  is  implementing  a  property  strategy  to  relocate 
approximately  3,500  staff  from  the  Sydney  Central  Business 
District  (CBD)  to  Sydney  Olympic  Park  or  Parramatta  by  30 
June  2010.  This  will  result  in  rationalisation  of  the  existing 
Sydney CBD property space.  
As part of the Group‘s accommodation strategy, staff in the CBD 
are being located across fewer sites, including rationalisation of 
certain CBD sites in line with lease expiry profiles. 
These changes have not had a material financial impact on the 
Group‘s results and it is not anticipated that the future relocation 
will have a material impact on the Group‘s results. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     63 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Directors’ Report 

(EEO  Act)  which  encourages 

Environmental Reporting 
The Group is subject to The Energy Efficiency Opportunities Act 
2006 
large  energy-using 
businesses to improve their energy efficiency.  
The  Group,  including  several  Colonial  First  State  managed 
funds, is required to comply with the EEO Act due to exceeding 
certain energy consumption thresholds.  
As  required  by  the  EEO  Act,  the  Group  lodged  a  five  year 
energy  efficiency  assessment  plan  and  reported  to  Federal 
Government on 31 December 2008. The Group is subsequently 
required to report to the Federal Government every three years 
and  to  release  a  public  report  annually,  covering  all  preceding 
years‘ assessment outcomes. 
The  Group  is  also  subject  to  the  National  Greenhouse  and 
Energy  Reporting  Scheme  (NGERS).  The  Scheme  makes  it 
mandatory  for  controlling  corporations  to  report  annually  on 
greenhouse  gas  emissions,  energy  production  and  energy 
consumption,  if  these  exceed  certain  threshold  levels.  As  a 
result of a long history of voluntary reporting, the Group is well 
placed to meet  the  NGERS‘ mandatory  requirements,  and  has 
recently  updated  its  data  capture  and  reporting  systems  to 
comply with the new legislation. 
The  Group  is  not  subject  to  any  other  particular  or  significant 
environmental  regulation  under  any  law  of  the  Commonwealth 
or of a State or Territory, but can incur environmental liabilities 
as a lender. The Group has developed policies to ensure this is 
managed appropriately. 

Directors’ Shareholdings and options 
Particulars  of  shares  held  by  Directors  in  the  Commonwealth 
Bank  or  in  a  related  body  corporate  are  set  out  in  the 
Remuneration Report within this report. 
(―EOP‖)  was  approved  by 
An  Executive  Option  Plan 
shareholders at the Annual General Meeting on 8 October 1996 
and its continuation was further approved by shareholders at the 
Annual  General  Meeting  on  29  October  1998.  At  the  2000 
Annual  General  Meeting,  the  EOP  was  discontinued  and 
shareholders approved the establishment of the Equity Reward 
Plan (―ERP‖).  
The  last  grant  of  options  to  be  made  under  the  ERP  was  the 
2001 grant, with options being granted on 31 October 2001, 31 
January 2002 and 15 April 2002.  
A  total  of  3,007,000  options  were  granted  by  the  Bank  to  81 
executives in the 2001 grant.  
All  option  grants  have  now  met  their  specified  performance 
hurdles and are available for exercise by participants. 
During  the  financial  year  and  for  the  period  to  the  date  of  this 
report  30,000  shares  were  allotted  by  the  Bank  consequent  to 
the  exercise  of  options  granted  under  the  EOP  and  ERP.  Full 
details  of  the  Plan  are  disclosed  in  Note  32  to  the  Financial 
Statements. No options have been allocated since the beginning 
of the 2002 financial year. 
The names of persons who currently hold options in the Plan are 
entered  in  the  register  of  option  holders  kept  by  the  Bank 
pursuant  to  Section  170  of  the  Corporations  Act  2001.  The 
register may be inspected free of charge. 
No options have previously been granted to the Chief Executive 
Officer. Refer to the Remuneration Report within this report for 
further details. 
Directors’ Interests in Contracts 
A  number  of  Directors  have  given  written  notices,  stating  that 
they hold office in specified companies and accordingly are to be 
regarded  as  having  an  interest  in  any  contract  or  proposed 
contract that may be made between the Bank and any of those 
companies. 

64     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

Directors’ and Officers’ Indemnity 
Articles  19.1,  19.2  and  19.3  of  the  Commonwealth  Bank  of 
Australia‘s Constitution provides:  
―19. Indemnity 
19.1 Persons to whom articles 19.2 and 19.4 apply 
Articles 19.2 and 19.4 apply: 
(a) to each person who is or has been a Director, secretary or 
senior manager of the Company; and 
(b)  to such  other  officers,  employees,  former  officers  or former 
employees of the Company or of its related bodies corporate as 
the directors in each case determine, 
(each an ―Officer‖ for the purposes of this article). 
19.2 Indemnity 
The  Company  must  indemnify  each  Officer  on  a  full  indemnity 
basis and to the full extent permitted by law against all losses, 
liabilities, costs, charges and expenses (―Liabilities‖) incurred by 
the  Officer  as  an  officer  of  the  Company  or  of  a  related  body 
corporate. 
19.3 Extent of indemnity 
The indemnity in article 19.2: 
(a)  is  enforceable  without  the  Officer  having  to  first  incur  any 
expense or make any payment; 
(b)  is  a  continuing  obligation  and  is  enforceable  by  the  Officer 
even though the Officer may have ceased to be an officer of the 
Company or its related bodies corporate; and 
(c)  applies  to  Liabilities  incurred  both  before  and  after  the 
adoption of this constitution.‖ 
An indemnity for employees, who are not Directors, secretaries 
or senior managers, is not expressly restricted in any way by the 
Corporations Act 2001. 
The Directors, as named on pages 59 and 60 of this report, and 
the Secretaries of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, being J 
D  Hatton,  and  C  F  Collingwood  are  indemnified  under  articles 
19.1,  19.2  and  19.3  as  are  all  the  senior  managers  of  the 
Commonwealth Bank of Australia. 
Deeds of indemnity have been executed by the Commonwealth 
Bank of Australia consistent with the above articles in favour of 
each Director. 
A deed poll has been executed by the Commonwealth Bank of 
Australia  consistent  with  the  above  articles  in  favour  of  each 
secretary  and  senior  manager  of  the  Bank,  each  Director, 
secretary and senior manager of a related body corporate of the 
Bank (except where in the case of a partly owned subsidiary the 
person  is  a  nominee  of  an  entity  which  is  not  a  related  body 
corporate of the Bank unless the Bank's Chief Executive Officer 
has certified that the indemnity shall apply to that person), and 
any employee of the Bank or any related body corporate of the 
Bank  who  acts  as  a  Director  or  secretary  of  a  body  corporate 
which is not a related body corporate of the Bank. 
Directors’ and Officers’ Insurance 
The Commonwealth Bank has, during the financial year, paid an 
insurance  premium  in  respect  of  an  insurance  policy  for  the 
benefit of those named and referred to above and the Directors, 
secretaries,  executive  officers  and  employees  of  any  related 
bodies  corporate  as  defined  in  the  insurance  policy.  The 
insurance  grants  indemnity  against  liabilities  permitted  to  be 
indemnified  by  the  Company  under  Section  199B  of  the 
Corporations Act 2001. In accordance with commercial practice, 
the  insurance  policy  prohibits  disclosure  of  the  terms  of  the 
policy including the nature of the liability insured against and the 
amount of the premium. 

 
 
Directors’ Report - Remuneration Report 

Remuneration Report  

Key Terms 

Introduction 

Remuneration Philosophy 

Executive Remuneration Guiding Principles 

Remuneration Governance 

Revised Remuneration Initiatives from 1 July 2009 

Remuneration for the Year Ended 30 June 2009  

Remuneration Mix 

Fixed Remuneration 

Short Term Incentive (STI) 

Summary of Group Performance for the Year Ended 30 June 2009 

Long Term Incentive (LTI) 

LTI Vested in the Year Ended 30 June 2009 

Group Leadership Share Plan (GLSP) 

Equity Reward Plan (ERP)  

Other LTI Style Arrangements 

Group Long Term Performance 

Directors’ Remuneration 

Managing Director and CEO 

Non-Executive Directors 

Remuneration of Key Management Personnel and Other Executives 

Remuneration of Directors 

Remuneration of Executives 

STI Allocations to Executives for the Year Ended 30 June 2009 

LTI Allocations to Executives for the Year Ended 30 June 2009 

Termination Arrangements of Key Management Personnel and Other Executives 

Equity Holdings of Key Management Personnel and Other Executives 

Shareholdings 

Share Trading Policy 

Shares Held by Directors  

Shares Held by Executives 

Total Loans to Key Management Personnel and Other Executives 

Individual Loans above $100,000 to Key Management Personnel and Other Executives  

Terms and Conditions of Loans  

Other Transactions of Key Management Personnel and Other Executives and Related Parties 

Audit 

66 

67 

67 

67 

67 

68 

70 

70 

70 

70 

71 

72 

72 

72 

73 

74 

74 

75 

75 

75 

77 

78 

79 

80 

81 

81 

82 

82 

82 

82 

83 

84 

84 

85 

85 

85 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     65 

 
 
Directors’ Report - Remuneration Report 

Key Terms 

To assist readers a number of key terms and abbreviations used in the Remuneration Report are set out below: 

Term 

Definition 

Base Remuneration 

Cash and non-cash remuneration paid regularly with no performance conditions. Calculated on a total cost 
basis and includes any Fringe Benefits tax related to Salary Packaging. 

Board 

Committee 

The Board of Directors of the Bank. 

The People & Remuneration Committee of the Board. 

Earnings Per Share (EPS) 

Net profit after tax divided by the weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding during the year. 

Equity Reward (Performance 
Units) Plan (ERPUP) 

The  Group‘s  previous  cash-based  Equity  Reward  Plan  (see  below)  replicator  scheme  where  grants  are 
delivered in the form of Performance Units. 

Equity Reward Plan (ERP) 

The Group's previous long term incentive plan. 

Executive Committee 

Fixed Remuneration 

A management committee comprising the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Group Executives and any other 
executives selected by the CEO. 

Consists of Base Remuneration plus employer contributions to superannuation. For further details  refer to 
page 70. 

Group 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia and its subsidiaries. 

Group Executive 

Key Management Personnel who are also members of the Group‘s Executive Committee. 

Group Leadership Reward Plan 
(GLRP) 

The Group‘s new long term incentive plan from 1 July 2009 for the CEO and Group Executives. For further 
details please refer to page 68. 

Group Leadership Share Plan 
(GLSP) 

The Group's long term incentive plan from for the 2008 and 2009 financial years for the CEO and Group 
Executives. For further details please refer to page 72. 

Key Management Personnel 
(KMP) 

Persons having authority and responsibility for planning, directing and controlling the activities of an entity, 
directly or indirectly, including any Director (whether executive or otherwise) of that entity.  

Long Term Incentive (LTI) 

A remuneration arrangement which grants benefits to participating executives that may vest if, and to the 
extent that, performance hurdles are met over a three year or more period. For further details please refer 
to page 72. 

The Group‘s long term incentive plans include the GLSP, ERP, ERPUP and the new GLRP. 

NPAT 

Options 

Other Executives 

Net profit after tax. 

Rights to acquire a Bank share on payment of an exercise price if relevant performance hurdles are met. 

Those executives who are not Key Management Personnel but are amongst the ―Company Executives‖ or 
―Group  Executives‖  as  defined  by  the  Corporations  Act  2001  and  for  whom  disclosure  is  required  in 
accordance with section 300A(1)(c) of the Corporations Act 2001. 

Performance Rights 

Rights to acquire a Bank share with no payment by the recipient if relevant performance hurdles are met. 

PACC 

Remuneration 

Remuneration Mix 

Reward Shares 

Salary Packaging 

Profit after capital charge. 

All forms of consideration paid, payable or provided by the Group, or on behalf of the Group, in exchange 
for services rendered to the Group. In reading this report, the term ―remuneration‖ means the same as the 
term  ―compensation‖  for  the  purposes  of  the  Corporations  Act  2001  and  the  accounting  standard 
AASB124. 

The weighting of each component of remuneration (Fixed Remuneration, STI and LTI) for each employee 
group. 

Shares in the Bank granted under the ERP or the GLSP and subject to performance hurdles. 

An  arrangement  where  an  employee  agrees  to  forego  part  of  his  or  her  cash  component  of  Base 
Remuneration in return for non-cash benefits of a similar value. 

Short Term Incentive (STI) 

Remuneration paid with direct reference to the Group‘s and the individual‘s performance over one financial 
year. For further details please refer to page 70. 

Total Remuneration 

The total combination of fixed and at risk remuneration components received by an employee. 

Total Shareholder Return (TSR)  Calculated by combining the reinvestment of dividends and the movement in the Bank‘s share price, the 

performance hurdle used to determine vesting of grants made under the ERP, ERPUP and GLSP. 

66     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

 
 
 
Directors’ Report - Remuneration Report 

Introduction  

the  Group  and 

individual‘s  remuneration. 

This  remuneration  report  sets  out  the  Group‘s  remuneration 
framework 
for  Key  Management  Personnel  and  Other 
Executives. It demonstrates the links between the performance 
of 
It  discloses 
remuneration  arrangements,  equity  holdings,  loans  and  other 
transactions. 
In this Report, in addition to the required disclosures, included is 
additional background to the Group‘s remuneration framework. 
The  Group  is  aware  of  shareholder  and  community  concerns 
about remuneration practices within the financial services sector, 
especially during these uncertain economic times. Whilst these 
concerns have not been specifically directed at the Group, they 
are taken into account in the Group‘s remuneration framework. 
focus  on  ensuring 
The  Group  has  strengthened 
remuneration  arrangements  continue  to  support  the  delivery  of 
the Group‘s strategy and help enable the delivery of sustainable 
value for shareholders. 
Remuneration Philosophy 

the 

The  Group‘s  remuneration  philosophy  for  all  Key  Management 
Personnel, Other Executives, and employees generally are: 

To  motivate  employees  to  work  as  a  team  to  produce 
superior  sustainable  performance  achieving  the  Group‘s 
vision; 
To  be  transparent  and  simple  to  understand,  administer 
and communicate; and 
To be market-competitive. 

Executive Remuneration Guiding Principles  

The Board‘s approach to executive remuneration is underpinned 
by the following principles: 
1. 

The  CEO  and  Group  Executives  are  rewarded  with  an 
appropriate mix  of  remuneration  elements  which  are  both 
fixed  and  ―at  risk‖  –  referred  to  as  ―Total  Remuneration‖. 
The amount of Total Remuneration is ―market competitive‖ 
-  predominately,  measured  against  major  banking  peers, 
and  is  set  in  such  a  way  that  it  does  not  put  upward 
pressure on the market. The proportion of remuneration at 
risk  will  typically  be  greater  at  higher  levels  of  Total 
Remuneration. 

2.  At risk remuneration will include a combination of short and 
long term elements. Short term elements will be aligned to 
the long term interests of the company and the amount is 
subject to a cap. 
At risk remuneration will be based on a clear definition of 
sustainable performance that: 

financial  and  non-financial 

Reflects the Group‘s strategic priorities; 
Is  based  on  both 
measures; 
Does not reward excessive risk taking; and 
Is based on performance measures set at the start of 
the performance period. 

3. 

Termination  arrangements  included  in  CEO  and  Group 
Executive  contracts  are  disclosed.  For  all  new  contracts, 
notice  periods  will  be  12  months  or  less.  Unsatisfactory 
performance is managed appropriately and is not rewarded 
with generous severance payments. 

4.  Where the Board deems it appropriate, pro-rata incentives 
may  be  paid  to  terminating  Group  Executives  and  the 
CEO, reflecting the portion of the measurement period that 
the  Group  Executive  or  CEO  was  employed  with  the 
Group.  Where  the  payment  of  a  previously  awarded 
incentive  has  been  deferred  and  still  subject 
to 
performance  criteria  which  extend  beyond  the  date  of 

5. 

termination,  then  the  deferred  incentive  will  be  forfeited  if 
the performance criteria are not ultimately satisfied. 
In recognition that the business environment changes over 
time  and  it  is  not  always  possible  to  anticipate  these 
changes,  the  Board  will  continue  to  retain  discretion  to 
adjust remuneration outcomes to ensure consistency with 
the Group‘s Remuneration Philosophy. This discretion may 
be  applied  to  either  increase  or  decrease  remuneration 
outcomes  and  will  only  be  used  when,  without  the 
application  of  this  judgement,  an  inappropriate  reward 
outcome  would  occur. Where  this  discretion  is  used,  it  is 
explained in the Remuneration Report. 

6.  Remuneration  philosophy  and  practice  will  meet  best 
practice governance and regulatory guidelines,  align with 
the Group‘s strategy, and be mindful of the interests of the 
Group‘s  stakeholders  including  shareholders,  employees, 
customers  and 
to 
stakeholders  and  participants  will  be  clear  and  easy  to 
understand. 

the  community.  Communication 

Remuneration Governance 

2. 

is  obtained  on 

The  People  &  Remuneration  Committee  of  the  Board  (the 
Committee)  consists  entirely  of  independent  Non-Executive 
Directors  and  oversees  all  CEO  and  Group  Executive 
remuneration  arrangements.  The  Committee  operates  in  line 
with the following remuneration governance principles:  
1. 

The  Board  determines  the  contract  and  remuneration  of 
the  CEO. 
the 
Independent  advice 
remuneration and contract terms of the CEO. 
The  Committee  consists  of  members  with  diverse  skills 
and  experience  that  remain  appropriate  in  a  dynamic 
industry, including risk management. The Committee has 
access  to  independent  advice  as  appropriate  to  its 
decision-making. 
The Committee determines the contract and remuneration 
of  the  Heads  of  Business/Service  units.  If  any  employee 
within a business unit has the potential to earn more than 
the head of that unit, the potential and actual remuneration 
outcomes will be reviewed by the Committee; and  
Remuneration  policies  and  decisions  impacting  on  the 
CEO, Group Executives and others required by law to be 
disclosed  will  be  clearly  presented  in  the  Remuneration 
Report  and,  subject  to  continuous  disclosure  obligations. 
The Board will engage with major shareholders and other 
relevant  stakeholders  about  the  Group‘s  remuneration 
philosophy and design. 
The Committee currently consists of:  

4. 

3. 

R J Clairs (Chairman); 
J S Hemstritch; 
S C H Kay;  
A Mohl; and 
J M Schubert. 

The  Committee‘s  activities  are  governed  by  its  terms  of 
reference,  which  are  available  on  the  Group‘s  website  at 
www.commbank.com.au/shareholder. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     67 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Directors’ Report - Remuneration Report 

Revised Remuneration Initiatives from 1 July 
2009 

the  Group  has 

the  remuneration  arrangements 
In  particular, 

The  Group  constantly  reviews  the  remuneration  arrangements 
to  ensure  they  continue  to  aid  the  delivery  of  the  Group‘s 
strategic objectives, reflect the changing operating environment 
and  are  in  line  with  emerging  regulatory  guidelines.  Following 
the most recent review, the Board has approved some changes 
for  Key  Management 
to 
Personnel. 
the 
arrangements to ensure alignment with the Australian Prudential 
Regulation Authority‘s (APRA) guidelines (1). 
Effective  from  1  July  2009,  the  Group  is  implementing  the 
following: 
1.  Director‘s  fees  and  the  CEO‘s  Fixed  Remuneration  have 
been  reduced  by  10%  and  Group  Executive  Fixed 
Remuneration  reduced  by  5%.  As  the  target  short  term 
incentive (STI) and long term incentive (LTI) amounts are 
based  on  Fixed  Remuneration,  they  are  also  effectively 
reduced; 

reviewed 

2.  Termination payments for all new contracts will be capped 

3. 

at twelve months or less; and 
 An  enhanced  remuneration  structure  for  the  CEO  and 
Group Executives (as detailed below). 

Enhanced Remuneration Structure effective from 1 July 
2009 for CEO and Group Executives 

Remuneration Mix 

From  1  July  2009  the  target  remuneration  mix  will  reflect  a 
higher  relative  proportion  of  the  LTI  to  encourage  long  term 
shareholder value creation into the future. 

the  Group  communicated  remuneration  on  a 
Previously 
maximum potential basis. Under the new structure remuneration 
is expressed in terms of reward for on-target performance. 

(1) The statement in this paragraph “In particular the Group 
has reviewed the remuneration arrangements to ensure 
alignment with the APRA guidelines” is not correct.  The 
above statement should have indicated only that the 
Group had reviewed emerging global regulatory 
guidelines so that its remuneration arrangements were 
moving in the direction that would be required. 

68     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

STI Enhancements 
The maximum STI opportunity has been reduced from 200% of 
fixed  remuneration  to  a  target  of  100%,  with  a  maximum  of 
125%. 
Potential  STI  payment  levels  have  been  reduced  with  50%  of 
STI payment deferred into shares for one year. The proportion 
deferred has increased and the vesting period has decreased, in 
recognition of the increased relative size of the LTI.  
A  strengthened  scorecard  approach  will  be  implemented  with 
financial  and  non-financial  measures,  including  specific  risk-
related  KPIs.  Cash  net  profit  after  tax  and  profit  after  capital 
charge  (PACC)  measures  will  continue  to  generate  the  total 
value of STI that may be awarded in any financial year.  

LTI Enhancements 

The  LTI  proportion  of  total  remuneration  will  be  increased  to 
encourage  long  term  shareholder  value  creation.  The  vesting 
period  will  be  extended  from  three  to  four  years  and  separate 
performance  measures  of  customer  satisfaction  and  relative 
Total Shareholder Return (TSR) will apply.  
The  following  diagram  highlights  the  main  features  of  the 
proposed LTI, the Group Leadership Reward Plan (GLRP): 

Reward shares granted at 
beginning of 4 year 
performance period equal in 
value to fixed remuneration 

50% measured 
against strategic 
measure, 
currently 
customer 
satisfaction 
ranking within 
peer group of 
ANZ, NAB, St 
George, 
Westpac 

50% measured 
against TSR 
performance 
relative to the 20 
largest ASX 
listed companies 
(exc. materials 
and energy 
companies and 
CBA) 

P
e
r
f
o
r
m
a
n
c
e
C
o
n
d
i
t
i
o
n
s

Reward shares converted to 
shares at end of 4 year 
period 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Directors’ Report - Remuneration Report 

Vesting Scales 

As illustrated above, there are two performance measures that will combine to determine the number of reward shares that vest at the 
end of the four year performance period. The reward shares will be divided into two equal components, with the Group‘s customer 
satisfaction ranking determining the level of vesting for one component and the Group‘s relative TSR performance compared to the 20 
largest ASX listed companies by market capitalisation (excluding materials and energy companies and CBA) determining the level of 
vesting for the other component. The peer group is determined at commencement of the performance period. The vesting scale for each 
performance measure is detailed below. 

Percentile Rank 
50th – 75th 
<50th 

Relative TSR 

Customer Satisfaction Ranking 

Percentage to Vest 

Ranking 

Percentage to Vest 

50% – 100% 

Nil 

1 

2 

3 

4 

100% 

75% 

50% 

Nil 

Retention  of  the  customer  satisfaction  measure  ensures  a  key 
platform of the Group‘s organisational strategy is included.  

Transitional LTI Arrangements 

In  consideration  that  the  new  LTI  plan  has  a  four  year 
performance period and the current LTI has a three year period, 
a one-off transitional LTI grant will be made in the 2010 financial 
year under the new LTI arrangements. The transitional grant will 
be  in  addition  to  the  2010  LTI  grant  and  will  be  pro  rated  to 
reflect  a  three  year  vesting  period.  The  same  performance 
conditions as described above will apply to the transitional grant. 

The Board will continue to exercise discretion when determining 
incentive  payments,  taking  account  of  the  Group‘s  strategic 
initiatives and the changing operating environment to ensure the 
rewards  reflect the  CEO  and Group  Executives‘ contribution to 
the  outcome.  The  Board‘s  decisions  in  this  regard  will  be  fully 
disclosed in the annual Remuneration Report. 
Performance Measures 
Inclusion of a relative TSR measure aims to provide more direct 
alignment  with  shareholder  outcomes,  as  it  provides  a  direct 
comparison  of  relative  performance  and  ensures  the  Group  is 
rewarding  for  returns  that  are  at  or  above  the  median  of  other 
similar  sized  organisations.  This  may  not  be  the  case  with  an 
absolute TSR hurdle.  
The  ASX20  index  (excluding  materials  and  energy  companies 
and  CBA)  was  chosen  as  the  peer  group  as  it  includes  the 
majority of the Group‘s financial services peers. This peer group 
is therefore considered to be an appropriate pool of companies 
to provide a benchmark of the Group‘s performance. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     69 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Directors’ Report - Remuneration Report 

Remuneration for the Year Ended 30 June 2009 

Remuneration Mix 
For  the  year  ended  30  June  2009,  the  Group  provided 
remuneration for its employees in the form of fixed, STI and LTI 
components.  
The  weighting  of  each  of  these  components  differs  for  each 
employee,  depending  on  their  role  and  seniority  within  the 
Group.  

There is greater weighting on the variable components for more 
senior employees and employees below Group Executive level 
generally do not receive an LTI component. 

For  the  financial  year  ended  30  June  2009,  the  potential 
remuneration  mixes  that  generally  applied  for  individuals  in 
each of the following executive groups based on the maximum 
reward opportunity were: 

Potential Remuneration Mix 

Fixed 

STI 

Deferred STI 

LTI 

CEO 

Group Executives 

27% 

30% 

37% 

18% 

18% 

40% 

20% 

10% 

Executive General Managers 

40% 

40% 

20% 

General Managers 

50% 

33% 

17% 

* Percentages may alter from year to year due to changing LTI fair values 

Fixed Remuneration 

Fixed  Remuneration  comprises  base  remuneration,  calculated 
on a total cost basis including the cost of salary packaging and 
employer  contributions  to  superannuation  (note  that  salary 
packaging  arrangements  are  available 
to  employees  on 
individual  contracts  and  to  a  limited  extent  to  some  other 
employees). 

Fixed  Remuneration  is  generally  set  at  the  market  median, 
facilitated  by  regular  independent  benchmarking  analysis  and 
advice.  

Short Term Incentive (STI) 

All  permanent  employees  participate  in  some  form  of  STI 
arrangement. Individual STI potentials are set at the beginning of 
the financial year. 

The  funding  calculation  of  these  rewards  is  based  on  the 
Group‘s profitability – performance against target net profit after 
tax  and  performance  against  the  risk  adjusted  measure,  Profit 
After  Capital  Charge  (PACC).  This  combination  of  measures 
aims  to  balance  short  term  performance  with  longer  term 
shareholder value creation.  

Individual performance for the CEO, Group Executives and the 
next two levels of management is assessed through the Group‘s 
performance  management  system  by  measuring  actual  results 
of  key  performance  indicators  (KPIs)  against  operating  targets 
and  behavioural  standards  with  reference  to  their  area  of 
responsibility. Examples of KPIs can include measures such as 
safety,  profitability,  market  share,  balance  growth,  costs, 
margins,  customer  satisfaction,  employee  engagement, 
succession planning and strategic priorities. 

These priorities and the Group‘s performance against them for 
the year ending 30 June 2009 are detailed on page 71. 

The  performance  of  the  CEO  and  Group  Executives  for  the 
year ended 30 June 2009 was measured against:  

Safety and people development measures; 

Business  and  financial  results,  with  reference  to  market 
growth,  competitor  performance  and  market  shares 
across business lines; 

Customer  satisfaction  levels,  as  measured  by  external 
providers; and 

  Outcomes  connected 

to  other  strategic  priorities  - 
Customer  Service,  Business  Banking,  Technology  & 
Operational Excellence, Trust & Team Spirit and Profitable 
Growth. 

The  targets  within  the  Group‘s  performance  management 
framework allow for three levels of stretch targets on each KPI. 
This means that the ability of the participant to access the STI 
potential  will  only  occur  where  there  have  been  outstanding 
levels of performance. Employees must achieve a minimum of 
―Meets Expectations‖  on  the  behaviours  and compliance KPIs 
to trigger any STI payment. 

One third of any STI awarded to the CEO, Group Executives, 
and  the  next  two  levels  of  management  is  deferred  into  the 
Bank‘s shares for three years. This longer term holding of CBA 
shares  helps  to  align  the  interests  of  these  executives  with 
those  of  shareholders.  Shares  will  be  held  in  trust  for  three 
years.  After  the  three  year  vesting  period,  the  executive  will 
receive  the  shares  and  any  dividends  accrued  over  that  time. 
These  shares  are  forfeited  if  the  executive  resigns  or  is 
dismissed  before  the  shares  are  due  to  vest.  In  cases  of 
retrenchment or retirement, the shares vest early. 

70     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Directors’ Report - Remuneration Report 

Summary of Group Performance for the Year Ended 30 June 2009 

following 

The 
the  Group‘s 
table  gives  an  overview  of 
performance for the year ended 30 June 2009, in the context of 
its  strategic  priorities.  Continuing  solid  results,  driven  by 
progress made on strategic priorities, has been reflected in STI 
payments made to these executives.  

Strategic Priorities 

Commentary 

Details  of  the  STI  outcomes  based  on  business  performance 
are provided on page 80 of this remuneration report. 

Customer Service  

 Business Banking 

 Technology & Operational 
Excellence 

Trust & Team Spirit 

Profitable Growth 

The Group's vision is "to be Australia's finest financial services organisation through excelling in customer 
service" and significant progress continues to be made on this strategic priority. The Group continues to 
invest in the front line so they are more accessible to customers, refine the product offering and introduce 
new  and  improved  products,  refurbish  and  open  new  branches  and  simplify  procedures  to  improve 
responsiveness. 

The continued commitment to this strategic priority has seen customer satisfaction levels, as measured 
by Roy Morgan (1), improve over the year with the gap to the top rated peer closing from 7.8% to 3.1%. 
FirstChoice was rated Best Master Trust/Wrap Provider in the 2009 Wealth Insights Service Level Survey 
while Business and Private Banking was rated in the TNS (2) survey as the most improved business bank 
over the past 12 months. 

In  January  2009  the  Group  announced  the  restructure  of  its  Premium  Business  Services  division  into 
Business & Private Banking and Institutional Banking & Markets. Separating these businesses will enable 
the Group to further improve the focus on servicing and supporting these diverse customer segments. 

During the year progress was made in improving the Group‘s competitive position in Business Banking 
including the launch of the Small Business Investment Package which is a dedicated financial support 
service to help small business and agribusiness customers during the challenging economic conditions. 
In addition new products were developed including eVolve which provides customers with e-commerce 
functionality.  Institutional  Banking  and  Markets  expanded  global  distribution  capabilities  to  position  the 
Group as the leader in fixed income markets, grow foreign exchange capacity and institutional equities to 
meet the needs of clients. 

Initiatives  in this  area  are  designed  to  deliver  greater  efficiency across the Group  as  well  as providing 
competitive leverage through innovative process and systems. The Group‘s Core Banking Modernisation 
program is central to this and is progressing well. Three new customer offers have been delivered in the 
form of a First Home Saver Account, a new term deposit account through Colonial and a new real-time 
online  savings  product  being  trialled.  Systems  integration  has  been  enhanced  and  a  new  technology 
infrastructure  has  been  introduced  to  support  the  future  banking  platform.  This  project  is  designed  to 
drive  improvements  in  customer  service  and  productivity,  further  IT  efficiency  savings  and  additional 
systems stability and resilience. 

The  Group‘s  people  remain  the  single  most  important  resource  and  they  have  continued  to  deliver 
outstanding results under difficult conditions. Key metrics such as employee turnover and absenteeism 
have continued to improve as has the Group‘s safety record with Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate falling 
yet  again.  The  Group  has  recorded  continued  improvement  in  the  people  engagement  survey  and  is 
ranked in the 80th percentile worldwide (Source: Gallup). 

The  Group  continues  to  pursue  a  disciplined  Profitable  Growth  strategy,  with  focus  on  targeted 
investment and acquisition opportunities which are ―on strategy‖ and which offer value and longer term 
benefit  to  shareholders.  During  the  year  the  Group  acquired  Bankwest  at  a  very  attractive  price, 
leveraging  the  Group‘s  financial  strength  to  take  advantage  of  a  unique  opportunity  to  expand  its 
presence in Western Australia. The Group also secured a strategic stake in Australia‘s leading home loan 
mortgage broker – Aussie Home Loans. The Group was subsequently in a position to support Aussie‘s 
acquisition of Wizard in conjunction with acquiring a portfolio of around $2.25 billion of seasoned prime 
residential  mortgages  originated  by  Wizard.  In  December  2008,  the  Group  elected  to  increase  its 
shareholding in the Qilu Bank (formerly Jinan City Commercial Bank), from the existing 11% to 20%. 

(1) Source: Roy Morgan Research MFI Customer Satisfaction is based on Australians aged 14+, Very or Fairly Satisfied, a 6 month moving average. 

(2) Source: TNS Business Finance Monitor, measuring businesses with annual turnover to $100 million (excluding agribusiness). 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     71 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Directors’ Report - Remuneration Report 

Long Term Incentive (LTI) 

The Group‘s LTI arrangements for grants made during the year 
ended 30 June 2009 are known as the Group Leadership Share 
Plan (―GLSP‖). New grants under the Group‘s previous LTI plan, 
the Equity Reward Plan (―ERP‖), have ceased. 

The following table provides a summary of the LTI grants that 
were in operation during the year ended 30 June 2009. 

Year of Grant 

Current LTI - GLSP 
2007 
2008 

Performance Period 

Retesting 

Expiry date 
if unvested 

Status 
 as at 30 June 2009 

July 2007 to July 2010 
July 2008 to July 2011 

None 
None 

1 July 2010 
1 July 2011 

Unvested 
Unvested 

Previous LTI - ERP 
2005 
2006 
*The 2006 grant vested at 100% on 14 July 2009 

July 2005 to July 2008  Every 6 months to July 2010 
Once only in July 2010 
July 2006 to July 2009 

15 July 2010 
14 July 2010 

100% vested 
70th percentile* 

LTI Vested in the Year Ended 30 June 2009 

Group Leadership Share Plan (GLSP) 

The  long  term  incentive  that  was  granted  under  the  Equity 
Reward Plan (ERP) in 2005 fully vested in July 2008, reflecting 
total shareholder returns from 14 July 2005 to 14 July 2008 that 
were above the 75th percentile of returns of companies within the 
peer group. The ability to retest was not utilised as the grant fully 
vested at the first measurement date.  

The GLSP is directly linked to the Group‘s strategy to become 
number one in customer satisfaction. If this goal is reached and 
profit increases more than the average of the peer banks, the 
CEO and Group Executives (the participants) will be rewarded 
with a grant of Bank shares. If this goal is not met but the Group 
has  improved  its  position  over  the  vesting  period,  a  lesser 
number  of  shares  will  be  awarded.  The  risk  adjusted 
performance measure, PACC, determines the value of the pool 
available  to  be  awarded  as  shares  at  the  end  of  the 
performance period. 

Participation  in  the  plan  is  currently  limited  to  the  CEO  and 
other  Executive  Committee  members.  The  following  diagram 
illustrates the main features of the GLSP and how each grant 
operates: 

Start of 3 year 
performance period 

GLSP rights 
granted to 
participants 

End of 3 year performance period 

Pool determined 
based on percentage 
of growth in the 
Group‘s Profit After 
Capital Charge 
(PACC), capped and 
subject to 
performance against 
the 2 hurdles: 

The Group‘s cash NPAT 
growth over the 3 year 
period must be above 
the average of NPAT 
growth of the peer group  

Met 

Not 
met 

Nothing vests  

The Group‘s customer 
satisfaction ranking 
against the peer group is 
determined  

A proportion of the pool 
value may vest and rights 
are immediately exercised 
into shares 

72     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Directors’ Report - Remuneration Report 

Performance Conditions 

The  cash  NPAT  performance  relative  to  peers  and  growth  in 
PACC  are  incorporated  in  the  GLSP  to  ensure  the  Group 
continues 
financial 
performance for all stakeholders. 

to  provide  above  average 

term 

long 

Customer  satisfaction  is  of  the  highest  importance  to  the 
Group‘s  overall  performance,  forming  the  basis  of  its  vision.  
Research  has  also  shown  a  direct  correlation  between  high 
levels of customer satisfaction and high shareholder returns. 
These performance measures place the Group‘s profitability and 
customer service uppermost, and reward participants for driving 
long  term  shareholder  value.  The  criteria  are  based  on  results 
which participants can directly influence and which are publicly 
available. 

Three well established independent external surveys are used to 
determine the Group‘s customer satisfaction performance at the 
end of the three year performance period. These surveys have 
been chosen as they measure customer satisfaction across the 
operations of the Group as follows: 

Roy  Morgan,  which  measures  customer  satisfaction 
across  the  retail  bank  base,  including  CommInsure 
products sold through retail bank sales channels; 

TNS Business Finance Monitor, which measures business 
banking customer satisfaction; and 

  Wealth 

Insights  Service 

Level  Survey  Master 
Trust/WRAP,  which  measures  wealth  management 
service performance of master trusts/wraps in Australia. 

The  Group‘s  level  of  achievement  against  the  customer 
satisfaction performance hurdle is determined by taking scores 
for  both  the  Group  and  the  peer  group  from  the  three 
independent external surveys and applying a ranking (detailed 
below). 

The  Board  may  exercise  discretion  to  ensure  the  rewards 
resulting 
the  Group‘s 
the  GLSP  are  reflective  of 
performance over the three year period. 

from 

The vesting scale used to measure achievement of the current 
GLSP  grants  over  the  three  year  performance  periods  is  as 
follows: 

Customer Satisfaction Group Ranking 

% of Pool to Invest 

2007 Grant 

2008 Grant 

1 
2 
3 
4 
5 

Pool – PACC Growth 

Pool Cap 

Peer Group 

Equity Reward Plan (ERP) 

New grants under the Group‘s previous LTI plan, the ERP, have 
ceased.  Selected  executives  in  General  Manager  roles  and 
above  participated  in  this  plan.    The  last  grant  from  July  2006 
fully vested on 14 July 2009, the first measurement date. Grants 
were  delivered  in  the  form  of  ordinary  shares  in  the  Bank  that 
may vest in the executive in some proportion, to the extent that a 
performance hurdle is met. 

For a limited number of executives, a cash-based ERP replicator 
plan  was  operated  where  grants  were  delivered  in  the  form  of 
Performance  Units.  This  was  known  as  the  Equity  Reward 
(Performance Unit) Plan (ERPUP). 

In assessing whether the performance hurdles for each ERP or 
ERPUP grant have been met, the Group received independent 
data  from  Standard  &  Poor‘s  which  provides  both  the  Bank‘s 
TSR growth from the commencement of each grant and that of 
the peer group (excluding CBA, as shown in the below table).  

100 
75 
50 
30 
Nil 
2. 2% 
$34m 

100 
75 
50 
Nil 
Nil 
3. 5% 
$36. 1m 

ANZ, NAB, St George, Westpac 

The  Group‘s  performance  against 
then 
determined by ranking each company in the peer group against 
the Group in order of TSR growth from the commencement of 
each grant. 

the  hurdle  was 

A  weighting  for  each  company  in  the  peer  group  was 
determined by dividing the market capitalisation of the relevant 
company  by  the  total  market  capitalisation  of  the  peer  group. 
The  Group‘s  percentile  ranking  is  determined  by  aggregating 
the  calculated  weighting  of  each  company  ranked  below  the 
Bank. 

Relative TSR was selected as the performance measure based 
on  its  link  to  shareholder  value.  Grants  under  the  ERP  and 
ERPUP  were  made  annually  and  vesting  is  subject  to  the 
Group‘s  Total  Shareholder  Return  (TSR)  performance  relative 
to the other entities in the peer group over a three to four year 
period as follows: 

Year of Grant  Vesting Scale  

Peer Group 

2005 

2006 

<50th percentile = Nil Shares 
50th – 67th percentile = 50% - 75% of shares 
68th – 75th percentile = 76% - 100% of shares 

<51st percentile = Nil Shares 
51st – 75th percentile = 50% - 100% of shares 

AMP 
ANZ Group  
AXA 
Bank of Queensland 
Bendigo Bank(1) 
IAG 

Macquarie Bank 
National Australia Bank 
QBE insurance 
St George (2) 
Suncorp-Metway 
Westpac Banking Group 

(1) Adelaide Bank was removed from the peer group when it was taken over by Bendigo Bank in November 2007. 

(2) St George was acquired by Westpac on 18 November 2008. For the period from commencement of the vesting period up to the acquisition date St George‘s TSR 

movement was used. From the date of the acquisition their TSR moved in line with the merged entity‘s TSR performance. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     73 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Directors’ Report - Remuneration Report 

A  profit  share  arrangement  also  operates  in  the  CFS  GAM 
business,  Global Emerging  Markets Asia  Pacific  (GEM AP) to 
reward  and  retain  key  employees.  Each  year  allocations  are 
made from a pool that reflects a percentage of profit generated 
by  this  part  of  the  CFS  GAM  business.  Allocations  to 
participants are co-invested into GEM AP funds and allocations 
may  vest  after  either  three  or  five  years  depending  upon  the 
seniority of the individual.  

Group Long Term Performance 

The objective of LTI grants during the year ended 30 June 2009 
is  to  improve  shareholder  return  over  the  long  term  while 
remunerating  our  CEO  and  Group  Executives 
their 
performance in line with the Group‘s remuneration philosophy.  

for 

The following graphs show the Group‘s long term performance 
measures  and  how  they  compare  with  changes  in  executive 
remuneration over the last 5 years. 

The Board retains discretion in determining actual remuneration 
awarded to the CEO and Group Executives to ensure the value 
received 
in 
the 
achieving  these  results,  as  per  our  executive  remuneration 
guiding principles described on page 67. 

individual‘s  performance 

is  reflective  of 

Other LTI Style Arrangements 

Certain  executives 
in  Colonial  First  State  Global  Asset 
Management  (CFS  GAM)  participate  in  a  specific  cash-settled 
LTI style arrangement relating to that business. The purpose of 
this LTI style arrangement is the retention and motivation of key 
employees with specific and unique skill sets highly valued in the 
market.  The  decision  of  investors  to  grant  an  investment 
mandate to CFS GAM is highly dependent on their confidence in 
the  investment  capability  and  experience  of  individual  fund 
managers. As such, the loss of these individuals from CFS GAM 
could put current and future mandates at risk. 

During  the  2009  financial  year  this  LTI  style  arrangement  was 
allocated  a  five  year  vesting  period,  compared  to  a  three  year 
vesting  period for  previous  allocations.  The  vesting  period  was 
increased as performance hurdles were removed to focus  more 
directly  on  the  long  term  retention  of  key  individuals  in  an 
increasingly volatile market. There were also limits on how much 
of the vested entitlement employees were eligible to redeem in 
any one year. 

74     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%Cumulative ChangeCumulative  Change in Senior Executive Remuneration compared to Changes in Group PerformanceCash NPATEarnings Per ShareSnr Exec Total RemunerationJune2006June2007June2008June2009June2005June2004010203040506070050100150200250300Share Price ($)Dividends Per Share (cents)Group Performance MeasuresDividends Per ShareShare PriceJune 2005June 2006June 2007June 2008June 2009 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Directors’ Report - Remuneration Report 

Directors’ Remuneration 

Ralph Norris (Managing Director and CEO) 

Summary of Remuneration Arrangements 

For  the  year  ended  30  June  2009,  Mr  Norris‘  remuneration 
consisted of fixed and variable (at risk) components. 

Total Potential Remuneration 

Fixed 
Remuneration 

27% 

At Risk – performance based 

STI 
55% 

LTI 
18% 

Variable Remuneration 

For the year ended 30 June 2009, an STI was delivered in two 
components; 2/3 made as an immediate cash payment and 1/3 
deferred  into  Bank  shares  for  three  years.  Performance  was 
measured against Key Performance Indicators. The Board has 
assessed Mr Norris‘ performance for the year and has approved 
a total STI payment of $2.6 million or 42% of the 200% (of Fixed 
Remuneration) available. 

This assessment took into account the following factors: 

Business and financial results; 
The Group‘s customer service levels; 
Technology and operational excellence; 
The Group‘s core behaviours; and 
Key profitable growth initiatives 

The Board also took into consideration events that have had a 
negative impact on the Group in finalising the CEO‘s STI award 
for 2009. 

Following  shareholder  approval  at  the  2008  Annual  General 
Meeting, an LTI was allocated in December 2008 in the form of 
Performance  Rights  under  the  Group  Leadership  Share  Plan 
(GLSP).  Vesting  will  occur  subject  to  the  satisfaction  of  the 
performance  conditions  –  the  Group‘s  relative  NPAT  and 
customer satisfaction ranking against the peer group at the end 
of the three year performance period (refer to the GLSP on page 
72). 

Terms and conditions of appointment 

The Board determines Mr Norris‘ remuneration, pursuant to the 
Constitution,  as  part  of  the  terms  and  conditions  of  his 
appointment.  Those  terms  and  conditions  are  established  in  a 
contract of employment with Mr Norris which was effective from 
22 September 2005. Remuneration is subject to review annually 
by  the  Board.  Mr  Norris‘  remuneration  arrangements  are 
detailed  on  page  78  and  follow  the  executive  remuneration 
guiding principles described on page 67. 

in  cases  other 

Mr  Norris‘  contract  provides  for  no  end  date,  although  he  may 
resign at any time by giving six months‘ notice. The Group may 
terminate  Mr  Norris‘  employment, 
than 
misconduct,  on  six  months‘  notice.  In  this  case,  the  Group  will 
pay all Fixed Remuneration relating to the notice period, and any 
outstanding  statutory  entitlements.  Any  unvested  STI  or  LTI 
amounts will be payable at the discretion of the Board. There is 
also a provision allowing Mr Norris to terminate the agreement if 
a material change to his status occurs, and to receive benefits 
as if the Group had terminated his employment. 

On ceasing employment with the Group, Mr Norris is entitled to 
receive  his  statutory  entitlements  of  accrued  annual  and  long 
service leave as well as accrued superannuation benefits. This 
arrangement is the same for all employees. 

Non-Executive Directors  

Remuneration Arrangements 

Remuneration for Non-Executive Directors consists of base and 
committee fees within a maximum of $4,000,000 per annum as 
approved  by  shareholders  at  the  Annual  General  Meeting 
(AGM)  held  on  13  November  2008.  The  total  remuneration  for 
that  approval.  No 
Non-Executive  Directors 
component  of  Non-Executive  Director 
is 
remuneration 
contingent upon performance. 

than 

less 

is 

On appointment to the Board, Non-Executive Directors enter into 
a  service  agreement  with  the  Bank  in  the  form  of  a  letter  of 
appointment. The letter of appointment, a copy of which appears 
on  the  Group's  website,  summarises  the  Board  policies  and 
terms, including remuneration, relevant to the office of Director. 
The  policy  of  the  Board  is  that  the  aggregate  amount  of  fees 
should  be  set  at  a  level  which  provides  the  Group  with  the 
necessary  degree  of  flexibility  to  enable  it  to  attract  and  retain 
the services of Directors of the highest calibre. 

The  Board  Performance  and  Renewal  Committee  annually 
reviews the fees payable to individual Non-Executive Directors, 
takes  into  account  relevant  factors  and,  where  appropriate, 
receives  external  advice  on  comparable  remuneration.  In  April 
2009 and in line with the salary reduction and constraints being 
imposed on employees in the current economic climate, it was 
agreed  that  the  Directors‘  remuneration  would  be  reduced  by 
10% with effect from 1 July 2009. 

Non-Executive Directors have 20% of their annual fees applied 
to  the  mandatory  on-market  acquisition  of  shares  in  the  Bank, 
under the Non-Executive Director Share Plan. In addition, Non-
Executive  Directors  can  voluntarily  elect  to  sacrifice  up  to  a 
further  80%  of  their  fees  for  the  acquisition  of  shares,  or  into 
superannuation.  

The  Non-Executive Directors‘ fee structure provides for  a  base 
fee  for  the  Chairman  and  Directors.  In  addition,  amounts  are 
payable where Directors are members of, or chair a Committee. 
Details of the breakdown of each Non-Executive Directors' fees 
as at 30 June 2009 and the new fee structure from 1 July 2009 
is detailed on page 76. The Bank also contributes to compulsory 
superannuation on behalf of Non-Executive Directors. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     75 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Directors’ Report - Remuneration Report 

Details of Components of Non-Executive Directors’ Fees 

Position 

Committee Remuneration 

Fees for the year ended 
30 June 2009 (1) 
$ 

Fees from  
1 July 2009 (1) 
$ 

Board  

Risk Committee 

Audit Committee 

Chairman 
Non-Executive Director 
Chairman 
Member 
Chairman 
Member 
Chairman 
Member 
Chairman 
Member 
 (1) Non-Executive Directors sacrifice 20% of these fees on a mandatory basis under the Non-Executive Directors Share Plan (NEDSP). 

695,000 
210,000 
50,000 
25,000 
50,000 
25,000 
40,000 
20,000 
10,000 
10,000 

Board Performance & Renewal Committee 

People & Remuneration Committee 

625,500 
189,000 
45,000 
22,500 
45,000 
22,500 
36,000 
18,000 
9,000 
9,000 

Retirement Benefits 

Under the Directors‘ Retirement Allowance Scheme, which was 
approved by shareholders at the 1997 Annual General Meeting, 
Directors  previously  accumulated a  retirement  benefit  on  a  pro 
rata basis to a maximum of four years total emoluments after 12 
years service. No benefit accrued until the Director had served 
three years on the Board.  

In  2002,  the  Board  decided  to  discontinue  the  Directors‘ 
Retirement  Allowance  Scheme  without  affecting 
the 
entitlements of the existing Non-Executive Directors at the time. 
Since  that  year,  new  Directors  have  not  been  entitled  to 
participate in the scheme. 

The entitlements of the Non-Executive Directors under the Directors‘ Retirement Allowance Scheme are: 

Directors’ Retirement Allowance Scheme 

Director 

J M Schubert 
J A Anderson (1) 
R J Clairs 
C R Galbraith 
J S Hemstritch (1) 
S C H Kay (1) 
A M Mohl (1) 
F D Ryan 
D J Turner (1) 
H H Young (1) 
Total  

Increase in Accrued Benefit 
in Year $ 

Entitlement as at 30 June 2009 
$ 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

636,398 
- 
202,989 
159,092 
- 
- 
- 
168,263 
- 
- 
1,166,742 

(1) Sir John Anderson, Ms Hemstritch, Ms Kay, Mr Mohl, Mr Turner and Mr Young were appointed as Directors after the closure of the scheme. 

76     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Directors’ Report - Remuneration Report 

Remuneration of Key Management Personnel and Other Executives 

The executives and Directors listed in the tables below include 
Key  Management  Personnel  (KMP)  and  Other  Executives 
during  the  year  ended  30  June  2009.  The  KMP  are  the  CEO, 
members of the Group‘s Executive Committee and all members 
of the Board. 

The  position  and  tenure  for  each  of  the  executives  and 
Directors 
table.  The 
subsequent  tables  refer  to  these  employees  by  surname  and 
initials only. 

listed  are  shown  on 

following 

the 

Name 

Position 

Tenure (if not full year) 

Non-Executive Directors 
J M Schubert 
J A Anderson 
R J Clairs 
C R Galbraith 
J S Hemstritch 
S C Kay 
A Mohl 
F D Ryan 
D J Turner 
H H Young 

Chairman 
Director 
Director 
Director 
Director 
Director 
Director 
Director 
Director 
Director 

Managing Director and CEO 
R J Norris 

Managing Director and CEO 

Executives 
B J Chapman  
D Cohen 
D P Craig 
S I Grimshaw 

M R Harte 

G L Mackrell 
R M McEwan 
I M Narev 
G A Petersen 
I M Saines 

Group Executive, Human Resources and Group Services 
Group General Counsel 
Group Executive, Financial Services 
Group Executive, Premium Business Services 

Group Executive, Enterprise Services & Chief Information 
Officer 
Group Executive, International Financial Services 
Group Executive, Retail Banking Services 
Group Executive, Business and Private Banking 
Group Executive, Wealth Management 
Group Executive, Institutional Banking and Markets 

A Toevs 

Group Chief Risk Officer 

Other Executives 
M Lau 
M Lazberger 

S Paul 

Director, Greater Asia Equities (First State Investments) 
Chief Executive Officer, Colonial First State Global Asset 
Management (CEO CFS GAM) 
Joint Managing Partner (First State Investments) 

Ceased employment on 30 December 
2008 

Ceased employment on 30 June 2009 

Appointed a KMP on 27 January 2009 

Appointed a KMP on 31 December 
2008 

Commenced on 1 September 2008 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     77 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Directors’ Report - Remuneration Report 

The executives and Directors listed in the tables below include Key Management Personnel (KMP) and Other Executives during the year ended 30 June 
2009. The KMP are the CEO, members of the Group‘s Executive Committee and all members of the Board. 

Individual remuneration details for Directors for the year ended 30 June 2009 are set out below. 

Remuneration of Directors 

Short Term Benefits 

Post-
employment 
Benefits 

Share-based Payments 

Cash STI 
payment  
At Risk 
$ 

STI 
Deferred 
in Shares  
At Risk 
$ 

Other 
Short 
Term 
Benefits 
$ 

Super-
annuation  

(2)

Fixed 
$ 

Cash  
(1) 

Fixed 
$ 

LTI 
Reward 
Shares  
At Risk 
$ 

Perform-
ance  
Rights 
$ 

Termina- 
tion 
Benefits 
$ 

Other 
Long 
Term 
Benefits 
$ 

Total 
Remunera-
tion 
$ 

204,000 
113,980 

205,918 
188,471 

209,918 
192,482 

188,000 
178,433 

589,918 
551,342 

Chairman 
J M Schubert 
2009 
2008 
Non- Executive Directors 
J A Anderson 
2009 
2008 
R J Clairs 
2009 
2008 
C R Galbraith 
2009 
2008 
J S Hemstritch 
2009 
2008 
S C H Kay 
2009 
2008 
A M Mohl  
2009 
2008 
F D Ryan 
2009 
2008 
D J Turner 
2009 
2008 
H H Young 
228,000 
2009 
203,803 
2008 
Non-Executive Director Total 
2,196,744 
2009 
1,977,111 
2008 

228,000 
218,542 

213,918 
196,493 

129,072 
- 

- 
97,731 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

Managing Director and CEO 
R J Norris (3) 
2009 
2008 
Director Grand Totals 
2009 

3,253,551  1,733,333 
3,122,450  1,900,000 

5,450,295  1,733,333 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

866,667 
950,000 

866,667 

2008 

5,099,561  1,900,000 

950,000 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 

- 

NEDSP 
(1) 

Fixed 
$ 

147,480 
137,836 

47,000 
44,608 

52,480 
48,121 

51,480 
47,118 

51,000 
46,603 

53,479 
49,123 

48,479 
- 

57,000 
54,636 

176,617 
46,159 

57,000 
50,951 

53,093 
52,570 

16,920 
17,012 

- 
18,367 

18,533 
17,983 

18,360 
90,161 

19,253 
18,751 

82,299 
- 

20,520 
20,848 

99,313 
104,524 

20,520 
19,417 

348,811 
490,479 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

790,491 
741,748 

251,920 
240,053 

262,398 
258,970 

275,931 
253,572 

273,360 
250,744 

286,650 
264,367 

259,850 
- 

305,520 
294,026 

275,930 
248,414 

305,520 
274,171 

3,287,570 
3,443,216 

742,015 
550,361 

- 
425,265 

100,000 
100,014 

1,237,635 
1,237,635 

1,936,546 
1,280,790 

- 
- 

448,811 

1,237,635 

1,936,546 

590,493 

1,237,635 

1,280,790 

742,015 

550,361 

- 
- 

- 

82,020 
72,031 

9,209,752 
8,662,920 

82,020 

12,497,322 

425,265 

72,031 

12,106,136 

Group totals in respect of the financial year ended 30 June 2008 do not necessarily equal the sum of amounts disclosed for individuals listed above as there are some different individuals specified 
as Directors in 2009. 

Amounts in the table above reflect remuneration for the time the Director has been in a Key Management Personnel role i.e. pro-rating is applied relative to the date the Director commenced or 
ceased a Key Management Personnel role. 

(1) For Non-Executive Directors, this includes that portion of base fees and committee fees paid as cash. Non-Executive Directors also salary sacrifice 20% of their fees on a mandatory basis 

under the Non-Executive Directors Share Plan (NEDSP). Further details on the NEDSP is contained in Note 32 to the Financial Statements. 

(2) Represents company contribution to superannuation and includes any allocations made by way of salary sacrifice by Directors. 

(3) Cash STI payment represents the amount of cash immediately payable in recognition of performance for the year ended 30 June 2009, with the exception of STI sacrificed to superannuation 
which is included under 'Superannuation'. STI deferred in shares represents the compulsory deferral of 1/3 of the STI payment for the performance year ended 30 June 2009. This amount is 
deferred until 1 July 2012. Generally, Mr Norris will need to be an employee of the Bank at the end of the deferral period to receive this portion. The 2008 financial year figure also represents 
1/3 of STI deferred in shares. The value of LTI Performance Rights under the GLSP and Reward Shares under the ERP has been calculated using a Monte-Carlo simulation method. Details 
on the assumptions incorporated are set out on page 80 under Reward Shares Valuation Assumptions and Performance Rights Valuation Assumptions. 

78     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Directors’ Report - Remuneration Report 

Individual remuneration details for Executives for the year ended 30 June 2009 are set out below: 

Remuneration of Executives 

Short Term Benefits 

Post-
employ-
ment 
Benefits 

Share-based Payments 

Cash  
(1)

Fixed 
$ 

Non 
Monetary  

(2)

Fixed 
$ 

Cash STI 
payment  
(3)

At Risk 

STI 
Deferred in 
Shares  
(4)

At Risk 

Other Short 
Term 

Benefits 

(5)

Super-
annuation  

(6)

Fixed 

Performance 

Rights 

(7)

LTI Reward 
Shares  
(7)

At Risk 

LTI 
Performance 
Units At Risk 
(7)

Other Long 
Term 

Benefits 

(8)

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

$ 

Total 
 Remuneration 
$ 

861,370 
807,709 

13,233 
13,763 

600,000 
666,667 

300,000 
333,333 

10,357 
263,352 

50,000 
49,838 

403,956 
263,692 

133,255 
133,247 

87,861 
110,997 

834,452 
33,960 

13,233 
564 

800,000 
- 

400,000 
- 

573,004 
- 

50,000 
2,271 

403,956 
263,692 

- 
- 

1,049,649 
931,854 

13,233 
13,763 

800,000 
1,000,000 

400,000 
500,000 

4,711 
100,000 

79,944 
86,128 

454,521 
301,362 

177,673 
177,673 

755,803 
1,406,154 

6,225 
13,507 

- 
1,000,000 

- 
500,000 

- 
- 

50,512 
94,030 

(376,703) 
376,703 

(25,938) 
715,296 

969,041 
862,067 

13,218 
13,653 

800,000 
866,667 

400,000 
433,333 

14,058 
73,756 

50,000 
49,352 

403,956 
263,692 

111,929 
111,929 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

20,635 
18,703 

12,612 
786 

31,175 
22,094 

29,661 
32,560 

14,449 
19,961 

2,480,667 
2,661,301 

3,087,257 
301,273 

3,010,906 
3,132,874 

439,560 
4,138,250 

2,776,651 
2,694,410 

814,051 
770,205 

13,233 
13,763 

950,000 
633,333 

- 
316,667 

- 
- 

177,397 
173,753 

131,349 
301,362 

(8,716) 
534,536 

925,713 
- 

776,968 
20,178 

3,779,995 
2,763,797 

1,185,722 
924,144 

13,268 
13,653 

933,333 
1,000,000 

466,667 
500,000 

11,492 
101,036 

100,231 
93,838 

542,317 
376,703 

370,006 
- 

5,491 
- 

254,820 
- 

127,410 
- 

5,445 
- 

24,087 
- 

143,334 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

1,080,395 
1,022,877 

12,446 
13,763 

666,667 
733,333 

333,333 
366,667 

651,383 
- 

3,660 
- 

403,280 
- 

201,640 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

101,026 
50,000 

516,753 
339,033 

372,781 
400,040 

43,298 
- 

143,334 
- 

1,399,726 
1,130,595 

- 
- 

1,066,667 
- 

533,333 
- 

241,699 
61,222 

100,000 
2,186 

194,000 
- 

220,393 
238,692 

62,670 
22,094 

3,536,093 
3,270,160 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

7,120 
- 

86,307 
23,685 

55,459 
- 

937,713 
- 

3,169,708 
2,949,398 

1,502,054 
- 

532,797 
42,374 

4,068,222 
1,236,377 

- 
- 

- 
- 

B J Chapman 
2009 
2008 
D Cohen  
2009 
2008 
D P Craig 
2009 
2008 
S I Grimshaw (9) 
2009 
2008 
M R Harte  
2009 
2008  
G L Mackrell (10) 
2009 
2008 
R M McEwan  
2009 
2008 
I M Narev (11) 
2009 
2008 
G A Petersen 
2009 
2008 
I M Saines (12) 
2009 
2008 
A Toevs  
2009 
2008 

9,971,598 
8,375,607 

107,240 
104,589 

7,274,767  3,162,383 
5,900,000  2,950,000 

860,766 
599,366 

826,495 
635,073 

2,960,773 
2,486,239 

760,984 
1,993,821 

1,233,967 
349,689 

1,629,853 
202,435 

28,788,826 
23,596,819 

388,734 
- 

- 
- 

344,920 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

615,611 
- 

9,335 
- 

498,000 
- 

249,000 
- 

1,000,000 
- 

528,854 
- 

- 
- 

482,579 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

36,382 
- 

41,679 
- 

93,122 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

4,505,748 
- 

- 
- 

5,275,784 
- 

1,750,000 
- 

1,743,674 
- 

5,907,299 
- 

4,707,603 
- 

- 
- 

5,812,158 
- 

Total Remuneration of Executives 
2009 
2008 

11,504,797 
9,398,484 

116,575 
118,352 

8,600,266  3,411,383 
7,366,666  2,950,000 

1,860,766 
599,366 

997,678 
685,073 

2,960,773 
2,486,239 

760,984 
2,206,541 

12,197,318 
653,846 

3,373,527 
226,120 

45,784,067 
26,690,687 

Grand totals in respect of the financial year ended 30 June 2008 do not necessarily equal the sum of amounts disclosed for individuals listed above as there are different individuals specified as 
Executives in 2009. 

Amounts in the table above reflect remuneration for the time the Executive has been in a Key Management Personnel role i.e. pro-rating is applied relative to the date the Executive commenced or 
ceased a Key Management Personnel role. 

(1) Reflects the amounts paid in the year ended 30 June 2009 and is calculated on a total cost basis. Included may be annual leave accruals and salary sacrifice amounts with the exception of 

salary sacrifice superannuation which is included under 'Superannuation'.  

(2) Represents the cost of car parking (including FBT).  

(3) Cash STI payment represents the amount of cash immediately payable to an Executive in recognition of performance for the year ended 30 June 2009, with the exception of STI sacrificed to 

superannuation which is included under 'Superannuation'. 

(4) STI deferred in Shares represents the compulsory deferral of 1/3 of STI payments for Executives for performance to the year ended 30 June 2009. These amounts are deferred until 1 July 2012. 

Generally, the Executive will need to be an employee of the Group at the end of the deferral period to receive this portion.  

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     79 

Total Remuneration 
2009 
2008 
Other Executives (13) 
M Lau 
2009 
2008 
M J Lazberger (14) 
2009 
2008 
S Paul 
2009 
2008 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Directors’ Report - Remuneration Report 

(5) All Other Short Term Benefits payable that are not covered above. Includes sign on arrangements for Mr Cohen, Mr Toevs and Mr Lazberger. 

(6) Represents company contribution to superannuation and includes any allocations made by way of salary sacrifice by Executives. 

(7) The ‗fair value‘ of LTI performance rights under the GLSP and ERP has been calculated using a Monte-Carlo simulation method, incorporating the assumptions 

below: 

Reward Share Valuation Assumptions 

Purchase Date 

Fair Value  

Exercise Price  

Risk Free Rate   Assumption Term 

Dividend Yield  

Volatility 

22-Sep-04 
5-Nov-04 
23-Nov-05 
3-Nov-06 

$16.72 
$19.72 
$24.51 
$30.62 

Performance Rights Valuation Assumptions 

12-Oct-07 
3-Dec-08 

$53.50 
$26.20 

$0.00 
$0.00 
$0.00 
$0.00 

$0.00 
$0.00 

5.48% 
5.61% 
5.65% 
5.44% 

59 mths 
57 mths 
56 mths 
47 mths 

Nil 
Nil 
Nil 
Nil 

15.00% 
15.00% 
15.00% 
30.00% 

4.70% 
4.70% 

33mths 
31mths 

6.75% 
6.75% 

30.00% 
30.00% 

- The Reward Shares assessment has been made as at purchase date for the 2004 and 2005 ERP grants and 30 June 2009 for the 2006 ERP grant based on the 

expected future TSR performance of the Bank and each member of its peer group. The annualised equivalent of the ‗fair value‘ in respect of the number of shares 
for each grant has been amortised on a straight line basis over the term of the grant.  

- The Performance Rights assessment under the GLSP has been made at 30 June 2009 based on the expected future NPAT growth (using TSR) and customer 

satisfaction outcomes of the Group and each member of the peer group. The annualised equivalent of the ‗fair value‘ in respect of the number of performance rights 
for the grant is the basis for management‘s decision to determine the amount to be amortised on a straight line basis over the term of the grant. 

- For the GLSP, the final allocation pool can only be determined at the end of the performance period. As each participant‘s allocation is based on the proportion of the 
pool that may vest, the above assumptions have been used to determine the maximum number of performance rights that may vest. Each participant has been 
granted their allocated percentage of the pool based on the above valuation assumptions.  

(8) All other benefits payable that are not covered above. For Mr Mackrell this includes long service leave termination benefits. For Mr Toevs and Mr Lazberger, this 

reflects retention arrangements which they will forfeit if they resign or are dismissed, including for poor performance before the vesting date.  

(9) Mr Grimshaw ceased employment on 30 December 2008. 

(10) Mr Mackrell ceased employment on 30 June 2009. 

(11) Mr Narev was appointed a KMP on 27 January 2009. Remuneration disclosed relates to the portion of the year he was a KMP. 

(12) Mr Saines was appointed a KMP on 31 December 2008. Remuneration disclosed relates to the portion of the year he was a KMP. 

(13) Messrs Lau, Lazberger and Paul, who are not Key Management Personnel, and Messrs Mackrell and Toevs are the five executives who received the highest 

remuneration for the year ended 30 June 2009 as defined in the Section 300A of the Corporations Act 2001. 

(14) Mr Lazberger commenced employment on 1 September 2008. 

