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FY2014 Annual Report · Commonwealth Bank of Australia
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Annual  
Report

2014

COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA   |   ACN 123 123 124 

 
Contents 

Chairman’s Statement 

Chief Executive Officer’s Statement 

Highlights 

Group Performance Analysis 

Group Operations and Business Settings 

Sustainability 

Directors’ Report 

Five Year Financial Summary 

Financial Statements 

Income Statements 

Statements of Comprehensive Income 

Balance Sheets 

Statements of Changes in Equity 

Statements of Cash Flows 

Notes to the Financial Statements 

Directors’ Declaration 

Independent Auditor’s Report 

Shareholding Information 

International Representation 

Contact Us 

Corporate Directory 

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6 

8 

12 

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69 

70 

71 

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196 

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Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    1 

 
 
 
  
Chairman’s Statement 

Introduction

For over 100 years the Commonwealth Bank of Australia has 
been an essential part of the growth of Australia.  At various 
stages  of  our  history  our  role  has  ranged  from  being  the 
country’s Central Bank to issuing the currency, organising war 
loans  and  providing  regular  banking  services  to  Australian 
servicemen around the world. For generations of Australians 
we  have  been  their  first  bank  through  our  involvement  in 
school banking. 

Throughout  that  time  our  guiding  principle  has  been  and 
continues to be to secure and enhance the financial wellbeing 
of people, businesses and communities. 

We  are  proud  that  we  are  regarded  as  safe,  strong  and 
community  minded  by  our  customers,  a  good  place  to  work 
by  our  52,000  people  and  a  good  place  to  invest  by  our 
shareholders. 

While in 2014 the Group again achieved an excellent financial 
result,  maintained  leadership  in  customer  satisfaction  and 
increased  the  dividend,  these  achievements  were  marred  by 
the  flaws  in  our  financial  advice  business,  which  occurred 
between  2008  and  2011.  This  was  followed  by  a  highly 
publicised  Senate  Committee  Report  in  July  this  year  which 
was critical of these flaws. 

At  last  year’s  Annual  General  Meeting,  after  closure  of  the 
enforceable  undertaking  from  ASIC  in  October,  I  apologised 
to  all  of  our  shareholders  for  these  unacceptable  events.  As 
you  know,  we  work  hard  to  be  not  only  the  best  performing, 
but also the most trusted Bank everywhere we operate.  

Good  ethical  behaviour  and  a  sound  ethical  culture  are 
central to these objectives. 

We  believe  we  acted  decisively  when  the  problem  was 
uncovered.  We  began  extensive  remediation  of  all  the 
processes within our advice business and since then we have 
listened to the views of a variety of stakeholders. As a result, 
and  in  addition  to  ongoing  reviews  within  the  Division,  we 
have  moved  to  a  broad  ranging  program.  We  have  taken 
steps  to  ensure  that  any  customers  of  the  financial  advice 
business  who  believe  the  Group  gave  them  poor  advice 
between the years 2003 and 2012 have a clear way to have 
their concerns addressed including appropriate redress.  

As  you  can  see  we  have  widened  the  period  covered  and  I 
believe  that  we  have  a  fair  and  objective  process  of  dealing 
with  any  complaints  raised.  Together  with  an  independent 
review structure, we trust that those of our customers affected 
will also see this as a fair way to deal with the issue. You can 
read  more 
this  statement  entitled 
in 
Commonwealth Financial Planning. 

the  section 

in 

I should also make mention of the Financial System Inquiry, a 
draft  report  of  which  was  issued  in  July.  I  do  not  want  to 
comment in any detail here on the suggestions of the Inquiry, 
but  I  do  want  to  reiterate  that,  as  an  integrated  Group,  we 
believe  it  is  a  core  part  of  our  responsibility  to  look  after  the 
financial affairs of our customers and if requested, to provide 
financial  advice  in  an  objective  manner  that  seeks to  secure 
and enhance their financial wellbeing. We need to, and seek 
to do this, in a manner that at all times seeks to avoid conflict 
of interest. 

Operating and Financial results 

In  2014  the  Group  again  achieved  an  excellent  result, 
improving  productivity,  maintaining  leadership  in  customer 
satisfaction and growing profits. We have again increased the 
dividend,  now  at  a  record  level.  The  share  price  has,  during 

2 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

the  year,  also  been  very  strong  though  I  appreciate  only  too 
well  that  this  is  a  product  of  market  forces  as  well  as 
performance. 
Within the Group your directors made sure they heard directly 
from  market  participants  on  the  Group’s  performance  and 
reputation in the markets; all of which was positive. 
The  result  of  the  internal  people  engagement  survey  again 
reflected  a  continuation  of  the  very  good  progress  of  recent 
years and illustrates the continually improving environment for 
our people working within the Group. They reflect this in their 
own dedication and hard work, which shows up in the Group’s 
financial performance and standing in the community. In this 
vein there has also been a continuing focus on safety and the 
Group  has  consistently  reduced  the  accident  frequency  rate 
during the year. 
Outside  Australia,  the  gradual  improvement  in  the  global 
economy  continued  into  the  2014  financial  year.  However 
these results were achieved against an economic backdrop in 
Australia  which  has  not  reflected  a  marked  improvement  in 
consumer  or  business  confidence.  Corporate  lending  has 
therefore  not  grown  although  lower  interest  rates  have 
contributed to an increase in the demand for housing finance 
and this has benefitted our retail banking business. 
We are continuing to improve our business through focussing 
on  the  needs  of  our  customers,  continuing  to  invest  in 
technology  and  driving  further  productivity  and  process 
simplification.  These  straight  forward  business  priorities  are 
augmented  by  our  continued  conservative  management  of 
the business, strong capital, high levels of liquidity and robust 
provisioning.  The  Group  remains  well  funded  with  strong 
deposit  growth  and  a  conservative  wholesale 
funding 
program. 
Net profit after tax on a cash basis increased 12% on the prior 
year to $8,680 million. Return on Equity, measured on a cash 
basis,  increased  50  basis  points  to  18.7%.  Key  elements  of 
the result were: 
 

Net  interest  income  increased  8%  to  $15,091  million, 
reflecting  8%  growth  in  average  interest  earning  assets 
and a one basis point increase in net interest margin; 

  Other banking income increased 4% to $4,323 million, 
due to volume driven growth in commissions and higher 
Markets 
lower 
favourable  counterparty  fair  value  adjustment  and  an 
impairment  of  the  investment  in  Vietnam  International 
Bank; 

income,  partly  offset  by  a 

trading 

 

the  year 

Funds  management  income  increased  6%  to  $1,933 
million.  During 
the  Group  successfully 
completed the internalisation of the management of CFS 
Retail  Property  Group  (CFX)  and  Kiwi  Income  Property 
Trust  (KIP),  and  the  Group  has  ceased  to  manage  the 
Commonwealth Property Office Fund (CPA). The Group 
also  sold  its  entire  proprietary  unit  holding  in  CPA  and 
KIP,  and  part  of  its  proprietary  unit  holding  in  CFX. 
Excluding  these  Property  transactions  and  businesses, 
funds  management  income  increased  10%  driven  by  a 
20%  increase  in  average  Funds  Under  Administration 
from positive net flows, a strong investment performance 
and  a  5%  benefit  from  the  lower  Australian  dollar.  The 
increase was partly offset by a change in business mix;  

 

Insurance income increased 11% to $819 million due to 
8%  average  inforce  premium  growth  as  a  result  of 
reducing  lapse  rates  and  a  3%  benefit  from  the  lower 
Australian dollar;  

 
  Operating  expenses  increased  5%  to  $9,499  million, 
including  a  2%  impact  from  the  lower  Australian  dollar, 
higher staff costs from inflation-related salary increases, 
higher 
to 
increased amortisation and software write-offs. This was 
partly  offset  by  the  continued  realisation  of  operational 
efficiencies from productivity initiatives; and  

Information  Technology  expenses  due 

 

Loan  impairment  expense  decreased  12%  to  $953 
million,  due  to  favourable  loan  loss  experience  and  a 
reduction in individual provisioning requirements.  

Assets grew by $38 billion or 5% on the prior year driven by 
increased home lending, business and corporate lending and 
higher cash and liquid asset balances. The Group  continued 
to satisfy a significant portion of its funding requirements from 
customer deposits. Customer deposits now represent 64% of 
total funding. 

Capital and Dividends 

The  Group’s  ability  to  deliver  strong  performance  and  to  be 
one  of  a  very  small  number  of  global  banks  that  have 
maintained ratings in the AA band, has been underpinned by 
our  decision 
retain  conservative  business  settings, 
particularly with provisioning, liquidity, funding and capital. 

to 

Global  regulators,  including  our  domestic  regulator,  the 
Australian  Prudential  Regulation  Authority  (APRA),  have 
introduced  significant  reforms  in  response  to  the  problems 
faced  by  many  financial  institutions  as  a  result  of  the  Global 
Financial  Crisis.  In  September  2012,  APRA  published  final 
standards  relating  to  the  implementation  of  the  Basel  III 
capital  reforms  in  Australia.  APRA  has  adopted  a  more 
conservative  approach 
the  minimum  standards 
published  by  the  Basel  Committee  on  Banking  Supervision 
and a more accelerated timetable for implementation.  

than 

The APRA prudential standards require a minimum Common 
Equity  Tier  1  (CET1)  ratio  of  4.5%  effective  from  1  January 
2013. An additional CET1 capital conservation buffer of 3.5%, 
inclusive  of  a  Domestic  Systemically  Important  Bank  (DSIB) 
requirement  of  1%,  will  be  implemented  on  1  January  2016, 
bringing  the  CET1  requirement  for  the  Group  to  8%.  The 
Group has adopted a conservative and proactive approach to 
capital  management  and  this  is  reflected  in  the  overall 
strength  of  its  capital  position.  The  CET1  ratio  (on  an 
internationally  harmonised  basis)  has  increased  by  520bpts 
since the start of the Global Financial Crisis (June 2007). 

As  at  30  June  2014,  the  Group  has  a  CET1  ratio  of  9.3% 
under  APRA’s  prudential  standard  version  of  Basel  III,  well 
above  the  current  APRA  minimum  ratio  of  4.5%.  This  is 
equivalent  to  an  internationally  harmonised  CET  1  ratio  of 
12.1%. 

The  Group’s  dividend  policy  seeks  to  deliver  the  following 
objectives:  

 

 

 

Pay cash dividends at strong and sustainable levels;  

Target  a  full-year  payout  ratio  of  70%  to  80%  of  cash 
earnings; and 

Pay fully franked dividends.  

Consistent  with  this  policy,  the  final  dividend  declared  was 
$2.18  per  share,  bringing  the  total  dividend  for  the  financial 
year  to  $4.01  per  share.  This  represents  a  dividend  payout 
ratio  (“cash  basis”)  for  the  year  of  75.1%  and  is  10%  above 
last year’s full year dividend.  

Commonwealth Financial Planning 

As I said earlier, I want to reiterate what I said at our AGM in 
November  2013  that  we  deeply  regret  that  some  advisors 

Chairman’s Statement 

provided  poor  advice.  We  have  no  tolerance  at  all  for 
behaviour  that  prejudices  the  financial  wellbeing  of  our 
customers. When the extent and the seriousness of the issue 
was understood, we took decisive action to do the right thing 
for our customers and to change the way in which we run that 
business.  

in 

training  programmes 

We have worked hard over the past three years on improving 
the  business  and  its  compliance  and  risk  management 
framework and key elements include: we now have one of the 
the 
most  comprehensive  staff 
industry;  we  have  completely  changed  the  remuneration 
structure; we have more rigorous systems and processes; we 
have  better  document  management  and  we  enforce  higher 
standards.  We  have  fostered  an  inclusive  and  engaged 
culture that is both open and transparent. Our people are now 
recognised and rewarded for improving the satisfaction of our 
customers  and  to  do  that,  they  have  to  understand  our 
customers’  needs  objectively.  And  we  have  put  in  place  a 
strategy that  will  serve  the  customer’s  best  interests  and  will 
help them achieve their financial goals.  

However  despite  these  actions,  your  Board  acknowledges 
that  a  number  of  stakeholders  hold  the  view  that  our 
approach has not been sufficient to meet all of their needs. In 
response  to  these  concerns  we  announced,  on  3  July  this 
year,  our  Open  Advice  Review  program.  This  program  is 
open to any Commonwealth Financial Planning and Financial 
Wisdom customer who received advice between 1 September 
2003  and  1  July  2012  and  has  concerns  regarding  that 
advice.  

The  program  will  provide  an  assessment  of  the  advice 
received,  access  to  an  independent  customer  advocate  and 
an  independent  review  panel.  The  program  will  be  fully 
transparent  to  customers.  To  ensure  we  reach  as  many 
customers  as  possible  there  will  be  an  extensive  national 
advertising campaign, which has already commenced.  

It  has  always  been  our  intention  to  make  it  right  for  our 
customers  and  to  put  them  back  in  the  position  they  would 
have  been  had  they  received  suitable  advice.  And  in  this 
regard  we  have  already  paid  $52  million  in  compensation  to 
more  than  1,100  customers  of  specific  advisers  who  were 
identified as having provided poor advice. 

Corporate Governance and Board Appointments 

The  Board’s  Non-Executive  Directors meet  without  the  Chief 
Executive  Officer  several  times  a  year  to  discuss  general 
items that may be on the minds of Directors that relate to the 
Group’s  business.  I  have  an  open  dialogue  with  the  Chief 
Executive  Officer  on  any matters that may  have  been  raised 
in these forums. There is a further meeting of the Board with 
the  Chief  Executive  Officer  for  an  open  discussion  on  the 
Board’s performance and to identify where improvements can 
be made in Board processes. The review process includes a 
performance assessment of the Board Committees and each 
Director as well as the Chairman. 

the  Board 
In  appointing  new  Non-Executive  Directors, 
Performance  and  Renewal  Committee  assesses  the  skills, 
experience and personal qualities of candidates. It also takes 
into consideration other attributes including diversity to ensure 
that  any  appointment  decisions  adequately  reflect 
the 
environment in which the Group operates and its aspirations. 

Following  an  extensive  process  your  Board  has  announced 
the  appointment  of  two  new  directors  whom  it  believes  will 
each make a significant contribution to the Board. Mr Shirish 
Apte  and  Sir  David  Higgins  have  a  wide  range  of  skills  and 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    3 

 
offset the impacts of the anticipated reduction in investment in 
the  resources  sector.  Although  investment  in  the  resources 
sector  has  tapered  off  as  predicted,  the  fruits  of  previous 
investment are showing up in increased production of iron ore 
and  LNG,  as  new  projects  move 
the  production 
phase.The  past  twelve  months  have  also  been  a  period  of 
relative stability in the global economy although downside risk 
remains. 

into 

If the stability in global markets continues, gradual increases 
in consumer spending and demand for credit from businesses 
over  the  next  year  are  likely,  as  long  as  budget  discussions 
are  progressed  and  there  is  a  clear  understanding  of 
Australia’s medium to long term economic direction. 

In  terms  of  our  business  settings,  and  economic  policy,  it  is 
critical  to  take  a  long  term  view  of  the  Australian  economy. 
We will continue our focus on the future and building our key 
capabilities: people, technology, productivity and strength. We 
will  also  actively  support  policies  designed  to  build  a 
sustainable Australian economy over the next decade. 

The  Commonwealth  Bank  is  fortunate  to  have  a  highly 
talented top executive team led by Ian Narev. 

Ian would join with me however in acknowledging that we are 
dependent on everybody within the Group at every level and 
wherever  they  are,  for  their  continuing  commitment  and 
loyalty.  All  of  us  who  make  up the  Commonwealth  Bank  are 
very  proud  of 
its 
international  reputation.  Everyone  in  the  Group  works  hard 
every  day  to  secure  and  enhance  the  financial  wellbeing  of 
people,  businesses  and  communities  and  to  appropriately 
reward our shareholders for trusting us with their investment. 

the  Group’s  place 

in  Australia  and 

A sincere thank you to everybody. 

David J Turner 

Chairman 

12 August 2014 

Chairman’s Statement 

experience  including  the  ability  to  bring  an  international 
perspective  and  breadth  of 
thinking  which  will  deliver 
significant benefits to the Group. 

Shirish  and  Sir  David  are  highly  respected  business  figures 
both in the Asia-Pacific region and globally. Shirish will bring 
international  banking  knowledge  and  experience  that  will 
greatly  benefit  the  Commonwealth  Bank.  Sir  David  brings  a 
vast  array  of  high-level  business,  infrastructure  and  major 
project  experience.  Both  men  will  be  invaluable  additions  to 
the Commonwealth Bank Board and I very much look forward 
to  working  with  them.  Further  details  of  Shirish  and  Sir 
David’s  business  experience,  qualifications  and  relevant 
external responsibilities can be found on pages 37 and 40 of 
this report. 

The  Board  has  again  initiated  a  wide  range  of  Board 
education sessions this year which have been most valuable 
in  helping  us  better  understand  some  of  the  complex  issues 
facing  the  Group  and  providing  exposure  to  a  wide  range  of 
our stakeholders. In addition to the Board education sessions 
with investors I have continued to have regular meetings with 
our shareholders and I value the open and honest exchanges 
I have had with them. 

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

Outlook  

We  are  cautiously  positive  about  the  outlook  for  the  2015 
financial year. Whilst business and consumer confidence has 
remained  fragile,  the  levels  of  underlying  activity  confirm the 
strong foundations of the Australian economy. Lower interest 
rates  have  been  positive  for  the  housing  and  construction 
sectors,  where  increased  activity  has  gone  some  way  to

4 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    5 

 
Chief Executive Officer’s Statement 

We  have  a  very  clear  vision  for  the  Commonwealth  Bank 
Group:  to  excel  at  securing  and  enhancing  the  financial 
wellbeing of people, businesses and communities. 

This  is  an  enduring,  long  term  vision. We  are  owned  by  our 
community.  Nearly  800,000  Australians  directly  own  our 
shares  and  millions  more  have  ownership  through  their 
superannuation funds. Our owners expect us to think and act 
for  the  long-term,  showing  a  long-term  commitment  to  our 
customers and the community around us. 

Our strategy to achieve our long-term vision is built around a 
customer-focused  culture  comprising  people  who  thrive  on 
providing  outstanding  service,  a  strong,  flexible  balance 
sheet,  world-leading  application  of  technology  to  financial 
services, and a focus on productivity that makes us easy and 
efficient to deal with. 

This year we made good progress financially and in pursuing 

our long term strategy.  

Our  levels  of  customer  satisfaction  remained  market  leading 
across  all  our  businesses. We  continued  to  grow  profits  and 
dividends  for  our  investors,  and  our  share  price  reached  an 
all-time high. The engagement of our people remained strong 
across 
to  deepen  our 
relationships with the community. 

the  Group.  And  we  continued 

The  number  of  mortgages  provided 
to  our  Australian 
customers grew to around 340,000. We lent over $9 billion to 
small  and  medium  sized  businesses,  held  $26 billion  more 
deposits  on  behalf  of  our  customers  and  were  trusted  with 
more than $20 billion in new investments. 

We  paid  our  Australian-based  shareholders  over  $6.4 billion 
in  dividends.  They  saw  the  value  of  their  investment  in  the 
Commonwealth  Bank  increase  by  over  $19 billion.  We  paid 
our  42,000  Australian-based  staff  $4  billion  in  salaries  and 
wages.  We  continued  with  our  commitment  not  to  offshore 
Australian  jobs.  We  spent  $4 billion  with  more  than  5,800 
suppliers,  including  hundreds  of  local  small  businesses.  We 
were  one  of  Australia’s  largest  taxpayers,  paying  around 
$3.4 billion in State and Federal tax, which amounts to 4% of 
the  total  corporate  tax  levied  by  the  Federal  Government.  
And  our  commitment  to  the  Australian  community  saw  us 
continue  our  involvement  with  individuals,  charities,  sporting 
organisations  and communities  across  Australia. We  did this 
through  a  combination  of  financial  contribution  and  more 
importantly through our staff freely giving their time. 

Unfortunately these achievements were overshadowed by the 
ongoing  impact  of  the  poor  actions  of  some  of  our  financial 
planners in past years. While the Chairman has dealt with this 
in his letter to you, I would like to emphasise how seriously all 
of  us  on  the  management  team  take  this  matter.  In  July,  I 
apologised  to  all  our customers who  lost  savings  as  a  result 
of  the  poor  advice  that  these  planners  gave.  And  we  put  in 
place a comprehensive program to put these customers right. 

that 

The  program  provides  a  high  degree  of  independence,  so 
affected  customers  can  have  confidence 
the 
compensation  we  offer  is  fair.  Former  High  Court  judge,  Ian 
Callinan  AC,  QC  will  chair  an  independent  panel  which  will 
decide any cases where the customer is not satisfied with the 
outcome.  Before  that,  customers will  have  had  access  to  an 
independent  customer  advocate,  funded  by  us,  to  assess 
their  case  and  represent  them.  And  ultimately,  though  the 
Group will be bound by any determination from Mr Callinan’s 
panel, the customer will not. 

Mr  Callinan’s  initial  priority  will  be  to  advise  me  so  that  we 
make  sure  the  review  supports  affected  customers  and 

6 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

guarantees an independent review  of their cases. He is now 
well advanced with that advice. 

We are determined to put things right for our customers.  

Over the past three years, we have spent a great deal of time 
and  money  rebuilding  this  business.  We  recognise  that  we 
must  now  focus  on  restoring  trust  with  all  our  financial 
planning customers and the community generally. We do not 
take this for granted. I would like to reiterate that the conduct 
of  some  people  working  for  our  Commonwealth  Financial 
Planning  and  Financial  Wisdom  businesses  between  2003 
and 2012 was clearly unacceptable. Their poor advice caused 
financial loss and distress and I am truly sorry for that.  

During  the  year,  economic  conditions  were  generally  stable. 
Lower  interest  rates  and  a  lower  Australian  dollar  assisted 
some  sectors  of  the  economy,  notably  housing.  However, 
despite  generally more  positive conditions  in  global markets, 
consumer  and  corporate  confidence  remained  fragile.  As  a 
result,  while  lending  growth  continued  in  housing,  business 
credit growth remained low. And the propensity of corporates 
and consumers to save, rather than invest and spend, again 
drove  strong  deposit  growth.  Pleasingly,  credit  quality 
remained sound across the board. 

Against this economic backdrop, the Group’s 12% increase in 
cash  profit  was  driven  by  continuing  revenue  growth, 
disciplined  cost  management  and 
impairment 
expenses.  

loan 

low 

Every  business  division  made  a  positive  contribution  to  the 
result.  

 

 

 

Retail  Banking  Services  performed  well  on  all 
dimensions. Lending and deposit volumes grew strongly 
in  an 
increasingly  competitive  environment,  and 
expenses were well controlled.  

Revenue  growth  for  our  Business  and  Private  Banking 
division  was  subdued,  reflecting  the  general  lack  of 
activity in the corporate sector, while margins were also 
negatively  impacted  by  intense competition  for  deposits 
and  the  low  cash  rate  environment.  However,  business 
lending  volumes  grew  ahead  of  market,  and  cost 
discipline was strong. 

Institutional  Banking  and  Markets  also  grew  lending 
the  market.  And  our  markets 
volumes  ahead  of 
businesses performed well. 

  Our  Wealth  Management  business  benefited 

from 
improved  equity  markets  and  better  inflows  as  average 
Funds Under Administration grew by 13%  while 84% of 
our funds performed above their respective benchmarks. 

 

Both  ASB  and  Bankwest  produced  strong  results, 
particularly from their retail businesses. 

implementation  of  our  strategy 

  Our  International  Financial Services  business continued 
its  consistent 
in 
Indonesia,  China,  Vietnam  and  India.  Overall  profits  in 
the  division  were  impacted  by  the  impairment  of  our 
investment 
to 
challenging macroeconomic conditions in Vietnam. 

International  Bank  due 

in  Vietnam 

During  the  year  we  showed  our  continuing  commitment  to 
building  our  business  for  the  long  term.   We  reinvested  $1.2 
billion into the business. Most of this investment was targeted 
at  our  long  term  strategic  priorities  –  people,  technology, 
productivity and strength. 

The success of the Commonwealth Bank is dependent above 
all  on  our  people.  This  year’s  result  is  a  tribute  to  their 
commitment  and  hard  work  as  a  team.   All  of  our  internal 

 
Chief Executive Officer’s Statement 

measures tell us that our people are highly engaged while our 
customers  are  also  telling  us  that  we  are  getting  better  at 
working  with them to assist them in enhancing their financial 
wellbeing. We believe our people are our defining competitive 
advantage. Put simply we want to attract, retain and motivate 
the best people. That is why we continue to invest heavily in 
recruiting  and  development.  And  that  is  also  why  we 
encourage  diversity  throughout  the  bank.  We  aspire  to  be  a 
place where people with good values, a strong work ethic and 
talent can thrive regardless of their gender, ethnicity, religion, 
sexual  orientation,  age  or  disability.  We  want  to  go  much 
further  than  tolerating  these  differences  –  we  want  to 
celebrate them. 

to 

financial  services. 

We  again  made  significant  progress  this  year  on  our 
aspiration  to  become  a  global  leader  in  the  application  of 
technology 
 Having  successfully 
completed  our  major  platform  replacement  project,  we  are 
now  the  only  major  bank  in  Australia  which  provides  all  our 
customers  with  a  24  hour,  7  days  a  week  real  time  banking 
experience.   In  addition  to  the  customer  and  productivity 
benefits  which  are  already  being  delivered,  this  investment 
provides  us  with  a  unique  platform  on  which  to  build 
innovative business solutions. Some of the new products and 
services that we brought to market this year included our new 
Commbank  app  which  has  3  million  registrations  already, 
Comminsure’s  online  motor  insurance  origination  and  ASB’s 
PayTag  which  is  currently  being  trialled.  For  business 
customers  we  introduced  Daily  IQ,  a  new  mobile  analytics 
app  that  gives  business  customers  access  to  insights  into 
their information such as cash flow and sales, as well as our 
CommBank  Small  Business  app  which,  when  paired  with 
“Emmy”, a next generation payments terminal, turns Apple or 
Android  devices  into  powerful  payment  tools.  We  also 
introduced  new  services  for  consumers  including  “Lock  and 
Limit” which give our credit card  customers additional control 
over their card security and spending via the Commbank app, 
and “Cardless Cash” which enables customers to make ATM 
withdrawals using their mobile phone. 

Productivity has been a continuing focus for the organisation. 
We  are  committed  to  ensuring  that  we  have  processes  that 
allow  our  people  to  focus  more  on  the  customer,  create  a 
better  customer  experience,  and  enhance  efficiency.  We 
believe  that  cultural  change  is  core  to  this  strategy;  our 
people need to have a continuous improvement mindset that 
drives  us  to  look  at  better  ways  of  doing  what  we  do  every 
day. Our financial results show the benefit of our efforts in this 
area.  

But  even  more  importantly,  the  number  of  people  who  have 
been  trained  in  productivity-enhancing  skills,  and  are  putting 
them into practice every day, is rising significantly. That gives 
us  confidence  that  we  can  continue  to  become  more 
productive  over  the  long  term.  Through  the  successful 
implementation  of  this  programme  over  several  years,  the

Group will continue to avoid short term cost cutting initiatives 
that damage morale and thereby undermine long term value. 
We have not, and will not, set targets for reduction in people 
numbers.  Nor will we resort to offshoring of Australian jobs. 

Our final priority  of strength also influenced our performance 
in the past year.  Given that uncertainty remains in the global 
and  local  economies,  we  retained  our  conservative  balance 
sheet throughout the year.  However, we exist to support our 
customers.  So  we  want  to  ensure  that  if  growth  is  ahead  of 
our  expectations,  we  will  have  the  capacity  to  extend  that 
support.  Our capital, liquidity, funding and provisioning levels 
are  all  designed  with  those  dual  long-term  goals  in  mind: 
conservatism  and  customer  focus.  Regulation  has  also 
continued  to  impact  our  balance  sheet  decisions.  We  have 
worked closely with our regulators and we are well positioned 
to  meet  new  Basel  III  capital  and  liquidity  requirements. 
These  and  other  regulatory  requirements  will  require  us  to 
adapt  our  business  model  and,  in  most  instances,  lead  to 
increased costs  and  higher  levels  of  investment.  So,  by  way 
of  example,  in  2014  nearly  one  quarter  of  our  $1.2  billion 
investment spend was on “risk and compliance”. 

In  the  Chairman’s  letter,  he  has  summarised  our  outlook  for 
the  coming  year.  Against  this  backdrop  we  expect  that 
subdued credit growth will see our banking businesses again 
deliver  modest  volume  and  revenue  growth.  Given  the 
uncertain  macro  environment  and  the  subdued  outlook  for 
domestic credit growth,  we  will be retaining our conservative 
business  settings  for  the  foreseeable  future.  Assuming  the 
outlook  doesn’t  change  materially  and  that  there  are  no 
substantial regulatory changes, we will look to retain levels of 
provisioning, liquidity and capital at or around current levels.   

We will continue to pursue our vision to excel at securing and 
enhancing  the  financial  wellbeing  of  people,  businesses  and 
communities. 

Our strategy to achieve that vision has served our customers 
and  shareholders  well  over  recent  years.  We  believe  that 
there  is  still  considerable  upside  yet  to  be  realised  in  these 
key 
technology, 
productivity and strength.  

themes  of  customer 

focus,  people, 

For  over  100  years  successive  Commonwealth  Bank  boards 
and  management  teams  have  sought  to  work  to  the  highest 
ethical standards. As a result the Group is one of Australia’s 
most trusted institutions. Our number one goal in the coming 
year is to enhance that trust. 

The Group is well positioned for the future and I am confident 
that  we  have  the  ability  to  continue  to  deliver  superior  long 
term  performance  for  our  customers,  our  shareholders,  our 
people and the communities in which we operate. Thank you 
again for your support this year. Your management team will 
continue  to  work  hard  to  ensure  that  Commonwealth  Bank 
remains strong and successful. 

Ian M Narev 

Chief Executive Officer 

12 August 2014 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    7 

 
 
 
 
Highlights 

Group Performance Highlights (1) 

(1)  Comparative information has been restated to conform to presentation in the current year. 

Financial Performance

The Group’s net profit after tax (“statutory basis”) for the year 
ended  30 June 2014  increased  13%  on  the  prior  year  to 
$8,631 million. 

Return on equity (“statutory basis”) was  18.7% and Earnings 
per share (“statutory basis”) was  533.8 cents, an increase of 
13% on the prior year. 

The  Management  Discussion  and  Analysis  discloses  the  net 
profit  after  tax  on  both  a  statutory  and  cash  basis.  The 
statutory  basis  is  prepared  and  reviewed  in  accordance  with 
the  Corporations Act 2001  and  the  Australian  Accounting 
Standards,  which  comply  with 
International  Financial 
Reporting  Standards  (IFRS).  The  cash  basis  is  used  by 
management 
the  Group’s 
to  present  a  clear  view  of 
underlying  operating  results,  excluding  items  that  introduce 
volatility  and/or  one-off  distortions  of  the  Group’s  current 
period performance. These items, such as hedging and IFRS 
volatility, are calculated consistently year on year and do not 
discriminate  between  positive  and  negative  adjustments.  A 
list  of  items  excluded  from  statutory  profit  is  provided  in  the 
reconciliation  of  the  Net  profit  after  tax  (“cash  basis”)  on 
page 9 and described in greater detail on page 19. 

The Group’s vision is to excel at securing and enhancing the 
financial  well-being  of  people,  businesses  and  communities. 
The  strategies  that  the  Group  has  pursued  to  achieve  this 
vision  have  delivered  consistent  high  rates  of  customer 
satisfaction and another strong financial result. 

Operating  income  growth  remained  strong  across the  Retail, 
Wealth  and  New  Zealand  businesses.  Business  banking 
revenue reflected  the modest level of domestic credit growth 
and  continued  competitive  pressure  on  domestic  deposit 
margins. 