STI Allocations to Executives for the Year Ended 30 June 2009 

Portion Paid 

Percentage 
Forfeited 
% 

Portion 
Deferred (1)  

Minimum Total 
Value (2)  
$ 

Maximum Total 
Value (3) 
$ 

Percentage of 
Maximum 
Opportunity Paid  
% 

Directors 
R J Norris 
Executives 
B J Chapman  
D Cohen 
D P Craig  
S I Grimshaw (4) 
M R Harte 
G L Mackrell 
R M McEwan  
I M Narev (5) 
G A Petersen 
I M Saines (6) 
A Toevs 
Other Executives  
M Lau 
M J Lazberger (7) 
S Paul 

2/3 

2/3 
2/3 
2/3 
- 
2/3 
100% 
2/3 
2/3 
2/3 
2/3 
2/3 

100% 
2/3 
100% 

- 

- 
- 
- 
100 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 

- 
- 
- 

1/3 

1/3 
1/3 
1/3 
- 
1/3 
- 
1/3 
1/3 
1/3 
1/3 
1/3 

- 
1/3 
- 

1,733,333 

2,600,000 

600,000 
800,000 
800,000 
- 
800,000 
950,000 
933,333 
254,820 
666,667 
403,280 
1,066,667 

344,920 
498,000 
482,579 

900,000 
1,200,000 
1,200,000 
- 
1,200,000 
950,000 
1,400,000 
382,230 
1,000,000 
604,920 
1,600,000 

344,920 
747,000 
482,579 

42 

53 
73 
57 
n/a 
63 
51 
58 
64 
45 
63 
57 

95 
60 
99 

(1) Used to acquire shares in the Bank that will generally vest on 1 July 2012 subject to not being forfeited due to resignation or misconduct including misrepresentation 

of performance outcomes. Will generally vest early in circumstances of retrenchment, retirement or death. 

(2) For those executives with a minimum total value greater than zero, this reflects the 2/3 component of the STI payment which is immediately payable determined by 
actual performance over the year ended 30 June 2009. Executives generally do not receive an STI payment unless their individual performance is at least meeting 
expectations. 

(3) Includes value of shares purchased at commencement of vesting period for the deferred portion. 

(4) Mr Grimshaw ceased employment on 30 December 2008. 

(5) Mr Narev was appointed a KMP on 27 January 2009. Reflects pro-rated portion for service during the year as a KMP. 

(6) Mr Saines was appointed a KMP on 31 December 2008. Reflects pro-rated portion for service during the year as a KMP. 

(7) Mr Lazberger commenced on 1 September 2008. 

80     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Directors’ Report - Remuneration Report 

LTI Allocations to Executives for the Year Ended 30 June 2009 

Percentage 
Paid 
% 

Percentage 
Forfeited 
% 

Percentage 
Deferred (1)  
% 

Current 
Allocation 
(Percentage of 
Pool) (2) 

Minimum Total 
Value 
$ 

Maximum Total 
Value (3) 
$000s 

Directors 
R J Norris 
Executives 
B J Chapman  
D Cohen 
D P Craig 
S I Grimshaw (4) 
M R Harte 
G L Mackrell (5) 
R M McEwan 
I M Narev (6) 
G A Petersen 
I M Saines (7) 
A Toevs 
Other Executives 
M Lau (3) 
M J Lazberger (3) 
S Paul (3) 

- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 

- 
- 
- 

- 

- 
- 
- 
100 
- 
67 
- 
- 
- 

- 

- 
- 
- 

100 

100 
100 
100 
- 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 
100 

100 
100 
100 

32.02 

6.75 
6.75 
7.50 
- 
6.75 
2.87 
8.60 
4.30 
8.60 
4.30 
5.82 

n/a 
 n/a  
n/a 

- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 

- 
- 
- 

11,560 

2,437 
2,437 
2,708 
- 
2,437 
1,036 
3,105 
1,552 
3,105 
1,552 
2,101 

5,661 
1,750 
5,444 

(1) Will vest in July 2011 under the GLSP subject to the performance conditions and the performance hurdle being met (see page 73). 

(2) Each participant‘s allocated percentage of the proportion of the pool that may vest (capped at $36.1million). See page 73. 

(3) Equals the participant‘s allocated percentage of the maximum pool that may vest – $36.1 million, except for Messrs Lau, Lazberger and Paul who participate in cash 
settled LTI style arrangements that are specific to Colonial First State Global Asset Management (CFS GAM). Allocations under this arrangement vest depending on 
the CFS GAM net profit before tax growth rate over three to five years (See page 74). To receive the maximum the performance hurdles must be achieved at the 
maximum level.  

(4) Mr Grimshaw ceased employment on 30 December 2008. 

(5) Mr Mackrell ceased employment on 30 June 2009. The allocation reflects a pro rata value (of his original allocation) as his exit was due to retirement. Vesting 

remains subject to performance conditions being met as per footnote 1 above.  

(6) Mr Narev was appointed a KMP on 27 January 2009. 

(7) Mr Saines was appointed a KMP on 31 December 2008. 

Termination Arrangements of Key Management Personnel and Other Executives 

The Group‘s executive contracts provide for the following termination arrangements for KMP and Other Executives: 

Name 

B J Chapman 
D Cohen 
D P Craig  
S I Grimshaw (2) 
M R Harte 
G L Mackrell (3) 
R M McEwan 
I M Narev 
G A Petersen 
I M Saines 
A Toevs 

Contract Type 

Permanent 
Permanent 
Permanent 
Permanent 
Permanent 
Permanent 
Permanent 
Permanent 
Permanent 
Permanent 
2 year fixed term with the option 
to extend to a maximum of 3 
years. 

Notice 

6 months 
6 months 
6 months 
3 months 
4 weeks 
4 weeks 
6 months 
6 months 
6 months 
6 months 

Severance (1) 

6 months 
6 months 
6 months 
12 months 
6 months 
6 months 
6 months 
6 months 
6 months 
6 months 

Not Applicable 

If terminated in first two years, the greater of 
$5,000,000 or remuneration for remainder of term 

Other Executives 
M Lau 
M J Lazberger (4) 
S Paul 

Permanent 
Permanent 
Permanent 

9 months 
3 months 
6 months 

9 months 
3 months 
6 months 

(1) Severance applies where termination is initiated by the Group, other than for misconduct or unsatisfactory performance. 

(2) Mr Grimshaw ceased employment on 30 December 2008. 

(3) Mr Mackrell ceased employment on 30 June 2009. 

(4) Mr Lazberger commenced on 1 September 2008. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     81 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Directors’ Report - Remuneration Report 

Upon  ceasing  employment  with  the  Group,  executives  are 
entitled to receive their statutory entitlements of accrued annual 
and  long  service  leave,  as  well  as  accrued  superannuation 
benefits.  

Executives  who  cease  employment  with  the  Group  during  a 
given performance year (i.e. 1 July to 30 June) will generally not 
receive  an  STI  payment 
the 
for 
circumstances of retrenchment, retirement or death. 

that  year  except 

in 

Deferred cash or shares from previous STI awards are usually 
forfeited  where  the  executive  resigns  or  is  dismissed.  In 
circumstances  of  retrenchment,  retirement  or  death  any  cash 
will  generally  be  paid  and  unvested  shares  will  generally  vest 
immediately.  LTI  grants  are  generally  forfeited  where  the 
In  circumstances  of 
is  dismissed. 
executive  resigns  or 
retrenchment, retirement or death, the executive or their estate 
may, at Board discretion, retain their full or pro-rata grant of LTI. 
Vesting of any LTI retained by the executive will still be subject 
to the performance hurdle relevant to that grant. 

Equity Holdings of Key Management Personnel and Other Executives 

Shareholdings 

Share trading policy 

All  shares  were  acquired  by  Directors  on  normal  terms  and 
conditions or through the Non-Executive Directors‘ Share Plan. 

Shares  awarded  under  the  Equity  Reward  Plan  and  the 
mandatory  components  of  the  Equity  Participation  Plan  are 
registered  in  the  name  of  the  Trustee  of  the  employee  share 
plan  trust.  For  further  details  of  the  Non-Executive  Directors‘ 
Share  Plan,  previous  Equity  Reward  Plan,  previous  Executive 
Option Plan and Equity Participation Plan refer to Note 32 to the 
Financial Statements. 

The  Group  has  guidelines  restricting  the  dealings  of  Directors 
and certain executives in Bank securities. In particular, they are 
from  using  instruments  or 
prohibited 
arrangements  for  margin  borrowing,  short  selling  or  stock 
lending in relation to unvested securities of the Bank or of any 
other member of the Group.  

from  hedging  and 

Directors  and  executives  are  reminded  of  the  share  trading 
policy each six months and are required to complete an annual 
declaration confirming their compliance with the policy. 

Details  of  shareholdings  of  Key  Management  Personnel  and 
Other  Executives  (or  close  family  or  entities  controlled,  jointly 
controlled, or significantly influenced by them, or any entity over 
which any of the aforementioned hold significant voting power) 
are as follows: 

Shares Held by Directors 

Name 
Directors 
J M Schubert 
R J Norris 

J A Anderson 
R J Clairs  
C R Galbraith 
J S Hemstritch  
S C H Kay 
A M Mohl (5) 
F D Ryan 
D J Turner 
H H Young 

Total For 
Directors 

Class (1) 

Ordinary 
Ordinary 
Reward Shares 
Deferred Shares 
Ordinary 
Ordinary 
Ordinary 
Ordinary 
Ordinary 
Ordinary 
Ordinary 
Ordinary 
Ordinary 
Ordinary 
Reward Shares 
Deferred Shares 

Balance 
1 July 2008  

Acquired/Granted 
as 
Remuneration (2) 

On Exercise 
of 
Options 

Reward Shares 
Vested (3) 

Net Change  
Other (4) 

Balance 
30 June 2009  

27,308 
10,000 
191,238 
- 
11,565 
18,900 
13,054 
16,491 
9,037 
- 
15,342 
1,241 
21,997 
144,935 
191,238 
- 

4,214 
- 
- 
22,707 
1,366 
1,453 
1,424 
1,482 
1,482 
788 
1,657 
5,691 
1,656 
21,213 
- 
22,707 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 
- 
(100,328) 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
(100,328) 
- 

1,261 
100,713 
- 
- 
1,219 
- 
856 
3,385 
- 
8,500 
385 
2,000 
1,631 
119,950 
- 
- 

32,783 
110,713 
90,910 
22,707 
14,150 
20,353 
15,334 
21,358 
10,519 
9,288 
17,384 
8,932 
25,284 
286,098 
90,910 
22,707 

(1) Reward shares represents shares granted under the Equity Reward Plan (ERP) and are subject to a performance hurdle. These shares fully vested on 14 July 2009. 

See page 73 for further details on the ERP. Deferred shares represent one third of the 2007/2008 payment deferred into shares for these years.  

(2) Represents shares acquired under NEDSP on 28 August 2008 and 20 February 2009 by mandatory sacrifice of fees. All shares acquired through NEDSP are 

subject to a 10 year trading restriction (shares will be tradeable earlier if the Director leaves the Board). See Note 32 to the Financial Statements for further details on 
the NEDSP. 

(3) Reward Shares become ordinary shares upon vesting. 

(4) ―Net Change Other‖ incorporates changes resulting from purchases and sales during the year. 

(5) Mr Mohl commenced on 1 July 2008. 

82     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Directors’ Report - Remuneration Report 

Shares Held by Executives 

Name 
Executives 
B J Chapman  

D Cohen 

D P Craig  

S I Grimshaw (4) 

M R Harte 

G L Mackrell (5) 

R M McEwan  

I M Narev (6) 

G A Petersen 

I M Saines (7) 

A Toevs 

Class (1) 

Ordinary 
Reward Shares 
Deferred Shares 
Ordinary 
Reward Shares 
Deferred Shares 
Ordinary 
Reward Shares 
Deferred Shares 
Ordinary 
Reward Shares 
Deferred Shares 
Ordinary 
Reward Shares 
Deferred Shares 
Ordinary 
Reward Shares 
Deferred Shares 
Ordinary 
Reward Shares 
Deferred Shares 
Ordinary 
Reward Shares 
Deferred Shares 
Ordinary 
Reward Shares 
Deferred Shares 
Ordinary 
Reward Shares 
Deferred Shares 
Ordinary 
Reward Shares 
Deferred Shares 

Balance  
1 July 2008 

Acquired/Granted 
as  
Remuneration  

On Exercise of 
Options 

Reward/ 
Deferred Shares 
Vested (2) 

Net Change  
Other (3) 

Balance  
30 June 2009 

 450 
 17,046 
 -  
 -  
 -  
 -  
 6,000 
 22,728 
 -  
 29,999 
 67,640 
- 
 - 
14,318 
 -  
42,196 
51,888 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
1,137 
6,610 
13,365 
45,280 
- 
8,563 
10,000 
12,653 
- 
- 
37,784 

- 
- 
7,968 
13,781 
- 
- 
- 
- 
11,951 
- 
- 
11,951 
- 
- 
10,358 
- 
- 
7,569 
- 
- 
11,951 
- 
- 
5,976 
- 
- 
8,765 
- 
- 
13,943 
- 
- 
- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
(35,140) 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
(27,570) 
(7,569) 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
(20,280) 
- 
- 
(5,000) 
- 
- 
- 
- 

1,121  
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
6,385  
- 
- 
- 
(32,500) 
(11,951) 
- 
- 
- 
7,455  
(24,318) 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
22,879  
- 
- 
5,661 
- 
- 
9,000  
- 
- 

1,571  
17,046  
7,968  
13,781  
- 
- 
12,385 
22,728 
11,951 
29,999 
- 
- 
- 
14,318 
10,358 
49,651 
- 
- 
- 
- 
11,951  
- 
1,137 
12,586 
36,244 
25,000 
8,765 
14,224 
5,000 
26,596 
9,000  
- 
37,784 

Other Executives 
M Lau 

S Paul 

M Lazberger (8) 

Ordinary 
Reward Shares 
Deferred Shares 
Ordinary 
Reward Shares 
Deferred Shares 
Ordinary 
Reward Shares 
Deferred Shares 
Ordinary 
Reward Shares 
Deferred Shares 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
93,852 
93,852  
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
166,855 
13,781  
85,229 
 - 
Total for 
Executives 
221,811 
184,284 
 (1) Reward Shares represents shares granted under the Equity Reward Plan (ERP) and are subject to a performance hurdle. These shares fully vested on 14 July 2009. 
See page 73 for further details on the ERP. Deferred shares represents one third of the 2007/08 STI payment deferred into shares for three years, except for Mr 
Lazberger where deferred shares represents shares granted as part of his commencement arrangements. 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
(87,990) 
(7,569) 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
52,501 
(56,818) 
(11,951) 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
100,573 
230,037 
57,047 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

(2) Reward Shares and Deferred Shares become ordinary shares upon vesting.  

(3) ―Net Change Other‖ incorporates changes resulting from purchases, sales and forfeitures during the year. 

(4) Mr Grimshaw ceased employment on 30 December 2008. 

(5) Mr Mackrell ceased employment on 30 June 2009. 

(6) Mr Narev was appointed a KMP on 27 January 2009. 

(7) Mr Saines was appointed a KMP on 31 December 2008. 

(8) Mr Lazberger commenced on 1 September 2008. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     83 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Directors’ Report - Remuneration Report 

Total Loans to Key Management Personnel and Other Executives  

Year Ended 
30 June 

Balance  
1 July 
$000s 

Interest 
Charged 
$000s 

Interest Not 
Charged  
$000s 

Write-off 

$000s 

Balance 
30 June 
$000s 

Number in 
Group at 
30 June 

1 
1 

10 
9 

11 
10 

- 
1 

11 
11 

Highest 
Balance 
in Period 
$000s (2) 

2,771 

2,726 
941 
228 
3,442 
805 
2,967 
754 
930 
1,201 

Directors 

Executives  

Total for Key 
Management 
Personnel 
Other Executives  

Total 

2009 
2008 

2009 
2008 

2009 
2008 

2009 
2008 

2009 
2008 

2,840 
3,648 

11,359 
6,103 

14,199 
9,751 

- 
1,442 

14,199 
11,193 

211 
258 

667 
781 

878 
1,039 

- 
68 

878 
1,107 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

- 
- 

1,991 
2,795 

8,462 
12,369 

10,453 
15,164 

- 
1,335 

10,453 
16,499 

Details of Individuals with Loans above $100,000 in the reporting period are as follows: 

Individual Loans above $100,000 to Key Management Personnel and Other Executives 

Balance 
1 July 2008 
$000s 

Interest 
Charged 
$000s 

Interest Not 
Charged 
$000s 

Write-off 

$000s 

Balance 
30 June 2009 
$000s 

Directors 
R J Norris (1) 
Executives 
B J Chapman  
D Cohen 
D P Craig 
M R Harte 
G L Mackrell 
R M McEwan (1) 
I Narev  
G A Petersen 
I Saines  
Total for Key  
Management Personnel 

Other Executives  
Total for Other Executives 
Total for Key Management 
Personnel & Other Executives 

2,840 

2,667 
941 
233 
3,394 
647 
977 
754 
976 
721 

14,150 

- 

14,150 

211 

148 
59 
16 
217 
8 
125 
40 
15 
39 

878 

- 

878 

- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 

- 

- 

- 

1,991 

2,230 
601 
11 
3,024 
- 
1,560 
472 
2 
562 

10,453 

16,765 

- 

- 

10,453 

16,765 

(1) Balance declared in NZD for Mr Norris and Mr McEwan. Exchange rates are taken from Forex as at 30 June 2009 for interest charged, 30 June 2009 balances and 
highest balance in period. The exchange rate as at 30 June 2008 has been used for the 1 July 2008 balances. Highest in period appears lower than the opening 
balance due to the application of exchange rates. 

(2) Represents the highest balance of loans outstanding at any period during the year ended 30 June 2009. 

84     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Directors’ Report – Remuneration Report  

Terms and Conditions of Loans  
All loans to Key Management Personnel and Other Executives 
(or close family members or entities controlled, jointly controlled, 
or significantly influenced by them, or any entity over which any 
of the aforementioned held significant voting power) have been 
provided on an arm‘s length commercial basis including the term 
of the loan, security required and the interest rate (which may be 
fixed or variable). 
Other Transactions of Key Management Personnel and 
Other Executives and Related Parties 
Financial Instrument Transactions 
Financial  instrument  transactions  (other  than  loans  and  shares 
disclosed within this report) of Key Management Personnel and 
Other Executives occur in the ordinary course of business on an 
arm‘s length basis. 
Disclosure of financial instrument transactions regularly made as 
part of normal banking operations is limited to disclosure of such 
transactions  with  Key  Management  Personnel  and  Other 
Executives  and  entities  controlled  or  significantly  influenced  by 
them. 

All  such  financial  instrument  transactions  that  have  occurred 
between  entities  within  the  Group  and  their  Key  Management 
Personnel and Other Executives have been trivial or domestic 
in  nature  and  were  in  the  nature  of  normal  personal  banking 
and deposit transactions. 
Transactions other than Financial Instrument Transactions 
of Banks 
All  other transactions  with Key  Management  Personnel,  Other 
Executives  and  their  related  entities  and  other  related  parties 
are conducted on an arm‘s length basis in the normal course of 
business  and  on  commercial  terms  and  conditions.  These 
transactions  principally  involve  the  provision  of  financial  and 
investment services by entities not controlled by the Group. 
Audit 
Certain disclosures required by the Corporations Act 2001 and 
accounting standard AASB124 Related Party Disclosures have 
been  made 
this  Remuneration  Report.  The  entire 
Remuneration Report has been audited as required. 

in 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     85 

 
 
 
Directors’ Report  

Company Secretaries 

Audit Services 

The  details  of  the Bank‘s  Company  Secretaries, including their 
experience and qualifications are set out below. 

John  Hatton  has  been  Company  Secretary  of 
Commonwealth Bank of Australia since 1994. 

the 

From 1985 until 1994, he was a solicitor with the Bank‘s Legal 
Department. 

He has a Bachelor of Laws degree from Sydney University and 
was admitted as a solicitor in New South Wales. He is a Fellow 
of  Chartered  Secretaries  Australia  and  a  Member  of  the 
Australian Institute of Company Directors. 

Carla Collingwood was appointed a Company Secretary to the 
Bank in July 2005.  

From 1994 until 2005, she was a solicitor with the Bank‘s Legal 
Department,  before  being  appointed  to  the  position  of  General 
Manager,  Secretariat.  She  holds  a  Bachelor  of  Laws  degree 
(Hons.) and a Graduate Diploma in Company Secretary Practice 
from Chartered Secretaries Australia.  

Non-Audit Services 

Amounts  paid  or  payable  to  PricewaterhouseCoopers  for  non-
audit services provided during the year, as set out in Note 37 to 
the Financial Statements are as follows: 

Regulatory audits, reviews, attestations and 
assurances for Group entities – Australia 

Regulatory audits, reviews, attestations and 
assurances for Group entities – Offshore  

APRA reporting (including the tripartite review) 

Financial and other audits, reviews, attestations 
and assurances for Group entities - Australia 

Financial and other audits, reviews, attestations 
and assurances for Group entities – Offshore 

Agreed upon procedures and comfort letters in 
respect of financing, debt raising and related 
activities 

Taxation services 

Controls review and related work 

Other 
Total (1) 

2009 
$’000 

707 

96 

277 

1,128 

197 

387 

2,721 

600 

1,024 

7,137 

(1) An additional amount of $7,132,535 was paid to PricewaterhouseCoopers 
by way of fees for entities not consolidated into the Financial Statements. 
Of this amount $6,065,331 relates to statutory audits. 

Signed in accordance with a resolution of the Directors. 

Amounts 
audit 
PricewaterhouseCoopers totalled $16,929,000.  

payable 

paid 

for 

or 

services 

to 

The  Bank  has  in  place  an  External  Auditor  Services  Policy, 
details of which are set out in the Corporate Governance section 
of this Annual Report, to assist in ensuring the independence of 
the Bank‘s external auditor.  

The  Audit  Committee  has  considered  the  provision,  during  the 
year, of non-audit services by PricewaterhouseCoopers and has 
those  services  did  not 
concluded 
compromise  the  auditor  independence  requirements  of  the 
Corporations Act.  

the  provision  of 

that 

The Audit  Committee  advised the Board  accordingly and,  after 
considering  the  Committee‘s  advice,  the  Board  of  Directors 
agreed  that  it  was  satisfied  that  the  provision  of  the  non-audit 
services  by  PricewaterhouseCoopers  during  the  year  was 
compatible with the general standard of independence imposed 
by the Corporations Act.  

The reasons for the Directors being satisfied that the provision of 
the  non-audit services  during  the  year  did  not compromise the 
auditor independence requirements of the Corporations Act are: 

The  operation  of  the  External  Auditor  Services  Policy 
during the year to restrict the nature of non-audit services 
engagements,  to  prohibit  certain  services  and  to  require 
Audit  Committee  pre-approval  for  all  such  engagements; 
and  
The  relative  quantum  of  fees  paid  for  non-audit  services 
compared to the quantum of audit fees.  

The  above  Directors‘  statements  are  in  accordance  with  the 
advice received from the Audit Committee.  

Auditor’s Declaration of Independence 

We  have  obtained  an  independence  declaration  from  our 
auditor, PricewaterhouseCoopers as presented on the following 
page.  

Incorporation of Additional Material 

This report incorporates the Chairman‘s Statement (pages 2 to 
4),  Highlights  (pages  8  to  12),  Analysis  sections  for  Retail 
Banking  Services  (pages  20  to  21),  Business  and  Private 
Banking  (pages  22  to  23),  Institutional  Banking  and  Markets 
(pages  24  to  25),  Wealth  Management  (pages  26  to  29), 
International  Financial  Services  (pages  30  to  32),  Bankwest 
(page  33)  and  Shareholding  Information  (pages  227  to  229) 
sections of this Annual report. 

J M Schubert 

Chairman 

12 August 2009 

R J Norris 

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer 

86     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
PricewaterhouseCoopers 
ABN 52 780 433 757 

Darling Park Tower 2 
201 Sussex Street 
GPO BOX 2650 
SYDNEY  NSW  1171 
DX 77 Sydney 
Australia 
Telephone +61 2 8266 0000 
Facsimile +61 2 8266 9999 

Auditor’s Independence Declaration 

As lead auditor for the audit of Commonwealth Bank of Australia for the year ended 30 June 2009, I 
declare that to the best of my knowledge and belief, there have been: 

a)  no contraventions of the auditor independence requirements of the Corporations Act 2001 in 

relation to the audit; and 

b)  no contraventions of any applicable code of professional conduct in relation to the audit. 

This declaration is in respect of Commonwealth Bank of Australia and the entities it controlled during the 
period. 

Rahoul Chowdry 
Partner 

Sydney 
12 August 2009 

PricewaterhouseCoopers 

Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     87 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Five Year Financial Summary 

(1) Excludes non cash interest earnings from Bankwest.  

(2) Premium Business Services was split into Business and Private Banking and Institutional Banking and Markets in February 2009. 

88     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

20092008200720062005$M$M$M$M$MIncome StatementNet interest income10,186 (1)7,9077,0366,5146,026Other operating income6,6326,4346,1615,6135,076Total operating income16,81814,34113,19712,12711,102Impairment expense3,048930434398322Operating expenses:Comparable business7,7657,0216,4275,9945,719Initiatives including Which new Bank----150Total operating expenses7,7657,0216,4275,9945,869Operating profit before goodwill amortisation, appraisal value uplift and income tax expense6,0056,3906,3365,7354,911Corporate tax expense(1,560)(1,626)(1,782)(1,618)(1,409)Minority interests(30)(31)(27)(31)(10)Net profit after income tax (―cash basis‖)4,4154,7334,5274,0863,492Defined benefit superannuation plan (expense)/income(10)95(25)(53)Treasury shares valuation adjustment(28)60(75)(100)(39)Hedging and AIFRS volatility(245)(42)13(33)-Visa Initial Public Offering-295---Investment and restructuring-(264)---One-off expenses(23)----Acquisition-related items:Gain on acquisition of controlled entities612----Bankwest integration(78)----Merger related amortisation80----Net profit after income tax attributable to Equity holders of the Bank4,7234,7914,4703,9283,400Contributions to profit (after tax)Retail Banking Services2,1071,9111,7661,576n/aBusiness and Private Banking (2)736721n/an/an/aInstitutional Banking and Markets (2)1667711,4451,138n/aWealth Management514789548441n/aInternational Financial Services467555461442n/aOther508(1)211278n/aNet profit after income tax excluding Bankwest (―underlying basis‖)4,4984,7464,4313,875n/aBankwest113n/an/an/an/aNet profit after income tax (―underlying basis‖)4,6114,7464,4313,8753,420Investment experience(196)(13)9666177Which new Bank----(105)Profit on sale of the Hong Kong Insurance Business---145-Net profit after income tax (―cash basis‖)4,4154,7334,5274,0863,492Defined benefit superannuation plan (expense)/income(10)95(25)(53)Treasury shares valuation adjustment(28)60(75)(100)(39)Hedging and AIFRS volatility(245)(42)13(33)-Visa Initial Public Offering gain-295---Investment and restructuring-(264)---One-off expenses(23)----Acquisition-related items:Gain on acquisition of controlled entities612----Bankwest integration(78)----Merger related amortisation80----Net profit after income tax4,7234,7914,4703,9283,400Balance SheetLoans, bills discounted and other receivables466,631361,282315,465273,525243,232Total assets620,372487,572440,157382,850351,662Deposits and other public borrowings368,721263,706219,068187,576182,912Total liabilities588,930461,435415,713361,507329,019Shareholders‘ equity31,44226,13724,44421,34322,643Net tangible assets20,73816,42215,15812,08710,938Risk weighted assets288,836205,501245,347216,438189,559Average interest earning assets481,248385,667332,492289,416260,085Average interest bearing liabilities453,458362,249311,236269,718240,974Assets (on Balance Sheet)Australia528,354410,225360,188318,578294,513New Zealand59,60654,31255,16043,31841,383Other32,41223,03524,80920,95415,766Total assets620,372487,572440,157382,850351,662 
 
Five Year Financial Summary 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     89 

20092008200720062005$M$M$M$M$MShareholder SummaryDividend per share – fully franked (cents)228266256224197Dividend cover – statutory (times)1. 31. 31. 31. 41. 3Dividend cover – cash (times)1. 31. 31. 31. 41. 3Dividend cover – underlying (times)1. 31. 31. 31. 31. 3Earnings per share (cents)BasicStatutory328.5363. 0344. 7308. 2259. 6Cash basis305.6356. 9347. 1318. 5264. 8Underlying basis319.3357. 9339. 6302. 0259. 2Fully dilutedStatutory313.4348. 7339. 7303. 1255. 3Cash basis292.4343. 1342. 1312. 9260. 5Underlying basis305.0344. 0335. 0297. 1255. 0Dividend payout ratio (%)Statutory73. 174. 175. 273. 377. 0Cash basis78. 275. 074. 270. 574. 9Underlying basis74. 974. 875. 874. 376. 5Net tangible assets per share ($)13. 712. 411. 79. 48. 5Weighted average number of shares (statutory basic)1,4201,3071,2811,2751,260Weighted average number of shares (statutory fully diluted)1,5481,4241,3441,3291,316Weighted average number of shares (cash basic)1,4261,3131,2891,2831,269Weighted average number of shares (cash fully diluted)1,5541,4301,3511,3381,325Number of Shareholders776,283741,072696,118698,552704,906Share prices for the year ($)Trading high46. 6962. 1656. 1647. 4138. 52Trading low24. 0337. 0242. 9836. 6228. 79End (closing price)39. 0040. 1755. 2544. 4137. 95Performance Ratios (%)Return on average Shareholders‘ equityStatutory16. 819. 820. 720. 418. 2Cash basis15. 820. 421. 721. 518. 8Underlying basis16. 520. 421. 220. 418. 4Return on average total assetsStatutory0. 91. 01. 11. 11. 0Cash basis0. 81. 01. 11. 11. 1Underlying basis0. 81. 01. 11. 11. 0Capital adequacy – Tier One8. 078. 177. 147. 567. 46Capital adequacy – Tier Two2. 353. 413. 413. 103. 21Capital adequacy – Deductions--(0. 79)(1. 00)(0. 92)Capital adequacy – Total10. 4211. 589. 769. 669. 75Net interest margin2. 102. 022. 082. 222. 29Other Information (numbers)Full-time equivalent employees44,21839,62137,87336,66435,313Branches/services centres (Australia)1,1421,0091,0101,0051,006Agencies (Australia)3,8593,8143,8333,8363,864ATMs (Australia)4,0753,3013,2423,1913,154EFTPOS terminals167,025187,377171,138157,350137,240ProductivityTotal net operating income per full-time (equivalent) employee ($)380,320361,955348,454330,760314,388Employee expense/Total operating income (%)23. 725. 524. 523. 324. 1Total operating expenses/Total operating income (%)46. 249. 048. 749. 452. 9 
 
 
Financial Statements 

Income Statements 
Balance Sheets  

Statements of Recognised Income and Expense 

Statements of Cash Flows 

Note 1 

Note 2 

Note 3 

Note 4 

Note 5 

Note 6 

Note 7 

Note 8 

Note 9 

Note 10 

Note 11 

Note 12 

Note 13 

Note 14 

Note 15 

Note 16 

Note 17 

Note 18 

Note 19 

Note 20 

Note 21 

Note 22 

Note 23 

Note 24 

Note 25 

Note 26 

Note 27 

Note 28 

Note 29 

Note 30 

Note 31 

Note 32 

Note 33 

Note 34 

Note 35 

Note 36 

Note 37 

Note 38 

Note 39 

Note 40 

Note 41 

Note 42 

Note 43 

Note 44 

Note 45 

Note 46 

Note 47 

Note 48 

Note 49 

Accounting Policies  

Profit  

Income from Ordinary Activities 

Average Balances and Related Interest 

Income Tax Expense 

Dividends  

Earnings Per Share  

Cash and Liquid Assets  

Receivables due from Other Financial Institutions  

Assets at Fair Value through Income Statement  

Derivative Assets and Liabilities 

Available-for-Sale Investments  

Loans, Bills Discounted and Other Receivables 

Provisions for Impairment 

Credit Risk Management 

Asset Quality 

Shares in and Loans to Controlled Entities 

Property, Plant and Equipment 

Intangible Assets 

Other Assets 

Assets Held for Sale 

Deposits and Other Public Borrowings 

Payables due to Other Financial Institutions 

Liabilities at Fair Value through Income Statement  

Income Tax Liability 

Other Provisions  

Debt Issues  

Managed Funds Units on Issue 

Bills Payable and Other Liabilities  

Loan Capital  

Detailed Statements of Changes in Equity 

Share Capital 

Minority Interests 

Capital Adequacy 

Financial Reporting by Segments 

Life Insurance Business 

Remuneration of Auditors  

Commitments for Capital Expenditure Not Provided for 

Lease Commitments – Property, Plant and Equipment 

Contingent Liabilities, Assets and Commitments  

Market Risk Management 

Retirement Benefit Obligations  

Controlled Entities  

Investments in Associated Entities and Joint Ventures  

Director and Executive Disclosures  

Related Party Disclosures  

Notes to the Statements of Cash Flows 

Disclosures about Fair Value of Financial Instruments 

Acquisition of Controlled Entities 

90     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

91 
92 

93 

94 

96 

109 

111 

112 

118 

121 

122 

122 

123 

123 

125 

131 

134 

137 

141 

148 

156 

157 

159 

161 

161 

161 

162 

162 

163 

163 

164 

166 

167 

167 

174 

177 

182 

183 

184 

186 

188 

188 

189 

190 

193 

204 

207 

210 

211 

212 

217 

219 

223 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Income Statements 
For the year ended 30 June 2009 

Financial Statements 

(1) Net banking operating income of the Bank in 2008 is greater than the Group due to the receipt of tax exempt intragroup dividends. 

These Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     91 

GroupBank20092008200720092008Note$M$M$M$M$MInterest income231,51929,23423,86227,99125,585Interest expense221,21821,32716,82619,95619,667Net interest income10,3017,9077,0368,0355,918Other operating income23,9143,5593,3414,1515,786Net banking operating income (1)14,21511,46610,37712,18611,704Funds management income1,6182,3691,871--Investment (expense)/revenue(859)(525)2,120--Claims and policyholder liability revenue/(expense)731519(2,020)--Net funds management operating income21,4902,3631,971--Premiums from insurance contracts1,6511,3731,117--Investment (expense)/revenue(232)(27)858--Claims and policyholder liability expense frominsurance contracts(650)(606)(932)--Insurance margin on services operating income27697401,043--Total net operating income216,47414,56913,39112,18611,704Gain on acquisition of controlled entities49983----Impairment expense2,143,0489304342,703902Operating expenses27,9467,3986,4275,5395,593Defined benefit superannuation plan (expense)/income2,42(14)148(14)14Net profit before income tax26,4496,2556,5383,9305,223Corporate tax expense51,8601,5481,775844865Policyholder tax (benefit)/expense5(164)(115)266--Net profit after income tax4,7534,8224,4973,0864,358Minority interests303127--Net profit attributable to Equity holders of the Bank4,7234,7914,4703,0864,358Group200920082007NoteEarnings per share:    Basic7328.5363. 0344. 7    Fully diluted7313.4348. 7339. 7Dividends per share attributable to shareholdersof the Bank:    Ordinary shares6228266256    Trust preferred securities (TPS)8,1426,8507,821Cents per share 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Financial Statements 

Balance Sheets 
As at 30 June 2009 

These Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes.  

92     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

GroupBank2009200820092008Note$M$M$M$MAssetsCash and liquid assets811,3407,7369,6847,282Receivables due from other financial institutions914,4216,98413,9866,731Assets at fair value through Income Statement:10Trading25,40121,67620,98819,168Insurance17,26020,650--Other1,6773,26660274Derivative assets1126,35818,23225,53619,287Available-for-sale investments1221,50411,48860,65927,067Loans, bills discounted and other receivables13466,631361,282353,408309,714Bank acceptances of customers14,72818,27814,72618,278Shares in and loans to controlled entities17--54,67137,472Property, plant and equipment182,4721,6401,5721,336Investment in associates441,047906845757Intangible assets199,2458,2583,1012,826Deferred tax assets51,653761,62854Other assets206,0706,4923,8665,369619,807486,964564,730455,615Assets held for sale21565608370412Total assets620,372487,572565,100456,027LiabilitiesDeposits and other public borrowings22368,721263,706305,170240,871Payables due to other financial institutions2315,10917,67214,94217,625Liabilities at fair value through Income Statement2416,59615,5263,4852,930Derivative liabilities1132,13419,54129,44219,367Bank acceptances14,72818,27814,72618,278Due to controlled entities--81,08454,119Current tax liabilities25883768835708Deferred tax liabilities251682664019Other provisions261,2431,174913983Insurance policy liabilities3616,05618,495--Debt issues27101,81985,81762,89455,778Managed funds units on issue289141,109--Bills payable and other liabilities298,5207,5247,9696,301576,891449,876521,500416,979Loan capital3012,03911,55912,17411,620Total liabilities588,930461,435533,674428,599Net assets31,44226,13731,42627,428Shareholders' EquityShare capital:Ordinary share capital3221,64215,72721,82515,927Other equity instruments329399391,8951,895Reserves315161,2061,6972,253Retained profits317,8257,7476,0097,353Shareholders' equity attributable to Equity holders of the Bank30,92225,61931,42627,428Minority interests:Controlled entities33520518--Total minority interests520518--Total Shareholders' equity31,44226,13731,42627,428 
 
 
 
 
Statements of Recognised Income and Expense 
For the year ended 30 June 2009 

Financial Statements 

These Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     93 

GroupBank20092008200720092008Note$M$M$M$M$MActuarial (losses)/gains from defined benefit superannuation plans31,42(739)(240)414(739)(240)(Losses)/gains on cash flow hedging instruments:Recognised in equity31(1,630)422429(872)426Transferred to Income Statement31(21)(573)120(199)(318)Gains/(losses) on available-for-sale investments:Recognised in equity31102622852240Transferred to Income Statement on disposal31(24)(312)(138)(24)(272)Transferred to Income Statement on impairment3137----Revaluation of properties31(25)2079(20)19Exchange differences on translation of foreign operations31168(648)54158(103)Income tax on items transferred directly to/from equity:Foreign Currency Translation Reserve319453(13)-1Available-for-sale investments revaluation reserve31(37)4410(17)7Revaluation of properties319(4)(23)8(4)Cash flow hedge reserve3149752(168)319(27)Net (expense)/income recognised directly in equity(1,661)(924)792(1,334)(271)Profit for the period4,7534,8224,4973,0864,358Total net income recognised for the period3,0923,8985,2891,7524,087Attributable to:Equity holders of the Bank3,0623,8675,2621,7524,087Minority interests303127--Total net income recognised for the period3,0923,8985,2891,7524,087 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Financial Statements 

Statements of Cash Flows (1)  
For the year ended 30 June 2009 

(1) It should be noted that the Group does not use these accounting Statements of Cash Flows in the internal management of its liquidity positions. 

(2) Represents gross premiums and policy payments before splitting between policyholders and shareholders. 

These Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes.  

94     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

GroupBank20092008200720092008Note$M$M$M$M$MCash Flows from Operating ActivitiesInterest received31,74529,46423,12328,38025,445Interest paid(20,986)(20,786)(16,405)(20,254)(19,098)Other operating income received5,5515,3144,6273,3713,485Expenses paid(7,334)(6,882)(5,699)(5,028)(5,385)Income taxes paid(2,043)(1,905)(1,942)(1,938)(1,601)Net decrease/(increase) in assets at fair value throughIncome Statement (excluding life insurance)4,864(990)(1,715)4,705200Net increase/(decrease) in liabilities at fair value through Income Statement:Life insurance:Investment income2755092,296--Premiums received (2)2,0632,3042,431--Policy payments (2)(3,144)(3,789)(5,346)--Other liabilities at fair value through Income Statement2878104,831405(2,279)Cash flows from operating activities beforechanges in operating assets and liabilities11,2784,0496,2019,641767Changes in operating assets and liabilities arising from cash flow movementsMovement in available-for-sale investments:Purchases(37,200)(35,113)(22,214)(59,909)(48,162)Proceeds from sale4,9966101,4804,996577Proceeds at or close to maturity22,18931,97421,13922,04928,432Net change in deposits with regulatory authorities2513(8)(2)1Net (increase) in loans, bills discounted and other receivables(52,878)(51,570)(37,885)(48,392)(47,536)Net (increase)/decrease in receivables due from otherfinancial institutions not at call(5,575)(2,621)833(3,959)(2,126)Net (increase)/decrease in securities purchased underagreements to resell(507)634(1,647)363311Life insurance business:Purchase of insurance assets at fair value through Income Statement(11,950)(8,719)(8,476)--Proceeds from sale/maturity of insurance assets at fair value through Income Statement    fair value through Income Statement14,47811,1598,842--Net increase in deposits and other public borrowings47,39449,60326,36157,47148,418Net proceeds from issuance of debt securities10,253(4,816)7,2076,7546,274Net (decrease)/increase in payables due to other financial institutions not at call(8,012)4,4861,865(5,641)4,584Net increase/(decrease) in securities sold underagreements to repurchase6,985(1,764)1,9436,824(1,835)Changes in operating assets and liabilities arising from cash flow movements(9,802)(6,124)(560)(19,446)(11,062)Net cash provided by/(used in) operating activities47(a)1,476(2,075)5,641(9,805)(10,295)Cash Flows from Investing ActivitiesPayments for acquisition of controlled entities47(e)(1,741)(241)(7)(2,101)-Proceeds from disposal of controlled entities47(c)-2---Proceeds from disposal of entities and businesses (net of cash disposals)--16--Dividends received763938631,667Net amounts received from controlled entities---11,8338,864Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment91453610Purchases of property, plant and equipment(987)(482)(314)(499)(421)Payments for acquistions of investments in associates/joint ventures(144)-(6)(144)-Purchase of intangible assets(405)(226)(130)(369)(183)(Purchase)/sale of assets held for sale (22)766(1,091)(23)(391)Net (increase)/decrease in other assets(77)(24)(800)(180)1,025Net cash provided by/(used in) operating activities(3,291)(152)(2,276)9,38610,571 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
Statements of Cash Flows (1)  
For the year ended 30 June 2009 

Financial Statements 

(1) It should be noted that the Group does not use these accounting Statements of Cash Flows in the internal management of its liquidity positions. 

(2) Includes $98 million allocated to participants under the Dividend Reinvestment Plan in the year ended 30 June 2008. 

(3) For the purposes of the Statements of Cash Flows, cash includes cash, money at short call, at call deposits with  other financial institutions and settlement account 

balances with other banks. 

These Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     95 

GroupBank20092008200720092008Note$M$M$M$M$MCash Flows from Financing ActivitiesProceeds from issue of shares (net of issue costs)4,8303194,8303Dividends paid (excluding Dividend Reinvestment Plan) (2)(2,620)(2,351)(2,284)(2,580)(2,317)Net movement in other liabilities3445532191,956453Net (purchase) /sale of treasury shares(14)(9)55(31)(17)Issue of loan capital5002,0911,9695001,784Redemption of loan capital(1,250)(7)(1,069)(1,250)(7)Other(54)128(228)9334Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities1,736408(1,319)3,518(67)Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cashequivalents(79)(1,819)2,0463,099209Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of period 2,2654,0842,038337128Cash and cash equivalents at end of period (3) 47(b)2,1862,2654,0843,436337 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 1 Accounting Policies  

The  Financial  Statements  of  the  Commonwealth  Bank  of 
Australia  (the  “Bank”)  and  the  Bank  and  its  subsidiaries  (the 
“Group”) for the year ended 30 June 2009, were approved and 
authorised  for  issue  by  the  Board  of  Directors  on  12  August 
2009. 

The  Bank  is  incorporated  and  domiciled  in  Australia.  It  is  a 
company  limited  by  shares  that  are  publicly  traded  on  the 
Australian  Securities  Exchange.  The  address  of  its  registered 
office is Level 7, 48 Martin Place, Sydney, NSW 1155, Australia. 

The  Group  is  one  of  Australia’s  leading  providers  of integrated 
financial  services  including  retail,  business  and  institutional 
banking,  superannuation,  life  insurance,  general  insurance, 
funds  management,  broking  services  and  finance  company 
activities. The principal activities of the Group during the financial 
year were:  

(i) Retail Banking Services 

The  Group  provides  retail  banking  services  within  Australia 
including  housing  loans,  credit  cards,  personal  loans,  savings 
and cheque accounts, and demand and term deposits.  

(ii) Business and Private Banking  

The Group offers commercial products within Australia including 
business loans and deposits and asset finance facilities to small 
and  medium  sized  corporate  customers  and  to  rural  and 
agribusiness  customers.  This  segment  also  provides  private 
banking  services  to  high  net  worth  individuals,  and  margin 
lending through CommSec. 

(iii) Institutional Banking and Markets 

The  Group  provides  a  range  of  resources  to  assist  clients  to 
grow and manage their business, creating customised solutions 
based on specific needs, industry trends and market conditions. 
The  Total  Capital  Solutions  offering  includes  debt  and  capital 
markets,  risk  management  and 
to 
corporate  and  institutional  clients.  This  segment  also  has 
wholesale banking operations in London, New York, Singapore, 
Hong Kong and Malta. 

transactional  banking 

(iv) Wealth Management  

The  Wealth  Management  segment  conducts  Australian  funds 
management  business  comprising  wholesale  and 
retail 
investment,  superannuation  and  retirement  funds.  Investments 
are  across  all  major  asset  classes  including  Australian  and 
international  shares,  property,  fixed  interest  and  cash.  This 
segment also has funds management businesses in the United 
Kingdom and Asia. 

The Wealth Management segment also provides Australian term 
insurance,  disability 
trusts, 
investment products and general insurance.  

insurance,  annuities,  master 

(v) International Financial Services 

The Group has full service banking operations in New Zealand, 
Fiji and Indonesia and a branch in Vietnam. The Group also has 
wholesale banking operations in Indonesia, regions of China and 
Tokyo.  The  Group’s  International  Financial  Services  segment 
also conducts Life Insurance operations in New Zealand, where 
it has the leading market share, as well as Asia and the Pacific, 
and conducts Funds Management business in New Zealand. 

(vi) Bankwest  

Since  the  acquisition  of  Bank  of  Western  Australia  Ltd  on  19 
December  2008,  the  Group  operates  full  service  retail  and 
commercial  banking  services  within  Australia  under 
the 
Bankwest brand. 

96     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

In  February  2009  the  Group  split  the  Premium  Business 
Services division into two new segments; Business and Private 
Banking and Institutional Banking and Markets.  

In  so  doing  the  Group  can  deliver  specific  client  solutions  for 
their business needs. 

There  have  been  no  significant  changes  in  the  nature  of  the 
principal activities of the Group during the financial year. 
(a) Bases of accounting 

This  general  purpose  Financial  Report  for  the  year  ended  30 
June 2009 has been prepared in accordance with the Australian 
equivalents  to  International  Financial  Reporting  Standards 
(“AIFRS”) and the requirements of the Corporations Act 2001. 

The basis of the AIFRS standards are the International Financial 
Reporting  Standards  (“IFRS”)  as  issued  by  the  International 
Accounting Standards Board (“IASB”). As a result of complying 
with AIFRS, the Group Financial Statements comply with IFRS, 
and interpretations as issued by the IASB. 

requires  management 

The preparation of the Annual Financial Report conforming with 
to  make  estimates  and 
AIFRS 
assumptions  that  affect  the  amounts  reported  in  the  Financial 
Statements  and  accompanying  notes.  Further  information  is 
included  in  Note  1  (mm)  Critical  Accounting  Policies  and 
Estimates. 

The  use  of  available  information  and  the  application  of 
judgement  are  inherent  in  the  formation  of  estimates.  Actual 
results could differ from these estimates.  
(b) Basis of preparation 

The Financial Statements are prepared on the basis of historical 
cost except that the following assets and liabilities are measured 
at  fair  value:  derivative  financial  instruments,  assets  and 
liabilities  at  fair  value  through  Income  Statement,  available-for-
sale  investments,  insurance  policy  liabilities,  domestic  bills 
discounted  which  are  included  in  loans,  bills  discounted  and 
other  receivables,  investment  property  which  backs  liabilities 
paying  a  return  linked  to  the  fair  value  or  returns  from  assets 
including  the  investment  property,  owner-occupied  property, 
defined benefit plan assets and liabilities, employee share-based 
remuneration  liabilities  and  recognised  assets  and  liabilities 
attributable  to  the  hedged  risk  in  a  hedging  relationship  that 
qualifies for hedge accounting treatment. 

The Financial Report is presented in Australian dollars. 

No standards, interpretations and amendments have been early 
adopted during the financial year commencing 1 July 2008. 

The following standards, interpretations and amendments have 
financial  year 
the  Group  during 
been  applied  by 
commencing 1 July 2008: 

the 

AASB 
Interpretation  4  Determining  Whether  an 
Arrangement  contains  a  Lease,  is  applicable  to  annual 
reporting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2008; 
AASB Interpretation 12 Service Concession Arrangements 
and  AASB  2007-2  Amendments  to  Australian  Accounting 
Standards  arising 
Interpretation  12  are 
applicable to annual reporting periods beginning on or after 
1 January 2008; and 
AASB  Interpretation  14  The  Limit  on  a  Defined  Benefit 
Asset,  Minimum  Funding  Requirements  and 
their 
Interaction 
to  annual  reporting  periods 
is  applicable 
beginning on or after 1 January 2008. 

from  AASB 

None of these standards, interpretations and amendments had a 
material effect on the financial results or position of the Bank or 
the Group. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 1 Accounting Policies (continued) 

The  following  standards  and  amendments  will  be  applied  from 
the financial year commencing 1 July 2009: 

Revised  AASB  3  Business  Combinations,  AASB  127 
Consolidated  and  Separate  Financial  Statements  and 
AASB  2008-3  Amendments  to  Australian  Accounting 
Standards arising from AASB 3 and AASB 127. The initial 
application of these revised standards are not expected to 
materially  impact  the  financial  results  of  the  Bank  or  the 
Group; 
AASB  2007-6  Amendments  to  Australian  Accounting 
Standards  Arising  from  AASB  123  (June  2007)  and 
Revised  AASB  123  Borrowing  Costs  (June  2007)  which 
removes the option to expense borrowing costs related to 
“qualifying  assets”.  AASB  2007-6  and  the  revised  AASB 
123  are  applicable  for  annual  reporting  periods  beginning 
on or after 1 January 2009. The initial application of AASB 
2007-6  is  not  expected  to  materially  impact  the  financial 
results of the Bank or the Group; 
AASB  2008-1  Amendments  to  Australian  Accounting 
Standards  –  Share  based  Payments:  Vesting  Conditions 
and  Cancellations,  clarifies 
that  vesting  conditions 
comprise  service  conditions  and  performance  conditions 
only  and  that  other  features  of  a  share-based  payment 
transaction are not vesting conditions and specifies that all 
cancellations,  whether  by  the  entity  or  by  other  parties, 
should  receive  the  same  accounting  treatment.  It  is 
applicable  for  annual  reporting  periods  beginning  on  or 
after  1  January  2009  and  is  not  expected  to  materially 
impact the Bank or the Group; 
AASB  2008-2  Amendments  to  Australian  Accounting 
Standards  –  Puttable  Financial 
Instruments  and 
Obligations Arising on Liquidation introduces an exception 
to  the  definition  of  financial  liability,  to  classify  as  equity 
instruments  certain  puttable  financial  instruments  and 
certain  instruments  that  impose  on  an  entity  an obligation 
to deliver to another party a pro rata share of the net assets 
of the entity only on liquidation of the entity. It is applicable 
for  annual  reporting  periods  beginning  on  or  after  1 
January 2009 and is not expected to materially impact the 
Bank or the Group; 
AASB  2008-5  Amendments  to  Australian  Accounting 
Standards  arising  from  the  Annual  Improvements  Project 
[AASB 5,7,101,102,107,108,110,116,118,119,120,123, 
127,128,129,131,132,134,136,138,139,140,141,1023 
& 
1038]  is  applicable for  annual  reporting  periods  beginning 
on  or  after  1  January  2009  and  is  not  expected  to 
materially impact the Bank or the Group; 
to  Australian 
AASB  2008-6  Further  Amendments 
Accounting  Standards  arising 
the  Annual 
from 
Improvements Project [AASB 1 & AASB 5] amends AASB 
1  and  AASB  5  to  include  requirements  relating  to  a  sale 
plan  involving  the  loss  of  control  of  a  subsidiary.  The 
amendments require all the assets and liabilities of such a 
subsidiary to be classified as Held for Sale and clarify the 
disclosures  required  when  the  subsidiary  is  part  of  a 
disposal  group that meets the definition  of  a  discontinued 
operation. It is not expected to materially impact the Bank 
or the Group; 
AASB  2008-7  Amendments  to  Australian  Accounting 
Standards – Cost of an Investment in a Subsidiary, Jointly 
Controlled Entity or Associate [AASB 1,118,121,127 & 136; 
removes  from  AASB  118  the  requirement  to  deduct 
dividends  declared  out  of  pre-acquisition  profits  from  the 
cost  of  an  investment  in  a  subsidiary,  jointly  controlled 

requires 

entity  or  associate,  amends  AASB  127  to  require  a  new 
parent  entity  established  in  a  group  reorganisation  to 
measure the cost of its investment at the carrying amount 
of  equity  of  the  original  parent,  amends  AASB  136  to 
include recognising a dividend together with other evidence 
as  an  indication  of  impairment.  It  is  applicable  for  annual 
reporting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2009 and 
is not expected to materially impact the Bank or the Group; 
AASB  2008-8  Amendments  to  Australian  Accounting 
Standards  –  Eligible  Hedged  Items  [AASB  139]  clarifies 
how the principles that determine whether a hedged risk or 
portion of cash flows is eligible for designation as a hedged 
item,  should  be  applied  in  particular  situations.  It  is  not 
expected to materially impact the Bank or the Group; 
AASB  2008-12  Amendments  to  Australian  Accounting 
Standards – Reclassification of Financial Assets [AASB 7, 
AASB 139 & AASB 2008-10] clarifies the application date 
of amendments made by the IASB and issued in Australia 
in  October  2008  as  AASB  2008-10.  It  is  not  expected  to 
materially impact the Bank or the Group;  
Revised  AASB  101  Presentation  of  Financial  Statements 
and  AASB  2007-8  Amendments  to  Australian  Accounting 
Standards  arising  from  AASB  101  and  AASB  2007-10 
Further  Amendments  to  Australian  Accounting  Standards 
arising from AASB 101. The initial application of the revised 
AASB  101  and  the  revised  AASB  2007-10  did  not  have 
any impact on the Bank or the Group’s financial position or 
results; 
AASB  2009-2  Improving  Disclosures  about  Financial 
Instruments:  Disclosures 
the  disclosure  of 
valuation techniques used to determine the carrying values 
of  financial  instruments  held  at  fair  value  in  the  Balance 
Sheet,  with  additional  disclosures  required  for  valuations 
with  significant  unobservable  inputs.  It  is  applicable  for 
annual  reporting  periods  beginning  on  or  after  1  January 
2009 and is not expected to materially impact the Bank or 
the Group;  
AASB 2009-3 Embedded  Derivatives requires an entity to 
assess whether an embedded derivative is required to be 
separated from a host contract when the entity reclassifies 
a  hybrid  (combined)  financial  asset  out  of  the  fair  value 
through  Income  Statement  category.  It  is  not  expected  to 
materially impact the Bank or the Group; 
AASB  2009-4  Amendments  to  Australian  Accounting 
Standards  arising  from  the  Annual  Improvements  Project 
makes consequential amendments to AASB 2, AASB 138 
and AASB Interpretation 9 arising from revised AASB 3. It 
also  amends  the  restriction  on  the  entity  that  can  hold 
hedging  instruments  in  AASB  Interpretation  16.  It  is  not 
expected to materially impact the Bank or the Group; 
AASB  2009-6  Amendments  to  Australian  Accounting 
Standards  makes  additional  amendments  as  a 
consequence of the issuance of revised AASB 101. These 
amendments  were  omitted  from  or  incorrectly  stated  in 
AASB  2007-8  Amendments  to  Australian  Accounting 
Standards  arising  from  AASB  101.  It  is  not  expected  to 
materially impact the Bank or the Group; 
AASB  2009-7  Amendments  to  Australian  Accounting 
Standards [AASB 5,7,107,112,136 &139 and Interpretation 
17] The amendments to AASB 5, AASB 7, AASB 139 and 
Interpretation  17  correct  errors  that  occurred  in  AASB 
2008-12 Amendments to Australian Accounting Standards 
– Reclassification of Financial Assets – Effective Date and 
Transition,  AASB  2008-13  Amendments  to  Australian 
Accounting Standards arising from AASB Interpretation 17  

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     97 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 1 Accounting Policies (continued) 

(c) Consolidation 

in 

interest 

–  Distributions  of  Non-cash  Assets  to  Owners  and 
Interpretation  17  itself.  The  other  amendments  reflect 
changes made by the IASB to its pronouncements. It is not 
expected to materially impact the Bank or the Group; 
AASB Interpretation 12 Service Concession Arrangements 
provides  guidance  on  the  accounting  by  operators  of 
public-to-private  service  concession  arrangements  and 
applies  if:  the  grantor  controls  or  regulates  what  services 
the operator must provide with the infrastructure, to whom it 
must  provide  them,  and  at  what  price;  and  if  the  grantor 
controls  –  through  ownership,  beneficial  entitlement  or 
otherwise  –  any  significant  residual 
the 
infrastructure at the end of the term of the arrangement. It 
is  applicable  for  annual  reporting  periods  beginning  on  or 
after  1  January  2009  and  is  not  expected  to  materially 
impact the Bank or the Group; 
AASB  Interpretation  16  Hedges  of  a  Net  Investment  in  a 
Foreign Operation requires that the hedged risk in a hedge 
of  a  net  investment  in  a  foreign  operation  is  the  foreign 
currency risk arising between the functional currency of the 
net  investment  and  the  functional  currency  of  any  parent 
entity. This also applies to foreign operations in the form of 
joint  ventures,  associates  or  branches.  It  is  applicable  for 
annual reporting periods beginning on or after 1 July 2009 
and  is  not  expected  to  materially  impact  the  Bank  or  the 
Group;  
AASB  Interpretation  17  and  AASB  2008-13  Amendments 
to  Australian  Accounting  Standards  arising  from  AASB 
Interpretation  17  –  Distributions  of  Non-cash  Assets  to 
Owners [AASB  5 and AASB  110] clarifies that a  dividend 
payable  should  be  recognised  when  the  dividend  is 
appropriately authorised and is no longer at the discretion 
of  the  entity,  an  entity  should  measure  the  dividend 
payable at the fair value of the net assets to be distributed; 
and an entity should recognise the difference between the 
dividend  paid  and  the  carrying  amount  of  the  net  assets 
distributed in profit or loss. It is not expected to materially 
impact the Bank or the Group; and 
AASB 
Existing 
Interpretation 
Decommissioning  Restoration  and  Similar  Liabilities, 
provides  guidance  on  how  to  account  for  the  effect  of 
changes in the measurement of existing decommissioning, 
restoration and similar liabilities. It is applicable for annual 
reporting periods beginning on or after 1 January 2009 and 
is not expected to materially impact the Bank or the Group. 

1  Changes 

in 

The following standards and amendments are available for early 
adoption  at  1  July  2009  and  will  be  applied  from  the  financial 
year commencing 1 July 2010: 

to  Australian 
AASB  2009-5  Further  Amendments 
the  Annual 
from 
Accounting  Standards  arising 
Improvements  Project  [AASB  5,8,101,107,117,118,136  & 
139]  makes  presentation, 
recognition,  measurement, 
terminology  and  editorial  changes.    It  is  applicable  for 
annual  reporting  periods  beginning  on  or  after  1  January 
2010 and is not expected to materially impact the Bank or 
the Group. 

Other standards, interpretations and amendments are unlikely to 
have a material effect on the Bank or the Group.  

98     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

The  consolidated  Financial  Statements  include  the  Financial 
Statements  of  the  Bank  and  all  entities  where  it  is  determined 
that there is a capacity to control the entity. 

Potential voting rights are considered when assessing control. A 
number  of  consolidated  entities  were  formed  by  the  Group  for 
the  purpose  of  asset  securitisation  transactions  and  structured 
debt issuance,  or to accomplish certain  other  narrow  and  well-
defined objectives. Such entities may acquire assets directly or 
indirectly from the Bank or its affiliates.  

Additionally,  some  of  these  entities  are  bankruptcy-remote  (i.e. 
their assets are not available to satisfy the claims of creditors of 
the  Group  or  any  other  of  its  subsidiaries).  These  entities  are 
consolidated  in  the  Group’s  Financial  Statements  when  the 
majority of exposure to risks and benefits from the entity resides 
with the Group.  

All balances and transactions between Group entities, including 
unrealised  gains  and 
losses,  have  been  eliminated  on 
consolidation. 

The consolidated Financial Statements also include the Group’s 
share  of the  financial  results of  entities  where the  Group  holds 
an investment in, and has significant influence over, the financial 
and  operating  policies  of the  entity. This is  normally  evidenced 
when the Group owns 20% or more of the voting rights. 

Associated companies are defined as those entities over which 
the  Group  has  significant  influence  but  there  is  no  capacity  to 
control.  Investments  in  associates  are  carried  at  cost  plus  the 
Group’s  share  of  post-acquisition  profit  or  loss  and  other 
reserves.  The  Group’s  share  of  profit  or  loss  of  associates  is 
included in the Group’s Income Statement. 
(d) Revenue recognition 

Revenue is recognised to the extent it is probable that economic 
benefits will flow to the Group and the revenue can be reliably 
measured. The principal sources of revenue are interest income 
and fees and commissions. 
Interest income 

Interest  income  is  recognised  on  an  accrual  basis  using  the 
effective interest method. Further information is included in Note 
1  (g)  Receivables  from  other  financial  institutions,  Note  1  (i) 
Assets  at  fair  value  through  Income  Statement,  Note  1  (j) 
Available-for-sale investments, Note 1 (l) Loans, bills discounted 
and other receivables, and Note 1 (m) Leasing. 
Lending fees 

Fee  income  and  direct  costs  relating  to  loan  origination, 
financing or restructuring and to loan commitments are deferred 
and  amortised  to  interest  income  over  the  expected  life  of  the 
loan  using  the  effective  interest  method.  Fees  received  for 
commitments  which  are  not  expected  to  result  in  a  loan  are 
recognised  in  the  Income  Statement  over  the  commitment 
period. 

Loan syndication fees where the Group does not retain a portion 
of  the  syndicated  loan  are  recognised  in  income  once  the 
syndication has been completed. Where fees are received on an 
ongoing  basis  and  represent  the  recoupment  of  the  costs  of 
maintaining  and  administering  existing  loans,  these  fees  are 
recognised in Income Statement on an accrual basis. 
Fees and commissions 

fees  relate 

to  specific 
When  commission  charges  and 
transactions  or  events,  they  are  recognised  in  income  in  the 
period  in  which  they  are  earned.  However,  when  they  are 
charged for services provided over a period, they are recognised 
in income on an accrual basis. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 1 Accounting Policies (continued) 

(h) Financial instruments 

Other income 

Trading income is recognised when earned based on changes 
in fair value of financial instruments and is recorded from trade 
date.  Further  information  is  included  in  Notes  1  (e)  Foreign 
currency translations,  1  (i) Assets  at  fair  value  through Income 
Statement, and Note 1 (ff) Derivative financial instruments.  

Life insurance business income recognition is explained in Note 
1 (hh). 
(e) Foreign currency translations 

The  functional  and  presentation  currency  of  the  domestic 
operations  of  the  Bank  has  been  determined  to  be  Australian 
Dollars  (“AUD”)  as  this  currency  best  reflects  the  economic 
substance of the underlying events and circumstances relevant 
to the Bank. Each entity and overseas branch within the Group 
has also determined their functional currency based on their own 
primary economic indicators. 

All foreign currency monetary items are revalued at spot rates of 
exchange prevailing at Balance Sheet date and changes in the 
spot  rate  are  recorded  in  the  Income  Statement.  Foreign 
currency  forward,  futures,  swaps  and  option  positions  are 
revalued at appropriate market rates applying at Balance Sheet 
date. 

Non-monetary assets and liabilities that are measured in terms 
of  historical  cost  in  a  foreign  currency  are  translated  using  the 
exchange rate at the date of transaction.  

With  the  exception  of  the  revaluations  classified  in  equity, 
unrealised foreign currency gains and losses arising from these 
revaluations and gains and losses arising from foreign exchange 
dealings are included in the Income Statement. 

The foreign currency assets and liabilities of overseas branches 
and controlled entities with an overseas functional currency are 
converted to AUD at Balance Sheet date in accordance with the 
foreign exchange rates ruling at that date. Profit and loss items 
for  overseas  branches  and  controlled  entities  are  converted  to 
AUD  progressively  throughout  the  year  at  the  spot  exchange 
rate  at  the  date  of  the  transaction.  All  resulting  exchange 
differences  are  recognised in the Foreign  Currency  Translation 
Reserve (“FCTR”) as a separate component of equity. 

Translation  differences  arising  from  translation  of  opening 
balances  of  shareholders’  funds  of  overseas  branches  and 
controlled  entities  at  year  end  exchange  rates  are  reflected  in 
the  FCTR.  The  Group  maintains  a  substantially  matched 
position  in  assets  and  liabilities  in  foreign  currencies  and  the 
level of net foreign currency exposure does not have a material 
impact on its financial position. 
(f) Cash and liquid assets 

Cash  and  liquid  assets  includes  cash  at  branches,  cash  at 
banks,  nostro  balances,  money  at  short  call  with  an  original 
maturity  of  three  months  or  less  and  securities  held  under 
reverse  repurchase  agreements.  They  are  measured  at  face 
value or the gross value of the outstanding balance. Interest is 
recognised in the Income Statement using the effective interest 
method. 
(g) Receivables from other financial institutions 

Receivables  from  other  financial  institutions  include  loans, 
deposits  with  regulatory  authorities  and  settlement  account 
balances  due  from  other  banks.  They  are  measured  at 
amortised cost similar to loans and other receivables, refer Note 
1  (l).  Interest  is  recognised  in  the  Income  Statement  using  the 
effective interest method. 

Financial  instruments  are  classified  into  one  of  the  following 
categories which determines their measurement basis: 

Assets at fair value through Income Statement (Note 1 (i)); 
Available-for-sale investments (Note 1 (j)); 
Derivative assets (Note 1 (ff)); 
Loans, bills discounted and other receivables (Note 1 (l)); 
Liabilities  at  fair  value  through  Income  Statement  (Note  1 
(x)); 
Liabilities at amortised cost; 
Derivative liabilities (Note 1 (ff)); and 
Shareholders’ equity (Note 1 (ee)). 

Except  for  restructured  facilities  referred  to  in  Note  1(l)  Loans, 
bills discounted and other receivables, financial instruments are 
transacted on a commercial basis to derive an interest yield/cost 
with terms and conditions having due regard to the nature of the 
transaction and the risks involved. 

The Group has no held to maturity investments. 

Offsetting financial instruments 

The Group offsets financial assets and liabilities where there is a 
legally  enforceable  right  to  set  off,  and  there  is  an  intention  to 
settle on a net basis or to realise the asset and settle the liability 
simultaneously. 
Derecognition of financial assets 

Financial assets are derecognised either when sold, or when the 
rights  to  receive  cash  flows  from  the  financial  assets  have 
expired  or  have  been  transferred,  or  when  the  Group  has 
transferred substantially all the risks and rewards of ownership. 
In transactions where substantially all the risks and rewards are 
neither retained nor transferred, the Group derecognises assets 
when  control  is  no  longer  retained,  or  when  control  is  retained 
the assets are recognised to the extent of the Group’s continuing 
involvement. 
(i) Assets at fair value through Income Statement 

Assets classified at fair value through Income Statement include 
assets  held  for  trading  and  assets  that  upon  initial  recognition 
are  designated  by  the  Group  as  at  fair  value  through  Income 
Statement. This designation is made when it reduces significant 
accounting  mismatches  between  assets  and  related  liabilities, 
the  group  of 
their 
performance  is  evaluated  on  a  fair  value  basis,  or  where  the 
asset is a contract which contains an embedded derivative.  

financial  assets  are  managed  and 

These  assets  are  recognised  on  trade  date  at  fair  value  with 
transaction  costs  including  brokerage,  commissions  and  fees 
expensed through the Income Statement. Subsequent changes 
in fair value are recognised in other operating income. Dividends 
earned are recorded in other operating income. Interest earned 
is  recorded  within  net  interest  earnings  using  the  effective 
interest method. 

In addition the Group measures bills discounted intended to be 
sold  into  the  market  at  fair  value,  which  are  classified  within 
loans, bills discounted and other receivables. 

Assets  classified  at  fair  value  through  Income  Statement  are 
further  classified  into  three  subcategories:  Trading,  Insurance 
and Other. 
Trading 

Trading  assets  are short  and  long term  public,  bank  and  other 
debt  securities  and  equities  that  are  acquired  and  held  for 
trading  purposes.  Subsequent  to  initial  recognition,  where  an 
active market exists fair value is measured using quoted market 
bid  prices.  In  a  trading  portfolio  with  offsetting  risk  positions, 
quoted  mid  prices,  where  available,  are  used  to  measure  fair 
value. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     99 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 1 Accounting Policies (continued) 

Non  market-quoted  assets  are  valued  using  valuation 
techniques  based  on  market  observable  inputs  existing  at 
Balance Sheet date. In a limited number of instances valuation 
techniques are not based on observable market data. 
Insurance 

Insurance  assets  are  investments  that  back  life  insurance 
contracts  and  life  investment  contracts.  They  are  measured  at 
fair  value  based  on  quoted  bid  prices  or  using  appropriate 
valuation  techniques.  Refer  to  Note  1  (hh),  Life  and  general 
insurance business for further details. 
Other 

Other investments include financial assets which the Group has 
designated  as  at  fair  value  through  Income  Statement  at 
inception  to  eliminate  an  accounting  mismatch.  Subsequent  to 
initial  recognition,  where  an  active  market  exists  fair  value  is 
measured  using  quoted  market  prices.  Quoted  mid  prices, 
where  available,  are  used  to  measure  fair  value  in  a  portfolio 
with offsetting risk positions.  

Non  market-quoted  instruments  are  valued  using  valuation 
techniques,  based  on  observable  inputs  existing  at  Balance 
Sheet  date. 
instances  valuation 
limited  number  of 
techniques are not based on observable market data. 
(j) Available-for-sale investments 

In  a 

Available-for-sale  investments  are  short  and  long  term  public, 
bank  and  other  securities  and  include  bonds,  notes,  bills  of 
exchange,  commercial  paper,  certificates  of  deposit,  equities 
and rolling loan originations and syndications. 

including 

transaction  costs.  Subsequent 

Available-for-sale  investments  are  initially  recognised  at  fair 
value 
initial 
recognition,  where  an  active  market  exists  fair  value  is 
measured  using  quoted  market  bid  prices.  Quoted  mid  prices, 
where  available,  are  used  to  measure  fair  value  in  a  portfolio 
with offsetting risk positions. 

to 

Non  market-quoted  instruments  are  valued  using  valuation 
techniques,  based  on  observable  inputs  existing  at  Balance 
Sheet  date. 
instances  valuation 
limited  number  of 
techniques are not based on observable market data. 

In  a 

investments  whose 

Equity 
fair  value  cannot  be  reliably 
measured  are  valued  at  cost.  Gains  and  losses  arising  from 
changes  in  fair  value  are  reported  in  the  Available-for-sale 
investments reserve within equity net of applicable income taxes 
until such investments are sold, collected, otherwise disposed of, 
or  become  impaired.  Interest,  premiums  and  dividends  are 
reflected in other operating income when earned. 

Available-for-sale  investments  are  tested  for  impairment  in  line 
with Note 1 (n) Provisions for impairment. 

Upon  disposal  or  impairment,  the  accumulated  change  in  fair 
value  within  the  Available-for-sale  investments  reserve  is 
transferred  to  the  Income  Statement  and  reported  within  other 
operating income. 
(k) Repurchase agreements 

Securities  sold  under  agreements  to  repurchase  are  retained 
within the Available-for-sale investments or Assets at fair value 
through 
Income  Statement  categories  and  accounted  for 
accordingly in line with Note 1 (j) and (i) respectively.  

Liability accounts are used to record the obligation to repurchase 
and  disclosed  as  Deposits.  Securities  held  under  reverse 
repurchase  agreements  are  recorded  within  Cash  and  liquid 
assets.  
(l) Loans, bills discounted and other receivables 

Loans,  bills  discounted  and  other  receivables  include  financial 
assets with fixed and determinable payments that are not quoted 

100     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

in an active market, which are measured at amortised cost, and 
bills discounted, which are measured at fair value.  

term 

lending, 

They  include  overdrafts,  home  loans,  credit  card  and  other 
personal 
financing,  redeemable 
loans,  bill 
preference  shares,  securities  and  finance  leases.  Loans,  bills 
discounted  and  other  receivables are  initially  recognised  at  fair 
value including direct and incremental transaction costs. Loans 
and  receivables  are  subsequently  measured  at  amortised  cost 
using  the  effective  interest  method  and  are  presented  net  of 
provisions  for  impairment.  Bills  discounted  (bank  acceptances) 
intended  to  be  sold  into the market  are measured  at fair  value 
until sold.  

Other loans and receivables which are originated with the intent 
to  be  sold  immediately  or  in  the  short  term  are  classified  as 
Assets at fair value through Income Statement. 

Note  1  (d)  and  Note  1  (n)  provide  additional  information  with 
respect to revenue recognition and impairment respectively.  
Non-Performing Facilities 

Individual  provisions  for  impairment  are  recognised  to  reduce 
the  carrying  amount  of  loans,  bills  discounted  and  other 
receivables to their estimated recoverable amounts. Individually 
significant  provisions  are  calculated  based  on  discounted  cash 
flows. 

The  unwinding  of  the  discount  from  initial  recognition  of 
impairment  through  to  recovery  of  the  written  down  amount  is 
recognised as interest income. In subsequent periods, interest in 
arrears/due  on  non-performing  facilities  is  recognised  in  the 
Income Statement using the interest rate used for the purpose of 
measuring the impairment of the asset.  
Restructured Facilities 

When the original contractual terms of facilities (primarily loans) 
are  modified,  the  accounts  become  classified  as  restructured. 
Such accounts continue to accrue interest as long as the facility 
is  performing  in  accordance  with  the  restructured  terms.  If 
performance  is  not  maintained,  or  collection  of  interest  and/or 
principal  is  no  longer  probable,  the  account  will  be  returned  to 
the non-performing classification. Facilities are generally kept as 
non-performing until they are returned to a performing basis. 
Assets Acquired Through Securities Enforcement 

Assets  acquired  in  satisfaction  of  facilities  in  default  (primarily 
loans)  are  recorded  at  net  market  value  at  the  date  of 
acquisition. Any  difference between  the carrying  amount  of the 
facility  and  the  net  market  value  of  the  assets  acquired  is 
represented as an individually assessed provision or written off. 
AATSE  are  further  classified  as  Other  Real  Estate  Owned  or 
Other  Assets  Acquired  Through  Security  Enforcement  and 
classified in the appropriate asset classifications in the Balance 
Sheet. 
Impairment of loans, bills discounted and other receivables 

The  Group  has  individually  assessed  and  collective  provisions 
for impairment as explained in Note 1 (n). 
(m) Leasing  

Leases where the Group transfers substantially all the risks and 
rewards incident to ownership of an asset to the lessee or a third 
party are classified as finance leases. A receivable at an amount 
equal to the present value of the lease payments, including any 
guaranteed residual value, is recognised. 

Income on finance lease transactions is recognised on a basis 
reflecting  a  constant  periodic  return  based  on  the  lessor’s  net 
investment outstanding in respect of the finance lease. 

The  difference  between  the  gross  receivable  and  the  present 
value  of  the  receivable  is  unearned  finance  income  and  is 
recognised over the term of the lease using the effective interest  

 
Note 1 Accounting Policies (continued) 

method.  Finance  lease  receivables  are  included  in  Loans,  bills 
discounted and other receivables. 

Leases  where  the  Group  retains  substantially  all  the  risks  and 
rewards  incident  to  ownership  of  an  asset  are  classified  as 
operating leases. 

Operating lease rental revenue and expense is recognised in the 
Income Statement on a straight-line basis over the lease term. 
The Group classifies assets leased out under operating leases 
as property, plant and equipment. These assets are depreciated 
over their expected useful lives on a basis consistent with similar 
fixed assets. 
(n) Provisions for impairment 

Financial assets 

Financial assets, excluding Derivative assets and Assets at fair 
value through Income Statement, are reviewed at each Balance 
Sheet date to determine whether there is objective evidence of 
impairment.  

A financial asset or portfolio of financial assets is impaired and 
impairment losses are incurred if, and only if, there is objective 
evidence of impairment as a result of one or more loss events 
that occurred after the initial recognition of the asset and prior to 
the Balance Sheet  date  (“a  loss  event”)  and  that loss  event  or 
events has had an impact on the estimated future cash flows of 
the financial asset or the portfolio that can be reliably estimated.  

If  any  such  indication  exists,  the  asset’s  carrying  amount  is 
written down to the asset’s estimated recoverable amount. 
Loans, bills discounted and other receivables  

The Group assesses at each balance date whether there is any 
objective evidence of impairment.  

If there is objective evidence that an impairment loss on loans, 
bills  discounted  and  other  receivables  has  been  incurred,  the 
amount  of the  loss is measured  as the  difference  between the 
asset’s carrying amount and the present value of the expected 
future  cash  flows  (excluding  future  credit  losses  that  have  not 
been  incurred),  discounted  at  the  financial  asset’s  original 
effective interest rate. Short-term balances are not discounted. 

The Group has individually assessed provisions and collectively 
assessed provisions. Individually assessed provisions are made 
against individually significant financial assets.  

Individually significant provisions are assessed as the difference 
between  an  asset’s  carrying  amount  and  the  present  value  of 
estimated  future  cash  flows  discounted  at  the  asset’s  original 
effective interest rate.  

Impaired  financial  assets  in  the  Retail  segment  are  those 
facilities  that  are  not  well  secured  and  past  due  180  days  or 
more.  

The  Group  applies  APRA’s  prudential  standards  in  classifying 
impaired assets into three categories, comprising:  

(a) Non-Performing: 

Any  credit  risk  facility  against  which  an  individually 
assessed provision for impairment has been raised; 
Any credit risk facility maintained on a cash basis because 
of  significant  deterioration  in  the  financial  position  of  the 
borrower; and 
Any credit risk facility where loss of principal or interest is 
anticipated. 

(b) Restructured Facilities: 

Credit risk facilities on which the original contractual terms have 
been  modified  due  to  financial  difficulties  of  the  borrower. 
Interest  on  these facilities  is  taken to  profit  and  loss. Failure  to 
comply  fully  with  the  modified  terms  will  result  in  immediate 

Notes to the Financial Statements 

reclassification  to  non-performing.  These  loans  are  collectively 
assessed for provisioning purposes. 

(c) Assets Acquired through Security Enforcement: 

  Other  Real  Estate  Owned,  comprising  real  estate  where 
the Group assumed ownership or foreclosed in settlement 
of a debt; 

  Other  Assets  Acquired  through  Securities  Enforcement, 
comprising assets other than real estate where the Group 
has  assumed  ownership  or  foreclosed  in  settlement  of  a 
debt; and 

  Other real estate owned and other assets acquired through 
security enforcement are sold through the Group’s existing 
disposal  processes.  These  processes  are  generally 
expected to take no longer than six months. 

All other loans and receivables that do not have an individually 
assessed  provision  are  assessed  collectively  for  impairment. 
Collective  provisions  are  maintained  to  reduce  the  carrying 
amount  of  portfolios  of  similar  loans  and  receivables  to  their 
estimated recoverable amounts at the Balance Sheet date.  

The  expected  future  cash  flows  for  portfolios  of  assets  with 
similar risk characteristics are estimated on the basis of historical 
loss  experience.  Loss  experience  is  adjusted  on  the  basis  of 
current  observable  data  to  reflect  the  effects  of  current 
conditions  that  did  not  affect  the  period  on  which  the  loss 
experience is based and to remove the effects of conditions in 
the period that do not currently exist. Increases or decreases in 
the provision amount are recognised in the Income Statement. 
Available-for-sale investments  

in 

from  equity  and  recognised 

When  a  decline  in  the  fair  value  of  an  Available-for-sale 
investment  has  been  recognised  directly  in  equity  and  there  is 
objective evidence that the asset is impaired, the cumulative loss 
Income 
is  removed 
Statement.  If  in  a  subsequent  period  the  amount  of  an 
impairment loss for an available-for-sale debt security decreases 
and the decrease can be linked objectively to an event occurring 
after the  impairment  event, the  impairment  is  reversed through 
losses  on 
the 
available-for-sale equity securities are not reversed through the 
Income Statement while the asset is still recognised. 
Goodwill and other non-financial assets 

Income  Statement.  However, 

impairment 

the 

Goodwill balances and intangible assets with an indefinite useful 
life are assessed for impairment at each reporting date or more 
regularly where an indication of impairment exists. Refer to Note 
1  (t)  Intangibles  for  more  details  on  goodwill  and  intangibles 
impairment  testing.  If  any  such  indication  exists,  the  asset’s 
carrying  amount  is  written  down  to  the  asset’s  estimated 
recoverable  amount  and  the  loss  is  recognised  in  the  Income 
Statement in the period in which it occurs. 

The carrying amounts of the Group’s other non-financial assets 
are reviewed at each Balance Sheet date to determine whether 
there  is  any  indication  of  impairment.  If  any  such  indication 
exists, the asset’s recoverable amount is estimated. 

The recoverable amount of an asset or cash generating unit  is 
the greater of the fair value less cost to sell, or value in use. An 
impairment loss is recognised whenever the carrying amount of 
an  asset  or  its  cash-generating  unit  exceeds  its  recoverable 
amount.  Impairment  losses  are  recognised  in  the  Income 
Statement.  

A previously recognised impairment loss (except for goodwill) is 
reversed  if  there  has  been  a  change  in  the  estimates  used  to 
determine the recoverable amount. However, the reversal is not 
to an amount higher than the carrying amount that would have 
been  determined,  net  of  amortisation  or  depreciation,  if  no 
impairment loss had been recognised in prior years. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     101 

 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 1 Accounting Policies (continued) 

Off-balance sheet items 

The  useful  lives  of  major  depreciable  asset  categories  are  as 
follows: 

Provisions for impairment for off-balance sheet items such as a 
commitment  are  reported  in  other  provisions.  Measurement  of 
provisions is discussed further in Note 1 (aa) Provisions. 

The Group recognises impairment provisions in respect of only 
those  advances  and  credit  transactions  for  which  there  is 
objective evidence of impairment at Balance Sheet date. 

The amounts required to bring the provisions for impairment to 
their assessed levels are recognised in the Income Statement. 
(o) Bank acceptances of customers 

The exposure arising from the acceptance of bills of exchange 
that are sold into the market is recognised as a liability. An asset 
of equal value is raised to reflect the offsetting claim against the 
drawer of the bill. Bank acceptances generate fee income that is 
recognised in the Income Statement when earned. 
(p) Shares in and loans to controlled entities 

Equity  contributions  to  controlled  entities  are  carried  in  the 
Bank’s Financial Statements at the lower of cost of acquisition or 
recoverable  amount,  and  loans  to  controlled  entities  are 
measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method.  

These assets are measured at fair value when impaired and a 
provision is raised as per Note 1 (n) Provisions for impairment. 
(q) Investment property 

Investment  properties  are  classified  as  properties  held  to  earn 
rental income and/or for capital appreciation.  

The  Group  carries  investment  property  which  backs  liabilities 
paying  a  return  linked  to  the  fair  value  or  returns  from  assets 
including  the  investment  property  at  fair  value  based  on  a 
valuation  performed  by  professional  valuers.  Valuations  are 
carried  out  annually.  Fair  value  movements  are  recognised  in 
the Income Statement in the period in which they arise. 
(r) Assets classified as held for sale 

Assets  are  classified  as  held  for  sale  when  their  carrying 
amounts  will  be  recovered  principally  through  sale  within  12 
months. They are measured at the lower of carrying amount and 
fair  value  less  costs  to  sell  unless  the  nature  of  the  assets 
requires  they  be  measured  in  line  with  another  accounting 
standard. Where this is the case the asset’s measurement basis 
is separately outlined. 

Assets  classified  as  held  for  sale  are  neither  amortised  nor 
depreciated unless the nature of the asset requires it. 
(s) Property, plant and equipment 

The Group measures its property assets (land and buildings) on 
a  fair  value  measurement  basis  using  independent  market 
valuations.  

Revaluation  adjustments  are  generally  reflected  in  the  Asset 
Revaluation  Reserve,  except  to  the  extent  they  reverse  a 
revaluation decrease of the same asset previously recognised in 
the  Income  Statement.  Gains  or  losses  on  disposals  are 
determined  as 
the  net  disposal 
proceeds, if any, and the carrying amount of the item. Realised 
amounts in the Asset Revaluation Reserve are transferred to the 
Capital Reserve. 

the  difference  between 

Equipment  is  measured  at  cost  less  accumulated  depreciation 
and  provision  for  impairment,  if  any.  Depreciation  is  calculated 
principally  on  a  category  basis  at  rates  applicable  to  each 
category’s useful life using the straight-line method and treated 
as an operating expense charged to the Income Statement.  

Computer  software  is  capitalised  at  cost  and  classified  as 
Property,  Plant  and  Equipment  where  it  is  integral  to  the 
operation of associated hardware. 

102     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

Buildings 

Shell 

Maximum 30 years 

Integral plant and equipment: 

Carpets 

10 years 

All other (air-conditioning, lifts)  20 years 

Non-integral plant and equipment: 

Fixtures and fittings 

10 years 

Leasehold improvements 

Leasehold improvements 

Equipment 

Security surveillance systems 

Furniture 

Office machinery 

EFTPOS machines 

Computer hardware 

Lesser  of  unexpired  lease 
term or lives as above 

7 years 

8 years 

5 years 

3 years 

3-5 years 

Depreciation  rates  and  methods  underlying  the  calculation  of 
depreciation of items of property, plant and equipment are kept 
under review to take account of any change in circumstances. 

Estimates  of  useful  lives  are  revised  when  a  change  in 
circumstances indicates a reassessment should be performed. 

No  depreciation  is  charged  on  freehold  land,  although,  in 
common  with  all  long-lived  assets,  it  is  subject  to  impairment 
testing, if deemed appropriate. 

Property,  plant  and  equipment  are  periodically  reviewed  for 
impairment.  Where  the  carrying  amount  of  an  asset  is  greater 
than  its  estimated  recoverable  amount,  it  is  written  down 
immediately  through  the  Income  Statement  to  its  recoverable 
amount. 

Where  the  Group  expects  the  carrying  amount  of  assets  held 
within property, plant and equipment to be recovered principally 
through a sale transaction in the short-term rather than through 
continuing use, these assets are classified as Held for sale. 
(t) Intangibles 
Goodwill  

Goodwill,  representing  the  excess  of  purchase  consideration 
plus incidental expenses over the fair value of the identifiable net 
assets at the time of acquisition of an entity, is capitalised and 
recognised in the Balance Sheet. 

Goodwill is  reviewed  annually  for impairment  at  each  reporting 
date, or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances 
indicate  that  it  might  be  impaired.  For  the  purposes  of 
impairment testing, goodwill is allocated to cash-generating units 
or  groups  of  units.  A  cash-generating  unit  is  the  smallest 
identifiable  group  of  assets  that  generate  independent  cash 
flows.  Goodwill  is  allocated  by  the  Group  to  cash  generating 
units or groups of units based on how goodwill is monitored by 
management. 

An  impairment  loss  is  recognised  for  a  cash-generating  unit  if 
the higher of the recoverable amount or the value in use of the 
unit/group  of  units  is  less  than  the  carrying  amount  of  the 
unit/group of units.  

the  cash-generating  unit 

The  recoverable  amount  of 
is 
calculated as the higher of fair value less costs to sell, and value 
in  use,  measured  using  readily  available  market  data  and 
losses  on  goodwill  are  not 
assumptions. 
subsequently reversed. 

Impairment 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note 1 Accounting Policies (continued) 

Gains  and  losses  on  the  disposal  of  an  entity  are  net  of  the 
carrying amount of the goodwill relating to the entity. 
Computer software costs  

Where  computer  software  costs  are  not  integrally  related  to 
associated  hardware,  the  Group  recognises  them  as  an 
intangible  asset  where  they  are  clearly  identifiable,  can  be 
reliably  measured  and  it  is  probable  they  will  lead  to  future 
economic benefits that the Group controls. 

The  Group  carries  capitalised  software  assets  at  cost  less 
amortisation and any impairment losses.  

These assets are amortised over their estimated useful lives on 
a  straight-line  basis  which  is  usually  between  three  and  ten 
years. 

Estimates  of  useful  lives  are  revised  when  a  change  in 
circumstances indicates a reassessment should be performed. 

Any impairment loss is recognised when incurred. 

Software maintenance costs are expensed as incurred. 
Core Deposits 

Core deposits represent the value of a deposit base acquired in 
a business combination. Core deposits are initially recognised at 
fair  value,  representing  the  avoided  cost  of  alternative  funding 
sources  such  as  securitisation  and  wholesale  funding  and  are 
amortised  over  their  estimated  useful  life.  During  2009  the 
Group    recognised  core  deposits  from  the  acquired  deposit 
portfolio  of  Bankwest,  which  have  an  estimated  useful  life  of 
seven years, based on their weighted average attrition rates. 
Brand names 

Brand  names  are  recognised  when  acquired  in  a  business 
combination. Brand names are initially recognised at fair value, 
representing  the  royalty  costs  that  would  have  been  incurred 
had  a  brand  name  been  used  without  acquiring  it,  measured 
based  on  an  annual  percentage  of  income  generated  by  the 
acquired entity. During 2009 the Group acquired the Bankwest 
brand  name.  This  brand  name  is  considered  to  have  an 
indefinite useful life and is subject to impairment testing. 
Other Intangibles 

Other intangibles comprise acquired management fee rights and 
customer lists where they are clearly identifiable, can be reliably 
measured  and  where  it  is  probable  they  will  lead  to  future 
economic benefits that the Group controls. 

Management fee rights  have been  assessed to  have  indefinite 
lives and are carried at cost less any impairment losses. 

Customer  lists  are  carried  at  cost  less  amortisation,  which  is 
generally over a period of ten years. 
(u) Other assets 

Other  assets  include  all  other  financial  assets  and  include 
interest,  fees  and  other  unrealised  income  receivable,  and 
securities sold not delivered. These  assets are recorded at the 
amortised cost. 

The  net  surpluses  or  deficits  that  arise  within  defined  benefit 
superannuation  plans  are  recognised  and  disclosed  separately 
in Other assets and Bills payable and Other liabilities.  
(v) Deposits from customers  

Deposits  and  other  public  borrowings  includes  certificates  of 
deposits,  term  deposits,  savings  deposits,  cheque  and  other 
demand deposits, debentures and other funds raised publicly by 
borrowing corporations. They are initially recognised at fair value 
including directly attributable transaction costs and subsequently 
measured at amortised cost. Interest and yield related fees are 
recognised on an effective interest basis.  

Notes to the Financial Statements 

the  Group  has  hedged  deposits  with  derivative 
Where 
instruments, hedge accounting rules are applied (refer to Note 1 
(ff) Derivative financial instruments). 
(w) Payables to other financial institutions 

Payables  to  other  financial  institutions  include  deposits,  vostro 
balances and settlement account balances due to other banks. 
They  are  recognised  at  fair  value  including  directly  attributable 
transaction costs at inception.  

to  other 

Payables 
institutions  are  subsequently 
recognised at amortised cost. Interest and yield related fees are 
recognised using the effective interest method. 

financial 

Where  the  Group  has  designated  payables  to  other  financial 
institutions as Liabilities at fair value through Income Statement, 
the changes in fair value are reported in the Income Statement 
(refer  Note  1  (x)  Liabilities  at  fair  value  through  Income 
Statement). 
(x) Liabilities at fair value through Income Statement 

The  Group  designates  certain  liabilities  at  fair  value  through 
Income  Statement  on  origination  where  those  liabilities  are 
managed on a fair value basis or where the liabilities eliminate 
an accounting mismatch. The liabilities are recognised on trade 
date at fair value and transaction costs are taken directly to the  

Income Statement. Subsequent to initial recognition fair value is 
measured  using  quoted  market  offer  prices  where  an  active 
market exists. Quoted mid prices, where available, are used to 
measure  liabilities  with  offsetting  risk  positions  in  a  portfolio  at 
fair value. 

Non  market-quoted  instruments  are  valued  using  valuation 
techniques  based  on  observable  inputs  existing  at  Balance 
Sheet  date. 
instances  valuation 
limited  number  of 
techniques are not based on observable market data. 
(y) Income taxes 

In  a 

Income  tax  on  the  profit  and  loss  for  the  period  comprises 
current and deferred tax.  

Income tax is recognised in the Income Statement, except to the 
extent  that  it  relates  to  items  recognised  directly  in  equity,  in 
which case it is recognised in equity. 

Current tax is the expected tax payable on the taxable income 
for the year, using tax rates enacted or substantially enacted at 
the Balance  Sheet  date,  and  any  adjustment to tax  payable  in 
respect of previous years. 

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 amount of deferred tax provided is based on the expected 
manner  of  realisation  or  settlement  of  the  carrying  amount  of 
assets  and  liabilities,  using  tax  rates  enacted  or  substantially 
enacted at the Balance Sheet date which are expected to apply 
when  the  deferred  tax  asset  is  realised  or  the  deferred  tax 
liability is settled. 

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

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia Group elected to be taxed 
as a single entity under the tax consolidation system with effect 
from 1 July 2002.  

The Bank has formally notified the Australian Taxation Office of 
its  adoption  of  the  tax  consolidation  regime.  In  addition  to  the 
Group  electing  to  be  taxed  as  a  single  entity  under  the  tax 
consolidation regime, the measurement and disclosure of  

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     103 

 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 1 Accounting Policies (continued) 

deferred  tax  assets  and  liabilities  has  been  performed  in 
accordance with the principles in AASB 112, and on a modified 
stand alone basis under UIG 1052. 

Any  current  tax  liabilities/assets  (after  the  elimination  of  intra-
Group transactions) and deferred tax assets arising from unused 
tax losses assumed by the Bank from the subsidiaries in the tax 
consolidated  group  are  recognised  in  conjunction  with  any  tax 
funding arrangement amounts (refer below).  

Any  difference  between  these  amounts  is  recognised  by  the 
Bank  as  an  equity  contribution  to  or  distribution  from  the 
subsidiary. 

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

Any  subsequent  period  adjustments  to  deferred  tax  assets 
arising  from  unused  tax  losses  assumed  from  subsidiaries  are 
recognised by the Bank only. 

The members of the tax-consolidated group have entered into a 
tax funding arrangement which sets out the funding obligations 
of  members  of  the  tax-consolidated  group  in  respect  of  tax 
amounts.  
(z) Employee benefits 
Annual leave 

for  annual 

The  provision 
outstanding liability to employees at Balance Sheet date. 
Long service leave 

represents 

leave 

the  current 

The provision for long service leave is discounted to the present 
value, is subject to actuarial review and is maintained at a level 
that accords with actuarial advice. 
Other employee benefits 

The  provision  for  other  employee  entitlements  represents 
liabilities for staff housing loan benefits, a subsidy to a registered 
health fund  with  respect to  retired and current  employees,  and 
employee  incentives  under  employee  share  plans  and  bonus 
schemes. 

The Group engages in share-based remuneration in respect of 
services  received  from  certain  of  its  employees.  The  share 
based remuneration may be cash settled or equity settled. The 
fair  value  of  equity  settled  remuneration  is  calculated  at  grant 
date  and  amortised  to  the  Income  Statement  over  the  vesting 
period,  with  a  corresponding 
the  Employee 
Compensation  Reserve.  For  these  awards,  market  vesting 
conditions,  such  as  share  price  performance  conditions,  are 
taken into account when estimating the fair value. Non–market 
vesting  conditions,  such  as  service  conditions,  are  taken  into 
account  by  adjusting  the  number  of  the  equity  instruments 
included in the measurement of the expense.  

increase 

in 

Cash  settled  remuneration  is  recognised  as  a  liability  and 
remeasured  to  fair  value  until  settled,  with  changes  in  the  fair 
value recognised as an expense. 
Defined benefit superannuation plans 

currently 

The  Group 
two  defined  benefit 
sponsors 
superannuation  plans  for  its  employees.  The  assets  and 
liabilities  of  these  plans  are  legally  held  in  separate  trustee-
administered  funds.  They  are  calculated  separately  for  each 
plan by assessing the fair value of plan assets and deducting the 
amount  of future  benefit that  employees  have  earned in  return 
for  their  service  in  current  and  prior  periods  discounted  to 
present  value.  The  discount  rate  is  the  yield  at  Balance  Sheet 
date  on  government  securities  which  have  terms  to  maturity 
approximating to the terms of the related liability.  

104     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

The  defined  benefit  superannuation  plan  surpluses  and/or 
deficits  are  calculated  by  fund  actuaries.  Contributions  to  all 
superannuation plans are made in accordance with the rules of 
the  plans.  As  the  Australian  plan  is  in  surplus,  no  funding  is 
currently necessary.  

losses 

related 

to  defined  benefit 
Actuarial  gains  and 
superannuation  plans  are  directly  recorded  in  Retained  Profits. 
The  net  surpluses  or  deficits  that  arise  within  defined  benefit 
superannuation  plans  are  recognised  and  disclosed  separately 
in Other assets or Bills payable and other liabilities. 
Defined contribution superannuation plans 

The  Group  sponsors  a  number  of  defined  contribution 
superannuation plans. Certain plans permit employees to make 
contributions and earn matching or other contributions from the 
Group. The Group recognises contributions due in respect of the 
accounting  period  in  the  Income  Statement.  Any  contributions 
unpaid at the Balance Sheet date are included as a liability. 
(aa) Provisions 
Provision for dividends 

A  provision  for  dividend  payable  is  recognised  when  dividends 
are declared by the Directors. 
Provisions for restructuring 

Provisions  for  restructuring  are  recognised  where  there  is  a 
detailed  formal  plan  for  restructure  and  a  demonstrated 
commitment to that plan. 
Provision for self-insurance 

The  provision  for  self-insurance  covers  certain  non-lending 
losses  and  non-transferred  insurance  risks.  Actuarial  reviews 
are  carried  out at  regular intervals with  provisioning  effected in 
accordance with actuarial advice. 
(bb) Debt issues 

Debt  issues  are  short  and  long  term  debt  issues  of  the  Group 
including  commercial  papers,  notes,  term  loans  and  medium 
term  notes.  Commercial  paper,  floating,  fixed  and  structured 
debt  issues  are  recorded  at  cost  or  amortised  cost  using  the 
effective interest method.  

Premiums,  discounts  and  associated  issue  expenses  are 
recognised in the Income Statement using the effective interest 
method, from the  date  of  issue, to  ensure that  securities  attain 
their redemption values by maturity date. 

Interest  is  recognised  in  the  Income  Statement  using  the 
effective  interest  method.  Any  profits  or  losses  arising  from 
redemption prior to maturity are taken to the Income Statement 
in the period in which they are realised. 

Where the Group has designated debt instruments at fair value 
through  Income  Statement,  the  changes  in  fair  value  are 
recognised  in  the  Income  Statement.  Refer  to  Note  1  (x) 
Liabilities at fair value through Income Statement. 

Embedded  derivatives  with  economic  characteristics  and  risks 
that  are  not  wholly  related  to the  economic characteristics  and 
notes  of  the  host  instruments  are  separated  from  the  debt 
issues. Refer Note 1 (ff) Derivative financial instruments. 
Hedging 

The  Group  hedges  interest  rate  and  foreign  currency  risk  on 
certain debt issues. When hedge accounting is applied to fixed 
rate debt issues, the carrying values are adjusted for changes in 
fair  value  related  to  the  hedged  risks  rather  than  carried  at 
amortised  cost.  Refer  to  Note  1  (ff)  Derivative  financial 
instruments.  

 
Note 1 Accounting Policies (continued) 
(cc) Bills payable and other liabilities 

Bills  payable  and  other  liabilities  includes  interest,  fees,  other 
expenses  payable, securities  purchased  not  delivered  and  any 
defined benefit superannuation plan deficit. 

Any superannuation  plan  deficit  is recorded  in  line  with  Note 1 
(z) Employee benefits while the remaining liabilities are recorded 
at amortised cost using the effective interest method.  

Where  the  Group  has  designated  bills  payable  and  other 
liabilities at fair value through Income Statement, the changes in 
fair value are reported in the Income Statement (refer to Note 1 
(x) Liabilities at fair value through Income Statement). 

(dd) Loan capital 

Loan  capital  is  debt  issued  by  the  Group  with  terms  and 
conditions, such as being undated or subordinated, which qualify 
for inclusion as capital under APRA Prudential Standards. Loan 
capital debt issues are initially recorded at fair value plus directly 
attributable transaction costs. After initial recognition loan capital 
debt issues are measured at amortised cost using the effective 
interest method. 

Interest  inclusive  of  premiums,  discounts  and  associated  issue 
expenses  is  recognised  in  the  Income  Statement  using  the 
effective interest method over the expected life of the instrument 
so that they attain their redemption values by maturity date. Any 
profits  or  losses  arising  from  redemption  prior  to  expected 
maturity are recognised in the Income Statement in the period in 
which they are realised. 
(ee) Shareholders’ equity 

Ordinary share capital is the amount of paid up capital from the 
issue of ordinary shares. 

Treasury  Shares  are  deducted  from  Ordinary  share  capital. 
Gains  or  losses  on  the  reissue  of  Treasury  Shares  are 
recognised in shareholders’ equity within Retained Profits.  

The  movement  between  the  acquisition  and  reissue  price  of 
Treasury Shares remains within shareholders’ equity. 

The  General  Reserve  is  derived  from  revenue  profits  and  is 
available for dividend payments except for undistributable profits 
in respect of the Group’s life insurance businesses. 

The Capital Reserve is derived from capital profits (refer to Note 
1  (s)  Property,  Plant  and  Equipment)  and  is  available  for 
dividend payments. 

The  General  Reserve 
for  Credit  Losses  was  originally 
appropriated  from  Retained  Profits  to  comply  with  APRA 
prudential requirements in prior periods and has been returned 
to Retained Profits. 
(ff) Derivative financial instruments 

The  Group  has  a  significant  volume  of  derivative  financial 
instruments  that  include  foreign  exchange  contracts,  forward 
rate  agreements,  futures,  options  and  interest  rate,  currency, 
equity and credit swaps.  

Derivative financial instruments are used as part of the Group’s 
trading  activities  and  to  hedge  certain  assets  and  liabilities. 
Derivatives that do not meet the hedging criteria are classified as 
derivatives held for trading, or as other derivatives. 

The Group initially recognises derivative financial instruments at 
the fair value of consideration given or received.  

Subsequent to initial recognition, where an active market exists, 
fair value is measured based on quoted market prices. 

Non  market-quoted  instruments  are  valued  using  valuation 
techniques  based  on  observable  inputs  existing  at  Balance 
instances  valuation 
limited  number  of 
Sheet  date. 
techniques are not based on observable market data.  

In  a 

Notes to the Financial Statements 

A  positive  revaluation  amount  of  a  contract  is  reported  as  an 
asset  and  a  negative  revaluation  amount  of  a  contract  as  a 
liability.  

Changes  in  fair  value  of  derivatives  are  recognised  in  the 
Income Statement unless designated within a cash flow hedging 
relationship. 
Swaps 

Interest rate swap receipts and payments are recognised within 
net  interest  income  using  the  effective  interest  method  as 
interest  of  the  designated  hedged  item  or  class  of  items  being 
hedged over the term for which the swap is effective as a hedge, 
whereas  revaluation  gains  and  losses  are  recognised  within 
other operating income. 

Similarly  with  cross  currency  swaps,  interest  rate  receipts  and 
payments are recognised on the same basis as for interest rate 
swaps. In addition, the initial principal flows are revalued to  fair 
value at the current market exchange rate with revaluation gains 
and  losses  recognised  in  the  Income  Statement  against 
revaluation  losses  and  gains  of  the  underlying  hedged  item  or 
class of items.  
Derivative financial instruments utilised for hedging 
relationships 

The Group uses derivative instruments as part of its asset and 
liability management activities to manage exposures to interest 
rate,  foreign  currency  and  credit  risks,  including  exposures 
arising  from  forecast  transactions.  Hedge  accounting  can  be 
applied subject to certain rules for fair value hedges, cash flow 
hedges  and  hedges  of  foreign  operations.  Cash  flow  and  fair 
value hedges are the predominant hedges applied by the Group. 
Swaps are the major financial instruments used in the Group’s 
hedging arrangements. 
Fair value hedges 

For  fair  value  hedges,  the  change  in  fair  value  of  the  hedging 
derivative, and the hedged risk of the hedged item, is recognised 
immediately  in  the  Income  Statement  within  other  operating 
income.  If  the  fair  value  hedge  relationship  is  terminated  for 
reasons  other  than  the  derecognition  of  the  hedged  item,  fair 
value hedge accounting ceases and, in the case of an interest 
bearing  item,  the  fair  value  adjustment  of  the  hedged  item  is 
amortised to the Income Statement over the remaining term of 
the  original  hedge.  If  the  hedged  item  is  derecognised  the 
unamortised fair value adjustment is recognised immediately in 
the Income Statement. 
Cash flow hedges 

A fair valuation gain or loss associated with the effective portion 
of  a  derivative  designated  as  a cash  flow  hedge  is  recognised 
initially  in  shareholders’  equity  within  the  Cash  flow  hedge 
reserve.  Amounts 
flow  hedge  reserve  are 
transferred to the Income Statement when the cash flows on the 
hedged item are recognised in profit and loss.  

the  Cash 

in 

Gains and losses resulting from cash flow hedge ineffectiveness 
are recorded immediately in the Income Statement.  

A  fair  valuation  gain  or  loss  represents  the  amount  by  which 
changes  in  the  fair  value  of  the  expected  cash  flow  of  the 
hedging  derivative  differ  from  the  fair  value  of  the  changes  (or 
expected changes) in the cash flow of the hedged item. 

Where the hedged item is derecognised, the cumulative gain or 
loss  is  recognised  immediately  in  the  Income  Statement.  If  for 
reasons other than the derecognition of the hedged item, cash 
flow  hedge  accounting  ceases,  the  cumulative  gains  or  losses 
are amortised to the Income Statement over the remaining term 
of the original hedge. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     105 

 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 1 Accounting Policies (continued) 

Net Investment Hedges 

Hedges  of  net  investments  in  overseas  subsidiaries  are 
accounted for in a manner similar to cash flow hedges. Any gain 
or loss on the hedging instrument relating to the effective portion  

of the hedge is recognised in the Foreign Currency Translation 
Reserve (“FCTR”) and the gain or loss relating to the ineffective 
portion  is  immediately  recognised  in  the  Income  Statement. 
Gains  and  losses  accumulated  in  the  FCTR  are  transferred  to 
the Income Statement when the overseas subsidiary is disposed 
of. 
Embedded derivatives 

A derivative may be embedded within a host contract. If the host 
contract  is  not  already  measured  at  fair  value  with  changes  in 
fair  value  reported  in  the  Income  Statement,  and  where  the 
economic  characteristics  and  risks  of  the  embedded  derivative 
are not closely related to the economic characteristics and risks 
of the host contract, the embedded derivative is separated from 
the host contract and accounted for as a stand-alone derivative 
instrument at fair value. 
(gg) Commitments to extend credit, letters of credit, 
guarantees, warranties and indemnities issued 

Contingent  liabilities  are  possible  obligations  whose  existence 
will  be  confirmed  only  by  uncertain  future  events,  or  present 
obligations where the transfer of economic benefit is uncertain or 
cannot  be  reliably  measured.  Contingent  liabilities  are  not 
recognised, but are disclosed, unless they are remote. 

Financial  guarantees  are  given  to  banks,  financial  institutions 
and  other  bodies  on  behalf  of  customers  to  secure  loans, 
overdrafts  and  other  banking  facilities,  and  to  other  parties  in 
connection with the performance of customers under obligations 
related to contracts, advance payments made by other parties, 
tenders, retentions and the payment of import duties. 

Financial  guarantee  contracts  are  initially  recognised  at  fair 
value. 

Subsequent  to  initial  recognition,  financial  guarantees  are 
measured at the higher of the initial measurement amount, less 
amortisation calculated to recognise fee income earned, and the 
best estimate of the expenditure required to settle any financial 
obligation at the Balance Sheet date. 

Any  increase  in  the  liability  relating  to  financial  guarantees  is 
recognised  in  the  Income  Statement.  Any  liability  remaining  is 
recognised  in  the  Income  Statement  when  the  guarantee  is 
discharged, cancelled or expires. 
(hh) Life and general insurance business 
Life Insurance business 

The  Group’s  life  insurance  business  is comprised  of  insurance 
contracts and investment contracts as defined by AASB 4.  

Insurance  contracts  are  accounted  for  in  accordance  with  the 
Investment  contracts  are 
requirements  of  AASB  1038. 
accounted 
instruments  with  a  separate 
for  as 
management  services  element  in  accordance  with  AASB  118, 
139 and 1038. Details are set out below. 

financial 

All  assets,  liabilities,  revenues,  expenses  and  equity  are 
recognised  irrespective  of  whether  they  are  designated  as 
relating to policyholders or to shareholders. 

All assets backing insurance liabilities are classified as Assets at 
fair value through Income Statement. They are measured at fair 
value based on quoted bid prices or using appropriate valuation 
techniques. 

Life insurance contract liabilities are measured at the net present 
value  of  future  receipts  from  and  payments  to  policyholders 
using  a  risk  free  discount  rate  (or  expected  fund  earning  rate 

106     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

the  asset 
where  benefits  are  contractually 
performance),  and  are  calculated  in  accordance  with  the 
principles  of  Margin  on Services  (“MoS”)  profit  reporting  as set 
out  in  Prudential  Standard  LPS  1.04  –  Valuation  of  Policy 
Liabilities (“LPS 1.04”) issued by APRA. 

linked 

to 

Life  investment contract  liabilities  are measured  at fair  value  in 
accordance  with  AASB  139  as  Liabilities  at  fair  value  through 
Income Statement. 

Returns  on  all  investments  controlled  by  life  insurance  entities 
within the Group are recognised as revenues. Investments in the 
Group’s  own  equity  instruments  held  within  the  life  insurance 
statutory funds and other funds are treated as Treasury Shares 
in accordance with Note 1 (ee) Shareholders’ equity. 

Initial  entry  fee  income  on  investment  contracts  issued  by  life 
insurance  entities  is  recognised  upfront  where  the  Group 
provides  financial  advice.  Other  entry  fees  are  deferred  and 
recognised over the life of the underlying investment contract. 

Participating  benefits  vested  in  relation  to  the  financial  year, 
from  unvested  policyholder  benefits 
transfers 
other 
liabilities, are recognised as expenses. 

than 

Reinsurance  contracts  entered  into  are  recognised  on  a  gross 
basis. 
Premiums and claims 

Premiums and claims are separated on a product basis into their 
revenue, expense and change in liability components unless the 
separation  is  not  practicable  or  the  components  cannot  be 
reliably measured. 

(i) Life insurance contracts 

Premiums received for providing services and bearing risks are 
recognised  as  revenue. Premiums  with  a  regular  due  date  are 
recognised  as  revenue  on  a  due  and  receivable  basis. 
Premiums with no due date are recognised on a cash received 
basis. Insurance contract claims are recognised as an expense 
when a liability has been established. 

(ii) Investment contracts 

Premiums  received  include  the  fee  portion  of  the  premium 
recognised as revenue over the period the underlying service is 
provided  and  the  deposit  portion  recognised  as  an  increase  in 
investment  contract  liabilities.  Premiums  with  no  due  date  are 
recognised on a cash received basis.  

Fees earned for managing the funds invested are recognised as 
revenue.  Claims  under 
represent 
withdrawals  of  investment  deposits  and  are  recognised  as  a 
reduction in investment contract liabilities. 
Life insurance liabilities and profit 

investment  contracts 

Life  insurance  contract  policy  liabilities  are  calculated  in  a  way 
that allows for the systematic release of planned profit margins 
as  services  are  provided  to  policyowners  and  the  revenues 
relating  to  those  services  are  received.  Selected  profit  carriers 
including premiums and anticipated policy payments are used to 
determine profit recognition.  

insurance  contract  and 

Investment assets are held in excess of those required to meet 
liabilities. 
life 
Investment earnings are directly influenced by market conditions 
and as such this component of profit varies from year to year. 

investment  contract 

 
Note 1 Accounting Policies (continued) 

Participating policies 

insurance  contract  policy 

Life 
to 
participating  policies  include  the  value  of  future  planned 
future 
shareholder  profit  margins  and  an  allowance 
supportable bonuses.  

liabilities  attributable 

for 

The  value  of  supportable  bonuses  and  planned  shareholder 
profit margins account for all profit on participating policies based 
on best estimate assumptions. 

Under the “Margin on Services” profit recognition methodology, 
the  value  of  supportable  bonuses  and  the  shareholder  profit 
margin relating to a reporting year will emerge as planned profits 
in that year. 
Life insurance contract acquisition costs 

Acquisition  costs  for  life  insurance  contracts  include  the  fixed 
and variable costs of acquiring new business. These costs are 
effectively  deferred  through  the  determination  of  life  insurance 
contract liabilities at the balance date to the extent that they are 
deemed  recoverable  from  the  expected  future  profits  of  an 
amount equivalent to the deferred cost.  

Deferred acquisition costs are amortised over the expected life 
of the life insurance contract. 
Life investment contract acquisition costs 

Acquisition  costs  for  investment  contracts  include  the  variable 
costs  of  acquiring  new  business.  However,  the  deferral  of 
investment contract acquisition costs is limited by the application 
of  AASB  118  to  the  extent  that  only  incremental  transaction 
costs  (for  example  commissions  and  volume  bonuses)  are 
deferred.  The 
in 
accordance  with  AASB  139  is  no  less  than  the  contract 
surrender value. 
Managed fund units on issue – held by minority unitholders 

investment  contract 

liability  calculated 

The  life  insurance  statutory  funds  and  other  funds  include 
controlling  interests  in  trusts  and  companies,  and  the  total 
amounts  of  each  underlying  asset,  liability,  revenue  and 
expense of the controlled entities are recognised in the Group’s 
consolidated Financial Statements. 

When a controlled unit trust is consolidated, the share of the unit 
holder liability attributable to the Bank is eliminated but amounts 
due  to  external  unitholders  remain  as  liabilities  in  the  Group’s 
consolidated  Balance  Sheet.  The  share  of  the  net  assets  of 
controlled  companies  attributable  to  minority  unit  holders  is 
disclosed separately on the Balance Sheet.  

In the Income Statement, the net profit or loss of the controlled 
entities relating to minority interests is eliminated before arriving 
at the net profit or loss attributable to Equity holders of the Bank. 
General Insurance Business 
Premium revenue 

Premium revenue comprises amounts charged to policyholders, 
including  fire  service  levies,  but  excludes  taxes  collected  on 
behalf of third parties. The earned portion of premiums received 
and  receivable  is  recognised  as  revenue.  Premium  revenue  is 
earned from the date of attachment of risk and over the term of 
the policies written, based on assessment of the likely pattern in 
which risk will emerge. The portion not earned as determined by 
the above methods is recognised as unearned premium liability. 
Unearned Premium Liability  

The adequacy of the unearned premium liability is assessed by 
considering current  estimates  of  all  expected future cash flows 
relating to future claims covered by current insurance contracts. 

If the present value of the expected future cash flows relating to 
future  claims,  plus  the  additional  risk  margin  to  reflect  the 

Notes to the Financial Statements 

inherent  uncertainty  in  the  estimate,  exceeds  the  unearned 
premium liability less related deferred acquisition costs, then the 
unearned premium liability is deemed deficient. Any deficiency is 
recognised  immediately 
Income  Statement  as  an 
the 
expense,  both  gross  and  net  of  reinsurance.  The  deficiency  is 
recognised  by  writing  down  any  related  deferred  acquisition 
costs, with any excess being recorded on the Balance Sheet as 
an unexpired risk liability. 
Reinsurance  

in 

Premium ceded to reinsurers is recognised as an expense from 
the  attachment  date  over  the  period  of  indemnity  of  the 
reinsurance  contract, 
the  pattern  of 
reinsurance service received. Accordingly, a portion of outwards 
reinsurance  premium  is  treated  at  the  Balance  Sheet  date  as 
deferred reinsurance. 
Claims expense 

in  accordance  with 

Claims  expense  and  a  liability  for  outstanding  claims  are 
recognised in respect of all business. The liability covers claims 
reported  but  not  yet  paid,  incurred  but  not  reported  claims 
("IBNR") and the anticipated direct and indirect costs of settling 
those  claims.  The  liability  for  outstanding  claims  is  determined 
having  regard  to  an  independent  actuarial  assessment.  The 
liability is measured as the estimate of the present value of the 
expected  future  payments  against  claims  incurred  at  the 
Balance  Sheet  date,  with  an  additional  risk margin to  allow  for 
the  inherent  uncertainty  in  the  estimate.  These  payments  are 
estimated  on  the  basis  of  the  ultimate  cost  of  settling  claims, 
which  is  affected  by  factors  arising  during  the  period  to 
settlement, such as inflation. The expected future payments are 
discounted  to  present  value  at  the  Balance  Sheet  date  using 
market-determined, risk-adjusted discount rates.  

A  risk  margin  is  applied  to  the  outstanding  claims  liability, 
sufficient to ensure the probability of adequacy of the liabilities to 
a 75% confidence level. 
Acquisition costs 

Acquisition  costs  include  brokerage  and  other  selling  and 
underwriting  costs  incurred  in  obtaining  general  insurance 
premiums.  A  portion  of  acquisition  costs  relating  to  unearned 
premium  revenue 
is  recognised  as  an  asset.  Deferred 
acquisition costs are amortised over the financial years expected 
to  benefit  from  the  expenditure  and  are  stated  at  the  lower  of 
cost and recoverable value. 
(ii) Asset securitisation 

The  Group  conducts  an  asset  securitisation  program  through 
which  it  packages  and  sells  assets  as  securities  to  investors. 
The Group is entitled to any residual income of the program after 
all  payments  due  to  investors  and  costs  of  the  program  have 
been  met.  Therefore  the  Group  is  considered  to  hold  the 
majority  of  the  residual  risks  and  benefits  within  the  entities 
through  which  asset  securitisation  is  conducted  and  so  it 
consolidates these entities. 

Liabilities associated with asset securitisation entities and related 
issue costs are accounted for on an amortised cost basis using 
the  effective  interest  method.  Interest  rate  swaps  and  liquidity 
facilities  are  provided  at  arm’s  length  to  the  program  by  the 
Group in accordance with APRA Prudential Guidelines. 

Derivatives  return  the  risks  and  rewards  of  ownership  of  the 
securitised  assets  to  the  Group  and  consequently  the  Group 
cannot  derecognise  these  assets.  An  imputed  liability  is 
recognised inclusive of the derivative and any related fees. 

For further details on the treatment of securitisation entities, refer 
to Note 1 (c) Consolidation. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     107 

 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 1 Accounting Policies (continued) 
(jj) Fiduciary activities 

The Bank and designated controlled entities act as Responsible 
Entity,  Trustee  and/or  Manager  for  a  number  of  wholesale, 
superannuation  and  investment  funds,  trusts  and  approved 
deposit funds. 

The  assets  and  liabilities  of  these  trusts  and  funds  are  not 
included in the consolidated Financial Statements as the Group 
does not have direct or indirect control of the trusts and funds. 
Commissions  and  fees  earned  in  respect  of  the  activities  are 
included in the Income Statement of the Group. 
(kk) Comparative figures 

Where  necessary,  comparative  figures  have  been  adjusted  to 
conform  with  changes  in  presentation  in  these  Financial 
Statements. 
(ll) Roundings 

The  amounts  contained  in  this  Financial  Report  and  the 
Financial  Statements  are  presented  in  Australian  Dollars  and 
have  been  rounded  to  the  nearest  million  dollars  unless 
otherwise  stated,  under  the  option  available  to  the  company 
under  ASIC  Class  Order  98/100  (as  amended  by  ASIC  Class 
Order 04/667). 
(mm) Critical accounting policies and estimates 

to  be  more 

These Notes to the Financial Statements contain a summary of 
the  Group’s  significant  accounting  policies.  Certain  of  these 
policies  are  considered 
the 
determination  of  the  Group’s  financial  position,  since  they 
require  management  to  make  difficult,  complex  or  subjective 
judgements,  some  of  which  may  relate  to  matters  that  are 
inherently uncertain. These decisions are reviewed by the Board 
Audit Committee. 

important 

in 

for 

loan  balances,  actuarial  assumptions 

These policies include judgements as to levels of provisions for 
impairment 
in 
determining  life  insurance  policy  liabilities  and  determining 
whether certain entities should be consolidated. An explanation 
of  these  policies  and  the  related  judgements  and  estimates 
involved is set out below. 
Provisions for impairment  

Provisions  for  impairment  of  financial  assets  are  raised  where 
there  is  objective  evidence  of  impairment  and  at  an  amount 
adequate  to  cover  assessed  credit  related  losses.  In  addition, 
provisions are raised where there is no observable evidence of 
impairment,  but  for  which  a  loss  event  has  occurred  which  is 
likely to result in a loss. 

Credit losses arise primarily from loans but also from other credit 
instruments  such  as  bank  acceptances,  contingent  liabilities, 
guarantees and other financial instruments and assets acquired 
through security enforcement. 
Individually assessed provisions 

Individually  assessed  provisions  are  raised  where  there  is 
objective evidence of impairment and full recovery of principal is 
considered doubtful.  

Individually  assessed  provisions  are  made  against  individual 
facilities in the credit risk rated managed segment where a loss 
of $10,000 or more is expected. The provisions are established 
based  primarily  on  estimates  of  the  realisable  (fair)  value  of 
collateral taken and are measured as the difference between a 
financial  asset’s  carrying  amount  and  the  present  value  of  the 
expected  future  cash  flows  (excluding  future  credit  losses  that 
have  not  been  incurred),  discounted  at  the  financial  asset’s 
original  effective  interest  rate.  Short  term  balances  are  not 
discounted. 

108     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

Collective provision 

All other loans and receivables that do not have an individually 
assessed provision are assessed collectively for impairment. 

The  collective  provision  is  maintained  to  reduce  the  carrying 
amount  of  portfolios  of  similar  loans  and  receivables  to  their 
estimated recoverable amounts at the Balance Sheet date.  

The  evaluation  process is  subject to  a  series  of  estimates  and 
judgements.  

In the credit risk rated segment, the risk rating system, including 
the  frequency  of  default  and  loss  given  default  rates,  loss 
history, and the size, structure and diversity of individual credits 
are  considered.  Current  developments  in  portfolios  (industry, 
geographic and term) are reviewed.  

In the retail statistically managed segment the history of defaults 
and losses, and the size, structure and diversity of portfolios are 
considered. 

In addition management considers overall indicators of portfolio 
performance, quality and economic conditions.  

Changes  in  these  estimates could have  a  direct impact  on the 
level of provision determined. 

The amount required to bring the collective provision to the level 
assessed  is  recognised  in  the  Income  Statement  as  set  out  in 
Note 14 Provisions for Impairment. 
Life insurance policyholder liabilities 

Life  insurance  policyholder  liabilities  are  accounted  for  under 
AASB  1038:  Life  Insurance  Business.  A  significant  area  of 
judgement is in the determination of policyholder liabilities, which 
involve actuarial assumptions. 

The  areas  of  judgement  where  key  actuarial  assumptions  are 
made in the determination of policyholder liabilities are: 

Business assumptions including: 

timing  and  duration  of  claims/policy 

Amount, 
payments; 
Policy lapse rates; and 
Acquisition  and  long  term  maintenance  expense 
levels; 

Long term economic assumptions for discount and interest 
rates, inflation rates and market earnings rates; and 
Selection of methodology, either projection or accumulation 
method. The selection of the method is generally governed 
by the product type. 

The determination of assumptions relies on making judgements 
on  variances  from  long-term  assumptions.  Where  experience 
differs from long term assumptions: 

Recent results may be a statistical aberration; or 
There  may  be  a  commencement  of  a  new  paradigm 
requiring a change in long term assumptions. 

The  Group’s  actuaries  arrive  at  conclusions  regarding  the 
statistical analysis using their experience and judgement. 

Additional information on the accounting policy is set out in Note 
1  (hh)  Life  and  General  Insurance  Business,  and  Note  36  Life 
Insurance Business details the key actuarial assumptions. 
Consolidation of special purpose entities 

The Group assesses whether a special purpose entity should be 
consolidated based on the risks and rewards of each entity and 
whether the majority pass to the Group. Such assessments are 
the  Group’s 
predominately 
securitisation program and structured transactions. 

the  context  of 

required 

in 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 2 Profit  

Profit before income tax has been determined as follows: 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     109 

GroupBank20092008200720092008$M$M$M$M$MInterest IncomeLoans and bills discounted28,43825,59820,71122,13621,369Other financial institutions434474443391423Cash and liquid assets510473483397427Assets at fair value through Income Statement1,2361,9331,4951,0241,409Available-for-sale investments9017567302,835880Controlled entities---1,2081,077Total interest income31,51929,23423,86227,99125,585Interest ExpenseDeposits14,21612,3938,99514,19912,168Other financial institutions509989674403903Liabilities at fair value through Income Statement1,0211,1291,087163217Debt issues4,7676,0245,5063,5654,241Controlled entities---8981,295Loan capital705792564728843Total interest expense21,21821,32716,82619,95619,667Net interest income10,3017,9077,0368,0355,918Other Operating IncomeLoan service fees:From financial assets1,3519338731,085860Other4543234043Commission and other fees:From financial liabilities531507501429413Other1,4961,3201,2281,115959Trading income741546555592504Net (loss)/gain on available-for-sale investments recognised in Income Statement (12)30913824272Net (loss)/gain on other non-trading instruments(9)(1)9(111)(36)Net hedging ineffectiveness(18)(58)30(28)(33)Net (loss)/gain on other financial instruments:Fair value through Income Statement(66)(9)651(26)Reclassification of net interest on swaps(275)(265)(107)(92)73Non-trading derivatives(187)37(98)(21)44Dividends - Controlled entities---8201,636Dividends - Other143934331Net loss on sale of property, plant and equipment(11)(15)(15)(9)(14)Funds management and investment contract income:Fees receivable on trust and other fiduciary activities1,2911,8351,449--Other199528522--Insurance contracts income7697401,043--Other3141731362631,060Total other operating income6,1736,6626,3554,1515,786Total net operating income16,47414,56913,39112,18611,704Gain on acquisition of controlled entities (Note 49)983----Impairment expenseLoan impairment expense 2,6839304342,338902Available-for-sale debt securities impairment expense365--365-Total impairment expense (Note 14)3,0489304342,703902 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 2 Profit (continued) 

(1) Includes software impairment (refer to Note 19). 

110     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

GroupBank20092008200720092008$M$M$M$M$MStaff ExpensesSalaries and wages3,4053,0972,7462,2812,278Share-based compensation1251068989102Superannuation contributions44148(28)(28)Provisions for employee entitlements8890616872Payroll tax188162139137129Fringe benefits tax3632343028Other staff expenses9416015269108Total staff expenses3,9803,6613,2292,6462,689Occupancy and Equipment ExpensesOperating lease rentals488403367394345Depreciation:Buildings2927222626Leasehold improvements8563596852Equipment8984735554Operating lease assets3720221811Repairs and maintenance8081716574Other10289746154Total occupancy and equipment expenses910767688687616Information Technology ServicesApplication, maintenance and development167224304136195Data processing202195206197195Desktop141114119137114Communications179174168142148Amortisation of software assets12288628876IT equipment depreciation6231245128Total information technology services873826883751756Other ExpensesPostage12111910998102Stationery100981047170Fees and commissions:Fees payable on trust and other fiduciary activities453538402--Other359280289622565Advertising, marketing and loyalty475348326375273Amortisation of intangible assets (excluding software)17158-1Non-lending losses8678977966Other39129129214390Total other expenses2,0021,7671,6271,3881,167Investment and restructuringIntegration expenses (1)112--35-Merger related amortisation37----One-off expenses32--32-Investment and restructuring-377--365Total investment and restructuring181377-67365Total operating expenses7,9467,3986,4275,5395,593Defined benefit superannuation plan (expense)/income(14)148(14)14Profit before income tax6,4496,2556,5383,9305,223Net hedging ineffectiveness comprises:Gain/(Loss) on fair value hedges:Hedging instruments543921285480937Hedged items(569)(970)(271)(510)(971)Cash flow hedge ineffectiveness8(9)1621Net hedging ineffectiveness(18)(58)30(28)(33) 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 3 Income from Ordinary Activities 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     111 

GroupBank20092008200720092008$M$M$M$M$MBankingInterest income31,51929,23423,86227,99125,585Fees and commissions3,4232,8032,6252,6692,275Trading income741546555592504Net (loss)/gain on available-for-sale investments recognised in Income Statement(12)30913824272Net (loss)/gain on other non-trading instruments(9)(1)9(111)(36)Net hedging ineffectiveness(18)(58)30(28)(33)Net (loss)/ gain on other financial instruments:Fair value through Income Statement(66)(9)651(26)Reclassification of net interest on swaps(275)(265)(107)(92)73Non-trading derivatives(187)37(98)(21)44Dividends143938631,667Net loss on sale of property, plant and equipment (11)(15)(15)(9)(14)Other3141731362631,06035,43332,79327,20332,14231,371Funds Management, Investment contract and Insurance contract revenue Funds management and investment contract income including premiums1,6182,3691,871--Insurance contract premiums and related income1,6511,3731,117--Funds management claims and policyholder liability revenue731519---Investment income--2,978--4,0004,2615,966--Total income39,43337,05433,16932,14231,371 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 4 Average Balances and Related Interest 

The  following  table  lists  the  major  categories  of  interest  earning 
assets and interest bearing liabilities of the Group together with the 
respective interest earned or paid and the average interest rate for 
each of the years ended 30 June 2009, 30 June 2008 and 30 June 
2007. Averages used were predominantly daily averages. Interest 
is accounted for based on product yield, while all trading gains and 
losses  are  disclosed  as  Trading  income  within  Other  operating 
income.  

Where assets or liabilities are hedged, the amounts are shown net 
of the hedge, however individual items not separately hedged may 
be affected by movements in exchange rates.  

The  overseas component comprises  overseas  branches  of the 
Bank and overseas domiciled controlled entities. 

Non-accrual loans are included in interest earning assets under 
loans, bills discounted and other receivables. 

The official cash rate in Australia decreased by 425 basis points 
during the year while rates in New Zealand decreased by a total 
of 575 basis points. 

(1) Excludes amortisation of acquisition related fair value adjustments made to fixed interest financial instruments. 

(2) Used for calculating net interest margin. 

112     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

200920082007AverageInterestAverageAverageInterestAverageAverageInterestAverageAverage Interest EarningBalanceRateBalanceRateBalanceRateAssets and Income$M$M%$M$M%$M$M%Cash and liquid assetsAustralia8,3533243. 93,9302386. 15,6483225. 7Overseas6,6831862. 84,1012355. 72,6081616. 2Receivables due from other financialinstitutionsAustralia9,2052272. 55,4032424. 53,0891705. 5Overseas7,2382072. 93,7002326. 34,5812736. 0Assets at fair value through IncomeStatement - TradingAustralia17,6149225. 220,1271,3886. 915,4581,0757. 0Overseas4,3782315. 33,1862457. 72,8182107. 5Assets at fair value through IncomeStatement - OtherAustralia79930. 4383277. 0430296. 7Overseas2,507803. 24,8132735. 73,0131816. 0Available-for-sale investmentsAustralia10,5536286. 06,0174026. 74,9323156. 4Overseas7,8312733. 56,1823545. 76,9444156. 0Loans, bills discounted and otherreceivablesAustralia (1)344,53423,0986. 7273,12420,0477. 3234,02216,0166. 8Overseas61,5534,5847. 454,7014,4638. 248,9493,6867. 5Intragroup loansAustralia---------Overseas12,0231581. 38,1442953. 68,1994044. 9Average interest earning assets and interest income including intragroup493,27130,9216. 3393,81128,4417. 2340,69123,2576. 8Intragroup eliminations(12,023)(158)1. 3(8,144)(295)3. 6(8,199)(404)4. 9Total average interest earning assets and interest income(2)481,24830,7636. 4385,66728,1467. 3332,49222,8536. 9Securitisation home loan assets12,2797426. 013,4271,0888. 113,3441,0097. 6 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 4 Average Balances and Related Interest (continued) 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     113 

200920082007AverageAverageAverageBalanceBalanceBalanceAverage Non-Interest Earning Assets$M$M$MBank acceptancesAustralia16,98319,73518,779Overseas---Assets at fair value through Income Statement - InsuranceAustralia17,37017,89619,352Overseas2,3162,6342,680Property, plant and equipmentAustralia1,7441,2421,075Overseas199192165Other assetsAustralia48,48728,18219,951Overseas9,3938,0935,675Provisions for impairmentAustralia(2,492)(1,219)(1,132)Overseas(299)(111)(96)Total average non-interest earning assets93,70176,64466,449Total average assets587,228475,738412,285Percentage of total average assets applicable to overseas operations (%)17. 318. 418. 8 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 4 Average Balances and Related Interest (continued) 

(1) Excludes amortisation of acquisition related fair value adjustments made to fixed interest financial instruments. 

114     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

200920082007Average Interest BearingAverageInterestAverageAverageInterestAverageAverageInterestAverageLiabilities, Loan CapitalBalanceRateBalanceRateBalanceRateand Interest Expense$M$M%$M$M%$M$M%Time depositsAustralia (1)133,5878,3986. 392,2975,9856. 567,1864,1076. 1Overseas30,2491,6255. 421,3641,3536. 318,4061,0185. 5Savings depositsAustralia (1)69,7751,5742. 346,4721,4683. 240,9301,0162. 5Overseas6,1322894. 74,7593246. 84,7033136. 7Other demand depositsAustralia (1)74,9282,2563. 071,5252,9474. 162,4012,3143. 7Overseas4,3472134. 94,5013167. 03,5632276. 4Payables due to other financialinstitutionsAustralia4,9741603. 25,7482905. 02,6281535. 8Overseas13,8713492. 513,6586995. 19,7245215. 4Liabilities at fair value throughIncome StatementAustralia3,8311594. 23,1241976. 33,8812927. 5Overseas13,5958626. 311,8939327. 811,3127957. 0Debt issuesAustralia (1)64,3093,6245. 657,4404,2347. 457,4033,5376. 2Overseas20,7634172. 016,9298224. 918,8351,0755. 7Loan capitalAustralia (1)9,4555075. 48,7815666. 48,3574104. 9Overseas3,6422025. 53,7582266. 01,9071548. 1Intragroup borrowingsAustralia12,0231581. 38,1442953. 68,1994044. 9Overseas---------Average interest bearing liabilities and loan capital and interest expense including intragroup465,48120,7934. 5370,39320,6545. 6319,43516,3365. 1Intragroup eliminations(12,023)(158)1. 3(8,144)(295)3. 6(8,199)(404)4. 9Total average interest bearing liabilities and loan capital and interest expense453,45820,6354. 6362,24920,3595. 6311,23615,9325. 1Securitisation debt issues12,8426845. 314,0059686. 913,8618946. 4200920082007AverageAverageAverageBalanceBalanceBalanceAverage Non-Interest Bearing Liabilities$M$M$MDeposits not bearing interestAustralia5,9406,1325,896Overseas1,4381,5451,473Liabilities on bank acceptancesAustralia16,98319,73518,779Overseas---Insurance policy liabilitiesAustralia16,51019,18520,100Overseas1,7662,2962,344Other liabilitiesAustralia42,93918,5388,439Overseas6,1636,6477,399Total average non-interest bearing liabilities91,73974,07864,430Total average liabilities and loan capital558,039450,332389,527Shareholders' equity29,18925,40622,758Total average liabilities, loan capital and Shareholders' equity587,228475,738412,285Total average liabilities and loan capital applicable to overseas operations (%)18.319.420.5 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 4 Average Balances and Related Interest (continued) 

Geographical analysis of key categories 

The  overseas  component comprises  overseas  branches  of  the 
Bank  and  overseas  domiciled  controlled  entities.  Overseas 
intragroup  borrowings  have  been  adjusted  into  the  interest 
spread and margin calculations to more appropriately reflect the 
overseas  cost  of  funds.  Non–accrual  loans  were  included  in 
interest  earning  assets  under  loans,  bills  discounted  and  other 
receivables. 