Operating  expenses  increased  due  to  underlying  inflationary 
pressures,  the  impact  of  foreign  exchange  and  higher  levels 
of  software  amortisation  and  write-offs;  partly  offset  by  the 
incremental benefit generated from productivity initiatives. 

Loan  impairment  expense  decreased  due  to  the  relatively 
benign  economic  environment.  Provisioning  levels  remain 
prudent  and  there  has  been  no  change  made  to  economic 
overlays. 

Net  profit  after  tax  (“cash  basis”)  for  the  year  ended 
to 
30 June 2014 
$8,680 million.  Cash  earnings  per  share  increased  11%  to 
535.9 cents per share. 

increased  by  12%  on 

the  prior  year 

Return  on  equity  (“cash  basis”) 
the  year  ended 
30 June 2014  was  18.7%,  an  increase  of  50 basis  points  on 
the prior year. 

for 

Capital 

The  Group  continued  to  organically  strengthen  its  capital

8 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

position  under  the  Basel III  regulatory  capital  framework.  As 
at  30 June 2014,  the  Basel III  Common  Equity  Tier 1 (CET1) 
ratio as measured on a fully internationally harmonised basis 
was 12.1% and 9.3% on an APRA basis. 

This continues to place the Group in a strong position relative 
to our peers, and is well above the regulatory minimum levels. 

Funding 

The  Group  has  continued  to  maintain  conservative  balance 
sheet  settings,  with  a  considerable  portion  of  the  Group’s 
lending growth funded by growth in customer deposits, which 
increased to $439 billion as at 30 June 2014, up $34 billion on 
the prior year. 

Dividends 

The final dividend declared was $2.18 per share, bringing the 
total  dividend  for  the  year  ended  30 June 2014  to  $4.01 per 
share, an increase of 10% on the prior year. This represents 
a dividend payout ratio (“cash basis”) of 75.1%. 

The  final  dividend  payment  will  be  fully  franked  and  paid  on 
2 October 2014  to  owners  of  ordinary  shares  at  the  close  of 
business  on  21 August 2014  (record  date).  Shares  will  be 
quoted ex–dividend on 19 August 2014. 

Outlook 

We  are  cautiously  positive  about  the  outlook  for  the  2015 
financial  year.  Whilst  business  and  consumer  confidence 
levels  have  remained fragile, the levels  of  underlying  activity 
confirm  the  strong  foundations  of  the  Australian  economy. 
Lower  interest  rates  have  been  positive  for  the  housing  and 
construction sectors, where increased activity has gone some 
way  to  offset  the  impacts  of  the  anticipated  reduction  in 
investment in the resources sector. And although investment 
in the resources sector has tapered off as predicted, the fruits 
of  previous 
increased 
investment  are  showing  up 
production  of  iron  ore  and  LNG,  as  new  projects  move  into 
the production phase. 

in 

The  past  twelve  months  have  also  been  a  period  of  relative 
stability  in  the  global  economy  although  downside  risks 
remain. 

If the stability in global markets continues, gradual increases 
in consumer spending and demand for credit from businesses 
over  the  next  year  are  likely,  as  long  as  budget  discussions 
are  progressed  and  there  is  a  clear  understanding  of 
Australia’s medium to long term economic direction. 

In  terms  of  our  business  settings,  and  economic  policy,  it  is 
critical  to  take  a  long  term  view  of  the  Australian  economy. 
We will continue our focus on the future and building our key 
capabilities: people, technology, productivity and strength. We 
will  also  actively  support  policies  designed  to  build  a 
sustainable Australian economy over the next decade. 

Jun 14 vsJun 14 vsJun 14 vs 30 Jun 14Jun 13 % 30 Jun 1430 Jun 13 Jun 13 % 30 Jun 14 31 Dec 13Dec 13 %Net profit after tax ($M)8,631138,6807,760124,4124,2683Return on equity (%)18.770 bpts18.718.250 bpts18.818.710 bptsEarnings per share - basic (cents)533.813535.9482.111272.0263.93Dividends per share (cents)401104013641021818319("statutory basis")("cash basis")("cash basis")Full Year EndedFull Year EndedHalf Year Ended 
 
 
 
 
Highlights 

(1)  During  the  prior  half,  comparative  information  has  been  restated  to  reflect:  the  reclassification  of  volume-related  expenses  from  Operating  expenses  to 
Operating  income;  the  impact  on  defined  benefit  superannuation  expense  of  the  application  of  revisions  to  AASB 119  Employee  Benefits;  and  minor 
refinements to the allocation of customer balances and associated revenue and expenses between business segments. 

(2)  For  purposes  of  presentation,  policyholder  tax  expense  components  of  corporate  tax  expense  are  shown  on  a  net  basis  (30 June 2014:  $126 million; 

30 June 2013: $112 million; and for the half years ended 30 June 2014: $66 million and 31 December 2013: $60 million). 

(3)  Non-controlling interests include preference dividends paid to holders of preference shares in ASB Capital Limited and ASB Capital No.2 Limited. 
(4)  Refer to page 19 for details. 

Group Return on Equity 

Group Return on Assets 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    9 

Group Performance30 Jun 1430 Jun 13Jun 14 vs30 Jun 1431 Dec 13Jun 14 vs30 Jun 14Jun 14 vsSummary (1)$M$MJun 13 %$M$MDec 13 %$MJun 13 %Net interest income 15,09113,94487,6477,444315,1018Other banking income 4,3234,15642,0892,234(6)4,3204Total banking income19,41418,10079,7369,678119,4217Funds management income1,9331,82869301,003(7)2,03410Insurance income81973911433386121,03312Total operating income22,16620,667711,09911,067-22,4888Investment experience235154531548190n/an/aTotal income22,40120,821811,25311,148122,4888Operating expenses(9,499)(9,010)5(4,748)(4,751)-(9,573)5Loan impairment expense(953)(1,082)(12)(496)(457)9(918)(20)Net profit before tax11,94910,729116,0095,940111,99713Corporate tax expense (2)(3,250)(2,953)10(1,588)(1,662)(4)(3,347)11Non-controlling interests (3)(19)(16)19(9)(10)(10)(19)19Net profit after tax ("cash basis")8,6807,760124,4124,2683n/an/aHedging and IFRS volatility (4)627(78)11(5)largen/an/aOther non-cash items (4)(55)(169)(67)1(56)largen/an/aNet profit after tax ("statutory basis")8,6317,618134,4244,20758,63113Represented by:Retail Banking Services 3,4723,089121,8011,6718Business and Private Banking 1,5261,4744729797(9)Institutional Banking and Markets 1,2581,1955584674(13)Wealth Management793679173983951New Zealand742621193873559Bankwest68056121327353(7)IFS and Other2091414818623largeNet profit after tax ("cash basis")8,6807,760124,4124,2683Investment experience - after tax(197)(105)88(135)(62)largeNet profit after tax ("underlying basis")8,4837,655114,2774,2062Full Year EndedHalf Year EndedFull Year Ended("statutory basis")("cash basis")("cash basis")20.4%15.8%18.7%19.5%18.4%18.2%18.7%2008200920102011201220132014RoE - Cash (%) 488 620 646 668 719 754 791 4.74.46.16.87.07.88.71.0%1.1%0.0%0.2%0.4%0.6%0.8%1.0%1.2%02004006008001,0002008200920102011201220132014Total Assets ($bn)Cash NPAT ($bn)RoA - Cash (%) 
  
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
Highlights 

(1)  During  the  prior  half,  comparative  information  has  been  restated  to  reflect:  the  reclassification  of  volume-related  expenses  from  Operating  expenses  to 
Operating  income;  the  impact  on  defined  benefit  superannuation  expense  of  the  application  of  revisions  to  AASB 119  Employee  Benefits;  and  minor 
refinements to the allocation of customer balances and associated revenue and expenses between business segments. 

(2)  During the year the Group successfully completed the internalisation of the management of CFS Retail Property Group (CFX) and Kiwi Income Property 
Trust (KIP), and the Group has ceased to manage the Commonwealth Property Office Fund (CPA). The Group also sold its entire proprietary unit holding 
in  CPA  and  KIP,  and  part  of  its  proprietary  unit  holding  in  CFX.  As  such,  these  Property  transactions  and  businesses  have  been  excluded  from  the 
calculation of certain financial metrics and comparative information where indicated throughout this document. 

(3)  Key financial metrics are calculated in New Zealand dollar terms. 

10  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

Jun 14 vsJun 14 vsKey Performance Indicators (1) 30 Jun 14 30 Jun 13Jun 13 % 30 Jun 14 31 Dec 13Dec 13 %GroupStatutory net profit after tax ($M)8,6317,618134,4244,2075Cash net profit after tax ($M)8,6807,760124,4124,2683Net interest margin (%) 2. 142. 131 bpt2. 142. 14-Average interest earning assets ($M) 705,371653,6378720,889690,1064Average interest bearing liabilities ($M) 661,733609,5579675,749647,9444Funds Under Administration (FUA) - average ($M)263,860227,78016266,221262,5781Average inforce premiums ($M) 3,0682,83483,1523,0573Funds management income to average FUA (%)0. 730. 80(7)bpts0. 700. 76(6)bptsInsurance income to average inforce premiums (%) 26. 726. 160 bpts27. 725. 0270 bptsOperating expenses to total operating income (%)42. 943. 6(70)bpts42. 842. 9(10)bptsEffective corporate tax rate ("cash basis") (%) 27. 227. 5(30)bpts26. 428. 0(160)bptsRetail Banking ServicesCash net profit after tax ($M)3,4723,089121,8011,6718Operating expenses to total banking income (%)36. 037. 7(170)bpts35. 037. 0(200)bptsBusiness and Private BankingCash net profit after tax ($M)1,5261,4744729797(9)Operating expenses to total banking income (%)37. 036. 910 bpts37. 336. 670 bptsInstitutional Banking and MarketsCash net profit after tax ($M)1,2581,1955584674(13)Operating expenses to total banking income (%)35. 333. 8150 bpts37. 533. 3420 bptsWealth ManagementCash net profit after tax ($M)793679173983951FUA - average ($M) (2)241,405202,25919247,645235,6785Average inforce premiums ($M) 2,2372,06882,2912,2193Funds management income to average FUA (%) (2)0. 700. 76(6)bpts0. 690. 72(3)bptsInsurance income to average inforce premiums (%)25. 726. 2(50)bpts25. 925. 180 bptsOperating expenses to total operating income (%) (2)66. 766. 8(10)bpts68. 365. 1320 bptsNew ZealandCash net profit after tax ($M)742621193873559FUA - average ($M)10,8778,4842811,50710,26312Average inforce premiums ($M)590516146285828Funds management income to average FUA (%) (3)0. 550. 58(3)bpts0. 540. 58(4)bptsInsurance income to average inforce premiums (%) (3)33. 233. 2-37. 129. 0largeOperating expenses to total operating income (%) (3)42. 043. 9(190)bpts41. 542. 6(110)bptsBankwestCash net profit after tax ($M)68056121327353(7)Operating expenses to total banking income (%)44. 847. 2(240)bpts45. 444. 2120 bptsCapital (Basel III)  Common Equity Tier 1 (Internationally Harmonised) (%)12. 111. 0110 bpts12. 111. 470 bptsCommon Equity Tier 1 (APRA) (%)9. 38. 2110 bpts9. 38. 580 bptsFull Year EndedHalf Year Ended 
 
  
 
Highlights 

(1)  Comparative information has been restated to conform to presentation in the current year. 
(2)  Fully diluted EPS and weighted average number of shares are disclosed in Note 6. 

(1)  Prior periods have been restated in line with market updates. 
(2)  As at 31 May 2014. 
(3)  Other  household  lending  market  share  includes  personal  loans,  margin  loans  and  other  forms  of  lending  to  individuals.  In  the  current  period,  certain 

revolving credit products were reclassified from Home loans to Other household lending, resulting in the increase in this category. 

(4)  Comparatives have not been restated to include the impact of new market entrants in the current period. 
(5) 
(6)  As at 31 March 2014. 

In accordance with RBA guidelines, these measures include some products relating to both the retail and corporate segments. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    11 

Jun 14 vsJun 14 vsShareholder Summary (1) 30 Jun 14 30 Jun 13Jun 13 %30 Jun 14 31 Dec 13Dec 13 %Dividends per share - fully franked (cents) 4013641021818319Dividend cover - cash (times)1. 31. 3-1. 21. 4(0. 2)Earnings Per Share (EPS) (cents)Statutory basis - basic 533. 8474. 213273. 3260. 55Cash basis - basic535. 9482. 111272. 0263. 93Dividend payout ratio (%)Statutory basis75. 577. 4(190)bpts80. 370. 5largeCash basis 75. 175. 9(80)bpts80. 569. 5largeWeighted average no. of shares ("statutory basis") - basic (M) (2)1,6081,59811,6111,606-Weighted average no. of shares ("cash basis") - basic (M) (2)1,6111,60111,6141,609-Return on equity ("statutory basis") (%)18. 718. 070 bpts19. 018. 550 bptsReturn on equity ("cash basis") (%)18. 718. 250 bpts18. 818. 710 bptsFull Year EndedHalf Year Ended30 Jun 1431 Dec 1330 Jun 13Jun 14 vsJun 14 vsMarket Share (1)%%%Dec 13 %Jun 13 %Home loans 25. 325. 325. 3--Credit cards - RBA (2)24. 924. 724. 420 bpts50 bptsOther household lending (3)18. 818. 216. 960 bpts190 bptsHousehold deposits (4)28. 628. 628. 8-(20)bptsRetail deposits (5)25. 425. 425. 5-(10)bptsBusiness lending - RBA 17. 818. 018. 0(20)bpts(20)bptsBusiness lending - APRA 18. 919. 119. 1(20)bpts(20)bptsBusiness deposits - APRA 22. 121. 221. 790 bpts40 bptsAsset Finance13. 213. 313. 3(10)bpts(10)bptsEquities trading 5. 25. 15. 210 bpts-Australian Retail - administrator view (6)15. 815. 715. 710 bpts10 bptsFirstChoice Platform (6)11. 511. 411. 510 bpts-Australia life insurance (total risk) (6)12. 512. 913. 1(40)bpts(60)bptsAustralia life insurance (individual risk) (6)12. 512. 712. 9(20)bpts(40)bptsNZ home loans21. 922. 122. 3(20)bpts(40)bptsNZ retail deposits20. 620. 420. 120 bpts50 bptsNZ business lending11. 010. 610. 440 bpts60 bptsNZ retail FUA16. 117. 016. 7(90)bpts(60)bptsNZ annual inforce premiums 29. 129. 429. 5(30)bpts(40)bptsAs atCredit RatingsLong-termShort-termOutlookFitch RatingsAA- F1+ Stable Moody's Investors ServiceAa2 P-1 Stable Standard & Poor'sAA- A-1+ Stable  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
Group Performance Analysis 

Financial Performance and Business Review

Year Ended June 2014 versus June 2013 

Half Year Ended June 2014 versus December 2013 

The Group’s net profit after tax (“cash basis”) increased 12% 
on the prior year to $8,680 million. 

The  Group’s  net  profit  after  tax  (“cash  basis”)  increased  3% 
on the prior half to $4,412 million. 

Earnings per share (“cash basis”) increased 11% on the prior 
year  to  535.9 cents  per  share  and  return  on  equity  (“cash 
basis”) increased 50 basis points on the prior year to 18.7%. 

Earnings  per  share  (“cash  basis”)  increased  3%  on  the  prior 
half  to  272.0 cents  per  share,  whilst  return  on  equity  (“cash 
basis”) improved 10 basis points to 18.8%. 

It  should  be  noted  when  comparing  current  half  financial 
performance  to  the  prior  half  that  there  are  three  less 
calendar  days  impacting  revenue  in  the  current  half.  Key 
points of note in the result included the following: 

 

Net  interest  income  increased  3%  to  $7,647 million, 
reflecting  a  4%  growth  in  average  interest  earning 
assets; 

  Other banking income decreased 6% to $2,089 million, 
due  to  a  decrease  in  trading  income  following  a  strong 
fair  value 
prior  half,  an  unfavourable  counterparty 
adjustment, and an impairment of the investment in VIB; 

 

 

income  decreased  7% 

Funds  management 
to 
$930 million.  Excluding  the  Property  transactions  and 
businesses,  Funds  management  income  decreased  1% 
on the prior half with a 5% increase in average FUA and 
a continued trend towards lower margin products; 

Insurance income increased 12% to $433 million due to 
improved  pricing,  favourable  claims  experience  and 
lapse  rates  in  New  Zealand  and  a  1%  benefit  from  the 
lower Australian dollar; 

  Operating  expenses  remained  flat  at  $4,748 million, 
including  a  1%  impact  from  the  lower  Australian  dollar, 
partly  offset  by  the  continued  realisation  of  incremental 
benefits from productivity initiatives; and 

 

impairment  expense 

Loan 
to 
$496 million  due  to  higher  provisioning  requirements  in 
Business  and  Private  Banking  and  lower  recoveries  in 
Institutional Banking and Markets. 

increased  9% 

The key components of the Group result were: 

 

Net  interest  income  increased  8%  to  $15,091 million, 
including  a  1%  benefit  from  the  lower  Australian  dollar. 
This  reflects  8%  growth  in  average  interest  earning 
assets  and  a  one  basis  point  increase  in  net  interest 
margin; 

  Other banking income increased 4% to $4,323 million, 
due to volume driven growth in commissions and higher 
Markets 
lower 
favourable  counterparty  fair  value  adjustment  and  an 
impairment  of  the  investment  in  Vietnam  International 
Bank (VIB); 

income,  partly  offset  by  a 

trading 

 

income 

increased  6% 

Funds  management 
to 
$1,933 million.  During  the  year  the  Group  successfully 
completed the internalisation of the management of CFS 
Retail  Property  Group  (CFX)  and  Kiwi  Income  Property 
Trust  (KIP),  and  the  Group  has  ceased  to  manage  the 
Commonwealth Property Office Fund (CPA). The Group 
also  sold  its  entire  proprietary  unit  holding  in  CPA  and 
KIP,  and  part  of  its  proprietary  unit  holding  in  CFX. 
Excluding  these  Property  transactions  and  businesses, 
Funds management  income  increased  10%  driven  by  a 
20%  increase  in  average  Funds  Under  Administration 
(FUA)  from  positive  net  flows,  a  strong  investment 
performance and a 5% benefit from the lower Australian 
dollar.  The  increase  was  partly  offset  by  a  change  in 
business mix; 

 

Insurance income increased 11% to $819 million due to 
8%  average  inforce  premium  growth  as  a  result  of 
reducing  lapse  rates  and  a  3%  benefit  from  the  lower 
Australian dollar; 

  Operating  expenses  increased  5%  to  $9,499 million, 
including  a  2%  impact  from  the  lower  Australian  dollar, 
higher staff costs from inflation-related salary increases, 
higher  Information  Technology  (IT)  expenses  due  to 
increased amortisation and software write-offs. This was 
partly  offset  by  the  continued  realisation  of  operational 
efficiencies from productivity initiatives; and 

 

impairment  expense  decreased  12% 

Loan 
to 
$953 million, due to a reduction in individual provisioning 
requirements. 

12  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

 
Net Interest Income 

Group Performance Analysis 

Portfolio  mix:  Increased  margin  of  four  basis  points  from 
strong  growth  in  higher  margin  portfolios,  plus  favourable 
funding mix. 

Other:  Decreased  margin  of  three  basis  points,  primarily 
driven by increased holdings of liquid assets. 

NIM Movement since June 2013 

Year Ended June 2014 versus June 2013 

Net  interest  income  increased  by  8%  on  the  prior  year  to 
$15,091 million.  The  result  was  driven  by  growth  in  average 
interest earning assets of 8% together with a one basis point 
increase  in  net  interest  margin.  This  includes  a  1%  benefit 
from the lower Australian dollar. 

Average Interest Earning Assets 

Average  interest  earning  assets  increased  by  $52 billion  on 
the prior year to $705 billion, reflecting a $36 billion increase 
in  average  lending  interest  earning  assets  and  a  $16 billion 
increase in average non-lending interest earning assets. 

Home loan average balances increased by $26 billion or 7% 
on  the  prior  year  to  $386 billion.  The  growth  in  home  loan 
balances  was  largely  driven  by  domestic  banking  growth  in 
line with system. 

lending 
Average  balances 
increased by $9 billion on the prior year to $177 billion driven 
by a growth in institutional lending balances. 

for  business  and  corporate 

Average  non-lending 
increased 
$16 billion  on  the  prior  year  due  to  higher  average  levels  of 
cash and liquid assets and trading assets. 

interest  earning  assets 

Net Interest Margin 

Group NIM (Half Year Ended) 

The Group’s net interest margin increased one basis point on 
the  prior  year  to  2.14%.  The  key  drivers  of  the  movement 
were: 

Asset  pricing:  Decreased  margin  of  two  basis  points, 
reflecting competitive pricing and change in mix with a shift in 
customer preference towards fixed rate home loans. 

Increased  margin  of  one  basis  point 
Funding  costs: 
reflecting  lower  wholesale  funding  costs  of  two  basis  points, 
partly  offset  by  a  one  basis  point  increase  in  deposits  costs 
from ongoing strong competition and the impact of the falling 
cash rate environment. 

Basis  risk:  Basis  risk  arises  from  funding  assets  which  are 
priced relative to the cash rate with liabilities priced relative to 
the  bank  bill  swap  rate.  The  margin  increased  by  one  basis 
point  as  a  result  of  a  reduction  in  the  spread  between  the 
cash rate and the bank bill swap rate during the year. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    13 

30 Jun 1430 Jun 13Jun 14 vs 30 Jun 1431 Dec 13Jun 14 vs $M$MJun 13 %$M$MDec 13 %Net interest income ("cash basis") 15,09113,94487,6477,4443Average interest earning assetsHome loans386,160360,3197392,846379,5833Personal loans22,49921,395522,86522,1383Business and corporate loans177,249168,2965180,528174,0244Total average lending interest earning assets585,908550,0107596,239575,7454Non-lending interest earning assets 119,463103,62715124,650114,3619Total average interest earning assets705,371653,6378720,889690,1064Net interest margin (%)2.142.131 bpt  2.142.14-Full Year EndedHalf Year Ended 0.01%0.01%0.04%(0.02%)(0.03%)2.13%2.14%1.50%1.70%1.90%2.10%2.30%Jun 13AssetpricingFundingcostsBasis riskPortfoliomixOtherJun 142.06%2.10%2.17%2.14%2.14%1.50%1.70%1.90%2.10%2.30%Jun 12HalfDec 12HalfJun 13HalfDec 13HalfJun 14Half 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Group Performance Analysis 

Net Interest Income (continued)

Half Year Ended June 2014 versus December 2013

Net interest income increased by 3% on the prior half driven 
by growth in average interest earning assets of 4%, with a flat 
net interest margin of 2.14%. 

Funding  costs:  Increase  in  margin  of  five  basis  points 
reflecting  lower  wholesale  funding  cost  of  three  basis  points 
and lower cost of deposits of two basis points. 

Average Interest Earning Assets 

Average  interest  earning  assets  increased  by  $31 billion  on 
the prior half to $721 billion, reflecting a $21 billion increase in 
average  lending  interest  earning  assets  and  a  $10 billion 
increase in average non-lending interest earning assets. 

Home loan average balances increased by $13 billion or 3% 
on  the  prior  half to  $393 billion,  primarily  driven  by  growth  in 
the domestic banking businesses in line with system. 

Average  balances 
lending 
increased by $7 billion on the prior half to $181 billion driven 
by growth in institutional lending balances. 

for  business  and  corporate 

Portfolio  mix:  Increased  margin  of  two  basis  points  from 
strong  growth  in  higher  margin  portfolios,  plus  favourable 
funding mix. 

Other: Decreased margin of two basis points, primarily driven 
by  increased  holdings  of  liquid  assets  and  lower  replicating 
portfolio benefit. 

NIM Movement since December 2013 

Average  non-lending 
$10 billion on the prior half from growth in liquid assets. 

interest  earning  assets 

increased 

Net Interest Margin 

The  Group’s  net 
unchanged from the prior half. The key drivers were: 

interest  margin  of  2.14% 

remained 

Asset  pricing:  Decrease  in  margin  of  five  basis  points 
reflecting competitive pricing and change in mix, with a shift in 
customer preference towards fixed rate home loans. 

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Other Banking Income 

(1)  Comparative information has been restated to conform to presentation in the current year. 

Year Ended June 2014 versus June 2013 

Other  banking  income  increased  4%  on  the  prior  year  to 
$4,323 million, driven by the following revenue items: 

increased  7%  on 

Commissions 
to 
$2,130 million,  driven  by  higher  credit  card  interchange 
income  and  a  strong  performance  of  retail  foreign  exchange 
products; 

the  prior  year 

fees 

Lending 
$1,083 million  due 
facilities; 

increased  3%  on 

to  volume  growth 

the  prior  year 

to 
in  cash  advance 

income 

Trading 
to 
increased  7%  on 
$922 million.  This  was  primarily  driven  by  a  strong 
performance  in  Markets  and  Treasury,  partly  offset  by  a 
reduced  benefit  from  favourable  counterparty  fair  value 
adjustments; and 

the  prior  year 

to 
Other 
income  decreased  25%  on 
$188 million,  mainly  driven  by  an 
the 
investment  in  VIB  and  a  loss  on  the  hedge  of  New  Zealand 
earnings due to the NZD appreciation. 

the  prior  year 
impairment  of 

14  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

 0.05%0.02%(0.05%)(0.02%)2.14%2.14%1.50%1.70%1.90%2.10%2.30%Dec 13AssetpricingFundingcostsPortfoliomixOtherJun 1430 Jun 1430 Jun 13Jun 14 vs 30 Jun 1431 Dec 13Jun 14 vs $M$MJun 13 %$M$MDec 13 %Commissions2,1301,99071,0491,081(3)Lending fees1,0831,05335465372Trading income9228637414508(19)Other income (1)188250(25)80108(26)Other banking income ("cash basis")4,3234,15642,0892,234(6)Full Year EndedHalf Year Ended 
 
 
 
 
Other Banking Income (continued) 

Half Year Ended June 2014 versus December 2013 

Group Performance Analysis 

Net Trading Income ($M) 

Other  banking  income  decreased  6%  on  the  prior  half  to 
$2,089 million driven by the following revenue items: 

Commissions  decreased  3%  on 
to 
$1,049 million  due  to  a  decrease  in  consumer  finance  fees, 
reflecting the seasonal increase in loyalty points issued; 

the  prior  half 

Lending fees increased 2% on the prior half to $546 million, 
driven  by  higher  deal  flows  in  the  Institutional  Lending 
business; 

Trading 
income  decreased  19%  on  the  prior  half  to 
$414 million  as  a  result  of  unfavourable  counterparty  fair 
value adjustments and lower trading gains; and 

Other income decreased 26% on the prior half to $80 million, 
principally due to an impairment of the investment in VIB and 
the impact of debt buybacks. 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Funds Management Income 

(1)  Comparative information has been restated to separately disclose the Property transactions and businesses and to conform to presentation in the current year. 
(2)  Colonial First State incorporates the results of all financial planning businesses including Commonwealth Financial Planning. 
(3) 
(3)  Property includes the operations of the CFS Retail Property Trust, Commonwealth Property Office Fund, Kiwi Income Property Trust, unlisted property funds and the 

asset management and development business. 

(4) 

Year Ended June 2014 versus June 2013 

Half Year Ended June 2014 versus December 2013 

Funds management income increased 6% on the prior year to 
$1,933 million.  Excluding  Property,  Funds  management 
income increased 10% on prior year driven by: 

Funds management income decreased 7% on the prior half to 
$930 million. Excluding Property, Funds management income 
decreased 1% on prior half driven by: 

 

 

 

A  20%  increase  in  average  FUA  due  to  favourable 
investment markets and strong investment performance; 

Positive  net  flows  and  the  benefit  of  a  lower  Australian 
dollar; partly offset by 

Funds management margin  which declined seven basis 
points  largely  due  to  business  mix  and  higher  volume 
expenses. 

 

 

Business  mix  which  continued  to  trend  towards  lower 
margin  products  and  an  increase  in  volume  expenses; 
partly offset by 

A  5%  increase  in  average  FUA  from  ongoing  positive 
continued 
investment  market 
momentum in Australian Retail FUA net flows and solid 
growth in the ASB KiwiSaver scheme. 

performance 

and 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    15 

 26728929328012487189158524426(24)SalesTradingCVADec 12                  Jun 13                 Dec 13                Jun 1444342050841430 Jun 1430 Jun 13Jun 14 vs30 Jun 1431 Dec 13Jun 14 vs$M$MJun 13 %$M$MDec 13 %Colonial First State (2)8297796408421(3)CFS Global Asset Management (CFSGAM)739647143713681CommInsure132117136369(9)New Zealand6049223030-Other3644(18)211540Funds management income (excluding Property) (3)1,7961,63610893903(1)Property (3)137192(29)37100(63)Funds management income (including Property) (3)1,9331,82869301,003(7)Half Year Ended (1)Full Year Ended (1) 
 
 
  
 
 
 
Group Performance Analysis 

Insurance Income 

(1)  Comparative information has been restated to conform to presentation in the current year. 

Year Ended June 2014 versus June 2013 

Half Year Ended June 2014 versus December 2013 

Insurance  income  increased  by  11%  on  the  prior  year  to 
$819 million driven by: 

Insurance  income  increased  by  12%  on  the  prior  half  to 
$433 million driven by: 

 

 

 

An  increase  in  average  inforce  premiums  of  8%  to 
$3,068 million  driven  by  strong  new  business sales  and 
the  positive  impact  of  retention  initiatives  on  reducing 
lapse rates across CommInsure and New Zealand; 

 

 

The  benefit  from  foreign  sourced  income  from  New 
Zealand as a result of a lower Australian dollar; 

An improvement in claims experience and lapse rates in 
New Zealand; and 

The  benefit  from  foreign  sourced  income  from  New 
Zealand  and  Asia  as  result  of  a  lower  Australian  dollar; 
partly offset by 

  Wholesale Life and General Insurance income benefited 
from  improved  pricing  and  a  lesser  impact  of  reserve 
strengthening compared with the prior half. 

An  increase  in  working  claims  in  CommInsure  General 
Insurance, increased claims experience in Retail life and 
further reserve strengthening in Wholesale Life. 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Operating Expenses 

(1)  Comparative information has been restated to conform to presentation in the current year. 

Year Ended June 2014 versus June 2013 

Half Year Ended June 2014 versus December 2013 

Operating  expenses  increased  5%  on  the  prior  year  to 
$9,499 million. 

Operating  expenses  were  unchanged  on  the  prior  half  at 
$4,748 million. 

Staff expenses increased by 6% to $5,542 million, including 
a 2% impact from the lower Australian dollar, inflation-related 
salary increases and performance-related incentives; 

Staff expenses decreased by 1% to $2,757 million, driven by 
lower  staff  numbers,  partly  offset  by  performance-related 
incentives and a 1% impact from the lower Australian dollar; 

Occupancy  and  equipment  expenses  increased  by  3%  to 
$1,053 million,  due 
in  New 
Zealand  relating  to  the  head  office  relocation  and  an 
unfavourable foreign exchange impact; 

to  higher  occupancy  costs 

Information  technology  services  expenses  increased  by 
6% to $1,380 million, driven by higher amortisation expenses 
and software write-offs; 

Other expenses increased by 4% to $1,524 million, driven by 
increased  professional  fees  and  higher  loyalty  redemption 
volumes; and 

Group expense to income ratio improved 70 basis points on 
the  prior  year  to  42.9%,  reflecting  higher  revenues  and 
productivity  initiatives.  The  Banking  expense  to  income  ratio 
improved 90 basis points on the prior year to 39.7%. 

Occupancy  and  equipment  expenses  increased  by  1%  to 
$529 million, primarily due to higher occupancy costs in New 
Zealand and an unfavourable foreign exchange impact; 

to  $680 million,  driven  by 

Information  technology  services  expenses  decreased  by 
3% 
the  one-off  write-off  of 
capitalised IT software in the prior half and the benefit of cost 
savings initiatives in the current half; 

Other  expenses  increased  by  5%  to  $782 million,  driven  by 
increased professional fees; and 

Group expense to income ratio improved 10 basis points on 
the  prior  comparative  period  to  42.8%  reflecting  higher 
revenues and productivity initiatives. The Banking expense to 
income  ratio  also  improved  40 basis  points  on  the  prior 
comparative period to 39.5%. 

16  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

30 Jun 1430 Jun 13Jun 14 vs30 Jun 1431 Dec 13Jun 14 vs$M$MJun 13 %$M$MDec 13 %CommInsure 57554262942815New Zealand202171181158732IFS Asia3630201818-Other6(4)large6-largeInsurance income ("cash basis")8197391143338612Full Year Ended (1)Half Year Ended30 Jun 1430 Jun 13Jun 14 vs30 Jun 1431 Dec 13Jun 14 vs$M$MJun 13 %$M$MDec 13 %Staff expenses5,5425,23262,7572,785(1)Occupancy and equipment expenses1,0531,01835295241Information technology services expenses1,3801,2996680700(3)Other expenses1,5241,46147827425Operating expenses ("cash basis")9,4999,01054,7484,751-Operating expenses to total operating income (%)42. 943. 6(70)bpts42. 842. 9(10)bptsBanking expense to operating income (%)39. 740. 6(90)bpts39. 539. 9(40)bptsFull Year Ended (1)Half Year Ended 
  
  
Group Performance Analysis 

Operating Expenses (continued) 

Investment Spend 

(1) 

Included within Operating Expenses disclosure on page 16. 

The Group has continued to invest strongly to deliver on the 
strategic priorities of the business with $1,182 million incurred 
in the full year to 30 June 2014, a reduction of 4% on the prior 
year. 

Several  initiatives  are  underway  to  deliver  on  the  Group’s 
One  Commbank  strategy,  focused  on  better  understanding 
customer  needs  and  developing  deeper 
customer 
relationships. 

The  reduction  is  largely  due  to  the  completion  of  the  Core 
Banking  Modernisation  (CBM)  program  in  the  prior  year, 
partially  offset  by  increased  spend  on  initiatives  driving 
productivity and growth, and risk and compliance projects. 

Spend  on  productivity  and  growth  includes  an  increased 
focus  on  the  Group’s  digital  channels,  which  has  produced 
innovative  new  offerings  such  as  the  new  Commbank  app, 
PayTag, Cardless Cash, the Lock & Limit Credit Card feature, 
the  MyWealth  platform,  as  well  as  the  Commbank  Small 
Business  App,  improving  the  way  small  businesses  accept 
payments and manage their cash flow. 

Significant  spend  on  risk  and  compliance  projects  has 
continued as systems are implemented to assist in satisfying 
new  regulatory  obligations,  including  Stronger  Super,  Future 
of Financial Advice (FOFA) reforms and Foreign Account Tax 
Compliance Act (FATCA). 

Spend  on  branch  refurbishment  and  other  costs  decreased 
from  prior  year,  as  the  prior  year 
included  significant 
investment in the North Wharf offices in New Zealand. 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Loan Impairment Expense 

Year Ended June 2014 versus June 2013

Loan impairment expense decreased 12% on the prior year to 
$953 million. The decrease is driven by: 

 

A  significant  reduction 
individual 
in 
provision funding charges, consistent with the impact of 
the low interest rate environment; 

the  Bankwest 

 

 

Increased  write-backs  and  recoveries  in  Institutional 
Banking and Markets; partly offset by 

Increased  expense  in  Retail  Banking  Services  as  a 
result of continued portfolio growth and increased write-
offs in the unsecured portfolios. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    17 

30 Jun 1430 Jun 13Jun 14 vs30 Jun 1431 Dec 13Jun 14 vs$M$MJun 13 %$M$MDec 13 %Expensed investment spend (1)59856663102888Capitalised investment spend584671(13)283301(6)Investment spend1,1821,237(4)5935891Comprising:Productivity and growth774651194003747Core Banking Modernisation (CBM)-200large---Risk and compliance280234201411391Branch refurbishment and other128152(16)5276(32)Investment spend 1,1821,237(4)5935891Full Year EndedHalf Year Ended30 Jun 1430 Jun 13Jun 14 vs 30 Jun 1431 Dec 13Jun 14 vs $M$MJun 13 %$M$MDec 13 %Retail Banking Services5665336276290(5)Business and Private Banking253280(10)1668791Institutional Banking and Markets61154(60)402190New Zealand514513331883Bankwest11118(91)6520IFS and Other11(48)large(25)36largeLoan impairment expense ("cash basis")9531,082(12)4964579Full Year EndedHalf Year Ended 
  
 
 
  
Group Performance Analysis 

Loan Impairment Expense (continued) 

Half Year Ended June 2014 versus December 2013 

Half Year Loan Impairment Expense (Annualised) as a % 
of Average Gross Loans and Acceptances (bpts) 

Loan  impairment  expense  increased  9%  on  the  prior  half  to 
$496 million mainly driven by: 

 

 

 

 

Increased expense in Business and Private Banking due 
to  a  small  number  of  large  increases  to  individual 
provisions; 

Reduced 
Markets; 

recoveries 

in 

Institutional  Banking  and 

Increased  expense  in  ASB  as  the  stabilisation  of  the 
portfolios  resulted  in  lower  provision  releases;  partly 
offset by 

Reduced expense in Retail Banking Services as a result 
of improving home loan portfolio quality. 

(1)  16 basis points, including the Bell Group write-back (non-cash item). 

____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Taxation Expense 

(1)  Comparative information has been restated to conform to presentation in the current year. 

Year Ended June 2014 versus June 2013 

Half Year Ended June 2014 versus December 2013 

Corporate  tax  expense  for  the  year  ended  30 June 2014 
increased  10%  on  the  prior  year  representing  a  27.2% 
effective tax rate. 

Corporate tax expense for the half year ended 30 June 2014 
decreased 4% on the prior half representing a 26.4% effective 
tax rate, driven by adjustments to prior period tax expense. 

The  effective  tax  rate  is  below  the  Australian  company  tax 
rate  of  30%  primarily  as  a  result  of  the  profit  earned  by  the 
offshore  banking  unit  and  offshore  jurisdictions  that  have 
lower corporate tax rates. 

The  effective  tax  rate  is  below  the  Australian  company  tax 
rate  of  30%  primarily  as  a  result  of  the  profit  earned  by  the 
offshore  banking  unit  and  offshore  jurisdictions  that  have 
lower corporate tax rates. 

18  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

22212022171617Jun 11Dec 11Jun 12Dec 12Jun 13Dec 13Jun 14Provision relating to Bell Group litigation (non-cash items)2530 Jun 1430 Jun 13Jun 14 vs30 Jun 1431 Dec 13Jun 14 vs$M$MJun 13 %$M$MDec 13 %Corporate tax expense ($M)3,2502,953101,5881,662(4)Effective tax rate (%)27. 227. 5(30)bpts26. 428. 0(160)bptsFull Year Ended (1)Half Year Ended 
 
  
Non-Cash Items Included in Statutory Profit 

Group Performance Analysis 

Non-cash  items  are  excluded  from  net  profit  after  tax  (“cash 
basis”),  which  is  Management’s  preferred  measure  of  the 
Group’s  financial  performance,  as  they  tend  to  be  non-
recurring  in  nature  or  not  considered  representative  of  the 
Group’s  ongoing  financial  performance.  The  impact  of  these 
items  on  the  Group’s  net  profit  after  tax  (“statutory  basis”)  is 
outlined  below  and  treated  consistently  with  prior  year 
disclosures. 

Hedging and IFRS volatility 

Hedging  and  IFRS  volatility  includes  unrealised  fair  value 
gains  or  losses  on  economic  hedges  that  do  not  qualify  for 
hedge accounting under IFRS, including: 

 

 

Cross  currency  interest  rate  swaps  hedging  foreign 
currency denominated debt issues; and 

Foreign  exchange  hedges  relating 
Zealand earnings. 

to 

future  New 

Hedging and IFRS volatility also includes unrealised fair value 
gains or losses on the ineffective portion of economic hedges 
that qualify for hedge accounting under IFRS. 

from  cash  profit  since 

Fair  value  gains  or  losses  on  all  of  these  economic  hedges 
are  excluded 
the  asymmetric 
recognition of the gains or losses does not affect the Group’s 
performance over the life of the hedge. A  $6 million after tax 
gain  was  recognised  in  statutory  profit  for  the  year  ended 
30 June 2014 (30 June 2013: $27 million after tax gain). 

Bankwest non-cash items 

The  acquisition  of  Bankwest  resulted  in  the  recognition  of 
assets at fair value, representing certain financial instruments, 
core  deposits  and  brand  name  totalling  $463 million  that  are 
being  amortised  over  their  useful  lives.  This  resulted  in 
amortisation charges of $56 million after tax in the year ended 
30 June 2014 (30 June 2013: $71 million after tax). 

These items were not recognised in cash profit as they were 
not  representative  of  the  Group’s  expected  ongoing  financial 
performance. 

Treasury shares valuation adjustment 

in 

life 

funds  and 

the  managed 

Under IFRS, Commonwealth Bank of Australia shares held by 
the  Group 
insurance 
businesses  are  defined  as  treasury  shares  and  are  held  at 
cost.  Distributions,  realised  and  unrealised  gains  and  losses 
are  recognised  in  cash  profit  representing  the  underlying 
performance  of  the  asset  portfolio  attributable  to  the  wealth 
and life insurance businesses. These distributions, gains and 
losses are reversed as non-cash items for statutory reporting 
purposes.  A  $41 million  after  tax  loss  was  included  in 
statutory 
30 June 2014 
in 
(30 June 2013: $53 million after tax loss). 

ended 

profit 

year 

the 

Bell Group litigation 

the  consortium  of  banks 

Proceedings were brought by the liquidators of the Bell Group 
of  companies  against 
that 
restructured  its  facilities  on  26 January 1990.  The  Supreme 
Court  of  Western  Australia  Court  of  Appeal  ruling  on 
17 August 2012 was adverse for the consortium of banks and 
resulted in an additional provision being raised by the Group. 
Settlement was reached during the current year, resulting in a 
partial write-off and release of the remaining provision. This is 
reported  as  a  non-cash  item  due  to  its  historic  and  one-off 
nature. 

Gain on sale of management rights 

The  Group  successfully  completed  the  internalisation  of  the 
management of CFS Retail Property Trust Group (CFX) and 
Kiwi Income Property Trust (KIP), which resulted in a gain of 
$17 million  (net  of  transaction  costs  and  indemnities)  for  the 
year ended 30 June 2014. 

Policyholder tax 

of 

tax 

expense 

30 June 2014, 

Policyholder  tax  is  included  in  the  Wealth  Management 
business results for statutory reporting purposes. In the year 
ended 
$126 million 
(30 June 2013: $112 million tax expense), funds management 
income of $59 million (30 June 2013: $77 million income) and 
insurance  income  of  $67 million  (30 June 2013:  $35 million 
income)  was  recognised.  The  gross  up  of  these  items  are 
excluded from cash profit as they do not reflect the underlying 
performance  of  the  business  which  is  measured  on  a  net  of 
policyholder tax basis. 

Investment experience 

Investment  experience  primarily  includes  the  returns  on 
shareholder  capital  invested  in  the  wealth  management  and 
insurance  businesses  as  well  as  the  volatility  generated 
through the economically hedged guaranteed annuity portfolio 
held by the Group’s Wealth Management division. This item is 
classified separately within cash profit. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    19 

30 Jun 1430 Jun 13Jun 14 vs30 Jun 1431 Dec 13Jun 14 vs$M$MJun 13 %$M$MDec 13 %Hedging and IFRS volatility627(78)11(5)largeBankwest non-cash items(56)(71)(21)(26)(30)(13)Treasury shares valuation adjustment(41)(53)(23)(13)(28)(54)Bell Group litigation25(45)large25-largeGain on sale of management rights17-large152largeOther non-cash items(55)(169)(67)1(56)largeTotal non-cash items (after tax)(49)(142)(65)12(61)largeFull Year EndedHalf Year Ended 
  
 
Group Performance Analysis 

Review of Group Assets and Liabilities 

(1)  Loans, bills discounted and other receivables exclude provisions for impairment which are included in Other assets.  
(2)  Comparative information has been restated to conform to presentation in the current year. 

Year Ended June 2014 versus June 2013 

Asset growth of $38 billion or 5% on the prior year was due to 
increased home lending, business and corporate lending and 
higher cash and liquid asset balances. 

The  Group  continued  to  satisfy  a  significant  portion  of  its 
funding  requirements  from  customer  deposits.  Customer 
deposits 
funding 
(30 June 2013: 63%). 

represent 

64% 

total 

now 

of 

includes  a  2%  increase  due  to  the  lower  Australian  dollar. 
This  was  driven  by  higher  liquid  asset  balances  held  as  a 
result of balance sheet growth and regulatory requirements. 

Other assets 

Other  assets,  including  derivative  assets,  insurance  assets 
and  intangibles,  decreased  $16 billion  to  $65 billion,  a  19% 
decrease  on  the  prior  year.  This  decrease  reflected  lower 
derivative asset balances. 

Home loans 

Interest bearing deposits 

Home  loan  balances  increased  $27 billion  to  $400 billion, 
reflecting a 7% increase on the prior year. This includes a 1% 
increase  due  to  the  lower  Australian  dollar.  Growth  in  Retail 
Banking  Services  was  broadly  in  line  with  system  growth 
within  a  competitive  market  environment,  whilst  Bankwest 
achieved above system growth. 

Interest bearing deposits increased $37 billion to $486 billion, 
an 8% increase on the prior year. 

This  was  driven  by  growth  of  $20 billion  in savings  deposits, 
$14 billion  increase  in  transaction  deposits  and  a  $6 billion 
increase in other demand deposits. This was partly offset by a 
$4 billion decrease in investment deposits. 

Consumer finance 

Debt issues 

Personal  loans,  including  credit  cards  and  margin  lending 
increased 5% on the prior year to $23 billion due to continued 
growth  in  personal  loan  balances  and  above  market  credit 
card growth in Retail Banking Services and New Zealand. 

Debt issues increased $8 billion to $147 billion, a 6% increase 
on the prior year.  

Refer to page 30 for further information on debt programs and 
issuance for the year ended 30 June 2014. 

Business and corporate loans 

Other interest bearing liabilities 

increased  $12 billion 

Business  and  corporate 
to 
loans 
$184 billion, a 7% increase on the prior year. This includes a 
1%  increase  due  to  the  lower  Australian  dollar.  This  was 
driven  by  strong  growth  in  commercial  and  institutional 
lending  balances,  higher  leasing  balances  mainly  in  the 
United Kingdom and Asia, and above system  growth in New 
Zealand. This was partly offset by the continued reduction in 
higher risk pre-acquisition exposures in Bankwest. 

Non-lending interest earning assets 

Non-lending  interest  earning  assets  increased  $14 billion  to 
$120 billion, reflecting a 13% increase on the prior year. This

20  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

interest  bearing 

Other 
loan  capital, 
liabilities, 
liabilities  at  fair  value  through  the  income  statement  and 
institutions,  decreased 
financial 
amounts  due 
$2 billion to $42 billion, a 5% decrease on the prior year. 

to  other 

including 

Non-interest bearing liabilities 

Non-interest  bearing  liabilities,  including  derivative  liabilities 
and  insurance  policy  liabilities,  decreased  $10 billion  to 
$67 billion, a 13% decrease on the prior year. 

30 Jun 1431 Dec 1330 Jun 13  Jun 14 vsJun 14 vsTotal Group Assets and Liabilities$M$M$MDec 13 %Jun 13 %Interest earning assetsHome loans399,685387,021372,84037Consumer finance23,05822,63622,01325Business and corporate loans183,930180,582172,31427Loans, bills discounted and other receivables (1)606,673590,239567,16737Non-lending interest earning assets119,699119,388106,060-13Total interest earning assets726,372709,627673,22728Other assets (1) (2)65,07972,67480,630(10)(19)Total assets791,451782,301753,85715Interest bearing liabilitiesTransaction deposits102,08696,14387,673616Savings deposits127,430120,686106,935619Investment deposits195,529196,955199,397(1)(2)Other demand deposits 60,83259,75954,472212Total interest bearing deposits485,877473,543448,47738Debt issues147,246147,482138,871-6Other interest bearing liabilities 42,07947,29944,306(11)(5)Total interest bearing liabilities675,202668,324631,65417Non-interest bearing liabilities (2)66,90166,94076,666-(13)Total liabilities742,103735,264708,32015As at 
 
 
 
 
Group Performance Analysis 

Review of Group Assets and Liabilities (continued) 

Half Year Ended June 2014 versus December 2013 

Asset  growth  of  $9 billion  or  1%  on  the  prior  half  was 
primarily driven by increased home lending. 

Continued  deposits  growth  allowed  the  Group  to  satisfy  a 
significant  portion  of  its  funding  requirements  through 
customer  deposits.  Customer  deposits  made  up  64%  of 
total  funding  as  at  30 June 2014  up  1%  from  63%  in  the 
prior half. 

Home loans 

Home  loans  balances  increased  $13 billion  to  $400 billion, 
a  3%  increase  on  the  prior  half.  New  business  growth 
remained strong in Retail Banking Services, and Bankwest 
achieved above system growth. 

Other assets 

Other assets, including derivative assets, insurance assets 
and  intangibles  decreased  10%  on  the  prior  half  to 
$65 billion.  This  decrease  reflected  lower  derivative  asset 
balances. 

Interest bearing deposits 

Interest  bearing  deposits 
$486 billion, reflecting a 3% increase on the prior half. 

increased  $12 billion 

to 

This was driven by growth of $7 billion in savings deposits, 
a $6 billion increase in transaction deposits and a $1 billion 
increase  in  other  demand  deposits.  This  was  partly  offset 
by a $1 billion decrease in investment deposits. 

Consumer finance 

Debt issues 

Personal  loans,  including  credit  cards  and  margin  lending 
increased  2%  on  the  prior  half  to  $23 billion  due  to 
continued  growth  in  personal  loan  balances  in  Retail 
Banking Services and New Zealand. 

Business and corporate loans 

Business  and  corporate  loans  increased  $3 billion  to 
$184 billion. This was largely due to solid business lending 
growth in both Australia and New Zealand. 

Non-lending interest earning assets 

Non-lending  interest  earning  assets  remained  stable  at 
$120 billion.

Debt issues remained stable at $147 billion. 

Refer  to  page 30  for  further  information  on  debt  programs 
and issuance for the half year ended 30 June 2014. 

Other interest bearing liabilities 

Other  interest  bearing  liabilities,  including  loan  capital, 
liabilities  at  fair  value  through  the  income  statement  and 
amounts due to other financial institutions, decreased 11% 
on the prior half to $42 billion. 

Non-interest bearing liabilities 

Non-interest bearing liabilities, including derivative liabilities 
and 
remained  stable  at 
liabilities, 
$67 billion. 

insurance  policy 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    21 

 
 
Group Operations and Business Settings 

Loan Impairment Provisions and Credit Quality 

Provisions for Impairment 

Year Ended June 2014 versus June 2013 

Half Year Ended June 2014 versus December 2013 

Total provisions for impairment losses decreased 13% on the 
prior  year 
to  $3,906 million  as  at  30 June 2014.  The 
movement in the level of provisioning reflects: 

Total  provisions  for  impairment  losses  decreased  9%  on  the 
prior  half 
to  $3,906 million  as  at  30 June 2014.  The 
movement in the level of provisioning reflects: 

 

 

 

Reduced individually assessed provisions as the level of 
impaired assets continues to reduce; 

A  reduction  of  Bankwest  collective  provisions  as 
troublesome loans continued to be refinanced or repaid; 
partly offset by 

Increased collective provisioning in the Commercial and 
Retail  portfolios  as  a  result  of  the  annual  review  of 
factors and refinements to models; and 

 

Economic overlays remain unchanged on the prior year. 

 

 

 

 

Reduced individually assessed provisions as the level of 
impaired assets continues to reduce; 

A  reduction  of  Bankwest  collective  provisions  as 
troublesome loans continued to be refinanced or repaid; 

A  reduction  in  management  overlays  as  amounts  set 
aside  for  factor  changes  and  model  refinements  in  the 
first half were utilised; partly offset by 

Increased  Commercial  and  Retail  provisions  as  a  result 
of the annual review of provisioning models. 

Collective Provisions ($M) 

Individually Assessed Provisions ($M) 

22  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

30 Jun 1431 Dec 1330 Jun 13  Jun 14 vsJun 14 vs$M$M$MDec 13 %Jun 13 %Provisions for impairment lossesCollective provision2,7792,8702,858(3)(3)Individually assessed provisions1,1271,4161,628(20)(31)Total provisions for impairment losses3,9064,2864,486(9)(13)Less: Off balance sheet provisions(40)(24)(31)6729Total provisions for loan impairment3,8664,2624,455(9)(13)As at 707 712 729909 906 941419 377 347823 875 762Jun 13Dec 13Jun 14812 720 610157 149 128659 547 389Jun 13Dec 13Jun 14OverlayBankwestConsumerCommercial2,8582,8701,6281,4162,7791,127 
  
 
 
 
 
Group Operations and Business Settings 

Loan Impairment Provisions and Credit Quality (continued) 

Credit Quality 

90+ Days Arrears Ratios (%) (1) 

Troublesome and Impaired Assets 

Commercial troublesome assets reduced 31% during the year 
to $3,584 million. 

Gross  impaired  assets  decreased  22%  on  the  prior  year  to 
$3,367 million.  Gross  impaired  assets  as  a  proportion  of 
gross  loans  and  acceptances  of  0.55%  decreased  21  basis 
points on the prior year, reflecting the improving quality of the 
corporate portfolios. 

Troublesome and Impaired Assets ($B) 

Provision Ratios 

Provision  coverage  ratios  remain  strong  with  collective 
provisions to Credit Risk Weighted Assets at 0.96% and Total 
Provisions to Credit Risk Weighted Assets at 1.35%. 

Asset Quality 

The  low  interest  rate  environment  means  that  troublesome 
and  impaired  assets  have  continued  to  reduce  and  the 
arrears for the retail portfolios remain relatively low. 

Retail Portfolios – Arrears Rates 

Retail  arrears  for  home  loans  and  credit  card  products 
continued to show some improvement during the year. 

Home  loan  arrears  reduced  over  the  year,  with  30+ day 
arrears  decreasing  from  1.44%  to  1.25%,  and  90+ day 
arrears  reducing  from  0.62%  to  0.50%.  Credit  card  arrears 
also  improved  with  credit  card  30+ day  arrears  falling  from 
2.56% to 2.46%, and 90+ day arrears reducing from 1.02% to 
1.01%.  Personal  loan  arrears  were  mixed  over  the  year  as 
30+ day arrears increased from 2.95% to 3.03%, and 90+ day 
arrears reduced from 1.23% to 1.20%. 

30+ Days Arrears Ratios (%) (1) 

(1) 

Includes retail portfolios of Retail Banking Services, Bankwest and New 
Zealand.  

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    23 

Jun 14 vsJun 14 vsCredit Quality Metrics30 Jun 1430 Jun 13Jun 13 %30 Jun 1431 Dec 13Dec 13 %Gross loans and acceptances (GLAA) ($M)608,127568,8217608,127591,7753Risk weighted assets (RWA) ($M) - Basel III 337,715329,1583337,715334,1971Credit RWA ($M) - Basel III 289,138279,6743289,138282,2042Gross impaired assets ($M) 3,3674,330(22)3,3673,939(15)Net impaired assets ($M) 2,1012,571(18)2,1012,400(12)Provision RatiosCollective provision as a % of credit RWA - Basel III0. 961. 02(6)bpts0. 961. 02(6)bptsTotal provision as a % of credit RWA - Basel III1. 351. 60(25)bpts1. 351. 52(17)bptsTotal provisions for impaired assets as a % of gross impaired assets37. 6040. 62(302)bpts37. 6039. 07(147)bptsTotal provisions for impairment losses as a % of GLAA's0. 640. 79(15)bpts0. 640. 72(8)bptsAsset Quality RatiosGross impaired assets as a % of GLAA's 0. 550. 76(21)bpts0. 550. 67(12)bptsLoans 90+ days past due but not impaired as a % of GLAA's 0. 390. 39-0. 390. 44(5)bptsLoan impairment expense ("cash basis") annualised as a % of average GLAA's0. 160. 20(4)bpts0. 170. 161 bpt  Full Year EndedHalf Year Ended 1.0%2.0%3.0%4.0%Jun 12Dec 12Jun 13Dec 13Jun 14Personal LoansHome LoansCreditCards 0.4%0.9%1.4%Jun 12Dec 12Jun 13Dec 13Jun 14Home LoansPersonal LoansCreditCards6.8 6.2 5.8 5.6 5.2 4.33.65.5 4.9 4.7 4.5 4.3 3.93.4Jun 11Dec 11Jun 12Dec  12Jun 13Dec 13Jun 14Commercial TroublesomeGross Impaired8.212.311.110.510.19.57.0 
  
 
 
 
Group Operations and Business Settings 

Capital

Basel Regulatory Framework 

Background 

the  Basel III  measurement  and 
The  Group  adopted 
monitoring of regulatory capital effective from 1 January 2013. 

In  December 2010, 
the  Basel  Committee  on  Banking 
Supervision (BCBS) published a discussion paper on banking 
reforms  to  address  issues  which  led  to  the  Global  Financial 
Crisis  and  to  position  banks for  future  crises.  The  objectives 
of the capital reforms are to increase the quality, consistency 
and  transparency  of  capital,  to  enhance  the  risk  coverage 
framework, and to reduce systemic and pro-cyclical risk. The 
major reforms are being implemented on a phased approach 
to 1 January 2019. 

In  September 2012,  the  Australian  Prudential  Regulation 
Authority  (APRA)  published  final  standards  relating  to  the 
implementation  of  the  Basel III  capital  reforms  in  Australia. 
APRA  has  adopted  a  more  conservative  approach  than  the 
minimum  standards  published  by  the  BCBS  and  a  more 
accelerated timetable for implementation. 

The  APRA  prudential  standards  require  a  minimum  CET1 
ratio  of  4.5%  effective  from  1 January 2013.  An  additional 
CET1  capital  conservation  buffer  of  3.5%,  inclusive  of  a 
Domestic Systemically Important Bank (DSIB) requirement of 
1%,  will  be  implemented  on  1 January 2016,  bringing  the 
CET1 requirement for the Group to 8%. 

Internationally Harmonised Capital Position 

The  Group’s  internationally  harmonised  CET1  ratios  are 
calculated  based  on  full  adoption  of  the  Basel III  capital 
reforms,  which  will  not  come  into  effect  until  2019  for  most 
banks. 

The  Group  is  in  a  strong  capital  position  with  CET1  as 
measured on an internationally harmonised basis of 12.1% as 
at 30 June 2014. 

 The  Group  has  adopted  a  conservative  and  proactive 
approach  to  capital  management  and  this  is  reflected  in  the 
overall strength of its capital position. The CET1 ratio (on an 
internationally harmonised basis) has increased by 75% since 
the Global Financial Crisis (June 2007). 

The  Group’s  30 June 2014  internationally  harmonised  CET1 
ratio  of  12.1%,  places  it  well  above  the  average  of  its 
international peers (approximately 10.4%). 

24  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

Peer bank 

average CET1 

ratio (ex. 

Australian 

banks): 10.4%. 

Source:  Morgan  Stanley  -  Based  on  last  reported  CET1  ratios  up  to 
8 August 2014 assuming Basel III capital reforms fully implemented. 
Peer group comprises listed commercial banks with total assets in excess of 
$700 billion  and  which  have  disclosed  fully  implemented  Basel III  ratios  or 
provided sufficient disclosure for a Morgan Stanley estimate. 

(1)  Domestic peer figures as at March 2014. 
(2) 

Includes deduction for accrued expected future dividends. 

APRA Capital Requirements 

As  at  30 June 2014,  the  Group  has  a  CET1  ratio  of  9.3% 
under  APRA’s  prudential  standard  version  of  Basel III,  well 
above the current APRA minimum ratio of 4.5%. 

The  differences  in  the  Basel III  APRA  and  the  Basel III 
internationally harmonised CET1 ratios include: 

Deductions 

 

investments 

APRA requires a full deduction to be taken against CET1 
for  equity 
in 
insurance  and 
funds  management  operations)  and 
deferred  tax  assets.  On  an  internationally  harmonised 
basis,  such  items  are  concessionally  risk  weighted  if 
they fall below prescribed thresholds. 

investments 

(including 

Risk Weighted Assets 

 

 

APRA requires capital to be held for Interest Rate Risk in 
the  Banking  Book  (IRRBB).  There 
is  no  similar 
requirement on an internationally harmonised basis; and 

APRA  requires  a  minimum  Loss  Given  Default  (LGD) 
floor  of  20%  to  be  applied  to  residential  mortgages, 
which is higher than regulatory requirements elsewhere. 

Jun 07Jun 14 15.2 13.5 12.9 12.1 11.5 11.3 11.3 11.1 11.1 10.9 10.7 10.6 10.5 10.5 10.5 10.4 10.4 10.3 10.2 10.1 10.1 10.0 10.0 10.0 9.9 9.9 9.9 9.8 9.8 9.7 9.6 9.5 9.5 9.4 9.2 9.1 8.6 8.2 NordeaUBSIntesa SanpaoloCBADeutscheHSBCWestpacChina Construct. BankLloydsICBCStandard CharteredCitiANZINGNABMitsubishi UFJUniCreditSumitomo MitsuiSocGenRBSWells FargoBank of CommBBVABNP ParibasBank of AmericaBarclaysCredit Agricole SAJP MorganScotiabankRBCBank of ChinaAgri. Bank of ChinaCredit SuisseCommerzbankToronto DominionChina Merchants BankMizuhoSantander111222222222 
 
 
 
 
Group Operations and Business Settings 

Capital (continued) 

Capital Position 

The  Group  maintained  a  strong  capital  position  with  the 
capital  ratios  well  in  excess  of  regulatory  minimum  capital 
adequacy  requirements  at  all  times  throughout  the  year 
ended 30 June 2014. 

The  Group’s  CET1  (internationally  harmonised)  and  CET1 
(APRA)  ratios  were  12.1%  and  9.3%  respectively  at 
30 June 2014.  The  increase  in  capital  in  the  June 2014  half 
year was primarily driven by capital generated from earnings 
and the realisation of the benefits associated with the sale of 
the  Group’s  Property  business,  more  than  offsetting  the 
impact  of  the  December 2013  interim  dividend  payment  (net 
of  shares  issued  under  the  Dividend  Reinvestment  Plan 
(DRP)) and an increase in Credit RWA. 

During  the  June 2014  financial  year,  the  Group’s  CET1 
increased  by 
(internationally  harmonised  and  APRA) 
110 basis  points  with 
the 
sustained organic capital generation of the Group. 

the  strong  growth  reflecting 

Capital Initiatives 

In order to actively manage the Group’s capital, the following 
significant initiatives were undertaken during the year: 

 

 

The DRP for the 2013 final dividend was satisfied in full 
by  the  on-market  purchase  of  shares.  The  participation 
rate for the DRP was 22.4%; and 

The  DRP  in  respect  of  the  2014  interim  dividend  was 
satisfied  by  the  allocation  of  $707 million  of  ordinary 
shares, representing a participation rate of 24%. 

Pillar 3 Disclosures 

Full details on the market disclosures required under Pillar 3, 
per  prudential  standard  APS 330  “Public  Disclosure”,  are 
provided on the Group’s website at: 
www.commbank.com.au/shareholders. 