In calculating net interest margin, assets, liabilities, interest income 
and  interest  expense  related  to  securitisation  vehicles  have  been 
excluded.  This  has  been  done  to  more  accurately  reflect  the 
Group’s underlying net margin. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     115 

Avg BalInterestYieldAvg BalInterestYieldNet interest margin$M$M%$M$M%Total interest earning assets excluding securitisation481,24830,7636. 39385,66728,1467. 30Total interest bearing liabilities excluding securitisation453,45820,6354. 55362,24920,3595. 62Net interest income and interest spread (excluding securitisation)10,1281. 847,7871. 68Benefit of free funds0. 260. 34Net interest margin2. 102. 02Full Year Ended 30/06/09Full Year Ended 30/06/08Avg BalInterestYieldAvg BalInterestYield$M$M%$M$M%Loans, bills discounted and other receivablesAustralia344,53423,0986. 70273,12420,0477. 34Overseas61,5534,5847. 4554,7014,4638. 16Total406,08727,6826. 82327,82524,5107. 48Non-lending interest earning assetsAustralia46,5242,1044. 5235,8602,2976. 41Overseas28,6379773. 4121,9821,3396. 09Total75,1613,0814. 1057,8423,6366. 29Total interest bearing depositsAustralia278,29012,2284. 39210,29410,4004. 95Overseas40,7282,1275. 2230,6241,9936. 51Total319,01814,3554. 50240,91812,3935. 14Other interest bearing liabilitiesAustralia82,5694,4505. 3975,0935,2877. 04Overseas51,8711,8303. 5346,2382,6795. 79Total134,4406,2804. 67121,3317,9666. 57Full Year Ended 30/06/09Full Year Ended 30/06/08Year Ended2009 vs 20082008 vs 2007Increase/(Decrease)Increase/(Decrease)Change in net interest income$M$MDue to changes in average volume of interest earning assets1,9711,090Due to changes in interest margin370(224)Change in net interest income2,341866 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 4 Average Balances and Related Interest (continued) 

116     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

June 2009 vs June 2008June 2008 vs June 2007Changes in Net Interest Income:VolumeRateTotalVolumeRateTotalVolume and Rate Analysis$M$M$M$M$M$MInterest Earning AssetsCash and liquid assetsAustralia220(134)86(101)17(84)Overseas110(159)(49)89(15)74Receivables due from other financial institutionsAustralia132(147)(15)115(43)72Overseas162(187)(25)(54)13(41)Assets at fair value through Income Statement - TradingAustralia(152)(314)(466)323(10)313Overseas77(91)(14)28735Assets at fair value through Income Statement - OtherAustralia15(39)(24)(3)1(2)Overseas(102)(91)(193)105(13)92Available-for-sale investmentsAustralia286(60)226711687Overseas76(157)(81)(45)(16)(61)Loans, bills discounted and other receivablesAustralia5,014(1,963)3,0512,7731,2584,031Overseas535(414)121451326777Intragroup loansAustralia------Overseas96(233)(137)(2)(107)(109)Changes in interest income including intragroup6,709(4,229)2,4803,7311,4535,184Intragroup eliminations(96)2331372107109Changes in interest income6,543(3,926)2,6173,7681,5255,293Securitisation home loan assets(81)(265)(346)77279Interest Bearing Liabilities and Loan CapitalTime depositsAustralia2,637(224)2,4131,5822961,878Overseas520(248)272175160335Savings depositsAustralia631(525)106156296452Overseas79(114)(35)4711Other demand depositsAustralia121(812)(691)357276633Overseas(9)(94)(103)632689Payables due to other financial institutionsAustralia(32)(98)(130)170(33)137Overseas8(358)(350)206(28)178Liabilities at fair value through Income StatementAustralia37(75)(38)(52)(43)(95)Overseas121(191)(70)4394137Debt issuesAustralia447(1,057)(610)3694697Overseas132(537)(405)(101)(152)(253)Loan capitalAustralia40(99)(59)24132156Overseas(7)(17)(24)130(58)72Intragroup borrowingsAustralia96(233)(137)(2)(107)(109)Overseas------Changes in interest expense including intragroup4,775(4,636)1392,7241,5944,318Intragroup eliminations(96)2331372107109Changes in interest expense4,638(4,362)2762,7391,6884,427Changes in net interest income1,9713702,3411,090(224)866Securitisation debt issues(71)(213)(284)106474 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 4 Average Balances and Related Interest (continued) 

Changes in Net Interest Income: Volume and Rate Analysis  Volume  and  rate  variance  for  total  interest  earning  assets  and 
interest  bearing  liabilities  have  been  calculated  separately 
(rather than being the sum of the individual categories). 

The preceding table shows the movement in interest income and 
expense  due  to  changes  in  volume  and  interest  rates.  Volume 
variances reflect the change in interest from the prior year due to 
movement  in  the  average  balance.  Rate  variance  reflects  the 
change in interest from the prior year due to changes in interest 
rates. 

(1) Difference between the average interest rate earned and the average interest rate paid on funds. 

(2) A portion of the Group’s interest earning assets are funded by net interest free liabilities and Shareholders’ equity. The benefit to the Group of these interest free funds 

is the amount it would cost to replace them at the average cost of funds. 

(3) Net interest income divided by average interest earning assets for the year. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     117 

Group200920082007Geographical analysis of key categories%%%AustraliaInterest spread (1)1. 931. 791. 93Benefit of interest-free liabilities, provisions and equity (2)0. 210. 270. 23Net interest margin (3)2. 142. 062. 16OverseasInterest spread (1)1. 321. 110. 92Benefit of interest-free liabilities, provisions and equity (2)0. 400. 570. 68Net interest margin (3)1. 721. 681. 60GroupInterest spread (1)1. 841. 681. 75Benefit of interest-free liabilities, provisions and equity (2)0. 260. 340. 33Net interest margin (3)2. 102. 022. 08 
 
  
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 5 Income Tax Expense  

(1) The Premium Business Services division was restructured into Business and Private Banking and Institutional Banking and Markets during the year. 2007 

comparatives for the newly formed businesses were not available. 

(2) The 2008 year prior period tax expense arose primarily due to the resolution of long outstanding tax issues with the tax authorities. 

118     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

GroupBank20092008200720092008$M$M$M$M$MProfit from ordinary activities before Income TaxRetail Banking Services2,9962,6872,522n/an/aBusiness and Private Banking (1)1,024974-n/an/aInstitutional Banking and Markets (1)(17)909-n/an/aPremium Business Services (1)--1,905n/an/aWealth Management1709911,090n/an/aInternational Financial Services613767678n/an/aBankwest 189--n/an/aOther1,474(73)343n/an/a6,4496,2556,5383,9305,223Prima Facie Income Tax at 30%Retail Banking Services899806757n/an/aBusiness and Private Banking (1)307292-n/an/aInstitutional Banking and Markets (1)(5)273-n/an/aPremium Business Services (1)--571n/an/aWealth Management51297327n/an/aInternational Financial Services184231204n/an/aBankwest 57--n/an/aOther442(22)103n/an/a1,9351,8771,9621,1791,567Tax effect of expenses that are non-deductible/incomenon-assessable in determining taxable profit:Current periodTaxation offsets and other dividend adjustments(59)(65)(55)(249)(479)Tax adjustment referable to policyholder income(115)(81)186--Bankwest - Discount on acquisition76----Tax losses recognised-(89)(24)-(87)Tax losses assumed by the Bank under UIG 1052---(14)(72)Difference in overseas tax rates(55)(35)(27)(19)(21)Offshore banking unit(56)(16)(16)(56)(16)Investment allowance(28)--(14)-Other(7)(36)354476(244)(322)99(308)(599)Prior periodsOther (2)5(122)(20)(27)(103)Total income tax expense1,6961,4332,041844865Income Tax Attributable to Profit from ordinary activitiesRetail Banking Services889805756n/an/aBusiness and Private Banking (1)288280-n/an/aInstitutional Banking and Markets (1)(160)128-n/an/aPremium Business Services (1)--463n/an/aWealth Management111318275n/an/aInternational Financial Services139168150n/an/aBankwest 67--n/an/aOther526(151)131n/an/aCorporate tax expense1,8601,5481,775844865Policyholder tax (benefit)/expense(164)(115)266--Total income tax expense1,6961,4332,041844865%%%%%Effective Tax RateTotal - corporate 28. 124. 328. 321. 516. 6Retail Banking Services - corporate29. 730. 030. 0n/an/aBusiness and Private Banking - corporate (1)28. 128. 7-n/an/aInstitutional Banking and Markets - corporate (1)large14. 1-n/an/aPremium Business Services - corporate (1)--24. 3n/an/aWealth Management - corporate30. 128. 533. 3n/an/aInternational Financial Services - corporate24. 022. 222. 2n/an/aBankwest - corporate35. 4--n/an/a 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 5 Income Tax Expense (continued) 

(1) Deferred tax assets and liabilities are set off where they relate to income tax levied by the same taxation authority on either the same taxable entity or different taxable 

entities within the same taxable group. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     119 

GroupBank20092008200720092008$M$M$M$M$MRecognised in the Income StatementAustraliaCurrent tax expense2,2651,5222,2091,628854Deferred tax benefit(886)(326)(390)(900)(22)Total Australia1,3791,1961,819728832OverseasCurrent tax expense20112714112132Deferred tax expense/(benefit)11611081(5)1Total Overseas31723722211633Total income tax expense1,6961,4332,041844865GroupBank20092008200720092008$M$M$M$M$MThe significant temporary differences are as follows:Deferred tax assets arising from:Provision for employee benefits338294288295268Provisions for impairment on loans, bills discounted and other receivables1,336523371889476Other provisions not tax deductible until expense incurred243192136139175Recognised value of tax losses carried forward66856Financial instruments691162170488113Other42517131619554Total deferred tax assets (before set off) 3,0391,3481,2892,0111,092Set off of tax (1)(1,386)(1,272)(1,035)(383)(1,038)Net deferred tax assets1,653762541,62854Deferred tax liabilities arising from:Property asset revaluations5159555159Lease financing299287330112105Defined benefit superannuation plan surplus138461544138461Intangible assets1762410--Financial instruments60543748282378Other2852705224054Total deferred tax liabilities (before set off) 1,5541,5381,9434231,057Set off of tax (1)(1,386)(1,272)(1,035)(383)(1,038)Net deferred tax liabilities (Note 25)1682669084019Deferred tax assets opening balance:76254485425Movement in temporary differences during the year:Provisions for employee benefits44627276Provisions for impairment on loans, bills discounted and other receivables81315221413150Other provisions not tax deductible until expense incurred5156(10)(36)68Recognised value of tax losses carried forward-(2)(1)(1)(2)Financial instruments529(8)(25)375(43)Other254(145)19141(64)Set off of tax (1)(114)(237)175655(86)Deferred tax assets closing balance1,653762541,62854Deferred tax liabilities opening balance:2669087341991Movements in temporary differences during the year:Property asset revaluations(8)426(8)4Lease financing12(43)187(5)Defined benefit superannuation plan surplus(323)(83)176(323)(83)Intangible assets15214---Financial instruments168(45)(144)(296)88Other15(252)(77)(14)10Set off of tax (1)(114)(237)175655(86)Deferred tax liabilities closing balance (Note 25)1682669084019 
 
 
 
 
  
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 5  Income Tax Expense (continued) 

Potential deferred tax assets of the Group arose from: 

Tax Consolidation 

Tax  consolidation  legislation  has  been  enacted 
to  allow 
Australian resident entities to elect to consolidate and be treated 
as  single  entities 
tax  purposes.  The 
for  Australian 
Commonwealth Bank of Australia elected to be taxed as a single 
entity with effect from 1 July 2002. 

Capital losses arising under the tax consolidations system; 
and 

Tax losses and temporary differences in offshore centres.  

These  deferred  assets  have  not  been  recognised  because  it  is 
not considered probable that future taxable profit will be available 
against which they can be realised. 

These potential tax benefits will only be obtained if:  

The  company  derives  future  capital  gains  and  assessable 
income of a nature and of an amount sufficient to enable the 
benefit from the losses to be realised; 

The  company  continues  to  comply  with  the  conditions  for 
claiming  capital  losses  and  deductions  imposed  by  tax 
legislation; and 
No changes in tax legislation adversely affect the company 
in realising the benefit from deductions for the losses. 

120     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

GroupBank20092008200720092008$M$M$M$M$MDeferred tax assets not taken to accountTax losses and other temporary differences on revenue account100354010028Tax losses on capital account--130--Closing balance1003517010028GroupBankExpiration of deferred tax assets not taken to20092008200720092008account$M$M$M$M$MAt Balance Sheet date carry-forward losses expire as follows:  From one to two years-23--  From two to four years14912  After four years9922259919Losses that do not expire under current tax legislation-7133-7Total1003517010028 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 6 Dividends  

(1) The 2009 final dividend is expected to be satisfied by cash disbursements of $1,240 million and the estimated issue of $507 million of ordinary shares through the  

Dividend Reinvestment Plan (“DRP”). The 2008 final dividend was satisfied by cash disbursements of $1,335 million and the issue of $694 million of ordinary shares 
through the DRP. The 2007 final dividend was satisfied by cash disbursements of $1,229 million and the issue of $709 million of ordinary shares through the DRP.  

The Bank expects that future tax payments will generate sufficient 
franking credits for the Bank to be able to continue to fully frank 
future  dividend  payments.  These  calculations  have  been  based 
on the taxation law as at 30 June 2009. 

Dividend Franking Account  

After  fully  franking  the  final  dividend  to  be  paid  for  the  year 
ended  30  June  2009,  the  amount  of  credits  available,  at  the 
30%  tax  rate  as  at  30  June  2009  to  frank  dividends  for 
subsequent financial years, is $758 million (2008: $495 million). 
This figure is  based on the combined  franking  accounts  of the 
Bank  at  30  June  2009,  which  have  been  adjusted for  franking 
credits that will arise from the payment of income tax payable on 
profits for the year ended 30 June 2009, franking debits that will 
arise from the payment of dividends proposed for the year and 
franking  credits 
from 
that 
distributing in subsequent financial periods. 

the  Bank  may  be  prevented 

(1) Dividend Payout Ratio: dividends divided by statutory earnings. 

(2) DRP Participation Rate: the percentage of total issued share capital participating in the Dividend Reinvestment Plan. 

(3) Dividend expected to be paid on 1 October 2009. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     121 

GroupBank20092008200720092008$M$M$M$M$MOrdinary SharesInterim ordinary dividend (fully franked) (2009: 113 cents, 2008:113 cents, 2007: 107 cents)Interim ordinary dividend paid - cash component only1,2571,0878621,2571,087Interim ordinary dividend paid - dividend reinvestment plan405400518405400Total dividend paid1,6621,4871,3801,6621,487Other Equity InstrumentsDividends paid574855--Total dividends provided for, reserved or paid1,7191,5351,4351,6621,487Other provision carried1857185Dividends proposed and not recognised as a liability (fully franked) (2009: 115 cents, 2008: 153 cents, 2007: 149 cents) (1)1,7472,0291,9391,7472,029Provision for dividendsOpening balance56657Provision made during year3,6913,4253,0483,6913,425Provision used during year(3,678)(3,426)(3,048)(3,678)(3,427)Closing balance (Note 26)1856185Dividend HistoryHalf-yearFull YearDRP PayoutPayoutDRPParticipationCents Per Ratio (1)Ratio (1)PriceRate (2)Half Year EndedShareDate Paid%%$%31 December 200610705/04/200763. 8-50.0237.630 June 200714903/10/200786. 175.254.8036.631 December 200711302/04/200863. 4-39.4433.530 June 200815301/10/200884. 674.142.4134.331 December 200811323/03/200965. 3-28.4524.430 June 2009 (3)115-82. 473.1-- 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 7 Earnings Per Share 

(1) Figures presented in this table have been rounded. 

Basic earnings per share amounts are calculated by dividing net 
profit  for  the  year  attributable  to  ordinary  equity  holders  of  the 
Bank  by  the  weighted  average  number  of  ordinary  shares 
outstanding during the year. 

instruments)  by  the  weighted  average  number  of  ordinary 
shares outstanding during the year (adjusted for the effects of 
dilutive  options  and  dilutive  convertible  non-cumulative 
redeemable loan capital instruments). 

Diluted  earnings  per  share  amounts  are  calculated  by  dividing 
net profit attributable to ordinary equity holders of the Bank (after 
deducting interest on the convertible redeemable loan capital  

Note 8 Cash and Liquid Assets 

122     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

Group200920082007Earnings per Ordinary ShareBasic 328. 5363. 0344. 7Fully diluted313. 4348. 7339. 7$M$M$MReconciliation of earnings used in calculation of earnings per shareProfit after income tax4,7534,8224,497Less: Other equity instrument dividends(57)(48)(55)Less: Minority interests(30)(31)(27)Earnings used in calculation of basic earnings per share4,6664,7434,415Add: Profit impact of assumed conversionsLoan capital187222150Earnings used in calculation of fully diluted earnings per share4,8534,9654,565Cents per shareNumber of Shares200920082007MMMWeighted average number of ordinary shares (net of treasury shares) used in the calculationof basic earnings per share1,4201,3071,281Effect of dilutive securities - share options and convertible loan capital instruments12811862Weighted average number of ordinary shares (net of treasury shares) used in the calculation of fully diluted earnings per share (1)1,5481,4241,344GroupBank2009200820092008$M$M$M$MAustraliaNotes, coins and cash at banks1,9971,5121,6901,298Money at short call11--Securities purchased under agreements to resell3,4263,2273,4263,227Bills received and remittances in transit8510112284Total Australia5,5094,8415,2384,609OverseasNotes, coins and cash at banks1,75896450846Money at short call3,0141,2072,9091,034Securities purchased under agreements to resell1,0317241,0291,593Bills received and remittances in transit28---Total Overseas5,8312,8954,4462,673Total cash and liquid assets11,3407,7369,6847,282 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

 Note 9 Receivables Due from Other Financial Institutions 

(1) Required by law for the Group to operate in certain regions. 

The majority of the above amounts are expected to be recovered within twelve months of the Balance Sheet date. 

Note 10 Assets at Fair Value through Income Statement (1) 

(1) In addition to Asset classification of Fair Value through Income Statement, the Group also measures bills discounted intended to be sold into the market at fair value, 

which are classified within Loans, bills discounted and other receivables (refer to Note 13). 

(1) Market quoted comprises financial instruments with either quoted prices or quoted rates. 

The above amounts are expected to be recovered within twelve months of the Balance Sheet date. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     123 

GroupBank2009200820092008$M$M$M$MAustraliaPlacements with and loans to other financial institutions8,5904,8808,4824,880Total Australia8,5904,8808,4824,880OverseasDeposits with regulatory authorities (1)446153Other placements with and loans to other financial institutions5,7872,0435,4991,848Total Overseas5,8312,1045,5041,851Total receivables from other financial institutions14,4216,98413,9866,731GroupBank2009200820092008$M$M$M$MTrading25,40121,67620,98819,168Insurance 17,26020,650--Other1,6773,26660274Total assets at fair value through Income Statement44,33845,59221,04819,442GroupBank2009200820092008Trading$M$M$M$MAustraliaMarket Quoted: (1)Australian Public SecuritiesCommonwealth and States1,5155651,515565Local and semi-government2,2381,4782,2381,478Bills of exchange7471,2377471,237Certificates of deposit13,69111,67313,69111,673Medium term notes7801,5187801,518Other securities8026175261Non-Market Quoted:Medium term notes-348-348Commercial paper4511,3774511,377Other securities700-700-Total Australia20,20218,45720,19718,457OverseasMarket Quoted: (1)Government securities2,407823528453Eurobonds45924592Certificates of deposit1,5431,425--Medium term notes-571--Floating rate notes210250210166Commercial paper-56--Other securities62--Non-Market Quoted:Government securities70---Medium term notes853---Floating rate notes35---Other securities30-8-Total Overseas5,1993,219791711Total trading assets25,40121,67620,98819,168 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 10 Assets at Fair Value through Income Statement (continued) 

Of the above amounts $2,670 million is expected to be recovered within twelve months of the Balance Sheet date (30 June 2008: $4,114 
million). 

Direct investments refer to positions held directly in the issuer of 
the investment. Indirect investments refer to investments that are 
held through unit trusts or similar investment vehicles. 

All  financial  assets  within  the  life  statutory  funds  have  been 
determined  to  back  either  life  insurance  or  life  investment 
contracts. 

Disclosure on Asset Restriction 

Investments  held  in  the  Australian  statutory  funds  may  only  be 
used within the restrictions imposed under the Life Insurance Act 
1995. 

The main restrictions are that assets in a fund may only be used 
to  meet  the  liabilities  and  expenses  of  the  fund,  to  acquire 
investments to further the business of the fund, or as distributions 
when solvency and capital adequacy requirements are met. 

Participating  policyholders  can  receive  a  distribution  when 
solvency  requirements  are  met,  whilst  shareholders  can  only 
receive a distribution when the higher levels of capital adequacy 
requirements are met. 

These  investment  assets  held  in  the  statutory  funds  are  not 
available  for  use  by  the  Commonwealth  Bank’s  operating 
businesses. 

Interest,  Australian  Shares, 

The  Group  also  holds  investments  in  the  Colonial  First  State 
Property Trust Group and Colonial Mastertrust Wholesale funds 
(including  Fixed 
International 
Shares,  Property  Securities,  Capital  Stable,  Balanced  and 
Diversified  Growth  funds)  through  controlled  life  insurance 
entities,  which  have  been  designated  as  assets  at  fair  value 
through Income Statement instead of being accounted for under 
the equity accounting method. 

Instead, these investments are brought to account at fair value 
at  Balance  Sheet  date  in  compliance  with  the  requirements  of 
AASB 1038: Life Insurance Business. 

(1) Designated at Fair Value through Income Statement at inception as they are managed by the Group on a fair value basis. 

Of the above amounts $1,416 million is expected to be recovered within twelve months of the Balance Sheet date by the Group (30 
June 2008: $2,308 million), and all of the above amounts are expected to be recovered within twelve months of the Balance Sheet 
date by the Bank. 

The change in fair value of loans and receivables designated at Fair Value through Income Statement due to changes in credit risk for 
the Group  resulted in a loss of $18 million for the year (30 June 2008: insignificant), and is insignificant for the Bank for the years 
ending 30 June 2008 and 30 June 2009. The cumulative change in fair value due to changes in credit risk for the Group and the Bank 
is consistent with the combined amounts disclosed for the period, as changes prior to 30 June 2008 did not have a material impact on 
the Group or the Bank. 

124     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

InvestmentsInvestmentsInvestmentsInvestmentsBacking LifeBacking LifeBacking LifeBacking LifeRisk InvestmentRisk InvestmentContractsContractsTotalContractsContractsTotal200920092009200820082008Insurance $M$M$M$M$M$MEquity Security Investments:Direct2191103295231,6502,173Indirect5514,7005,2519364,9195,855Total equity security investments7704,8105,5801,4596,5698,028Debt Security Investments:Direct9222631,1857231,4002,123Indirect2,7415,3258,0662,3355,3617,696Total debt security investments3,6635,5889,2513,0586,7619,819Property Investments:Direct641579102112214Indirect3458631,2085258041,329Total property investments4098781,2876279161,543Other Assets1539891,142701,1901,260Total life insurance investment assets4,99512,26517,2605,21415,43620,650GroupBank2009200820092008$M$M$M$MFair value structured transactions5521,980-274Receivables due from financial institutions909318--Term loans156948--Other lending602060-Total other assets at fair value through Income Statement1,6773,26660274Other (1) 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 11 Derivative Assets and Liabilities 

Cash flow hedges  

Derivative contracts  

Each  derivative  is  classified  as  held  for  “Trading”,  held  for 
“Hedging”,  or  as  “Other”  derivatives.  Derivatives  classified  as 
Trading  are  derivative  transactions  entered  in  order  to  meet 
to  undertake  market-making  and 
customers’  needs  and 
positioning  activities.  Derivatives  classified  as  Hedging  are 
derivative transactions entered into in order to manage the risks 
arising  from  non-traded  assets,  liabilities  and  commitments  in 
Australia and offshore centres. Other derivatives are those held 
in relation to a portfolio designated at fair value through Income 
Statement. 

Derivatives transacted for hedging purposes 

the  accounting  requirements 

The  Group  enters  into  derivative  transactions  which  are 
designated and qualify as either fair value or cash flow hedges 
for  recognised  assets  or  liabilities  or  forecast  transactions. 
Forward Foreign Exchange transactions are also designated as 
hedges of currency translation risk of net investments in foreign 
operations.  The  Group  also  enters  into  derivative  transactions 
which  provide  economic  hedges  for  risk  exposures  but  do  not 
for  hedge  accounting 
meet 
treatment.  As  stated 
financial 
instruments, the Group uses Credit Default Swaps (CDSs) and 
equity swaps as economic hedges to manage credit risk in the 
asset  portfolio  and  risks  associated  with  both  the  capital 
investment  in  equities  and  the  related  yield  respectively,  but 
cannot  apply  hedge  accounting  to  such  positions.  Gains  or 
losses  on  these  CDSs  and  equity  swaps  have  therefore  been 
recorded in trading income. 

in  Note  1  (ff)  Derivative 

Derivatives designated and accounted for as hedging 
instruments 

The Group’s accounting policies for derivatives designated and 
accounted  for  as  hedging  instruments  are  explained  in  Note  1 
(ff)  Derivative  financial  instruments  where  terms  used  in  the 
following sections are explained. 

Fair value hedges 

The Group’s fair value hedges principally consist of interest rate 
swaps, cross currency swaps and futures. Fair value hedges are 
used to limit the Group’s exposure to changes in the fair value of 
its  fixed-rate  interest  earning  assets  and  interest  bearing 
liabilities  that  are  due  to  interest  rate  or  foreign  exchange 
volatility.  

For the year ended 30 June 2009, the Group recognised a net 
loss  of  $26 million  (2008:  $49 million  net loss)  (reported  within 
other  operating  income  in  the  Financial  Statements),  which 
represents the ineffective portion of fair value hedges. 

As  at  30  June  2009,  the  fair  value  of  outstanding  derivatives 
designated  as  fair  value  hedges  was  $2,003  million  (2008: 
$1,381  million)  of  assets  and  $1,283  million  (2008:  $1,674 
million) of liabilities. 

The Group uses interest rate swaps and cross currency swaps 
to  minimise  the  variability  in  cash  flows  of  interest-earning 
assets, interest-bearing liabilities or forecast transactions caused 
by  interest  rate  or  foreign  exchange  fluctuations.  For  the  year 
ended  30  June  2009,  there  has  been  no  material  gain  or  loss 
associated with ineffective portions of cash flow hedges. 

instruments  designated  as  cash 

Gains  and  losses  on  derivative  contracts  designated  as  cash 
flow hedges are initially recorded in shareholders’ equity but are 
reclassified  to  current  period  earnings  when  the  hedged  cash 
flows  occur,  as  explained  in  Note  1  (ff)  Derivative  financial 
instruments.  As  at  30  June  2009,  deferred  net  losses  on 
derivative 
flow  hedges 
accumulated in shareholders’ equity were $1,167 million (2008: 
$486  million  deferred  net  gains).  The  amount  recognised  in 
shareholders’  equity  at  30  June  2009  related  to  cash  flows 
expected to occur within one month to approximately 30 years of 
the Balance Sheet date, with the main portion expected to occur 
within  five  years  (refer  to  Note  31  Detailed  Statements  of 
Changes in Equity). 

As  at  30  June  2009,  the  fair  value  of  outstanding  derivatives 
designated  as  cash  flow  hedges  was  $1,293  million  (2008: 
$1,169 million) of assets and $2,591 million (2008: $711 million) 
of  liabilities.  Amounts  reclassified  from  gains/(losses)  on  cash 
flow hedging instruments recognised in equity to current period 
earnings  due  to  discontinuation  of  hedge  accounting  were 
immaterial. 

Net Investment Hedges 

The  Group  uses  forward  foreign  exchange  transactions  to 
minimise  the  Group’s  exposure  to  currency  translation  risk  of 
some of  its net  investments in  foreign  operations.  For the  year 
ended  30  June  2009  there  has  been  no  material  gain  or  loss 
associated with ineffective portions of net investment hedges. 

Gains and losses on derivative contracts relating to the effective 
portion  of  the  hedge  are  recognised  in  the  Foreign  Currency 
Translation Reserve. Gains and losses accumulated in Foreign 
Currency Translation Reserve are reclassified in current period 
earnings  when  the  overseas  subsidiary  is  disposed  of  as 
explained in Note 1 (ff) Derivative financial instruments. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     125 

 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 11 Derivative Assets and Liabilities (continued) 

The  majority  of  derivative  assets  and  liabilities  held  for  trading  are  expected  to  be  recovered  or  settled  within  twelve  months  of  the 
Balance  Sheet  date.  The  majority  of  derivative  assets  and  liabilities  held  for  hedging  and  other  derivative  assets  and  liabilities  are 
expected to be recovered or settled after twelve months of the Balance Sheet date. 

126     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

Group20092008Face ValueFair ValueFair ValueFace ValueFair ValueFair ValueAssetLiabilityAssetLiability$M$M$M$M$M$MDerivative Assets and LiabilitiesHeld for trading1,308,69521,499(25,989)1,205,98115,233(16,791)Held for hedging182,1703,296(3,877)155,0952,550(2,385)Other derivatives82,8681,563(2,268)65,381449(365)Total derivative assets/(liabilities)1,573,73326,358(32,134)1,426,45718,232(19,541)Derivatives held for tradingExchange rate related contracts:Forward contracts339,3684,656(6,891)228,4402,962(4,367)Swaps316,2808,531(11,755)129,1524,609(5,183)Futures943----Options purchased and sold25,038466(465)35,610544(473)Total exchange rate related contracts680,78013,656(19,111)393,2028,115(10,023)Interest rate related contracts:Forward contracts35,3435(16)22,2282(3)Swaps456,1466,738(6,146)482,9205,869(5,795)Futures71,9233-238,944-(9)Options purchased and sold49,222591(401)55,267256(350)Total interest rate related contracts612,6347,337(6,563)799,3596,127(6,157)Credit related contracts:Swaps8,035295(130)6,958142(93)Total credit related contracts8,035295(130)6,958142(93)Equity related contracts:Swaps5215(1)586181(30)Options purchased and sold2,27912(84)2,83910(62)Total equity related contracts2,80017(85)3,425191(92)Commodity related contracts:Swaps2,305189(91)1,436523(295)Futures24-----Options purchased and sold2,1175(9)1,601135(131)Total commodity related contracts4,446194(100)3,037658(426)Total derivative assets/(liabilities) held for trading1,308,69521,499(25,989)1,205,98115,233(16,791) 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 11 Derivative Assets and Liabilities (continued) 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     127 

Group20092008Face ValueFair ValueFair ValueFace ValueFair ValueFair ValueAssetLiabilityAssetLiability$M$M$M$M$M$MDerivatives designated as fair value hedgesExchange rate related contracts:Forward contracts1531(2)1371-Swaps18,2781,385(846)12,800831(871)Total exchange rate related contracts18,4311,386(848)12,937832(871)Interest rate related contacts:Swaps22,205606(379)22,156544(749)Futures5,2814----Total interest rate related contracts27,486610(379)22,156544(749)Equity related contracts:Swaps6447(56)5935(54)Total equity related contracts6447(56)5935(54)Commodity related contracts:Swaps3--16--Total commodity related contracts3--16--Total fair value hedges46,5642,003(1,283)35,7021,381(1,674)Derivatives designated as cash flow hedgesExchange rate related contracts:Swaps12,37541(77)1,26128(2)Total exchange rate related contracts12,37541(77)1,26128(2)Interest rate related contacts:Swaps123,2021,252(2,514)118,1321,141(709)Total interest rate related contracts123,2021,252(2,514)118,1321,141(709)Total cash flow hedges135,5771,293(2,591)119,3931,169(711)Derivatives designated as net investment hedgesExchange rate related contracts:Forward contracts29-(3)---Total exchange rate related contracts29-(3)---Total net investment hedges29-(3)---Total derivative assets/(liabilities) held for hedging182,1703,296(3,877)155,0952,550(2,385) 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 11 Derivative Assets and Liabilities (continued) 

128     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

Group20092008Face ValueFair ValueFair ValueFace ValueFair ValueFair ValueAssetLiabilityAssetLiability$M$M$M$M$M$MOther DerivativesExchange rate related contracts:Forward contracts7,40466(482)8,356129(17)Swaps4,05061(182)3,07149(48)Options purchased and sold30-(1)12--Total exchange rate related contracts11,484127(665)11,439178(65)Interest rate related contacts:Forward contracts4,5082-11,1481(2)Swaps54,1671,298(1,467)34,329224(260)Futures11,5071(2)7,0321(2)Options purchased and sold3972(1)5681-Total interest rate related contracts70,5791,303(1,470)53,077227(264)Credit related contracts:Swaps803133(133)81837(33)Total credit related contracts803133(133)81837(33)Equity related contracts:Futures---9--Options purchased and sold---377(3)Total equity related contracts---467(3)Commodity related contracts:Forward contracts2--1--Total commodity related contracts2--1--Total other derivatives82,8681,563(2,268)65,381449(365)Total recognised derivative assets/(liabilities)1,573,73326,358(32,134)1,426,45718,232(19,541) 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 11 Derivative Assets and Liabilities (continued) 

The majority of derivative assets and liabilities held for trading are expected to be recovered or settled within twelve months of the Balance 
Sheet date. The majority of derivative assets and liabilities held for hedging and other derivative assets and liabilities are expected to be 
recovered or settled after twelve months of the Balance Sheet date. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     129 

Bank20092008Face ValueFair ValueFair ValueFace ValueFair ValueFair ValueAssetLiabilityAssetLiability$M$M$M$M$M$MDerivative Assets and LiabilitiesHeld for trading1,412,09522,494(26,321)1,227,71916,906(17,189)Held for hedging158,9083,042(3,116)127,0932,376(2,177)Other derivatives41-(5)4395(1)Total derivative assets/(liabilities)1,571,04425,536(29,442)1,355,25119,287(19,367)Derivatives held for tradingExchange rate related contracts:Forward contracts339,2224,651(6,888)228,4402,963(4,367)Swaps312,3358,457(11,498)128,3174,552(5,053)Futures943----Options purchased and sold25,037466(465)35,610543(473)Derivatives held with controlled entities92,511890(371)16,6791,605(392)Total exchange rate related contracts769,19914,467(19,222)409,0469,663(10,285)Interest rate related contracts:Forward contracts35,3435(16)22,2282(3)Swaps449,7106,692(6,081)484,4525,911(5,799)Futures71,9233-238,944-(9)Options purchased and sold48,965588(401)55,290256(350)Derivatives held with controlled entities21,770233(288)4,21083(131)Total interest rate related contracts627,7117,521(6,786)805,1246,252(6,292)Credit related contracts:Swaps7,931295(128)6,958142(93)Total credit related contracts7,931295(128)6,958142(93)Equity related contracts:Swaps5215(1)586160(30)Options purchased and sold2,27912(84)2,83910(63)Derivatives held with controlled entities---12922-Total equity related contracts2,80017(85)3,554192(93)Commodity related contracts:Swaps2,305189(91)1,436523(295)Futures24-----Options purchased and sold2,1175(9)1,601134(131)Derivatives held with controlled entities8-----Total commodity related contracts4,454194(100)3,037657(426)Total derivative assets/(liabilities) held for trading1,412,09522,494(26,321)1,227,71916,906(17,189) 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 11 Derivative Assets and Liabilities (continued) 

130     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

Bank20092008Face ValueFair ValueFair ValueFace ValueFair ValueFair ValueAssetLiabilityAssetLiability$M$M$M$M$M$MDerivatives designated as fair value hedgesExchange rate related contracts:Forward contracts19-(2)16--Swaps18,2781,385(846)12,800831(871)Total exchange rate related contracts18,2971,385(848)12,816831(871)Interest rate related contacts:Swaps18,919435(320)18,662510(725)Futures5,2814----Derivatives held with controlled entities71166-60116-Total interest rate related contracts24,911505(320)19,263526(725)Equity related contracts:Swaps6447(56)5935(54)Total equity related contracts6447(56)5935(54)Commodity related contracts:Swaps3--16--Total commodity related contracts3--16--Total fair value hedges43,8551,897(1,224)32,6881,362(1,650)Derivatives designated as cash flow hedgesExchange rate related contracts:Swaps11,46241(37)354-Derivatives held with controlled entities679-(6)570-(10)Total exchange rate related contracts12,14141(43)6054(10)Interest rate related contacts:Swaps102,9121,104(1,849)93,8001,010(517)Total interest rate related contracts102,9121,104(1,849)93,8001,010(517)Total cash flow hedges115,0531,145(1,892)94,4051,014(527)Total derivative assets/(liabilities) held for hedging158,9083,042(3,116)127,0932,376(2,177)Bank20092008Face ValueFair ValueFair ValueFace ValueFair ValueFair ValueAssetLiabilityAssetLiability$M$M$M$M$M$MOther DerivativesInterest rate related contacts:Swaps38-(5)4-(1)Total interest rate related contracts38-(5)4-(1)Credit related contracts:Swaps3--4355-Total credit related contracts3--4355-Total other derivatives41-(5)4395(1)Total recognised derivative assets/(liabilities)1,571,04425,536(29,442)1,355,25119,287(19,367) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 12 Available-for-Sale Investments 

(1) Market quoted comprises financial instruments with either quoted prices or quoted rates. 

(2) Included within Mortgage backed securities of the Bank are $35,754 million (2008: $15,020 million) of residential mortgage backed securities held within securitisation 

vehicles for potential repurchase by the Reserve Bank of Australia. 

Of the above amounts $6,128 million is expected to be recovered within twelve months of the Balance Sheet date (30 June 2008: $3,937 
million). 

Revaluation  of Available-for-sale investments  resulted in  a  gain  of  $10 million  (2008:  $262 million)  recognised directly  in  equity.  As  a 
result  of  sale,  derecognition  or  impairment  of  Available-for-sale  investments,  net  loss  of  $13  million  (2008:  $312  million  gain)  were 
removed from equity and reported in profit and loss for the year. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     131 

GroupBank2009200820092008$M$M$M$MAustraliaMarket Quoted: (1)Australian Public Securities:Local and semi-government7,1522,9817,1522,905Shares and equity investments241203180201Medium term notes6,5751,8736,5751,873Floating rate notes327399327-Other securities-8--Non-Market Quoted:Australian Public Securities:Local and semi-government85---Medium term notes5659917784Shares and equity investments1857742Mortgage backed securities (2)1,3841,39240,37917,064Other securities64192-90Total Australia15,9027,16455,53722,959OverseasMarket Quoted: (1)Government securities66016731453Shares and equity investments2633-1Certificates of deposit1,6812,0311,6772,017Eurobonds2,7711,4032,7711,403Medium term notes113304113304Floating rate notes220272220272Other securities94872658Non-Market Quoted:Government securities2225--Certificates of deposit14---Floating rate notes121-Total Overseas5,6024,3245,1224,108Total available-for-sale investments21,50411,48860,65927,067 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 12 Available-for-Sale Investments (continued) 

Maturity Distribution and Weighted Average Yield 

Additional Disclosure 

Proceeds at or close to maturity of Available-for-sale investments in 2009 were $22,189 million (2008: $31,974 million). 

Proceeds from sale of Available-for-sale investments in 2009 were $4,996 million (2008: $610 million). 

132     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

GroupAs at 30 June 2009GrossGrossAmortisedUnrealisedUnrealisedFairCostGainsLossesValue$M$M$M$MAustraliaAustralian Public Securities:Local and semi-government7,32879(170)7,237Medium term notes6,60469(42)6,631Floating rate notes343-(16)327Mortgage backed securities1,4158(39)1,384Other securities and equity investments25370-323Total Australia15,943226(267)15,902OverseasGovernment securities6812(1)682Certificates of deposit1,6869-1,695Eurobonds2,7693(1)2,771Medium term notes113--113Floating rate notes225-(4)221Other securities and equity investments123-(3)120Total Overseas5,59714(9)5,602Total available-for-sale investments21,540240(276)21,504GroupMaturity Period at 30 June 2009Non-0 to 3 months3 to 12 months1 to 5 years5 to 10 years10 or more yearsMaturingTotal$M%$M%$M%$M%$M%$M$MAustraliaAustralian Public Securities:Local and semi-government1515. 843546. 254,2645. 911,9855. 204835. 37-7,237Medium term notes1314. 666585. 065,6494. 201935. 21---6,631Floating rate notes--1003. 81503. 81453. 811323. 81-327Mortgage backed securities--------1,3843. 68-1,384Other securities and equity investments643. 91--80. 01--43. 00247323Total Australia346-1,112-9,971-2,223-2,003-24715,902OverseasGovernment securities1619. 553252. 571963. 87-----682Certificates of deposit8851. 002740. 71--5364. 00---1,695Eurobonds1,0210. 561,7250. 65255. 50-----2,771Medium term notes411. 56723. 61-------113Floating rate notes61. 981461. 06692. 33-----221Other securities and equity investments351. 98583. 25------27120Total Overseas2,149-2,600-290-536---275,602Total available-for-sale investments2,495-3,712-10,261-2,759-2,003-27421,504 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 12 Available-for-Sale Investments (continued) 

Maturity Distribution and Weighted Average Yield 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     133 

GroupAs at 30 June 2008GrossGrossAmortisedUnrealisedUnrealisedFairCostGainsLossesValue$M$M$M$MAustraliaAustralian Public Securities:Local and semi-government2,98078(77)2,981Medium term notes1,9791(48)1,932Floating rate notes399--399Mortgage backed securities1,419-(27)1,392Other securities and equity investments40289(31)460Total Australia7,179168(183)7,164OverseasGovernment securities1911-192Certificates of deposit2,056-(25)2,031Eurobonds1,4059(11)1,403Medium term notes3051(2)304Floating rate notes280-(6)274Other securities and equity investments10615(1)120Total Overseas4,34326(45)4,324Total available-for-sale investments11,522194(228)11,488GroupMaturity Period at 30 June 2008Non-0 to 3 months3 to 12 months1 to 5 years5 to 10 years10 or more yearsMaturingTotal$M%$M%$M%$M%$M%$M$MAustraliaAustralian Public Securities:Local and semi-government----2,8447. 651377. 37---2,981Medium term notes--308. 231,7587. 891447. 68---1,932Floating rate notes--3997. 64-------399Mortgage backed securities--------1,3927. 96-1,392Other securities and equity investmentsinvestments44. 801237. 004-73. 00--322460Total Australia4-552-4,606-288-1,392-3227,164OverseasGovernment securities615. 33197. 171123. 30-----192Certificates of deposit1,3164. 186843. 82313. 30-----2,031Eurobonds3324. 037156. 36533. 053034. 00---1,403Medium term notes163. 251887. 231005. 36-----304Floating rate notes129. 95594. 782014. 1722. 20---274Other securities and equity investmentsinvestments----874. 83----33120Total Overseas1,737-1,665-584-305---334,324Total available-for-sale investments1,741-2,217-5,190-593-1,392-35511,488 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 13 Loans, Bills Discounted and Other Receivables 

(1) The Group has entered into securitisation transactions on residential mortgage loans that do not qualify for derecognition. The Group is entitled to any residual 
income of the securitisation program after all payments due to investors and costs of the program have been met, to this extent the Group retains credit and 
liquidity  risk.  In  addition,  derivatives  return  the  interest  rate  and  foreign  currency  risk  to  the  Group.  The  carrying  value  of  assets  that  did  not  qualify  for 
derecognition for the Group were $12,568 million (2008: $11,676 million) and for the Bank were $8,083 million (2008: $10,359 million). The carrying value of 
liabilities  associated  with  non-derecognised  assets  for  the  Group  were  $11,724  million  (2008:  $9,762  million)  and  for  the  Bank  were  $8,083  million  (2008: 
$10,359 million).  

(2) The Group measures bills discounted intended to be sold into the market at fair value and includes these within loans, bills discounted and other receivables to 

reflect the nature of the lending arrangement. 

Of the amounts above, the following amounts are expected to be recovered within 12 months of the Balance Sheet date;  Group: 
$121,714 million (30 June 2008: $105,074 million), Bank $97,803 million (30 June 2008: $92,205 million). 

134     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

GroupBank2009200820092008$M$M$M$MAustraliaOverdrafts17,82920,04716,63020,085Housing loans (1)261,504186,926224,811184,326Credit card outstandings9,0557,5557,9607,555Lease financing4,5724,2391,9021,680Bills discounted (2)10,9365,86810,9365,868Term loans107,33783,43181,13980,664Other lending1,6161,0768791,076Other securities5241352413Total Australia413,373309,155344,781301,267OverseasOverdrafts744716--Housing loans30,70228,817328164Credit card outstandings573538--Lease financing54156393115Term loans27,07923,91612,57010,587Redeemable preference share financing7441,194--Other lending1625--Other securities-300--Total Overseas60,39956,06912,99110,866Gross loans, bills discounted and other receivables473,772365,224357,772312,133LessProvisions for Loan Impairment (Note 14):Collective provision(3,195)(1,434)(2,060)(1,328)Individually assessed provisions (1,729)(279)(1,020)(238)Unearned income:Term loans(1,134)(1,047)(885)(491)Lease financing(1,083)(1,182)(399)(362)(7,141)(3,942)(4,364)(2,419)Net loans, bills discounted and other receivables466,631361,282353,408309,714GroupBank2009200820092008$M$M$M$MFinance LeasesMinimum lease payments receivable:Not later than one year1,4791,354531532Later than one year but not later than five years2,5542,3281,132868Later than five years1,0801,120332395Lease financing5,1134,8021,9951,795 
 
  
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 13 Loans, Bills Discounted and Other Receivables (continued) 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     135 

GroupMaturity Period at 30 June 2009Maturing 1MaturingMaturing YearBetweenAfteror Less1 & 5 Years5 YearsTotal$M$M$M$MAustraliaSovereign2484658261,539Agriculture2,1221,2431,3524,717Bank and other financial5,6812,2281,9919,900Real estate:Mortgage30,47918,260212,765261,504Construction1,7821,5707204,072Personal3,5059,7661,87715,148Asset financing2,4444,1051,3747,923Other commercial and industrial57,73037,01313,827108,570Total Australia103,99174,650234,732413,373OverseasSovereign1,1861501301,466Agriculture2,1821,4891,8125,483Bank and other financial3,3091,6132,6977,619Real estate:Mortgage5,1544,50221,04630,702Construction14639891635Personal6775214743Asset financing91245381717Other commercial and industrial4,9786,4361,62013,034Total Overseas17,72314,88527,79160,399Gross loans, bills discounted and other receivables121,71489,535262,523473,772Interest Rate Sensitivity of LendingAustralia93,29858,853186,792338,943Overseas6,6268,9358,36123,922Total variable interest rates99,92467,788195,153362,865Australia10,69315,79747,94074,430Overseas11,0975,95019,43036,477Total fixed interest rates21,79021,74767,370110,907Gross loans, bills discounted and other receivables121,71489,535262,523473,772 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 13 Loans, Bills Discounted and Other Receivables (continued) 

136     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

GroupMaturity Period at 30 June 2008Maturing 1MaturingMaturing YearBetweenAfteror Less1 & 5 Years5 YearsTotal$M$M$M$MAustraliaSovereign843971,0871,568Agriculture4171,3757552,547Bank and other financial4,6123,1251,1808,917Real estate:Mortgage23,53511,338152,053186,926Construction735839731,647Personal9,6138,82679419,233Asset financing2,3293,9911,5747,894Other commercial and industrial45,07428,8786,47180,423Total Australia86,39958,769163,987309,155OverseasSovereign6913292101,230Agriculture2,3261,1481,3404,814Bank and other financial3,3121,3442,0876,743Real estate:Mortgage4,0764,15120,59028,817Construction5591433606Personal4684024532Asset financing67192289548Other commercial and industrial7,1763,8051,79812,779Total Overseas18,67511,02326,37156,069Gross loans, bills discounted and other receivables105,07469,792190,358365,224Interest Rate Sensitivity of LendingAustralia78,50144,571107,947231,019Overseas14,0424,7105,51424,266Total variable interest rates92,54349,281113,461255,285Australia7,89814,19856,04078,136Overseas4,6336,31320,85731,803Total fixed interest rates12,53120,51176,897109,939Gross loans, bills discounted and other receivables105,07469,792190,358365,224 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 14 Provisions for Impairment  

(1) Group in 2009 includes fair value adjustments related to the Bankwest acquisition of $723 million of which $286 million remains at 30 June 2009. 

(2) Certain comparative information has been restated to conform to presentation in the current period. 

(3) Group includes fair value adjustments related to the Bankwest acquisition of $180 million, of which nil remains at 30 June 2009. 

(1) Certain comparative information has been restated to conform to presentation in the current period. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     137 

GroupBank20092008200720092008$M$M$M$M$MProvisions for impairment lossesCollective provisionOpening balance1,4661,1561,1611,3601,029Acquisitions250----Net collective provision funding1,1766273161,083650Impairment losses written off(472)(381)(432)(423)(366)Impairment losses recovered73771036568Fair value and other (1)732(13)85(21)Closing balance (2)3,2251,4661,1562,0901,360Individually assessed provisionsOpening balance2791008023877Acquisitions380----Net new and increased individual provisioning1,6863361341,388280Write-back of provisions no longer required(179)(33)(16)(133)(28)Discount unwind to interest income(45)(9)(6)(29)(9)Fair value and other (3)2797(5)7910Impairment losses written off(671)(122)(87)(523)(92)Closing balance (2)1,7292791001,020238Total provisions for impairment losses4,9541,7451,2563,1101,598Less: Off balance sheet provisions(30)(32)(23)(30)(32)Total provisions for loan impairment4,9241,7131,2333,0801,566GroupBank20092008200720092008%%%%%Provision Ratios (1)Collective provision as a % of gross loans and acceptances0.660.380.340.560.41Collective provision as a % of risk weighted assets - Basel II1.120.71n/an/an/aIndividually assessed provisions for impairment as a % of gross impaired assets41.140.823.840.840.1Total provisions for impairment losses as a % of gross loans and acceptances1.010.460.370.830.47 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 14 Provisions for Impairment (continued) 

Individually Assessed Provisions for Impairment by Industry Category 

(1) Certain comparative information has been restated to conform to presentation in the current period. 

138     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

GroupBank20092008200720092008Impairment Expense$M$M$M$M$MLoan Impairment ExpenseNet collective provisioning funding1,1766273161,083650Net new and increased individual provisioning1,6863361341,388280Write-back of individually assessed provisions(179)(33)(16)(133)(28)Total loan impairment expense2,6839304342,338902Available-for-sale debt securities impairment expense365--365-Total impairment expense3,0489304342,703902Group20092008200720062005$M$M$M$M$MAustralia (1)Sovereign-----Agriculture7743416Bank and other financial39327211Real estate:Mortgage823423173Construction1041127Personal239551Asset Financing3112131113Other commercial and industrial760161393541Total Australia1,470248867582OverseasSovereign-----Agriculture9----Bank and other financial1584111Real estate:Mortgage1074211Construction-8---Personal-2121Asset Financing-21--Other commercial and industrial8287--Total Overseas2593114513Total individually assessed provisions1,7292791008095 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 14 Provisions for Impairment (continued) 

Loan Impairments Written Off by Industry Category  

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     139 

Group20092008200720062005$M$M$M$M$MLoan Impairments Written OffAustraliaSovereign-----Agriculture23181Bank and other financial845-13Real estate:Mortgage36232088Construction41133Personal496364408388280Asset Financing5849494226Other commercial and industrial25534303663Total Australia935479509486384OverseasSovereign-----Agriculture-----Bank and other financial1124---Real estate:Mortgage181--6Construction41---Personal141377-Asset Financing-----Other commercial and industrial605341Total Overseas2082410117Gross loan impairments written off1,143503519497391Loan Impairments RecoveredAustralia70739912276Overseas34455Total loan impairments recovered737710312781Net loan impairments written off1,070426416370310 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 14 Provisions for Impairment (continued) 

Loan Impairments Recovered by Industry Category 

140     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

Group20092008200720062005$M$M$M$M$MLoan Impairments RecoveredAustraliaSovereign-----Agriculture1-111Bank and other financial1-1-3Real estate:Mortgage11111Construction-11--Personal5261779959Asset Financing551055Other commercial and industrial1058167Total Australia70739912276OverseasSovereign-----Agriculture-----Bank and other financial-----Real estate:Mortgage-----Construction-----Personal33454Asset Financing-----Other commercial and industrial-1--1Total Overseas34455Total loan impairments recovered737710312781 
 
 
 
Note 15 Credit Risk Management 

Credit risk management is one of the key areas of the Group’s 
Integrated Risk Management framework. The Group maintains a 
robust system of controls and processes to optimise the Group’s 
credit risk-taking activities. 

Credit risk is the potential of loss arising from failure for a debtor 
or  counterparty  to  meet  their  contractual  obligations.  It  arises 
primarily  from  lending  activities,  the  provision  of  guarantees 
including letters of credit and commitments to lend, investments 
transactions, 
in  bonds  and  notes, 
securitisations  and  other  associated  activities.  In  the  insurance 
business, credit risk arises from investment in bonds and notes, 
loans, and from reliance on reinsurance. 

financial  markets 

Credit Risk Management Principles and Portfolio Standards 

The Risk Committee of the Board operates under a Charter by 
which  it  oversees  the  Group’s  credit  risk  management  policies 
and portfolio standards. These are designed to achieve portfolio 
outcomes  that  are  consistent  with  the  Group’s  risk/return 
expectations. The Committee meets at least quarterly, and more 
often if required. 

The  Group  has  clearly  defined  credit  policies  for  the  approval 
and management of credit risk. Formal credit standards apply to 
all  credit  risks,  with  specific  portfolio  standards  applying  to  all 
major  lending  areas.  These  incorporate  income/repayment 
capacity, acceptable terms and security and loan documentation 
tests. 

The Group uses a Risk Committee approved diversified portfolio 
approach  for  the  management  of  credit  risk  concentrations 
comprised of the following: 

to 

A  large  credit  exposures  policy,  which  sets  limits  for 
individual,  commercial  and 
aggregate  exposures 
industrial client groups; 
An industry concentrations policy that defines a system of 
limits for exposures by industry; and 
A  system  of  country  limits  for  managing  geographic 
exposures. 

Following  the  acquisition  of  Bankwest,  efforts  are  underway  to 
review and, where needed, align Bankwest’s credit policies and 
procedures with those of the Group. 

The  Group  assesses  the  integrity  and  ability  of  debtors  or 
counterparties  to  meet  their  contracted  financial  obligations  for 
repayment.  Collateral  security,  in  the  form  of  real  estate  or  a 
floating charge over assets, is generally taken for business credit 
except for major government, bank and corporate counterparties 
of  externally  risk  rated  and  strong  financial  standing.  Longer 
term consumer finance (e.g. housing loans) is generally secured 
against real estate while short term revolving consumer credit is 
generally not secured by formal collateral. 

While  the  Group  applies  policies, standards  and  procedures  in 
governing the credit process, the management of credit risk also 
relies on the application of judgement and the exercise of good 
faith  and  due  care  of  relevant  staff  within  their  delegated 
authority. 

A  centralised  exposure  management  system  is  used  to  record 
all  significant  credit  risks  borne  by  the  Group.  The  credit  risk 
portfolio has two major segments: 

(i) Retail  

This  segment  has  sub-segments  covering  housing  loan,  credit 
card,  personal  loan  facilities,  some  leasing  products  and  most 
secured commercial lending up to $1 million.  

Notes to the Financial Statements 

Auto-decisioning for the approval of credit risk exposures is used 
for  eligible  business  and  consumer  applications.  Auto-
decisioning  uses  a  scorecard  approach  whereby 
the 
performance  of  historical  applications  is  supplemented  by 
information  from  a  credit  reference  bureau  and/or  from  the 
Group’s existing knowledge of a customer’s behaviour. 

Where  the  loan  application  doesn’t  meet  scorecard  Auto-
decisioning requirements then these may be referred to manual 
decisioning. 

After  loan  origination,  these  portfolios  are  managed  using 
behavioural  scoring  systems  and  on  a  delinquency  band 
approach  (e.g.  actions  taken  when  loan  payments  are  greater 
than  30  days  past  due  differ  from  actions  when  payments  are 
greater than 60 days past due) and are reviewed by the relevant 
business credit support unit. Commercial lending up to $1 million 
is  reviewed  as  part  of  the  Group’s  quality  assurance  process 
and  overview  is  provided  by  the  independent  Portfolio  Quality 
Assurance  unit.  Facilities  in  the  Retail  segment  become 
classified  for  remedial  management  by  centralised  units  based 
on delinquency band. 

(ii) Credit Risk Rated 

This segment comprises commercial exposures, including bank 
and  government  exposures.  Each  exposure  with  commercial 
content  exceeding  $50,000  is  assigned  an  internal  Credit  Risk 
Rating (CRR). The CRR is normally assessed by reference to a 
matrix  where  the  likelihood  of  default  (PD)  and  the  amount  of 
loss in the event of default (LGD) combine to determine a CRR 
grade commensurate with expected loss (EL).  

For  credit  risk  exposures  greater  than  $2  million  or  decisioned 
outside  of  the  scorecard  approach,  a  PD  calculator  or  Expert 
Judgement is used.  

Expert  Judgement  is  used  where  the  complexity  of  the 
transaction  and/or  the  debtor  is  such  that  it  is  inappropriate  to 
rely  completely  on  a  statistical  model.  Ratings  by  Moody’s  or 
Standard  and  Poor’s  may  be  used  as  inputs  into  the  Expert 
Judgement assessment. 

The CRR is designed to: 

Aid  in  assessing  changes  to  the  client  quality  of  the 
Group's credit portfolio; 
Influence decisions on approval, management and pricing 
of individual credit facilities; and  
Provide the basis for reporting details of the Group's credit 
portfolio to the Australian Prudential Regulatory Authority. 

CRR exposures are generally reviewed on an individual basis, at 
least annually, although small transactions may be managed on 
a behavioural basis after their initial rating at origination. 

CRR fall within the following categories: 

“Pass” – Internal CRR of 1-6, or if not individually credit risk 
rated,  less  than  30  days  past  due.  These  credit  facilities 
qualify for approval of new or increased exposure on normal 
commercial terms; and 

“Troublesome or Impaired Assets (TIAs)” - Internal CRR of 
7-9  or, if not individually credit  risk  rated,  30  days or more 
past  due.  These  credit  facilities  are  not  eligible  for  new  or 
increased  exposure  unless  it  will  protect  or  improve  the 
Group’s  position  by  maximising  recovery  prospects  or  to 
facilitate  rehabilitation.  Where  a  client  is  in  default  but  the 
facility  is  well  secured  then  the  facility  may  be  classed  as 
troublesome but not impaired. Where a client’s facility is not 
well  secured  and  a  loss  is  expected,  then  a  facility  is 
impaired.  Facilities  that  have  been  restructured  are  also 
classified as a sub-set of impaired.  

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     141 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Where it is considered appropriate, the Group has policies and 
procedures  in  place  setting  out  the  circumstances  where 
acceptable  and  appropriate collateral  is  to  be taken to mitigate 
credit risk, including valuation parameters, review frequency and 
independence  of  valuation.  In some  instances, such  as certain 
types  of  consumer  loans  (e.g.  credit  cards),  a  client’s  facilities 
may not be secured by formal collateral. 

Main collateral types include: 

Residential mortgages; 
Charges  over  other  properties  (including  commercial  and 
broadacre); 
Cash (usually in the form of a charge over a Term Deposit); 
  Guarantees  by  company  directors  supporting  commercial 

lending;  
A floating charge over a company’s assets, including stock 
and work in progress; and 
A charge over stock or scrip. 

(ii) Unexpected Loss 

In  addition  to  expected  loss,  a  more  stressed  loss  amount  is 
calculated.  This  unexpected  loss  estimate  directly  affects  the 
internal  economic  capital 
calculation  of 
requirements  (for 
to  Regulatory  and 
information  relating 
Economic  Capital  refer  to  the  section  on  Capital  Management 
and Note 34 Capital Adequacy). 

regulatory  and 

In  addition  to  the  credit  risk  management  processes  used  to 
manage  exposures  to  credit  risk  in  the  credit  portfolio,  the 
internal  ratings  process  also  assists management in  assessing 
impairment and provisioning of financial assets (refer Note 16). 

Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 15 Credit Risk Management (continued) 

Default usually consists of one or more of the following: 

A contractual payment is overdue by 90 days or more; 
An approved overdraft limit has been exceeded for 90 days 
or more; 
A  credit  officer  becomes  aware  that  the  client  will  not  be 
able  to  meet  future  repayments  or  service  alternative 
acceptable  repayment  arrangements  e.g.  the  client  has 
been declared bankrupt; 
A  credit  officer  has  determined  that  full  recovery  of  both 
principal and interest is unlikely. This may be the case even 
if  all  the  terms  of  the  client's  credit  facilities  are  currently 
being met; and 
A  credit  obligation  is  sold  at  a  material  credit  related 
economic loss. 

The  Portfolio  Quality  Assurance  unit,  part  of  Group  Audit, 
reviews credit portfolios and receives reports covering business 
unit compliance with policies, portfolio standards, application of 
credit  risk  ratings  and  other  key  practices  and  policies  on  a 
regular  basis.  The  Portfolio  Quality  Assurance  unit  reports  its 
findings to the Board Audit and Risk Committees as appropriate. 

Credit Risk Measurement  

The measurement of credit risk uses analytical tools to calculate 
both  (i)  expected  and  (ii)  unexpected  loss  probabilities  for  the 
credit  portfolio.  The  use  of  analytical  tools  is  governed  by  a 
Credit  Rating  Governance  Committee 
reviews  and 
endorses  the  use  of  the  tools  prior  to  their  implementation  to 
ensure they are sufficiently predictive of risk. 

that 

(i) Expected Loss 

The Expected Loss (EL) is the product of: 

Probability of Default (PD); 
Exposure at Default (EAD); and 
Loss Given Default (LGD). 

For  Credit  Risk  Rated  facilities,  EL  is  allocated  within  CRR 
bands. All ratings are reviewed at least annually or as specified 
by the Group Chief Risk Officer. 

The  PD,  expressed  as  a  percentage,  is  the  estimate  of  the 
probability that a client will default within the next twelve months. 
It  reflects a  client's  ability to  generate sufficient cash flows  into 
the future to meet the terms of all its credit obligations with the 
Group. When assessing a client's PD, all relevant and material 
information is considered.  The same PD  is  applied to  all credit 
facilities provided to a client.  

EAD,  expressed  as  a  percentage  of  the  facility  limit,  is  the 
proportion  of  a  facility  that  may  be  outstanding  in  the  event  of 
default.  For  committed  facilities  such  as  fully  drawn  loans  and 
advances  this  will  generally  be  the  higher  of  the  limit  or 
outstanding balance. For uncommitted facilities this will generally 
be the outstanding balance only. 

LGD, expressed as a percentage, is the estimated proportion of 
a facility likely to be lost in the event of default. LGD is impacted 
by: 

Type and level of any collateral held; 
Liquidity and volatility of collateral; and 
Carrying  costs  (effectively  the  costs  of  providing  a  facility 
that is not generating an interest return) and management 
expenses (realisation costs). 

Various  factors  are  considered  when  calculating  PD,  EAD  and 
LGD.  Considerations  include  the  potential  for  default  by  a 
borrower  due  to  economic,  management,  industry  and  other 
risks and the mitigating benefits of any collateral.  

142     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 15 Credit Risk Management (continued) 

 Maximum Exposure to Credit Risk by Industry and Asset Class before Collateral Held or Other Credit Enhancements 

(1) In most cases the credit risk of insurance assets is borne by policyholders. However, on certain insurance contracts the Group retains exposure to credit risk. 

(2) Other assets predominantly comprises assets which do not give rise to credit exposure, including intangible assets, property, plant and equipment, and defined benefit 

superannuation plan surplus, which are shown in “Other” for the purpose of reconciling to the Balance Sheet. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     143 

GroupAt 30 June 2009RealBankRealEstateOtherAgri-& OtherEstateConstr-AssetComm &SovereigncultureFinancialMortgageuctionPersonalFinancingIndust.OtherTotal $M$M$M$M$M$M$M$M$M$MCash and liquid assets--5,509------5,509Receivables due from otherfinancial institutions--8,590------8,590Assets at fair value throughIncome Statement:Trading3,473-14,438----2,291-20,202Insurance (1)1,631-5,134-295--8,509-15,569Other-601----29-90Derivative assets2843315,441-43--6,372-22,173Available-for-sale investments7,237-1,384----7,281-15,902Loans, bills discounted and otherreceivables1,5394,7179,900261,5044,07215,1487,923108,570-413,373Bank acceptances72,972327-547--10,874-14,727Other assets (2)233666,67411131714172311,07618,954Total on balance sheet Australia14,4047,84867,398261,5154,97015,1658,064144,64911,076535,089Guarantees642219726279--2,6252963,509Loan commitments9001,2862,41552,2531,34816,413-31,213718106,546Other commitments262114512443-12,174282,850Total Australia15,3949,17770,155313,8067,04031,5788,065180,66112,118647,994Cash and liquid assets--5,831------5,831Receivables due from otherfinancial institutions--5,831------5,831Assets at fair value throughIncome Statement:Trading2,476-1,543----1,180-5,199Insurance (1)1,370-321------1,691Other22871,286--3-63-1,587Derivative assets173773,408-3--524-4,185Available-for-sale investments435-1,694----3,473-5,602Loans, bills discounted and otherreceivables1,4665,4837,61930,70263574371713,034-60,399Bank acceptances-------1-1Other assets (2)18511252---1111,6742,098Total on balance sheet Overseas6,3335,56827,65830,70463874671718,3861,67492,424Guarantees241--29--79-133Loan commitments159390742,9362381,165-6,380-11,342Other commitments241-1332--174-334Total Overseas6,5405,96027,73233,7739071,91171725,0191,674104,233Total gross credit risk21,93415,13797,887347,5797,94733,4898,782205,68013,792752,227Australia Credit risk exposures relating to on balance sheet assets:Credit risk exposures relating to off balance sheet assets:Overseas Credit risk exposures relating to on balance sheet assets:Credit risk exposures relating to off balance sheet assets: 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 15 Credit Risk Management (continued) 

 Maximum Exposure to Credit Risk by Industry and Asset Class before Collateral Held or Other Credit Enhancements 

(1) In most cases the credit risk of insurance assets is borne by policyholders. However, on certain insurance contracts the Group retains exposure to credit risk. 