Other Regulatory Changes 

Composition of Level 2 ADI Groups 

In  May 2014,  APRA  provided  more  clarity  in  relation  to  the 
the  Level 2  Banking  Group.  Subsidiary 
definition  of 
intermediate  holding  companies  are  now  considered  part  of 
the  Level 2  Group,  regardless  of  the  nature  of  any  activity 
undertaken  by  the  operating  subsidiary.  As  a  result,  capital 
benefits  arising  from  the  debt  issued  by  the  Colonial  Group 
will be phased out. 

APRA  has  advised  that  transition  arrangements  will  apply  to 
impacted capital ratios in line with the existing maturity profile 
of the debt. 

Given the transitional arrangements and the maturity profile of 
the debt, there is no immediate effect on the Group’s capital 
ratios. The impact on future periods is expected to be minimal 
given the Group’s strong capital generation capabilities. 

Conglomerate Groups 

is  extending 

In  May 2013,  APRA  released  a  discussion  paper  and  draft 
prudential  standards  titled  “Supervision  of  Conglomerate 
Groups”  focusing  on  the  requirements  of  risk  management 
its  current 
and  capital  adequacy.  APRA 
prudential  supervision  framework  to  Conglomerate  Groups 
that  have  material  operations  in  more  than  one  APRA 
regulated 
industry  and/or  have  one  or  more  material 
unregulated entities. The aims of the Level 3 proposals are to 
ensure that a Conglomerate Group holds adequate capital to 
protect  the  APRA  regulated  entities  from  potential  contagion 
and  other  risks  within  the  Group.  APRA  has  yet  to  release 
final  standards,  with 
these  new 
implementation  of 
requirements scheduled from 1 January 2015. 

Leverage Ratio 

In  January 2014,  the  BCBS  endorsed  the  leverage  ratio 
framework  and  disclosure  requirements.  The  ratio  is  defined 
as  Tier 1  Capital  as  a  percentage  of  exposures,  with  a 
proposed minimum of 3%. 

Public  disclosure  of  the  leverage  ratio  will  commence  from 
1 January 2015.  The  BCBS  has  advised  that  any  final 
adjustments to the definition and calibration of the ratio will be 
made  by  2017.  Migration  to  a  Pillar 1  (minimum  capital 
requirement) is expected from 1 January 2018. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    25 

8.5%9.3%Jun 13Basel IIIDec 13Basel IIIJun 14Basel IIICET1 Ratio (Internationally harmonised)CET1 Ratio (APRA)8.2%11.4%11.0%12.1%  
 
 
Group Operations and Business Settings 

Capital (continued) 

The tables below show the APRA Basel III capital adequacy calculation at 30 June 2014 together with prior period comparatives. 

(1)  Represents shares held by the Group's life insurance operations ($129 million) and employee share scheme trusts ($162 million). 
(2)  Reserve balances associated with the Insurance and Funds Management entities and those entities through which securitisation of the Group's assets are 
conducted. These entities are classified as non-consolidated subsidiaries by APRA and are excluded from the Level 2 Regulatory Consolidated Banking 
Group. 

(3)  Cumulative current year profit and retained earnings adjustments for subsidiaries not consolidated for regulatory purposes. 
(4)  Non-controlling interests predominantly comprise ASB Perpetual Preference Shares of NZD550 million issued by a New Zealand subsidiary entity. These 

are non-redeemable and carry limited voting rights. These are classified as Additional Tier 1 Capital. 

26  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

30 Jun 1431 Dec 1330 Jun 13Risk Weighted Capital Ratios%%%Common Equity Tier 19. 38. 58. 2Tier 111. 110. 610. 3Tier 20. 90. 80. 9Total Capital12. 011. 411. 230 Jun 1431 Dec 1330 Jun 13$M$M$MOrdinary Share Capital and Treasury SharesOrdinary Share Capital27,03626,32726,323Treasury Shares (1)291293297Ordinary Share Capital and Treasury Shares27,32726,62026,620ReservesReserves2,0091,7801,333Reserves related to non-consolidated subsidiaries (2)(47)(59)56Total Reserves1,9621,7211,389Retained Earnings and Current Period ProfitsRetained earnings and current period profits18,82717,45516,405Retained earnings adjustment from non-consolidated subsidiaries (3)(368)(472)(345)Net Retained Earnings18,45916,98316,060Non controlling interestNon controlling interest (4)537536537Less ASB perpetual preference shares(505)(505)(505)Less other non controlling interests not eligible for inclusion in regulatory capital(32)(31)(32)Minority Interest---Common Equity Tier 1 Capital before regulatory adjustments47,74845,32444,069 
 
  
 
  
Group Operations and Business Settings 

Capital (continued) 

(1)  Other intangibles (excluding capitalised software costs), net of any associated deferred tax liability. 
(2)  Adjustment  to  ensure  the  Group  has  sufficient  provisions  and  capital  to  cover  credit losses  estimated  to  arise  over  the  full life  of individual  facilities,  as 

required by APRA Prudential Standard APS 220. 
(3)  Deferred tax assets net of deferred tax liabilities. 
(4)  Cash flow Hedge Reserve and Employee Compensation Reserve balances are ineligible for inclusion in CET1. 
(5)  Represents the Group’s non-controlling interest in other entities. 
(6)  Represents the net tangible assets within the non-consolidated subsidiaries (primarily the insurance and funds management businesses operating within 
the Colonial Group). The adjustment is net of $1,250 million in non-recourse debt (31 December 2013: $1,215 million, 30 June 2013: $1,315 million) and 
$1,000 million in Colonial Group Subordinated Notes (31 December 2013: $1,000 million, 30 June 2013: $1,000 million). The Group’s Insurance and fund 
management companies held $1,374 million of capital in excess of minimum regulatory capital requirements at 30 June 2014. 

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

(pre-tax). 

(8)  Comprises PERLS VI $2 billion issued in October 2012. 
(9)  Represents APRA Basel III non-compliant Additional Tier 1 Capital Instruments (PERLS III, PERLS V, Trust Preferred Securities (TPS) 03, TPS 06, ASB 

Perpetual Preference Shares, and Perpetual Exchangeable Floating Rate Note). These instruments are eligible for Basel III transitional relief. 

(10)  In  April 2014,  the  Group  issued  NZD400 million  ASB  Subordinated  Notes  through  ASB,  its  New  Zealand  subsidiary.  The  notes  are  Basel III  compliant 
Tier 2  securities  and  fully  contribute  towards  ASB  capital  ratios.  The  amount  of  these  notes  that  contributes  to  ASB  capital  in  excess  of  its  minimum 
regulatory requirements is not eligible for inclusion in the Group’s capital (30 June 2014 ineligible amount, AUD$138 million). 

(11)  Includes both perpetual and term instruments subordinated to depositors and general creditors, having an  original maturity of at least five years. APRA 
require these to be included as if they were unhedged. Term instruments are amortised 20% of the original amount during each of the last five years to 
maturity.  These  instruments  are  eligible  for  Basel III  transitional  relief.  The  June 2014  financial  year  included  the  redemption  of  $500 million  in 
subordinated Tier 2 debt. 

(12)  Represents the collective provision and general reserve for credit losses for exposures in the Group which are measured for capital purposes under the 

Standardised approach to credit risk. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    27 

30 Jun 1431 Dec 1330 Jun 13$M$M$MCommon Equity Tier 1 regulatory adjustmentsGoodwill(7,566)(7,694)(7,723)Other intangibles (excluding software) (1)(295)(644)(682)Capitalised costs (285)(275)(272)Capitalised software(1,854)(1,950)(1,923)General reserve for credit losses (2)(214)(198)(208)Deferred tax asset (3)(1,164)(1,248)(1,400)Cash flow hedge reserve (4)(224)(169)(368)Employee compensation reserve (4)(125)(79)(132)Equity investments (5)(2,589)(2,924)(2,738)Equity investments in non-consolidated subsidiaries (6)(1,219)(1,218)(1,196)Shortfall of provisions to expected losses (7)(502)(236)(271)Deferred fees(103)759Gain due to changes in own credit risk on fair valued liabilities(48)(6)(11)Other(148)(152)(174)Common Equity Tier 1 regulatory adjustments(16,336)(16,786)(17,039)Common Equity Tier 131,41228,53827,030Additional Tier 1 CapitalBasel III complying instruments (8)2,0002,0002,000Basel III non complying instruments net of transitional amortisation (9)4,1964,7204,720Additional Tier 1 Capital6,1966,7206,720Tier 1 Capital37,60835,25833,750Tier 2 CapitalBasel III complying instruments (10)234--Basel III non complying instruments net of transitional amortisation (11)2,5302,7282,901Holding of own Tier 2 Capital --(15)Prudential general reserve for credit losses (12)171194202Total Tier 2 Capital2,9352,9223,088Total Capital40,54338,18036,838 
   
Group Operations and Business Settings 

Capital (continued) 

(1)  Effective  31 December 2013  APRA  revoked  the  extension  of  the  Group’s  AIRB  accreditation  to  the  Bankwest  non-retail  portfolio.  This  resulted  in  a 
reclassification of exposures and RWA from Advanced to Standardised. The impact on the Group’s RWA and overall capital levels was not material. 

(2)  Advanced RWA for SME retail exposures secured by residential mortgages is calculated using the same method as advanced residential mortgages. From 
June 2014,  unless  specified  otherwise,  the  Group  will  include  these  exposures  under  SME  retail.  Prior  to  that  date,  these  exposures  were  included  in 
residential mortgages. 

(3)  APRA requires RWA amounts that are derived from IRB risk weight functions to be multiplied by a factor of 1.06. 

28  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

30 Jun 1431 Dec 1330 Jun 13Risk Weighted Assets (1)$M$M$MCredit RiskSubject to Advanced IRB approachCorporate49,06748,33153,468SME Corporate22,47822,54830,835SME Retail5,2804,7114,203SME Retail secured by residential mortgage (2)3,5433,3292,862Sovereign5,3303,9853,684Bank10,13110,07310,328Residential mortgage65,98664,46863,879Qualifying revolving retail8,2156,5536,683Other retail12,75711,82711,093Impact of the regulatory scaling factor (3)10,96710,55011,222Total Risk Weighted Assets subject to Advanced IRB approach193,754186,375198,257Specialised lending exposures subject to slotting criteria48,93548,51450,392Subject to Standardised approachCorporate10,85011,0873,684SME Corporate4,9245,382525SME Retail5,2074,6154,572Sovereign124106249Bank220247176Residential mortgage6,0406,1822,432Other retail2,6482,5712,224Other assets4,2144,5864,395Total Risk Weighted Assets subject to Standardised approach34,22734,77618,257Securitisation5,0105,7225,373Credit valuation adjustment6,6366,3817,395Central counterparties576436-Total Risk Weighted Assets for Credit Risk Exposures289,138282,204279,674Traded market risk5,2845,9705,151Interest rate risk in the banking book 14,76217,54316,289Operational risk28,53128,48028,044Total Risk Weighted Assets 337,715334,197329,158 
 
 
Group Operations and Business Settings 

Dividends 

Final Dividend for the Year Ended 30 June 2014 

Dividend Reinvestment Plan (DRP) 

The final dividend declared was $2.18 per share, bringing the 
total  dividend  for  the  year  ended  30 June 2014  to  $4.01 per 
share. This represents a dividend payout ratio (“cash basis”) 
of 75.1% and is 10% above the prior full year dividend. 

The  final  dividend  will  be  fully  franked  and  will  be  paid  on 
2 October 2014  to  owners  of  ordinary  shares  at  the  close  of 
business  on  21 August 2014  (record  date).  Shares  will  be 
quoted ex-dividend on 19 August 2014. 

The  DRP  will  continue  to  operate  but  no  discount  will  be 
applied  to  shares  allocated  under  the  plan  for  the  final 
dividend. The DRP for the 2014 final dividend is anticipated to 
be satisfied in full by an on-market purchase of shares. 

Dividend Policy 

The Group will seek to: 

 

 

Pay cash dividends at strong and sustainable levels; 

Target a full-year payout ratio of 70% to 80%; and  

Full Year Dividend History (cents per share) 

  Maximise the use of its franking account by paying fully 

franked dividends. 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________ 

Liquidity 

(1)  Liquids are reported net of applicable regulatory haircuts. 

Year Ended June 2014 versus June 2013 

Half Year Ended June 2014 versus December 2013 

The  Group  holds  a  high  quality,  well  diversified  liquid  asset 
portfolio to prudently meet balance sheet liquidity needs and 
regulatory requirements. 

The  Group  holds  a  high  quality,  well  diversified  liquid  asset 
portfolio to prudently meet balance sheet liquidity needs and 
regulatory requirements. 

Liquid  assets  increased  $3 billion  to  $139 billion,  a  2% 
increase  on  the  prior  year.  The  increase  was  driven  by  the 
growth  in  deposits,  which  increased  the  regulatory  minimum 
requirement. 

Liquid  assets  increased  $3 billion  to  $139 billion,  a  2% 
increase on the prior half. The increase was mainly driven by 
the  growth  in  deposits,  which  increased  the  regulatory 
minimum requirement. 

Excluding  internal  Residential  Mortgage  Backed  Securities 
(RMBS),  the  Group  held  $88 billion  of  liquid  assets,  well 
above the regulatory minimum requirement of $69 billion. 

Excluding internal RMBS assets, the Group held $88 billion of 
liquid assets, well above the regulatory minimum requirement 
of $69 billion. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    29 

 26622829032033436440175.0%78.2%73.9%73.2%75.8%75.9%75.1%0%20%40%60%80%100%120%140%-50050100150200250300350400450Jun 08Jun 09Jun 10Jun 11Jun 12Jun 13Jun 14DPSPayout Ratio ("cash basis")80%Target Range70%30 Jun 1431 Dec 1330 Jun 13Jun 14 vsJun 14 vs$M$M$MDec 13 %Jun 13 %Internal RMBS51,86453,10757,852(2)(10)Bank, NCD, Bills, RMBS, Supra, Covered Bonds30,93229,86729,54045Cash, Government and Semi-Government Bonds56,62153,59649,324615Liquid Assets (1)139,417136,570136,71622As at 
 
 
  
Group Operations and Business Settings 

Funding 

(1)  Shareholders’  equity  is  excluded  from  this  view  of  funding  sources,  other  than  the  USD  Trust  Preferred  Securities,  which  are  classified  as  other  equity 

instruments in the statutory Balance Sheet. 

(2)  Residual maturity of long term wholesale funding included in Debt issues, Loan capital and Share capital  – other equity instruments, is the earlier of the 

next call date or final maturity. 

Year Ended June 2014 versus June 2013 

Half Year Ended June 2014 versus December 2013 

Customer Deposits 

Customer Deposits 

Customer  deposits  accounted  for  64%  of  total  funding  at 
30 June 2014,  compared  to  63%  in  the  prior  year.  Strong 
deposit  growth  has  seen  the  Group  satisfy  a  significant 
from  customer 
proportion  of 
deposits.  The  remaining  36%  of  total  funding  comprised 
various wholesale debt issuances. 

requirements 

funding 

its 

Customer  deposits  accounted  for  64%  of  total  funding  at 
30 June 2014,  up  from  63%  in  the  prior  half.  Strong  deposit 
growth has seen the Group satisfy a significant proportion of 
from  customer  deposits.  The 
its 
remaining  36%  of  total  funding  comprised  various  wholesale 
debt issuances. 

funding  requirements 

Short Term Funding 

Short Term Funding 

Short  term  wholesale  funding  includes  debt  with  an  original 
maturity  or  call  date  of  less  than 12 months,  and  consists  of 
Certificates  of  Deposit  and  Bank  Acceptances,  as  well  as 
debt issued under domestic, Euro and US Commercial paper 
programs  by  Commonwealth  Bank  of  Australia  and  ASB. 
Short term funding (including short sales) accounted for 45% 
of total wholesale funding at 30 June 2014, down from 46% in 
the prior year. 

Short  term  wholesale  funding  includes  debt  with  an  original 
maturity  or  call  date  of  less  than 12 months,  and  consists  of 
Certificates  of  Deposit  and  Bank  Acceptances,  as  well  as 
debt issued under domestic, Euro and US Commercial paper 
programs  by  Commonwealth  Bank  of  Australia  and  ASB. 
Short term funding (including short sales) accounted for 45% 
of total wholesale funding at 30 June 2014, compared to 46% 
in the prior half. 

Long Term Funding 

Long Term Funding 

Long  term  funding  (including  adjustment  for  IFRS  MTM  and 
derivative  FX  revaluations)  accounted  for  55%  of  total 
wholesale  funding  at  30 June 2014,  compared to  54% in  the 
prior half. 

the  year, 

the  Group 

Long  term  wholesale  funding  includes  debt  with  an  original 
maturity  or  call  date  of  greater  than  12 months.  Long  term 
wholesale  funding  conditions 
improved  during  the  year 
compared  to  the  prior  year  as  northern  hemisphere  central 
banks  provided  ongoing  support  to  their  economies  and 
banking  systems.  During 
issued 
$38 billion  of  long  term  wholesale  debt  transactions  in 
multiple  currencies  including  AUD,  USD,  EUR,  and  GBP. 
Given  improved  funding  conditions,  most  issuances  were  in 
senior  unsecured  format,  although  the  Group  also  used 
Residential  Mortgage-Backed  Securities  (RMBS)  and  its 
covered  bond  program 
tenor  and 
diversification  benefits.  The  weighted  average  maturity 
(WAM)  of  new  long  term  wholesale  debt  issued  in  the  year 
was 3.9 years. The WAM of outstanding long term wholesale 
debt was 3.8 years at 30 June 2014. 

to  provide  cost, 

Long  term  funding  (including  adjustment  for  IFRS  MTM  and 
derivative  FX  revaluations)  accounted  for  55%  of  total 
wholesale  funding  at  30 June 2014,  compared  to  54% in  the 
prior year. 

For further information on Liquidity and Funding risk, please refer to Note 36. 

30  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

30 Jun 1431 Dec 1330 Jun 13Jun 14 vsJun 14 vsGroup Funding (1)$M$M$MDec 13 %Jun 13 %Customer deposits438,890426,407405,37738Short term wholesale funding109,318113,716107,758(4)1Short sales4,1034,5172,837(9)45Long term wholesale funding - less than one year residual maturity30,89235,05429,129(12)6Long term wholesale funding - more than one year residual maturity (2)102,16395,73996,61176IFRS MTM and derivative FX revaluations3,2515,7221,837(43)77Total wholesale funding 249,727254,748238,172(2)5Total funding688,617681,155643,54917As at 
  
 
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Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    31 

 
 
 
 
 
Sustainability 

Introduction

For  the  Group,  sustainability  means  building  a  successful 
business today, while creating enduring value for the Group’s 
customers, people, shareholders and the broader community. 

Examples  of  the  value  created  for  the  Group’s  stakeholders 
during the current financial year include: 

  With  more  than  52,000  people,  the  Group’s  annual 

payroll expenditure was more than $5 billion; 

 

 

 

 

The  Group  returned  75%  of  its  profits  to  more  than 
800,000  Australians  who  hold  CBA  shares  directly,  and 
millions  more  who  hold  them  through  superannuation 
funds; 

The Group paid more than $3 billion in taxes, making it 
Australia’s third largest taxpayer; 

The  Group  directly  helped  238  grassroots  community 
organisations make a positive impact on the health and 
wellbeing of Australian youth; and 

The Group delivered financial literacy programs to more 
than 288,000 students.  

Sustainability Approach 

The Group’s sustainability strategy reflects the importance of 
environmental,  social  and  governance  (ESG)  considerations 
in a rapidly changing operating environment. 

Across the Group a range of mechanisms are used to capture 
and  incorporate  the  views  of  our  diverse  stakeholders,  from 
customer  feedback  systems,  to  staff  engagement  surveys 
and meetings with interest groups.  

The Board-endorsed Sustainability Strategic Framework, with 
its  five  focus  areas,  continues  to  address  the  Group’s  key 
ESG  material  issues  as  well  as  guide  our  approach  to  the 
effective  management  of  those  issues  and  associated  risks 
and opportunities. This complies with principle 7.4 of the third 
edition  of  the  ASX  Corporate  Governance  Principles  and 
Recommendations, released in March 2014, which requires a 
listed  entity  to  disclose  how  it  manages  (or  intends  to)  any 
material  exposure  to  economic,  environmental  and  social 
sustainability risks.  

The media section on the Group’s website provides our most 
up  to  date  position  on  issues  currently  in  the  media,  at 
commbank.com.au/about-us/news/on-the-record. 

The  Group’s  five  key  initiatives  under  the  Sustainability 
Strategic Framework are: 

1. Sustainable Business Practices 

Disciplined  financial  management  and  rigorous  governance 
are  essential 
to  customers, 
in  bringing  ongoing  value 
shareholders and the broader community.  

Preventing Financial Crime 

Integrity  is  one  of the  Group’s core  values  and  in  December 
2013,  the  Board  approved  an  updated  Anti-Bribery  and 
Corruption  Policy  which  was  then  communicated  broadly 
across the Group. 

the  business 

Amongst  the  policy  principles,  a  zero  tolerance  to  bribery, 
corruption  and  facilitation  payments  across  all  areas  and 
levels  of 
is  clearly  stated.  The  Group’s 
employees,  service  providers  and  suppliers  are  encouraged 
to seek advice and report concerns about unethical behaviour 
and  corruption  via  a  wide  range  of  internal  mechanisms,  or 
the  new 
independent  Speak  Up  hotline.  The  Group’s 
Whistleblower  Protection  policy  and  procedures  ensure  that 

32  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

reports  are  treated  appropriately  and  that  the  person  raising 
the concern is protected. 

Focussing on Productivity 

With a backdrop of increased competition and global financial 
uncertainty, productivity continues to be critical to the Group’s 
long term success. During the reporting year, the Group rolled 
out  additional  productivity  programs  and  initiatives  to  drive 
efficiencies  to  ultimately  deliver  better  outcomes  for  the 
Group’s  customers.  Training 
tools  and 
techniques has been delivered extensively across the Group 
and  a  team  accreditation  program  is  underway  to  support 
teams in their efforts to align productivity initiatives to specific 
business goals whilst encouraging employee engagement.  

in  productivity 

2. Responsible Financial Services 

The  Group 
to  providing 
takes  a  responsible  approach 
financial  services  and  products  and  remains  committed  to 
customer satisfaction. 

Financial Wellbeing for all Australians 

Each  year  the  Group  supports  a  number  of  customer 
segments  with  a  wide  range  of  fee-free  and  discounted 
financial  services.  In  the  reporting  period,  the  Group  has 
forgone  more  than  $183 million  in  revenue  to  support  low 
income earners and the not-for-profit sector.  

Maintaining Number 1 in Customer Satisfaction 

The  Group’s  unwavering  focus  on  customer  service  has 
helped  the  Group  maintain  its  position  as  the  number  one 
bank  for  customer  satisfaction  across  all  business  areas, 
while delivering superior shareholder returns. 

Institution 

in  Main  Financial 

CBA  maintained  the  number  one  ranking  among  the  major 
banks 
(MFI)  Customer 
Satisfaction for the entirety of the 2014 financial year. During 
this time, the Group achieved the highest ever result recorded 
by  a  major  bank.  The  Group  has  also  been  ranked  equal  or 
outright  first  across three  of  the four  key  business segments 
since  November  2011  and  in  2014  was  voted  Money 
Magazine  Business  Bank  of 
the  second 
consecutive  year.  Colonial  First  State  was  also  ranked 
number  one  again  in  2014.  More  information  on  scores  and 
rankings is provided on page 35. 

the  Year 

for 

Taking Customer Feedback on Board 

The  Group  actively  encourages feedback  from  its customers 
and  regards  compliments  and  complaints  as  opportunities  to 
continuously improve its customer relationships. 

During  the  current  year,  the  Group  further  embedded  its 
centralised  feedback management  system  “Firstpoint”,  which 
enables  frontline  staff  to  encourage  customers  to  provide 
feedback  through  its  compliments  and  complaints  handling 
services. 

Leading Technology Solutions for Customers 

Achieving and maintaining a leadership position in technology 
and  innovation  is  a  strategic  and  operational  priority  for  the 
Group.  This  financial  year  saw  the  launch  of  many  new 
innovations for customers including: 

 

 

Daily IQ, the smart new mobile analytics app that gives 
business  customers  instant  access  to  insights  about 
their own business, their customers and their market; 

The  new  CommBank  Small  Business  app,  providing 
small  business  customers  with  access  to  world-class 

 
mobile  payment  and  cash  flow  management  solutions; 
and 

 

An  enhanced  CommBank  app  for  iPhone,  Android  and 
Windows  phones  which  has  attracted  more  than  3 
million  registrations  since  its  launch  in  December  2013, 
bringing the mobile wallet one step closer to reality. 

Building Financial Literacy Skills 

In late 2009, the Group announced a commitment to improve 
the financial literacy of one million children by 2015. This goal 
was achieved in August 2014, 5 months ahead of schedule.  

The Commonwealth Bank Foundation’s StartSmart programs 
have  now  delivered  financial  literacy  education  sessions  to 
more  than  one  million  students  from  primary  and  secondary 
schools; in all states and in both rural and urban settings. 

The  programs  continue  to  evolve  to  meet  the  needs  of 
students  and  teachers.  A  recent  addition  is  the  StartSmart 
Virtual Workshop, a free, easy to use and interactive financial 
literacy  teaching  resource  which  was  created  to  help  equip 
students  with  money  management  skills  in  regional  and 
remote areas of Australia.  

Indigenous Banking 

Aboriginal  and  Torres  Strait  Islander  communities  can  face 
barriers  to  accessing  the  kind  of  banking  services  most 
Australians take for granted. 

The Commonwealth Bank’s Indigenous Customer Assistance 
Line  (ICAL),  which  takes  more  than  2,500  calls  each  week, 
removes  some  of  these  barriers  by  providing  a  range  of 
specialised  banking  services  over  the  phone  to  Indigenous 
customers in remote communities.  

In  October  2013  Commonwealth  Bank  formed  a  partnership 
with  Indigenous  Business  Australia  (IBA)  to  jointly  provide 
Indigenous  Australian  entrepreneurs  with  a  microenterprise 
loan  and  finance  package.  The  package  will  provide  eligible 
Aboriginal  and  Torres  Strait  people  wishing  to  establish  or 
grow  their  business  with  a  tailored  package  of  banking 
products and services specific to their individual needs. 

Providing Leading Banking Solutions to Not-for-Profits 

The  Group  has  a  dedicated  Not-for-Profit  Sector  Banking 
team  focused  on  listening  and  collaborating  with  Not-for-
Profits.  The  Group  has  an  accredited  national  network  of 
more  than  100  bankers  who  provide  tailored  products  and 
services for not-for-profit clients. The Group is also supporting 
the  treasurers  and  directors  of  community  organisations 
through  the  development  of  free  governance  and  financial 
literacy  resources  and  a  partnership  with  the  Institute  of 
Community Directors. 

Managing ESG Risks 

In May 2014 Commonwealth Bank became a signatory to the 
third iteration of the Equator Principles, which are a voluntary 
set  of  guidelines  to  assess  and  manage  environmental  and 
social risks in project finance. 

By adopting the Equator Principles III, the Group builds on its 
commitment  to  responsible  lending  and  formalises  reporting 
of its environmental and social risk practices. 

Responsible Investment 

Colonial First State Global Asset Management (CFSGAM), a 
signatory  to  the  UN  Principles  for  Responsible  Investment 
since  2007,  launched  its  seventh  Responsible  Investment 
Report this year, available at  

http://www.cfsgam.com.au/au/insto/responsible_investment/. 
The  report  highlights  examples  of  CFSGAM’s  stewardship 

Sustainability 

activities  and  illustrates  how  the  business  continues  to 
execute upon its responsible investment commitments across 
its global investment business.  

3. Engaged and Talented People 

The Group supports its people by continuing to invest in their 
development  and  in  programs  designed  to  create  a  diverse, 
safe  and  rewarding  workplace.  In  the  reporting  period  the 
Group’s  people  remained  highly  engaged,  as  shown  by  the 
Group’s 2014 Employee Engagement score of  81%, up from 
80% in 2013. 

Building a Diverse and Inclusive Workplace 

The Group is committed to providing a workplace that reflects 
the diversity and richness of the communities it serves. 

The  2013-14  Diversity  &  Inclusion  Strategy  has  three  broad 
focus  areas,  each  with  goals  and  action  plans.  Specific 
members of the Executive Leadership Team take a hands-on 
and visible sponsorship of each area.  

Inclusion and Respect 

The  Group  is  committed  to  building  greater  inclusion  for 
employees from different cultural backgrounds and identities, 
including  LGBTI  (lesbian,  gay,  bisexual,  transgender  and 
intersex)  employees,  employees  with  disability  and  older 
workers. 

In the reporting period: 

 

 

Unity, 
the  LGBTI  employees  and  allies’  network 
celebrated  its  first  anniversary.  In  2014,  8.7%  of  the 
Group’s  employees  disclosed  they  identified  as  LGBTI, 
up from 3.3% in the previous period.  This increase can 
be  seen  as  the  result  of  the  culture  change  work  Unity 
supported to create an even safer and more comfortable 
workplace for LGBTI employees; 

Enable,  an  employee  network 
for  disability  and 
accessibility  was  launched  in  July  2013  to  support  the 
implementation of the Group’s fifth Disability Action Plan; 

  Mosaic,  an  employee-led  network  for  cultural  diversity 
was  launched  in  February  2014.  The  network  aims  to 
build  greater  inclusion  and  respect  for culturally  diverse 
employees  -  40%  of  the  Group’s  workforce  is  from  a 
cultural background other than Australian;  

 

Through  the  Indigenous  employment  program,  137 
career  opportunities  for  Aboriginal  and  Torres  Strait 
Islanders were created across the Group in the reporting 
period and an updated Indigenous Cultural awareness e-
learning  module,  available  to  all  employees,  was  also 
rolled out. 

The  Group’s  efforts  were  recognised  in  May  2014  with  the 
Group being named the fourth most inclusive employer at the 
2014 Australian Workplace Equality Index Awards. 

Diversity in Leadership 

A  continued  focus  has  seen  the  Group  make  significant 
progress towards its gender diversity target of 35% women in 
Executive Manager and above positions by December 2014. 
With  females  comprising  60%  of  its  workforce,  and  43%  of 
those  in  management  roles,  the  Group  recognises  the 
importance  of  building  a  strong  female  presence  across  all 
tiers of employment.  Women are increasingly represented in 
senior  leadership  roles:  30%  of  the  Board,  38%  of  the  ASB 
Bank Board,  27%  of  the Executive  Committee  and  32.8%  of 
Executive Manager and above roles. 

In  accordance  with  the  requirements  of  the  Workplace 
Gender Equality Act 2012, in May 2014 the Group lodged its 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia - Annual Report 2014  33 

 
Sustainability 

annual  public  report  with  the  Workplace  Gender  Equality 
Agency.  The  report  covers  Australian  domestic  operations 
only  (excluding  Bankwest).  Full  disclosure  of  the  Group’s 
workforce 
at 
commbank.com.au/sustainability2014/engaged-and-talented-
people.  In  addition  Bankwest  lodged  its  annual  public  report 
at the same time. 

available 

profile 

is 

Adaptable Work Practices 

for 

flexibility 

More  than  54%  of  the  Group’s  people  work  flexibly,  so 
to  productivity  and 
is  essential 
support 
engagement. The Group continues to support flexible ways of 
working such as working from different locations, altering start 
and finish times, reducing work hours and accessing a range 
of leave options. A key enabler is technology and innovations 
such  as  the  recently  launched  app  SideKick,  which  are 
helping staff access HR information remotely.  