(2) Other assets predominantly comprises assets which do not give rise to credit exposure, including intangible assets, property, plant and equipment, and defined benefit 

superannuation plan surplus, which are shown in “Other” for the purpose of reconciling to the Balance Sheet. 

144     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

GroupAt 30 June 2008RealBankRealEstateOtherAgri-& Other EstateConstr-AssetComm &SovereigncultureFinancialMortgageuctionPersonalFinancingIndust.OtherTotal $M$M$M$M$M$M$M$M$M$MCash and liquid assets--4,841------4,841Receivables due from otherfinancial institutions--4,880------4,880Assets at fair value throughIncome Statement:Trading2,043-12,910----3,504-18,457Insurance (1)4,096-3,52731324--10,716-18,676Other--295------295Derivative assets2041513,560-5--2,555-16,339Available-for-sale investments2,981-1,419----2,764-7,164Loans, bills discounted and otherreceivables1,5682,5478,917186,9261,64719,2337,89480,423-309,155Bank acceptances82,764485-533--14,488-18,278Other assets (2)20321,0182,33821240991,40510,64715,820Total on balance sheet Australia10,9205,35851,852189,5772,23019,4737,993115,85510,647413,905Guarantees51917625110--2,335-2,706Loan commitments9078408,26238,09477012,124-24,256-85,253Other commitments1556634692,145--7,689-10,698Total Australia12,0336,21360,924227,7655,25531,5977,993150,13510,647512,562Overseas Credit risk exposures relating to on balance sheet assets:Cash and liquid assets--2,895------2,895Receivables due from otherfinancial institutions--2,104------2,104Assets at fair value throughIncome Statement:Trading823-1,425----971-3,219Insurance (1)394-1,070----510-1,974Other1,069331,204-4029-596-2,971Derivative assets54191,213----607-1,893Available-for-sale investments225-2,031----2,068-4,324Loans, bills discounted and otherreceivables1,2304,8146,74328,81760653254812,779-56,069Bank acceptances----------Other assets (2)23891255351110104339242,160Total on balance sheet Overseas3,8184,95518,81029,35265757155817,96492477,609Guarantees-11-25--69-96Loan commitments2673605412,8841951,141-6,663-12,051Other commitments41186-2--145-275Total Overseas4,1265,31719,43832,2368791,71255824,84192490,031Total gross credit risk16,15911,53080,362260,0016,13433,3098,551174,97611,571602,593Credit risk exposures relating to off balance sheet assets:Credit risk exposures relating to off balance sheet assets:Australia Credit risk exposures relating to on balance sheet assets: 
 
 
 
Note 15 Credit Risk Management (continued) 

 Maximum Exposure to Credit Risk by Industry and Asset Class before Collateral Held or Other Credit Enhancements 

Notes to the Financial Statements 

(1) In most cases the credit risk of insurance assets is borne by policyholders. However, on certain insurance contracts the Group retains exposure to credit risk. 

(2) Other assets predominantly comprises assets which do not give rise to credit exposure, including intangible assets, property, plant and equipment, and defined benefit 

superannuation plan surplus, which are shown in “Other” for the purpose of reconciling to the Balance Sheet. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     145 

BankAt 30 June 2009RealBankRealEstateOtherAgri-& OtherEstateConstr-AssetComm &SovereigncultureFinancialMortgageuctionPersonalFinancingIndust.OtherTotal $M$M$M$M$M$M$M$M$M$MCash and liquid assets--5,238------5,238Receivables due from otherfinancial institutions--8,482------8,482Assets at fair value throughIncome Statement:Trading3,473-14,437----2,287-20,197Insurance (1)----------Other-60-------60Derivative assets2843315,233-43--7,400-22,993Available-for-sale investments7,152-1,384----47,001-55,537Loans, bills discounted and otherreceivables1,5392,5499,492224,8112,27913,4365,40085,275-344,781Bank acceptances72,972327-547--10,873-14,726Other assets (2)2296649,252713171085654,12754,384Total on balance sheet Australia12,6845,680103,845224,8182,88213,4535,508153,4014,127526,398Guarantees6411147-131--2,458-2,811Loan commitments8959792,22546,5991,01915,086-29,644-96,447Other commitments251491-409--2,058-2,597Total Australia13,6686,684106,308271,4174,44128,5395,508187,5614,127628,253Cash and liquid assets--4,446------4,446Receivables due from otherfinancial institutions--5,504------5,504Assets at fair value throughIncome Statement:Trading528------263-791Insurance (1)----------Other----------Derivative assets137-1,860----546-2,543Available-for-sale investments68-1,678----3,376-5,122Loans, bills discounted and otherreceivables97956,5643283554375,502-12,991Bank acceptances----------Other assets (2)43111,4981---497711,669Total on balance sheet Overseas8739631,5503293554379,7367743,066Credit risk exposures relating to off balance sheet assets:Guarantees----------Loan commitments402142-178--5,325-5,606Other commitments-------49-49Total Overseas91311731,59232953343715,1107748,721Total gross credit risk14,5816,801137,900271,7464,97428,5825,515202,6714,204676,974Australia Credit risk exposures relating to on balance sheet assets:Credit risk exposures relating to off balance sheet assets:Overseas Credit risk exposures relating to on balance sheet assets: 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 15 Credit Risk Management (continued) 

 Maximum Exposure to Credit Risk by Industry and Asset Class before Collateral Held or Other Credit Enhancements 

(1) In most cases the credit risk of insurance assets is borne by policyholders. However, on certain insurance contracts the Group retains exposure to credit risk. 

(2) Other assets predominantly comprises assets which do not give rise to credit exposure, including intangible assets, property, plant and equipment, and defined 

benefit superannuation plan surplus, which are shown in “Other” for the purpose of reconciling to the Balance Sheet. 

146     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

BankAt 30 June 2008RealBankRealEstateOtherAgri-& OtherEstateConstr-AssetComm &SovereigncultureFinancialMortgageuctionPersonalFinancingIndust.OtherTotal $M$M$M$M$M$M$M$M$M$MCash and liquid assets--4,609------4,609Receivables due from otherfinancial institutions--4,880------4,880Assets at fair value throughIncome Statement:Trading2,043-12,910----3,504-18,457Insurance (1)----------Other--274------274Derivative assets2041513,560-5--1,996-15,780Available-for-sale investments2,905-1,419----18,635-22,959Loans, bills discounted and otherreceivables1,5682,5468,917184,3261,64619,1832,89780,184-301,267Bank acceptances82,764485-533--14,488-18,278Other assets (2)162629,1731,90717198301,2316,15938,757Total on balance sheet Australia6,7445,35176,227186,2332,20119,3812,927120,0386,159425,261Guarantees6912241-150--3,235-3,707Loan commitments9989133,96940,42884613,357-24,742-85,253Other commitments1566634-2,145--7,757-10,698Total Australia7,9676,28281,071226,6615,34232,7382,927155,7726,159524,919Cash and liquid assets--2,673------2,673Receivables due from otherfinancial institutions--1,851------1,851Assets at fair value throughIncome Statement:Trading453------258-711Insurance (1)----------Other----------Derivative assets49-679----2,779-3,507Available-for-sale investments54-2,017----2,037-4,108Loans, bills discounted and otherreceivables40505,40116424542-4,924-10,866Bank acceptances----------Other assets (2)119,297471-135239,469Total on balance sheet Overseas5975121,91816825243-10,1332333,185Guarantees----------Loan commitments712399-114--5,031-5,617Other commitments--95----13-108Total Overseas6685322,41216836643-15,1772338,910Total gross credit risk8,6356,335103,483226,8295,70832,7812,927170,9496,182563,829Australia Credit risk exposures relating to on balance sheet assets:Credit risk exposures relating to off balance sheet assets:Overseas Credit risk exposures relating to on balance sheet assets:Credit risk exposures relating to off balance sheet assets: 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 15 Credit Risk Management (continued) 

Large Exposures  

Concentrations  of  exposure  to  any  debtor  or  counterparty 
group  are  controlled  by  a  large  credit  exposure  policy,  which 
defines  a  graduated  limit  framework  that  restricts  credit  limits 
based  on  the  internally  assessed  riskiness  of  the  client.  All 
exposures outside the policy require approval by the Executive 
Risk Committee. 

The  following  table  shows  the  aggregated  number  of  the 
Group’s  Corporate  and  Industrial  counterparty  exposures 
(including direct and contingent exposures) which individually 
were  greater  than  5%  of  the  Group’s  capital  resources  (Tier 
One and Tier Two capital): 

The  Group  has  a  good  quality  and  well  diversified  credit 
portfolio, with 55.2% of the gross loans and bills discounted in 
domestic  mortgage  loans  and  a  further  6.5%  in  overseas 
mortgage  loans  primarily  in  New  Zealand.  Overseas  loans 
account for 12.7% of loans and advances at $60.4 billion.  

The  Group  restricts  its  exposure  to  credit  losses  by  entering 
into  master  netting  arrangements  with  counterparties  with 
which it undertakes a significant volume of transactions. Master 
netting  arrangements  do  not  generally  result  in  an  offset  of 
Balance Sheet assets and liabilities as transactions are usually 
settled on a gross basis.  

However, the credit risk associated with favourable contracts is 
reduced by a master netting arrangement to the extent that if 
an  event  of  default  occurs,  all  amounts  with  the  counterparty 
are terminated and settled on a net basis. As at 30 June 2009, 
master  netting  arrangements  reduced  the  credit  risk  of  the 
Group by approximately $10.7 billion (2008: $6.5 billion). 

Derivative financial instruments expose the Group to credit risk 
where there is a positive fair value current. In the case of credit 
derivatives, the Group is also exposed to or protected from the 
risk  of  default  of  the  underlying  entity  referenced  by  the 
derivative.  For  further  information  regarding  derivatives  see 
Notes 11, 41 and 48. 

The Group also nets its credit exposure through the operation 
of certain facilities that allow on balance sheet netting for credit 
management  purposes.  As  at  30  June  2009  these  facilities 
reduced  the  credit  risk  of  the  Group  by  approximately  $14 
billion (2008: $20 billion). 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     147 

Group20092008Industry $M$MAustraliaSovereign1,5391,568Agriculture4,7172,547Bank and other financial9,9008,917Real estate:Mortgage261,504186,926Construction4,0721,647Personal15,14819,233Asset Financing7,9237,894Other commercial and industrial108,57080,423Total Australia413,373309,155OverseasSovereign1,4661,230Agriculture5,4834,814Bank and other financial7,6196,743Real estate:Mortgage30,70228,817Construction635606Personal743532Asset Financing717548Other commercial and industrial13,03412,779Total Overseas60,39956,069Gross loans and other receivables 473,772365,224Provisions for loan impairment and unearned income(7,141)(3,942)Net loans and other receivables 466,631361,282Group200920082007NumberNumberNumber5% to less than 10% of the Group's capital resources11-10% to less than 15% of the Group's capital resources--- 
 
  
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 16 Asset Quality 

The Group administers its credit exposure to Credit Risk Rated 
and  Retail  segments,  as  discussed  in  Note  15,  Credit  Risk 
Management. 

Provisions  for  impairment  of  financial  assets  are  raised  where 
there  is  objective  evidence  of  impairment  and  at  an  amount 
adequate  to  cover  assessed  credit  related  losses.  Credit  Risk 
Rated  portfolios  are  assessed  at  least  at  each  Balance  Sheet 
date for objective evidence that the financial asset or portfolio of 
assets is impaired. 

For further information about the accounting policy for provisions 
for impairment and Group policy for the classification of impaired 
assets see Note 1 (n). 

148     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

GroupBank2009200820092008Distribution of loans by credit quality$M$M$M$MGross loans AustraliaNeither past due nor impaired399,322302,156335,060294,578Past due but not impaired10,6876,3797,7576,096Impaired3,3646201,964593Total Australia413,373309,155344,781301,267OverseasNeither past due nor impaired56,64953,44012,44810,838Past due but not impaired2,9042,566828Impaired84663535-Total Overseas60,39956,06912,99110,866Total gross loans 473,772365,224357,772312,133 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 16 Asset Quality (continued) 

The segmentation of Loans for the retail and risk-rated portfolios 
into  investment,  pass  and  weak  (including  default  grades) 
excluding those past due or impaired, is based on the mapping of 
Probability  of  Default  (PD)  to  Standard  and  Poor’s  ratings, 
reflecting  a  client’s  ability  to  meet  their  credit  obligations.  In 
particular, retail PD pools have been aligned to the Group’s risk-
rated PD grades which are consistent with rating agency views of 
credit quality segmentation. 

Investment  grade  is  representative  of  lower  assessed  default 
probabilities  with  other  classifications  reflecting  progressively 
higher  default  risk.  No  consideration  is  given  to  Loss  Given 
Default  (LGD),  the  impact  of  any  recoveries  or  the  potential 
benefit of mortgage insurance. 

(1) For Housing Loans, PD changes resulted in higher PDs on average and lower grading for Australian housing loans; and lower PDs on average and higher  grading for 

New Zealand housing Loans. 

(1) Certain comparative information has been restated to conform to presentation in the current period. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     149 

Group2009OtherHousingOtherAssetCommercialLoans (1)PersonalFinancingIndustrialTotalLoans which were neither past due nor impaired$M$M$M$M$MCredit GradingAustraliaInvestment128,5841,89959060,257191,330Pass107,6178,8736,75038,598161,838Weak18,3123,2168424,54246,154Total Australia254,51313,9887,424123,397399,322OverseasInvestment20,5096237816,85937,808Pass6,3263803019,53716,544Weak1,410--8872,297Total Overseas28,24544267927,28356,649Total loans which were neither past due nor impaired 282,75814,4308,103150,680455,971Group2008OtherHousingOtherAssetCommercialLoansPersonalFinancingIndustrialTotal$M$M$M$M$MCredit GradingAustralia (1)Investment147,3772,575-53,820203,772Pass31,69613,5837,50037,65590,434Weak3,5832,200-2,1677,950Total Australia182,65618,3587,50093,642302,156OverseasInvestment8,73356-17,06625,855Pass15,7361815288,34124,786Weak2,434--3652,799Total Overseas26,90323752825,77253,440Total loans which were neither past due nor impaired 209,55918,5958,028119,414355,596 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

 Note 16 Asset Quality (continued) 

(1) Certain comparative information has been restated to conform to presentation in the current period. 

150     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

Bank2009OtherHousingOtherAssetCommercialLoansPersonalFinancingIndustrialTotalLoans which were neither past due nor impaired$M$M$M$M$MCredit GradingAustraliaInvestment124,8391,86939358,626185,727Pass89,4278,6724,67637,112139,887Weak4,6931,8501752,7289,446Total Australia218,95912,3915,24498,466335,060OverseasInvestment--110,07810,079Pass1504362,1162,315Weak54---54Total Overseas20443712,19412,448Total loans which were neither past due nor impaired 219,16312,4345,251110,660347,508Bank2008OtherHousingOtherAssetCommercialLoansPersonalFinancingIndustrialTotal$M$M$M$M$MCredit GradingAustralia (1)Investment144,7992,539-53,668201,006Pass31,69613,5672,79137,56985,623Weak3,5832,202-2,1647,949Total Australia180,07818,3082,79193,401294,578OverseasInvestment---9,0589,058Pass13642-1,5351,713Weak---6767Total Overseas13642-10,66010,838Total loans which were neither past due nor impaired 180,21418,3502,791104,061305,416 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 16 Asset Quality (continued) 

Loans may be classed as performing (that is, not impaired) when past due where the Group has not ascertained a doubt as to whether 
full amounts due will be received in a timely manner even though contractual payments are past due or facilities are well secured or 
where matured facilities are in process of renegotiation and remain otherwise performing. 

(1) Collateral held against past due Housing Loans receivables comprises residential and other real estate with an estimated fair value of at least the amounts shown. Other 
Personal receivables are generally unsecured. It has not been practicable to determine the fair value of collateral held against past due Asset Financing and Other 
Commercial/ Industrial receivables. 

(2) Personal loans, credit cards and other personal financing balances are generally unsecured and written off at 180 days past due unless agreements have been made 

with the debtor. If they are not written off, they are classified as impaired. 

(1) Collateral held against past due Housing Loans receivables comprises residential and other real estate with an estimated fair value of at least the amounts shown. Other 
Personal receivables are generally unsecured. It has not been practicable to determine the fair value of collateral held against past due Asset Financing and Other 
Commercial/ Industrial receivables. 

(2) Personal loans, credit cards and other personal financing balances are generally unsecured and written off at 180 days past due unless agreements have been made 

with the debtor. If they are not written off, they are classified as impaired. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     151 

Group2009OtherHousingOtherAssetCommercialLoansPersonal (2)FinancingIndustrialTotal$M$M$M$M$MAustraliaPast due 1 - 29 days3,0716832561,6265,636Past due 30 - 59 days1,349186632031,801Past due 60 - 89 days71110139137988Past due 90 - 179 days808156352071,206Past due 180 days or more75644192371,056Total Australia6,6951,1704122,41010,687OverseasPast due 1 - 29 days1,586215252342,060Past due 30 - 59 days28829719343Past due 60 - 89 days1261729154Past due 90 - 179 days14719315184Past due 180 days or more10819135163Total Overseas2,255299383122,904Total loans which were past due but not impaired 8,9501,4694502,72213,591Loans which were past due but not impaired (1)Group2008OtherHousingOtherAssetCommercialLoansPersonal (2)FinancingIndustrialTotal$M$M$M$M$MAustraliaPast due 1 - 29 days2,1475302198063,702Past due 30 - 59 days822147731131,155Past due 60 - 89 days359742674533Past due 90 - 179 days455992050624Past due 180 days or more3309125365Total Australia4,1138593391,0686,379OverseasPast due 1 - 29 days1,529216142812,040Past due 30 - 59 days21245433294Past due 60 - 89 days7416118109Past due 90 - 179 days421012376Past due 180 days or more196-2247Total Overseas1,876293203772,566Total loans which were past due but not impaired 5,9891,1523591,4458,945Loans which were past due but not impaired (1) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 16 Asset Quality (continued) 

(1) Collateral held against past due Housing Loans receivables comprises residential and other real estate with an estimated fair value of at least the amounts shown. Other 
Personal receivables are generally unsecured. It has not been practicable to determine the fair value of collateral held against past due Asset Financing and Other 
Commercial/ Industrial receivables. 

(2) Personal loans, credit cards and other personal financing balances are generally unsecured and written off at 180 days past due unless agreements have been made 

with the debtor. If they are not written off, they are classified as impaired. 

(1) Collateral held against past due Housing Loans receivables comprises residential and other real estate with an estimated fair value of at least the amounts shown. Other 
Personal receivables are generally unsecured. It has not been practicable to determine the fair value of collateral held against past due Asset Financing and Other 
Commercial/ Industrial receivables. 

(2) Personal loans, credit cards and other personal financing balances are generally unsecured and written off at 180 days past due unless agreements have been made 

with the debtor. If they are not written off, they are classified as impaired. 

152     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

Bank2009OtherHousingOtherAssetCommercialLoansPersonal (2)FinancingIndustrialTotal$M$M$M$M$MAustraliaPast due 1 - 29 days2,592592606183,862Past due 30 - 59 days1,170164241071,465Past due 60 - 89 days607881676787Past due 90 - 179 days6821501266910Past due 180 days or more61544668733Total Australia5,6661,0381189357,757OverseasPast due 1 - 29 days6---6Past due 30 - 59 days-----Past due 60 - 89 days-----Past due 90 - 179 days1---1Past due 180 days or more1---1Total Overseas8---8Total loans which were neither past due but not impaired 5,6741,0381189357,765Loans which were past due but not impaired (1)Bank2008OtherHousingOtherAssetCommercialLoansPersonal (2)FinancingIndustrialTotal$M$M$M$M$MAustraliaPast due 1 - 29 days2,128530398063,503Past due 30 - 59 days820147161131,096Past due 60 - 89 days35874674512Past due 90 - 179 days455991050614Past due 180 days or more3309725371Total Australia4,091859781,0686,096OverseasPast due 1 - 29 days20---20Past due 30 - 59 days6---6Past due 60 - 89 days1---1Past due 90 - 179 days1---1Past due 180 days or more-----Total Overseas28---28Total loans which were neither past due but not impaired 4,119859781,0686,124Loans which were past due but not impaired (1) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 16 Asset Quality (continued) 

Financial assets individually assessed as impaired 

(1) Certain comparative information has been restated to conform to presentation in the current period. 

(1) Certain comparative information has been restated to conform to presentation in the current period. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     153 

Group20092008GrossIndividuallyNetGrossIndividuallyNetImpairedAssessedImpairedImpairedAssessedImpairedAssetsProvisionsAssetsAssetsProvisionsAssets$M$M$M$M$M$MAustralia (1)Loans and other receivables:Housing loans2748219215734123Other personal272341495Asset financing723141551243Other commercial and industrial2,9911,3341,657394193201Financial assets individually assessed as impaired - Australia3,3641,4701,894620248372OverseasLoans and other receivables:Housing loans2031019337730Other personal1-122-Asset financing---12(1)Other commercial and industrial64224939323203Financial assets individually assessed as impaired - Overseas846259587633132Total financial assets individually assessed as impaired4,2101,7292,481683279404Bank20092008GrossIndividuallyNetGrossIndividuallyNetImpairedAssessedImpairedImpairedAssessedImpairedAssetsProvisionsAssetsAssetsProvisionsAssets$M$M$M$M$M$MAustralia (1)Loans and other receivables:Housing loans1864614015734123Other personal7251495Asset financing38231528325Other commercial and industrial1,733771962394192202Financial assets individually assessed as impaired - Australia1,9648421,122593238355OverseasLoans and other receivables:Housing loans116-116---Other personal------Asset financing------Other commercial and industrial419178241---Financial assets individually assessed as impaired - Overseas535178357---Total financial assets individually assessed as impaired2,4991,0201,479593238355 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 16 Asset Quality (continued) 

Assets Acquired through Security Enforcement: 

Impaired Assets by classification 

Impaired Assets in Credit Risk Rated portfolios are assessed  at 
least at each Balance Sheet date for objective evidence that the 
financial asset or portfolio of assets is impaired.  

Impaired financial assets in the Retail segment are those facilities 
that are not well secured and are past due 180 days or more.  

The  Group  applies  APRA’s  prudential  standards  in  classifying 
impaired assets into three categories, comprising:  

Non-Performing Facilities: 

Any credit risk facility against which an individually assessed 
provision for impairment has been raised; and 

Any  credit  risk  facility  where  loss  of  principal  or  interest  is 
anticipated.  

  Other  Real  Estate  Owned,  comprising  real  estate  where 
the Group assumed ownership or foreclosed in settlement 
of a debt; 

  Other  Assets  Acquired  through  Securities  Enforcement, 
comprising assets other than real estate where the Group 
has  assumed  ownership  or  foreclosed  in  settlement  of  a 
debt; and 

  Other real estate owned and other assets acquired through 
security enforcement are sold through the Group’s existing 
disposal  processes.  These  processes  are  generally 
expected to take no longer than six months. 

The Group does not manage credit risk based solely on arrears 
categorisation,  but  also  uses  Credit  Risk  Rating  principles  as 
described in Note 15, Credit Risk Management. 

Restructured Facilities: 

Credit risk facilities on which the original contractual terms have 
been modified due to financial difficulties of the borrower. Interest 
on  these  facilities  is  taken  to  profit  and  loss.  Failure  to  comply 
fully  with 
immediate 
reclassification to non-performing. 

the  modified 

terms  will 

result 

in 

Certain comparative information has been restated to conform to presentation in the current period. 

154     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

Group20092008200720062005$M$M$M$M$MAustraliaNon-Performing loans:Gross balances3,245620398312381Less provisions for impairment(1,470)(248)(86)(75)(82)Net non-performing loans1,775372312237299Restructured loans:Gross balances119----Less provisions for impairment-----Net restructured loans119----Assets Acquired Through Security Enforcement:Gross balances-----Less provisions for impairment-----Net assets acquired through security enforcement-----Net Australia impaired assets1,894372312237299OverseasNon-Performing loans:Gross balances67663231414Less provisions for impairment(259)(31)(14)(5)(13)Net non-performing loans41732991Restructured loans:Gross balances170----Less provisions for impairment-----Net restructured loans170----Assets Acquired Through Security Enforcement:Gross balances-----Less provisions for impairment-----Net assets acquired through security enforcement-----Net Overseas impaired assets58732991Total net impaired assets2,481404321246300 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 16 Asset Quality (continued) 

Movement in Impaired Asset Balances 

Impaired Assets by Industry and Status 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     155 

GroupAustraliaOverseasTotalAustraliaOverseasTotal200920092009200820082008$M$M$M$M$M$MNon-Performing Loans by Size of LoanLess than $1 million49317266518939228$1 million to $10 million8431711,01417524199Greater than $10 million2,0285032,531256-256Total3,3648464,21062063683Group20092008200720062005Gross Impaired Assets$M$M$M$M$MGross impaired assets - opening balance683421326395363Acquisitions770----New and increased4,3741,104928745769Balances written off(1,056)(470)(482)(450)(350)Returned to performing or repaid(561)(372)(351)(364)(387)Gross impaired assets - closing balance4,210683421326395Group2009GrossIndividuallyImpairedAssessedNet ImpairedNetLoansAssetsProvisionsAssetsWrite-offsRecoveriesWrite-offsIndustry $M$M$M$M$M$M$MAustraliaSovereign1,539------Agriculture4,717255771782(1)1Bank and other financial9,90066539327284(1)83Real estate:Mortgage261,5042748219236(1)35Construction4,0722391041354-4Personal15,14827234496(52)444Asset Financing7,92372314158(5)53Other commercial and industrial108,5701,8327601,072255(10)245Total Australia413,3733,3641,4701,894935(70)865OverseasSovereign1,466------Agriculture5,48360951---Bank and other financial7,619322158164112-112Real estate:Mortgage30,7022031019318-18Construction635---4-4Personal7431-114(3)11Asset Financing717------Other commercial and industrial13,0342608217860-60Total Overseas 60,399846259587208(3)205Gross balances 473,7724,2101,7292,4811,143(73)1,070 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 16 Asset Quality (continued) 

Impaired Assets by Industry and Status 
t (continued) 

Note 17 Shares in and Loans to Controlled Entities 

The above amounts are expected to be recovered after twelve months of the Balance Sheet date. 

A list of the Group’s controlled entities is provided in Note 43 Controlled Entities. 

156     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

Group2008GrossIndividuallyImpairedAssessedNet ImpairedNetLoansAssetsProvisionsAssetsWrite-offsRecoveriesWrite-offsIndustry $M$M$M$M$M$M$MAustraliaSovereign1,568------Agriculture2,547154113-3Bank and other financial8,9175827315-5Real estate:Mortgage186,9261573412323(1)22Construction1,647111101(1)-Personal19,2331495364(61)303Asset Financing7,89455124349(5)44Other commercial and industrial80,42331016114934(5)29Total Australia309,155620248372479(73)406OverseasSovereign1,230------Agriculture4,8141-1---Bank and other financial6,74344-4-4Real estate:Mortgage28,817377301-1Construction60638(5)1-1Personal53222-13(3)10Asset Financing54812(1)---Other commercial and industrial12,77915875(1)4Total Overseas 56,06963313224(4)20Gross balances 365,224683279404503(77)426Bank20092008$M$MShares in controlled entities21,31923,676Loans to controlled entities33,35213,796Total shares in and loans to controlled entities54,67137,472 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 18 Property, Plant and Equipment 

(1) Assets held for sale are separately disclosed in Note 21. 

The majority of the above amounts have expected useful lives longer than twelve months after the Balance Sheet date. 

Land and buildings are carried at fair value based on independent valuations performed in 2009, refer Note 1 (s). Under the cost model 
these assets would have been recognised at the carrying amount outlined in the table below. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     157 

GroupBank2009200820092008$M$M$M$MLand and BuildingsLandAt 30 June 2009 valuation277-198-At 30 June 2008 valuation-258-232Closing balance277258198232BuildingsAt 30 June 2009 valuation395-318-At 30 June 2008 valuation-341-312Closing balance395341318312Total land and buildings 672599516544Leasehold ImprovementsAt cost1,147941934819Provision for depreciation(551)(475)(449)(424)Investment and restructuring-(18)-(18)Closing balance596448485377EquipmentAt cost1,305936750663Provision for depreciation(878)(578)(479)(381)Closing balance427358271282Assets under LeaseAt cost866290331152Provision for depreciation(89)(55)(31)(19)Closing balance777235300133Total property, plant and equipment (1)2,4721,6401,5721,336GroupBank2009200820092008$M$M$M$MCarrying Amount of Land and Buildings under the Cost Model:Land13611774108Buildings298244235229Total land and buildings434361309337 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 18 Property, Plant and Equipment (continued) 

Reconciliation of movements in the carrying amount of Property, Plant and Equipment 

158     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

GroupBank2009200820092008Reconciliation$M$M$M$MLandOpening balance258215232193Acquisitions attributed to business combinations477--Transfers to assets held for sale(8)-(8)-Disposals(1)(2)(1)(1)Net revaluations(20)41(24)40Foreign currency translation adjustment1(3)(1)-Closing balance277258198232BuildingsOpening balance341361312333Acquisitions35353033Acquisitions attributed to business combinations552--Transfers to assets held for sale(1)-(2)-Disposals(1)(7)(1)(6)Net revaluations(6)(19)3(21)Depreciation(29)(27)(26)(26)Foreign currency translation adjustment1(4)2(1)Closing balance395341318312Leasehold ImprovementsOpening balance448381377304Acquisitions193170179150Acquisitions attributed to business combinations47---Disposals(6)(6)(4)(7)Net revaluations(2)(2)--Depreciation(85)(63)(68)(52)Investment and restructuring-(18)-(18)Foreign currency translation adjustment1(14)1-Closing balance596448485377EquipmentOpening balance358326282240Acquisitions148174101135Acquisitions attributed to business combinations76---Disposals/transfers(5)(17)(5)(11)Depreciation(151)(115)(106)(82)Foreign currency translation adjustment1(10)(1)-Closing balance427358271282Assets Under LeaseOpening balance23515313342Acquisitions611103189103Disposals/transfers(4)(1)(4)(1)Net revaluations(2)---Depreciation(37)(20)(18)(11)Foreign currency translation adjustment(26)---Closing balance777235300133 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 19 Intangible Assets 

(1) Core deposits represents the value of the Bankwest deposit base compared to the avoided cost of alternative funding sources such as securitisation and wholesale 

funding. This asset has a useful life of seven years based on the weighted average attrition rates of the Bankwest deposit portfolio. 

(2)  Management  fee  rights  have  an  indefinite  useful  life  under  the  contractual  terms  of  the  management  agreements  and  are  subject  to  an  annual  valuation  for 

impairment testing purposes. No impairment was required as a result of this valuation. 

(3) Brand names represents the value of royalty costs foregone by the Group through acquiring the Bankwest brand name. The royalty costs that would have been 
incurred by an entity using the Bankwest brand name are based on an annual percentage of income generated by Bankwest. This asset has an indefinite useful life, 
so is not subject to amortisation. 

(4)  Other  includes  $38  million  for  the  value  of  credit  card  relationships  acquired  from  Bankwest.  This  value  represents  future  net  income  generated  from  the 

relationships that existed at Balance Sheet date. The asset has a useful life of ten years based on the attrition rates of the Bankwest credit cardholders. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     159 

GroupBank2009200820092008$M$M$M$MIntangible AssetsGoodwill7,4737,4842,5222,522Computer software costs673353579304Core deposits (1)460---Management fee rights (2)311311--Brand name (3)186---Other (4)142110--Total intangible assets9,2458,2583,1012,826GoodwillPurchased goodwill7,4847,4842,5222,522Accumulated impairment(11)---Total goodwill7,4737,4842,5222,522Computer Software CostsCost1,085629823560Accumulated amortisation(373)(199)(205)(191)Accumulated impairment(39)(77)(39)(65)Total computer software costs673353579304Core Deposits (1)Cost495---Accumulated amortisation(35)---Total core deposits460---Management Fee Rights (2)Cost311311--Total management fee rights311311--Brand Name (3)Cost186---Total brand name186---Other (4)Cost210159--Accumulated amortisation(68)(49)--Total other142110--Goodwill Opening balance7,4847,1632,5222,522Additions-323--Disposals-(2)--Impairment(11)---Total goodwill 7,4737,4842,5222,522Computer Software CostsOpening balance353297304262Additions:From acquisitions120904489From internal development35213131994Amortisation(122)(88)(88)(76)Impairment(30)(77)-(65)Total computer software costs673353579304 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 19 Intangible Assets (continued) 

Segment Allocation of Goodwill 

(1) The allocation to Retail Banking Services includes goodwill related to the acquisitions of Colonial and State Bank of Victoria. 

(2) The allocation to Wealth Management principally relates to the goodwill on acquisition of Colonial. 

Impairment Tests for Goodwill and Intangible Assets with Indefinite Lives 

To  assess  whether  goodwill  is  impaired,  the  carrying  amount  of  a  cash  generating  unit  is  compared  to  the  recoverable  amount, 
determined  based  on  net  selling  price  less  costs  to  sell,  using  an  earnings  multiple  applicable  to  that  type  of  business,  or  actuarial 
assessment. 

Key Assumptions Used in Selling Price less Cost to Sell Calculations 

Earnings  multiples  relating  to  the  Group’s  Banking  (Retail 
Banking  Services,  Business  and  Private  Banking  and 
International Financial Services) and Wealth Management cash-
generating  units  are  sourced  from  publicly  available  data 
associated  with  valuations  performed  on  recent  businesses 
displaying similar  characteristics  to  those  cash-generating  units, 
and are applied to current earnings. 

The New Zealand Life Insurance component of the International 
Financial Services cash-generating unit is valued via an actuarial 
assessment. 

The  key  assumptions  used  when  completing  the  actuarial 
assessment  include  new  business  multiples,  discount  rates, 
investment market returns, mortality, morbidity, persistency and 
expense inflation. These have been determined by reference to 
historical  company  and 
industry  experience  and  publicly 
available data. 

160     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

GroupBank2009200820092008$M$M$M$MCore DepositsOpening balance----Additions: From acquisitions495---Amortisation(35)---Total core deposits460---Management Fee RightsOpening balance311311--Total management fee rights311311--Brand NameOpening balance----Additions: From acquisitions186---Total brand name186---OtherOpening balance11064-4Additions:From acquisitions 5164--Disposals-(3)-(3)Amortisation(19)(15)-(1)Total other142110--Group20092008Segment$M$MRetail Banking Services (1)4,1494,149Business and Private Banking297297Wealth Management (2)2,3582,358International Financial Services669680Total7,4737,484 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 20 Other Assets 

Other than the defined benefit superannuation plan surplus, the above amounts are expected to be recovered within twelve months of 
the Balance Sheet date. 

Note 21 Assets Held for Sale 

(1) During the year ended 30 June 2007 the Group purchased, through Colonial First State, a 32% stake in AWG plc. The stake was acquired through the purchase of 

preference shares and Eurobonds that on acquisition were classified as Assets held for sale ($1.3 billion) based on the Group’s intention to dispose of its holding into 
Australian and European based infrastructure funds within 12 months. Since acquisition the Group has sold down $1.0 billion worth of AWG related Eurobonds and 
preference shares.  

(1) During the year ended 30 June 2008 the Group purchased, through Colonial First State, a 50% stake in ENW Ltd. The stake was acquired through the purchase of 

preference shares and Eurobonds that on acquisition were classified as Assets held for sale ($616 million) based on the Group’s intention to dispose of its holding into 
Australian and European based infrastructure funds within 12 months. Since acquisition the Group has sold down $200 million worth of ENW related Eurobonds and 
preference shares.  

(1) Until sold, the Eurobonds are being measured on the same basis as Loans, bills discounted and other receivables, while the preference shares are being measured on 

the same basis as Available-for-sale investments.  

(2) Impairments were recognised on Assets held for sale of $75 million during the year ended 30 June 2009 (30 June 2008: nil). These impairments are  included  in Funds 

management and investment contract income-other for the Group and net gain/(loss) on Other non-trading instruments for the Bank. 

Note 22 Deposits and Other Public Borrowings 

(1) Expected to be settled within twelve months of the Balance Sheet date. 

(2) Expected to be settled after twelve months of the Balance Sheet date. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     161 

GroupBank2009200820092008Note$M$M$M$MAccrued interest receivable1,5791,9041,5502,067Defined benefit superannuation plan surplus424951,5364951,536Accrued fees/reimbursements receivable943985214387Securities sold not delivered1,277766628325Intragroup current tax receivable--100419Current tax assets7750--Other1,6991,251879635Total other assets6,0706,4923,8665,369GroupBank2009200820092008$M$M$M$MAvailable-for-sale investments (1)373406228262Loans, bills discounted and other receivables (1)180191130139Land and Buildings12111211Total assets held for sale (2)565608370412GroupBank2009200820092008$M$M$M$MAustraliaCertificates of deposit56,73536,98157,26636,981Term deposits95,12671,63778,20570,858On demand and short term deposits (1)157,433117,712136,501118,270Deposits not bearing interest (2)7,1356,1426,7326,194Securities sold under agreements to repurchase (1)8,4131,4628,4131,462Total Australia324,842233,934287,117233,765OverseasCertificates of deposit9,9604,1399,4684,139Term deposits22,51715,6878,3772,679On demand and short term deposits (1)9,7608,351203159Deposits not bearing interest (2)1,4811,46852Securities sold under agreements to repurchase (1)161127-127Total Overseas43,87929,77218,0537,106Total deposits and other public borrowings368,721263,706305,170240,871 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 22 Deposits and Other Public Borrowings (continued) 

Maturity Distribution of Certificates of Deposit and Time Deposits 

 (1) All certificates of deposit issued by the Bank are for amounts greater than $100,000. 

Note 23 Payables due to Other Financial Institutions 

The majority of the above amounts are expected to be settled within twelve months of the Balance Sheet date. 

Note 24 Liabilities at Fair Value through Income Statement  

(1) Designated at Fair Value through Income Statement at inception as they are managed by the Group on a fair value basis. Designating these liabilities at Fair 

Value through Income Statement has also eliminated an accounting mismatch created by measuring assets and liabilities on a different basis. 

Of the above amounts, trading liabilities are expected to be settled within twelve months of the Balance Sheet date for the Group 
and the Bank. The majority of the other amounts are expected to be settled within twelve months of the Balance Sheet date for the 
Group and after twelve months of the Balance sheet date for the Bank. 

The change in fair value for those liabilities designated as Fair Value through Income Statement due to credit risk for the Group is a 
$4 million loss (2008: $22 million gain) and for the Bank is a $3 million gain (2008: $15 million gain), which has been calculated by 
determining the changes in credit spread implicit in the fair value of the instruments issued. The cumulative change in fair value due 
to changes in credit risk for the Group and the Bank is consistent with the combined amounts disclosed for the period, as changes 
prior to 30 June 2008 did not have a material impact on the Group or the Bank. 

The amount that would be contractually required to be paid at maturity to the holders of the financial liabilities designated at Fair 
Value through Income Statement for the Group is a $46 million decrement (2008: $267 million increment) and for the Bank is a $21 
million decrement (2008: nil). 

162     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

GroupAt 30 June 2009Maturing Maturing Maturing Maturing ThreeBetweenBetweenafterMonths orThree &Six & TwelveTwelveLessSix MonthsMonthsMonthsTotal$M$M$M$M$MAustraliaCertificates of deposit (1)34,9867,9531,11512,68156,735Time deposits67,5487,28415,1755,11995,126Total Australia102,53415,23716,29017,800151,861OverseasCertificates of deposit (1)5,2393,4501,232399,960Time deposits14,2463,2303,2181,82322,517Total Overseas19,4856,6804,4501,86232,477Total certificates of deposits and time deposits122,01921,91720,74019,662184,338GroupBank2009200820092008$M$M$M$MAustralia5,9814,3905,9544,391Overseas9,12813,2828,98813,234Total payables due to other financial institutions15,10917,67214,94217,625GroupBank2009200820092008$M$M$M$MDeposits and other borrowings (1)4,8164,586--Debt instruments (1)9,2029,0479071,037Trading liabilities2,5781,8932,5781,893Total liabilities at fair value through Income Statement16,59615,5263,4852,930 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 25 Income Tax Liability  

Note 26 Other Provisions 

Other than annual leave and the restructuring provision, the above amounts are expected to be settled after twelve months of the 
Balance Sheet date. 

      Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     163 

GroupBank2009200820092008$M$M$M$MAustraliaCurrent tax liability767696770707Deferred tax liability (Note 5)---17Total Australia767696770724OverseasCurrent tax liability11672651Deferred tax liability (Note 5)168266402Total Overseas2843381053Total income tax liability1,0511,034875727GroupBank2009200820092008Note$M$M$M$MProvision for:Long service leave346299317292Annual leave239205196185Other employee entitlements68696866Restructuring costs182284148284General insurance claims185117--Self insurance/non-lending losses56645464Dividends6185185Other14913111287Total other provisions1,2431,174913983GroupBank2009200820092008Reconciliation$M$M$M$MRestructuring costs:Opening balance2842628426Additional provisions8728240282Amounts utilised during the year(189)(24)(176)(24)Closing balance182284148284General insurance claims:Opening balance11794--Additional provisions15780--Amounts utilised during the year(89)(57)--Closing balance185117--Self insurance/non-lending losses:Opening balance64836482Additional provisions69510Acquisitions1---Amounts utilised during the year(15)(28)(15)(28)Closing balance56645464Other:Opening balance1311078799Additional provisions3888331137Acquisitions16---Amounts utilised during the year(386)(59)(286)(49)Closing balance14913111287 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 26 Other Provisions (continued) 

Provision Commentary 

Restructuring costs 

Provisions are for amounts expected to be utilised in the short 
to medium term. 

At  30  June  2009  the  Group  had  recognised  a  provision  for 
Investment and restructuring of $57 million relating to costs for 
integration of Bankwest.  

General Insurance Claims 

This  provision  is to cover  future claims on  general insurance 
contracts that have been incurred but not reported. 

Self Insurance and Non-Lending Losses 

This  provision  covers  certain  non-transferred  insurance  risk 
and  non-lending  losses.  The  self  insurance  provision  is 
reassessed annually in consultation with actuarial advice. 

Note 27 Debt Issues 

The  Bank’s  debt  issues  include  a  Euro  Medium  Term  Note 
program  under  which  it  may  issue  notes  up  to  an  aggregate 
amount  outstanding  of  USD  70  billion.  The  Bank  also  has  a 
U.S.  Medium  Term  Note  program  under  which  it  may  issue 
notes  up  to  an  aggregate  amount  outstanding  of  USD  15 
billion.  Notes  issued  under  debt  programs  are  both  fixed  and 
variable  rate.  Interest  rate  risk  associated  with  the  notes  is 
incorporated within the Bank’s interest rate risk framework. 

Subsequent  to  30  June  2009,  notable  debt  issuances  of  the 
Bank under these specified programs include: 

  USD  medium  term  notes:  between  one  and  five  years  – 

USD 2,736 million (AUD 3,366 million);  

  USD  extendible  notes  –  USD  1,000  million  (AUD  1,230 

million); 

  EUR medium term notes greater than five years EUR1,000 

million (AUD 1,738 million); and 

  AUD  medium  term  notes:  between  one  and  five  years  – 

AUD 2,705 million.  

Where  any  debt  issue  is  booked  in  an  offshore  branch  or 
subsidiary,  the  amounts  have  first  been  converted  into  the 
functional  currency  of  the  branch  at  a  branch  defined 
exchange  rate,  before  being  converted 
the  AUD 
equivalent. 

into 

Where proceeds have been employed in currencies other than 
that  of  the  ultimate  repayment  liability,  swaps  or  other  risk 
management arrangements have been entered into. 

164     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

GroupBank2009200820092008$M$M$M$MShort term debt issues39,58635,87715,85216,208Long term debt issues62,23349,94047,04239,570Total debt issues101,81985,81762,89455,778Short Term Debt IssuesAUD Commercial Paper2581,02494265USD Commercial Paper20,41914,1161,3671,861EUR Commercial Paper566622262622Other Currency Commercial Paper60941695416Long Term Debt Issues with less than one year to maturity17,73419,69914,03413,044Total short term debt issues39,58635,87715,85216,208Long Term Debt IssuesUSD Medium Term Notes23,22119,06519,32916,101AUD Medium Term Notes12,27310,2325,0234,891NZD Medium Term Notes1,16343826854JPY Medium Term Notes9,4896,4639,4896,347GBP Medium Term Notes2,1163,4822,0213,482EUR Medium Term Notes8,9716,4786,0264,913Other Currencies Medium Term Notes4,8513,6304,7383,630Offshore Loans (all JPY)149152148152Total long term debt issues62,23349,94047,04239,570Maturity Distribution of Debt IssuesLess than three months23,88321,7575,0656,664Between three months to 12 months15,70314,12010,7879,544Between one year and five years52,89935,23438,60326,459Greater than five years9,33414,7068,43913,111Total debt issues101,81985,81762,89455,778 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 27 Debt Issues (continued) 

Short Term Borrowings  

The following table analyses the Group’s short term borrowings for the financial years ended 30 June 2009, 2008 and 2007. 

(1) The amount outstanding at period end is measured at amortised cost. 

(2)  The  maximum  and  average  amounts  over  the  period  are  reported  on  a face value  basis  because  the  carrying  values  of these  amounts  are  not  available.  Any 

differences between face value and carrying value would not be material given the short term nature of the borrowings. 

      Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     165 

Group200920082007USD Commercial PaperOutstanding at period end (1)20,41914,1167,793Maximum amount outstanding at any month end (2)23,42814,69310,438Approximate average amount outstanding (2)15,99511,0007,953Approximate weighted average interest rate on:Average amount outstanding1.6%4.2%5.3%Outstanding at period end0.4%2.6%5.3%EUR Commercial PaperOutstanding at period end (1)5666221,581Maximum amount outstanding at any month end (2)6921,5891,581Approximate average amount outstanding (2)536885940Approximate weighted average interest rate on:Average amount outstanding0.7%4.4%4.2%Outstanding at period end0.6%4.3%4.7%AUD Commercial PaperOutstanding at period end (1)2581,0243,955Maximum amount outstanding at any month end (2)1,0592,5889,619Approximate average amount outstanding (2)3951,4307,413Approximate weighted average interest rate on:Average amount outstanding6.7%7.0%6.3%Outstanding at period end3.2%7.9%6.4%Other Currency Commercial PaperOutstanding at period end (1)609416-Maximum amount outstanding at any month end (2)1,2571,525-Approximate average amount outstanding (2)907827-Approximate weighted average interest rate on:Average amount outstanding0.8%4.7%-Outstanding at period end0.7%7.0%-(AUD millions, except where indicated)CurrencyAs AtAs At30 June30 JuneExchange Rates Utilised (End of day, Sydney time)20092008AUD 1.00  =USD0.812870.96560EUR0.575510.61127GBP0.486160.48410JPY77.64500102.07000NZD1.243001.26310HKD6.299937.53230CAD0.936650.97340CHF0.877730.98210ILS3.186463.22980SGD1.176211.31450 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 27 Debt Issues (continued) 

Guarantee Arrangements 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia 

Australian Government Guarantee Scheme for Large Deposits 
and Wholesale Funding (Guarantee Scheme) 

The Bank may issue debt under its programs which have the benefit of a 
guarantee by the Australian Government announced on 12 October 2008.  

Arrangements  are  provided  in  a  Deed  of  Guarantee  dated  20  November 
2008,  Scheme  Rules  which  detail  the  eligibility  criteria  and  application 
process for how Authorised Deposit taking Institutions (of which the Bank is 
one)  may  apply  for  the  Australian  Government  Guarantee  under  the 
Scheme  and  in  additional  documentation  for  offers  to  residents  of  the 
United States of America and other jurisdictions.  

The  text  of  the  Australian  Government  Guarantee, 
the  Australian 
Government  Guarantee  Scheme  Rules  and  related  documents  can  be 
found  at 
the  Australian  Government  Guarantee  website  at 
www.guaranteescheme.gov.au. 

Fees  are  payable  in  relation  to  the  Guarantee  Scheme,  calculated  by 
reference  to  the  term  and  amount  of  the  liabilities  guaranteed  and  the 
Bank’s credit rating. 

 Guarantee under the Commonwealth Bank Sale Act 

Historically,  the  due  payment  of  all  monies  payable  by  the  Bank  was 
guaranteed  by  the  Commonwealth  of  Australia  under  section  117  of  the 
Commonwealth Banks Act 1959 (as amended) at 30 June 1996. With the 
sale of the Commonwealth’s shareholding in the Bank this guarantee has 
been  progressively  phased  out  under  transitional  arrangements  found  in 
the Commonwealth Bank Sale Act 1995. 

Note 28 Managed Funds Units on Issue 

Demand  deposits  are  no  longer  guaranteed  by  the 
Commonwealth  under  this  guarantee.  However,  term 
deposits  outstanding  at  19  July  1999  and  debt  issues 
payable by the Bank under a contract entered into prior to 
19  July  1996  and  outstanding  at  19  July  1999  remain 
guaranteed until maturity. 

State Bank of NSW (also known as Colonial State 
Bank) 

New South Wales legislation provides, in general terms, for 
a  guarantee  by  the  NSW  Government  of  all  funding 
liabilities  and  off-balance  sheet  products  (other  than 
demand deposits) incurred or issued prior to 31 December 
1997  by  the  State  Bank  of  New  South  Wales  (SBNSW) 
until  maturity  and  a  guarantee  for  demand  deposits 
accepted  by  SBNSW  up  to  31  December  1997.  Other 
obligations  incurred  before  31  December  1994  are  also 
their  maturity.  On  4  June  2001 
guaranteed 
Commonwealth Bank of Australia became the successor in 
law to SBNSW pursuant to the Financial Sector Transfer of 
Business  Act  1999.  The  NSW  Government  guarantee  of 
the  liabilities  and  products  as  described  above  continues 
unchanged by the succession. 

to 

Guarantee under the Bank of Western Australia Act  

the 

financial  obligations 

Western Australian State Government legislation provides, 
in  general  terms,  for  a  guarantee  by  the  WA  State 
(including 
Government  of 
contingent liabilities) of Bankwest as at 1 December 1995, 
subject  to  certain  phase  out  conditions.  The  WA  State 
Government  guarantee  does  not  apply  to  Bankwest 
transactions  after  1  December  1995.  Demand  deposits 
accepted  by  Bankwest  prior  to  1  December  1995  are  no 
longer guaranteed by the WA State Government under the 
guarantee, but term securities existing at that date remain 
guaranteed until maturity. Certain other obligations incurred 
before 1 December 1995 also continue to be guaranteed. 

Managed funds units on issue represents the liability to minority interest unit holders in funds which have been consolidated by the Group.  

166     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

GroupBank2009200820092008$M$M$M$MManaged Funds Units on Issue9141,109-- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 29 Bills Payable and Other Liabilities 

Other than the defined benefit superannuation plan deficit, the above amounts are expected to be settled within twelve months of the 
Balance Sheet date. 

Note 30 Loan Capital (1) 

(1) Effective yield adjustments have been included in the carrying values of the issues. 

      Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     167 

GroupBank2009200820092008Note$M$M$M$MBills payable975884786653Accrued interest payable2,3442,3971,5742,161Accrued fees and other items payable1,6041,4261,014773Defined benefit superannuation plan deficit4286658665Securities purchased not delivered1,1241,018574533Other liabilities2,3871,7343,9352,116Total bills payable and other liabilities8,5207,5247,9696,301GroupBankCurrency 2009200820092008Amount (M)Footnotes$M$M$M$MTier One Loan CapitalExchangeableFRNUSD 38(2)46394639ExchangeableFRNUSD 64(3)79667966UndatedFRNUSD 100(4)123104123104UndatedTPSUSD 550(5)676569679569UndatedPERLS IIAUD 750(6)-749-749UndatedPERLS IIIAUD 1,166(7)1,1521,1511,1521,151UndatedPERLS IVAUD 1,465(8)1,4511,4471,4511,447UndatedTPSUSD 700(9)--857718Total Tier One loan capital3,5274,1254,3874,843Tier Two Loan CapitalAUD demoninated(10)2,0982,0982,0982,098USD demoninated(11)2,8982,4392,8982,439JPY denominated(12)1,115732966732GBP denominated(13)306307306307NZD denominated(14)738726279277EUR denominated(14)521490521490CAD denominated(14)639614639614Total Tier Two loan capital8,3157,4067,7076,957Fair value hedge adjustments1972880(180)Total loan capital12,03911,55912,17411,620 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 30 Loan Capital (continued) 

(5) TPS 2003 

(2) USD 300 million undated Floating Rate Notes (FRNs) issued 
11 July 1988 exchangeable into dated FRNs. 

Outstanding notes at 30 June 2009 were: 

Undated:   

USD 37.5 million 

(3)  USD  400  million  undated  FRNs  issued  22  February  1989 
exchangeable into dated FRNs.  

Outstanding notes at 30 June 2009 were: 

Due February 2011:   

USD 64 million 

(4) USD 100 million undated capital notes issued on 15 October 
1986.  

The  Bank  has  entered  into  separate  agreements  with  the 
Commonwealth of Australia relating to each of the above issues 
(the “Agreements”) which qualify the issues as Tier One capital.  

The  Agreements  provide  that,  upon  the  occurrence  of  certain 
events listed below, the Bank may issue either fully paid ordinary 
shares to the Commonwealth of Australia or (with the consent of 
the  Commonwealth  of  Australia)  rights  to  all  shareholders  to 
subscribe for fully paid ordinary shares up to an amount equal to 
the  outstanding  principal  value  of  the  relevant  note  issue  or 
issues plus any interest paid in respect of the notes for the most 
recent  financial  year  and  accrued  interest.  The  issue  price  of 
such  shares  will  be  determined  by  reference  to  the  prevailing 
market price for the Bank’s shares. 

Any one or more of the following events may trigger the issue of 
shares to the Commonwealth of Australia or a rights issue: 

  A  relevant  event  of  default  (discussed  below)  occurs  in 
respect of a note issue and the Trustee of the relevant notes 
gives notice to the Bank that the notes are immediately due 
and payable; 

  The most recent audited annual Financial Statements of the 

Group show a loss (as defined in the Agreements); 

  The  Bank  does  not  declare  a  dividend  in  respect  of  its 

ordinary shares; 

  The Bank, if required by the Commonwealth of Australia and 
subject to the agreement of the APRA, exercises its option to 
redeem a note issue; or 

In respect of Undated FRNs which have been exchanged to 
Dated FRNs, the Dated FRNs mature. 

Any payment made by the Commonwealth of Australia pursuant 
to its guarantee  in respect  of the  relevant  notes  will trigger the 
issue of shares to the Commonwealth of Australia to the value of 
such payment. 

The  relevant  events  of default differ  depending  on  the  relevant 
Agreement. In summary, they cover events such as failure of the 
Bank to meet its monetary obligation in respect of the relevant 
notes;  the  insolvency  of  the  Bank;  any  law  being  passed  to 
dissolve  the  Bank  or  the  Bank  ceasing  to  carry  on  general 
Banking  business  in  Australia;  and  the  Commonwealth  of 
Australia ceasing to guarantee the relevant notes. In relation to 
Dated  FRNs  which  have  matured  to  date,  the  Bank  and  the 
Commonwealth  agreed  to  amend  the  relevant  Agreement  to 
reflect that the Commonwealth of Australia was not called upon 
to subscribe for fully paid ordinary shares up to an amount equal 
to the principal value of the maturing FRNs. 

Each trust  preferred security  represents  a beneficial  ownership 
interest  in the  assets  of  CBA  Capital  Trust. The sole  assets of 
CBA Capital Trust are the funding preferred securities issued by 
CBA  Funding  Trust,  which  represent  preferred  beneficial 
ownership interests in the assets of CBA Funding Trust, and a 
limited  CBA  guarantee.  The  securities  qualify  as  innovative 
residual Tier One capital of the Bank. 

CBA Funding Trust applied all of the proceeds from the sale of 
the  funding  preferred  securities  to  purchase  the  convertible 
notes from the Bank’s New Zealand Branch. 

The  trust  preferred  securities  provide  for  a  semi-annual  cash 
distribution  in  arrears  at  the  annual  rate  of  5.805%.  The 
distributions on the trust preferred securities are non-cumulative. 
CBA  Capital  Trust’s  ability  to  pay  distributions  on  the  trust 
preferred  securities  is  ultimately  dependent  upon  the  ability  of 
CBA to make interest payments on the convertible notes. 

The Bank’s New Zealand branch will make interest payments on 
the convertible notes only if and when declared by the Board of 
Directors of CBA. The Board of Directors is not permitted, unless 
approved by APRA, to declare interest. 

If  interest  is  not  paid  on  the  convertible  notes  on  an  interest 
payment date, holders will not receive a distribution on the trust 
preferred securities and, unless at the time of the non-payment 
the Bank  is  prevented  by  applicable  law  from  issuing the  CBA 
preference  shares,  convertible  notes  will  automatically  convert 
into  CBA  preference  shares,  which  will  result  in  mandatory 
redemption of trust preferred securities for American Depository 
Shares (“ADS”). 

No  later  than  35  business  days  prior  period  to  June  30,  2015, 
holders  may  deliver  a  notice  to  CBA  requiring  it  to  exchange 
each trust preferred security for CBA ordinary shares. The Bank 
may satisfy the obligation to deliver ordinary shares in exchange 
for  the  trust  preferred  securities  by  either  delivering  the 
applicable  number  of  ordinary  shares  or  by  arranging  for  the 
sale  of  the  trust  preferred  securities  at  par  and  delivering  the 
proceeds  to  the  holder.  Subject  to  the  approval  of  APRA, 
holders may  exchange  trust  preferred  securities  for the  Bank’s 
ordinary shares earlier than June 30, 2015 if, prior to that date, a 
takeover bid or scheme of arrangement in relation to a takeover 
has occurred. 

If CBA Capital Trust is liquidated, dissolved or wound up and its 
assets  are  distributed,  for  each  trust  preferred  security  owned, 
the holder is entitled to receive the stated liquidation amount of 
U.S. $1,000, plus the accrued but unpaid distribution for the then 
current  distribution  period.  Holders  may  not  receive  the  full 
amount  payable  on  liquidation  if  CBA  Capital  Trust  does  not 
have enough funds. 

The  trustees  of  CBA  Capital  Trust  can  elect  to  dissolve  CBA 
Capital Trust and distribute the funding preferred securities if at 
any time certain changes in tax law or other tax-related events or 
the specified changes in U.S. investment Company law occur. 

Neither  the  trust  preferred  securities  nor  the  funding  preferred 
securities can be redeemed at the option of their holders. Other 
than  in  connection  with  an  acceleration  of  the  principal  of  the 
convertible  notes  upon  the  occurrence  of  an  event  of  default, 
neither  the  trust  preferred  securities  nor  the  funding  preferred 
securities are repayable in cash unless the Bank’s New Zealand 
branch, at its sole option, redeems the convertible notes. 

168     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note 30 Loan Capital (continued) 

The  Bank’s  New  Zealand  branch  may  redeem  the  convertible 
notes for cash: before 30 June 2015, in whole, but not in part, 
and only if the specified changes in tax law or other tax-related 
events, the specified changes in U.S. investment Company law 
and‚  changes  in  the  "Tier  One''  regulatory  capital  treatment  of 
the convertible notes, or certain corporate transactions involving 
a  takeover  bid  or  a  scheme  of  arrangement  in  relation  to  a 
takeover  described  in  this  offering  memorandum  occur;  and  at 
any  time  on  or  after  30  June  2015.  The  Bank’s  New  Zealand 
branch  must  first  obtain  the  approval  of  APRA  to  redeem  the 
convertible notes for cash. 

CBA guarantees: 

  Semi-annual distributions on the funding preferred securities 
by  CBA  Funding  Trust  to  CBA  Capital  Trust  to  the  extent 
CBA Funding Trust has funds available for distribution;  

  Semi-annual distributions on the trust preferred securities by 
CBA Capital Trust to the extent CBA Capital Trust has funds 
available for distribution; 

  The  redemption  amount  due  to  CBA  Capital  Trust  if  CBA 
Funding  Trust  is  obligated  to  redeem  the  funding  preferred 
securities for cash and to the extent CBA Funding Trust has 
funds available for payment; 

  The redemption amount due if CBA Capital Trust is obligated 
to  redeem  the  trust  preferred securities  for cash  and  to  the 
extent CBA Capital Trust has funds available for payment; 

  The delivery of ADSs to CBA Capital Trust by CBA Funding 
Trust  if  CBA  Funding  Trust  is  obligated  to  redeem  the 
funding preferred securities for ADSs and to the extent that 
CBA Funding Trust has ADSs available for that redemption; 

  The  delivery  of  ADSs  by  CBA  Capital  Trust  if  CBA  Capital 
Trust is obligated to redeem the trust preferred securities for 
ADSs  and  to  the  extent  that  CBA  Capital  Trust  has  ADSs 
available for that redemption; 

  The  delivery  of  funding  preferred  securities  by  CBA  Capital 
Trust upon dissolution of CBA Capital Trust as a result of a 
tax event or an event giving rise to a more than insubstantial 
risk  that  CBA  Capital  Trust  is  or  will  be  considered  an 
investment  Company  which  is  required  to  be  registered 
under the Investment Company Act; 

  The  payment  of  the  liquidation  amount  of  the  funding 
preferred securities if CBA Funding Trust is liquidated, to the 
extent  that  CBA  Funding  Trust  has  funds  available  after 
payment of its creditors; and 

  The liquidation amount of the trust preferred securities if CBA 
Capital  Trust  is  liquidated,  to  the  extent  that  CBA  Capital 
Trust has funds available after payment of its creditors. 

The  CBA  guarantee  does  not  cover  the  non-payment  of 
distributions on the funding preferred securities to the extent that 
CBA  Funding  Trust  does  not  have  sufficient  funds  available  to 
pay distributions on the funding preferred securities. 

Trust preferred securities have limited voting rights. 

Trust preferred securities have the right to bring a direct action 
against the Bank if: 

  The Bank’s New Zealand branch does not pay interest on or 
the redemption price of the convertible notes to CBA Funding 
Trust in accordance with their terms;  

  The  Bank’s  New  Zealand  branch  does  not  deliver  ADSs 
representing  CBA  preference shares to  CBA  Funding  Trust 
in accordance with the terms of the convertible notes;  

Notes to the Financial Statements 

  The  Bank  does  not  perform  its  obligations  under  its 
guarantees with respect to the trust preferred securities and 
the funding preferred securities; or 

  The  Bank  does  not  deliver  cash  or  ordinary  shares  on  30 

June 2015. 

(6) PERLS II Redemption 

On 16 March 2009, the Bank redeemed the $750 million PERLS 
II (which qualified as innovative residual Tier One capital of the 
Bank). 

(7) PERLS III 

On  6  April  2006  a  wholly  owned  entity  of  the  Bank  (Preferred 
Capital  Limited  “PCL”)  issued  $1,166  million  of  Perpetual 
Exchangeable  Repurchaseable  Listed  Shares  (PERLS  III). 
PERLS III are preference shares in a special purpose Company, 
(the ordinary shares of which are held by the Bank), perpetual in 
nature,  offering  a  non-cumulative  floating  rate  distribution 
payable quarterly. The shares qualify as innovative residual Tier 
One capital of the Bank.  

The  Dividends  paid  to  PERLS  III  Holders  will  be  primarily 
sourced  from  interest  paid  on  the  Convertible  Notes  issued  by 
CBA  NZ  to  PCL.  The  payment  of  interest  on  the  underlying 
Convertible  Notes  and  Dividends  on  PERLS  III  are  not 
guaranteed and are subject to a number of conditions including 
the availability of profits and the Board (of the Bank in relation to 
Convertible  Note  interest,  or  of  PCL  in  relation  to  PERLS  III 
Dividends) resolving to make the payment. 

The Dividend Rate is a floating rate calculated for each Dividend 
Period  as  the  sum  of  the  Margin  per  annum  plus  the  Market 
Rate  per  annum  multiplied  by  (One  –  Tax  Rate).  The  Initial 
Margin  is  1.05%  over  Bank  Bill  Swap  Rate  and  the  Step-up 
Margin, effective from the “Step-up Date” on 6 April 2016, is the 
Initial Margin plus 1.00% per annum. 

If each PERLS III Holder is not paid a dividend in full within 20 
Business  Days  of  the  Dividend  Payment  Date,  the  Bank  is 
prevented from paying any interest, dividends or distributions, or 
undertaking  certain  other  transactions,  in  relation  to  any 
securities  of  the  Bank  that  rank  for  interest  payments  or 
distributions  equally  with,  or  junior to,  the  Convertible  Notes  or 
Bank  PERLS  III  Preference  Shares.  This  Dividend  Stopper 
applies until an amount in aggregate equal to the full dividend on 
PERLS III for four consecutive dividend periods has been paid to 
PERLS III Holders. 

PERLS  III  will  automatically  exchange  for  Bank  PERLS  III 
Preference Shares: 

  On a failure by PCL to pay a Dividend; 
  At any time at the Bank’s discretion; or 
  10 Business Days before the Conversion Date 
Subject to APRA approval, PCL may elect to exchange PERLS 
III for the Conversion Number of Bank Ordinary Shares or $200 
cash for each PERLS III:  

  On the Step-up Date or any Dividend Payment Date after the 

Step-up Date; or 
If a Regulatory Event or Tax Event occurs 

PERLS III will automatically exchange for Bank Ordinary Shares 
if: 

  An APRA Event occurs; 
  A Default Event occurs; or 
  A Change of Control Event occurs. 

      Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     169 

 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 30 Loan Capital (continued) 

PERLS  III  will  be  automatically  exchanged for Bank PERLS  III 
Preference  Shares  no  later  than  10  Business  Days  prior  to  6 
April 2046 (if they have not been exchanged before that date).  

Holders  are  not  entitled  to  request  exchange  or  redemption  of 
PERLS III or Bank PERLS III Preference Shares.  

Holders of PERLS III are entitled to vote at a general meeting of 
PCL on certain issues. PERLS III holders have no rights at any 
meeting of the Bank. 

(8) PERLS IV 

On  12  July  2007  the  Bank  issued  $1,465  million  of  Perpetual 
Exchangeable Resalable Listed Securities (PERLS IV). PERLS 
IV are stapled securities comprising an unsecured subordinated 
note issued  by the Bank’s  New  York  branch  and  a convertible 
preference  share  issued  by  the  Bank.  These  securities  are 
perpetual  in  nature,  offer  a  non-cumulative  floating  distribution 
rate  payable  quarterly,  and  qualify  as  non-innovative  residual 
Tier One capital of the Bank.  

The payment of interest on the underlying convertible notes and 
dividends on PERLS IV are not guaranteed and are subject to a 
number of conditions including the availability of profits and the 
ability of the Board to stop payments. 

The  distribution  rate  is  a  floating  rate  calculated  for  each 
distribution period as the sum of the Bank Bill Swap Rate plus 
1.05% per annum, multiplied by (1 – Tax Rate). 

Distributions  paid  to  holders  will  be  interest  on  notes  until  an 
Assignment Event, and dividends on preference shares after the 
Assignment  Event.  Upon  an  Assignment  Event,  the  notes  are 
de-stapled from the preference shares and are assigned to the 
Bank and investors continue to hold preference shares.  

If  distributions  on  PERLS  IV  are  not  paid  in  full  within  20 
business  days  of  the  payment  date,  an  Assignment  Event  will 
occur  and  the  Bank  is  prevented  from  paying  any  interest, 
dividends or distributions in relation to any securities of the Bank 
that  rank  equally  with  or  junior  to  the  preference  shares.  This 
“dividend stopper” applies until:  

  A  Special  Resolution  of  Holders  authorising  the  payment, 
capital  return,  buy-back,  redemption  or  repurchase 
is 
approved, and APRA does not otherwise object; 

  An Optional Dividend of an amount in aggregate equal to the 
four  consecutive 

unpaid  amount 
Distribution Periods has been paid to Holders; 

the  preceding 

for 

  Four  consecutive  Dividends  scheduled  to  be  payable  on 

PERLS IV thereafter have been paid in full; or 

  All PERLS IV have been exchanged. 

PERLS IV are expected to be exchanged for cash or converted 
into ordinary shares of the Bank on 31 October 2012. However, 
exchange may not occur if certain conditions are not met. On 31 
October 2012; 

  The  Bank  may  arrange  a  resale  by  requiring  all  Holders  to 
sell their PERLS IV to a third party for $200 (the face value); 

If the Bank does not arrange a resale, an Assignment Event 
will occur and PERLS IV will convert into a variable number 
of  ordinary  shares  of  the  Bank  subject  to  some  conditions 
relating to the ordinary share price at the time; 

If these conversion conditions are not satisfied on that date, 
then  the  conversion  date  moves  to  the  next  distribution 
payment date on which they are satisfied; and 

170     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

In  certain  circumstances,  where  the  conversion  conditions 
are  not  satisfied,  the  Bank  may  (subject  to  APRA’s  prior 
approval) elect to repurchase all PERLS IV for $200 each. 

The  Bank  may,  subject  to  APRA’s  prior  approval,  elect  to 
exchange all PERLS IV for cash and/or ordinary shares if any of 
the following occurs:  

  Tax Event; 

  Regulatory Event; and  

  Non-Operating Holding Company (NOHC) Event.  

The Bank’s ability to convert PERLS IV on the occurrence of any 
of these events is subject to the same conversion conditions as 
mentioned above. 

If a change of control event occurs, Holders will receive cash for 
all of their PERLS IV (subject to APRA’s approval). 

Holders  are  not  entitled  to  request  exchange  or  redemption  of 
PERLS IV.  

Holders of PERLS IV have no right to vote at any meeting of the 
Bank except in the following specific circumstances: 

  during  a  period  during  which  a  Dividend  (or  part  of  a 
Dividend) in respect of the Preference Shares is in arrears; 

  on a proposal to reduce the Bank’s share capital; 

  on  a  proposal  that  affects  rights  attached  to  Preference 

Shares; 

  on  a  resolution  to  approve  the  terms  of  a  buy-back 

agreement; 

  on a proposal to wind up the Bank; 

  on  a  proposal  for  the  disposal  of  the  whole  of  the  Bank’s 

property, business and undertaking; and 

  during the winding-up of the Bank. 

(9) TPS 2006 

On  15  March  2006  a  wholly  owned  entity  of  the  Bank  issued 
USD 700 million (AUD 942 million) of perpetual non-call 10 year 
trust preferred securities into U.S. Capital Markets.  

Each  trust  preferred  security  represents  a  preferred  beneficial 
ownership  interest  in  the  assets  of  CBA  Capital  Trust  II.  The 
trust  preferred  securities  are  guaranteed  by  CBA.  The  trust 
preferred  securities  form  part  of  the  Bank’s  innovative  residual 
Tier One capital. 

CBA  Capital  Trust  II  is  a  statutory  trust  established  under 
Delaware  law  that  exists  for  the  purpose  of  issuing  the  trust 
preferred  securities,  acquiring  and  holding  the  subordinated 
notes  issued  by  a  CBA  NZ  subsidiary,  the  subordinated  notes 
guarantee and the CBA preference shares. 

Cash  distributions  on  the  trust  preferred  securities  are  at  the 
fixed  rate of  6.024%  payable semi-annually to 15  March  2016. 
Cash distributions on the trust preferred securities will accrue at 
the rate of LIBOR plus 1.740% per annum payable quarterly in 
arrears after that date. 

Cash distributions on the trust preferred securities will be limited 
to  the  interest  CBA  NZ  Subsidiary  pays  on  the  subordinated 
notes, payments in respect of interest on the subordinated notes 
by CBA NZ Branch as guarantor under the subordinated notes 
guarantee and, after 15 March 2016, the dividends CBA pays on 
the  CBA  preference  shares.  Payments  in  respect  of  cash 
distributions will be guaranteed on a subordinated basis by CBA, 
as guarantor, but only to extent CBA Capital Trust II has funds 
sufficient for the payment. 

 
 
 
 
 
Note 30 Loan Capital (continued) 

There  are  restrictions  on  CBA  NZ  Subsidiary’s  ability  to  make 
payments on the subordinated notes, CBA NZ Branch’s ability to 
make  payments  on  the  CBA  NZ  Branch  notes  and  the 
subordinated  notes  guarantee  and  CBA’s  ability  to  make 
payments  on  the  CBA  preference  shares.  Distributions  on  the 
trust preferred securities are not cumulative. 

Failure  to  pay  in  full  a  distribution  within  21  business  days  will 
result in the distribution to holders of one CBA preference share 
for  each trust  preferred security  held  in  redemption  of the trust 
preferred securities. 

If CBA Capital Trust II is liquidated, dissolved or wound up and 
its  assets  are  distributed,  for  each  trust  preferred  security, 
holders  are  entitled  to  receive  the  stated  liquidation  amount  of 
USD 1,000, plus the accrued but unpaid distribution for the then 
current  distribution  payment  period,  after it  has  paid  liabilities it 
owes to its creditors. 

The trust preferred securities are subject to redemption for cash, 
qualifying Tier One securities or CBA preference shares if CBA 
redeems or varies the terms of the CBA preference shares. The 
trust  preferred  securities  are  also  subject  to  redemption  if  any 
other Assignment Event occurs. 

If  the  CBA  preference  shares  are  redeemed  for  qualifying  Tier 
One  securities  or  the  terms  thereof  are  varied,  holders  will 
receive  one  CBA  preference  share  or  USD  1,000  liquidation 
amount  or  similar  amount  of  qualifying  Tier  One  securities  for 
each trust preferred security held. 

Holders of trust preferred securities generally will not have any 
voting rights except in limited circumstances.  

The  holders  of  a  majority  in  liquidation  amount  of  the  trust 
preferred securities, acting together as a single class, however, 
have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting 
any proceeding for any remedy available to the property trustee 
of  CBA  Capital  Trust  II  or  direct  the  exercise  of  any  trust  or 
power conferred upon the property trustee of CBA Capital Trust 
II, as holder of the subordinated notes and the CBA preference 
shares. 

Trust preferred securities holders have the right to bring a direct 
action against: 

  CBA NZ Subsidiary if CBA NZ Subsidiary does not pay when 
due,  interest  on  the  subordinated  notes  or  certain  other 
amounts  payable  under  the  subordinated  notes  to  CBA 
Capital Trust II in accordance with their terms; 

  The Bank if it does not perform its obligations under the trust 

guarantee; and 

  CBA  NZ  Branch  or  the  Bank  if  CBA  NZ  Branch  does  not 
the  subordinated  notes 

perform 
guarantee or under the CBA NZ Branch notes. 

its  obligations  under 

The Bank will guarantee the trust preferred securities: 

  Cash  distributions  on  the  trust  preferred  securities  by  CBA 
Capital  Trust  II  to  holders  of  trust  preferred  securities  on 
distribution payment dates, to the extent CBA Capital Trust II 
has funds available for distribution; 

  The  cash  redemption  amount  due  to  holders  of  trust 
preferred  securities  if  CBA  Capital  Trust  II  is  obligated  to 
redeem  the  trust  preferred securities for cash, to the  extent 
CBA Capital Trust II has funds available for distribution; 

  The delivery of CBA preference shares or qualifying Tier One 
securities  to  holders  of  trust  preferred  securities  if  CBA 
Capital  Trust  II  is  obligated  to  redeem  the  trust  preferred 
securities for CBA preference shares or qualifying Tier One 

Notes to the Financial Statements 

securities, to the extent CBA Capital Trust II has or is entitled 
to receive such securities available for distribution; and 

  The payment of the liquidation amount of the trust preferred 
securities  if  CBA  Capital  Trust  II  is  liquidated,  to  the  extent 
that CBA Capital Trust II has funds available for distribution. 

The  trust  guarantee  does  not  cover  the 
failure  to  pay 
distributions or make other payments or distributions on the trust 
preferred securities to the extent that CBA Capital Trust II does 
not have sufficient  funds  available to  pay  distributions or make 
other payments or deliveries on the trust preferred securities. 

Upon  the  occurrence  of  an  Assignment  Event,  with  respect  to 
the  subordinated  notes  comprising  a  part  of  the  units  CBA 
Capital Trust II holds to which such Assignment Event applies: 

  The subordinated notes will detach from the CBA preference 
shares  that  are  part  of  those  units  and  automatically  be 
transferred to CBA; 

If  the  Assignment  Event  is  the  cash  redemption  of  CBA 
preference shares, upon receipt, CBA Capital Trust II will pay 
to  the  holders  of  the  trust  preferred  securities  called  for 
redemption  the  cash  redemption  price  for  those  CBA 
preference  shares  and  the  accrued  and  unpaid  interest  on 
the subordinated notes that were part of the units with those 
CBA preference shares; and 

If the Assignment Event is not the cash redemption of CBA 
preference  shares,  CBA  Capital  Trust  II  will  deliver  to  all 
holders of trust preferred securities in redemption thereof one 
CBA  preference  share  for  each  USD  1,000  liquidation 
preference of trust preferred securities to be redeemed or, if 
qualifying  Tier  One  securities  are  delivered,  USD  1,000 
liquidation  amount  or  similar  amount  of  qualifying  Tier  One 
securities  for  each  USD  1,000  liquidation  amount  of  trust 
preferred securities to be redeemed, and the CBA preference 
shares  or  qualifying  Tier  One  securities  will  accrue  non-
cumulative  dividends  or  similar  amounts  at  the  rate  of 
6.024% per annum to but excluding March 15, 2016 and at 
the rate of LIBOR plus 1.740% per annum thereafter. 

If the Bank is liquidated, holders of CBA preference shares will 
be  entitled  to  receive  an  amount  equal  to  a  liquidation 
preference  out  of  surplus  assets  of  USD  1,000  per  CBA 
preference share plus accrued and unpaid dividends for the then 
current  dividend  payment  period  plus  any  other  dividends  or 
other  amounts  to  which  the  holder  is  entitled  under  the 
Constitution. 

Subject to APRA’s prior approval, prior to the occurrence of an 
Assignment Event that applies to all of the subordinated notes, 
the Bank may pay an optional dividend on the CBA preference 
shares if CBA NZ Subsidiary or CBA NZ Branch, as guarantor, 
has failed to pay in full interest on the subordinated notes or the 
Bank has failed to pay in full dividends on the CBA preference 
shares  on  any  interest  payment  date  and/or  dividend  payment 
date. 

On  or  after  15  March  2016,  the  Bank  may  redeem  the  CBA 
preference  shares  for  cash,  in  whole  or  in  part,  on  any  date 
selected  by  us  at  a  redemption  price  equal  to  USD  1,000  per 
share  plus  any  accrued  and  unpaid  dividends  for  the  then 
current dividend payment period, if any. 

Prior  to  15  March  2016,  the  Bank  may  redeem  the  CBA 
preference  shares  for  cash,  vary  the  terms  of  the  CBA 
preference  shares  or  redeem  the  CBA  preference  shares  for 
qualifying  Tier  One  securities,  in  whole  but  not  in  part,  on  any 
date selected by the Bank: 

      Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     171 

 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 30 Loan Capital (continued) 

If the CBA preference shares are held by CBA Capital Trust 
II,  upon  the  occurrence  of  a  trust  preferred  securities  tax 
event, an adverse tax event, an investment Company event 
or a regulatory event; or 

If  the  CBA  preference  shares  are  not  held  by  CBA  Capital 
Trust  II,  upon  the  occurrence  of  a  preference  share 
withholding  tax  event,  an  adverse  tax  event  or  a  regulatory 
event. 

Holders  of  CBA  preference  shares  will  be  entitled  to  vote 
together with the holders of our ordinary shares on the basis of 
one vote for each CBA preference share: 

  During a period in which a dividend (or part of a dividend) in 

respect of the CBA preference shares is in arrears; 

  On a proposal to reduce share capital;  

  On  a  proposal  that  affects  rights  attached  to  the  CBA 

preference shares; 

  On  a  resolution  to  approve  the  terms  of  a  Buy-back 

agreement; 

  On  a  proposal  for  the  disposal  of  the  whole  of  the  Group’s 

property, business and undertaking; and 

  On a proposal to wind up and during  the winding up of the 

Group. 

The  rights  attached to the  CBA  preference  shares may  not be 
changed except with any required regulatory approvals and with 
the consent in writing of the holders of at least 75% of the CBA 
preference shares. 

CBA  NZ  Subsidiary  may  not  make  payments  on 
the 
subordinated  notes,  CBA  NZ  Branch  may  not  make  payments 
on  the  subordinated  notes  guarantee  or  the  CBA  NZ  Branch 
notes and CBA may not make payments on the CBA preference 
shares if an APRA condition exists; if a CBA stopper resolution 
has  been  passed  and  not  been  rescinded  or  if  CBA  NZ 
Subsidiary,  CBA  NZ  branch  or  CBA,  as  the  case  may  be,  is 
prohibited from making such a payment by instruments or other 
obligations of CBA. 

If  distributions,  interest  or  dividends  are  not  paid  in  full  on  a 
payment date; the redemption price is not paid or securities are 
not delivered in full on a redemption date for the trust preferred 
securities or the CBA preference shares, then the Bank may not 
pay  any  interest;  declare  or  pay  any  dividends  or  distributions 
from  the  income  or  capital  of  CBA,  or  return  any  capital  or 
undertake  any  buy-backs,  redemptions  or  repurchases  of 
existing  capital  securities  or  any  securities,  or  instruments  of 
CBA  that  by their terms  rank  or  are  expressed  to  rank  equally 
with  or  junior  to  the  CBA  NZ  Branch  notes  or  the  CBA 
preference  shares  for  payment  of  interest,  dividends  or  similar 
amounts unless and until, 

In the case of any non-payment of distributions on the trust 
preferred securities  on  any  distribution  payment  date,  on  or 
within 21 business days after any distribution payment date, 
CBA Capital Trust II or CBA, as guarantor, has paid in full to 
the holders of the trust preferred securities any distributions 
owing in respect of that distribution payment date through the 
date of actual payment in full; 

In  the  case  of  any  non-payment  of  a  dividend  on  the  CBA 
preference shares on any dividend payment date, CBA has 
paid  (A)  that  dividend  in  full  on  or  within  21  business  days 
after  that  dividend  payment  date,  (B)  an  optional  dividend 
equal to the unpaid amount of scheduled dividends for the 12 
consecutive  calendar  months  prior  to  the  payment  of  such 
dividend  or  (C)  dividends  on  the  CBA  preference  shares  in 

172     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

full on each dividend payment date during a 12 consecutive 
month period; 

In  the  case  of  any  non-payment  of  interest  on  the 
subordinated notes on any interest payment date, (A) on or 
within 21 business days after any interest payment date, (i) 
CBA  NZ  Subsidiary  or  CBA  NZ  Branch,  as  guarantor,  has 
paid  in  full  to  the  holders  of  the  subordinated  notes  any 
interest  and  other  amounts  owing in  respect  of that  interest 
payment date (excluding defaulted note interest) through the 
date of actual payment in full or (ii) with the prior approval of 
APRA,  CBA  has  paid  in  full  to  holders  of  the  subordinated 
notes  an  assignment  prevention  optional  dividend  in  an 
amount equal to such interest and any other amounts, or (B) 
CBA has paid dividends on the CBA preference shares in full 
on  each  dividend  payment  date  during  a  12  consecutive 
month period; and 

In  the  case  of  any  non-payment  of  the  redemption  price  or 
non-delivery  of  the  securities  payable  or  deliverable  with 
respect  to  CBA  preference  shares  or  the  trust  preferred 
securities,  such  redemption  price  or  securities  have  been 
paid or delivered in full, as applicable. 

then  there  are  restrictions  on  the  Bank  paying  any  interest  on 
equal ranking or junior securities. 

(10) AUD denominated Tier Two Loan Capital issuances  

  AUD  275  million  extendible 

floating  rate  note 

issued 

December 1989, due December 2014; 

The  Bank  has  entered  into  a  separate  agreement  with  the 
Commonwealth  of  Australia  relating  to  the  above  issue  (the 
“Agreement”) which qualifies the issue as Tier Two capital. The 
Agreement  provides  for  the  Bank  to  issue  either  fully  paid 
ordinary shares to the  Commonwealth  of Australia  or  (with the 
consent  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Australia)  rights  to  all 
shareholders to subscribe for fully paid ordinary shares up to an 
amount equal to the outstanding principal value of the note issue 
plus any interest paid in respect of the notes for the most recent 
financial  year  and  accrued  interest.  The  issue  price  will  be 
determined  by  reference  to  the  prevailing  market  price  for  the 
Bank’s shares. 

Any one or more of the following events will trigger the issue of 
shares to the Commonwealth of Australia or a rights issue:  

  A relevant event of default occurs in respect of the note issue 
and, where applicable, the Trustee of the notes gives notice 
of such to the Bank; 

  The Bank, if required by the Commonwealth of Australia and 
subject to the agreement of the APRA, exercises its option to 
redeem such issue; or  

  Any  payment  made  by  the  Commonwealth  of  Australia 
pursuant  to  its  guarantee  in  respect  of the  issue  will trigger 
the issue of shares to the Commonwealth of Australia to the 
value of such payment. 

Original  issue  size  was  $300  million;  $25  million  matured  in 
December 2004. 

  AUD  25  million  subordinated  FRN,  issued  April  1999,  due 

April 2029; 

  AUD 500 million subordinated notes, issued February 2004, 
due  February  2014;  split  into  AUD  300  million  fixed  rate 
notes  and  AUD  200  million  floating  rate  notes.  Early 
redeemed in February 2009; 

  AUD  300  million  subordinated  floating  rate  notes,  issued 

February 2005, due February 2015; 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 30 Loan Capital (continued) 

(13) GBP denominated Tier Two Loan Capital issuances 

  AUD  300  million  subordinated  floating  rate  notes,  issued 

  GBP 150 million subordinated EMTN, issued June 2003, due 

November 2005, due November 2015; 

December 2023. 

  AUD  200  million  subordinated  floating  rate  notes,  issued 

(14) Other currencies Tier Two Loan Capital issuances 

September 2006, due September 2016;  

  EUR  300  million  subordinated  EMTN,  issued  March  2005, 

  AUD 500 million subordinated notes, issued May 2007, due 
May  2017;  split  into  AUD  150  million  fixed  rate  notes  and 
AUD 350 million floating rate notes; and 

due March 2015; 

  CAD 300 million subordinated notes, issued November 2005, 

due November 2015; 

  AUD  500  million  subordinated  floating  rate  notes,  issued 

  CAD  300  million  subordinated  notes,  issued  October  2007, 

September 2008, due September 2018. 

due October 2017; 

(11) USD denominated Tier Two Loan Capital issuances 

  NZD 350 million subordinated notes, issued May 2005, due 

  USD 300 million subordinated notes, issued June 2000, due 

April 2015;  

June 2010; 

  NZD 200 million subordinated notes issued June 2006, due 

  USD  350  million  subordinated  fixed  rate  note,  issued  June 

June 2016; and 

  NZD 370 million subordinated notes, issued November 2007, 

due November 2017. 

2003, due June 2018; 

  USD  500  million  subordinated  EMTN  issued  June  2004 
(USD 250 million) and August 2004 (USD 250 million), due 
August 2014; 

  USD  100  million  subordinated  EMTN,  issued  March  2005, 
due  March  2025.  Partial  redemption  of  USD  39.5  million  in 
September 2005; 

  USD 200 million subordinated notes, issued June 2006, due 

July 2016; 

  USD  300  million  subordinated  floating  rate  notes,  issued 

September 2006, due September 2016; and 

  USD  650  million  subordinated  floating  rate  notes,  issued 

December 2007, due December 2016. 

(12) JPY denominated Tier Two Loan Capital issuances 

  JPY  20  billion  perpetual  subordinated  EMTN, 

issued 

February 1999; 

  JPY 30 billion subordinated EMTN, issued October 1995 due 

October 2015; 

  JPY  10  billion  subordinated  EMTN,  issued  May  2004,  due 

May 2034; 

  JPY  10  billion  subordinated  notes,  issued  November  2005, 

due November 2015; 

  JPY  5  billion  subordinated  loan,  issued  March  2006,  due 

March 2018; and 

  JPY 9 billion perpetual subordinated notes, issued May 1996. 

      Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     173 

 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 31 Detailed Statements of Changes in Equity 

(1) Relates to movement in treasury shares held within life insurance statutory funds and the employee share scheme trust. 
(2) Includes $98 million of shares purchased on-market to partly satisfy the Dividend Reinvestment Plan in the year ended 30 June 2008. 

174     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

GroupBank2009200820092008$M$M$M$MEquity ReconciliationsOrdinary Share CapitalOpening balance15,72714,48315,92714,691Issue of shares (net of issue costs)4,8291414,829141Dividend reinvestment plan1,0991,1091,0991,109Exercise of executive options under employee share ownership schemes1313(Purchase)/sale and vesting of treasury shares(1)(14)(9)(31)(17)Closing balance21,64215,72721,82515,927Other Equity InstrumentsOpening balance9399391,8951,895Closing balance9399391,8951,895Retained ProfitsOpening balance7,7476,3677,3536,315Loyalty program adjustment-(5)-(5)Restated opening balance7,7476,3627,3536,310Actuarial (losses)/gains from defined benefit superannuation plans(739)(240)(739)(240)Realised gains and dividend income on treasury shares held within the Group'slife insurance statutory funds (1)1826--Operating profit attributable to Equity holders of the Bank4,7234,7913,0864,358Total available for appropriation11,74910,9399,70010,428Transfers (to)/from general reserve(193)(85)--Transfers from general reserve for credit losses-350-350Interim dividend - cash component(2)(1,257)(1,087)(1,257)(1,087)Interim dividend - dividend reinvestment plan(405)(400)(405)(400)Final dividend - cash component(1,335)(1,229)(1,335)(1,229)Final dividend - dividend reinvestment plan(694)(709)(694)(709)Other dividends(40)(32)--Closing balance7,8257,7476,0097,353 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 31 Detailed Statements of Changes in Equity (continued) 

(1) The Group was previously required to maintain a Prudential General Reserve for Credit Losses (“GRCL”), however, as this is no longer required it has been returned 

to Retained Profits. 

      Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     175 

GroupBank2009200820092008$M$M$M$MReservesGeneral ReserveOpening balance1,2521,167570570Appropriation from/(to) retained profits19385--Closing balance1,4451,252570570Capital ReserveOpening balance2932871,5441,538Revaluation surplus on sale of property6666Closing balance2992931,5501,544Asset Revaluation ReserveOpening balance195185166157Revaluation of properties(25)20(20)19Transfers on sale of properties(6)(6)(6)(6)Tax on revaluation of properties9(4)8(4)Closing balance173195148166Foreign Currency Translation ReserveOpening balance(795)(200)(228)(126)Currency translation adjustments of foreign operations514(555)158(103)Currency translation on net investment hedge(346)(93)--Tax on translation adjustments(2)23-1Tax on net investment hedge movement9630--Closing balance(533)(795)(70)(228)Cash Flow Hedge ReserveOpening balance341440292211Gains and losses on cash flow hedging instruments:Recognised in equity(1,630)422(872)426Transferred to Income StatementInterest income(611)88(578)86Interest expense590(661)379(404)Tax on cash flow hedging instruments49752319(27)Closing balance(813)341(460)292Employee Compensation ReserveOpening balance(39)(51)(39)(51)Current period movement39123912Closing balance-(39)-(39)General Reserve for Credit Losses (1)Opening balance-350-350Transfer to retained profits-(350)-(350)Closing balance----Available-for-Sale Investments ReserveOpening balance(41)(35)(52)(27)Net gains and losses on revaluation of available-for-sale investments1026252240Net gains and losses on available-for-sale investments transferred toIncome Statement on disposal(24)(312)(24)(272)Net gains and losses on available-for-sale investments transferred toIncome Statement for impairment37---Tax on available-for-sale investments(37)44(17)7Closing balance(55)(41)(41)(52)Total reserves5161,2061,6972,253Shareholders' equity attributable to Equity holders of the Bank30,92225,61931,42627,428Shareholders' equity attributable to minority interests520518--Total Shareholders' equity31,44226,13731,42627,428 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 31 Detailed Statements of Changes in Equity (continued) 

The following table shows the gross amount of deferred gains/(losses) in relation to cash flow hedges. 

Cash Flow Hedges – Deferred Gains/(Losses) 

176     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

Exchange RateInterest RateGroupRelated ContractsRelated ContractsTotal200920082009200820092008$M$M$M$M$M$MWithin 6 months5659(125)43(69)102Within 6 months - 1 year7-(132)30(125)30Within 1 - 2 years--(472)72(472)72Within 2 - 5 years--(703)137(703)137After 5 years(2)1204144202145Net deferred gains/(losses)6160(1,228)426(1,167)486Exchange RateInterest RateBankRelated ContractsRelated ContractsTotal200920082009200820092008$M$M$M$M$M$MWithin 6 months2734(57)31(30)65Within 6 months - 1 year7-(26)16(19)16Within 1 - 2 years--(217)65(217)65Within 2 - 5 years--(563)132(563)132After 5 years(2)(8)169142167134Net deferred gains/(losses)3226(694)386(662)412 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 32 Share Capital 

 Share Capital 

Terms and Conditions of Ordinary Share Capital  

Ordinary shares have the right to receive dividends as declared and in 
the  event  of  winding  up  the  Company,  to  participate  in  the  proceeds 
from sale of surplus assets in proportion to the number of and amounts 
paid up on shares held.  

A  shareholder  has  one  vote  on  a  show  of  hands  and 
one  vote  for  each  fully  paid  share  on  a  poll.  A 
shareholder  may  be  present  at  a  general  meeting  in 
person or by proxy or attorney, and if a body corporate, 
it may also authorise a representative. 

Trust Preferred Securities 2006 

On 15 March 2006 the Bank issued USD 700 million ($947 million) of 
trust preferred securities into the U.S. capital markets. These securities 
offer  a  non-cumulative  fixed  rate  of  distribution  of  6.024%  per  annum 
payable semi-annually. 

These securities qualify as Tier One Capital of the 
Bank. A related instrument was issued by the Bank to a 
subsidiary for $956 million and eliminates on 
consolidation. 

      Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     177 

GroupBank2009200820092008Issued and Paid Up Ordinary Capital$M$M$M$MOrdinary Share CapitalOpening balance (excluding Treasury Shares deduction)15,99114,73815,99114,738Dividend reinvestment plan: Final dividend prior year694709694709Dividend reinvestment plan: Interim dividend405400405400Share Issue including issue costs4,8291414,829141Exercise of executive options under employee share ownership schemes1313Closing balance (excluding Treasury Shares deduction)21,92015,99121,92015,991Less: Treasury Shares(278)(264)(95)(64)Closing balance21,64215,72721,82515,927SharesSharesSharesSharesShares Authorised and on IssueOpening balance (excluding Treasury Shares deduction)1,326,130,8771,300,583,3761,326,130,8771,300,583,376Dividend reinvestment plan issues:2006/2007 Final dividend fully paid ordinary shares $54.80-12,938,969-12,938,9692007/2008 Interim dividend fully paid ordinary shares $39.44-10,156,101-10,156,1012007/2008 Final dividend fully paid ordinary shares $42.4116,372,698-16,372,698-2008/2009 Interim dividend fully paid ordinary shares $28.4514,283,851-14,283,851-Issue of shares161,983,6432,327,431161,983,6432,327,431Exercise of executive options under employee share ownership schemes30,000125,00030,000125,000Closing balance (excluding Treasury Shares deduction)1,518,801,0691,326,130,8771,518,801,0691,326,130,877Less: Treasury Shares(7,192,560)(7,988,013)(2,121,299)(1,787,446)Closing balance1,511,608,5091,318,142,8641,516,679,7701,324,343,431GroupBank2009200820092008Other Equity Instruments$M$M$M$MOther equity instruments issued and paid up9399391,8951,895SharesSharesSharesShares700,000700,0001,400,0001,400,000 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 32 Share Capital (continued) 

Changes Since 2008 

Two new Share Plans have been developed and are governed 
by  the  rules  of  the  EPP.  These  new  plans  are  known  as  the 
Enterprise  Services  Retention  Plan  (“ESRP”)  and  the  Sign-On 
Incentive Share Plan (“SOI”). 

As a result of the increased demand for individuals with the skills 
required  for  the  successful  delivery  of  major  IT  change 
programmes, the ESRP was introduced to assist the business to 
retain and motivate identified key executives. 

The  SOI  was  introduced  to  facilitate  the  purchase  of  shares 
offered  in  contract  arrangements  when  recruiting  for  key  roles 
within the Group. 

Shares for both plans are purchased on market and held in Trust 
and vest subject to the meeting of vesting conditions. 

Employee Share Acquisition Plan (“ESAP”) 

The  ESAP  was  introduced  in  1996  and  provides  eligible 
employees with the opportunity to receive up to $1,000 worth of 
free  shares  each  year  if  the  Group  meets  the  required 
performance target. The performance target is growth in annual 
profit  of  the  greater  of  5%  or  the  consumer  price  index  (CPI 
change) plus 2%. Whenever annual profit growth exceeds CPI 
change, the Board may use its discretion in determining whether 
any grant of shares will be made. Notwithstanding the existence 
of  these  performance  hurdles,  the  Board  has  the  authority  to 
apply discretion under the Plan Rules for a grant to be made. 

Under  ESAP,  shares  granted  are  restricted  for  sale  for  three 
years  or  until  such  time  as  the  participating  employee  ceases 
employment  with  the  Group,  whichever  is  earlier.  Shares 
granted  under  the  ESAP  receive  full  dividend  entitlements, 
voting  rights  and  there  are  no  forfeiture  or  vesting  conditions 
attached to the shares granted. 

While the Group did not achieve the performance target for the 
2007/08  financial  year,  the  Board  exercised  its  discretion  and 
approved  a  partial  grant  of  up  to  $720  worth  of  shares  to  be 
made to eligible employees under the ESAP for 2008. 

The grant recognised the commitment and efforts of employees 
that  contributed  to  the  Group’s  positive  results  for  the  year 
ended 30 June 2008 in a difficult economic environment. 

The  grant  was  allocated  to  eligible  employees  that  achieved  a 
minimum performance rating of “Meets Expectations” during the 
2007/08 financial year. 

Effective  from  1  July  2002,  shares  granted  under  ESAP  offers 
have  been  expensed  through  the  profit  and  loss.  On  19 
September  2008,  400,367  shares  were  granted  to  23,551 
eligible employees in respect of the 2008 ESAP grant. 

The  Issue  Price  for  the  offer  is  equal  to  the  volume  weighted 
average of the prices at which the CBA shares were traded on 
the ASX during the 5 trading day period up to and including the 
grant date. For the 2008 grant, this was $41.22. 

It is estimated that approximately $16 million of ordinary shares 
will  be  purchased  on-market  at  the  prevailing  market  price  for 
the 2009 ESAP grant. 

Dividends 

The Directors have declared a fully franked final dividend of 115 
cents  per  share  amounting  to  $1,747  million.  The  dividend  will 
be payable on 1 October 2009 to shareholders on the register at 
5pm on 21 August 2009.  

The  Board  determines  the  dividends  per  share  based  on  net 
profit after tax (“cash basis”) per share, having regard to a range 
of factors including: 

  Current and expected rates of business growth and the mix 

of business; 

  Capital  needs  to  support  economic,  regulatory  and  credit 

ratings requirements; 

Investments  and/or  divestments 
development; 

to  support  business 

  Competitors comparison and market expectation; and 

  Earnings per share growth. 

Dividends paid since the end of the previous financial 
year: 

As declared in the 31 December 2008 Profit Announcement, a 
fully franked interim dividend of 113 cents per share amounting 
to  $1,662  million  was  paid  on  23  March  2009.  The  payment 
comprised  cash  disbursements  of  $1,257  million  with  $405 
million  being  reinvested  by  participants  through  the  Dividend 
Reinvestment Plan. 

Dividend Reinvestment Plan 

The  Bank  expects  to  issue  around  $507  million  of  shares  in 
respect of the Dividend Reinvestment Plan for the final dividend 
for the 2009 financial year.  

Record date 

The register closed for determination of dividend entitlement and 
for participation in the dividend reinvestment plan at 5pm on 21 
August 2009 at Link Market Services Limited, Locked Bag A14, 
Sydney South, 1235. 

Ex-dividend Date 

The ex-dividend date was 17 August 2009.  

Employee Share Plans 

The  Group  had  the  following  employee  share  plans  in  place 
during the year ended 30 June 2009: 

  Commonwealth  Bank  Employee  Share  Acquisition  Plan 

(“ESAP”); 

  Commonwealth Bank Equity Participation Plan (“EPP”); 

  Commonwealth  Bank  Group  Leadership  Share  Plan 

(“GLSP”); 

  Commonwealth Bank Equity Reward Plan (“ERP”); and 

  Commonwealth  Bank  Non-Executive  Directors  Share  Plan 

(“NEDSP”). 

The current ESAP and ERP arrangements were each approved 
by Shareholders at the Annual General Meeting (“AGM”) on 26 
October 2000. The GLSP was approved by Shareholders at the 
AGM  on  13  November  2007.  Shareholders’  consent  was  not 
required for either the EPP or NEDSP but details were included 
in the Explanatory Memorandum to the 2000 meeting to ensure 
Shareholders were fully informed. 

178     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

The  participant  may  also  direct  the  Trustee  on  how  the  voting 
rights  attached  to  the  shares  are  to  be  exercised  during  the 
vesting period. Where participating employees do not satisfy the 
vesting conditions, shares and dividend rights are forfeited. 

Shares  acquired  under  the  EPP  are  expensed.  In  the  current 
year,  $31.4  million  was  expensed  to  reflect  the  cost  of 
allocations under the Plan. This current year expense is higher 
than last year’s due to the inclusion of the ESRP, SOI and 2008 
LISP grants. 

All shares acquired by employees under the EPP are purchased 
on-market  at  the  current  market  price.  A  total  number  of 
10,077,516 shares have been acquired under the EPP since the 
plan commenced in 2001. 

For a limited number of executives a cash-based LISP replicator 
scheme is operated by way of grants of Performance Units – the 
Leadership  Incentive  (Performance  Unit)  Plan  (“LIPUP”).  A 
Performance  Unit  is  a monetary  unit  with  a  value  linked to the 
share price of Commonwealth Bank shares. Performance Units 
granted under LIPUP are subject to the same vesting conditions 
as the LISP. On meeting the vesting condition, a cash payment 
is made to executives, the value of which is determined based 
on  the  Group’s  share  price  upon  vesting  plus  an  accrued 
dividend value.  

A  total  of  $1.0  million  for  the  LIPUP  has  been  expensed  in 
respect of the year ended 30 June 2009. 

Note 32 Share Capital (continued) 

Equity Participation Plan (“EPP”)  

The EPP comprises a voluntary and a mandatory component. 

The  voluntary  component  facilitates  the  voluntary  sacrifice  of 
both fixed remuneration and annual short term incentives (STI) 
to  be  applied  in  the  acquisition  of  shares  under  the  Voluntary 
Equity  Participation  (VEP)  plan.  The  mandatory  component 
comprises  the  sacrifice  of  one  third  of  STI  payments  for 
executives  under  the  Leadership  Incentive  Plan  (“LISP”)  and 
allocations under the ESRP and SOI. 

Under the  voluntary component of  the EPP, shares  purchased 
are  restricted  for  sale  for  two  years  or  when  a  participating 
employee  ceases  employment  with  the  Group,  whichever  is 
earlier. Shares purchased under the voluntary component of the 
EPP carry full dividend entitlements, voting rights and there are 
no forfeiture or vesting conditions attached to the shares. 

Under the mandatory component of the EPP, fully paid ordinary 
shares  are  purchased  and  held  in  trust  until  such  time  as  the 
vesting  conditions  have  been  met.  The  vesting  condition 
attached to the shares specifies that participants must generally 
remain  employees  of  the  Group  until  the  vesting  date.  Shares 
previously granted under the mandatory component of the EPP 
remain subject to their vesting conditions. 

Each  participant  in  the  mandatory  component  of  the  EPP  for 
whom shares are held by the Trustee on their behalf has a right 
to  receive  dividends.  Once  the  shares  vest,  dividends  which 
have  accrued  in the trust  during the  vesting  period  are  paid  to 
participants. 

Details of purchases under the EPP from 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009 were as follows: 

The movement in shares purchased under the mandatory component of the EPP has been as follows: 

      Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     179 

Allotment DateParticipantsShares PurchasedAverage Purchase Price20 - 28 August 2008307764,677$41.842 September 2008193,825$41.175 September 2008157149,146$41.5220 February 20097663,101$29.41Details of MovementsJuly 2008 - June 2009July 2007 - June 2008Shares held under the Plan at the beginning of year (no.)614,02963,444Shares allocated during the year (no.)967,237652,055Shares vested during the year (no.)(129,619)(21,148)Shares forfeited during the year (no.)(40,937)(80,322)Shares held under the Plan at end of year (no.)1,410,710614,029 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 32 Share Capital (continued) 

Group Leadership Share Plan (GLSP) 

Effective 1 July 2007, the GLSP has been the Group’s long term 
incentive plan for the CEO and Group Executives. 

Under the GLSP, participants will share in a pool that may vest 
at  the  end  of  the  three  year  performance  period  subject  to 
satisfaction of the performance conditions.  

Two  grants  have  been  made  under  the  GLSP.  For  the  grant 
made in: 

  2007/08, participants will share in a pool to the value of 2.2% 
of  the  growth  in  the  Group’s  Profit  after  Capital  Charge 
(PACC), capped at a maximum pool of $34 million. 

  2008/09, participants will share in a pool to the value of 3.5% 
of  the  growth  in  the  Group’s  Profit  after  Capital  Charge 
(PACC), capped at a maximum pool of $36.1 million. 

The  grants  are  subject  to  both  of  the  following  performance 
hurdles: 

  The  Group’s  NPAT  growth  over the  three  year  period must 
be  above  the  average  of  NPAT  growth  of  ANZ,  NAB,  and 
Westpac; and 

  The Group’s customer satisfaction relative to ANZ, NAB, St 

George and Westpac. 

The 2007/08 grant is measured from 1 July 2007 and may vest 
depending on performance to 1 July 2010. The 2008/09 grant is 
measured  from  1  July  2008  and  may  vest  depending  on 
performance to 1 July 2011. 

In order to determine the Group’s level of achievement against 
the customer satisfaction performance hurdle, scores are taken 
for  both  the  Group  and  the  peer  group  from  independent 
external  surveys.  A  ranking  is  then  determined  and  a  vesting 
scale applied. 

If  the  Group’s  NPAT  is  below  the  average  of  the  peer  group, 
then  nothing  will  vest  regardless  of  the  Group’s  customer 
satisfaction ranking. 

The GLSP will provide reward shares to the participants if and 
when grants vest. The number of reward shares to vest will be 
determined by the value of the pool that vests at the end of the 
performance  period  and  the  share  price  at  the  end  of  the 
relevant  performance  period.  As  the  GLSP  commenced  on  1 
July 2007, no reward shares have yet been delivered. 

A total of $8.4 million has been expensed in respect of the year 
ended 30 June 2009. 

Further  details  of  the  GLSP  are  available  in  the  Remuneration 
Report. 

Equity Reward Plan (ERP) 

The  ERP  was  the  Group’s  previous  long  term  incentive 
arrangement for executives, which has since been replaced by 
the GLSP and LISP arrangements. No grants were made under 
the ERP during the 2009 financial year. The last allocation under 
the ERP was made in July 2006 and tested for vesting in July 
2009. The measurement reached the 86th percentile resulting in 
a 100% vesting. No further grants will be made under the ERP. 
The Board envisaged that up to a maximum of 500 employees 
would participate each year in the ERP. 

Previous  grants  under  the  ERP  were  in  two  parts,  comprising 
grants  of  options,  where  recipients  pay  a  set  exercise  price  to 
convert  each  option  to  one  CBA  share  once  the  option  has 
vested, and grants of shares, where no exercise price is payable 
for  participants  to  receive  CBA  shares  upon  vesting.  Since 
2001/02,  no  options  have  been  issued  under  the  ERP.  From 
2002/03, only Reward Shares have been issued under this plan. 

180     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

The  exercise  of  previously  granted  options  and  the  vesting  of 
employee legal title to the shares are conditional on the Group 
achieving  a  prescribed  performance  hurdle.  The  ERP 
performance  hurdle  is  based  on  relative  Total  Shareholder 
Return  (TSR)  with  the  Group’s  TSR  performance  being 
measured  against  a  comparator  group  of  companies.  TSR  is 
calculated  by  combining  the  reinvestment  of  dividends  and 
share price movements over the period.  

For Reward Shares granted from 2002/03 to 2005/06 inclusive, 
a tiered vesting scale was applied so that 50% of the allocated 
shares vested if the Group’s TSR return  was equal to the 50th 
percentile, 75% vested at the 67th percentile and 100% vested 
when  the  Group’s return  was  in the  top  quartile.  The minimum 
vesting period was three years. There  were then four retesting 
opportunities  until  the  maximum  five  year  vesting  period 
concluded. All unvested Reward Shares in the Plan at the end of 
the  vesting  period  were  to  be  forfeited.  Employees  who  exited 
the Group before the grants vested forfeited their allocation. 

Where the performance rating was at least at the 50th percentile 
on the third anniversary of the grant, the shares would vest at a 
time  nominated  by  the  executive,  within  the  trading  windows, 
over  the  next  two  years.  The  vesting  percentage  would  be  at 
least that achieved on the third anniversary of the grant and the 
executive would be able to delay vesting until a subsequent half 
yearly  window  prior  to  the  fifth  anniversary  of  the  grant.  The 
vesting  percentage  would  be  calculated  by  reference  to  the 
rating at that time. 

Where  the  rating  was  below  the  50th  percentile  on  the  third 
anniversary  of  grant,  the  shares  would  still  vest  if  the  rating 
reached the 50th percentile prior to the fifth anniversary, but the 
maximum vesting would be 50%. 

For  Reward  Shares  granted  in  2006/07  a  straight  line  vesting 
scale is applied, with 50% vesting at the 51st percentile, through 
to  100%  vesting  at  the  75th  percentile.  The  minimum  vesting 
period  for  these  grants  is  three  years.    Where  at  the  first 
measurement date the Group’s percentile ranking is lower than 
the  51st  percentile,  there  will  be  one  retest  12  months  later  at 
which  time  50%  of  shares  will  vest  if  the  Group’s  percentile 
reaches the 51st percentile. In this circumstance the maximum 
vesting  period  is 4  years,  the maximum  number  of shares that 
may  vest  is  50%,  the  shares  shall  vest  immediately  and  the 
participant  shall  have  no  entitlement  to  further  shares.  All 
unvested Reward Shares remaining in the Plan at the end of the 
vesting  period  are  forfeited.  Employees  who  exit  the  Group 
before the grant vests forfeit their allocation.  

During  the  vesting  period,  Reward  Shares  are  held  in  Trust. 
Each participant on behalf of whom Reward Shares are held by 
the Trustee has a right to receive dividends. If the shares vest, 
dividends are paid in relation to those accrued during the vesting 
period. The participant may also direct the Trustee on how the 
voting rights attached to the shares are to be exercised during 
the vesting period. 

Reward  Shares  acquired  under  the  share  component  of  the 
ERP are purchased on-market at the current market price. In the 
current year, a total of $12.1 million has been expensed. The fair 
value of shares allocated under the ERP is expensed over three 
to five years, reflecting the expected vesting period.  

For a limited number of executives a cash-based ERP replicator 
scheme is operated by way of grants of Performance Units – the 
Equity  Reward 
(ERPUP).  A 
Performance  Unit  is  a monetary  unit  with  a  value  linked to the 
share  price  of  Commonwealth  Bank  shares.  Performance  Unit 
grants are subject to the same vesting conditions as the ERP. 

(Performance  Unit)  Plan 

 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 32 Share Capital (continued) 

Equity Reward Plan (ERP) (continued) 

On  meeting  the  vesting  condition,  a  cash  payment  is  made  to  
executives the value of which is determined based on the Group’s 
share price on vesting plus an accrued dividend value. 

A  total  of  $5.1  million  for  the  ERPUP  has  been  expensed  in 
respect  of  the  year  ended  30  June  2009.  The  current  year 
expense is lower than last year’s due to the run-off of the plans. 

Executive  options  issued  up  to  September  2001  have  not  been 
recorded as an expense by the Group.  

Details of movements in ERP options and shares are as follows: 

Options – Details of Movements 

(1) The Exercise Price is the market value at the commencement date. Market value is defined as the weighted average of the prices at which shares were traded on the 

ASX during the one week period before the commencement date. This is the average exercise price. 

(2) The premium adjustment (based on the actual difference between the dividend and bond yields at the date of vesting) was nil. 

(3) Performance hurdle was satisfied on 31 March 2004 and options may be exercised up to 13 September 2010. 

(4) Performance hurdle was satisfied on 3 October 2004 and options may be exercised up to 3 September 2011. 

(5) No amount is unpaid in respect of the shares issued upon exercise of options during the above period. 

Reward Shares – Details of Movements 

(1) Represents the total number of shares allocated and may not represent the total number that may vest at a later date. The Group purchases 50% of the maximum 
number of shares a participant may receive. Additional shares are purchased if required to fulfil the Group’s obligations to vest shares in participants once the 
performance of the ERP grant is known. 

(2) Performance hurdle was satisfied on  23 September 2007 when 100% of the maximum allocation of this grant vested. 

(3) Performance hurdle was satisfied on 15 July 2008 when 100% of the maximum allocation of this grant vested. 

(4) This grant will be tested for vesting on 14 July 2009. If performance is below the 51st percentile, one retest will be conducted 12 months later on 14 July 2010. 

Non-Executive Directors Share Plan (NEDSP) 

The NEDSP provides for the acquisition of shares by Non-Executive 
Directors through the mandatory sacrifice of 20% of their annual fees 
(paid on a quarterly basis). Shares purchased are restricted for sale 
for  10  years  or  when  the  Director  leaves  the  Board,  whichever  is 
earlier.  In  addition,  Non-Executive  Directors  can  voluntarily  elect  to 
sacrifice up to a further 80% of their fees for the acquisition of shares. 

Shares  are  purchased  on-market  at  the  current  market  price  and  a 
total of 91,972 shares have been purchased under the NEDSP  

Grants made under the NEDSP from 1 July 2008 to 30 June 2009 

since  the  plan  commenced  in  2001.  Since  March  2005, 
shares are acquired under the plan on a six monthly basis. 

the  plan  receive 

Shares  acquired  under 
full  dividend 
entitlements  and  voting  rights  and  there  are  no  forfeiture  or 
vesting  conditions  attached  to  the  shares  granted  under  the 
NEDSP. 

For  the  current  year,  $735,257  was  expensed  through  the 
profit  and  loss  reflecting  shares  purchased  and  allocated 
under the NEDSP. 

      Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     181 

July 2008 - June 2009July 2007 - June 2008Year of Grant2000 (3)2001 (4)2000 (3)2001 (4)Exercise price (1) (2)26.9730.1226.9730.12Held by participants at the start of the year (no.)97,500314,10097,500426,600Granted during the year (no.)----Exercised during the year (no.)(12,500)(17,500)-(112,500)Lapsed during the year (no.)----Outstanding at the end of year (no.)85,000296,60097,500314,100Total consideration paid due to exercises to date of report (5)337,125$    527,100$    -3,388,500$   July 2008 - June 2009July 2007 - June 2008Year of Grant - Total Reward Shares2005 (3)2006 (4)2004 (2)2005 (3)2006 (4)Held by participants at the start of the year (no.)345,574374,764297,395411,937440,854Allocated during the year (no.) (1)345,574-282,645--Vested during the year (no.)(691,148)-(540,290)--Lapsed during the year (no.)-(50,257)(39,750)(66,363)(66,090)Outstanding at the end of year (no.)-324,507$    -345,574$    374,764$      PeriodTotal Fees SacrifiedParticipantsShares PurchasedAverage Purchase Price1 January to 30 June 2009$360,2871012,249$29.411 July to 31 December 2008$374,97098,964$41.84 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 32 Share Capital (continued) 

 Executive Option Plan (EOP) 

This plan was discontinued in 2000/01. 

Under the EOP, the Bank granted options to purchase fully paid 
ordinary shares to those key executives who, being able by virtue 
of  their  responsibility,  experience  and  skill  to  influence  the 
generation of shareholder wealth, were declared by the Board of 
Directors to be eligible to participate in the Plan. Non-Executive 
Directors were not eligible to participate in the Plan. 

Options  cannot  be  exercised  before  each  respective  exercise 
period  and  the  ability  to  exercise  is  conditional  on  the  Group 
achieving a prescribed performance hurdle. The option plan did 
not  grant  rights  to  the  option  holders  to  participate  in  a  share 
issue of any other body corporate. 

The performance hurdle is the same TSR comparator hurdle as 
outlined above for the Equity Reward Plan (ERP) grants prior to 
2002/03. 

Options – Details of Movements 

The EOP  was  discontinued in  2000/2001  and  no  options  have 
been granted under the plan since the last grant in September 
2000.  The  performance  hurdles  for  the August 1999  grant and 
the September 2000 grant were met in 2004.  

Under the Group’s EOP and ERP an option holder generally has 
no right to participate in any new issue of securities of the Group 
or of a related body corporate as a result of holding the option. 
The only exception is when there is a pro rata issue of shares to 
the  Group’s  Shareholders  by  way  of  a  bonus  issue  involving 
capitalisation  (other  than  in  place  of  dividends  or  by  way  of 
dividend reinvestment). In this case an option holder is entitled to 
receive  additional  shares  upon  exercise  of  the  options  of  the 
number  of  bonus  shares  that  the  option  holder  would  have 
received  if  the  options  had  been  exercised  and  shares  issued 
prior to the bonus issue. 

Details of movements in EOP options are as follows: 

(1) The Exercise Price is the market value at the commencement date. Market value is defined as the weighted average of the prices at which shares were traded on 

the ASX during the one week period before the commencement date. This is the average exercise price. 

(2) The premium adjustment (based on the actual difference between the dividend and bond yields at the date of vesting) was nil. 

(3) Performance hurdle was satisfied on 31 March 2004 and options may be exercised up to 13 September 2010. 

(4) No amount is unpaid in respect of the shares issued upon exercise of options during the above period. 

Note 33 Minority Interests  

(1) Comprises predominantly New Zealand Perpetual Preference Shares - $505 million. On 10 December 2002, ASB Capital Limited, a New Zealand subsidiary, issued 
NZD 200 million (AUD 182 million) of perpetual preference shares. Such shares are non-redeemable and carry limited voting rights. Dividends are payable quarterly 
and are non-cumulative. On 22 December 2004, ASB Capital No.2 Ltd, a New Zealand subsidiary, issued NZD 350 million (AUD 323 million) of perpetual preference 
shares. Such shares are non-redeemable and carry limited voting rights. Dividends are payable quarterly and are non-cumulative. 

182     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

July 2008 - June 2009July 2007 - June 2008Year of Grant2000 (3)2000 (3)Exercise price (1) (2)26.9726.97Held by participants at the start of the year (no.)24,40036,900Granted during the year (no.)--Exercised during the year (no.)-(12,500)Lapsed during the year (no.)--Outstanding at the end of year (no.)24,40024,400Total consideration paid due to exercises to date of report (4)-337,125$    Group20092008$M$MControlled entities:Share capital (1)520518Total minority interests520518 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note 34 Capital Adequacy  

Regulatory Capital  

The Bank is an Authorised Deposit-taking Institution (“ADI”) and 
is  subject  to  regulation  by  APRA  under  the  authority  of  the 
Banking  Act  1959.  APRA  has  set  minimum  regulatory  capital 
requirements for banks that are consistent with the International 
Convergence of Capital Measurement and Capital Standards: A 
Revised Framework (“Basel II”) issued by the Basel Committee 
on  Banking  Supervision.  These  requirements  define  what  is 
acceptable  as  capital  and  provide  methods  of  measuring  the 
risks incurred by the Bank.  

The  regulatory  capital  requirements  are  measured  for  the 
Extended  Licence  Entity  Group  (known  as  “Level  One” 
comprising the Bank and APRA approved subsidiaries) and for 
the  Bank  and  all  of  its  banking  subsidiaries  (known  as  “Level 
Two” or the “Group”).  

All entities which are consolidated for accounting purposes are 
included within the Group capital adequacy calculations except 
for: 

  The insurance and funds management operations; and 

  The entities through which securitisation of Bank assets are 

conducted. 

Regulatory capital is divided into Tier One and Tier Two Capital. 
Tier One Capital primarily consists of Shareholders’ Equity plus 
other capital instruments acceptable to APRA, less goodwill and 
other  prescribed  deductions.  Tier  Two  Capital  is  comprised 
primarily  of  hybrid  and  debt  instruments  acceptable  to  APRA 
less any prescribed deductions. Total Capital is the aggregate of 
Tier One and Tier Two Capital.  

The tangible component of the investment in the insurance and 
funds management  operations  are  deducted  from capital,  50% 
from Tier One and 50% from Tier Two. 

Capital adequacy is measured by means of a risk based capital 
ratio.  The  capital  ratios  reflect  capital  (Tier  One,  Tier  Two  or 
Total  Capital)  as  a  percentage  of  total  Risk  Weighted  Assets 
(“RWA”). RWA represents an allocation of risks associated with 
the Group’s assets and other related exposures. 

its  capital 

the 
The  Group  actively  manages 
rating 
requirements  of  various  stakeholders 
agencies and shareholders). This is achieved by optimising the 
mix  of  capital  while  maintaining  adequate  capital  ratios 
throughout the financial year.  

to  balance 

(regulators, 

The  Group  has  a  range  of  instruments  and  methodologies 
available  to  effectively  manage  capital  including  share  issues 
and buybacks, dividend and dividend reinvestment plan policies, 
hybrid capital raising and dated and undated subordinated debt 
issues. All major capital related initiatives require approval of the 
Board. 

The Group’s capital position is monitored on a continuous basis 
and reported monthly to the Asset and Liability Committee of the 
Group.  Three  year  capital  forecasts  are  conducted  on  a 
quarterly  basis  and  a  detailed  capital  and  strategy  plan  is 
presented to the Board annually. 

The  Group’s  capital  ratios  throughout  the  2008  and  2009 
financial  years  were  in  compliance  with  both  APRA  minimum 
capital adequacy requirements and the Board Approved Target 
Ranges. 

The  Group’s  Tier  One  target  range  was  formally  amended  by 
the  Board  in  February  2009  from  a  range  of  6.5  to  7.0%  to 
above 7.0%.  

Notes to the Financial Statements  

The Bank is required to inform APRA immediately of any breach 
or  potential  breach  of 
its  minimum  capital  adequacy 
requirements,  including  details  of  remedial  action  taken  or 
planned to be taken. 

Economic Capital 

The Group uses an “Economic Capital” model to drive delivery 
of  “shareholder-value-added”  (“SVA”)  results.  Measures  are 
applied  to  link  the  cost  of  the  Group’s  physical  capital  to  the 
profit  required  from  different  business  segments.  This  in  turn 
facilitates: 

  Pricing of products based on appropriate charges for use of 

capital; and  

Internal  measurement  of  performance  on  a  risk  adjusted 
basis. 

Economic  Capital  provides  an  estimate  of  capital  required  to 
cover  the  financial  impact  of  unlikely  events,  at  a  level  of 
confidence  consistent  with  the  Board’s  target  debt  rating.  As 
such,  the  level  of  Economic  Capital  and  physical  capital  is 
aligned to the Board’s overall risk appetite.  

The Group calculates Economic Capital in accordance with the 
following key principles: 

  Consistent  application 

to  all  material  risk 

types  and 

businesses across the Group; 

  Measurement  of  potential  financial  impacts  over  a  time 
period  reflecting  elimination  of  the  risk  under  assumed 
adverse conditions; 

  Use  of  a  confidence  level  aligned  with  the  Group’s  target 

debt rating; and 

  Aggregation of Economic Capital by individual risk type. 

Economic  Capital  provides  a  tool  for  evaluating  which  of  the 
Group’s products and businesses provide the best return relative 
to the credit, market,  operational, strategic  business,  insurance 
and other risks taken in achieving that return. These risk types 
are defined in the Basel II Capital Framework, and influence the 
level of capital held by the Group.  

SVA  is  maximised  through  the  use  of  two  measures  of  risk-
adjusted  performance  –  known  as  Profit  After  Capital  Charge 
(PACC) and Return on Target Equity (ROTE) – which are used 
internally to measure business performance. These measures of 
profit and return reflect the amount of Economic Capital used in 
achieving these outcomes. 

Business  Unit  segments  are  required  to  achieve  minimum 
returns  on  their  allocated  risk-based  capital  equal  to  a  uniform 
“Cost of Capital” which is set from time to time based on market 
conditions. 

The development of Economic Capital measures and the use of 
risk adjusted return metrics within Business Unit segments is an 
evolving area both within the Group and across the industry. 

      Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     183 

 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 35 Financial Reporting by Segments 

The principal activities of the Group are carried out in the business segments shown below. These segments are based on the types of products and services provided to customers. 

The primary sources of revenue are interest and fee income (Retail Banking Services, Institutional Banking and Markets, Business and Private Banking, International Financial Services and Bankwest) and insurance 
premium  and  funds  management  income  (Wealth  Management).  Revenues  and  expenses  occurring  between  segments  are  subject  to  transfer  pricing  arrangements.  All  intra-group  profits  are  eliminated  on 
consolidation. 

(1) Includes impairment losses for Wealth Management; $177 million, Institutional Banking and Markets $11 million, International Financial Services $11 million, Other $20 million. 

(2) Business segments are managed on the basis of Net profit after income tax (“cash basis”) which is defined by management as net profit after tax and minority interests, before the gain on acquisition of controlled entities, merger related amortisation, integration 

expenses, the gain on Visa Initial Public Offering, provisions for investment and restructuring, defined benefit superannuation plan (income)/expense, treasury shares valuation adjustment, other one-off expenses and unrealised gains and losses related to hedging 
and AIFRS volatility. Management use “cash basis” to assess performance and it provides the basis for the determination of the Bank’s dividends. 

184     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

GroupRetailBusinessInstitutionalInternationalBusiness Segment InformationBankingand PrivateBanking andWealthFinancialServicesBankingMarketsManagementServicesBankwestOtherTotalIncome Statement$M$M$M$M$M$M$M$MInterest income14,8593,1444,713-4,0412,0532,70931,519Insurance premium and related revenue---1,259392--1,651Other income1,5517521,2782,236 (1)507192(253)6,263Total revenue16,4103,8965,9913,4954,9402,2452,45639,433Equity accounted earnings63-4191--141Revenue from external customers16,2904,2835,5373,5154,7812,1242,76239,292Revenue from other operating segments114(390)454(61)68121(306)-Interest expense5,7692,6161,835-3,1091,3476,54221,218Segment result before income tax2,9961,024(17) (1)170613 (1)1891,474 (1)6,449Income tax expense(889)(288)16088(174)(67)(526)(1,696)Segment result after income tax2,1077361432584391229484,753Minority interests----(3)-(27)(30)Segment result after income tax and minority interests2,1077361432584361229214,723Less: Non-Cash items (2)--(23)(28)(34)9384308Net profit after tax ("cash basis") (2)2,1077361662864701135374,415Additional Information Intangible asset amortisation84471224945176Impairment expense6993091,708-202113173,048Depreciation11243854119164302Defined benefit superannuation expense------1414Gain on acquisition------983983Bankwest integration-----7636112Other2393695152135Balance SheetTotal assets237,86274,815113,20022,70657,24168,32746,221620,372Acquisition of property, plant and equipment, intangibles and other non–current assets516152153361,3332,064Investments in associates71153640318--1,047Total liabilities141,32494,79981,84119,71448,85964,388138,005588,930Year Ended 30 June 2009 
  
Note 35 Financial Reporting by Segments (continued) 

Notes to the Financial Statements  

(1) Business segments are managed on the basis of Net profit after income tax (“cash basis”) which is defined by management as net profit after tax and minority interests, before the gain on Visa Initial Public Offering, Provisions for investment and restructuring, defined 
benefit superannuation plan (income)/expense, treasury shares valuation adjustment and unrealised gains and losses related to hedging and AIFRS volatility. Management use “cash basis” to assess performance as it provides the basis for the determination of the 
Bank’s dividends. 

      Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     185 

GroupRetailBusinessInstitutionalInternationalBusiness Segment InformationBankingand PrivateBanking andWealthFinancialServicesBankingMarketsManagementServicesBankwestOtherTotalIncome Statement$M$M$M$M$M$M$M$MInterest income14,5493,2195,975-4,061-1,43029,234Insurance premium and related revenue---994379--1,373Other income1,3398631,0272,763458-(3)6,447Total revenue15,8884,0827,0023,7574,898-1,42737,054Equity accounted earnings---6032--92Revenue from external customers15,8104,3746,2223,7474,796-2,01336,962Revenue from other operating segments78(292)780(50)70-(586)-Interest expense5,3062,9803,765-3,092-6,18421,327Segment result before income tax2,687974909991767-(73)6,255Income tax expense(805)(280)(128)(194)(177)-151(1,433)Segment result after income tax1,882694781797590-784,822Minority interests----(2)-(29)(31)Segment result after income tax and minority interests1,882694781797588-494,791Less: Non-Cash items (1)(29)(27)10607-3758Net profit after tax ("cash basis") (1)1,911721771737581-124,733Additional Information Intangible asset amortisation19494-12-19103Impairment expense331167259-43-130930Depreciation102718439-127225Defined benefit superannuation expense/(income)------(14)(14)Investment and restructuring4122--14-300377Other28104106-3290Balance SheetTotal assets199,10673,60597,65423,89251,634-41,681487,572Acquisition of property, plant and equipment, intangibles and other non–current assets15420127871-321962Investments in associates-152724165--906Total liabilities122,34989,67776,56120,60942,750-109,489461,435Year Ended 30 June 2008(1)(2)(1)(1) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 35 Financial Reporting by Segment (continued) 

(1) Other locations were: United Kingdom, United States of America, Japan, Singapore, Malta, Hong Kong, Grand Cayman, Fiji, Indonesia, China and Vietnam.  

The geographical information represents the location in which the transaction was booked. 

Note 36 Life Insurance Business 

The following information is provided to disclose the statutory life 
insurance  business 
the  Group 
Financial  Statements  and 
the  underlying  methods  and 
assumptions used in their calculations. 

transactions  contained 

in 

All  financial  assets  within  the  life  statutory  funds  have  been 
determined  to  support  either  life  insurance  or  life  investment 
contracts.  Also  refer  to  Note  1  (hh).  The  insurance  segment 
result is prepared on a business segment basis, refer to Note 
35. 

186     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

GroupYear Ended 30 JuneGeographical Information200920082007Financial Performance & Position$M%$M%$M%RevenueAustralia32,49882. 429,13178. 626,35079. 5New Zealand4,90412. 44,92213. 34,51713. 6Other locations (1)2,0315. 23,0018. 12,3026. 939,433100. 037,054100. 033,169100. 0Non-Current AssetsAustralia11,90989. 89,92987. 79,26085. 0New Zealand1,0057. 61,12910. 01,13310. 4Other locations (1)3432. 62652. 34964. 613,257100. 011,323100. 010,889100. 0Life InsuranceLife InvestmentContractsContractsGroup200920082009200820092008Summarised Income Statement$M$M$M$M$M$MPremium income and related revenue1,6291,4122482921,8771,704Outward reinsurance premiums expense(271)(234)--(271)(234)Claims expense(992)(865)(21)(1)(1,013)(866)Reinsurance recoveries207173--207173Investment revenue (excluding investments in subsidiaries):Equity securities(257)(246)(984)(852)(1,241)(1,098)Debt securities177227474419651646Property(150)(37)(197)(108)(347)(145)Other(27)81(96)(102)(123)(21)Decrease in net contract liabilities4101986865741,096772Operating income726709110222836931Acquisition expenses2541901121265211Maintenance expenses24724097138344378Management expenses21142174221Other expense139-53192Net profit before income tax203226(19)3184229Income tax (benefit)/expense attributable to operating profit29(13)(139)(48)(110)(61)Net profit after income tax17423912051294290 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 36 Life Insurance Business (continued) 

The  disclosure  of  the  components of  operating  profit  after  income tax  expense  are  required to  be separated  between  policyholders‟  and 
shareholders‟  interests.  As  policyholder  profits  are  an  expense  of  the  Group  and  not  attributable  to  shareholders,  no  such  disclosure  is 
required. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     187 

Life InsuranceLife InvestmentContractsContractsGroup200920082009200820092008$M$M$M$M$M$MSources of Life Insurance Net ProfitThe net profit after income tax is represented by:Emergence of planned profit margins1691909798266288Difference between actual and planned experience(47)2(11)(57)(58)(55)Effects of changes to underlying assumptions73--73Reversal of previously recognised losses or loss recognition on groups of related products11---11-Investment earnings on assets in excess of policyholder liabilities25259103435Other movements91925-3419Net profit after income tax17423912051294290Life insurance premiums received and receivable1,7381,3289541,3362,6922,664Life insurance claims paid and payable1,0859392,2692,9293,3543,868Life InsuranceLife InvestmentContractsContractsGroupReconciliation of Movements in200920082009200820092008Policy Liabilities$M$M$M$M$M$MContract policy liabilitiesGross policy liabilities opening balance4,1224,80114,37316,97018,49521,771Acquisition of controlled entities39-164-203-Movement in policy liabilities reflected in the Income Statement(338)(198)(686)(574)(1,024)(772)Contract contributions recognised in policy liabilities1677061,0507221,057Contract withdrawals recognised in policy liabilities(91)(131)(2,248)(2,940)(2,339)(3,071)Non-cash movements(27)(216)-10(27)(206)FX translation adjustment7(141)19(143)26(284)Gross policy liabilities closing balance3,7284,12212,32814,37316,05618,495Liabilities ceded under reinsuranceOpening balance(145)(158)--(145)(158)Acquisition of controlled entities(2)---(2)-(Decrease)/ increase in reinsurance assets(72)13--(72)13Closing balance(219)(145)--(219)(145)Net policy liabilities at 30 June Expected to be realised within 12 months5355042,0312,3522,5662,856Expected to be realised in more than 12 months2,9743,47310,29712,02113,27115,494Total net insurance policy liabilities3,5093,97712,32814,37315,83718,350 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 37 Remuneration of Auditors  

(1) An additional amount of $7,132,535 was paid to PricewaterhouseCoopers (2008: $5,877,085) by way of fees for entities not consolidated into the Financial Statements. 

Of this amount $6,065,331 (2008: $4,527,545 ) relates to statutory audits. 

All other fees principally include taxation and advisory services. 
Advisory  services  were  both  small  in  number  and  fee  and 
related  to  training  of  employees  in  new  accounting  standards 
and attendance at a number of risk governance meetings. 