4. Community Contribution and Action 

The Group has a proud history of supporting the communities 
in  which  it  operates.  By  offering  financial  literacy  programs, 
partnering  with  community  organisations  and  supporting  the 
Group’s  people  in  their  endeavours,  the  Group  continues  to 
strengthen  and  extend 
lasting 
relationships  with  community  organisations  and  those  they 
serve. 

involvement, 

forging 

its 

Empowering Support of the Community 

The Group’s Staff Community Fund is Australia’s largest and 
running  workplace-giving  program.  The  Group 
longest 
matches  its  people’s  contributions  dollar-for-dollar.  In  2014, 
the  Fund  will  award  $2  million  to  238  grassroots  programs 
focused  on  improving  the  health  and  wellbeing  of  Australian 
youth. In addition, the Group’s  employees  rallied during April 
and  collected  more 
from 
than  $275,000 
customers and staff to support one of the Group’s key charity 
partners, the Clown Doctors. 

in  donations 

The Group continues to encourage volunteering with a range 
of  partnerships  that  enable  its  people  to  participate  through 
mentoring,  team  activities  and  skilled  volunteering.  In  2014, 
the Group continued to grow its skilled volunteering program 
with secondments in four regions across the country  through 
the  Jawun  secondment  program.  Through  this  program,  the 
Group continues to support the long term sustainable growth 
of Indigenous enterprises. 

Supporting Sports, the Arts and Health in Australia 

The Group partners with a number of organisations that lead 
the  way 
in  celebrating  Australia’s  unique  culture  and 
addressing  issues  that  matter  to  Australians.  Examples  of 
these partnerships include: 

 

 

The  Group  has  been  involved  with  Cricket  at  all  levels 
for 27 years. Support includes the Australian Men’s Test 
team,  the  Southern  Stars,  the  National  Indigenous 
Cricket  Championships,  The  Imparja  Cup  and  the 
Australian  Country  Cricket  Championships.    In  the  past 
12  months  the  Group  continued  to  invest  in  support  for 
for  GrassrootsTM  program 
clubs,  with 
investing $1.5+ million into more than 1,000 local cricket 
clubs in the past four years; 

the  Grants 

The Group has been the major sponsor of the Australian 
of the Year Awards for  more than 30 years, celebrating 
outstanding  Australians  and  their  commitment  to  their 
local communities; 

 

The support of the Breast Cancer Institute Australia 

34  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

 

 

continues  and  over  the  past  19  years,  the  Group  has 
contributed  more 
than  $11  million  via  fundraising, 
sponsorship and diary sales; 

Since  2000,  the  Group  has  helped  Prostate  Cancer 
Foundation  of  Australia  (PCFA)  raise  $3.4  million 
through  the  Big  Aussie  Barbie  campaign,  sponsorship 
and  other 
initiatives,  which  have 
contributed to PCFA’s endeavours; and 

fundraising 

joint 

The  Group  continues  to  bring  the  arts  to  all Australians 
through  enduring  partnerships  with  Opera  Australia,  the 
Australian  Chamber  Orchestra  and  Bangarra  Dance 
Theatre,  as  well  as  supports  the  efforts  of  the  Great 
Barrier  Reef  Foundation  in  developing  the  scientific 
knowledge of the Great Barrier Reef. 

5. Environmental Stewardship 

As  one  of  Australia’s  largest  organisations,  the  Group 
recognises that its operations have direct and indirect impacts 
on  the  environment.  The  Group  strives  to  actively  manage 
those  impacts  to  ensure  the  long  term  sustainability  of  the 
Group’s business and the environment in which it operates. 

Managing Carbon Emissions 

In  2013,  the  Group  exceeded  its  goal  of  reducing  its  carbon 
emissions  by  20%  from  2008–09  emission  levels. Since that 
time, the Group has reduced its emissions by a further 12,385 
tCO2-e. 

Following  the  achievement  of  the  20%  carbon  reduction 
target  the  Group  has  set  new  targets  shown  in  the  table 
below  for  the  year  ending  30  June  2015,  covering  both  the 
Commonwealth  Bank  and  Bankwest  businesses.  The 
reductions  will  be  achieved  through  the  continuing  rollout  of 
energy efficient lighting, upgrades to airconditioning and other 
initiatives. 
Commonwealth Bank - Scope 1 (1) 
Commonwealth Bank - Scope 2 (1) 
Bankwest - Scope 1 (1) 
Bankwest - Scope 2 (1) 
(1)  Note: A description of Scope 1 and 2 emissions are set out in footnotes 

25%  
35%  
45%  
30%  

10 and 11 to the Sustainability Scorecard on page 35. 
All targets operate from a 1 July 2009 baseline.  

CDP Recognition 

Commonwealth  Bank’s  actions  to  reduce  carbon  emissions 
and  mitigate  the  risks  of  climate  change  have  again  been 
recognised  by  CDP,  the  world’s  only  global  environmental 
disclosure system.  

The Group achieved a position in CDP’s Global 500 and ASX 
200  Climate  Performance  Leadership  Indices.  These  indices 
analyse climate change disclosures as well as highlight those 
companies 
to 
improving their impacts on the environment. 

that  demonstrate  strategies  committed 

Commonwealth  Bank  is  now  the  highest  ranking  Australian 
bank listed on the global index for disclosure.  

Further Information 

insights  on  key 

Visit  the  microsite,  commbank.com.au/sustainability2014,  for 
more  information  on  the  Group’s  approach  to  sustainability, 
including 
initiatives,  achievements  and 
independently  assured  metrics  for  the  2014  financial  year. 
The  microsite  covers  the  activities  of  companies  wholly 
owned  by  the  Group  within  Australia  for  the  financial  year 
ending 30 June 2014. 

 
Sustainability 

Sustainability Scorecard (1) 

Customer Satisfaction 

Units 

2014  

2013  

2012  

Roy Morgan Research Main Financial Institution Customer 
Satisfaction (2) 
Rank 

DBM Business Financial Services Monitor (3) 
Rank 

Wealth Insights Platform Service Level Survey (4) 
Rank 

People 

Engagement 
Employee Engagement Index (5) 
Employee Turnover (Voluntary) (6) 

Diversity 
Women in Manager and above roles (7) 
Women in Executive Manager and above roles (7) 

Safety and Well-being 
Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR) (8) 
Absenteeism (9) 

Environment 

Greenhouse Gas Emissions 
Scope 1 emissions (10) 
Scope 2 emissions (11) 
Scope 3 emissions (12) 

Financial Literacy Programs 

School Banking Students (active) (13) 
StartSmart Students Booked (14) 

% 

% 

% 

% 

% 

Rate 
Rate 

tCO2-e 
tCO2-e 
tCO2-e 

83.2 
1st  

83.0  
1st  

79.0  
2nd  

7.4 
Equal 1st 

7.4  
Equal 1st  

7.3  
Equal 1st  

7.94 
1st 

8.32  
1st  

7.86  
1st  

81  

10.60  

80  

10.60  

42.9  

32.8  

1.3  
6.0  

41.8  

30.3  

1.9  
6.2  

80  

12.90  

42.0  

30.9  

2.8  
6.2  

7,936  
91,275  
44,918  

8,064  
100,997  
47,453  

8,192  
118,047  
47,667  

273,034  
288,728  

233,217  
284,834  

191,416  
235,735  

(1)  All metrics capture data from Australian domestic operations only (excluding Bankwest), unless otherwise stated. 
(2)  The proportion of each financial institution’s MFI retail customers surveyed by Roy Morgan Research that are either ‘Very Satisfied’ or ‘Fairly Satisfied’ with 
their overall relationship (defined as those holding at least a Deposit/Transaction account) with that financial institution on a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 is ‘Very 
Dissatisfied’ and 5 is ‘Very Satisfied’. The metric is reported as a 6 month rolling average to June, based on the Australian population aged 14 and over. 
The ranking refers to CBA’s position relative to the other three main Australian banks (Westpac, NAB and ANZ).  

(3)  The average satisfaction of each financial institution's MFI business customers surveyed by DBM Business Financial Services Monitor. Respondents rate 
their overall relationship with that institution on a scale from 0 to 10 (0 is ‘Extremely Dissatisfied’, 10 is ‘Extremely Satisfied’). This is reported as a 6 month 
rolling average as at 30 June. The ranking refers to CBA’s position relative to the other three major Australian banks (Westpac, NAB, and ANZ). 

(4)  The  Colonial  First  State  (the  platform  provider)  score  is  calculated  based  on  the  weighted  average  (using  the  Funds  Under  Administration  (FUA)  as  at 
December 2013 from the Plan for Life FUA subscription database) of the overall satisfaction scores of FirstChoice and FirstWrap. The ranking is calculated 
by comparing the score with the weighted average of other platform providers in the relevant peer set. The relevant peer set includes platforms belonging 
to Westpac,  NAB,  ANZ,  AMP  and  Macquarie  in  the Wealth  Insights  survey.  Due  to  a  change  in  calculation  of  the  satisfaction  score  in  2013,  historical 
results have been restated. The score and ranking for 2012 changed from 7.69 (2nd) to 7.86 (1st). 

(5)  The index shows the proportion of employees replying with a score of 4 or 5 to questions relating to satisfaction, retention, advocacy and pride on a scale 
of  1-5  (5  is  ‘Strongly  Agree’,  1  is  ‘Strongly  Disagree’).  The  result  captures  the  responses  of  Group  employees  excluding  Bankwest,  ASB  Bank  and 
Sovereign entities.  

(6)  Employee turnover refers to all voluntary exits of domestic, permanent employees as a percentage of the average domestic, permanent headcount paid 

directly by the Group (full-time, part-time, job share or on extended leave). 

(7)  Percentage of roles at the level of both  Manager and Executive Manager and above filled by women, in relation to the total domestic headcount at this 
level  as  at  30  June.  Headcount  captures  permanent  headcount  (full-time,  part-time,  job  share,  on  extended  leave),  and  contractors  (fixed  term 
arrangements) paid directly by the Group. The percentage of roles at Executive Manager and above excludes Customs Solutions, CFSPM and Bankwest 
support units (Bankwest’s HR, Risk, Finance and ES Service Operations). 

(8)  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 the average number of domestic employees over the year. This relates to domestic employees only (permanent, casual and 
contractors paid directly by the Group). Data is presented using the information available as at 30 June for each financial year. Prior year data is updated 
due to late reporting of incidents that occurred during the year, or the subsequent acceptance or rejection of claims made in the year. In addition, CFSPM 
ceased to be an employing entity within CBA during the year, and the workers compensation liability was transferred out of the business. As a result, 2012 
has changed from 2.7 to 2.8 and 2013 has changed from 1.7 to 1.9.  

(9)  Absenteeism  is  the  annualised  figure  as  at  31  May  each  year.  Absenteeism  refers  to  the  average  number  of  sick  leave  days  (and,  for  CommSec 

employees, carers leave days) per domestic full-time equivalent (FTE). 

(10)  Scope 1 carbon emissions relate to the consumption of gas and fuel by retail, commercial properties and the business use of our tool-of-trade vehicle fleet. 

Source of emissions factors: NGA Factors (2013). Prior year data is updated to better reflect the GHG Protocol guidance. 

(11)  Scope  2  carbon  emissions  relate  to  the  electricity  use  by  retail  and  commercial  properties  and  ATMs  and  certain  residential  properties.  Due  to  the 
electricity billing cycle, 10% of 2014 electricity data was estimated to meet publication deadlines. Assets under the operational control of CFSGAM have 
been excluded. Source of emissions factors: NGA Factors (2013).  

(12)  Scope  3  carbon  emissions  relate  to  indirect  emissions  (tool-of-trade  vehicles  and  electricity),  rental  car  and  taxi  use,  business  use  of  private  vehicles, 
dedicated bus service, business flights, office paper and waste to landfill. Source of emissions factors: NGA Factors (2013), DEFRA (2013) for flights. Prior 
year data is updated to better reflect the GHG Protocol guidance. 

(13)  The number of active students who participated in the Commonwealth Bank School Banking program. Active students are those who banked at least once 

during a 12 month period through a School Banking school. 

(14)  The number of students booked to attend the Commonwealth Bank Foundation's StartSmart programs. StartSmart sessions cover different topics and the 

same student may be booked to attend a number of sessions. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia - Annual Report 2014  35 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Directors’ Report 

The Directors of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia submit their report, together with the financial report of the Commonwealth 
Bank of Australia (the Bank) and of the Group, being the Bank and its controlled entities, for the year ended 30 June 2014. 

The  names  of  the  Directors  holding  office  during  the  financial  year  are  set  out  below,  together  with  details  of  Directors’ 
experience, qualifications and special responsibilities. 

David Turner, Chairman 

Director of the Bank since August 2006.   

  Other  Directorships:  Ashurst  Australia,  O’Connell  Street 

Associates Pty Ltd and Great Barrier Reef Foundation. 

Qualifications:  Fellow  of  the  Institute  of  Company  Directors, 
Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and 
Wales. 

Mr Turner is a resident of New South Wales. Age 69. 

David  Turner  was  appointed  Chairman  of  the  Bank  in 
February 2010. 

He  is  Chairman  of  the  Board  Performance  and  Renewal 
Committee,  and  a  member  of  the  Risk  Committee  and  the 
Remuneration Committee. 

Mr  Turner  has  extensive  experience  in  finance,  international 
business and governance. 

He  was  Chairman  of  Cobham  plc  from  May  2008  until  May 
2010.  He  has  held  a  number  of  Directorships  including 
Whitbread plc and the Iron Trades Insurance Group and has 
been  a  member  of  the  Quotations  Committee  of  the  London 
Stock Exchange. 

He was CEO of Brambles Limited from October 2003 until his 
retirement  in  June  2007,  and  formerly  CFO  from  2001  until 
2003. He was also Finance Director of GKN plc and Finance 
Director of Booker plc, and spent six years with Mobil Oil. 

Ian Narev, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer 

  Other  Directorships:  Commonwealth  Bank  Foundation 
(Chairman), and Financial Markets Foundation for Children. 

Qualifications: BA LLB (Hons) (Auckland), LLM (Cantab), LLM 
(NYU). 

Mr Narev is a resident of New South Wales. Age 47. 

Director of the Bank since December 2011. 

Ian  Narev  was  appointed  Managing  Director  and  Chief 
Executive Officer on 1 December 2011.  

He  was  a  member  of  the  Risk  Committee  during  the  2014 
financial year (ceased August 2014). 

Mr  Narev  joined  the  Group  in  May  2007.  From  then  until 
January  2009,  he  was  Group  Head  of  Strategy,  with 
responsibility  for  corporate  strategy  development,  mergers 
and  acquisitions  and  major  cross  business  strategic 
initiatives. 

From  January  2009  until  September  2011,  Mr  Narev  was 
Group  Executive,  Business  and  Private  Banking,  one  of  the 
Group’s six operating divisions. 

Prior  to  joining  CBA,  Mr  Narev  was  a  partner  of  McKinsey’s 
New  York,  Sydney  and  Auckland  offices  (1998  to  2007).  He 
became  a  global  partner  in  2003,  and  from  2005  until  his 
departure  in  2007  was  head  of  McKinsey’s  New  Zealand 
office.  Prior  to  joining  McKinsey,  Mr  Narev  was  a  lawyer 
specialising in mergers and acquisitions. 

Sir John Anderson, KBE 

Director of the Bank since March 2007. 

Sir  John  Anderson  is  a  member  of  the  Risk  Committee  and 
the Board Performance and Renewal Committee. He is also a 
member of the Audit Committee (from August 2014).  

  Other  Directorships:  PGG  Wrightson  Limited  (Chairman; 
ceased October 2013), NPT Limited (Chairman), Steel & Tube 
Holdings  Ltd  (Chairman  from  October  2012),  and  Turners  & 
Growers Limited (Deputy Chairman from December 2012).  

the  New  Zealand 

Qualifications:  Fellow  of 
Institute  of 
Chartered  Accountants,  Fellow  of  the  Institute  of  Financial 
Professionals New Zealand, Fellow of the Institute of Directors, 
and  Life  Member  of  the  Australian  Institute  of  Banking  and 
Finance. 

Sir John is a resident of Wellington, New Zealand. Age 69. 

industry, 

He  has  held  many  senior  positions  in  the  New  Zealand 
finance 
including  Chief  Executive  Officer  and 
Director  of  ANZ  National  Bank  Limited  from  2003  until  2005 
and  the  National  Bank  of  New  Zealand  Limited  from  1989 
until 2003. 

In  1994,  he  was  awarded  Knight  Commander  of  the  Civil 
Division  of  the  Order  of  the  British  Empire,  and  in  2005 
received 
“Outstanding 
Leadership  Contributions  to  New  Zealand”.  In  2012,  he  was 
awarded  an  Honorary  Doctorate  of  Commerce  by  Victoria 
University, Wellington. 

inaugural  Blake  Medal 

the 

for 

36  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

 
Directors’ Report 

Shirish Apte 

Director of the Bank since June 2014.  

Shirish Apte is a member of the Risk Committee and the Audit 
Committee. 

  Other  directorships:  Crompton Greaves  Ltd,  Citibank  Japan, 
and  member  of  the  Supervisory  Board  of  Citibank  Handlowy, 
Poland. 

He  was  Co-Chairman  of  Citi  Asia  Pacific  Banking  from 
January  2012  until  January  2014.  Previously  he  was  Chief 
Executive  Officer  of  Citi  Asia  Pacific  (2009  to  2011),  with 
responsibility 
including  Australia,  New 
Zealand, India and ASEAN countries. 

for  South  Asia, 

He has more than 32 years’ experience with Citi, including as 
CEO  of  Central  &  Eastern  Europe,  Middle  East  &  Africa 
(CEEMEA) and, before that, as Country Manager and Deputy 
President of Citibank Handlowy, Poland. 

Qualifications:  Chartered  Accountant,  Institute  of  Chartered 
Accountants  in  England  and  Wales;  Bachelor  of  Commerce 
(Calcutta), MBA (London Business School). 

Mr Apte is a resident of Singapore. Age 61. 

Jane Hemstritch 

Director of the Bank since October 2006.   

Jane Hemstritch is Chairman of the Remuneration Committee 
and a member of the Risk Committee. 

  Other directorships: Lend Lease Corporation Limited, Santos 
Ltd,  Tabcorp  Holdings  Ltd  and  Victorian  Opera  Company  Ltd 
(Chairman from February 2013). 

the 

Qualifications:  Fellow  of 
Institute  of  Chartered 
Accountants  in  England  and  Wales,  Fellow  of  the  Institute  of 
Chartered  Accountants 
in  Australia,  BSc  (Hons)  London 
University,  and  Fellow  of  the  Australian  Institute  of  Company 
Directors. 

Ms Hemstritch is a resident of Victoria. Age 60. 

She was Managing Director Asia Pacific for 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.  Ms Hemstritch had a 24 year career 
with  Accenture,  preceded  by  seven  years  in  the  accounting 
profession. 

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. 

Launa Inman 

Director of the Bank since March 2011.   

Launa Inman is a member of the Audit Committee and  (from 
August  2014)  the  Remuneration  Committee.  She  was  a 
member of the Risk Committee during the 2014 financial year 
(ceased August 2014). 

She  was  Managing  Director  and  Chief  Executive  Officer  of 
Billabong  International  Limited  from  14  May  2012  until 
2 August  2013.  Prior  to  this,  she  was  Managing  Director  of 
Target  Australia  Pty  Limited  (2005  to  2011),  and  Managing 
Director of Officeworks (2004 to 2005). 

She has significant international and Australian experience in 
retailing,  wholesale, property  and 
logistics,  as  well  as  
extensive  marketing  experience  in  traditional,  digital  and 
social media channels. 

  Other  directorships:  Managing  Director  of  Billabong 
International  Limited  (ceased  August  2013),  member  of  the 
Board  of  Virgin  Australia  Melbourne  Fashion  Festival  and  The 
Alannah and Madeline Foundation. 

Qualifications:  MCom,  University  of  South  Africa  (UNISA), 
BCom  (Hons)  (UNISA),  BCom  (Economics  and  Accounting) 
(UNISA),  and  Australian 
Institute  of  Company  Directors 
(Member). 

Ms Inman is a resident of Victoria. Age 58. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia - Annual Report 2014  37 

 
 
 
 
 
Directors’ Report 

Carolyn Kay 

Director of the Bank since March 2003.  

Carolyn  Kay  is  a  member  of  the  Audit  Committee  and  the 
Remuneration  Committee.  She  was  a  member  of  the  Risk 
Committee  during  the  2014  financial  year  (ceased  August 
2014). 

She  has  over  25  years’  experience  in  finance,  particularly  in 
International finance, including working as a banker and as a 
lawyer at Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan and Linklaters & Paines 
in  London,  New  York  and  Australia.  Through  her  executive 
and  non-executive  career,  she  has  had  experience  across  a 
broad range of sectors including mining, healthcare, logistics, 
infrastructure,  banking  and  finance,  funds  management, 
packaging, beverages and government. 

  Other  directorships:  Allens  Linklaters,  Brambles  Limited, 
Infrastructure NSW (ceased May 2014), John Swire & Sons Pty 
Limited and Sydney Institute. 

Qualifications:  BA  (Melb),  LLB  (Melb),  GDM  (AGSM),  and 
Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. 

Ms Kay is a resident of New South Wales. Age 53. 

Brian Long 

Director of the Bank since September 2010.  

Brian  Long  is  Chairman  of  the  Audit  Committee  and  a 
member of the Risk Committee.  

He  retired  as  a  partner  of  Ernst  &  Young  on  30 June 2010. 
Until  that  time  he  was  the  Chairman  of  both  the  Ernst  & 
Young  Global  Advisory  Council  and  the  Oceania  Area 
Advisory Council. He was one of the firm’s most experienced 
audit  partners  with  over  30  years’  experience  in  serving  as 
audit  signing  partner  on  major  Australian  public  companies 
including  those  in  the  financial  services,  property,  insurance 
and media sectors. 

Andrew Mohl 

  Other  directorships:  Cantarella  Bros.  Pty  Ltd,  Ten  Network 
Holdings Limited (Deputy Chairman) and Brambles Limited.  

Qualifications:  Fellow  of 
Accountants in Australia. 

the 

Institute  of  Chartered 

Mr Long is a resident of New South Wales. Age 68. 

Director of the Bank since July 2008.  

  Other directorships: Federal Government Export Finance and 

Andrew  Mohl  is  a  member  of  the  Risk  Committee  and  the 
Remuneration Committee.  

Insurance Corporation (Efic) (Chairman). 

Qualifications: BEc (Hons), Monash. 

Mr Mohl is a resident of New South Wales. Age 58. 

He has over 35 years’ financial services experience. He was 
Managing  Director  and  Chief  Executive  Officer  of  AMP 
Limited from October 2002 until December 2007.  

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

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

Harrison Young 

Director of the Bank since February 2007.  

  Other directorships: Nil. 

Qualifications:  A.B  (Cum  Laude)  Harvard,  LLD  (Honoris 
Causa), Monash. 

Mr Young is a resident of Victoria. Age 69. 

Harrison  Young  is  Chairman  of  the  Risk  Committee  and  a 
member of the Audit  Committee and the Board Performance 
and Renewal Committee. 

He  was Chairman of NBN Co Limited from March 2010 until 
March 2013. Previously he was a Director and Member of the 
Financial Stability Committee of the Bank of England (2009 to 
2012), Chairman of Morgan Stanley Australia (2003 to 2007), 
and Vice Chairman of Morgan Stanley Asia (1998 to 2003).  

Prior  to  that,  Mr  Young  spent  two  years  in  Beijing  as  Chief 
Executive  Officer  of  China  International  Capital  Corporation. 
From 1991  until 1994, he was a senior officer of the Federal 
Deposit Insurance Corporation in Washington. 

38  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

 
Other Directorships 

The Directors held the following directorships in other listed companies in the three years prior to the end of the 2014 financial 
year: 

Directors’ Report 

Director 

Company 

Jane Hemstritch 

Tabcorp Holdings Limited 

Santos Limited 

Lend Lease Corporation Limited 

Billabong International Limited 

Brambles Limited 

Ten Network Holdings Limited 

Brambles Limited 

Launa Inman 

Carolyn Kay 

Brian Long 

Directors’ Meetings 

Date of Ceasing 

Date Appointed 

(if applicable) 

13/11/2008 

16/02/2010 

01/09/2011 

14/05/2012 

02/08/2013 

21/08/2006 

01/07/2010 

01/07/2014 

The number of Directors’ meetings (including meetings of committees of Directors) and the number of meetings attended by each 
of the Directors during the financial year were: 

Director 

David Turner 

Ian Narev 

John Anderson 
Shirish Apte (2) 

Jane Hemstritch 

Launa Inman 

Carolyn Kay 

Brian Long 

Andrew Mohl 

Harrison Young 

No. of Meetings 
Held (1) 

No. of Meetings 

Attended 

8 

8 

8 

1 

8 

8 

8 

8 

8 

8 

8 

8 

8 

1 

8 

8 

8 

7 

8 

7 

(1)  The number of meetings held during the time the Director was a member of the Board and was eligible to attend. 
(2)  Shirish Apte appointed a Director effective 10 June 2014. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia - Annual Report 2014  39 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Directors’ Report 

Committee Meetings 

Director 

David Turner 

Ian Narev 

John Anderson 
Shirish Apte(2) 

Jane Hemstritch 

Launa Inman 

Carolyn Kay 

Brian Long 

Andrew Mohl 

Harrison Young 

Director 

David Turner 

John Anderson 

Harrison Young 

Risk Committee 

Audit Committee 

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 

8 

8 

8 

1 

8 

8 

8 

8 

8 

8 

8 

8 

8 

1 

7 

8 

8 

8 

8 

7 

- 

- 

- 

1 

- 

8 

8 

8 

- 

8 

- 

- 

- 

1 

- 

8 

8 

8 

- 

7 

7 

- 

- 

- 

7 

- 

7 

- 

7 

- 

7 

- 

- 

- 

7 

- 

7 

- 

6 

- 

Board Performance and Renewal 
Committee 

No. of Meetings 
Held (1) 

No. of Meetings 

Attended 

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

6 

(1)  The number of meetings held during the time the Director was a member of the relevant committee. 
(2)  Shirish Apte appointed a Director effective 10 June 2014. 

New Director commencing 1 September 2014 

Consolidated Profit 

Sir David Higgins will join the Board on 1 September 2014. 

Sir  David  is  currently  the  Chairman  of  High  Speed  Two 
(HS2)  Ltd,  the  company  responsible  for  developing  and 
promoting  the  UK’s  new  high  speed  rail  network.  Prior  to 
that, he was Chief Executive of Network Rail Infrastructure 
Ltd which is involved in the maintenance and development 
of railway infrastructure throughout the UK. 

From  2006  until  2011,  he  was  Chief  Executive  of  the 
Olympic  Delivery  Authority  where  he  oversaw  the  creation 
of  the  London  2012  Olympic  Games  venues,  the  Olympic 
Village and transport projects.  

For the three years prior to 2005, he was Chief Executive of 
English  Partnerships, 
the  UK  Government’s  national 
housing and regeneration agency. In 1985, he joined Lend 
Lease,  and  was  Managing  Director  and  Chief  Executive 
Officer of Lend Lease from 1995 until 2002. 

Qualifications:  Bachelor  of  Engineering  (Civil),  USyd, 
Diploma, Securities Institute of Australia. 

Sir David is a resident of London, United Kingdom. Age 59. 

Principal Activities 

The  Group  is  one  of  Australia’s  leading  providers  of 
integrated  financial services,  including  retail,  business  and 
institutional  banking,  funds  management,  superannuation, 
life  insurance,  general  insurance,  broking  services  and 
finance company activities. 

The  Group  conducts  its  operations  primarily  in  Australia, 
New  Zealand  and  the  Asia  Pacific  region.  It  also  operates 
in  a  number  of  other  countries  including  the  United 
Kingdom and the United States. 

There have been no significant changes in the nature of the 
principal activities of the Group during the financial year. 

40  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

The Group’s net profit after income tax and non-controlling 
interests  for  the  year  ended  30 June 2014  was  $8,631 
million (2013: $7,618 million). 

The  Group’s  vision  is  to  excel  at  securing  and  enhancing 
the 
financial  wellbeing  of  people,  businesses  and 
communities.  The  long  term  strategies  that  the  Group  has 
pursued  to  achieve  this  vision  have  delivered  consistent 
high  rates  of  customer  satisfaction  and  another  strong 
financial result. 

Operating  income  growth  remained  strong  across  the 
Retail,  Wealth  and  New  Zealand  businesses.  Business 
banking  revenue  reflected  the  modest  level  of  domestic 
credit  growth  and  continued  competitive  pressure  on 
domestic deposit margins. 

increased  due 

to  underlying 
Operating  expenses 
inflationary  pressures,  the  impact  of  foreign  exchange  and 
higher  levels  of  software  amortisation  and  impairment, 
partly  offset  by  the  incremental  benefit  generated  from 
productivity initiatives. 

Loan  impairment  expense  decreased  due  to  the  relatively 
benign  corporate  and  commercial  loan  loss  environment. 
Provisioning  levels  remain  prudent  and  there  has  been  no 
change made to economic overlays. 

Dividends 

The Directors have determined a fully franked (at 30%) final 
dividend  of  218  cents  per  share  amounting 
to 
$3,534 million.  The  dividend  will  be  payable  on 
2 October 2014 to shareholders on the register at 5pm EST 
on 21 August 2014. 

Dividends  paid  in  the  year  ended  30  June  2014  were  as 
follows: 

 
 
 
 
 
 

 

In  respect  of  the  year  to  30  June  2013,  a  fully  franked 
final  dividend  of  200  cents  per  share  amounting  to 
$3,224  million  was  paid  on  3  October  2013.  The 
payment  comprised  direct  cash  disbursements.  The 
Dividend Reinvestment Plan (DRP) in respect of the final 
dividend was satisfied in full by the on market purchase 
of shares; and 

In  respect  of  the  year  to  30  June  2014,  a  fully  franked 
interim  dividend  of  183  cents  per  share  amounting  to 
$2,950  million  was  paid  on  3  April  2014.  The  payment 
comprised direct cash disbursements. 

Review of Operations 

An  analysis  of  operations  for  the  financial  year  is  set  out  in 
the Highlights and Group Performance Analysis sections. 

Changes in State of Affairs 

The  Group  continues  to  make  progress  against  each  of  the 
key  strategic  priorties  in  pursuit  of  our  vision  to  secure  and 
enhance  the  financial  wellbeing  of  people,  businesses  and 
communities.  Further  information  is  contained  in  the  Chief 
Executive Officer’s Statement and the strong progress made 
is  evidenced  by 
the  Money 
Magazine Award for “Bank of the Year”. 

the  Group  again  winning 

There have been no significant changes in the state of affairs 
of the Group during the financial year. 

Events Subsequent to Balance Sheet Date 

The Bank expects the DRP for the final dividend for the year 
ended  30  June  2014  will  be satisfied  in full  by  an  on market 
purchase  and 
transfer  of  shares  of  approximately 
$884 million. 

The  Directors  are  not  aware  of  any  other  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. 

Business Strategies and Future Developments 

Business Strategies 

Business  strategies,  prospects  and  future  developments 
which  may  affect  the  operations of  the  Group  in  subsequent 
in  the  Chief  Executive  Officer’s 
years  are  referred 
Statement. 

to 

In  the  opinion  of  the  Directors,  disclosure  of  any  further 
information  on 
likely  strategic  developments  would  be 
unreasonably prejudicial to the interests of the Group. 

Accommodation Strategy 

Following  on  from  the  success  of  Activity  Based  Working 
(ABW)  at  Commonwealth  Bank  Place 
in  Sydney  and 
Bankwest Place in Perth, the Group has now established an 
ABW workplace at North Wharf, Auckland for ASB. 

The  consolidation  of  the  Group’s  Melbourne  commercial 
portfolio  to  two  buildings  on  Collins  Street  in  the  Melbourne 
CBD  was  completed  this  year,  with  the  opening  of  the 
Group’s newest workplace at 727 Collins Street. The Group’s 
new workplace in Adelaide was also completed this year and 
work  continues  in  Perth  to  consolidate  the  commercial 
portfolio into Bankwest Place as opportunities arise. 