The  Audit  Committee  has  considered  the  non-audit  services 
provided  by  PricewaterhouseCoopers  and  is  satisfied  that  the 
services  and  the  level  of  fees  are  compatible  with  maintaining 
auditors‟ independence. All such services were approved by the 
Audit Committee in accordance with pre-approved policies and 
procedures. 

Audit  related  fees  principally  include  assurance  and  attestation 
reviews  of  the  Group‟s  U.S.  disclosures  for  U.S.  investors, 
services  in  relation  to  regulatory  requirements,  acquisition 
accounting advice as well as reviews of internal control systems 
and financial or regulatory information.  

Note 38 Commitments for Capital Expenditure Not Provided for 

188     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

GroupBank2009200820092008$'000$'000$'000$'000a) Audit servicesPricewaterhouseCoopers Australian firm12,4599,7117,8617,111Related practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers Australian firm4,4704,330711571Total remuneration for audit services16,92914,0418,5727,682b) Non-audit servicesAudit related servicesPricewaterhouseCoopers Australian firm3,7423,0662,8782,544Related practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers Australian firm42869523528Total remuneration for audit related services4,1703,7613,1132,572Taxation servicesPricewaterhouseCoopers Australian firm1,3759091,375909Related practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers Australian firm1,3461,102318440Total remuneration for tax related services2,7212,0111,6931,349AdvisoryPricewaterhouseCoopers Australian firm80-80-Related practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers Australian firm1661238838Total remuneration for advisory services24612316838Total remuneration for non-audit services7,1375,8954,9743,959Total remuneration for audit and non-audit services (1)24,06619,93613,54611,641GroupBank2009200820092008$M$M$M$MNot later than one year18451641Total commitments for capital expenditure not provided for18451641 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 39 Lease Commitments – Property, Plant and Equipment 

Lease Arrangements 

Leases  entered  into  by  the  Group  are  for  the  purpose  of 
accommodating the business needs. Leases may be over retail, 
commercial,  industrial  and  residential  premises  and  reflect  the 
needs  of  the  occupying  business  and  market  conditions.  All 
internal  or  external 
leases  are  negotiated  using  either 
professional property resources acting for the Group. 

Rental  payments  are  determined  in  terms  of  relevant  lease 
requirements, usually reflecting market rentals.  

The  Group  as  lessee  has  no  purchase  options  over  premises 
occupied. In a small number of cases, the Group as lessee has 
a right of first refusal if the premises are to be sold. 

There are no restrictions imposed on the Group‟s lease of space 
other 
lease 
forming  part  of 
arrangements for each specific premise. 

the  negotiated 

those 

than 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     189 

GroupBank2009200820092008$M$M$M$MCommitments in respect of non-cancellable operating lease agreements due:Not later than one year376347341314Later than one year but not later than five years954850868756Later than five years375419347357Total lease commitments - property, plant and equipment1,7051,6161,5561,427Group20092008$M$MGroup's share of lease commitments of associated entities due:Not later than one year32Later than one year but not later than five years63Later than five years92Total lease commitments - property, plant and equipment187 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 40 Contingent Liabilities, Assets and Commitments  

The Group is involved in a range of transactions that give rise to 
contingent  and/or  future  liabilities  which  are  distinct  from 
transactions  and  other  events  that  result  in  the  recognition  of 
liabilities. These transactions meet the financing requirements of 
customers  and  include  endorsed  bills  of  exchange,  letters  of 
credit,  guarantees  and  commitments  to  provide  credit.  For 
further details on these items refer Note 1 (gg). 

Details of contingent liabilities and off-balance sheet business are: 

These  transactions  combine  varying  levels  of  credit,  interest 
rate,  foreign  exchange  and  liquidity  risk.  In  accordance  with 
Bank  policy,  exposure  to  any  of  these  transactions  is  not 
carried at a level that would have a material adverse effect on 
the financial condition of the Bank and its controlled entities. 

(1) Differences between 2009 and 2008 credit equivalent amounts relate to adopting Basel II advanced internal ratings based approach for credit risk (previously 

calculated in accordance with Basel I). See below for more detail. 

Under the Basel II advanced internal ratings approach for credit 
risk,  the  credit  equivalent  amount  is  the  face  value  of  the 
transaction,  on  the  basis  that  at  default  the  exposure  is  the 
amount fully advanced. Only where approved by APRA may an 
exposure  less  than the  fully  advanced  amount  be  used  as  the 
credit equivalent exposure. 

As the potential loss depends on counterparty performance, the 
Group utilises the same credit policies and assessment criteria 
for off-balance sheet business as for on-balance sheet business 
and  if  deemed  necessary,  collateral  is  obtained  based  on 
management‟s credit evaluation of the counterparty. If an event 
has  occurred  that  gives  rise  to  a  present  obligation  and  it  is 
probable a loss will eventuate then provisions are raised. 

Contingent Assets  

The  credit  risk  related  contingent  liabilities  of  $124,709  million 
(2008:  $111,078  million)  detailed  above  also 
represent 
contingent assets of the Group, which may in the normal course 
convert to loans and other assets of the Group. 

Guarantees represent unconditional undertakings by the Group 
to support the obligations of its customers to third parties. 

Standby letters of credit are undertakings by the Group to pay, 
against production of documents, an obligation in the event of a 
default by a customer. 

Bill  endorsements  relate  to  bills  of  exchange  that  have  been 
endorsed  by  the  Group  and  represent  liabilities  in  the  event  of 
default by the acceptor and the drawer of the bill. 

Documentary letters of credit represent an undertaking to pay or 
accept  drafts  drawn  by  an  overseas  supplier  of  goods  against 
production  of  documents  in  the  event  of  payment  default  by  a 
customer. 

Performance  related  contingents  involve  undertakings  by  the 
Group to pay third parties if a customer fails to fulfil a contractual 
non-monetary obligation. 

Commitments to provide credit include all obligations on the part 
of the Group to provide credit facilities. These credit facilities are 
both fixed and variable. 

Fixed rate or fixed spread commitments extended to customers 
that  allow  net  settlement  of  the  change  in  the  value  of  the 
commitment  are  written  options  and  are  recorded  at  fair  value 
(Refer to Note 11 Derivative Assets and Liabilities). 

Other  commitments include  the  Group‟s  obligations  under  sale 
and  repurchase  agreements,  outright  forward  purchases  and 
forward deposits and underwriting facilities. Other commitments 
also include obligations not otherwise disclosed above to extend 
credit, that are irrevocable because they cannot be withdrawn at 
the discretion of the Bank without the risk of incurring significant 
penalty or expense. In addition commitments to purchase or sell 
loans are included in other commitments. 

transactions  are  categorised  and  credit  equivalents 
The 
risk  based 
calculated  under  APRA  guidelines 
measurement  of  capital  adequacy.  The  credit  equivalent 
amounts are a measure of the potential loss to the Group in the 
event of non-performance by the counterparty. 

the 

for 

190     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

GroupFace ValueCredit Equivalent2009200820092008$M$M$M$MCredit risk related instruments (1)Guarantees3,6412,8023,6412,802Standby letters of credit206142206142Bill endorsements5376153861Documentary letters of credit43534353Performance related contingents1,9941,8701,9511,870Commitments to provide credit117,88797,304100,79883,499Other commitments4018,846265672Total credit risk related instruments124,709111,078107,44289,099 
 
 
 
 
  
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 40 Contingent Liabilities, Assets and Commitments (continued) 

Fiduciary Activities 

The Group and its associated entities conduct investment management and other fiduciary activities as responsible entity, trustee, 
custodian or manager for numerous investment funds and trusts, including superannuation and approved deposit funds, wholesale 
and retail trusts. The amounts of funds concerned that are not reported in the Group‟s Balance Sheet are as follows: 

Litigation 

Neither the Bank nor any of its controlled entities are engaged in 
any litigation or claim which is likely to have a materially adverse 
effect on the business, financial condition or operating results of 
the  Bank  or  any  of  its  controlled  entities.  Where  some  loss  is 
probable and can be reliably estimated an appropriate provision 
has been made. 

Certain  entities  within  the  Group  act  as  responsible  entity  or 
trustee  of  virtually  all  managed 
investment  schemes 
(“schemes”),  wholesale  and  retail  trusts  (“trusts”)  managed  by 
the Group in Australia, the  United Kingdom  and New  Zealand. 
The  above  Funds  Under  Administration  do  not  include  on 
balance sheet investments and policyholder liabilities held in the 
statutory funds of the life insurance business (refer to Note 10) 
where  an  entity  within  the  Group may  act as a  trustee. Where 
entities  within  the  Group  act  as  responsible  entity  of  managed 
investment  schemes,  obligations  may  exist  under  the  relevant 
constitutions whereby upon request from a scheme member, the 
responsible  entity  has  an  obligation  to  redeem  units  from  the 
assets  of  those  schemes.  Liabilities  are  incurred  by  these 
entities in their capacity as responsible entity or trustee. Rights 
of  Indemnity  are  held  against  the  schemes  and  trusts  whose 
assets exceeded their liabilities at 30 June 2009. The Bank does 
not  provide  a  general  guarantee  of  the  performance  or 
obligations of its subsidiaries. 

Long Term Contracts 

In April 2009, the Bank entered into an agreement with Telstra 
Corporation  Ltd 
telecommunications 
the  provision  of 
services. The term of the agreement is ten years. 

for 

In  2009  the  Bank  entered  into  an  Agreement  for  Lease  with 
Lend  Lease  Development  and  Australian Prime  Property  Fund 
for Darling Walk, a new building in the Sydney CBD comprising 
over  50,000m2  of commercial accommodation  located  above  a 
retail  podium.  It  is  currently  under  construction  and  will 
accommodate  around  4,900  of  the  Group‟s  employees  from 
early 2012.  

In April 2009 the Group entered into an Agreement to Lease for 
12  years  (with  options  to  extend)  on  completion  of  Raine 
Square,  a  new  21  level  office  tower  in  Perth  that  will  provide 
almost  40,000m2  of  office  accommodation  above  3  levels  of 
retail space. Once complete it will accommodate over 3,500 of 
the  Group‟s  Perth  based  employees.  Bankwest  has  also 
exercised  an  extension  option  on  existing  premises  from 
November 2009. 

In April  2008, the Bank signed agreements  with SAP Australia 
Pty Limited and Accenture Australia Limited for its Core Banking 
Modernisation program. 

In December 2007, the Bank entered into separate agreements 
with each of Tata Consultancy Services Ltd, HCL Technologies 
Ltd  and  IBM  Australia  Ltd  for  the  provision  of  application 
software  related  services.  As  part  of  entering  into  these 
contracts, the Bank terminated certain parts of the previous long 
term  agreement  with  EDS  (Australia)  Pty  Ltd  relating  to 
application  software  services.  The  remaining  parts  of  the 
contract  with  EDS  (Australia)  Pty  Ltd  -  related  to  mainframe, 
midrange,  end  user  technology  and  cards-related  services  - 
continue until 2012. 

In November 2007, the Bank signed a lease agreement  with a 
term of 12 years with DPT Operator Pty Ltd and DPPT Operator 
Pty Ltd for accommodating approximately 5,000 of the Group‟s 
employees at Darling Park Tower 1 at 201 Sussex Street in the 
Sydney CBD. 

In  July  2006,  the  Bank  entered  into  a  lease  agreement  with 
Colonial First State Property Limited as trustee for both the Site 
6 Homebush Bay Trust, and for the Site 7 Homebush Bay Trust 
relating to the provision of accommodation. The development is 
a campus style multi-building facility at Sydney Olympic Park to 
accommodate  around  3,500  employees.  The  average  lease 
term is 12 years. 

In  2005,  the  Bank  entered  into  lease  agreements  for  a  fully 
refurbished  existing  building  at  150  George  Street  Parramatta, 
with  Perpetual  Nominees  Limited  (as  a  custodian  for  the 
Colonial  First  State  Commercial  Property  Trust)  and  a  newly 
constructed  building  at  101  George  Street  Parramatta,  with 
Commonwealth  Custodial  Services  Limited,  relating  to  the 
provision  of  accommodation.  Both  buildings  have  an  average 
lease term of 10 years.  

Failure to Settle Risk 

The  Bank  is  subject  to  a credit  risk  exposure  in  the  event that 
another  financial  institution  fails  to  settle  for  its  payments 
clearing  activities,  in  accordance  with  the  regulations  and 
procedures  of  the  following  clearing  systems  of  the  Australian 
Payments  Clearing  Association  Limited:  The  Australian  Paper 
Clearing  System,  The  Bulk  Electronic  Clearing  System,  The 
Consumer  Electronic  Clearing  System  and  the  High  Value 
Clearing System (only if operating in “fallback mode”). This credit 
risk  exposure 
is  well 
understood,  and  is  extinguished  upon  settlement  at  9am  each 
business day. 

in  advance,  but 

is  unquantifiable 

Service Agreements 

The  maximum  contingent  liability  for  termination  benefits  in 
respect  of service  agreements  with  the  Chief  Executive  Officer 
and other Group Key Management Personnel at 30 June 2009 
was $12.2 million (2008: $13.6 million).  

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     191 

20092008$M$MFunds Under AdministrationAustralia118,050133,980United Kingdom22,75920,632New Zealand8,6678,959Asia10,45110,389Total159,927173,960 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 40 Contingent Liabilities, Assets and Commitments (continued) 

Collateral 

The Group has entered into a range of transactions with counterparties which require lodgement of collateral subject to agreed market 
valuation movement  thresholds. Where  these  thresholds  are  exceeded,  the  Group may  be  required to  either  pledge  assets to,  or  be 
entitled to receive pledged assets from, the counterparty to secure these transactions. The assets pledged or received are primarily in the 
form of cash and bonds.  

The Group has the right to sell, repledge, or otherwise use collateral received from the pledgor, including any equity or right of redemption 
by the pledgor. 

No securities have been repledged. 

The Group has secured liabilities of $5,650 million (2008: $4,143 million). The table below sets out the assets pledged to secure these 
liabilities. 

(1) These balances include assets sold under repurchase agreements. The liabilities related to these repurchase agreements are disclosed in Note 22 Deposits and Other 

Public Borrowings. 

192     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

GroupBank2009200820092008Collateral held$M$M$M$MCash1,4971,0551,4631,031Assets at fair value through Income Statement1,7342,5321,7332,017Collateral held3,2313,5873,1963,048GroupBank2009200820092008Assets pledged$M$M$M$MCash7,175406,24840Assets at fair value through Income Statement (1)6,3302,0352,1702,027Assets pledged13,5052,0758,4182,067Thereof can be repledged or resold by counterparty2,0861,4352,0861,427 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 41 Market Risk Management 

On 10 December 2007, the Group was one of the first banks in 
the world to be accredited  to use the advanced internal ratings-
based  approach  (AIRB)  for  credit  risk  and  the  advanced 
measurement  approach  (AMA)  for  operational  risk  for  the 
purposes  of  assessing  risk  weighted  assets  and  regulatory 
capital. 

APRA  gave  approval  to  the  Group  to  use  an  internal  model 
approach for assessing capital required for Interest Rate Risk in 
the Banking Book (IRRBB) on 30 June 2008 (Note that Australia 
is  the  only  country  where  the  prudential  banking  regulator 
requires regulatory capital be held for IRRBB). 

The  measurement  of  market  risk  for  traded  assets  remains 
unchanged from the original Basel I approach. 

Detail  is  provided  about  the  Group‟s  risk  management  in  the 
Integrated Risk Management section of this report and Note 15, 
Credit  Risk  Management.  Further  detail  on 
the  Group‟s 
assessment of regulatory capital required under the new Basel II 
framework is discussed in Note 34, Capital Adequacy. 

(1) Average VaR calculated for each six month period. 

(2) Certain types of risk exposure are not suitable for VaR measurement. 

(3) The risk on these exposures has been represented in this table using a 1 day 

holding period. In practice however, these „non-traded‟ exposures are 
managed to a longer expected holding period. 

Market Risk 

Traded Market Risk 

For the purposes of market risk management, the Group makes 
a  distinction  between  traded  and  non-traded  market  risks. 
Traded  market  risks  arise  from  the  Group‟s  trading  book 
activities within the Institutional Banking and Markets business.  

Key  non-traded  market  risks  include  IRRBB  and  non-traded 
equity  risk  on  the  Group‟s  Balance  Sheet.  Other  non-traded 
market  risks  are  liquidity  risk,  funding  risk,  structural  foreign 
exchange  risk  arising  from  capital  investments  in  offshore 
operations, market risk arising from the insurance business and 
residual value risk. These risks are considered separately below.  

Market Risk Measurement 

The Group uses Value-at-Risk (VaR) as one of the measures of 
traded and non-traded market risk. VaR measures potential loss 
using  historically  observed  market  volatility  and  correlation 
between  different  markets.  The  VaR  measured  for  traded 
market risk uses two years of daily market movements. The VaR 
measure  for  non-traded  banking  book  market  risk  is  based  on 
six years of daily market movement history.  

VaR  is  modelled  at  a  97.5%  confidence  level  over  a  1-day 
holding  period  for  trading  book  positions  and  over  a  20-day 
holding  period  for  IRRBB,  insurance  business  market  risk  and 
non-traded equity risk. 

Because VaR is not an estimate of the maximum economic loss 
that the Group could experience from an extreme market event, 
management  also  uses stress testing  to measure the  potential 
for  economic  loss  at significantly  higher confidence  levels than 
97.5%. Management then uses these results in decisions made 
to manage the economic impact on market risk positions. 

The  following  table  provides  a  summary  of  VaR,  where 
applicable, for all market risks across the Group. 

The Group trades and distributes financial markets products and 
provides risk management services to clients on a global basis. 

The objectives of the Group‟s financial markets activities are to: 

Provide  risk  management  products  and  services 
customers; 

to 

Efficiently  assist  in  managing  the  Group‟s  own  market 
risks; and 

Conduct  profitable  trading  within  a  controlled  framework, 
leveraging off the Group‟s market presence and expertise. 

The Group maintains access to markets by quoting bid and offer 
prices  with  other  market  makers  and  carries  an  inventory  of 
treasury,  capital  market  and  risk  management  instruments, 
including a broad range of securities and derivatives. 

The  Group  is  a  participant  in  major  markets  across  foreign 
exchange  and 
interest  rate  products,  debt,  equity  and 
commodities  products  as  required  to  provide  treasury,  capital 
markets  and 
institutional, 
risk  management  services 
corporate, middle market and retail customers.  

to 

Income is earned from spreads achieved through market making 
and from taking market risk. Trading positions are valued at fair 
value  and  taken  to  profit  and  loss  on  a  mark  to  market  basis. 
Market liquidity risk is controlled by concentrating trading activity 
in highly liquid markets. 

Trading  assets  at  fair  value  through  Income  Statement  are 
detailed  in  Note  10.  Trading  liabilities  at  fair  value  through 
Income  Statement  are  in  Note  24.  Note  2  details  the  income 
contribution  of  trading  activities  to  the  income  of  the  Group. 
Traded  market  risk  is  managed  under  a  clearly  defined  risk 
appetite within the market risk policy and limit structure approved 
by  the  Risk  Committee  of  the  Board.  Risk  is  monitored  by  an 
independent Market Risk Management function.  

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     193 

AverageAverageAverageAverageVaRVaRVaRVaRTotal Market RiskJuneDecJuneDecVaR (1-day 97.5%2009200820082007confidence) (1) (3)$M$M$M$MTraded Market Risk10.3010. 2010. 859. 12Non-Traded Interest Rate Risk18.1016. 3028. 5015. 65Structural FX Risk (2)n/an/an/an/aNon-Traded Equity Price Risk (2)44.0042. 0029. 0038. 00Non-Traded Insurance Market Risk7.1015. 409. 308. 45Residual Value Risk (2)n/an/an/an/aDefined Benefit Superannuation Risk (2)n/an/an/an/a 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

in 

the 

figures 

following 

table  represent 

the  potential 
The 
unfavourable change to the Group‟s net interest earnings during the 
year based on a 100 basis point parallel rate shock (increase) and 
the  expected  unfavourable  net  change  in  price  of  assets  and 
liabilities held for purposes other than trading. 

(b) Economic Value  

A  20-day  97.5%  VaR  measure  is  used  to  capture  the  economic 
impact  of  adverse  changes  in  interest  rates  on  all  banking  book 
assets and liabilities. This analysis measures the potential change 
in the net present value of cash flows of assets and liabilities. Cash 
flows  for  fixed  rate  products  are  included  on  a  contractual  basis, 
after adjustment for forecast prepayment activities. Cash flows for 
products repriced at the discretion of the Group are based on the 
expected repricing characteristics of those products.  

The figures in the following table represent the net present value of 
the  expected  change  in  the  Group‟s  future  earnings  in  all  future 
periods for the remaining term of all existing assets and liabilities. 

(1) VaR is only for entities that have material risk exposure. 

(2) ASB data (expressed in NZD) is for the month end date.  

Structural Foreign Exchange Risk 

Foreign exchange risk is the risk to earnings and value caused by a 
change  in  foreign  exchange  rates.  Structural,  Balance  Sheet, 
foreign  exchange  risk  is  managed  in  accordance  with  principles 
approved by the Risk Committee of the Board. Hedging strategies 
are based on the source of the funds and the expected life of the 
investments. The Group principally hedges Balance Sheet foreign 
exchange  risks  except for those  associated  with  long term capital 
investments  in  offshore  branches  and  subsidiaries.  The  Group‟s 
only significant structural foreign exchange exposure occurs due to 
the Group‟s capitalisation of ASB. 

Note 41 Market Risk Management (continued) 

The following table provides a summary of VaR for the trading 
book of the Group. The VaR for ASB and Bankwest is shown 
separately; all other data relates to the Group and is split by risk 
type. 

(1) Average VaR calculated for each six month period. 

(2) Bankwest has been included from 31 December 2008. 

Non-Traded Market Risk 

Non-traded  market  risk  activities  are  governed  by  the  Group 
market  risk framework  approved  by  the  Risk  Committee  of the 
Board.  Implementation  of  the  policy,  procedures  and  limits  for 
the  Group  is  the  responsibility  of  the  Group  Executive  of  the 
associated Business Unit with senior management oversight by 
Independent 
the  Group‟s  Asset  and  Liability  Committee. 
management of the non-traded market risk activities of offshore 
banking subsidiaries is delegated to the CEO of each entity with 
oversight by the local Asset and Liability Committee. 

Interest Rate Risk in the Banking Book 

Interest  rate  risk  in  the  Group‟s  Balance  Sheet  is  the  risk  of 
adverse  changes  in  expected  net  interest  earnings  in  current 
and future years from changes in interest rates on mismatched 
assets  and  liabilities  in  the  banking  book.  The  objective  is  to 
manage interest rate risk to achieve stable and sustainable net 
interest earnings in the long term. 

The Group measures and manages Balance Sheet interest rate 
risk in two ways: 

(a) Next 12 months‟ earnings 

The risk to net interest earnings over the next 12 months from 
changes in interest rates is measured on a monthly basis. Risk 
is measured assuming an instantaneous 100 basis point parallel 
movement in interest rates across the yield curve.  

Potential variations in net interest earnings are measured using 
a simulation model that takes into account the projected change 
in Balance Sheet asset and liability levels and mix. Assets and 
liabilities with pricing directly based on market rates are repriced 
based on the full extent of the rate shock that is applied. Risk on 
the other assets and liabilities (those priced at the discretion of 
the  Group)  are  measured  by  taking  into  account  both  the 
manner in which the products have repriced in the past as well 
as  the  expected  change  in  price  based  on  the  current 
competitive market environment. 

194     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

AverageAverageAverageAverageVaRVaRVaRVaRTraded Market RiskJuneDecJuneDecVaR (1-day 97.5%2009200820082007confidence) (1)$M$M$M$MInterest rate risk4.704.103.883.92Exchange rate risk3.202.001.340.99Implied volatility risk2.101.401.040.86Equities risk0.901.000.450.35Commodities risk0.900.800.920.74Credit Spread Risk2.603.104.654.00Diversification benefit(6.70)(5.80)(5.62)(4.80)Total general market risk7.706.606.666.06Undiversified Risk1.402.103.082.33ASB Bank1.101.301.110.73Bankwest (2)0.100.20--Total10.3010.2010.859.12Net Interest 30/6/09 31/12/08 30/6/08 31/12/07Earnings at Risk$M$M$M$MAverage monthlyAUD151.4161.128.145.0exposureNZD11.019.915.66.9High monthlyAUD214.1209.970.057.5exposureNZD19.229.024.312.9Low monthlyAUD86.591.10.429.0exposureNZD4.812.33.93.1AverageAverageAverageAverageNon-TradedVaRVaRVaRVaRInterest Rate VaRJuneDecJuneDec(20 day 97.5%2009200820082007 confidence) (1)$M$M$M$MAUD Interest rate risk81.272.8123.665.8NZD Interest rate risk (2)0.71.13.84.2 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

A 20-day 97.5% VaR measure is used to capture the non-traded 
market risk exposures in the table below. 

(1) VaR in relation to the investment of shareholder funds. 

(2) VaR in relation to product portfolios where the Group has a guaranteed liability 

to policyholders. 

Further information on the life insurance business can be found 
in Note 36, Life Insurance Business. 

Residual Value Risk 

The Group takes residual value risk on assets such as industrial 
and  mining  equipment,  rail,  aircraft,  marine 
technology, 
healthcare  and  other  equipment.  A  residual  value  guarantee 
exposes  the  business  to  the  movement  in  second  hand  asset 
prices.  The  residual  value  risk  within  the  Group  is  controlled 
through  a  risk  management  framework  approved  by  the  Risk 
Committee  of  the  Board.  The  framework  includes  asset, 
geographic  and maturity concentration  limits  and  stress testing 
independent  Market  Risk 
the 
which 
Management function.  

is  performed  by 

Note 41 Market Risk Management (continued) 

Non-traded Equity Price Risk 

The  Group  retains  non-traded  equity  risk  through  strategic 
investments  and  business  development  activities  in  divisions 
including Institutional Banking & Markets, International Financial 
Services  and  Wealth  Management.  This  activity  is  subject  to 
governance  arrangements  approved  by  the  Risk  Committee  of 
the  Board,  and  is  monitored  on  a  centralised  basis  within  the 
Market Risk Management function. On an indicative basis a  20-
day 97.5% VaR measure is as follows: 

Market Risk in Insurance Businesses 

Although still modest in the broader Group context, a significant 
component  of  non-traded  market  risk  activities  result  from  the 
holding  of  assets  related  to  the  Life  Insurance  Businesses. 
There are two main sources of market risk in these Businesses 
– market risk arising from guarantees made to policyholders and 
market risk arising from the investment of Shareholders‟ capital. 

A second order market risk also arises for the Group from assets 
held for investment linked policies. On this type of contract the 
policyholder  takes  the  risk  of  falls  in  the  market  value  of  the 
assets. However, falls in market value also impact funds under 
management and reduce the fee income collected for this class 
of business.  

Guarantee (to Policyholders) 

life  insurance  or 

All  financial  assets  within  the  Life  Insurance  statutory  funds 
directly  support  either  the  Group's 
life 
investment  contracts.  Market  risk  arises  for  the  Group  on 
contracts where the liabilities to policyholders are guaranteed by 
the  Group.  The  Group  manages  this  risk  by  the  monthly 
monitoring  and  rebalancing  of  assets  to  contract  liabilities. 
However,  for  some  contracts  the  ability  to  match  asset 
characteristics with policy obligations is constrained by a number 
of  factors  including  regulatory  constraints,  the  lack  of  suitable 
investments  as  well  as  by  the  nature  of  the  policy  liabilities 
themselves. Wherever possible within regulatory constraints, the 
Group segregates policyholders‟ funds from Shareholders‟ funds 
and sets investment mandates that are appropriate for each.  

Shareholders’ Capital 

A portion of financial assets held within the Insurance Business, 
both within the Statutory Funds and in the Shareholder Funds of 
the  Life  insurance  company  represents  shareholder  (Group) 
capital. Market risk also arises for the Group on the investment 
of this capital.  As  at  30 June  2009,  Shareholders‟ funds  in the 
Australian  Life  Insurance  Businesses  are  invested  80%  in 
income  assets  (cash  and  fixed  interest)  and  20%  in  growth 
assets (shares and property). 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     195 

JuneDecJuneDec2009200820092007$M$M$M $MVaR171.0168. 0115. 0155. 0Notional Amount1,404.01,437. 01,588. 02,267. 0Non-Traded Equity VaR (20 day 97.5% confidence)AverageAverageAverageAverageVaRVaRVaRVaRJuneDecJuneDec2009200820082007$M$M$M $MShareholder Funds (1)23.428. 225. 722. 3Guarantees (to Policyholders)  (2)42.840. 519. 214. 8Non-Traded VaR in Australian life insurance business (20 day 97.5% confidence) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 41 Market Risk Management (continued) 

The  following  table  represents  the  Group‟s  contractual  interest 
rate sensitivity for repricing mismatches as at 30 June 2009 and 
corresponding weighted average effective interest rates. The net 
mismatch  represents  the  net  value  of  assets,  liabilities  and  off-
balance  sheet  instruments  that  may  be  repriced  in  the  time 
periods shown. 

All assets and liabilities are shown according to contractual 
repricing  dates.  Options  are  shown  in  the  mismatch  report 
using the delta equivalents of the option face values. 

(1) Technically, the insurance policy liabilities are not interest bearing, but the amount of the liability may change in line with changes in interest rates, particularly with 

investment linked policies. 

(2) No Balance Sheet amount applicable. 

(3) No rate applicable. 

196     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

Interest Rate Risk SensitivityRepricing Period at 30 June 2009BalanceNotWeightedSheet0 to 11 to 33 to 66 to 121 to 5Over 5InterestAverageTotalmonthmonthsmonthsmonthsyearsyearsBearingRate$M$M$M$M$M$M$M$M%AustraliaAssetsCash and liquid assets5,5094,71123----7751.74Receivables due from other financial institutions8,5907,954504-15--1171.26Assets at fair value through Income Statement:Trading20,20219,852295-3316243.01Insurance15,56977256256798515,0414.78Other9061235-1--4.05Derivative assets22,173------22,173-Available-for-sale investments15,9024,7633,0001193854,7602,6042714.93Loans, bills discounted and other receivables406,638325,58515,1398,63613,24343,4003,687(3,052)5.03Bank acceptances of customers14,727------14,727-Property, plant and equipment2,269------2,269-Investment in associates1,047------1,047-Intangible assets8,641------8,641-Deferred tax assets1,526------1,526-Other assets5,101------5,101-Assets held for sale370-----13123910.00Total assets528,354363,00319,2408,78513,68248,2566,50968,879(3) LiabilitiesDeposits and other public borrowings324,842228,85650,37220,4866,63111,343197,1354.05Payables due to other financial institutions5,9815,9704-7---1.12Liabilities at fair value through Income Statement3,5312,569983996490239-2.57Derivative liabilities26,430------26,430-Bank acceptances14,727------14,727-Current tax liabilities767------767-Other provisions1,215------1,215-Insurance policy liabilities (1)14,457------14,457Debt issues77,99417,09619,2183,7723,79831,9842,126-2.47Managed funds units on issue 914------914-Bills payable and other liabilities8,163------8,163-479,021254,49169,69224,29710,53243,8172,38473,808Loan capital 9,4413,5792,788-5721,4141,088-3.50Total liabilities488,462258,07072,48024,29711,10445,2313,47273,808(3) Shareholders' equityShare capital and other equity28,612------28,612-Minority interests---------Total Shareholders' equity28,612------28,612Derivatives(2) (43,355)(8,862)(11,473)26,58038,479(1,369)-(3) Net mismatch(2) 61,578(62,102)(26,985)29,15841,5041,668(33,541)(3) Cumulative mismatch(2) 61,578(524)(27,509)1,64943,15344,82111,280(3)  
 
 
  
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 41 Market Risk Management (continued) 

(1) Technically, the insurance policy liabilities are not interest bearing, but the amount of the liability may change in line with changes in interest rates, particularly with 

investment linked policies. 

(2) No Balance Sheet amount applicable. 

(3) No rate applicable. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     197 

Interest Rate Risk SensitivityRepricing Period at 30 June 2009BalanceNotWeightedSheet0 to 11 to 33 to 66 to 121 to 5Over 5InterestAverageTotalmonthmonthsmonthsmonthsyearsyearsBearingRate$M$M$M$M$M$M$M$M%OverseasAssetsCash and liquid assets5,8315,446241720--1170.72Receivables due from other financial institutions5,8313,4061,674713248-61.15Assets at fair value through Income Statement:Trading5,1997842,0101,3775286510564.10Insurance1,6917679132319-7613.74Other1,5871,18614677241--2.34Derivative assets4,185------4,185-Available-for-sale investments5,6027861,3801,5571,026290536271.59Loans, bills discounted and other receivables59,99322,99610,0256,8595,46914,010806(172)6.01Bank acceptances of customers1------1-Property, plant and equipment203------203-Intangible assets604------604-Deferred tax assets127------127-Other assets969------969-Assets held for sale195-50----14510.00Total assets92,01835,37115,53510,6526,60115,4331,4476,979(3) LiabilitiesDeposits and other public borrowings43,87922,3737,7486,3684,0801,809201,4811.02Payables due to other financial institutions9,1286,5141,758733123---0.72Liabilities at fair value through Income Statement13,0654,2044,7792,1558311,07521-1.82Derivative liabilities5,704------5,704-Bank acceptances1------1-Current tax liabilities116------116-Deferred tax liabilities168------168-Other provisions28------28-Insurance policy liabilities (1)1,599------1,599Debt issues23,8254,92715,5902,160115680353-1.08Bills payable and other liabilities357------357-97,87038,01829,87511,4165,1493,5643949,454-Loan capital 2,5982,127---4656-5.09Total liabilities100,46840,14529,87511,4165,1494,0294009,454(3) Shareholders' equityShare capital and other equity2,310------2,310-Minority interests520------520-Total Shareholders' equity2,830------2,830Derivatives(2) (3,105)4,9274,870(259)(7,934)1,501-(3) Net mismatch(2) (7,879)(9,413)4,1061,1933,4702,548(5,305)(3) Cumulative mismatch(2) (7,879)(17,292)(13,186)(11,993)(8,523)(5,975)(11,280)(3)  
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 41 Market Risk Management (continued) 

(1) Technically, the insurance policy liabilities are not interest bearing, but the amount of the liability may change in line with changes in interest rates, particularly with 

investment linked policies. 

(2) No Balance Sheet amount applicable. 

(3) No rate applicable. 

198     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

Interest Rate Risk SensitivityRepricing Period at 30 June 2008BalanceNotWeightedSheet0 to 11 to 33 to 66 to 121 to 5Over 5InterestAverageTotalmonthmonthsmonthsmonthsyearsyearsBearingRate$M$M$M$M$M$M$M$M%AustraliaAssetsCash and liquid assets4,8414,042-----7996.74Receivables due from other financial institutions4,8804,09746191---2313.90Assets at fair value through Income Statement:Trading18,45718,21070-3711228-7.81Insurance18,6761,5031,301424652,9612,7699,6357.86Other295274---21--7.98Derivative assets16,339------16,339-Available-for-sale investments7,1642,131466412-3,5842513208.85Loans, bills discounted and other receivables305,475215,05414,7167,66015,06950,4343,801(1,259)7.83Bank acceptances of customers18,278------18,278-Property, plant and equipment1,449------1,449-Investment in associates906------906-Intangible assets7,618------7,618-Deferred tax assets33------33-Other assets5,402------5,402-Assets held for sale412-----14027210.00Total assets410,225245,31117,0148,20515,57157,1126,98960,023(3) LiabilitiesDeposits and other public borrowings233,934162,99338,68715,2687,8173,005226,1426.81Payables due to other financial institutions4,3904,146240-4---5.33Liabilities at fair value through Income Statement2,9151,871151856698257-6.86Derivative liabilities16,893------16,893-Bank acceptances18,278------18,278-Current tax liabilities696------696-Other provisions1,129------1,129-Insurance policy liabilities (1)16,594------16,594-Debt issues67,11922,72212,5594,2665,19520,9691,408-5.92Managed funds units on issue 1,109------1,109-Bills payable and other liabilities6,532------6,532-369,589191,73251,50119,55213,07224,6721,68767,373Loan capital 9,0852,2613,970-3001,3851,169-5.95Total liabilities378,674193,99355,47119,55213,37226,0572,85667,373(3) Shareholders' equityShare capital and other equity24,542------24,542-Minority interests1------1-Total Shareholders' equity24,543------24,543Derivatives(2) (22,559)(4,501)7,99917,9762,251(1,166)-(3) Net mismatch(2) 28,759(42,958)(3,348)20,17533,3062,967(31,893)(3) Cumulative mismatch(2) 28,759(14,199)(17,547)2,62835,93438,9017,008(3)  
 
 
  
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 41 Market Risk Management (continued) 

(1) Technically, the insurance policy liabilities are not interest bearing, but the amount of the liability may change in line with changes in interest rates, particularly with 

investment linked policies. 

(2) No Balance Sheet amount applicable. 

(3) No rate applicable. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     199 

Interest Rate Risk SensitivityRepricing Period at 30 June 2008BalanceNotWeightedSheet0 to 11 to 33 to 66 to 121 to 5Over 5InterestAverageTotalmonthmonthsmonthsmonthsyearsyearsBearingRate$M$M$M$M$M$M$M$M%OverseasAssetsCash and liquid assets2,8952,76440-3--884.19Receivables due from other financial institutions2,1041,24946721647--1253.55Assets at fair value through Income Statement:Trading3,2195691,676166566713427.80Insurance1,97464412175251671,1043.41Other2,9711,07979387291701-205.28Derivative assets1,893------1,893-Available-for-sale investments4,3241,0611651,2691,2265673334.34Loans, bills discounted and other receivables55,80715,3127,4855,6556,61019,6671,165(87)8.16Property, plant and equipment191------191-Intangible assets640------640-Deferred tax assets43------43-Other assets1,090------1,090-Assets held for sale196-----5114510.00Total assets77,34722,67810,6387,4108,18721,6271,5205,287(3) LiabilitiesDeposits and other public borrowings29,77216,0575,7133,3532,487676181,4685.85Payables due to other financial institutions13,28211,2261,7403151---3.00Liabilities at fair value through Income Statement12,6111,6354,2182,7681,2622,71216-6.34Derivative liabilities2,648------2,648-Current tax liabilities72------72-Deferred tax liabilities266------266-Other provisions45------45-Insurance policy liabilities (1)1,901------1,901-Debt issues18,6986,4369,7231,031858498152-3.69Bills payable and other liabilities992------992-80,28735,35421,3947,4674,6083,8861867,392Loan capital 2,4741,442---455577-7.98Total liabilities82,76136,79621,3947,4674,6084,3417637,392(3) Shareholders' equityShare capital and other equity1,077------1,077-Minority interests517------517-Total Shareholders' equity1,594------1,594Derivatives(2) 2,66213,353(1,604)(599)(13,543)(269)-(3) Net mismatch(2) (11,456)2,597(1,661)2,9803,743488(3,699)(3) Cumulative mismatch(2) (11,456)(8,859)(10,520)(7,540)(3,797)(3,309)(7,008)(3)  
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 41 Market Risk Management (continued) 

Liquidity and Funding Risk 

Overview  

Balance  Sheet  liquidity  risk is  the  risk  of  being  unable  to meet 
financial  obligations  as  they  fall  due.  The  Group  manages 
liquidity requirements by currency and by geographical location 
of  its  operations.  Subsidiaries  are  also  included  in  the  Group‟s 
liquidity policy framework. 

Funding  risk  is the  risk  of over-reliance  on  a funding source  to 
the  extent  that  a  change in  that  funding source could increase 
overall  funding  costs  or  cause  difficulty  in  raising  funds.  The 
funding  requirements  are  integrated  into  the  Group‟s  liquidity 
and funding policy with its aim to ensure the Group has a stable 
diversified funding base without over-reliance on any one market 
sector. 

The  Group‟s  liquidity  and  funding  policies  are  designed  to 
ensure it will meet its obligations as and when they fall due, by 
ensuring it is able to borrow funds on an unsecured basis, or has 
sufficient quality assets to borrow against on a secured basis, or 
has  sufficient  quality  liquid  assets  to  sell  to  raise  immediate 
funds without adversely affecting the Group‟s net asset value.  

The  Group‟s  funding  policies  and  risk  management  framework 
complement the Group‟s liquidity policies by ensuring an optimal 
liability  structure  to  finance  the  Group‟s  businesses.  The  long 
term  stability  and  security  of  the  Group‟s  funding  is  also 
designed  to  protect  its  liquidity  position  in  the  event  of  a  crisis 
specific to the Group. 

The Group‟s liquidity policies are designed to ensure it maintains 
sufficient  cash  balances  and  liquid  asset  holdings  to  meet  its 
obligations to customers, in both ordinary market conditions and 
during periods of extreme stress. These policies are intended to 
protect  the  value  of  the  Group‟s  operations  during  periods  of 
unfavourable market conditions, such as have been experienced 
since August 2007. 

The Group‟s funding policies are designed to achieve diversified 
sources of funding by product, term, maturity date, investor type, 
investor  location,  jurisdiction,  currency  and  concentration,  on  a 
cost-effective  basis.  This  objective  applies  to  the  Group‟s 
wholesale and retail funding activities. The Group‟s retail funding 
base formed approximately 58% of its total funding requirements 
as at 30 June 2009 (June 2008: 57%). 

The Risk Management Framework for Liquidity and 
Funding 

The  Group‟s  liquidity  and  funding  policies  are  approved  by  the 
Board  and  agreed  with  the  Australian  Prudential  Regulation 
Authority  (“APRA”).  The  Group  has  an  Asset  and  Liability 
Committee  whose  charter  includes  reviewing  the  management 
of  assets  and  liabilities,  reviewing  liquidity  and  funding  policies 
and strategies, as well as regularly monitoring compliance with 
those  policies  across  the  Group.  The  Group  Treasury  division 
manages 
in 
accordance with the Group‟s liquidity policy, including monitoring 
and  satisfying  the  liquidity  needs  of  the  Group  and  its 
subsidiaries.  

funding  positions 

liquidity  and 

the  Group‟s 

Larger  domestic  subsidiaries,  such  as  CBFC  Limited  and 
subsidiaries  within  the  Colonial  Group,  also  apply  their  own 
liquidity and funding methods to address their specific needs.  

200     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

The  Group‟s  New  Zealand  banking  subsidiary,  ASB  Bank 
Limited (“ASB”), manages its own domestic liquidity and funding 
needs  in  accordance  with  its  own  liquidity  policies  and  the 
policies of the Group. ASB‟s liquidity policy is also overseen by 
the Reserve Bank of New Zealand.  

The  Group  also  has  relatively  small  banking  subsidiaries  in 
Indonesia  and  Fiji  that  manage  their  liquidity  and  funding  on  a 
similar basis.  

The Group‟s Financial Services and Risk Management divisions 
provide prudential oversight of the Group‟s liquidity and funding 
risk  and  manage  the  Group‟s  relationship  with  prudential 
regulators. 

Liquidity and Funding Policies and Management 

The Group‟s liquidity and funding policies provide that: 

  Balance  sheet  assets  that  cannot  be  liquidated  quickly  are 
funded with deposits or term borrowings that meet minimum 
maturity requirements with appropriate liquidity buffers; 

  Short and long term wholesale funding limits are established 
and  reviewed  regularly  based  on  surveys  and  analysis  of 
market capacity; 

  A minimum level of assets are retained in highly liquid form; 
  The  level  of  liquid  assets  complies  with  crisis  scenario 
assumptions  related  to  “worst  case”  wholesale  and  retail 
market  conditions;  is  adequate  to  meet  known  funding 
obligations over certain timeframes and are allocated across 
Australian dollar and foreign currency denominated securities 
in accordance with specific calculations; 

  Certain levels of liquid assets are held to provide for the risk 
of  the  Group‟s  committed  but  un-drawn  lending  obligations 
being  drawn  by  customers,  as  calculated  based  on  draw 
down estimates and forecasts; and 

  The  Group  maintains  certain 

levels  of 

liquid  assets 
categories within its liquid assets portfolio. The first category 
includes  negotiable  certificates  of  deposit  of  Australian 
banks,  bank  bills,  Commonwealth  of  Australia  Government 
and Australian state and semi-government bonds and supra-
national bonds eligible for repurchase by the Reserve Bank 
of Australia (“RBA”) at any time. The second category is AAA 
and  A-1+  rated  Australian  residential  mortgage  backed 
securities that meet certain minimum requirements. 

At 30 June 2009 around 100% of the Group‟s Australian dollar 
liquid assets qualified for repurchase by the RBA at any time. 

The Group‟s key liquidity tools include: 

  A liquidity management model similar to a “cash flow ladder” 
or “maturity gap analysis”, that allows forecasting of liquidity 
needs on a daily basis; 

  An  additional  liquidity  management  model  that  implements 
the  agreed  prudential  liquidity  policies.  This  model  is 
calibrated  with  a  series  of  “worst  case”  liquidity  crisis 
scenarios,  incorporating  both  systemic  and  “name”  crisis 
assumptions,  such  that  the  Group  will  have  sufficient  liquid 
assets  available  to  ensure  it  meets  all  of  its  obligations  as 
and when they fall due; 

  The  RBA‟s  repurchase  agreement  facilities  provide  the 
Group  with  the  ability  to  borrow  funds  on  a  secured  basis, 
even when normal funding markets are unavailable; and 

  The  Group‟s  various  short  term  funding  programmes  are 
supplemented by the Interbank Deposit Agreement between 
the four major Australian banks. This agreement is similar to 
a  standby  liquidity  facility  that  allows  the  Group  to  access 
funding in various crisis circumstances. 

 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 41 Market Risk Management (continued) 

Recent Market Environment 

Liquidity and Funding Risk (continued) 

The Group‟s key funding tools include: 

Its consumer, small business and institutional deposit base; 
Its  consumer  retail  funding  base  includes  a  wide  range  of 
term 
retail 
deposits  and  retirement  style  accounts 
individual 
consumers; and 

transaction  accounts, 

investment  accounts, 

for 

international  and  domestic 

funding 
Its  wholesale 
programmes which includes its: Australian dollar Negotiable 
Certificates  of  Deposit  programme;  Transferable  Certificate 
of  Deposit  programme;  Australian  dollar  bank  bill 
programme;  Australian,  U.S.  and  Euro  Commercial  Paper 
programmes; U.S. Extendible Notes programme; Australian 
dollar  domestic  borrowing  programme;  U.S.  Medium  Term 
Note Programme; Euro Medium Term Note Programme and 
its Medallion “Regulation AB” securitisation programme. 

The  chart  below  illustrates  the  liquidity  profile  of  the  Group‟s 
outstanding  wholesale  debt  liabilities  at  30  June  2009,  broken 
down by type of debt instrument and maturity. 

Although  the  cost  of  liquidity  and  funding  has  increased 
significantly  since  July  2007  due  to  unfavourable  market 
conditions,  the  Group‟s  liquidity  and  funding  policies  have 
remained  unchanged  throughout  this  period,  as  they  have 
proven  to  be  effective  during  the  recent  global  financial  crisis. 
Nonetheless,  the  Group  plans  on  thoroughly  reviewing  its 
liquidity policies and practices after new guidance is provided by 
APRA, which is expected later this year. 

The  Group  has  managed  its  liquidity  to  avoid  concentrations 
such  as  dependence  on  single  sources  of  funding  and  has 
taken  advantage  of  its  diversified funding  base  and  significant 
funding capacity in the global unsecured debt markets. 

Since October 2008, the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) and 
the  Reserve  Bank  of  New  Zealand  (RBNZ)  have  accepted 
internal  residential  mortgage-backed  securities  (RMBS)  and 
asset-backed  commercial  paper  (ABCP)  as  collateral  in  their 
repurchase  operations.  This  has  allowed  the  Group  to  borrow 
funds  from  the  RBA  and  the  RBNZ  using  RMBS  created  by 
securitising a portion of its prime residential mortgage portfolio. 
At  30  June  2009  the  Group  has  $43  billon  of  formally 
securitised home  loans  which could  provide  additional funding 
from the RBA and the RBNZ.  

Details  of  the  Group‟s  regulatory  capital  position  and  capital 
management  activities  are  disclosed  in  Note  34  Capital 
Adequacy. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     201 

51015202530Q1Q2Q3Q42011201220132014201520162017201820192020+$ BillionFinancial YearDomesticOffshoreSecuritisationStructured 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 41 Market Risk Management (continued) 

Maturity Analysis of Monetary Liabilities  

Amounts shown in the tables below are based on contractual undiscounted cash flows for the remaining contractual maturities. 

(1) Includes substantial “core” deposits that are contractually at call customer savings and cheque accounts. Historical experience is that such accounts provide a 

stable source of long term funding for the Bank. Also refer to Interest Rate Risk Sensitivity table. 

(2) Gross payable amounts on cross currency swaps have been reported in derivative liabilities. The Group has corresponding receivables on these cross currency 
swaps that have not been reported, in accordance with the requirements of AASB 7 Financial Instruments Disclosures. The terms of the cross currency swap 
agreements entered into by the Group allow for net settlement in the event of certain specific circumstances including default of the counterparties. 

(3) All trading derivatives are included in the 0 to 3 months maturity band. 

(1) Includes substantial “core” deposits that are contractually at call customer savings and cheque accounts. Historical experience is that such accounts provide a 

stable source of long term funding for the Bank. Also refer to Interest Rate Risk Sensitivity table. 

(2) Gross payable amounts on cross currency swaps have been reported in derivative liabilities. The Group has corresponding receivables on these cross currency 
swaps that have not been reported, in accordance with the requirements of AASB 7 Financial Instruments Disclosures. The terms of the cross currency swap 
agreements entered into by the Group allow for net settlement in the event of certain specific circumstances including default of the counterparties.  

(3) All trading derivatives are included in the 0 to 3 months maturity band. 

202     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

GroupMaturity Period at 30 June 20090 to 33 to 121 to 5Over 5NotAt CallmonthsmonthsyearsyearsSpecifiedTotal$M$M$M$M$M$M$MLiabilitiesDeposits and other public borrowings (1)183,878117,67350,01320,642143-372,349Payables due to other financial institutions1,58212,3471,203---15,132Liabilities at fair value through Income Statement-8,9153,6943,0821,564-17,255Derivative liabilities (2) (3)-33,6872,0183,9672,765-42,437Bank acceptances-14,444284---14,728Insurance policy liabilities-----16,05616,056Debt issues and loan capital-24,69518,75462,03027,513-132,992Managed funds units on issue-----914914Other monetary liabilities1,0943,0201,620127-4446,305Total monetary liabilities186,554214,78177,58689,84831,98517,414618,168Guarantees-1973282,4864901413,642Loan commitments-27118,83335,25626,64936,879117,888Other commitments-654132,54985723,184Total off balance sheet items-53319,57440,29127,22437,092124,714Total monetary liabilities and off balance sheet items186,554215,31497,160130,13959,20954,506742,882GroupMaturity Period at 30 June 20080 to 33 to 121 to 5Over 5NotAt CallmonthsmonthsyearsyearsSpecifiedTotal$M$M$M$M$M$M$MLiabilitiesDeposits and other public borrowings (1)135,76376,88450,8964,53762-268,142Payables due to other financial institutions1,89315,436419---17,748Liabilities at fair value through Income Statement-7,9904,2712,8341,984-17,079Derivative liabilities (2) (3)-16,9091593,7462,927-23,741Bank acceptances-18,041237---18,278Insurance policy liabilities-----18,49518,495Debt issues and loan capital-24,00816,79443,92433,533-118,259Managed funds units on issue-----1,1091,109Other monetary liabilities7472,1701,199506-5425,164Total monetary liabilities138,403161,43873,97555,54738,50620,146488,015Guarantees--882,295419-2,802Loan commitments--11,98036,46321,29027,57197,304Other commitments--2,2387,741994-10,973Total off balance sheet items--14,30646,49922,70327,571111,079Total monetary liabilities and off balance sheet items138,403161,43888,281102,04661,20947,717599,094 
 
 
 
 
 
  
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 41 Market Risk Management (continued) 

Maturity Analysis of Monetary Liabilities 

Amounts shown in the tables below are based on contractual undiscounted cash flows for the remaining contractual maturities.  

(1) Includes substantial “core” deposits that are contractually at call customer savings and cheque accounts. Historical experience is that such accounts provide a 

stable source of long term funding for the Bank. Also refer to Interest Rate Risk Sensitivity table. 

(2) Gross payable amounts on cross currency swaps have been reported in derivative liabilities. The Group has corresponding receivables on these cross currency 
swaps that have not been reported, in accordance with the requirements of AASB 7 Financial Instruments Disclosures. The terms of the cross currency swap 
agreements entered into by the Group allow for net settlement in the event of certain specific circumstances including default of the counterparties. 

(3) All trading derivatives are included in the 0 to 3 months maturity band. 

(1) Includes substantial “core” deposits that are contractually at call customer savings and cheque accounts. Historical experience is that such accounts provide a 

stable source of long term funding for the Bank. Also refer to Interest Rate Risk Sensitivity table. 

(2) Gross payable amounts on cross currency swaps have been reported in derivative liabilities. The Group has corresponding receivables on these cross currency 
swaps that have not been reported, in accordance with the requirements of AASB 7 Financial Instruments Disclosures. The terms of the cross currency swap 
agreements entered into by the Group allow for net settlement in the event of certain specific circumstances including default of the counterparties.  

(3) All trading derivatives are included in the 0 to 3 months maturity band. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     203 

BankMaturity Period at 30 June 20090 to 33 to 121 to 5Over 5NotAt CallmonthsmonthsyearsyearsSpecifiedTotal$M$M$M$M$M$M$MLiabilitiesDeposits and other public borrowings (1)144,011103,80841,73718,615130-308,301Payables due to other financial institutions1,48512,2771,203---14,965Liabilities at fair value through Income Statement-1162692,0331,703-4,121Derivative liabilities (2) (3)-29,5115599922,745-33,807Bank acceptances-14,442284---14,726Debt issues and loan capital-5,56813,10645,30725,207-89,188Due to controlled entities-50,87117,26612,471476-81,084Other monetary liabilities3,3011,7581,42918-2106,716Total monetary liabilities148,797218,35175,85379,43630,261210552,908Guarantees--1172,266428-2,811Loan commitments--15,43932,34922,48931,776102,053Other commitments--2462,31783-2,646Total off balance sheet items--15,80236,93223,00031,776107,510Total monetary liabilities and off balance sheet items148,797218,35191,655116,36853,26131,986660,418BankMaturity Period at 30 June 20080 to 33 to 121 to 5Over 5NotAt CallmonthsmonthsyearsyearsSpecifiedTotal$M$M$M$M$M$M$MLiabilitiesDeposits and other public borrowings (1)126,72572,99341,5333,12662-244,439Payables due to other financial institutions1,84515,436419---17,700Liabilities at fair value through Income Statement-2211761,9121,975-4,284Derivative liabilities (2) (3)-17,2431503,7082,927-24,028Bank acceptances-18,041237---18,278Debt issues and loan capital-8,71811,65033,68834,224-88,280Due to controlled entities-25,9817,64223,3661,508-58,497Other monetary liabilities482,5131,055407-2564,279Total monetary liabilities128,618161,14662,86266,20740,696256459,785Guarantees--1163,036555-3,707Loan commitments--11,18834,05219,88225,74890,870Other commitments--2,2047,623979-10,806Total off balance sheet items--13,50844,71121,41625,748105,383Total monetary liabilities and off balance sheet items128,618161,14676,370110,91862,11226,004565,168 
 
  
  
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 42 Retirement Benefit Obligations 

Name of Plan 

Officers‟ Superannuation Fund 
(“OSF”) 
Commonwealth Bank of Australia 
(UK) Staff Benefits Scheme 
(“CBA(UK)SBS”) 

Type  
Defined Benefits (1) and  
Accumulation  

Defined Benefits (1) and  
Accumulation 

Form of Benefit  

Indexed pension and  
lump sum 

Indexed pension and  
lump sum 

Date of Last Actuarial 
Assessment of the Fund 

30 June 2006 (2) 

30 June 2007 

(1) The defined benefit formulae are generally comprised of final superannuation salary, or final average superannuation salary, and service. 

(2) An actuarial assessment of the OSF at 30 June 2009 is currently in progress. 

An  actuarial  assessment  of  the  CBA(UK)SBS,  as  at  30  June 
2007 confirmed a deficit of GBP 25 million (AUD 51 million at 
the  30  June  2009  exchange  rate).  Following  from  this 
assessment, the Bank agreed to contribute at the fund actuary‟s 
recommended  contribution 
included 
amounts 
future  accruals  of  defined  benefits 
(contributions estimated at AUD 3.7 million per annum at the 30 
June 2009 exchange rate) and additional contributions of GBP 
3.2  million  per  annum  (AUD  6.7  million  per  annum  at  the  30 
June 2009 exchange rate) payable over 10 years to finance the 
fund deficit. 

rates.  These 

finance 

rates 

to 

Contributions 

Entities of the Group contribute to the plans listed in the above 
table in accordance with the Trust Deeds following the receipt of 
actuarial advice. 

With  the  exception  of  contributions  corresponding  to  salary 
sacrifice  benefits,  the  Bank  ceased  contributions  to  the  OSF 
from 8 July 1994. Further, the Bank ceased contributions to the 
OSF relating to salary sacrifice benefits from 1 July 1997. 

An actuarial assessment of the OSF, as at 30 June 2006, was 
completed during the year ended 30 June 2007. In line with the 
actuarial  advice  contained  in  the  assessment,  the  Bank  does 
not  intend  to  make  contributions  to  the  OSF  until  further 
consideration of the next actuarial assessment of the OSF as at 
30 June 2009. 

An  actuarial  assessment  of  the  OSF  at  30  June  2009  is 
currently in progress. 

204     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 42 Retirement Benefit Obligations (continued) 

Defined Benefit Superannuation Plans 

The amounts reported in the Balance Sheet are reconciled as follows: 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     205 

OSFCBA(UK)SBSTotal200920082009200820092008$M$M$M$M$M$MPresent value of funded obligations(3,118)(2,892)(394)(386)(3,512)(3,278)Fair value of plan assets3,6134,4283083213,9214,749Total pension assets as at 30 June4951,536(86)(65)4091,471Present value of unfunded obligations------Unrecognised past service cost------Unrecognised actuarial gains/(losses)------Asset/(liability) in Balance Sheet as at 30 June4951,536(86)(65)4091,471Amounts in the Balance Sheet:Liabilities (Note 29)--(86)(65)(86)(65)Assets (Note 20)4951,536--4951,536Net asset4951,536(86)(65)4091,471The amounts recognised in the Income Statement are as follows:Current service cost(24)(26)(3)(3)(27)(29)Interest cost(184)(194)(24)(20)(208)(214)Expected return on plan assets3724002120393420Past service cost------Employer financed benefits within Accumulation Division(172)(163)--(172)(163)Gains/(losses) on curtailment and settlements------Actuarial gains/(losses) recognised in Income Statement------Total included in defined benefit superannuation plan expense(8)17(6)(3)(14)14Actuarial return on plan assets(457)(120)(5)(1)(462)(121)Changes in the present value of the defined benefit obligation are as follows:Opening defined benefit obligation(2,892)(3,094)(386)(401)(3,278)(3,495)Current service cost(20)(24)(3)(3)(23)(27)Interest cost(184)(194)(24)(20)(208)(214)Member contributions(13)(13)--(13)(13)Actuarial gains/(losses)(204)2262(26)(202)200(Losses)/gains on curtailments------Liabilities extinguished on settlements------Liabilities assumed in a business combination------Benefits paid1952071514210221Exchange differences on foreign plans--250250Closing defined benefit obligation(3,118)(2,892)(394)(386)(3,512)(3,278)Changes in the fair value of plan assets are as follows:Opening fair value of plan assets4,4284,9073213724,7495,279Expected return3724002120393420Experience (losses)/gains(829)(520)(26)(21)(855)(541)Assets distributed on settlements------Total contributions131310102323Assets acquired in a business combination------Exchange differences on foreign plans--(3)(46)(3)(46)Benefits and expenses paid(199)(209)(15)(14)(214)(223)Employer financed benefits within Accumulation Division(172)(163)--(172)(163)Closing fair value of plan assets3,6134,4283083213,9214,749 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 42 Retirement Benefit Obligations (continued) 

Defined Benefit Superannuation Plans (continued) 

Actuarial gains and losses represent experience adjustments on plan assets and liabilities as well as adjustments arising from changes 
in actuarial assumptions. Total net actuarial losses recognised in equity from commencement of AIFRS (1 July 2005) to 30 June 2009 
were $107 million. 

(1) For the OSF, additional age related allowances were made for the expected salary increases from future promotions. At 30 June 2008 and 30 June 2009, these 

assumptions were broadly between 1.6% and 2.6% per annum for full-time employees and 1.0% per annum for part time employees. 

The  return  on  asset  assumption  for  the  OSF  is  determined  as 
the weighted average of the long term expected returns of each 
asset  class  where  the  weighting  is  the  benchmark  asset 
allocations of the assets backing the defined benefit risks. The 
long term expected returns of each asset class are determined 
following receipt of actuarial advice. The discount rate (gross of 
tax)  assumption for the  OSF  is  based  on the  yield  on  10  year 
Australian Commonwealth Government securities. 

In addition to financial assumptions, the mortality assumptions 
for  pensioners  can  materially  impact  the  defined  benefit 
obligations. These assumptions are age related and allowances 
are made for future improvement in mortality. The expected life 
expectancies for pensioners are set out below: 

Further, the proportion of the retiring members of the main OSF 
defined benefit division electing to take pensions instead of lump 
sums may materially impact the defined benefit obligations.  
Of these retiring members 34% were assumed to take pension 
benefits, increasing to 50% by 2020. 
Australian  and  UK  legislation  requires  that  superannuation 
(pension)  benefits  be  provided  through  trusts.  These  trusts 
(including their investments) are managed by trustees who are 
legally independent of the employer. The investment objective of 
the OSF (the Bank‟s major superannuation (pension) plan) is “to 
maximise the long term rate of return subject to net returns over 
rolling  five  year  periods  exceeding  the  growth  in  Average 
Weekly Ordinary Time Earnings 80% of the time”. 

To meet  this  investment  objective,  the OSF  Trustee  invests  a 
large part of the OSF‟s assets in growth assets, such as shares 
and  property.  These  assets  have  historically  earned  higher 
rates  of  return  than  other  assets,  but  they  also  carry  higher 
risks, especially in the short term. To manage these risks, the 
Trustee  has  adopted  a  strategy  of  spreading  the  OSF‟s 
investments  over  a  number  of  asset  classes  and  investment 
managers. 

As  at  30  June  2009,  the  benchmark  asset  allocations  and 
actual  asset  allocations  for  the  assets  backing  the  defined 
benefit portion of the OSF are as follows: 

(1)  These  are  assets  which  are  not  included  in  the  traditional  asset  classes  of  equities,  fixed  interest  securities,  real  estate  and  cash.  They  include  infrastructure 

investments as well as high yield and emerging market debt. 

The value of the OSF‟s equity holding in the Group as at 30 June 2009 was $72 million (2008: $77 million). Amounts on deposit with 
the Bank at 30 June 2009 totalled $22 million (2008: $26 million). Other financial instruments with the Group at 30 June 2009 totalled 
$13 million (2008: $13 million). 

206     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

OSFCBA(UK)SBSTotal200920082009200820092008$M$M$M$M$M$MExperience (losses)/gains on plan liabilities(120)13426(118)140Experience (losses)/gains on plan assets(829)(520)(26)(21)(855)(541)Gains/(losses) from changes in actuarial assumptions(84)92-(32)(84)60Total net actuarial (losses)/gains(1,033)(294)(24)(47)(1,057)(341)OSFCBA(UK)SBS2009200820092008Economic Assumptions%%%%The above calculations were based on the following assumptions:Discount rate at 30 June (gross of tax)5.506.506.106.20Expected return on plan assets at 30 June8.008.756.606.50Expected rate salary increases at 30 June (per annum) (1)3.904.504.704.90OSFCBA(UK)SBS2009200820092008Expected Life Expectancies for PensionersYearsYearsYearsYearsMale pensioners currently aged 6028.830.426.826.8Male pensioners currently aged 6523.925.622.022.0Female pensioners currently aged 6033.933.829.729.7Female pensioners currently aged 6528.828.724.924.9Benchmark AllocationActual AllocationAsset Allocations%%Australian Equities27.524.6Overseas Equities21.014.5Real Estate12.018.5Fixed Interest Securities25.529.0Cash5.04.8Other (1)9.08.6 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 43 Controlled Entities  

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     207 

Extent of Beneficial Incorporated inEntity NameInterest if not 100%Australia(a) BankingCommonwealth Bank of AustraliaAustralia Controlled Entities: CBFC LimitedAustralia CBCL Australia LimitedAustralia Commonwealth Securities LimitedAustralia Homepath Pty LimitedAustralia Sparad (No. 24) Pty LimitedAustralia Colonial Finance LimitedAustralia PERLS III Trust Australia Loft No.1 Pty LimitedAustralia Loft No.2 Pty LimitedAustralia Loft No.3 Pty LimitedAustralia Medallion Trust Series 2003-1GAustralia Medallion Trust Series 2004-1GAustralia Medallion Trust Series 2005-1GAustralia Medallion Trust Series 2005-2GAustralia Medallion Trust Series 2006-1GAustralia Medallion Trust Series 2007-1GAustralia Medallion Trust Series 2008-1RAustralia SHIELD Series 50Australia GT Operating No.2 Pty LimitedAustralia GT Operating No.4 Pty LimitedAustralia GT Funding No.6 Ltd PartnershipAustralia Securitisation Advisory Services Pty LtdAustralia MIS Funding No.1 Pty LimitedAustralia IWL Limited Australia IWL Broking Solutions LimitedAustralia CBFC Leasing Pty LimitedAustralia Christmas Break Pty LimitedAustralia JDV LimitedAustralia Bank of Western Australia LimitedAustralia BWA Group Services Pty LimitedAustralia Swan Trust Series 2006-1EAustralia Swan Trust Series 2007-1EAustralia Swan Trust Series 2008-1DAustralia CBA USD Investments PartnershipAustralia Australian Investment Exchange LtdAustralia  
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 43 Controlled Entities (continued) 

208     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

Extent of Beneficial Incorporated inEntity NameInterest if not 100%(b) Insurance and Funds ManagementCommonwealth Insurance LimitedAustralia Colonial Holding Company LimitedAustralia Commonwealth Insurance Holdings LimitedAustralia Commonwealth Managed Investments LimitedAustralia Colonial First State Group LimitedAustralia Colonial First State Investments LimitedAustralia Avanteos Pty LimitedAustralia Avanteos Investments LtdAustralia Colonial First State Property LimitedAustralia Colonial First State Property Retail TrustAustralia Colonial First State Property Management TrustAustralia Commonwealth International Holdings Pty LimitedAustralia The Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society LimitedAustralia Jacques Martin Administration and Consulting Pty LimitedAustralia Jacques Martin Pty LimitedAustralia Commonwealth Financial Planning LimitedAustralia Capital 121 Pty LimitedAustralia Financial Wisdom LimitedAustralia First State Investment Managers (Asia) LimitedAustralia Colonial First State Asset Management (Australia) LimitedAustralia CFS Managed Property LimitedAustralia St Andrew's Australia Pty LimitedAustralia  
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 43 Controlled Entities (continued) 

Non-operating and minor operating controlled entities and investment vehicles holding policyholder assets are excluded from the above 
list. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     209 

                           > 0 = Error in calculationExtent of Beneficial Incorporated inEntity NameInterest if not 100%New Zealand(a) BankingASB Holdings LimitedNew Zealand   ASB Bank LimitedNew ZealandCBA Funding (NZ) LimitedNew Zealand   ASB Capital LimitedNew Zealand   ASB Capital No.2 LimitedNew ZealandCBA NZ Holding LimitedNew ZealandCBA USD Funding LimitedNew ZealandMedallion Trust (New Zealand) Series 2009-1RNew Zealand(b) Insurance and Funds ManagementASB Group (Life) LimitedNew ZealandSovereign Group LimitedNew Zealand   Sovereign LimitedNew ZealandColonial First State Investments (NZ) LimitedNew Zealand   Kiwi Income Properties LimitedNew Zealand   Kiwi Property Management LimitedNew ZealandOther Overseas(a) Banking CBA Asia LimitedSingaporeCTB Australia LimitedHong KongPT Bank Commonwealth97%IndonesiaNational Bank of Fiji LimitedFijiCBA (Delaware) Finance IncorporatedDelaware USACBA Capital Trust 1Delaware USACBA Funding Trust 1Delaware USACBA Capital Trust IIDelaware USACBA (Europe) Finance LimitedUnited Kingdom   Pontoon (Funding) PLCUnited Kingdom   Burdekin Investments LimitedCayman IslandsPavilion & Park LimitedUnited KingdomNewport LimitedMaltaCommInternational LimitedMalta   CommCapital S.a.r.lLuxembourgCommBank Europe LimitedMalta CommBank Management Consulting (Asia) Co LtdHong KongCommTrading LimitedMaltaWatermark LimitedHong KongD Compartment ABI Lux CoLuxembourg(b) Insurance and Funds ManagementColonial First State (UK) Holdings LimitedUnited KingdomColonial Fiji Life (Fiji) LimitedFijiFirst State (Hong Kong) LLCUnited StatesFirst State Investment Holdings (Singapore) LtdSingaporeIndonesian Life Insurance Company80%IndonesiaFS Investments (Bermuda) LtdBermuda 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 44 Investments in Associated Entities and Joint Ventures 

(1) The value for CFS Retail Property Trust based on published quoted prices as at 30 June 2009 is $363 million (2008: $407 million). 