Further opportunities to improve the workplace experience for 
employees will continue to be explored. 

Environmental Reporting 

The  Group  is  subject  to  the  Federal  Government’s  National 
Greenhouse  and  Energy  Reporting  (NGER)  scheme.  The 

Directors’ Report 

scheme  makes  it  mandatory  for  controlling  corporations  to 
report  annually  on  greenhouse  gas  emissions,  energy 
production  and  energy  consumption,  if  they  exceed  certain 
threshold  levels.  As  a  result  of  a  long  history  in  voluntary 
environmental reporting, the Group is well placed to meet the 
NGER requirements. 

to 

is  also  subject 

The  Group 
the  Energy  Efficiency 
Opportunities  Act  2006  (EEO  Act),  which  encourages  large 
energy-using  businesses  to  improve  their  energy  efficiency. 
As  required  by  the  EEO  Act,  the  Group  produced  a  public 
report  annually,  as  well  as  reporting  directly  to  Government 
when  required.  The  Government  has  since  decided  to  close 
the EEO Program, with effect from 29 June 2014. 
The Group is not subject to any other particular or significant 
the 
environmental 
Commonwealth  or  of  a  State  or  Territory,  but  can  incur 
environmental liabilities as a lender. The Group has a number 
of  policies 
is  managed 
to  ensure 
appropriately. 

regulation 

in  place 

the  risk 

under 

any 

law 

of 

Directors’ Shareholdings and Options 

Particulars  of  shares  held  by  Directors  and  the  Chief 
Executive  Officer  in  the  Commonwealth  Bank  or  in  a  related 
body  corporate  are  set  out  in  the  Financial  Statements  that 
accompany this report. 

No  options  have  previously  been  granted  to  the  Directors  or 
Chief Executive Officer. 

Options Outstanding 

As at the date of this Report there are no options outstanding 
in relation to Commonwealth Bank ordinary shares.  

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. 

Directors’ and Officers’ Indemnity 

The Directors, as named on pages 36 to 38 of this report, and 
the Secretaries of the Bank, being named on page 42 of this 
the  Constitution  of 
Report,  are 
Commonwealth Bank of Australia (the Constitution), as are all 
senior managers of the Bank. 

indemnified  under 

Deeds  of  Indemnity  have  been  executed  by  the  Bank, 
consistent with the  Constitution, in favour of each Director of 
the Bank. 

An  Indemnity  Deed  Poll  has  been  executed  by  the  Bank, 
consistent with the Constitution and to the extent permitted by 
law, in favour of each: 

 

 

 

 

secretary and senior manager of the Bank; 

director, secretary and senior manager of a related body 
corporate of the Bank; 

person who, at the prior formal request of the Bank, acts 
as  director,  secretary  or  senior  manager  of  a  body 
corporate  which  is  not  a  related  body  corporate  of  the 
Bank  (in  which  case  the  indemnity  operates  only  in  
excess  of  protection  provided  by  that  body  corporate); 
and 

person who, at the request of a related body corporate of 
the  Bank,  acts  as  a  member  of 
the  compliance 
committee  of  a  registered  scheme  for  which  the  related 
body corporate of the Bank is the responsible entity. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia - Annual Report 2014  41 

 
Corporate Governance Statement 

The  Bank  is  committed  to  ensuring  that  its  policies  and 
practices  reflect  a  high  standard  of  corporate  governance.  
The  Board  has  adopted  a  comprehensive  framework  of 
Corporate  Governance  Guidelines,  designed  to  balance 
performance and conformance.  

Throughout  the  2014  financial  year,  the  Bank’s  governance 
arrangements  were 
the  Corporate 
Governance  Principles  and  Recommendations  (3rd  edition) 
published by the ASX Corporate Governance Council. 

consistent  with 

The Group’s Corporate Governance Statement can be 
viewed at: 

www.commbank.com.au/about-us/shareholders/corporate-
profile/corporate-governance. 

Company Secretaries 

Details  of  the  Bank’s  Company  Secretaries,  including  their 
experience and qualifications, are set out below. 

Margaret Taylor was appointed Group Company Secretary of 
the  Bank  effective  6  August  2013.  Before  joining  the  Bank, 
she  held  the  position  of  Group  General  Counsel  and 
Company  Secretary  of  Boral  Limited.  Prior  to  that,  she  was 
Regional  Counsel  Australia/Asia  with  BHP  Billiton,  and  prior 
to  that  a  partner  with  law  firm  Minter  Ellison,  specialising  in 
corporate and securities laws. She holds Bachelor Degrees in 
Law (Hons) and Arts from the University of Queensland.  She 
is  a  Fellow  of  the  Governance  Institute  of  Australia  and  a 
Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. 

Carla  Collingwood  was  appointed  a  Company  Secretary  of 
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 the Governance 
Institute  of  Australia.  She  is  a  Graduate  of  the  Australian 
Institute of Company Directors. 

Directors’ Report 

In the case of a partly-owned subsidiary of the Bank, where a 
director,  secretary  or  senior  manager  of  that  entity  is  a 
nominee of a third party body corporate which is not a related 
body corporate of the Bank, the Indemnity Deed Poll will not 
apply to that person unless the Bank's CEO has certified that 
the indemnity will apply to that person. 

Directors’ and Officers’ Insurance 

The  Bank  has,  during  the  financial  year,  paid  an  insurance 
premium  in  respect  of  an  insurance  policy  for  the  benefit  of 
the  Bank  and  those  named  and  referred  to  above  including 
the  directors,  secretaries,  officers  and  certain  employees  of 
the  Bank  and  related  bodies  corporate  as  defined  in  the 
insurance  policy.  The  insurance  is  appropriate  pursuant  to 
section  199B  of  the  Corporations  Act  2001  (Corporations 
Act).  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. 

Proceedings on behalf of the Bank 

No  application  has  been  made  under  section  237  of  the 
Corporations  Act  in  respect  of  the  Bank,  and  there  are  no 
proceedings  that  a  person  has  brought  or  intervened  in  on 
behalf of the Bank under that section. 

Rounding and Presentation of Amounts 

The  Bank  is  of  the  kind  of  entity  referred  to  in  ASIC  Class 
Order 98/100 (as amended) pursuant to section 341(1) of the 
Corporations Act. 

As  a  result,  amounts  in  this  Directors’  Report  and  the 
accompanying financial statements have been rounded to the 
nearest million dollars except where otherwise indicated. 

The  financial  information  included  in  this  Annual  Report, 
unless otherwise indicated, has been prepared and presented 
in  accordance  with  Australian  Accounting  Standards.  This 
ensures  compliance  with  International  Financial  Reporting 
Standards. 

The Group manages its business performance using a “cash 
basis”  profit  measure.  The  key  items  that  are  excluded  from 
statutory  profit  for  this  purpose  are  non-recurring  or  not 
considered  representative  of  the  Group’s  ongoing  financial 
performance. Profit on an “underlying basis” is used primarily 
in  the  Wealth  Management  businesses.  It  provides  a  profit 
measure that excludes both the volatility of equity markets on 
shareholder funds and the mark to market revaluations on the 
Guaranteed Annuity portfolio for a measure of core operating 
performance.

42  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

 
Directors’ Report – Remuneration Report 

Message from the Remuneration Committee Chairman 

Dear Shareholder, 

2014  was  another  year  of  strong  performance  as  the  Group 
continued to deliver on its strategy to create long  term value 
for our customers, shareholders, people and community. The 
Group  had  its  highest  ever  levels  of  customer  satisfaction, 
maintaining  the  number  one  position  in  retail  customer 
satisfaction throughout the year. Shareholders benefited from 
record  profits  and  dividends  and  a  historically  high  share 
price.  In  addition,  more  progress  was  made  in  driving 
productivity and strategic growth. 

The  year’s  strong  performance  resulted 
in  executives 
receiving above-target short term incentive awards.  However 
we acknowledge that the quality of advice provided by some 
of  our  licensed  advisers  in  past  years  has  caused  financial 
loss and distress for some of our customers. This has been a 
matter  of  intense  public  scrutiny  through  the  year,  with 
extensive  coverage  in  the  Senate  Committee’s  inquiry  into 
ASIC, following which the Group announced the Open Advice 
Review  program.  The  Remuneration  Committee  has  given 
serious  consideration  to  the  continuing  impact  of  this  issue.  
In  consequence  it  has  exercised  its  discretion  to  reduce  the 
CEO’s  short  term  incentive  outcome  to  115%,  or  $515,000 
below  what it would otherwise have been,  with the quality of 
the  Group’s  results.  There  have  also  been  reductions 
associated  with  this  issue  for  some  Group  Executives  this 
year, as there have been in past years. 

These discretionary adjustments show our policy operating in 
practice; balancing reward for superior performance  over the 
year  with  consequences  for  relevant  executives  for  issues 
that have seriously affected some customers. 

Reflecting  strong  sustained 
financial  performance  and 
improved  customer  satisfaction  over  the  last  four  years,  the 
long term incentive awarded in 2010 vested at just under 97% 
of the maximum level. 

During  the  2014  financial  year,  the  CEO  and  some  Group 
Executives  received  modest  fixed  remuneration  increases. 
There were no increases to Board or Committee fees paid to 
Non-Executive Directors. 

The  Committee’s  approach  to  remuneration  has  remained 
largely unchanged for the last few years, and has served the 
Group’s  shareholders  well.  This  year,  we  enhanced  our 
already  strong  remuneration  framework  by  implementing  a 
mandatory shareholding requirement for the CEO and Group 
Executives to further strengthen alignment with shareholders. 
There  are  no  changes  proposed 
to  our  executive 
remuneration framework for the 2015 financial year. 

Effective governance is important, so in preparing this year’s 
Remuneration  Report,  we  have  maintained  our  approach  in 
providing relevant performance and remuneration information. 
Above  all,  this  enables  you  to  assess  the  linkages  between 
remuneration,  execution  of  the  Group’s  strategy  and  Group 
performance. 

I  invite  you  to  review  the  full  report,  and  thank  you  for  your 
interest.  

Jane Hemstritch 

Committee Chairman 

12 August 2014 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia - Annual Report 2014  43 

 
 
 
Directors’ Report – Remuneration Report 

2014 Remuneration Report 

This Remuneration Report details the approach to remuneration frameworks, outcomes and performance, for the Commonwealth 
Bank of Australia (CBA) and its Key Management Personnel (KMP) for the year ended 30 June 2014. 

In the 2014 financial year, KMP included the Non-Executive Directors, CEO and Group Executives listed in the table below. The 
table also includes movements during 2014. The key changes to the Executive team included: 
 

Ian Saines ceased as a KMP effective 15 December 2013; and 

 

Kelly  Bayer  Rosmarin  was  appointed  to  the  role  of  Group  Executive,  Institutional  Banking  and  Markets  from 
16 December 2013. 

The report has been prepared and audited against the disclosure requirements of the Corporations Act 2001. 

44  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

NamePositionTerm as KMPNon-Executive DirectorsDavid TurnerChairman Full YearJohn AndersonDirectorFull YearShirish ApteDirector (from 10 June 2014)Part YearJane HemstritchDirectorFull YearLauna InmanDirectorFull YearCarolyn KayDirectorFull YearBrian LongDirectorFull YearAndrew MohlDirectorFull YearHarrison YoungDirectorFull YearManaging Director and CEOIan Narev Managing Director and CEOFull YearGroup ExecutivesKelly Bayer RosmarinGroup Executive, Institutional Banking and Markets (from 16 December 2013)Part YearSimon BlairGroup Executive, International Financial ServicesFull YearDavid CohenGroup General Counsel and Group Executive, Group Corporate AffairsFull YearMatthew ComynGroup Executive, Retail Banking Services Full YearDavid CraigGroup Executive, Financial Services and Chief Financial OfficerFull YearMichael HarteGroup Executive, Enterprise Services and Chief Information OfficerFull YearRobert JesudasonGroup Executive, Group Strategic DevelopmentFull YearMelanie LaingGroup Executive, Human ResourcesFull YearGrahame PetersenGroup Executive, Business and Private BankingFull YearAnnabel SpringGroup Executive, Wealth ManagementFull YearAlden ToevsGroup Chief Risk OfficerFull YearFormer ExecutiveIan SainesGroup Executive, Institutional Banking and Markets (resigned on 15 December 2013)Part Year 
  
Directors’ Report – Remuneration Report 

1.  Remuneration Governance 

1.1 Remuneration Committee 

The  Remuneration  Committee  (the  Committee)  is  the  main 
governing  body  for  setting  remuneration  policy  across  the 
remuneration 
Group.  The  Committee  develops 
philosophy, framework and policies, for Board approval. 

the 

As  at  30  June  2014,  the  Committee  is  made  up  of 
independent  Non-Executive  Directors  and  consists  of  the 
following members: 
 

Jane Hemstritch (Chairman); 

 

 

 

Carolyn Kay; 

Andrew Mohl; and  

David Turner. 

is  available  on 

The  responsibilities  of  the  Committee  are  outlined  in  their 
Charter,  which  is  reviewed  annually  by  the  Board.  The 
Charter 
the  Group’s  website  at 
https://www.commbank.com.au/about-us.html. 
In summary, the Committee is responsible for recommending 
to the Board for approval: 
 

Remuneration  for  senior  executive  appointments,  and 
appointments  where  the  remuneration  target  of  the 
their 
that  of 
individual  exceeds 
business/support unit; 

the  head  of 

 

 

 

 

Remuneration  arrangements  and  all  reward  outcomes 
for the CEO, senior direct reports to the CEO and other 
individuals  whose 
financial 
soundness of the Group; 

roles  may  affect 

the 

Remuneration  arrangements 
internal control employees;  

for 

finance, 

risk  and 

Remuneration arrangements for employees who have a 
significant  portion  of  their  total  remuneration  based  on 
performance; and 

Significant changes in remuneration policy and structure, 
including  superannuation,  employee  equity  plans  and 
benefits. 

This year, the Committee’s key areas of focus were: 
 

The appointment of Kelly Bayer Rosmarin in the role of 
Group  Executive,  Institutional  Banking  and  Markets, 
effective 16 December 2013, following the resignation of 
Ian Saines; 

 

 

 

 

 

The appointment of David Whiteing in the role of Group 
Executive,  Enterprise  Services  and  Chief  Information 
Officer,  effective  14  July  2014, following  the  resignation 
of Michael Harte; 

The implementation of a mandatory Shareholding Policy 
for the CEO and Group Executives;  

review  confirmed 

A  review  of  Long  Term  Incentive  (LTI)  performance 
the  current 
hurdles.  This 
performance  hurdles  are  appropriately  aligned  with  the 
Group’s business strategy and shareholder interests and 
no changes were made; 

that 

The annual review of the Group Remuneration Policy in 
December 2013, and a subsequent review in June 2014 
to  incorporate  changes  to  United  Kingdom  regulatory 
requirements; 

Continued  monitoring  of  regulatory  and 
legislative 
changes, both locally and offshore, ensuring our policies 
and practices remain compliant; and 

 

focus  on  embedding  a 
Continued 
is  appropriate 
framework 
that 
businesses  with 
transparency 
governance and risk oversight. 

remuneration 
for  our  different 
in  design,  strong 

Our Independent Remuneration Consultant  

The  Committee  obtains  executive  remuneration  information 
directly from its external independent remuneration consultant 
EY. 
Throughout  2014,  the  main  information  received  from  the 
Committee’s remuneration consultant related to: 
 

Regulatory reforms; and 

 

Current market practices. 

EY  provides  information  to  assist  the  Committee  in  making 
remuneration  decisions.  EY  has not  made  any  remuneration 
decisions or recommendations during the 2014 financial year. 
The  Committee  is  solely  responsible  for  making  decisions 
within the terms of its Charter. 

1.2 Our Remuneration Philosophy 

the  backbone  of  our 
Our  remuneration  philosophy 
In 
remuneration 
summary,  our  remuneration  philosophy  for  our  CEO  and 
Group Executives is to: 

framework,  policies  and  processes. 

is 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Provide target remuneration which is market competitive, 
without putting upward pressure on the market;  

Align  rewards  with  shareholder 
business strategy;  

interests  and  our 

Articulate  clearly 
individual  and  Group  performance,  and 
reward;  

to  Executives 

the 

link  between 
individual 

Reward  superior  performance,  while  managing  risks 
associated  with  delivering  and  measuring 
that 
performance;  

Provide flexibility to meet changing needs and emerging 
market practice; and  

Provide  appropriate  benefits  on  termination  that  do  not 
deliver  any  windfall  payments  not 
to 
performance. 

related 

1.3 Remuneration and Risk Management  

The  Committee  has  a  robust  framework  for  the  systematic 
review of risk and compliance issues impacting remuneration. 
The Committee: 

 

 

Takes  note  of  any  material  risk 
impacting 
remuneration,  with  issues  raised  by  the  Committee 
provided to the Board’s Risk Committee for noting; 

issues 

Considers  issues  and  recommendations  raised  by  the 
Risk  and  Remuneration  Review  Committee,  a 
management  committee  that  monitors  material  risk  and 
compliance issues throughout the year; 

  May  impose  adjustments  to  remuneration  outcomes  of 
Executives  before  or  after  awards  are  made,  subject  to 
Board approval; and 

  Works  closely  with  the  Board’s  Risk  Committee  to 
ensure  that  any  risks  associated  with  remuneration 
arrangements  are  managed  within  the  Group’s  risk 
management framework. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia - Annual Report 2014  45 

 
 
 
Directors’ Report – Remuneration Report 

1.3 Remuneration and Risk Management (continued) 

2.  Remuneration Framework 

The following diagram illustrates the Group’s remuneration 
and risk governance framework: 

1.4 Non-Executive Directors Remuneration 

Non-Executive  Directors  receive  fees  to  recognise  their 
contribution  to  the  work  of  the  Board  and  the  associated 
committees  that  they  serve.  Non-Executive  Directors  do  not 
receive any performance-related remuneration. 

The Board Performance and Renewal Committee reviews the 
Non-Executive Directors fee schedule regularly and examines 
fee levels against the market. No fee increases were awarded 
during the 2014 financial year. 

Since  1  January  2013,  Non-Executive  Directors  fees  have 
included statutory superannuation contributions. 

The following table outlines the Non-Executive Directors fees 
for the main Board and the Committees as at 30 June 2014: 

(1)  Fees  are  inclusive  of  base  fees  and  superannuation.  The  Chairman 

does not receive separate Committee fees. 

Non-Executive  Directors  are  required  to  hold  5,000  or  more 
CBA  shares.  For  those  Non-Executive  Directors  who  have 
holdings below this threshold, 20% of their after-tax base fees 
are  used  to  purchase  CBA  shares  until  a  holding  of  5,000 
shares has been reached. 
The  total  amount  of  Non-Executive  Directors  fees  is  capped 
at  a  maximum  pool  that  is  approved  by  shareholders.  The 
current fee pool remains at $4 million, which was approved by 
shareholders  at  the  Annual  General  Meeting  (AGM)  on 
13 November 2008.  

The  statutory  table  on  page  55  provides  the  individual 
remuneration  expense  for  each  Non-Executive  Director  in 
relation to the 2014 financial year. 

46  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

The  remuneration  arrangements  of  our  CEO  and  Group 
Executives  are  made  up  of  both 
risk 
remuneration.  This  is  composed  of  the  following  three 
elements: 

fixed  and  at 

 

 

 

Fixed remuneration; 

Short Term Incentive (STI) at Risk; and 

Long Term Incentive (LTI) at Risk. 

The  at  risk  components  are  based  on  performance  against 
key  financial  and  non-financial  measures.  More  detail  on 
executive  remuneration  and  the  link  to  performance  is 
included in section 3 of this report. 

2.1 Total Target Remuneration 

The  following  diagram  illustrates  the  total  target  mix  of  the 
three remuneration elements: 

The three remuneration elements are broken down into equal 
portions of total target remuneration.  

When setting target remuneration levels, our key objective is 
to  remain  competitive  by  attracting  and  retaining  highly 
talented  Executives. We  do  this  by  considering  the  size  and 
responsibilities  of  each  role,  using  any  relevant  executive 
remuneration market surveys and disclosed data. 

Importantly, for our most senior roles, we aim to avoid adding 
upward reward pressure to market remuneration levels. 

Each  component  of  remuneration  has  a  direct  link  to  our 
business strategy as detailed below. 

2.2 Fixed Remuneration 

 

 

 

Fixed  remuneration  is  made  up  of  base  remuneration 
and  superannuation.  Base  remuneration  includes  cash 
salary and any salary sacrifice items; 

The  Board  determines  an  appropriate  level  of  fixed 
remuneration  for  the  CEO  and  Group  Executives,  with 
recommendations from the Committee; and 

Fixed  remuneration  is  reviewed  annually,  following  the 
end  of  the  30  June  performance  year.  For  the  2014 
financial  year  the  average  fixed  remuneration  increase 
for Executives was 1.4%. 

2.3 Short Term Incentive 

 

 

 

The CEO and Group Executives have an STI target that 
is equal to 100% of their fixed remuneration. Executives 
will  only  receive  the  full  amount  if  they  meet  all  of  their 
performance goals; 

The  CEO  and  Group  Executives  have  a  maximum  STI 
potential of 150% of their STI target. No STI awards will 
be made if the relevant performance goals are not met; 

Executives  receive  50%  of  their  STI  payment  as  cash 
following  the  Group’s  year-end  results.  The  remaining

Remuneration CommitteeRisk & Remuneration Review CommitteeMonitoring and reporting of Group risk & compliance issuesIndependent RemunerationConsultantCBA BoardRisk CommitteePositionFees (1)($)BoardChairman849,800Non-Executive Director 236,400Audit CommitteeChairman56,300Member28,100Risk CommitteeChairman56,300Member28,100RemunerationChairman56,300CommitteeMember28,100Board Performance & Chairman11,300Renewal CommitteeMember11,3001/31/31/350% STI Deferred for 12 months50% STI Cash paidFixedRemuneration100% LTI Deferred for 4 years 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
Directors’ Report – Remuneration Report 

 

 

 

50% of the STI payment is deferred for one year and 
earns interest at the CBA one year term deposit rate; 

The  CEO  and  Group  Executives  will  forfeit  the 
deferred  portion  of  their  STI  if  they  resign  or  are 
dismissed  from  the  Group  before  the  end  of  the 
the  Board  determines 
deferral  period,  unless 
otherwise; 

The deferral assists in managing the risk of losing key 
Executive talent. It also allows the Board to reduce or 
cancel  the  deferred  component  of  the  STI  where 
business  outcomes  are  materially 
than 
expected; and 

lower 

STI payments are made within a funding cap which is 
determined  by 
the  Board  after  consideration  of 
performance in the year. The Board retains discretion 
to  adjust  remuneration  outcomes  up  or  down  to 
ensure  consistency  with  the  Group’s  remuneration 
philosophy  and  to  prevent  any  inappropriate  reward 
outcomes.  

See  section  3.1  for  more  detail  on  STI  outcomes  and  the 
link to performance. 

2.4 Long Term Incentive 

 

The CEO and each Group Executive has an LTI target 
that is equal to 100% of their fixed remuneration; 

3.  Linking Remuneration to Performance 

 

 

 

 

 

The  LTI  award  has  a  four  year  performance  period 
and  is  measured  against  relative  Total  Shareholder 
Return  (TSR)  and  relative  Customer  Satisfaction 
performance hurdles; 

The  performance  hurdles  are  aligned  to  our  key 
business  priorities  of  Customer  Focus  and 
shareholder interests; 

Executives  only  receive  value  if  performance  hurdles 
are  met  at  the  end  of  the  four  years,  subject  to  final 
Board review; 

Executives 
equivalent) for each right that vests; and 

receive  one  CBA  share 

(or  cash 

No dividends are paid while LTI awards are unvested. 

See  section  3.2  for  more  detail  on  how  the  LTI  award 
operates and its direct link to performance outcomes. 

2.5 Mandatory Shareholding Policy 

 

The  CEO  and  each  Group  Executive  are  required  to 
accumulate CBA shares over a five year period to the 
value of 300% of fixed remuneration for the CEO and 
200% of fixed remuneration for Group Executives. 

The remuneration framework is designed to attract and retain high calibre Executives by rewarding them for achieving goals that 
are aligned to the Group’s business strategy. All our incentives are directly linked to both short term and long term performance 
goals. 

3.1 2014 Short Term Performance 

The table below provides an overview of performance  for the year ended 30 June 2014 against key financial and non-financial 
performance  measures.  These  measures  are  used  to  determine  the  individual  STI  outcomes  of  Executives,  and  are  managed 
through a balanced scorecard approach. Financial objectives have a substantial weighting, and non-financial objectives vary by 
role. The CEO has a 40% weighting on financial outcomes, Executives managing business units typically have a 45% weighting 
on financial outcomes and Executives managing support functions have a typical weighting of 25% on financial outcomes. 

Risk  is  also  a  key  factor  in  accounting  for  short  term  performance.  Firstly,  we  use  Profit  After  Capital  Charge,  a  risk-adjusted 
measure,  as  one  of  our  primary  measures  of  financial  performance.  It  takes  into  account  not  just  the  profit  achieved,  but  also 
considers the risk to capital that was taken to achieve it. Secondly, Executives are required to comply with the relevant Group or 
Business Unit Risk Appetite Statement. STI awards are adjusted downwards where material risk issues occur. Thirdly, risk is also 
managed through the compulsory 50% deferral of the CEO and Group Executives’ STI outcomes for a period of 12 months and 
delivery of one-third of their total target remuneration after a four year period. 

Under  the  Group’s  Remuneration  Policy,  the  Board  has  discretion  to  make  adjustments  to  deferred  remuneration  in  various 
circumstances. Adjustments can include partial reductions or complete forfeiture of deferred STI awards. 

Performance 

2014 Key Achievements 

Customer Focus  Continue to build a vibrant customer focused culture 

The  Group’s  continued  commitment  to  its  customer  focused  culture  resulted  in  the  Group  maintaining  the 
number one major bank for customer satisfaction across all business areas. Specifically: 

 

 

For Retail Banking, CBA maintained the number one ranking among the major banks in Main Financial 
Institution (MFI) customer satisfaction(1) for the entire financial year. During this time, CBA also achieved 
the  highest  ever  result  recorded  by  a  major  bank  and  has  continued  to  hold  the  leading  position  on 
Retail MFI customer satisfaction since January 2013;  
In  Business  Banking,  CBA  has  maintained  outright  or  equal  first  position  in  customer  satisfaction(1)  in 
three  of  the  four  key  business  segments  among  the  four  major  banks  for  the  entire  financial  year. 
Overall,  CBA  continues  to  hold  equal  first  position  in  the  DBM  Business  Financial  Services  Monitor 
(BFSM, June 2014); 

  Wealth Management’s platforms maintained a combined rating of first for adviser satisfaction among the 

four major banks and other key competitors; and 

 

In  Institutional  Banking,  CBA  continues  to  perform  strongly.  The  DBM  Business  Financial  Services 
Monitor has ranked CBA outright or equal first in Institutional Banking MFI customer satisfaction(1) for the 
past 12 months. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia - Annual Report 2014  47 

 
 
Directors’ Report – Remuneration Report 

Strength 

Maintain a strong, flexible Balance Sheet 

 

The Group maintained a strong capital position with capital ratios well in excess of regulatory minimum 
capital  requirements  and  the  Board  approved  minimum  levels  at  all  times  throughout  the  year  ended 
30 June 2014; 

 

The group preserved its well-diversified funding base including: 

–  Customer deposits accounting for 64% of total funding at 30 June 2014 (2013: 63%); and 

– 

Short term wholesale funding accounted for 45% of total wholesale funding at 30 June 2014, down 
from 46% in the prior year. 

The  Group  continues  to  hold  a  high  quality,  well  diversified  liquid  asset  portfolio  of  $139 billion  at 
30 June 2014  (2013:  $137 billion),  to  prudently  meet  Balance  Sheet  liquidity  needs  and  regulatory 
requirements; and 

The Group continues to manage growth by assessing opportunities that will generate sustainable returns 
for the long term, demonstrated in the 2014 financial year by: 

 

 

– 

– 

A stable net interest margin and strong volume growth in average interest earning assets; and 

Low levels of lending losses for the period. 

Productivity 

Continuous and ongoing focus on streamlining processes whilst making things simpler and easier 
for the Group’s customers and staff 

 

 

 

 

To continue to build capability to drive short and long term gains in productivity, the Group has continued 
to  expand  training  options  across  the  entire  Group  with  over  35,000  staff  completing  some  form  of 
productivity training. The launch of higher skilled courses, and an associated demonstration of capability 
through project delivery, is leading to a significant increase in formal productivity qualifications. This has 
been complemented by hiring of external local and global expertise; 

The  core  set  of  four  productivity  habits  is  established  across  the  Group;  this  is  supported  by  an 
accreditation to ensure those habits are being embedded; 

Productivity outcomes and behaviours are embedded in reward and recognition systems together with 
the Group’s leadership capability framework; and 

Projects  continue  to  be  executed  across  all  business  units  and  they  are  delivering  financial  and 
customer benefits, as well as supporting the transfer of productivity capability. 

Technology 

Technology programs designed to enhance the customer experience through more innovative 
systems and processes, and improve efficiency levels 

The  Group  continued  to  deliver  market  leading  technology  solutions  to  enhance  the  customer  experience 
through innovations such as: 

 

 

Australia’s first cardless cash service, enabling customers to use the CommBank app to withdraw cash 
without a card across its national ATM network; 

Lock and  Limit functionality which gives CommBank credit card customers additional control over their 
card security and spending via the CommBank app; and 

  MasterCard® PayPass™ payments capabilities on enabled Samsung GALAXY S4 devices. 

The  Group  continued  evolving  its  business  customer’s  mobile  banking  experiences  through  initiatives  that 
include: 

 

 

 

 

The CommBank Small Business app that enables small business customers to manage their cash flow 
and business operations efficiently from their mobile device; 

‘Emmy’, a payment terminal that allows small businesses to accept card payments through tap-and-go 
contactless payments or with the encrypted chip plus PIN code; 

‘Daily IQ’, a new mobile analytics app that gives business customers access to insights about their cash 
flow, sales and information on the market in which they operate; and 

The CommBiz app was updated to allow business customers to transfer funds and make or authorise 
payments anywhere, anytime. 

In addition, CommInsure launched Simple Life, a ‘do-it-yourself’ direct life insurance solution that leverages 
Core  capabilities  providing  customers  with  online  functionality  and  tailored  access  for  tablet  and  mobile 
devices. 

People 

Develop a long term people focus 

 

 

In  the  2014  financial  year,  the  Group’s  people  remained  highly  engaged,  as  shown  by  the  Group’s 
recent employee engagement score of 81%; 

The  Group  remains committed  to  gender  diversity.  By  embedding gender  diversity  into  talent  systems 
and a focus on the talent pipeline, the Group is gradually progressing towards its target, to increase the 
representation of women in leadership roles from 26.6% in December 2009 to 35% by December 2014.  
Women made up 32.8% of executive roles at 30 June 2014. The target of 35% remains unchanged and 
we expect it will be met after December 2014; 

48  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

 
 
Directors’ Report – Remuneration Report 

 

 

The Group is now also making good progress in broadening its diversity and inclusion strategy and has 
elected to take an approach that aligns a combination of self-determination by the respective employee 
communities whilst embedding diversity into everyday business; 

To support culture and diversity, the Group has continued to invest in leadership development at every 
level  of  the  organisation,  embedding  its  long  term  customer-centric  culture  and  adding  stronger 
productivity and risk lenses; and 

The Group remains committed to not offshoring jobs. 

(1)  Customer  satisfaction  is  measured  by  three  separate  surveys.  For  the  Retail  bank,  this  is  measured  by  Roy  Morgan  Research.  Roy  Morgan  Research 
Main Financial Institution (MFI) Retail Customer Satisfaction measures percentage of the Australian population 14+, % “Very Satisfied” or “Fairly Satisfied” 
with their relationship with that MFI, based on a 6-month rolling average to June 2014. CBA excludes Bankwest. For business banking, this is measured by 
DBM  Consultants  Main  Financial  Institution  (MFI)  Business  Customer  Satisfaction.  Satisfaction  average  with  relationship  with  that  MFI,  6-month  rolling 
average  to  June  2014.  For Wealth  Management,  customer  satisfaction  is  measured  by  the Wealth  Insights  2014  Service  Level  Report,  Platforms.  This 
survey measures satisfaction with the service of master trusts/wraps in Australia, by financial advisers. It includes Colonial First State’s  FirstChoice and 
FirstWrap  platforms.  For  Institutional  Banking,  customer  satisfaction  is  measured  by  DBM  Business  Financial  Services  Monitor  (June  2014)  six  month 
rolling average of MFI satisfaction ratings of Australian businesses. Institutional banking includes businesses with turnover of $100 million and above. 

3.2 Long Term Performance 

The executive remuneration structure also focuses on driving performance and creating shareholder alignment in the longer term, 
by  providing  Executives  with  LTI  awards  in  the  form  of  Reward  Rights  with  a  four  year  vesting  period.  Vesting  is  subject  to 
performance  against  relative  Total  Shareholder  Return  (TSR)  and  relative  Customer  Satisfaction  hurdles.  The  table  below 
provides an overview of the CEO and Group Executives’ current LTI awards which have not yet vested. 

Overview of Unvested Long Term Incentive Awards at the end of the 2014 Financial Year 

Performance Period Ends  Equity Plan 

Performance Hurdles 

30 June 2015 
30 June 2016 
30 June 2017 

Group 
Leadership 
Reward Plan 
(GLRP) 

Each reward is split and tested: 
 

75% TSR relative to peer group 

 

25% Customer Satisfaction ranking relative to peer group 

GLRP Award vested during 2014 Financial Year 

The GLRP award granted during the 2011 financial year reached the end of its four year performance period on 30 June 2014. 
The GLRP 2011 award was weighted against two performance hurdles, relative TSR (75% of the award) and relative Customer 
Satisfaction  (25%  of  the  award).  At  the  end  of  the  performance  period,  the  results  against  these  measures  were  solid  and 
included: 
 

100% vesting against the TSR hurdle; 

 

 

 

87.5% vesting against the Customer Satisfaction hurdle; 

In line with the plan rules for this award, 96.875% of the total award vested; and 

The Board reviewed the measurement outcomes of this award and concluded that the above vesting appropriately reflects 
performance  over  the  four  year  performance  period.  The  Customer  Satisfaction  performance  results  placed  the  Group 
midway between 75% and 100% vesting. 

2014 GLRP Award granted in the 2014 Financial Year 

The  CEO  and  Group  Executives  currently  receive  LTI  awards  under  the  GLRP.  The  awards  granted  may  deliver  value  to 
Executives  at  the  end  of  the  four  year  performance  period,  subject  to  meeting  performance  hurdles  as  set  out  in  the  diagram 
below: 

The following table provides the key features of the 2014 GLRP award: 

Feature 

Description 

Instrument 

Reward  Rights.  Each  Reward  Right  entitles the  Executive  to  receive  one  CBA  share  in the  future, subject to 
meeting the performance hurdles set out below. The number of rights that vest will not be known until the end of 
the performance period. 

Determining the 
number of 
Reward Rights 

The number of Reward Rights allocated depends on each Executive’s LTI Target (see diagram on page  46 for 
explanation of target remuneration). The number of Reward Rights allocated  aligns the Executive’s LTI Target 
to the expected value at the end of the performance period, in today’s dollars. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia - Annual Report 2014  49 

Reward Rightsgranted4 year performance periodCustomer Satisfaction hurdle = 25%Total Shareholder Return hurdle = 75% 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Directors’ Report – Remuneration Report 

Performance 
Period 

The performance period commences at the  beginning of the financial year in which the award is granted. For 
the GLRP award granted in the 2014 financial year, the performance period started on 1 July  2013 and ends 
after four years on 30 June 2017. Any vesting will result in participants receiving shares during the first available 
trading window following the end of the performance period. 

Performance 
Hurdles 

 

75%  of  each  award  is  subject  to  a  performance  hurdle,  which  measures  the  Group’s  TSR  performance 
relative  to  a set  peer  group(1).  This  is made  up  of the  20  largest companies  on  the  Australian  Securities 
Exchange (ASX) by market capitalisation at the beginning of the performance period, excluding resources 
companies and Commonwealth Bank of Australia. The next five largest companies listed on the ASX by 
market capitalisation will form a reserve bench of companies. A reserve bench company will be substituted 
(in order of market capitalisation as at the beginning of the Performance Period) into the Peer Group when 
a  Peer  Group  Company  ceases  to  be  listed  on  the  ASX  as  a  result  of  an  acquisition,  merger  or  other 
relevant corporate action or delisting; and 

 

25% of each award is subject to a performance hurdle that measures the Group’s Customer Satisfaction 
outcomes  relative  to  a  peer  group  of  Australia  &  New  Zealand  Banking  Group  Limited  (ANZ),  National 
Australia  Bank  Limited  (NAB),  Westpac  Banking  Corporation  (WBC),  and  other  key  competitors  for  the 
wealth business. 

Vesting 
Framework 

TSR (75% of the award) 

 

 

 

 

100%  vesting  is  achieved  if  the  Group’s  TSR  is  ranked  in  the  top  quarter  of  the  peer  group(1)  (i.e.  75th 
percentile or higher); 

If the Group is ranked at the median, 50% of the Reward Rights will vest; 

Vesting occurs on a sliding scale if the Group is ranked between the median and the 75th percentile; and 

No Reward Rights in this part of the award will vest if the Group’s TSR is ranked below the median of the 
peer group. 

Customer Satisfaction (25% of the award) 
 

100% vesting applies if the weighted average ranking for the Group over the performance period is 1st; 
50% will vest if the Group’s weighted average ranking is 2nd; 

 

 

 

 

 

Calculation of 
the  
Performance 
Results 

Vesting  of  between  50%  and  100%  will  occur  on  a  pro-rata  straight  line  basis  if  the  Group’s  weighted 
average ranking is between 2nd and 1st; and 

No Reward Rights in this part of the award will vest if the Group’s weighted average ranking is less than 
2nd.  

TSR is calculated independently by Orient Capital. 

Customer Satisfaction is measured with reference to the three independent surveys below: 

–  Roy Morgan Research (measuring customer satisfaction across Retail Banking); 

–  DBM,  Business  Financial  Services  Monitor  (measuring  customer  satisfaction  across  Business 

Banking); and 

–  Wealth  Insights  Service  Level  Report,  Platforms  (measuring  customer  satisfaction  across  Wealth 

Management). 

Board 
Discretion 

The Board also retains sole discretion to determine the amount and form of any award that may vest (if any) to 
prevent any unintended outcomes, or in the event of a corporate restructuring or capital event. 

Expiry 

At the end of the applicable performance period, any Reward Rights that have not vested will expire. 

(1)  The peer group (at the beginning of the performance period) for the TSR performance hurdle (at the time of grant) comprised Amcor Limited, AMP Limited, 
Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited, Brambles Limited, Coca-Cola Amatil Limited, Crown Limited, CSL Limited, Insurance Australia Group 
Limited, Macquarie Group Limited, National Australia Bank Limited, QBE Insurance Group Limited, Suncorp Group Limited, Telstra Corporation Limited, 
Transurban  Group  NPV,  Twenty-First  Century  FOX,  Inc.,  Wesfarmers  Limited,  Westfield  Group  Limited,  Westfield  Retail  Trust,  Westpac  Banking 
Corporation and Woolworths Limited. The reserve bench comprised AGL Energy Limited, Goodman Group, GPT Group, Orica Limited and Stockland. 

50  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Directors’ Report – Remuneration Report 

Hedging of Unvested Equity Awards 

Employees  are  prohibited  from  hedging  in  relation  to  all  of  their  unvested  CBA  equity  awards,  including  shares  or  rights. 
Prohibited  activity  includes  Executives  controlling  their  exposure  to  risk  in  relation  to  their  unvested  awards.  The  CEO’s  direct 
reports  are  also  prohibited  from  using  instruments  or  arrangements  for  margin  borrowing,  short  selling  or  stock  lending  of  any 
Bank securities or the securities of any other member of the Group. All hedging restrictions are included in the Group’s Securities 
Trading Policy. 

Long Term Performance against Key Measures 

As detailed above, long term incentive arrangements are designed to align Executives with the Group’s long term strategy and 
shareholder interests. The remainder of this section illustrates performance against key related metrics over time. 

Financial Performance 

The following graphs show the Group’s cash Net Profit after Tax (cash NPAT), cash Earnings per Share (cash EPS), share price 
movement and full-year dividend results over the past five financial years (including 2014). The solid performance has delivered 
sound returns to shareholders. 

        Cash Net Profit after Tax (Cash NPAT) (1) 

   Cash EPS (Basic) (1) 

(1)  Comparatives have been restated to conform to presentation in the current year. 

Share Price 

Dividends per Share 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia - Annual Report 2014  51 

6,1016,8357,0397,7608,68001,0002,0003,0004,0005,0006,0007,0008,0009,00010,000Jun 10Jun 11Jun 12Jun 13Jun 14$ Million395.5438.7444.7482.1535.90100200300400500600Jun 10Jun 11Jun 12Jun 13Jun 14Cents$0$10$20$30$40$50$60$70$80$90Jun 09Jun 10Jun 11Jun 12Jun 13Jun 142.903.203.343.644.01$0.00$0.50$1.00$1.50$2.00$2.50$3.00$3.50$4.00$4.50Jun 10Jun 11Jun 12Jun 13Jun 14 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Directors’ Report – Remuneration Report 

Relative TSR Performance against the Group’s Peers 

The graph below represents CBA’s TSR performance against the comparator peer group for the period 1 July 2010 to 30 June 
2014.  The  Group  was  ranked  in  the  upper  quartile  relative  to  the  peer  group(1)  at  the  end  of  the  period.  TSR  is  calculated  by 
Orient Capital. 

(1)  The peer group (at the end of the performance period) for the TSR performance hurdle (at the time of grant) comprised AGL Energy Limited, AMP Limited, 
Australia  and  New  Zealand Banking Group Limited, Brambles Limited, Coca-Cola Amatil Limited, Computershare Limited, Crown Limited, CSL Limited, 
Insurance Australia Group Limited, Leighton Holdings Limited, Macquarie Group Limited, National Australia Bank Limited, QBE Insurance Group Limited, 
Stockland, Suncorp Group Limited, Telstra Corporation Limited, Transurban Group, Wesfarmers Limited, Westpac Banking Corporation and Woolworths 
Limited. 

Performance against Customer Satisfaction 

The following graphs show CBA’s customer satisfaction performance across Retail, Business and Wealth Management. During 
the 2014 financial year, CBA maintained the number one ranking among the major banks in MFI customer satisfaction and has 
also been ranked equal or outright first across three of the four key business segments. The Wealth Management results ranked 
the Group first for adviser satisfaction among the four major banks and other key competitors. 

Retail Main Financial Institution Customer Satisfaction - Competitive Context 

(1)  Roy Morgan  Research  Main Financial Institution (MFI) Retail Customer Satisfaction. Australian population 14+, % “Very Satisfied” or “Fairly Satisfied” with 

relationship with that MFI. 6 month rolling average to June 2014. CBA excludes Bankwest. 

52  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

-40%-20%0%20%40%60%80%100%120%140%Total Shareholder Return 2014 (4 Years)Comparator Peer GroupCommonwealth Bank of Australia60%65%70%75%80%85%90%Jun-10Aug-10Oct-10Dec-10Feb-11Apr-11Jun-11Aug-11Oct-11Dec-11Feb-12Apr-12Jun-12Aug-12Oct-12Dec-12Feb-13Apr-13Jun-13Aug-13Oct-13Dec-13Feb-14Apr-14Jun-14% Satisfied ('Very Satisfied' or 'Fairly Satisfied')Major Bank 1Major Bank 2Major Bank 3CBASource: Roy Morgan Research6 month rolling average  Source: Roy Morgan Research6 month rolling average (1) 
 
 
Directors’ Report – Remuneration Report 

Business Main Financial Institution Customer Satisfaction - Competitive Context 

(1)  CBA and Major Bank 1 are ranked equal 1st (DBM Business Financial Services Monitor, June 2014) as the difference in average satisfaction rating is not 

considered to be statistically significant. 

(2)  DBM  Business  Financial  Services  Monitor  (June  2014),  average  satisfaction  rating  of  each  financial  institution’s  MFI  business  customers  across  all 

Australian businesses, 6 month rolling average. 

Wealth Management Customer Satisfaction 

(1) 

In  the  2012  year,  the  satisfaction  score  was  calculated  on  a  straight  average  of  FirstChoice  and  FirstWrap.  Due  to  the  change  in  calculation  of  the 
satisfaction score in 2013, historical results have been restated. As a result, the score and ranking for 2012 has changed from 7.69 (2nd) to 7.86 (1st). For 
remuneration purposes the ranking of 2nd has been applied. 

(2)  For  2011  the  ranking  remains  unchanged  but  average  satisfaction  result  changed  from  7.79  to  7.74.  Prior  to  2011,  results  remain  unchanged  despite 

change in calculation methodology.  

(3)  For Wealth Management, customer satisfaction is measured by the Wealth Insights 2014 Service Level Report, Platforms.  

3.3 Performance Timeline of At Risk Remuneration Outcomes 

The Performance Management framework supports decisions in awarding appropriate annual STI outcomes for Executives. The 
STI  performance  objectives  are  communicated  to  Executives  at  the  beginning  of  the  performance  year.  Executives’  annual 
performance evaluations are conducted following the end of the financial year. For 2014, the evaluations were conducted in July 
2014. 

The  following  diagram  outlines  the  timing  of  the  STI  and  LTI  awards  made  to  the  Executives  over  the  relevant  performance 
periods. All awards are subject to risk and compliance reviews. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia - Annual Report 2014  53 

678 Jun-10 Aug-10 Oct-10 Dec-10 Feb-11 Apr-11 Jun-11 Aug-11 Oct-11 Dec-11 Feb-12 Apr-12 Jun-12 Aug-12 Oct-12 Dec-12 Feb-13 Apr-13 Jun-13 Aug-13 Oct-13 Dec-13 Feb-14 Apr-14 Jun-14Satisfaction -AverageMajor Bank 1Major Bank 2Major Bank 3CBASource: DBM, Business Financial Services Monitor6 month rolling average(2)(1)30-Jun-1430-Jun-1330-Jun-12 (1)30-Jun-11 (2)30-Jun-10Score (3)7.948.327.867.747.70CBA Rank1st1st1st1st1stSTI Annual Performance ReviewSTI outcomes determined & approved by Board50 % of STI outcome paid as cashJun2015LTI LTI awards approved by BoardGroup Executives grant of LTI awardCEO grant of LTI awardJuly 201330 Jun 2014Jul 2014Aug 2014Sep 2014November201430 June 2018Vests subject to  Risk Review and meeting set Performance HurdlesBoard Sets StrategySTI Targets are set Subject to Risk & Compliance ReviewVesting subject to Risk ReviewPerformance Measurement PeriodFollowing Shareholder Approval50% STI deferredfor 1 year LTI Award deferred for 4 years 
 
 
 
Directors’ Report – Remuneration Report 

3.4 CEO and Group Executive Remuneration Received in the year ended 30 June 2014 

The incentives awarded to the CEO and Group Executives are directly linked to the Group’s strong financial performance.  

Total statutory remuneration recognised for the CEO and Group Executives for the 2014 performance year was $43.8 million and 
is  the  total  of  the  values  for  each  executive  shown  in  the  statutory  remuneration  table  on  page  56.  Statutory  remuneration 
disclosures are prepared in accordance with the Corporations Act and Australian Accounting Standards. Total cash remuneration 
received  by  the  CEO  and  Group  Executives  in  relation  to  the  2014  performance  year  was  $21.9  million.  The  total  cash 
remuneration received is used by management to present a clear view of the Group’s remuneration payments made to the CEO 
and Group Executives during the performance year. 

Table (a) below shows remuneration received in relation to the 2014 financial year. The total cash payments received are made 
up  of  base  remuneration  and  superannuation  (fixed  remuneration),  and  the  non-deferred  portion  of  the  2014  STI  award.  This 
table also includes the value of previous years’ deferred STI and LTI awards which vested during 2014. 

(a) Remuneration in relation to the 2014 Financial Year 

(1)  Base Remuneration and Superannuation make up an Executive's fixed remuneration. 
(2)  This is the 50% of the 2014 STI for performance during the 12 months to 30 June 2014 (payable September 2014). The remaining 50% is deferred until 

1 July 2015. 

(3)  The  value  of  all  deferred  cash  and/or  equity  awards  that  vested  during  2014  financial  year.  This  includes  the  value  of  the  award  that  vested,  plus  any 
interest and/or dividends accrued during the vesting period. A portion of Ian Narev’s deferred equity award was delivered in the form of cash, which was 
paid to registered charities pursuant to an option that the Board made available. 

(4)  The value of any deferred cash and/or equity awards that were forfeited/lapsed during the 2014 financial year. 
(5)  Group Executives as at 30 June 2014. 
(6)  Kelly Bayer Rosmarin commenced in the KMP role on 16 December 2013. Remuneration reflects time in the KMP role.  

(b) CEO Reconciliation Table of Cash Payments from Table (a) and Statutory Remuneration Table on Page 56 

54  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

Base Remuneration &2014 STI forPerformance toTotal Cash Payments in relation Deferred CashDeferred EquityTotal received Superannuation (1)30 June 2014 (2)to the 2014 yearAwardsAwardsduring 2014LTI Awards$$$$$$$Managing Director and CEOIan Narev2,575,000                 1,480,625            4,055,625        1,607,359  2,441,061   8,104,045    (309,425)      Current Executives (5)Kelly Bayer Rosmarin (6)528,932                    330,582               859,514           --859,514       -               Simon Blair850,000                    527,425               1,377,425        520,836     2,191,745   4,090,006    (277,768)      David Cohen900,000                    462,375               1,362,375        578,649     2,369,295   4,310,319    (300,296)      Matthew Comyn1,000,000                 675,250               1,675,250        583,476     -             2,258,726    -               David Craig1,380,000                 890,100               2,270,100        887,262     3,015,443   6,172,805    (382,235)      Michael Harte1,075,000                 665,694               1,740,694        652,459     2,728,294   5,121,447    (345,793)      Robert Jesudason825,000                    575,437               1,400,437        518,470     -             1,918,907    -               Melanie Laing825,000                    506,344               1,331,344        493,781     -             1,825,125    -               Grahame Petersen1,175,000                 644,928               1,819,928        646,672     3,159,060   5,625,660    (400,419)      Annabel Spring1,000,000                 621,812               1,621,812        645,207     721,722      2,988,741    -               Alden Toevs1,430,000                 933,075               2,363,075        875,277     4,020,674   7,259,026    (509,598)               Previous Years' Awards that Vested during 2014 (3)Previous Years' Awards Forfeited/Lapsed during 2014 (4)2014$Financial Year Award VestsCash remuneration received in relation to 2014 - refer to table (a) above4,055,625      n/a2014 STI deferred for 12 months at risk1,480,625      2015Annual leave and long service leave accruals(48,351)          n/aOther Payments59,458           n/aShare based payments: accounting expense for 2014 for LTI awards made over the past 4 years  2011 GLRP:Expense for one award that may vest subject to customer satisfaction performance98,153           2015  2011 GLRP:Expense for one award that may vest subject to relative TSR performance185,843         2015  2012 GLRP:Expense for one award that may vest subject to customer satisfaction performance265,796         2016  2012 GLRP:Expense for one award that may vest subject to relative TSR performance533,272         2016  2013 GLRP:Expense for one award that may vest subject to customer satisfaction performance234,797         2017  2013 GLRP:Expense for one award that may vest subject to relative TSR performance508,825         2017  2014 GLRP:Expense for one award that may vest subject to customer satisfaction performance139,272         2018  2014 GLRP:Expense for one award that may vest subject to relative TSR performance409,336         2018Total Statutory Remuneration as per page 567,922,651   
 
 
 
Directors’ Report – Remuneration Report 

4.  KMP Disclosure Tables 

4.1 Non-Executive Directors Statutory Remuneration 

The  statutory  table  below  details  individual  statutory  remuneration  for  the  Non-Executive  Directors  for  the  year  ended 
30 June 2014. 

(1)  Cash includes Board and Committee fees received as cash. The 2013 comparative also includes minor adjustments in relation to previous years. 
(2)  The values shown in the table represent the post-tax portion of fees received as shares. 
(3)  Shirish Apte was appointed as a Non-Executive Director on 10 June 2014 and his remuneration has been prorated accordingly. To comply with the Non-

Executive Director shareholding requirement, shares for Shirish Apte will be purchased in the next trading window. 

(4)  Comparative information has been restated to conform to presentation in the current period. 

4.2 Executive Statutory Remuneration 

The following statutory tables detail the statutory accounting expense of all remuneration related items for the CEO and all Group 
Executives.  This  includes  remuneration  costs  in  relation  to  both  the  previous  and  current  performance  year.  The  tables  are 
different to the cash table on page 54, which shows the remuneration received in 2014 rather than the accrual amounts on the 
statutory accounting basis, as outlined in these statutory tables.  

The tables have been developed and audited against the relevant accounting standards. Refer to the footnotes below each table 
for more detail on each remuneration component. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia - Annual Report 2014  55 

Short Term BenefitsPost Employment BenefitsShare Based paymentsNon-ExecutiveTotalSuper-Directors'StatutoryCash (1)annuationShare Plan (2)Remuneration$$$$ChairmanDavid Turner2014832,025                     17,775                       -                                 849,800                     2013839,538                     16,470                       -                                 856,008                     Non-Executive DirectorsJohn Anderson2014258,025                     17,775                       -                                 275,800                     2013261,281                     16,470                       -                                 277,751                     Shirish Apte(3)201413,704                       886                            -                                 14,590                       Jane Hemstritch2014303,025                     17,775                       -                                 320,800                     2013306,614                     16,470                       -                                 323,084                     Launa Inman(4)2014245,419                     17,775                       29,406                       292,600                     2013238,210                     16,470                       28,543                       283,223                     Carolyn Kay2014302,925                     17,775                       320,700                     2013306,565                     16,470                       -                                 323,035                     Brian Long 2014303,025                     17,775                       320,800                     2013306,468                     16,470                       -                                 322,938                     Andrew Mohl2014274,825                     17,775                       -                                 292,600                     2013278,244                     16,470                       -                                 294,714                     Harrison Young2014314,325                     17,775                       -                                 332,100                     2013314,130                     16,470                       -                                 330,600                      
 
 
Directors’ Report – Remuneration Report 

(1)  Base Remuneration comprises short term benefits, being the Cash Fixed component and post-employment benefit being Superannuation Fixed. 
(2)  Cash Fixed remuneration is the total cost of salary including any salary sacrificed benefits.  
(3)  Non-monetary Fixed represents the cost of car parking (including associated fringe benefits tax). 
(4)  This is 50% of the 2014 STI for performance during the 12 months to 30 June 2014 (payable September 2014). 
(5)  STI Deferred includes the compulsory deferral of 50% of total STI payments in recognition of performance for the year ended 30 June 2014. 
(6)  Other short term benefits relate to company  funded  benefits (including associated fringe benefits tax where applicable). This item also includes interest 
accrued in relation to the 2013 STI deferred award, which vested on 1 July 2014, the net change in accrued annual leave over the year and adjustments in 
relation to previous years. For Ian Saines, this item also includes payment in lieu of notice as per contractual arrangements. 
Includes  long  service  entitlements  accrued  during  the  year  as  well  as  the  impact  of  changes  to  long  service  leave  valuation  assumptions,  which  are 
determined in line with AASB119. For Ian Saines, this also includes the reversal of accrued long service leave which was forfeited upon resignation. For 
Kelly  Bayer  Rosmarin,  Matthew  Comyn,  Robert  Jesudason,  Melanie  Laing  and  Annabel  Spring  this  also  includes  amounts  relating  to  equity  sign-on 
awards  and/or  deferred  STI  payments  awarded  under  Executive  General  Manager  arrangements.  These  equity  awards  are  subject  to  forfeiture  if  the 
Executive ceases to be employed by the Group due to his or her resignation in any circumstances. 

(7) 

(8)  This includes the 2014 expense for Reward Shares/Rights awarded during the 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 financial years under the GLRP. 
(9)  The  percentage  of  2014  remuneration  related  to  performance  was:  Ian  Narev  67%,  Kelly  Bayer  Rosmarin  49%,  Simon  Blair  70%,  David  Cohen  67%, 
Matthew Comyn 59%, David Craig 70%, Michael Harte 67%, Robert Jesudason 57%, Melanie Laing 66%, Grahame Petersen 68%, Annabel Spring 63%, 
and Alden Toevs 70%. 

(10)  Kelly  Bayer  Rosmarin  was  appointed  to  the  Group  Executive  Institutional  Banking  and  Markets  role  on  16  December  2013.  For  the  2013  comparative, 
Matthew Comyn was appointed to the Group Executive Retail Banking Services role on 10 August 2012. The remuneration for these Executives reflects 
time in the KMP roles. 

(11)  Ian Saines ceased as a KMP on 15 December 2013 and his remuneration has been prorated accordingly. The LTI Shares/Rights value reflects forfeitures 

of awards upon resignation. 

56  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

Long Term BenefitsShare Based PaymentsShort Term Cash Fixed (2)$Superan-nuation Fixed$Non Monetary Fixed (3)$Cash STI Payment At Risk (4)$STI Deferred At Risk (5)$Other (6)$Long Term (7)$LTI Reward Shares/Rights  At Risk (8)$Total Statutory Remuneration (9)$Managing Director and CEOIan Narev20142,550,00025,00014,6001,480,6251,480,625(21,633)  18,1402,375,2947,922,65120132,475,00025,00014,2281,562,5001,562,500106,15395,0671,846,6207,687,068Group ExecutivesKelly Bayer Rosmarin (10)2014515,43813,4947,880330,582330,582(1,150)    226,91363,5101,487,249Simon Blair 2014825,00025,00014,600527,425527,4257,264(23,146)   915,9472,819,5152013805,00025,00014,228506,300506,300(3,273)    18,540901,6542,773,749David Cohen2014875,00025,00014,600462,375462,37539,387(19,559)   987,3952,846,5732013875,00025,00014,228562,500562,50068,95922,7511,013,1103,144,048Matthew Comyn(10)2014975,00025,00013,486675,250675,25038,336247,359508,6643,158,3452013850,34322,26011,766567,192567,192(27,658)  207,144199,9182,398,157David Craig20141,355,00025,00014,600890,100890,10035,173(30,865)   1,517,0524,696,16020131,355,00025,00014,228862,500862,500(53,618)  29,9821,469,0354,564,627Michael Harte20141,050,00025,00013,486665,694665,694105,10617,7941,183,8073,726,58120131,050,00025,00013,191634,250634,250(7,635)    14,1621,200,1203,563,338Robert Jesudason2014800,00025,00014,600575,437575,4372,080365,520417,2652,775,3392013775,00025,00014,228504,000504,0002,972995,507163,2052,983,912Melanie Laing2014800,00025,00014,600506,344506,344(5,800)    27,648671,4522,545,5882013775,00025,00014,228480,000480,00015,428265,203406,9732,461,832Grahame Petersen20141,150,00025,00014,600644,928644,928(27,955)  34,2901,295,5983,781,38920131,150,00025,00014,228628,625628,625(16,346)  (5,662)1,338,0753,762,545Annabel Spring2014975,00025,00013,486621,812621,81238,859153,511795,9323,245,4122013955,00025,00013,191627,200627,200(17,785)  278,718474,4362,982,960Alden Toevs20141,405,00025,00014,600933,075933,07547,396(39,018)   1,577,9424,897,07020131,405,00025,00014,228850,850850,85028,34330,4541,493,6614,698,386Former ExecutiveIan Saines (11)2014600,65811,5076,786--270,768(270,089) (684,912)          (65,282)              20131,305,00025,00014,228744,800744,80022,85612,1891,545,4744,414,347Base Remuneration (1)Other Short Term Benefits 
  
Directors’ Report – Remuneration Report 

4.3 Executive STI Allocations for 2014 

Includes 50% of the annual STI award payable as cash in recognition of performance for the year ended 30 June 2014. 

(1)  The maximum STI is represented as a percentage of fixed remuneration. The minimum STI potential is zero. 
(2) 
(3)  This represents 50% of the STI award that is deferred until 1 July 2015. The deferred awards are subject to Board review at the time of payment. 
(4)  Kelly Bayer Rosmarin commenced in the KMP role on 16 December 2013. Her STI target has been prorated accordingly. 

4.4 Equity Awards Received as Remuneration 

The table below details the value and number of equity awards that were granted or forfeited/lapsed during 2014. It also shows 
the number of previous year’s awards that vested during the 2014 performance year. 

(1)  This represents the maximum number of reward rights that may vest to each Executive. The value represents the fair value at grant date. For Ian Narev, 
the  grant  date  for  his  Reward  Shares/Rights  was  11  November  2013.  For  Kelly  Bayer  Rosmarin  the  grant  date  for  her  Reward  Shares/Rights  was  13 
February 2014. For all other Group Executives the grant date for Reward Shares/Rights was 23 September 2013. The minimum LTI potential is zero.  

(2)  Previous years' awards that vested include LTI and other deferred equity awards. 
(3)  This includes the portion of the LTI award that reached the end of its performance period on 30 June 2014 that did not meet the performance hurdle and 
was forfeited. For Ian Saines, this also includes 86,222 Reward Rights that were forfeited as a result of his resignation from the Group in December 2013. 
The  value  of  the  lapsed  award  is  calculated  using  the  Volume  Weighted  Average  Closing  Price  (VWACP)  for  the  five  trading  days  preceding  the 
transaction date. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia - Annual Report 2014  57 

STI Target Maximum STI Potential (1) $      %%$%$Managing Director and CEOIan Narev        2,575,000 150%50%        1,480,625 50%        1,480,625 Group ExecutivesKelly Bayer Rosmarin (4)           528,932 150%50%           330,582 50%           330,582 Simon Blair           850,000 150%50%           527,425 50%           527,425 David Cohen            900,000 150%50%           462,375 50%           462,375 Matthew Comyn        1,000,000 150%50%           675,000 50%           675,000 David Craig        1,380,000 150%50%           890,100 50%           890,100 Michael Harte         1,075,000 150%50%           665,694 50%           665,694 Robert Jesudason           825,000 150%50%           575,437 50%           575,437 Melanie Laing           825,000 150%50%           506,344 50%           506,344 Grahame Petersen        1,175,000 150%50%           644,928 50%           644,928 Annabel Spring        1,000,000 150%50%           621,812 50%           621,812 Alden Toevs         1,430,000 150%50%           933,075 50%           933,075 STI Paid (2)STI Portion Deferred (3)Previous Years'Awards Vested during 2014 (2)NameClassUnits$UnitsUnits$Managing Director and CEOIan NarevReward Shares/Rights             62,966         3,435,060                 29,422               (4,203)      (309,425)Deferred Shares                       -                        -                           -                        -                    - Group ExecutivesKelly Bayer RosmarinReward Shares/Rights             12,935            636,170                           -                        -                    - Deferred Shares               5,729            416,670                   4,153                        -                    - Simon BlairReward Shares/Rights             20,786         1,057,157                 26,417               (3,773)      (277,768)Deferred Shares                       -                        -                           -                        -                    - David Cohen Reward Shares/Rights             22,009         1,119,366                 28,557               (4,079)      (300,296)Deferred Shares                       -                        -                           -                        -                    - Matthew ComynReward Shares/Rights             24,454         1,243,711                           -                        -                    - Deferred Shares                       -                        -                   7,009                        -                    - David Craig Reward Shares/Rights             33,746         1,716,300                 36,345               (5,192)      (382,235)Deferred Shares                       -                        -                           -                        -                    - Michael Harte Reward Shares/Rights             26,288         1,336,988                 32,884               (4,697)      (345,793)Deferred Shares                       -                        -                           -                        -                    - Robert JesudasonReward Shares/Rights             20,175         1,026,089                           -                        -                    - Deferred Shares                       -                        -                 12,970                        -                    - Melanie LaingReward Shares/Rights             20,175         1,026,089                           -                        -                    - Deferred Shares                       -                        -                   3,946                        -                    - Grahame PetersenReward Shares/Rights             28,733         1,461,332                 38,076               (5,439)      (400,419)Deferred Shares                       -                        -                           -                        -                    - Annabel SpringReward Shares/Rights             24,454         1,243,711                           -                        -                    - Deferred Shares                       -                        -                   9,036                        -                    - Alden Toevs Reward Shares/Rights             34,968         1,778,435                 48,461               (6,922)      (509,598)Deferred Shares                       -                        -                           -                        -                    - Former ExecutiveIan SainesReward Shares/Rights                       -                        -                 44,999             (92,650)   (7,130,430)Deferred Shares                       -                        -                           -                        -                    -        Forfeited or      Granted     Lapsed       during 2014 (1)         during 2014 (3) 
  
 
 
Directors’ Report – Remuneration Report 

4.5 Fair Value Assumptions for Unvested Equity Awards 

For the Customer Satisfaction component of all LTI awards, the fair value is the closing market price of a CBA share as at the 
grant date. For the Total Shareholder Return component of the LTI awards, the fair value has been  calculated using a Monte-
Carlo simulation method using the following assumptions: 

(1)  The performance hurdle for this portion of the GLRP award is Customer Satisfaction relative to our peers. 
(2)  The performance hurdle for this portion of the GLRP award is Total Shareholder Return relative to our peers. 