(2) The value for Commonwealth Property Office Fund based on published quoted prices as at 30 June 2009 is $104 million (2008: $196 million). During the 2009 
financial year an impairment loss of $91 million was recognised in Funds management and investment contracts income-other for the Group and net gain/(loss) on 
Other non-trading instruments for the Bank. 

210     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

GroupExtent of20092008OwnershipCountry ofBalance$M$MInterest %Principal Activities IncorporationDateAcadian Asset Management (Australia) Limited2250Investment ManagementAustralia30-JunCMG CH China Funds Management Limited1150Investment ManagementAustralia31-MarEquion Health (Barts) Limited-150Financial ServicesUnited Kingdom31-DecEquigroup Pty Limited151550LeasingAustralia30-JunChina Life CMG Life Assurance Company Limited111149Life InsuranceChina31-DecFirst State Cinda Fund Management Company Limited141346Funds ManagementChina31-DecHealthcare Support (Newcastle) Limited2140Financial ServicesUnited Kingdom31-DecAussie Home Loans Pty Limited71-33Mortgage BrokingAustralia30-JunInternational Private Equity Real Estate Fund5533Funds ManagementAustralia30-JunAMTD Group Company Limited1130Financial ServicesVirgin Islands31-Dec452 Capital Pty Limited304430Investment ManagementAustralia30-JunQilu Bank Co. Ltd. 112-20Commercial BankingChina31-DecBank of Hangzhou Co. Ltd. 20516419.9Commercial BankingChina31-DecFS Media Works Fund 1, LP22-11Investment FundUnited Kingdom31-DecCFS Retail Property Trust (1)4384388.9Funds ManagementAustralia30-JunCommonwealth Property Office Fund (2)1182096.8Funds ManagementAustralia30-JunSandalwood Pty Ltd-1-Property Management Singapore31-DecTotal 1,047906Group20092008$M$MShare of Associates' profits/(losses)Operating profits/(losses) before income tax14498Income tax expense(3)(6)Operating profits/(losses) after income tax14192Carrying amount of investments in associated entities1,047906 
 
 
  
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 44 Investments in Associated Entities and Joint Ventures (continued) 

Note 45 Director and Executive Disclosures 

Details of the Directors‟ and Specified Executives‟ remuneration, interests in long term incentive plans, shares, options and loans are 
included  in  the  Remuneration  Report  of  the  Directors‟  Report.  The  Company  has  applied  the  exemption  under  AASB  124  Related 
Party  Disclosures  which  exempts  listed  companies  from  providing  remuneration  disclosures  in  relation  to  their  key  management 
personnel in their Annual Financial Reports. These remuneration disclosures are provided in the Remuneration Report of the Directors‟ 
Report on pages 65 to 85 and are designated as audited. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     211 

Group20092008$M$MFinancial Information of AssociatesAssets47,97225,610Liabilities38,58317,967Revenues2,4542,213Expenses1,7081,436Group20092008$M$MFinancial Information of Joint VenturesAssets354359Liabilities29863Revenues157231Expenses15978GroupBank2009200820092008Key Management Personnel Compensation$M$M$M$MShort Term Benefits34283428Post-employment Benefits2121Share-based Payments209209Termination benefits-1-1Long term benefits3-3-59395939 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 46 Related Party Disclosures 

The Group is controlled by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, the ultimate parent, which is incorporated in Australia.  

A number of banking transactions are entered into with related parties in the normal course of business.  

These  include loans,  deposits  and  foreign  currency  transactions,  upon  which some  fees  and  commissions may  be  earned. The 
table below indicates the values of such transactions for the financial year ended 30 June 2009. 

212     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

For the Year Ended and as at 30 June 2009JointAssociatesVenturesTotalGroup$M$M$MInterest and dividend income68775Interest expense3-3Fees and commissions for services provided11715132Fees and commissions for services received189-189Loans, bills discounted and equity contributions37328401Other assets9110101Deposits74-74Derivative liabilities4-4Other liabilities-77For the Year Ended and as at 30 June 2008JointAssociatesVenturesTotalGroup$M$M$MInterest and dividend income86692Interest expense3-3Fees and commissions for services provided871097Fees and commissions for services received74-74Loans, bills discounted and equity contributions111387498Other assets31839Deposits31-31Derivative liabilities283-283Other liabilities167 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 46 Related Party Disclosures (continued) 

Details of controlled entities are disclosed in Note 43. 

The Bank‟s aggregate investment in and loans to controlled entities are disclosed in Note 17. 

Amounts due to controlled entities are disclosed in the Balance Sheet of the Bank. 

Details of amounts paid to or received from related parties, in the form of dividends or interest, are set out in Note 2. 

All transactions between Group entities are eliminated on consolidation. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     213 

For the Year Ended and as at 30 June 2009JointSubsidiariesAssociatesVenturesTotalBank$M$M$M$MInterest and dividend income4,0756264,143Interest expense3,6272-3,629Fees and commissions for services provided601-12613Fees and commissions for services received359188-547Available-for-sale securities39,832--39,832Loans, bills discounted and equity contributions54,808372-55,180Derivative assets188--188Other assets459249492Deposits82,00865-82,073Derivative liabilities2024-206Debt issues and loan capital3,006--3,006Other liabilities2,287-42,291For the Year Ended and as at 30 June 2008JointSubsidiariesAssociatesVenturesTotalBank$M$M$M$MInterest and dividend income3,1107663,192Interest expense2,9742-2,976Fees and commissions for services provided75559769Fees and commissions for services received33372-405Available-for-sale securities16,380--16,380Loans, bills discounted and equity contributions37,47211038037,962Derivative assets1,724--1,724Other assets1,884-81,892Deposits54,71131-54,742Derivative liabilities528283-811Debt issues and loan capital3,501--3,501Other liabilities1,221161,228 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 46 Related Party Disclosures (continued) 

Equity Holdings of Key Management Personnel 

Shareholdings 

All shares were acquired by Directors on normal terms and conditions or through the Non-Executive Directors‟ Share Plan. 

Shares awarded under the Equity Reward Plan and the mandatory component of the Equity Participation Plan are registered in the name 
of the Trustee. For further details of the Non-Executive Directors‟ Share Plan, previous Equity Reward Plan, previous Executive Option 
Plan and Equity Participation Plan refer to Note 32 Share Capital. 

Details of shareholdings of Key Management Personnel (or close family members or entities controlled, jointly controlled, or significantly 
influenced by them, or any entity over which any of the aforementioned hold significant voting power) are as follows: 

Shares held by Directors  

(1) For Non-Executive Directors, represents shares acquired under NEDSP on 20 August 2007 and 4 March 2008 by mandatory sacrifice of fees. All shares acquired 
through NEDSP are subject to a 10 year trading restriction (shares will be tradeable earlier if the Director leaves the Board). For Mr Norris this represents Reward 
Shares granted under the ERP subject to performance hurdles. For the ERP, the first possible date for meeting the performance hurdle is 14 July 2009 with the last 
possible date for vesting being 14 July 2010. See Note 32 to the Financial Statements for further details on the NEDSP and ERP. 

(2) Represents shares acquired under NEDSP on 20 August 2008 and 4 March 2009 by mandatory sacrifice of fees. All shares acquired through NEDSP are subject to a 
10 year trading restriction (shares will be tradeable earlier if the Director leaves the Board). See Note 32 to the Financial Statements for further details on the NEDSP. 

(3) Reward Shares become ordinary shares upon vesting. 

(4) “Net Change Other” incorporates changes resulting from purchases and sales during the year. 

(5) Mr Mohl commenced on 1 July 2008. 

214     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

Acquired/Reward BalanceGranted asSharesNet ChangeBalanceNameClass (1)1 July 2008Remuneration (2)Vested (3)other (4)30 June 2009DirectorsJ M SchubertOrdinary27,3084,214-1,26132,783R J Norris Ordinary10,000--100,713110,713Reward Shares191,238-(100,328)-90,910Deferred Shares-22,707--22,707J A AndersonOrdinary11,5651,366-1,21914,150R J ClairsOrdinary18,9001,453--20,353C R GalbraithOrdinary13,0541,424-85615,334J S HemstritchOrdinary16,4911,482-3,38521,358S C H KayOrdinary9,0371,482--10,519A Mohl (5)Ordinary-788-8,5009,288F D RyanOrdinary15,3421,657-38517,384D J TurnerOrdinary1,2415,691-2,0008,932H Young Ordinary21,9971,656-1,63125,284Ordinary144,93521,213-119,950286,098Reward Shares191,238-(100,328)-90,910Deferred Shares-22,707--22,707Total For Directors 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 46 Related Party Disclosures (continued) 

Shares held by Key Management Personnel 

(1) Reward Shares represents shares granted under the Equity Reward Plan (ERP) and are subject to a performance hurdle. The last possible date for vesting is 14 July 

2010. See Note 32 to the Financial Statements for further details on the ERP. Deferred shares represents one third of the 2007/08 STI payment deferred into shares for 
three years, except for Mr Lazberger where deferred shares represents shares granted as part of his commencement arrangements. 

(2) Reward Shares and Deferred Shares become ordinary shares upon vesting.  

(3) “Net Change Other” incorporates changes resulting from purchases, sales and forfeitures during the year. 

(4) Mr Grimshaw ceased employment on 30 December 2008. 

(5) Mr Mackrell ceased employment on 30 June 2009. 

(6) Mr Narev was appointed a KMP on 27 January 2009. 

(7) Mr Saines was appointed a KMP on 31 December 2008. 

(8) Mr Lazberger commenced on 1 September 2008. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     215 

Acquired/GrantedOn Exercise Reward Balanceasof SharesNet ChangeBalanceNameClass (1)1 July 2008RemunerationOptionsVested (2)other (3)30 June 2009ExecutivesB J ChapmanOrdinary450---1,1211,571Reward Shares17,046----17,046Deferred Shares-7,968---7,968D CohenOrdinary-13,781---13,781Reward Shares------Deferred Shares------D P CraigOrdinary6,000---6,38512,385Reward Shares22,728----22,728Deferred Shares-11,951---11,951S I Grimshaw (4)Ordinary29,999----29,999Reward Shares67,640--(35,140)(32,500)-Deferred Shares-11,951--(11,951)-M R HarteOrdinary------Reward Shares14,318----14,318Deferred Shares-10,358---10,358G L Mackrell (5)Ordinary42,196---7,45549,651Reward Shares51,888--(27,570)(24,318)-Deferred Shares-7,569-(7,569)--R M McEwanOrdinary------Reward Shares------Deferred Shares-11,951---11,951I M Narev (6)Ordinary------Reward Shares1,137----1,137Deferred Shares6,6105,976---12,586G A PetersenOrdinary13,365---22,87936,244Reward Shares45,280--(20,280)-25,000Deferred Shares-8,765---8,765I M Saines (7)Ordinary8,563---5,66114,224Reward Shares10,000--(5,000)-5,000Deferred Shares12,65313,943---26,596A ToevsOrdinary----9,0009,000Reward Shares------Deferred Shares37,784----37,784Other Executives------M LauOrdinary------Reward Shares------Deferred Shares------M Lazberger (8)Ordinary------Reward Shares------Deferred Shares-93,852---93,852S PaulOrdinary------Reward Shares------Deferred Shares------Total for KeyOrdinary100,57313,781--52,501166,855Management Reward Shares230,037--(87,990)(56,818)85,229PersonnelDeferred Shares57,047184,284-(7,569)(11,951)221,811 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 46 Related Party Disclosures (continued) 

Loans to Key Management Personnel 

All loans to Key Management Personnel (or close family members or entities controlled, jointly controlled or significantly influenced by them 
or any entity over which any of the aforementioned hold significant voting power) have been provided on an arms-length commercial basis 
including the term of the loan, security required and the interest rate (which may be fixed or variable). 

Total Loans to Key Management Personnel  

Individual Loans above $100,000 to Key Management Personnel  

(1) Balance declared in NZD for Mr Norris, Ms Chapman and Mr McEwan. Exchange rates are taken from Forex as at 30 June 2009 for interest charged, 30 June 2009 
balances and highest balance in period. The exchange rate as at 30 June 2008 has been used for the 1 July 2008 balances. Highest in period appears lower than 
opening balance due to the application of exchange rates. 

216     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

Year EndedBalance InterestInterest NotWrite-offBalanceNumber in30 June 1 JulyChargedCharged30 JuneGroup at$000s$000s$000s$000s$000s30 JuneDirectors20092,840211--1,991120083,648258--2,7951Executives200911,359667--8,4621020086,103781--12,3699Total for keyManagement200914,199878--10,45311Personnel20089,7511,039--15,16410Other Executives2009------20081,44268--1,3351Total200914,199878--10,45311200811,1931,107--16,49911HighestBalance InterestInterest NotWrite-offBalanceBalance1 July 2008ChargedCharged30 June 2009in Period$000s$000s$000s$000s$000s$000sDirectorsR J Norris (1)2,840211--1,9912,771ExecutivesB J Chapman2,667148--2,2302,726D Cohen94159--601941D P Craig23316--11228M R Harte3,394217--3,0243,442G L Mackrell6478---805R M McEwan (1)977125--1,5602,967I M Narev75440--472754G A Petersen97615--2930I M Saines72139--5621,201Total for KeyManagement Personnel14,150878--10,45316,765Other Executives Total for Other Executives------Total for Key ManagementPersonnel & Other Executives14,150878--10,45316,765 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 47 Notes to the Statements of Cash Flows 

Note 47(a) Reconciliation of Net Profit after Income Tax to Net Cash provided by/(used in) Operating Activities 

Note 47(b) Reconciliation of Cash 

For  the  purposes  of  the  Statements  of  Cash  Flows,  cash  includes  cash,  money  at  short  call,  at  call  deposits  with  other  financial 
institutions and settlement account balances with other banks.  

(1) At call includes certain receivables and payables due from and to financial institutions within three months. 

Note 47(c) Disposal of Controlled Entities 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     217 

Year Ended 30 JuneGroupBank20092008200720092008$M$M$M$M$MNet profit after income tax4,7534,8224,4973,0864,358Net decrease/(increase) in interest receivable301187(745)516(174)(Decrease)/increase in interest payable(54)449362(587)451Net decrease/(increase) in assets at fair value through Income Statement (excluding life insurance)690196(7,272)5681,324Net (gain)/loss on sale of investments(1)(1)-(1)1Net (increase) in derivative assets (7,789)(5,459)(3,068)(6,279)(5,654)Net loss on sale of property, plant and equipment 111516914Net (gain) on sale of Visa Initial Public Offering-(127)--(111)Equity accounting profit(141)(92)(34)--Gain on acquisition of controlled entities(983)----Impairment expense3,0489304342,703902Investment impairment expense---110-Depreciation and amortisation (including asset write downs)519423270306330Increase/(decrease) in liabilities at fair value through Income Statement (excluding life insurance)661(884)5,799405(2,286)Increase in derivative liabilities13,3614,6225,86010,7004,149Increase in other provisions 60296576250Increase/(decrease) in income taxes payable52129297440(111)(Decrease)/increase in deferred income taxes payable(355)(643)17521(72)(Increase)/decrease in deferred tax assets (967)178(272)(1,255)(97)Decrease/(increase) in accrued fees/reimbursements receivable41(153)(163)173193Increase/(decrease) in accrued fees and other items payable178(575)386575(1,011)(Decrease)/increase in life insurance contract policy liabilities(1,025)184(1,460)-(10)(Decrease)/increase in cash flow hedge reserve(1,651)(150)547(1,068)106Dividend received from controlled entities---(820)(1,636)Changes in operating assets and liabilities arising from cash flow movements(9,802)(6,124)(560)(19,446)(11,062)Other100(198)51533(149)Net cash provided by/(used in) operating activities1,476(2,075)5,641(9,805)(10,295)Year Ended 30 JuneGroupBank20092008200720092008$M$M$M$M$MNotes, coins and cash at banks3,7552,4764,5572,1981,344Other short term liquid assets3,1281,3099673,0311,118Receivables due from other financial institutions – at call (1)1,8893,3574,6075,9622,672Payables due to other financial institutions – at call (1)(6,586)(4,877)(6,047)(7,755)(4,797)Cash and cash equivalents at end of year2,1862,2654,0843,436337Group200920082007$M$M$MFair value of net tangible assets disposedOther assets-1-Profit on sale-1-Cash consideration received-2-Less cash and cash equivalents disposed---Net cash inflow on disposal-2- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 47 Notes to the Statements of Cash Flows (continued) 

Note 47(d) Non-cash Financing and Investing Activities 

Note 47(e) Controlled Entities 

On 19 December 2008, the Group acquired 100% of the share capital of Bank of Western Australia Ltd (consisting of retail and business 
banking),  St  Andrew's  Australia  Pty  Ltd  (consisting  of  insurance  and  wealth  management  services  businesses)  and  HBOSA  Group 
(Services)  Pty  Ltd  (an  internal  administrative  support  entity)  for  cash  consideration  (including  transaction  costs)  of  $2.2  billion.  These 
businesses collectively represent the retail and business operations of HBOSA.  

During the 2008 financial year, on 26 July 2007, PT Commonwealth Bank acquired 83% of Arta Niaga Kencana (ANK) Bank in Indonesia. 
The merger was completed on 31 December 2007 and thereafter the Group owned 97% of the merged entities. On 27 November 2007, the 
Group  completed  the  100%  acquisition  of  IWL  Limited,  an  online  broking  business.  These  acquisitions  were  considered  individually 
immaterial to the group. 

The assets and liabilities arising from the acquisitions, are as follows:  

218     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

Group200920082007$M$M$MShares issued under the Dividend Reinvestment Plan1,0991,109818Carrying valueFair ValueCarrying valueFair ValueCarrying valueFair Value200920092008200820072007$M$M$M$M$M$MAssets acquiredCash and liquid assets4224222424--Receivables due from other financial institutions283283----Assets at fair value through Income Statement:  Trading5,9075,907----  Insurance212212--44Derivative assets1,0141,014----Available-for-sale investments33112112--Loans, bills discounted and other receivables58,15357,351241241--Property, plant and equipment177225----Intangible assets98806464--Deferred tax assets255610----Other assets2892881111--Total assets66,81367,12139245244Liabilities acquiredDeposits and other public borrowings50,40150,677202202--Payables due to other financial institutions4,6734,673130130--Liabilities at fair value through Income Statement250250----Derivative liabilities512512----Deferred tax liabilities54258----Other provisions8484----Insurance policy liabilities202202----Debt issues5,2215,221----Bills payable and other liabilities3573571130--Loan capital1,2111,211----Total liabilities62,96563,445343362--Net assets3,8483,676499044Preference share placement-(530)----Goodwill--50316-3Gain on acquisition-(983)----Provision for remaining consideration------Cash consideration paid (including transaction costs)-2,163-406-7Less: Cash and cash equivalents acquired-422-24--Net consideration paid-1,741-382-7Less: Non-cash consideration---141--Net cash outflow on acquisition-1,741-241-7As at time of acquisition 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 47 Notes to the Statements of Cash Flows (continued) 

The gain on acquisition has arisen after the Group‟s reassessment of the fair value of the acquired entities‟ identifiable assets, liabilities 
and  contingent  liabilities  and  the  cost  of  the  acquisition,  and  has  been  recognised  in  the  Group‟s  statutory  net  profit  in  the  current 
period. 

Note 47(f) Financing Facilities  

Standby funding lines are considered immaterial. 

Note 48 Disclosures about Fair Value of Financial Instruments 

48(a) Fair Value of Financial Assets and Financial 
Liabilities 

These  amounts  represent  estimates  of  the  fair  values  of  the 
Group‟s financial assets and financial liabilities at Balance Sheet 
date based on the following valuation methods and assumptions. 
Fair value is the amount for which an asset could be exchanged, 
or a liability settled, between knowledgeable, willing parties in an 
arm‟s  length  transaction.  Quoted  market  prices  are  used  to 
determine  fair  value  where  an  active  market  (such  as  a 
recognised stock exchange) exists, as it is the best evidence of 
the fair value of a financial instrument (level one). Quoted market 
prices are not, however, available for a significant number of the 
financial  assets  and  liabilities  held  and  issued  by  the  Group. 
Therefore, for financial instruments where no quoted market price 
is available, the fair values presented in the following tables have 
been estimated using present value or other valuation techniques 
based  on  market  conditions  existing  at  Balance  Sheet  dates. 
These  valuation  techniques  rely  on  market  observable  inputs 
wherever possible (level two), or in a limited number of instances, 
rely  on  inputs  which  are  reasonable  assumptions  based  on 
market conditions at balance date (level three). 

While the fair value amounts are designed to represent estimates 
at  which  these  instruments  could  be  exchanged  in  a  current 
transaction between willing parties, many of the Group‟s financial 
instruments lack an available trading market as characterised by 
willing parties engaging in an exchange transaction.  

In  addition,  it  is  the  Bank‟s  intent  to  hold  most  of  its  financial 
instruments to maturity and therefore it is not probable that the 
fair values shown would be realised in a current transaction. 

liabilities 

that  are  not  considered 

The  estimated  fair  values  disclosed  do  not  reflect  the  value  of 
financial 
assets  and 
instruments. In addition, the value of long term relationships with 
depositors (core deposit intangibles) and other customers (credit 
card  intangibles)  are  not  reflected.  The  value  of  these  items  is 
considered significant. 

Because  of  the  wide  range  of  valuation  techniques  and  the 
numerous  estimates  that  must  be  made,  it  may  be  difficult  to 
make  reasonable  comparisons  of 
fair  value 
information with that of other financial institutions. It is important 
that  the  many  uncertainties  discussed  above  be  considered 
when  using  the  estimated  fair  value  disclosures  and  to  realise 
that  because  of  these  uncertainties,  the  aggregate  fair  value 
amount should in no way be construed as representative of the 
underlying value of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. 

the  Bank‟s 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     219 

200920082007Details of equity instruments issued as part of business combinationsNumber of equity instruments issued-2,327,431-Fair value of equity issued ($)-140,952,360- 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 48 Disclosures about Fair Value of Financial Instruments (continued) 

48(a) Fair Value of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities (continued) 

Group 

Bank 

220     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

20092008CarryingFairCarryingFairValueValueValueValue$M$M$M$MAssetsCash and liquid assets11,34011,3407,7367,736Receivables due from other financial institutions14,42114,4216,9846,984Assets at fair value through Income Statement:   Trading25,40125,40121,67621,676   Insurance17,26017,26020,65020,650   Other1,6771,6773,2663,266Derivative assets26,35826,35818,23218,232Available-for-sale investments21,50421,50411,48811,488Loans, bills discounted and other receivables466,631467,774361,282357,618Bank acceptances of customers14,72814,72818,27818,278Other assets5,8955,8956,6946,694LiabilitiesDeposits and other public borrowings368,721368,668263,706262,832Payables due to other financial institutions15,10915,10917,67217,672Liabilities at fair value through Income Statement16,59616,59615,52615,526Derivative liabilities32,13432,13419,54119,541Bank acceptances14,72814,72818,27818,278Insurance policy liabilities16,05616,05618,49518,495Debt issues101,819102,23185,81784,979Managed funds units on issue9149141,1091,109Bills payable and other liabilities6,0466,0465,7245,724Loan capital12,03911,90011,55911,72420092008CarryingFairCarryingFairValueValueValueValue$M$M$M$MAssetsCash and liquid assets9,6849,6847,2827,282Receivables due from other financial institutions13,98613,9866,7316,731Assets at fair value through Income Statement:   Trading20,98820,98819,16819,168   Other6060274274Derivative assets25,53625,53619,28719,287Available-for-sale investments60,65960,65927,06727,067Loans, bills discounted and other receivables353,408354,061309,714306,655Bank acceptances of customers14,72614,72618,27818,278Loans to controlled entities33,35233,39413,79613,833Other assets4,0904,0905,4735,473LiabilitiesDeposits and other public borrowings305,170304,886240,871239,996Payables due to other financial institutions14,94214,94217,62517,625Liabilities at fair value through Income Statement3,4853,4852,9302,930Derivative liabilities29,44229,44219,36719,367Bank acceptances14,72614,72618,27818,278Due to controlled entities81,08480,64654,11954,171Debt issues62,89463,67555,77854,802Bills payable and other liabilities3,9473,9474,1214,121Loan capital12,17411,62611,62011,822 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 48 Disclosures about Fair Value of Financial Instruments (continued) 

48(a) Fair Value of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities (continued) 

The  fair  value  estimates  were  determined  by  the  following 
methodologies and assumptions: 

Liquid assets and Bank acceptances of customers 

The carrying values of cash and liquid assets, receivables from 
other  financial  institutions  and  bank  acceptances  of  customers 
approximate their fair value as they are short term in nature or 
are receivable on demand. 

Receivables  due  from  other  financial  institutions  also  includes 
statutory deposits with central banks. The fair value is assumed 
to  be  equal  to  the  carrying  value  as  the  Group  is  only  able  to 
continue  as  a  going  concern  with  the  maintenance  of  these 
deposits. 

Assets at Fair Value through Income Statement 

Assets at fair value through Income Statement are carried at fair 
value  determined  using  quoted  market  prices  or  valuation 
techniques including discounted cash flow models using market 
observable  and  non-market  observable  inputs.  Discount  rates 
have  been  adjusted  for  changes  in  customer  credit  ratings, 
where appropriate. 

Available-for-sale investments 

Assets available-for-sale are measured at fair value determined 
using  quoted  market  prices.  For  shares  in  companies,  the 
estimated  fair  values  are  estimated  based  on  market  price 
inputs.  

Loans, bills discounted and other receivables 

The  carrying  value  of  loans,  bills  discounted  and  other 
receivables  is  net  of  accumulated  collective  and  individually 
impairment.  Customers  credit 
assessed  provisions 
worthiness is regularly reviewed in line with the Group‟s credit 
policies  and  where  necessary,  pricing 
in 
accordance with individual credit contracts. 

is  adjusted 

for 

For variable rate loans, excluding impaired loans, the carrying 
amount is a reasonable estimate of fair value. The fair value for 
fixed rate loans was calculated by utilising discounted cash flow 
models  (i.e.  the  net  present  value  of  the  portfolio  future 
principal and interest cash flows), based on the maturity of the 
loans.  The  discount  rates  applied  were  based  on  the  current 
benchmark rate offered for the average remaining term of the 
portfolio  plus  an  add-on  of  the  average  credit  margin  of  the 
existing  portfolio,  adjusted  for  changes  in  customer  credit 
ratings, where appropriate. 

The fair value of impaired loans was calculated by discounting 
estimated  future  cash  flows  using  the  loan‟s  original  effective 
interest rate.  

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     221 

Level 1Level 2Level 3TotalGroup$M$M$M$MAssetsAssets at fair value through Income Statement:Trading3,72021,56411725,401Insurance16,1641,096-17,260Other-1,677-1,677Derivative assets4426,313126,358Available-for-sale investments77520,728121,504Total assets20,70371,37811992,200LiabilitiesLiabilities at fair value through Income Statement1,04815,548-16,596Derivative liabilities2632,101732,134Life investment contracts12,328--12,328Total liabilities13,40247,649761,058Fair Value at 30 June 2009Level 1Level 2Level 3TotalBank$M$M$M$MAssetsAssets at fair value through Income Statement:Trading1,83019,150820,988Other-60-60Derivative assets4325,492125,536Available-for-sale investments27460,385-60,659Total assets2,147105,0879107,243LiabilitiesLiabilities at fair value through Income Statement1,0482,437-3,485Derivative liabilities2529,410729,442Total liabilities1,07331,847732,927Fair Value at 30 June 2009 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 48 Disclosures about Fair Value of Financial Instruments (continued) 

48(a) Fair Value of Financial Assets and Financial 
Liabilities (continued) 

Retirement benefit surplus 

The  fair  value  of  the  retirement  benefit  surplus  is  the  carrying 
value at Balance Sheet date determined using a present value 
calculation based on assumptions that are outlined in Note 42. 

Life Insurance Policy Holder Liabilities 

Life  insurance  policyholder  liabilities  are  measured  on  a  net 
present value basis using assumptions outlined in Note 36. This 
treatment  is  in  accordance  with  AASB  1038:  Life  Insurance 
Business. 

All other financial liabilities 

includes 

interest  payable  and  unrealised 
This  category 
expenses payable for which the carrying amount is considered 
to be a reasonable estimate of net fair value. For liabilities that 
are long term, fair values have been estimated using the rates 
currently  offered for similar  liabilities  with  remaining maturities. 
Other  provisions  including  provision  for  dividend,  income  tax 
liability  and  unamortised  receipts  are  not  considered  financial 
instruments. 

Commitments to extend credit, letters of credit, 
guarantees, warranties and indemnities issued 

The fair  value  of these  items  was not calculated  as estimated 
fair  values  are  not  readily  ascertainable.  These  financial 
instruments generally relate to credit risk and attract fees in line 
with  market  prices  for  similar  arrangements.  They  are  not 
presently  sold  or  traded.  The  items  generally  do  not  involve 
cash  payments  other  than  in  the  event  of  default.  The  fee 
pricing is set as part of the broader customer credit process and 
reflects  the  probability  of  default.  The  fair  value  may  be 
represented  by  the  present  value  of  fees  expected  to  be 
received,  less  associated  costs,  however  the  overall  level  of 
fees involved is not material. 

48(b) The Impact of Fair Values Calculated Using Non-
market Observable Assumptions 

The Group‟s exposure to financial instruments measured at fair 
value based in full or in part on non-market observable inputs is 
restricted  to  a  small  number  of  financial  instruments  which 
comprise  an  insignificant  component  of  the  portfolios  to  which 
they belong, such that any change in the assumptions used to 
value  the  instruments  to  a  reasonably  possible  alternative  do 
not have a material effect on the portfolio balance, the Group‟s 
or the Bank‟s results. 

All other financial assets 

Included  in  this  category  are  interest  and  fees  receivable, 
unrealised  income,  and  investments  in  associates  of  $1,047 
million  (2008:  $906  million),  where  the  carrying  amount  is 
considered  to  be  a  reasonable  estimate  of  fair  value.  Other 
financial assets are net of goodwill and other intangibles, future 
income  tax  benefits  and  prepayments/unamortised  payments, 
as these do not constitute financial instruments. 

Deposits and other public borrowings 

The carrying value of non-interest bearing, call and variable rate 
deposits,  and  fixed  rate  deposits  repricing  within  six  months, 
approximate their value as they are short term in nature or are 
payable on demand. Discounted cash flow models based upon 
deposit type and related maturity, were used to calculate the fair 
value of other term deposits. 

Short term liabilities 

The carrying value of payables to other financial institutions and 
bank acceptances approximate their fair value as they are short 
term in nature and reprice frequently. 

Debt issues and loan capital 

The fair values of debt issues and loan capital were calculated 
using  quoted  market  prices  at  Balance  Sheet  date.  For  those 
debt  issues  where  quoted  market  prices  were  not  available, 
discounted  cash  flow  and  option  pricing  models  were  used, 
utilising  a  yield  curve  appropriate  to  the  expected  remaining 
maturity  of  the  instrument  and  adjusted  for  any  change  in  the 
Group‟s applicable credit rating. 

Liabilities at Fair Value through Income Statement 

Liabilities at Fair Value through Income Statement are carried at 
fair  value  determined  using  quoted  market  prices,  or  valuation 
techniques including discounted cash flow models using market 
observable  inputs.  Discount  rates  have  been  adjusted  for  any 
changes in the Group‟s applicable credit rating. 

Derivative Assets and Liabilities  

The fair value of trading and hedging derivative contracts, were 
obtained  from  quoted  market  prices,  discounted  cash  flow 
models  or  option  pricing  models  that  used  market  based  and 
non-market based inputs.  

The fair value of these instruments is disclosed in Note 11. 

222     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements  

Note 49 Acquisition of Controlled Entities 

On 19 December 2008, the Group acquired 100% of the share capital of Bank of Western Australia Ltd (consisting of retail and 
business  banking),  St  Andrew's  Australia  Pty  Ltd  (consisting  of  insurance  and  wealth  management  services  businesses)  and 
HBOSA Group (Services) Pty Ltd (an internal administrative support entity) for cash consideration (including transaction costs) of 
$2.2 billion. These businesses collectively represent the retail and business operations in HBOSA. 

Details of the purchase consideration and the gain arising on acquisition are as follows:  

The  gain  on  acquisition  has  arisen  after  the  Group‟s  reassessment  of  the  fair  value  of  the  acquired  entities‟  identifiable  assets, 
liabilities and contingent liabilities and the cost of the acquisition, and has been recognised in the Group‟s statutory net profit in the 
current period.  

The assets and liabilities arising from the acquisition, reported in aggregate for the acquired entities, are as follows: 

During the period 19 December 2008 to 30 June 2009, these operations contributed $113 million to the consolidated net profit after 
tax (“cash basis”) and a net profit after tax of $42 million to the consolidated statutory net profit after tax for the year. 

If the acquisition had occurred on 1 July 2008 the contribution to the Group‟s revenue would have been $1,561 million for the year 
and contribution to the Group‟s net profit after tax would have been a net loss after tax of $184 million for the year ended 30 June 
2009. This pro-forma financial information uses data for the twelve month period ended 30 June 2009 and represents the historical 
operating results reported in accordance with the Group‟s accounting policies. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     223 

Purchase consideration$MCash paid2,126Direct costs relating to the acquisition37Total purchase consideration2,163Fair value of net identifiable assets acquired (see below)3,676Less: Preference share placement(530)Gain on acquisition before tax983Pre-acquisition carryingRecognised values on amount acquisition$M$MCash and liquid assets422422Receivables due from other financial institutions283283Assets at fair value through Income Statement:    Trading5,9075,907   Insurance212212Derivative assets1,0141,014Available-for-sale investments33Loans, bills discounted and other receivables58,15357,351Property, plant and equipment177225Intangible assets98806Deferred tax assets255610Other assets289288Total assets66,81367,121Deposits and other public borrowings50,40150,677Payables due to other financial institutions4,6734,673Liabilities at fair value through Income Statement250250Derivative liabilities512512Deferred tax liabilities54258Other provisions8484Insurance policy liabilities202202Debt issues5,2215,221Bills payable and other liabilities357357Loan capital1,2111,211Total liabilities62,96563,445Net assets3,8483,676Outflow of cash to to acquire business, net of cash acquired:    Cash considerationn/a2,126    Direct costs relating to acquisitionn/a37    Cash and cash equivalents in subsidiaries acquiredn/a(422)Cash outflow on acquisitionn/a1,741 
 
 
 
 
 
Directors’ Declaration 

In accordance with a resolution of the Directors of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia the Directors declare that: 

(a)  the Financial Statements and notes thereto of the Bank and the Group, and the additional disclosures included in the Directors‟ 
Report designated as audited, comply with Accounting Standards and in their opinion are in accordance with the Corporations Act 
2001; 

(b)  the Financial Statements and notes thereto give a true and fair view of the Bank‟s and the Group‟s financial position as at 30 June 

2009 and of their performance for the year ended on that date; 

(c)  in the opinion of the Directors, there are reasonable grounds to believe that the Bank will be able to pay its debts as and when they 

become due and payable; and 

(d)  the Directors have been given the declarations required under Section 295A of the Corporations Act 2001 for the financial year 

ended 30 June 2009. 

Signed in accordance with a resolution of the Directors.  

J M Schubert 

Chairman 

12 August 2009 

R J Norris 

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer 

12 August 2009 

224     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Independent auditor’s report to the members of Commonwealth Bank of Australia 

Report on the financial report  

We have audited the accompanying financial report of Commonwealth Bank of Australia (the company), which comprises the balance 
sheet as at 30 June 2009, and the income statement, statement of recognised income and expense and cash flow statement for the 
year ended on that date, a summary of significant accounting policies, other explanatory notes and the directors‟ declaration for both 
Commonwealth  Bank  of  Australia  and  the  Group.  The  consolidated  entity  comprises  the  Commonwealth  Bank  of  Australia  and  the 
entities it controlled at the year's end or from time to time during the financial year. 

Directors’ responsibility for the financial report 

The  directors  of  the  company  are  responsible  for  the  preparation  and  fair  presentation  of  the  financial  report  in  accordance  with 
Australian Accounting Standards (including the Australian Accounting Interpretations) and the Corporations Act 2001. This responsibility 
includes establishing and maintaining internal controls relevant to the preparation and fair presentation of the financial report that is free 
from  material  misstatement,  whether  due  to  fraud  or  error;  selecting  and  applying  appropriate  accounting  policies;  and  making 
accounting estimates that are reasonable in the circumstances. In Note 1 (a), the directors also state, in accordance with Accounting 
Standard  AASB  101  Presentation  of  Financial  Statements,  that  compliance  with  the  Australian  equivalents  to  International  Financial 
Reporting  Standards  ensures  that  the  financial  report,  comprising  the  financial  statements  and  notes,  complies  with  International 
Financial Reporting Standards. 

Auditor’s responsibility  

Our  responsibility  is  to  express  an  opinion  on  the  financial  report  based  on  our  audit.  We  conducted  our  audit  in  accordance  with 
Australian  Auditing  Standards.  These  Auditing  Standards  require  that  we  comply  with  relevant  ethical  requirements  relating  to  audit 
engagements  and  plan  and  perform  the  audit  to  obtain  reasonable  assurance  whether  the  financial  report  is  free  from  material 
misstatement. 

An  audit  involves  performing  procedures  to  obtain  audit  evidence  about  the  amounts  and  disclosures  in  the  financial  report.  The 
procedures selected depend on the auditor‟s judgement, including the assessment of the risks of material misstatement of the financial 
report, whether due to fraud or error. In making those risk assessments, the auditor considers internal control relevant to the entity‟s 
preparation and fair presentation of the financial report 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 entity‟s internal control. An audit also includes evaluating the 
appropriateness  of  accounting  policies  used  and  the  reasonableness  of  accounting  estimates  made  by  the  directors,  as  well  as 
evaluating the overall presentation of the financial report. 

Our procedures include reading the other information in the Annual Report to determine whether it contains any material inconsistencies 
with the financial report. 

For further explanation of an audit, visit our website http://www.pwc.com/au/financialstatementaudit. 

Our audit did not involve an analysis of the prudence of business decisions made by directors or management. 

We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our audit opinions.  

Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     225 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Independent auditor’s report to the members of Commonwealth Bank of Australia (continued) 

Independence 

In conducting our audit, we have complied with the independence requirements of the Corporations Act 2001. 

Auditor’s opinion  

In our opinion: 

(a) the financial report of Commonwealth Bank of Australia is in accordance with the Corporations Act 2001, including: 

(i) giving a true and fair view of the company‟s and consolidated entity‟s financial position as at 30 June 2009 and of their 
performance for the year ended on that date; and 

(ii)  complying  with  Australian  Accounting  Standards  (including  the  Australian  Accounting  Interpretations)  and  the 
Corporations Regulations 2001; and 

(b) the financial report also complies with International Financial Reporting Standards as disclosed in Note 1 (a). 

Report on the Remuneration Report 

We have audited the Remuneration Report included in pages 65 to 85 of the directors‟ report for the year ended 30 June 2009. The 
directors of the company are responsible for the preparation and presentation of the Remuneration Report in accordance with section 
300A  of  the  Corporations  Act  2001.  Our  responsibility  is  to  express  an  opinion  on  the  Remuneration  Report,  based  on  our  audit 
conducted in accordance with Australian Auditing Standards. 

Auditor’s opinion  

In our opinion, the Remuneration Report of Commonwealth Bank of Australia for the year ended 30 June 2009, complies with section 
300A of the Corporations Act 2001. 

Matters relating to the electronic presentation of the audited financial report 

This auditor‟s report relates to the financial report and remuneration report of Commonwealth Bank of Australia (the company) for the 
year ended 30 June 2009 included on Commonwealth Bank of Australia web site. The company‟s directors are responsible for the 
integrity of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia web site. We have not been engaged to report on the integrity of this web site. The 
auditor‟s report refers only to the financial report and remuneration report named above. It does not provide an opinion on any other 
information which may have been hyperlinked to/from these statements or the remuneration report. If users of this report are concerned 
with the inherent risks arising from electronic data communications they are advised to refer to the hard copy of the audited financial 
report and remuneration report to confirm the information included in the audited financial report and remuneration report presented on 
this web site. 

PricewaterhouseCoopers 

Rahoul Chowdry 

Partner 
12 August 2009 

226     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Shareholding Information 

Top 20 Holders of Fully Paid Ordinary Shares as at 7 August 2009 

Rank 

Name of Holder 

Number of Shares 

1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 

HSBC Custody Nominees (Australia) Limited 
J P Morgan Nominees Australia Limited 
National Nominees Limited 
Citicorp Nominees Pty Limited 
ANZ Nominees Limited 
RBC Dexia Investor Services Australia Nominees Pty Limited 
Cogent Nominees Pty Limited 
AMP Life Limited 
Queensland Investment Corporation 
Australian Foundation Investment Company Limited 
UBS Wealth Management Australia Nominees Pty Ltd 
Bond Street Custodians Limited 
CS Fourth Nominees Pty Ltd 
Perpetual Trustee Co Limited (Hunter) 
Australian Reward Investment Alliance 
Invia Custodian Pty Limited 
Woodross Nominees Pty Ltd 
Argo Investments Limited 
Milton Corporation Limited 
Suncorp Custodian Services Pty Ltd 

189,963,801 
138,182,800 
112,749,746 
68,433,483 
32,829,942 
29,510,379 
28,469,865 
15,458,492 
14,024,010 
8,472,900 
7,992,690 
6,043,420 
4,314,210 
3,694,509 
3,272,767 
2,474,822 
2,275,309 
2,198,306 
2,134,303 
1,822,681 

% 

12.51 
9.10 
7.42 
4.51 
2.16 
1.94 
1.87 
1.02 
0.92 
0.56 
0.53 
0.40 
0.28 
0.24 
0.22 
0.16 
0.15 
0.14 
0.14 
0.12 

The top 20 shareholders hold 674,318,435 shares which is equal to 44.39% of the total shares on issue. 

Stock Exchange Listing 

The shares of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia are listed on 
the  Australian  Securities  Exchange  under  the  trade  symbol 
CBA, with Sydney being the home exchange. 

trading  activity  are  published 

Details  of 
in  most  daily 
newspapers,  generally  under  the  abbreviation  of  CBA  or 
C‟wealth  Bank.  The  Bank  does  not  have  a  current  on-market 
buy-back of its shares. 

Range of Shares (Fully Paid Ordinary Shares and Employee Shares): 7 August 2009 

Range 

1 – 1,000 
1,001 – 5,000 
5,001 – 10,000 
10,001 – 100,000 
100,001 and over 
Total 
Less than marketable parcel of $500 

Voting Rights 

Under  the  Bank‟s  Constitution,  each  person  who  is  a  voting 
Equity  holder  and  who  is  present  at  a  general  meeting  of  the 
Bank in person or by proxy, attorney or official representative is 
entitled: 

  On a show of hands – to one vote; and 

  On a poll – to one vote for each share held or represented. 

If a person present at a general meeting represents personally 
or  by  proxy,  attorney  or  official  representative  more  than  one 
Equity holder, on a show of hands the person is entitled to one 
vote  even  though  he  or  she  represents  more  than  one  Equity 
holder. 

If  an  Equity  holder  is  present  in  person  and  votes  on  a 
resolution,  any  proxy  or  attorney  of  that  Equity  holder  is  not 
entitled to vote. 

If more than one official representative or attorney is present for 
an Equity holder: 

  None of them is entitled to vote on a show of hands; and 

Number of 
Shareholders 

Percentage 
Shareholders 

Number of 
Shares 

Percentage 
Issued Capital 

575,469 
178,983 
16,217 
6,797 
253 
777,719 
14,030 

74.00 
23.01 
2.09 
0.87 
0.03 
100.00 
1.80 

194,482,212 
365,211,015 
111,139,953 
127,859,853 
720,108,036 
1,518,801,069 
72,165 

12.80 
24.05 
7.32 
8.42 
47.41 
100.00 
0.01 

  On  a  poll  only  one  official  representative may  exercise the 
Equity  holders  voting  rights  and  the  vote  of  each  attorney 
shall be of no effect unless each is appointed to represent a 
specified  proportion  of the  Equity  holders  voting  rights,  not 
exceeding in aggregate 100%. 

If an Equity holder appoints two proxies and both are present at 
the meeting: 

If the appointment does not specify the proportion or number 
of the Equity holder‟s votes each proxy may exercise, then 
on  a  poll  each  proxy  may  exercise  one  half  of  the  Equity 
holder‟s votes; 

  Neither proxy shall be entitled to vote on a show of hands; 

and 

  On a poll each proxy may only exercise votes in respect of 

those shares or voting rights the proxy represents. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     227 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Shareholding Information 

Top 20 Holders of Perpetual Exchangeable Repurchaseable Listed Shares III (“PERLS III”) as at 7 August 2009 

Rank 

Name of Holder 

Number of Shares 

1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 

RBC Dexia Investor Services Australia Nominees Pty Limited 
J P Morgan Nominees Australia Limited 
AMP Life Limited 
UBS Wealth Management Australia Nominees Pty Ltd 
National Nominees Limited 
Mr Walter Lawton and Mrs Jan Rynette Lawton 
Citicorp Nominees Pty Limited 
ANZ Executors & Trustee Company Limited 
The Australian National University Investment Section 
Mr John Stuart Walker & Mr Ralph Lane 
Catholic Education Office Diocese of Parramatta 
Questor Financial Services Limited 
Truckmate (Australia) Pty Limited 
ANZ Nominees Limited 
Bond Street Custodians Limited 
Kerlon Pty Ltd 
Sandhurst Trustees Ltd 
Equity Trustees Limited 
Mifare Pty Limited 
UCA Cash Management Fund Limited 

199,147 
156,821 
155,309 
147,974 
78,015 
75,482 
68,517 
59,780 
51,282 
50,000 
49,750 
45,672 
35,000 
34,954 
33,974 
30,000 
29,087 
25,128 
25,000 
25,000 

% 

3.41 
2.69 
2.66 
2.54 
1.34 
1.29 
1.17 
1.02 
0.88 
0.86 
0.85 
0.78 
0.60 
0.60 
0.58 
0.51 
0.50 
0.43 
0.43 
0.43 

The top 20 PERLS III shareholders hold 1,375,892 shares which is equal to 23.57% of the total shares on issue. 

Stock Exchange Listing 

PERLS III are preference shares issued by Preferred Capital Limited (a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Bank) and are listed on the 
Australian Securities Exchange under the trade symbol PCAPA, with Sydney being the home exchange. Details of trading activity 
are published in most daily newspapers. 

Range of Shares (PERLS III): 7 August 2009 

Range 

1 – 1,000 
1,001 – 5,000 
5,001 – 10,000 
10,001 – 100,000 
100,001 and over 
Total 
Less than marketable parcel of $500 

Voting Rights 

PERLS III do not confer any voting rights in the Bank but if they 
are exchanged for or convert into ordinary shares or preference 
shares of the Bank in accordance with their terms of issue, the 
voting  rights  of the  ordinary  or  preference  shares  (as  the case 
may be) will be as set out on page 227 for the Bank‟s ordinary 
shares. 

The holders will not be entitled to vote at a general meeting of 
the Bank except in the following circumstances: 

If  at  the time  of the meeting,  a  dividend  has  been  declared 
but has not been paid in full by the relevant payment date; 

  On a proposal to reduce the Bank‟s share capital; 
  On  a  resolution  to  approve  the  terms  of  a  buy-back 

agreement; 

  On a proposal that affects rights attached to the preference 

shares; 

  On a proposal to wind up the Bank;  
  On  a  proposal  for  the  disposal  of  the  whole  of  the  Bank‟s 

property, business and undertaking; 

228     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

Number of 
Shareholders 

Percentage 
Shareholders 

Number of 
Shares 

Percentage 
Issued Capital 

17,419 
520 
40 
35 
4 
18,018 
21 

96.68 
2.89 
0.22 
0.19 
0.02 
100.00 
0.12 

2,916,938 
1,037,129 
312,896 
943,703 
621,615 
5,832,281 
40 

50.01 
17.78 
5.37 
16.18 
10.66 
100.00 
0.01 

  During the winding up of the Bank; or 
  As otherwise required under the Listing Rules from time to 
time, in which case the holders will have the same rights as 
to manner of attendance and as to voting in respect of each 
preference  share  as 
those  conferred  on  ordinary 
shareholders in respect of each ordinary share. 

At a general meeting of the Bank, holders of preference shares 
are entitled: 

  On a show of hands, to exercise one vote when entitled to 

vote in respect of the matters listed above; and 

  On a poll, to one vote for each preference share. 

The  holders  will  be  entitled  to  receive  notice  of  any  general 
meeting of the Bank and a copy of every circular or other like 
document sent out by the Bank to ordinary shareholders and to 
attend any general meeting of the Bank. 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Shareholding Information 

Top 20 Holders of Perpetual Exchangeable Resaleable Listed Securities IV (“PERLS IV”) as at 7 August 2009 

Rank 

Name of Holder 

Number of Shares 

1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
18 
19 
20 

AMP Life Limited 
J P Morgan Nominees Australia Limited 
UBS Wealth Management Australia Nominees Pty Limited 
RBC Dexia Investor Services Australia Nominees Pty Limited 
Citicorp Nominees Pty Limited 
Questor Financial Services Limited 
National Nominees Limited 
Cogent Nominees Pty Limited 
Invia Custodian Pty Limited 
UCA Cash Management Fund Limited 
ANZ Nominees Limited 
Avanteos Investments Limited 
Eastcote Pty Ltd 
Bond Street Custodians Limited 
Australian Executor Trustees 
The Australian National University Investment Section 
Bournda Downs Pty Limited 
Count Financial Limited 
Catholic Education Office Diocese of Parramatta 
HSBC Custody Nominees (Australia) Limited 

358,360 
289,485 
170,791 
167,142 
157,271 
128,499 
105,314 
93,252 
82,977 
71,567 
61,497 
51,938 
50,000 
38,561 
37,942 
30,000 
25,525 
25,250 
25,000 
24,214 

% 

4.89 
3.95 
2.33 
2.28 
2.15 
1.75 
1.44 
1.27 
1.13 
0.98 
0.84 
0.71 
0.68 
0.53 
0.52 
0.41 
0.35 
0.34 
0.34 
0.33 

The top 20 PERLS IV shareholders hold 1,994,585 shares which is equal to 27.22% of the total shares on issue. 

Stock Exchange Listing 

PERLS  IV  are  stapled  securities  issued  by  The  Commonwealth  Bank  of  Australia  and  are  listed  on  the  Australian  Securities 
Exchange under the trade symbol CBAPB, with Sydney being the home exchange. Details of trading activity are published in most 
daily newspapers. 

Range of Shares (PERLS IV): 7 August 2009 

Range 

1 – 1,000 
1,001 – 5,000 
5,001 – 10,000 
10,001 – 100,000 
100,001 and over 
Total 
Less than marketable parcel of $500 

Voting Rights 

PERLS IV confer voting rights in the Bank in the following limited 
circumstances: 

  When  dividend  payments  on  the  preference  shares  are  in 

arrears; 

  On proposals to reduce the Bank‟s Share Capital; 

  On  a  proposal  that  affects  rights  attached  to  preference 

shares; 

  On  a  resolution  to  approve  the  terms  of  a  buy-back 

agreement; 

  On a proposal to wind up the Bank; 

  On  a  proposal  for  the  disposal  of  the  whole  of  the  Bank‟s 

property, business and undertaking; and 

  During the winding-up of the Bank. 

Further  more  if  PERLS  IV  convert  into  ordinary  shares  of  the 
Bank in accordance with their terms of issue, the voting rights of 
the ordinary shares will be as set out on page 227. 

At  a  general  meeting  of  the  Bank,  holders  of  PERLS  IV  are 
entitled: 

Number of 
Shareholders 

Percentage 
Shareholders 

Number of 
Shares 

Percentage 
Issued Capital 

14,789 
740 
50 
33 
6 
15,618 
2 

94.69 
4.74 
0.32 
0.21 
0.04 
100.00 
0.01 

3,235,761 
1,602,671 
414,193 
934,730 
1,137,645 
7,325,000 
3 

44.17 
21.88 
5.66 
12.76 
15.53 
100.00 
0.01 

  On a show of hands, to exercise one vote when entitled to 

vote on the matters listed above; and 

  On a poll, to exercise one vote for each preference share. 

The holders will be entitled to the same rights as the holders of 
the  Bank‟s  ordinary  shares  in  relation  to  receiving  notices, 
reports and financial statements and attending and being heard 
at all general meetings of the Bank. 

Trust Preferred Securities 

550,000  Trust  Preferred  Securities  were  issued  on  6  August 
2003.  Cede  &  Co  is  registered  as  the  sole  holder  of  these 
securities. 

700,000  Trust  Preferred  Securities  were  issued  on  15  March 
2006.  Cede  &  Co  is  registered  as  the  sole  holder  of  these 
securities. 

The Trust Preferred Securities do not confer any voting rights in 
the Bank but if they are exchanged for or convert into ordinary 
shares  or  preference  shares  of  the  Bank  in  accordance  with 
their  terms  of  issue,  the  voting  rights  of  the  ordinary  or 
preference shares  (as the case may  be)  will  be  as set out  on 
page 227 for the Bank‟s ordinary shares and page 228 for the 
preference shares. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     229 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
International Representation 

Australia 
Head Office 
Commonwealth Bank of Australia 
48 Martin Place, 
Sydney NSW 1155 
Telephone: (61 2) 9378 2000 

New Zealand 
ASB Bank Limited 
Level 28 ASB Bank Centre 
135 Albert Street, Auckland 
Telephone: (64 9) 377 8930 
Facsimile: (64 9) 358 3511 
Managing Director 
Charles Pink 

Sovereign Group Limited 
33-45 Hurstmere Road 
Takapuna, Auckland 
Telephone: (64 9) 487 9000 
Facsimile: (64 9) 486 1913 
Managing Director 
Jon Raby (Acting) 

Asia Pacific 
Fiji Islands 
Colonial Fiji 
Colonial Life Limited 
Level 12, Suva Central 
Telephone: (67 9) 3214 400 
Facsimile: (67 9) 3303 448 
Managing Director 
Laurie Mellsop 

China 
CBA Representative Office 
2909 China World Towers 1 
1 Jian Guo Men Wai Avenue 
Beijing 100004 
Telephone: (86 10) 6505 5350 
Facsimile: (86 10) 6505 5354 
China Chief Representative 
Paul Au 

CommFinance 
Level 7 
Zhong Ya Building 
458 Wulumugi (N) Road 
Shanghai 
Telephone: (86 21) 6249 9659 
Facsimile: (86 21) 6249 9682 
Chief Executive Officer 
Guo-Xiong Jiang 

China Life – CMG Asia Life Assurance Co Ltd 
21st Floor 
China Insurance Building 
166 Lujiazui Dong Road 
Shanghai 200120 
Telephone: (86 21) 5882 5245 
Facsimile: (86 21) 6887 5720 
General Manager 
Alan Wood 

CBA Representative Office 
Room 4007 Bund Center 
222 Yan An Road East 
Shanghai 200002 
Telephone: (86 21) 6335 1686 
Facsimile: (86 21) 6335 1766  
Shanghai Chief Representative 
Guo Wei 

First State Cinda Fund Management Co. Ltd. 
24F China Merchants Bank Building 
No 7088, Shen Nan Road 
Shenzhen 518040  
Telephone: (852) 2846 7555 
Facsimile: (852) 2868 4742/4783 
Regional Head Asia 
Lindsay Mann 

Hong Kong 
Level 15 
1501-5, Chater House 
8 Connaught Road,  
Central 
Hong Kong 
Telephone: (852) 2844 7501 
Facsimile: (852) 2801 6916 
Regional General Manager Asia 
Stephen Poon 

Hong Kong Commonwealth Bank of Australia 
Room 1307-1308, Chater House 
8 Connaught Road 
Central 
Hong Kong 
Telephone: (852) 3667 8900 
Facsimile: (852) 3667 8939 
Executive General Manager 
Peter Fancke 

First State Investments (Hong Kong) Limited 
Level 6, Three Exchange Square 
Central 
Hong Kong 
Telephone: (852) 2846 7555 
Facsimile: (852) 2868 4742/4783 
Regional Head Asia 
Lindsay Mann 

India 
CBA Representative Office 
Suite 200, The Grand Ashok 
Kumara Krupa Road 
Bangalore 560001  
Telephone: (91 80) 2237 4761 
Fascimile: (91 80) 4112 1462 
Chief Representative 
Ravi Kushan 

Indonesia 
PT Bank Commonwealth 
Level 3A, Wisma Metropolitan II 
Jl. Jendral Sudirman Kav. 29-31 
Jakarta 12920 
Telephone: (62 21) 5296 1222 
Facsimile: (62 21) 5296 2293 
President Director 
Nursing Nursing 

PT Commonwealth Life 
11/F Sentra Mulia 
Jl. H.R. Rason Said, Kav X-6 No 8 
Jakarta 12940 
Telephone: (62 21) 250 0385 
Facsimile: (62 21) 250 0389 
President Director 
Simon Bennett 

PT First State Investments Indonesia 
29th Floor, Gedung Artha Graha 
Sudirman Central Business District 
Jl. Jend. Sudirman Kav. 52-53 
Jakarta 12190 
Telephone: (62 21) 515 0088 
Facsimile: (62 21) 515 0033 
CEO 
Hario Soeprobo 

Japan 
CBA Branch Office 
8th Floor 
Toranomon Waiko Building 
5-12-1 Toranomon 
Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0001 
Telephone: (81 3) 5400 7280 
Facsimile: (81 3) 5400 7288 
General Manager Japan 
Richard Harris 

Singapore 
CBA Branch Office 
Level 17 Millenia Tower 
1 Temasek Avenue  
Singapore 039192 
Telephone: (65) 6349 7001 
Facsimile: (65) 6224 5812 
Country Head 
Brian McGovern 

First State Investments (Singapore) 
1 Temasek Avenue  
#17-01 Millenia Tower 
Singapore 039192 
Telephone: (65) 6538 0008 
Facsimile: (65) 6538 0800 
Regional Head Asia 
Lindsay Mann 

Vietnam 
CBA Representative Office 
Suite 202-203A 
The Central Building  
31 Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi 
Telephone: (84 4) 826 9899 
Facsimile: (84 4) 824 3961 
Chief Representative 
Hahn Nuygen 

CBA HCMC Branch office 
Ground Floor 
Han Nam Building 
65 Nguyen Du St., Dist. 1 
Ho Chi Minh City 
Telephone: (84) 8824 1525 
Facsimilie: (84) 8824 2703 
General Director 
Danny Armstrong 

Americas 
United States of America 
CBA Branch Office 
Level 17, 599 Lexington Avenue  
New York NY 10022 
Telephone: (1 212) 848 9391 
Facsimile: (1 212) 336 7772 
General Manager, Americas 
Ian Phillips 

Europe 
United Kingdom 
CBA Branch Office 
Senator House 
85 Queen Victoria Street 
London EC4V 4HA 
Telephone: (44 20) 7710 3934 
Facsimile: (44 20) 7329 6611 
Regional General Manager Europe 
Paul Orchart 

First State Investments (UK) Limited 
3rd Floor, 30 Cannon Street 
London EC4M 6YQ 
Telephone: (44 20) 7332 6500 
Facsimile: (44 20) 7332 6501 
Chief Executive Officer 
Charles Metcalf 

Edinburgh 
23 St Andrew Square 
Edinburgh EH2 1BB 
Telephone: (44 131) 473 2200 
Facsimile: (44 131) 473 2222 
Managing Partners 
Stuart Paul & Angus Tulloch 

230     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
132 221 General Enquiries 

131 709 CommSec Margin Loan  

Contact Us 

For your everyday banking including paying bills using BPAY® 
our  automated  service  is  available  24  hours  a  day,  7  days  a 
week.  

Lost or Stolen Cards 

To report a lost or stolen card 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

From  overseas  call  +61  132  221.  Operator  assistance  is 
available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

® Registered to BPAY Pty Ltd ABN 69 079 137 518 

132 224 Home Loans & Investment Home Loans 

To  apply  for  a  new  home  loan/investment  home  loan  or  to 
maintain an existing loan. Available from 8am to 10pm, 7 days a 
week. 

131 431 Personal Loan Sales 

To apply for a new personal loan. 

Available from 8am to 8pm, 7 days a week. 

1800 805 605 Customer Relations 

If you would like to pay us a compliment or are dissatisfied with 
any aspect of the service you have received. 

Internet Banking 

You can apply for a home loan, credit card, personal loan, term 
deposit  or  a  savings  account  on  the  internet  by  visiting  our 
website at www.commbank.com.au available 24 hours a day, 7 
days a week. 

Do  your  everyday  banking  on  our  internet  banking  service 
NetBank at www.commbank.com.au/netbank available 24 hours 
a day, 7 days a week. 

To apply for access to NetBank, call 132 828. 

Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

Special Telephony Services 

Customers who are hearing or speech impaired can contact us 
via  the  National  Relay  Service  (www.relayservice.com.au)  (24 
hours a day, 7 days a week). 

  Telephone Typewriter (TTY) service users can be connected 

to any of our telephone numbers via 133 677. 

  Speak  and  Listen  (speech-to-speech  relay)  users  can  also 
connect  to  any  of  our  telephone  numbers  by  calling  
1300 555 727. 

Internet  relay  users  can  be  connected  to  our  telephone 
numbers via National Relay Service. 

131 519 CommSec (Commonwealth Securities) 

CommSec  provides  the  information  and  tools  to  make  smart 
investment easy, accessible and affordable for all Australians, by 
phone or Internet at www.commsec.com.au  

Available  from  8am  to  8pm  (Sydney  Time),  Monday  to  Friday, 
for share trading and stock market enquiries, and 8am to 8pm 7 
days a week for Commsec Cash Management.  A 24 hour lost 
and stolen card line is available 24 hours, 7 days a week.  

Enables you to expand your portfolio by borrowing against your 
existing shares and managed funds. To find out more simply call 
131  709  8am to 8pm  (Sydney  Time)  Monday  to  Friday  or  visit 
www.commsec.com.au. 

1800 019 910 Corporate Financial Services 

For a full range of financial solutions for medium-size and larger 
companies.  

Available from 8am to 6pm (Sydney Time), Monday to Friday. 

131 998 Local Business Banking 

A dedicated team of Business Banking Specialists, supporting a 
network  of  branch  business  bankers,  will  help  you  with  your 
financial needs. 

Available  24  hours  a  day,  7  days  a  week  or  visit 
www.commbank.com.au/lbb 

1300 245 463 (1300 AGLINE) AgriLine 

A dedicated team of Agribusiness Specialists will help you with 
your financial needs. With many of our Business Banking team 
living  in  regional  and  rural  Australia,  they  understand  the 
challenges  you  face.  Available  from  7am  to  7pm,  Monday  to 
Friday (Sydney time). 

Colonial First State 

Existing  investors  can  call  131  336  from  8am  to  7pm  (Sydney 
Time) Monday to Friday.  

New investors without a financial adviser can call 1300 360 645. 
Financial advisers can call 131 836. 

Alternatively, visit www.colonialfirststate.com.au 

CommBiz 

Enables  you  to  perform  online  business  transactional  banking 
from an Internet-connected computer, anywhere in the world, 24 
hours a day, 7 days a week on www.commbiz.com.au 

1300 362 081 Commonwealth Private Bank 

A highly personalised service for clients with significant financial 
resources  and  complex  financial  needs.  For  a  confidential 
discussion  about  how  Commonwealth  Private  Bank  can  help 
you, call 1300 362 081 between 8am to 5:30pm (Sydney time), 
Monday to Friday or visit www.commonwealthprivate.com.au  

132 015 Commonwealth Financial Services 

For  enquiries  on  retirement  and  superannuation  products,  or 
managed  investments. Available from  8.30am to  6pm (Sydney 
Time), Monday to Friday.  

Unit prices are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  

CommInsure 

For all your general insurance needs call 132 423 8am to 8pm 
(Sydney Time), 7 days a week. 

For  all  your  life  insurance  needs  call  131  056  8am  to  8pm 
(Sydney Time), Monday to Friday. 

Alternatively, visit www.comminsure.com.au 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009     231 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Corporate Directory 

Registered Office 
Level 7, 48 Martin Place 
Sydney NSW 1155 
Telephone (61 2) 9378 2000 
Facsimile (61 2) 9378 2400  

Company Secretary 
JD Hatton  

Shareholder Information 
www.commbank.com.au/shareholder 

Share Registrar 
Link Market Services Limited 
Locked Bag A14 
SYDNEY SOUTH NSW 1235  
Telephone: (02) 8280 7199 
Facsimile: (02) 9287 0303 
Freecall: 1800 022 440  
Internet 
www.linkmarketservices.com.au  
Email 
cba@linkmaketservices.com.au  

Telephone numbers for overseas Shareholders  
New Zealand 
0800 442 845  
United Kingdom 
0845 769 7502  
Fiji 
008 002 054  
Other International 
(61 2) 8280 7199  

Australian Stock Exchange Listing 
CBA  

Annual Report 
To request a copy of the Annual Report, please call Link 
Market Services on 1800 022 440 or email them at 
cba@linkmaketservices.com.au 

Electronic versions of Commonwealth Bank‟s past and 
current Annual Reports are available on 
www.commbank.com.au/shareholder/annualreports 

232     Commonwealth Bank of Australia Annual Report 2009