4.6 Termination Arrangements 

The table below provides the termination arrangements included in all Executive contracts for our current KMP. 

(1)  Permanent contracts are ongoing until notice is given by either party. 
(2)  Severance applies where the termination is initiated by the Group, other than for misconduct or unsatisfactory performance. 

The  termination  entitlements  are  appropriate  and  do  not  deliver  windfall  payments  on  termination  that  are  not  related  to 
performance.  As  part  of  these  arrangements,  Executives  who  resign  or  are  dismissed  will  forfeit  all  their  unvested  deferred 
awards  (including cash  and  equity  awards),  unless  the Board  determines  otherwise,  and  will  generally  not  be  entitled  to  a STI 
payment for  that  year.  At  the  Board’s  discretion,  where  an  Executive’s  exit  is  related  to  retrenchment,  retirement  or  death,  the 
Executive may be entitled to an STI payment and any outstanding LTI awards continue unchanged with performance measured 
at the end of the performance period related to each award. The  Board has ultimate discretion over the amount of awards that 
may vest. 

Ian Saines was the only KMP who left the Group during the 2014 financial year. 

58  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

FairExercisePerformanceExpectedExpectedExpectedRisk FreeGrantValuePricePeriodLifeDividend YieldVolatilityRateAward TypeDate$$End(Years)%%%GLRP - Reward Rights (1)13/02/201475.75Nil30/06/2017n/an/an/an/aGLRP - Reward Rights (2)13/02/201441.63Nil30/06/20173.4Nil203.3GLRP - Reward Rights (1)11/11/201378.35Nil30/06/2017n/an/an/an/aGLRP - Reward Rights (2)11/11/201347.79Nil30/06/20173.6Nil203.6GLRP - Reward Rights (1)23/09/201373.51Nil30/06/2017n/an/an/an/aGLRP - Reward Rights (2)23/09/201344.42Nil30/06/20173.8Nil203.5GLRP - Reward Rights (1)05/11/201257.40Nil30/06/2016n/an/an/an/aGLRP - Reward Rights (2)05/11/201231.49Nil30/06/20163.7Nil203.2GLRP - Reward Rights (1)04/10/201256.55Nil30/06/2016n/an/an/an/aGLRP - Reward Rights (2)04/10/201230.76Nil30/06/20163.7Nil203.0GLRP - Reward Rights (1)15/02/201250.23Nil30/06/2015n/an/an/an/aGLRP - Reward Rights (2)15/02/201231.87Nil30/06/20153.4Nil304.4GLRP - Reward Rights (1)15/11/201149.15Nil30/06/2015n/an/an/an/aGLRP - Reward Rights (2)15/11/201131.60Nil30/06/20153.6Nil304.2GLRP - Reward Rights (1)29/08/201147.96Nil30/06/2015n/an/an/an/aGLRP - Reward Rights (2)29/08/201132.23Nil30/06/20153.8Nil304.7GLRP - Reward Rights (1)10/03/201151.30Nil30/06/2014n/an/an/an/aGLRP - Reward Rights (2)10/03/201136.51Nil30/06/20143.3Nil305.5GLRP - Reward Rights (1)27/09/201052.86Nil30/06/2014n/an/an/an/aGLRP - Reward Rights (2)27/09/201037.61Nil30/06/20143.8Nil305.5AssumptionsContract Type (1)NoticeSeverance (2)Managing Director & CEOIan NarevPermanent12 monthsn/aGroup ExecutivesKelly Bayer RosmarinPermanent6 months6 monthsSimon BlairPermanent6 months6 monthsDavid CohenPermanent6 months6 monthsMatthew ComynPermanent6 months6 monthsDavid CraigPermanent6 months6 monthsMichael HartePermanent6 months6 monthsRobert JesudasonPermanent6 months6 monthsMelanie LaingPermanent6 months6 monthsGrahame PetersenPermanent6 months6 monthsAnnabel SpringPermanent6 months6 monthsAlden ToevsPermanent6 monthsn/a 
  
  
 
Directors’ Report – Remuneration Report 

4.7 Equity Holdings of KMP 

Shareholdings 

Details of the shareholdings of KMP (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 set out below. For details of Director 
and Executive equity plans refer to Note 26. 

Shares Held by Directors 

All shares were acquired by Directors on normal terms and conditions or through the Non-Executive Director’s Share Plan. 

(1)  Non-Executive  Directors  who  hold  less  than  5,000  Commonwealth  Bank  shares  are  required  to  receive  20%  of  their  total  post-tax  annual  fees  as 
Commonwealth Bank shares.  These shares are subject to a 10 year trading restriction (the shares will be released earlier if the director leaves the Board). 
To comply with the Non-Executive Director shareholding requirement, shares for Shirish Apte will be purchased in the next trading window. 

(2)  Net Change Other incorporates changes resulting from purchases and sales during the year. 
(3)  PERLS: Include cumulative holdings of all PERLS securities issued by the Group. 
(4)  Other securities: As at 30 June 2014 Jane Hemstritch held CNGHA notes (2013: CNGHA notes), and David Turner held no other shareholdings in related 

entities (2013: CPA units). 

(5)  Opening balance has been restated to recognise actual balance. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia - Annual Report 2014  59 

BalanceSharesNet ChangeBalanceDirectorsClass1 July 2013Acquired (1)Other (2)30 June 2014Non-Executive DirectorsDavid TurnerOrdinary11,840--11,840PERLS (3)380--380Other securities (4)67,647-(67,647)-John Anderson (5)Ordinary18,186--18,186Jane HemstritchOrdinary25,775--25,775PERLS (3)9,300--9,300Other securities (4)5,000--5,000Launa InmanOrdinary2,236419-2,655Carolyn KayOrdinary12,388--12,388Brian LongOrdinary11,1591,266-12,425PERLS (3)400--400Andrew MohlOrdinary59,840--59,840Harrison Young Ordinary26,764--26,764 
 
 
 
 
Directors’ Report – Remuneration Report 

Shares held by the CEO and Group Executives 

(1)  Reward Shares/Rights represent shares  granted  under the Group Leadership Reward Plan (GLRP) which are subject to performance  hurdles. Deferred 

Shares represent the deferred portion of STI, sign-on and special retention awards received as restricted shares. 

(2)  Reward Shares/Rights and Deferred Shares become ordinary shares upon vesting. A portion of Ian Narev’s vested equity award was delivered in the form 

of cash, which was paid to registered charities pursuant to an option that the Board made available. 
(3)  Net Change Other incorporates changes resulting from purchases, sales and forfeitures during the year. 
(4)  Opening balance has been restated to recognise actual balance. 
(5) 

Ian Saines ceased as a KMP on 15 December 2013 and his shareholdings are not included in the balance as at 30 June 2014. 

60  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

PreviousAcquired/Years'BalanceGranted asAwardsNet ChangeBalanceClass (1)1 July 2013RemunerationVested (2)Other (3)30 June 2014Managing Director and CEOIan NarevOrdinary49,041--25,92874,969Reward Shares/Rights218,72762,966(29,422)(4,203)248,068Deferred Shares-----Group ExecutivesKelly Bayer RosmarinOrdinary7,215--5,24212,457Reward Shares/Rights-12,935--12,935Deferred Shares14,7945,729(4,153)-16,370Simon BlairOrdinary---26,41726,417Reward Shares/Rights103,21220,786(26,417)(3,773)93,808Deferred Shares-----David Cohen Ordinary78,752--(33,000)45,752Reward Shares/Rights111,74922,009(28,557)(4,079)101,122Deferred Shares-----Matthew ComynOrdinary16,397---16,397Reward Shares/Rights30,84324,454--55,297Deferred Shares20,111-(7,009)-13,102David Craig Ordinary98,236--36,345134,581Reward Shares/Rights163,49333,746(36,345)(5,192)155,702Deferred Shares-----Michael Harte (4)Ordinary-----Reward Shares/Rights132,53926,288(32,884)(4,697)121,246Deferred Shares-----Robert JesudasonOrdinary625--12,97013,595Reward Shares/Rights25,17920,175--45,354Deferred Shares26,993-(12,970)-14,023Melanie LaingOrdinary7,990--3,94611,936Reward Shares/Rights49,13320,175--69,308Deferred Shares3,946-(3,946)--Grahame PetersenOrdinary103,552--(43,167)60,385Reward Shares/Rights147,36928,733(38,076)(5,439)132,587Deferred Shares-----Annabel SpringOrdinary2,607-9,03611,643Reward Shares/Rights60,18524,454--84,639Deferred Shares16,599-(9,036)-7,563Alden Toevs Ordinary57,177--18,46175,638Reward Shares/Rights181,78634,968(48,461)(6,922)161,371Deferred Shares-Former ExecutiveIan Saines (5)Ordinary67,711--(67,711)-Reward Shares/Rights169,759-(44,999)(124,760)-Deferred Shares----- 
 
 
 
 
Directors’ Report – Remuneration Report 

4.8 Loans to KMP 

All loans to KMP (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). There has been no write 
down of loans during the period. 

4.9 Total Loans to KMP 

 (1)  Comparatives have been restated primarily to take into account the change in KMP membership for the 2014 financial year. 
4.10 Loans to KMP Exceeding $100,000 in Aggregate 

(1)  Represents the highest balance per individual of loans outstanding at any period during the year ended 30 June 2014. 
(2)  Kelly Bayer Rosmarin commenced in the KMP role on 16 December 2013. The loan values disclosed relate to the period from 16 December 2013 to 30 

June 2014. These loans were pre-existing prior to her appointment as a KMP. 

4.11 Other Transactions of KMP 

Financial Instrument Transactions 

Financial instrument transactions (other than loans and shares disclosed within this report) of KMP 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 KMP and entities controlled or significantly influenced by them. 

All such financial instrument transactions that have occurred between entities within the Group and their KMP 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 KMP 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. A related party of an executive has also been employed 
by the Group, and is remunerated in a manner consistent with normal employee relationships. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia - Annual Report 2014  61 

2014$Opening Balance (1)9,638,115Closing Balance14,187,609Interest Charged522,322            HighestBalanceInterestInterest NotBalanceBalance1 July 2013ChargedChargedWrite-off30 June 2014in Period (1)$$$$$$Kelly Bayer Rosmarin (2)n/a100,402--4,007,0744,579,990David Cohen569,26729,116--556,025607,134Matthew Comyn1,474,57185,020--1,958,5182,414,931Michael Harte3,567,180137,406--2,907,2954,565,820Robert Jesudason3,157,599141,609--4,075,6804,164,125Melanie Laing661,10427,666--559,750813,870Total   9,429,721521,219 - -14,064,34217,145,870 
 
  
 
 
 
Directors’ Report - Remuneration Report 

Glossary of Key Terms 

To assist readers, key terms and abbreviations used in the remuneration report as they apply to the Group are set out below. 

Term 

Definition 

Base Remuneration 

Cash and non-cash remuneration paid regularly with no performance conditions.  

Board 

Deferred Shares 

The Board of Directors of the Group. 

Shares subject to forfeiture on resignation. Used for sign-on awards and deferred STI below 
Group Executive level. 

Executives 

The CEO and Group Executives are collectively referenced as ‘Executives’. 

Fixed Remuneration 

Consists of Base Remuneration plus employer contributions to superannuation.  

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  

The Group’s long term incentive plan for the CEO and Group Executives.  

Plan (GLRP) 

Key Management Personnel 
(KMP) 

Long Term Incentive (LTI) 

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. 

A remuneration arrangement which grants benefits to participating executives that may vest if, 
and to the extent that, performance hurdles are met over a period of three or more years. The 
Group’s long term incentive plan is the GLRP. 

NPAT 

Net profit after tax. 

Performance Rights 

Remuneration Received  

Reward Shares 

Reward Rights 

Salary Sacrifice 

Rights to acquire a Commonwealth Bank of Australia ordinary share with no payment by the 
recipient if relevant performance hurdles are met. 

Represents all forms of consideration paid by the Group or on behalf of the Group during the 
current performance year ending 30 June 2014, in exchange for services previously rendered 
to the Group. 

Shares  in  CBA  granted  under  the  GLRP  during  the  2010  financial  year  and  subject  to 
performance hurdles. 

Rights  to  ordinary  shares  in  CBA  granted  under  the  GLRP  from  the  2011  financial  year  and 
subject to performance hurdles. 

An  arrangement  where  an  employee  agrees  to  forgo  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. 

Statutory Remuneration 

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. 

Total Shareholder Return  

(TSR) 

TSR  measures  a  company’s  share  price  movement,  dividend  yield  and  any  return  of  capital 
over a specific period. 

62  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

 
Directors’ Report  

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  PwC  during  the  year  was  compatible 
with  the  general  standard  of  independence  imposed  by  the 
Corporations Act.  

The Directors are satisfied that the provision of the non-audit 
services  during  the  year  did  not  compromise  the  auditor 
independence  requirements  of  the  Corporations  Act.  The 
reasons for this are as follows: 

 

 

The  operation  of  the  Independent  Auditor  Services 
Policy during the year to restrict the nature of non-audit 
service engagements, to prohibit certain services and to 
for  all  such 
require  Audit  Committee  pre-approval 
engagements; and  

The relative quantum of fees paid for non-audit services 
compared  to  the  quantum  for  audit  and  audit  related 
services. 

The  above  Directors’  statements  are  in  accordance  with  the 
advice received from the Audit Committee. 

Incorporation of Additional Material 

This Report incorporates the Chairman’s and Chief Executive 
Officer’s  Statements  (pages  2  to  7),  Highlights  (pages  8  to 
11),  Group  Performance  Analysis  (pages  12  to  21),  Group 
Operations  and  Business  Settings  (pages  22  to  30)  and 
Shareholding Information (pages 190 to 193) sections of this 
Annual Report. 

Non-Audit Services 

Amounts  paid  or  payable  to  PricewaterhouseCoopers  (PwC) 
for audit and non-audit services provided during the year, as 
set out in Note 30 to the Financial Statements are as follows: 

Project assurance services 

Taxation services 

Controls review and related work 

Other 
Total non-audit services (1) 

Total audit and related services 

2014  

$’000  

1,476 

3,187 

1,405 

510 

6,578 

22,736 

(1)  An  additional  amount  of  $857,259  was  paid  to  PwC  for  non-audit 
services  provided  to  entities  not  consolidated  into  the  Financial 
Statements. 

Auditor’s Independence Declaration 

We  have  obtained  an  independence  declaration  from  our 
external auditor as presented on the following page. 

Auditor Independence 

The  Bank  has  in  place  an  Independent  Auditor  Services 
Policy,  details  of  which  are  set  out  in  the  Corporate 
Governance  Statement 
at 
that 
www.commbank.com.au/about-us/shareholders/corporate-
profile/corporate-governance, 
independence of the Bank’s external auditor. 

in  ensuring 

to  assist 

viewed 

can 

the 

be 

The Audit Committee has considered the provision, during the 
year,  of  non-audit  services  by  PwC  and  has  concluded  that 
the  provision  of  those  services  did  not  compromise  the 
auditor independence requirements of the Corporations Act. 

Signed in accordance with a resolution of the Directors. 

D J Turner 

Chairman 

12 August 2014 

I M Narev 

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer 

12 August 2014 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia - Annual Report 2014  63 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Auditor’s Independence Declaration 

As lead auditor for the audit of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia for the year ended 30 June 2014, 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 year. 

Marcus Laithwaite 

Partner 

Pricewaterhouse Coopers 

Sydney 

12 August 2014 

PricewaterhouseCoopers, ABN 52 780 433 757  

Darling Park Tower 2, 201 Sussex Street, GPO BOX 2650, SYDNEY NSW 1171 

T: +61 2 8266 0000, F: +61 2 8266 9999, www.pwc.com.au 

Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.

64  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Commonwealth Bank of Australia - Annual Report 2014  65 

 
 
 
 
 
Five Year Financial Summary 

(1)  Comparative information has been restated to reflect: the reclassification of volume-related expenses from Operating Expenses to Operating Income; the 
impact on defined benefit superannuation expense of the application of revisions to AASB 119 Employee Benefits; and minor refinements to the allocation 
of customer balances and associated revenue and expenses between business segments. 
Includes investment experience. 

(2) 

66  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

20142013 (1)2012 (1)20112010$M$M$M$M$MNet interest income15,09113,94413,15712,64512,008Other operating income (2)7,3106,8776,3197,0147,051Total operating income22,40120,82119,47619,65919,059Operating expenses(9,499)(9,010)(8,627)(8,891)(8,601)Impairment expense(953)(1,082)(1,089)(1,280)(2,075)Net profit before tax11,94910,7299,7609,4888,383Corporate tax expense(3,250)(2,953)(2,705)(2,637)(2,266)Non-controlling interests(19)(16)(16)(16)(16)Net profit after tax ("cash basis")8,6807,7607,0396,8356,101Treasury shares valuation adjustment(41)(53)(15)(22)(44)Hedging and IFRS volatility627124(265)17Tax on NZ structured finance transactions----(171)Gain/(loss) on disposal of controlled entities/investments17--(7)(23)Bankwest non-cash items(56)(71)(89)(147)(216)Count Financial acquisition costs--(43)--Bell Group litigation25(45)---Net profit after income tax attributable to Equity holders of the Bank ("statutory basis")8,6317,6187,0166,3945,664Contributions to profit (after tax)Retail Banking Services3,4723,0892,7032,8542,461Business and Private Banking1,5261,4741,5131,030898Institutional Banking and Markets1,2581,1951,0981,0041,173Wealth Management621577492581592New Zealand739616557469387Bankwest680561527463(45)IFS and Other18714360353457Net profit after tax ("underlying basis")8,4837,6556,9506,7545,923Investment experience after tax1971058981178Net profit after tax ("cash basis")8,6807,7607,0396,8356,101Balance SheetLoans, bills discounted and other receivables597,781556,648525,682500,057493,459Total assets791,451753,857718,839667,899646,330Deposits and other public borrowings498,352459,429437,655401,147374,663Total liabilities 742,103708,320677,219630,612610,760Shareholders' equity49,34845,53741,62037,28735,570Net tangible assets38,08033,63829,86926,21724,688Risk weighted assets - Basel III (APRA)337,715329,158n/an/an/aRisk weighted assets - Basel II (APRA)n/an/a302,787281,711290,821Average interest earning assets705,371653,637629,685597,406577,261Average interest bearing liabilities661,733609,557590,654559,095543,824Assets (on Balance Sheet) - Australia669,293644,043621,965581,695561,618Assets (on Balance Sheet) - New Zealand69,11061,57855,49954,99356,948Assets (on Balance Sheet) - Other53,04848,23641,37531,21127,764 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Five Year Financial Summary 

(1)  Comparative information has been restated to reflect: the reclassification of volume-related expenses from Operating Expenses to Operating Income; the 
impact on defined benefit superannuation expense of the application of revisions to AASB 119 Employee Benefits; and minor refinements to the allocation 
of customer balances and associated revenue and expenses between business segments. 

(2)  The productivity metrics have been calculated on a “cash basis”. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia - Annual Report 2014  67 

20142013 (1)2012 (1)20112010Shareholder summaryDividends per share - fully franked (cents)401364334320290Dividend cover - statutory (times)1. 31. 31. 31. 31. 3Dividend cover - cash (times)1. 31. 31. 31. 41. 4Earnings per share (cents)BasicStatutory533.8474.2444.2411.2367.9Cash basis535.9482.1444.7438.7395.5Fully dilutedStatutory521.9461.0428.5395.1354.2Cash basis524.0468.6429.0420.6379.8Dividend payout ratio (%)Statutory75.577.476.078.379.7Cash basis75.175.975.873.273.9Net tangible assets per share ($)23. 520. 918. 816. 815. 9Weighted average number of shares (statutory basic) (M)1,6081,5981,5701,5451,527Weighted average number of shares (statutory fully diluted) (M)1,6811,6861,6741,6681,640Weighted average number of shares (cash basic) (M)1,6111,6011,5731,5481,531Weighted average number of shares (cash fully diluted) (M)1,6841,6891,6771,6711,644Number of shareholders791,564786,437792,906792,765784,382Share prices for the year ($)Trading high82.6874.1853.8055.7760.00Trading low67.4953.1842.3047.0536.20End (closing price)80.8869.1853.1052.3048.64Performance ratios (%)Return on average Shareholders' equityStatutory18.718.018.518.417.5Cash basis18.718.218.419.518.7Return on average total assetsStatutory1.11.01.01.00.9Cash basis1.11.11.01.01.0Capital adequacy - Common Equity Tier 1 - Basel III (APRA)9. 38. 2n/an/an/aCapital adequacy - Tier 1 - Basel III (APRA)11. 110. 3n/an/an/aCapital adequacy - Tier 2 - Basel III (APRA)0. 90. 9n/an/an/aCapital adequacy - Total - Basel III (APRA)12. 011. 2n/an/an/aCapital adequacy - Tier One - Basel IIn/an/a10. 010. 09. 2Capital adequacy - Tier Two - Basel IIn/an/a1. 01. 72. 3Capital adequacy - Total - Basel IIn/an/a11. 011. 711. 5Net interest margin2. 142. 132. 092. 122. 08Other information (numbers)Full-time equivalent employees44,32944,96944,84446,06045,025Branches/services centres (Australia)1,1501,1661,1671,1601,147Agencies (Australia)3,7173,7643,8183,7953,884ATM's (proprietary)4,3404,3044,2134,1734,149EFTPOS terminals200,733181,227175,436170,855165,621Productivity (2)Total income per full-time (equivalent) employee ($)500,034459,583430,983424,186418,057Employee expense/Total income (%)25. 025. 326. 124. 524. 1Total operating expenses/Total income (%)42. 943. 644. 645. 545. 7 
  
 
 
Financial Statements 

Income Statements 

Statements of Comprehensive Income 

Balance Sheets 

Statements of Changes in Equity 

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 

Accounting Policies 

Profit 

Average Balances and Related Interest 

Income Tax 

Dividends 

Earnings Per Share 

Cash and Liquid Assets 

Receivables Due from Other Financial Institutions 

Assets at Fair Value through Income Statement 

Derivative Financial Instruments 

Available-for-Sale Investments 

Loans, Bills Discounted and Other Receivables 

Provisions for Impairment 

Property, Plant and Equipment 

Intangible Assets 

Other Assets 

Deposits and Other Public Borrowings 

Liabilities at Fair Value through Income Statement 

Tax Liabilities 

Other Provisions 

Debt Issues 

Bills Payable and Other Liabilities 

Loan Capital 

Shareholders’ Equity 

Share Capital 

Share Based Payments 

Capital Adequacy 

Financial Reporting by Segments 

Insurance Businesses 

Remuneration of Auditors 

Lease Commitments 

Contingent Liabilities, Contingent Assets and Commitments 

Risk Management 

Credit Risk 

Market Risk 

Liquidity and Funding Risk 

Retirement Benefit Obligations 

Investments in Subsidiaries and Other Entities 

Key Management Personnel 

Related Party Disclosures 

Notes to the Statements of Cash Flows 

Disclosures about Fair Values 

Securitisation, Covered Bonds and Transferred Assets 

Offsetting Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities including Collateral Arrangements 

Subsequent Events 

68  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

69  

70  

71  

72  

74  

76  

89  

91  

94  

97  

97  

98  

98  

98  

100  

105  

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109  

111  

113  

115  

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158  

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182  

186  

 
Income Statements 

For the year ended 30 June 2014 

Financial Statements 

(1)  Comparative information has been restated to reflect the impact of changes in accounting policy. Refer to Note 1(f) for more details. 

The above Income Statements should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes. 

(1)  Comparative information has been restated to reflect the impact of changes in accounting policy. Refer to Note 1(f) for more details. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    69 

GroupBank20142013 (1)2012 (1)20142013 (1)Note$M$M$M$M$MInterest income 233,64534,73938,25834,86035,707Interest expense 2(18,544)(20,805)(25,136)(21,494)(23,541)Net interest income15,10113,93413,12213,36612,166Other banking income 4,3204,1724,0396,3785,609Net banking operating income19,42118,10617,16119,74417,775Funds management income2,3562,1471,959--Investment revenue840942226--Claims, policyholder liability and commission expense(1,162)(1,242)(599)--Net funds management operating income22,0341,8471,586--Premiums from insurance contracts2,6042,3532,114--Investment revenue547449547--Claims, policyholder liability and commission expense from insurance contracts(2,118)(1,879)(1,698)--Net insurance operating income21,033923963--Total net operating income before impairment and operating expenses222,48820,87619,71019,74417,775Loan impairment expense2,13(918)(1,146)(1,089)(871)(1,042)Operating expenses2(9,573)(9,085)(8,762)(7,866)(7,301)Net profit before income tax211,99710,6459,85911,0079,432Corporate tax expense4(3,221)(2,899)(2,705)(2,565)(2,199)Policyholder tax expense4(126)(112)(122)--Net profit after income tax8,6507,6347,0328,4427,233Non-controlling interests(19)(16)(16)--Net profit attributable to Equity holders of the Bank8,6317,6187,0168,4427,233Group 20142013 (1)2012 (1)NoteEarnings per share:    Basic6533.8474.2444.2    Fully diluted6521.9461.0428.5Cents per share 
 
 
 
 
  
Financial Statements 

Statements of Comprehensive Income 

For the year ended 30 June 2014 

(1)  Comparative information has been restated to reflect the impact of changes in accounting policy. Refer to Note 1(f) for more details. 

The above Statements of Comprehensive Income should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes. 

70  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

Group Bank 20142013 (1)2012 (1)20142013 (1)$M$M$M$M$MNet profit after income tax for the financial year8,6507,6347,0328,4427,233Other comprehensive income/(expense):Items that may be reclassified subsequently to profit/(loss):Gains and losses on cash flow hedging instruments:Recognised in equity338(575)730492(619)Transferred to Income Statement(596)226758(614)229Gains and losses on available-for-sale investments:Recognised in equity509553(349)671365Transferred to Income Statement on disposal(12)(31)(81)(12)(31)Foreign currency translation reserve399476202-82Income tax on items transferred directly to/from equity:Cash flow hedge reserve11473(442)38122Available-for-sale investments revaluation reserve(159)(158)122(206)(101)Foreign currency translation reserve(14)(10)(12)--Total of items that may be reclassified57955492836947Items that will not be reclassified to profit or loss:Actuarial gains and losses from defined benefit superannuation plans net of tax42367(101)42367Gains and losses on liabilities at fair value due to changes in own credit risk net of tax6--6-Revaluation of properties28432279Income tax on revaluation of properties(2)(1)(5)(3)(1)Total of Items that will not be reclassified74370(74)72375Other comprehensive income/(expense) net of income tax653924854441422Total comprehensive income for the financial year9,3038,5587,8868,8837,655Total comprehensive income for the financial year is attributable to:Equity holders of the Bank9,2848,5427,8708,8837,655Non-controlling interests191616--Total comprehensive income net of income tax9,3038,5587,8868,8837,655Group 201420132012NoteDividends per share attributable to shareholders of the Bank:Ordinary shares5401364334Trust preferred securities6,4985,7675,989Cents per share 
  
 
 
  
Balance Sheets 

As at 30 June 2014 

Financial Statements 

(1)  Comparative information has been restated to reflect the impact of changes in accounting policy. Refer to Note 1(f) for more details. 

The above Balance Sheets should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    71 

Group Bank 2014201320142013Note$M $M $M $M AssetsCash and liquid assets726,40920,63424,10818,030Receivables due from other financial institutions88,0657,7447,4576,998Assets at fair value through Income Statement:9Trading21,45919,61720,57218,398Insurance15,14214,359--Other760907561718Derivative assets1029,24745,34029,61545,203Available-for-sale investments1166,13759,601131,577125,941Loans, bills discounted and other receivables12597,781556,648535,247502,349Bank acceptances of customers5,0276,0634,9846,059Shares in and loans to controlled entities40--64,08663,017Property, plant and equipment142,8162,7181,4671,558Investment in associates and joint ventures381,8442,2811,0291,607Intangible assets159,79210,4234,5554,713Deferred tax assets (1)45869167961,044Other assets166,3866,6064,8235,099Total assets791,451753,857830,877800,734LiabilitiesDeposits and other public borrowings17498,352459,429457,571425,276Payables due to other financial institutions24,97825,92224,59925,166Liabilities at fair value through Income Statement187,5088,7015,1523,332Derivative liabilities 1027,25938,58029,34140,229Bank acceptances5,0276,0634,9846,059Due to controlled entities--118,920113,868Current tax liabilities196881,5296121,440Deferred tax liabilities19366471--Other provisions201,2651,249986992Insurance policy liabilities2913,16613,004--Debt issues21142,219132,808119,548115,291Managed funds units on issue1,214891--Bills payable and other liabilities (1)2210,4679,98610,76013,615732,509698,633772,473745,268Loan capital239,5949,6879,96910,437Total liabilities742,103708,320782,442755,705Net assets49,34845,53748,43545,029Shareholders' EquityShare capital:Ordinary share capital2527,03626,32327,32326,619Other equity instruments259399391,8951,895Reserves242,0091,3333,0112,641Retained profits (1)2418,82716,40516,20613,874Shareholders' equity attributable to Equity holders of the Bank48,81145,00048,43545,029Non-controlling interests38537537--Total Shareholders' equity49,34845,53748,43545,029 
  
 
Financial Statements 

Statements of Changes in Equity 

For the year ended 30 June 2014 

(1)  Comparative information has been restated to reflect the impact of changes in accounting policy. Refer to Note 1(f) for more details. 

The above Statements of Changes in Equity should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes. 

72  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

GroupShareholders'equityattributableOrdinaryOtherto EquityNon-Total shareequityRetainedholderscontrollingShareholders'capitalinstrumentsReservesprofitsof the Bank interests  equity$M$M$M$M$M$M$MAs at 30 June 201225,1759391,57113,35641,04153141,572Change in accounting policy---4848-48As at 30 June 2012 (restated)25,1759391,57113,40441,08953141,620Net profit after income tax (1)---7,6187,618167,634Net other comprehensive income (1)--557367924-924Total comprehensive income for the financial year (1)--5577,9858,542168,558Transactions with equity holders in their capacity as equity holders:Dividends paid on ordinary shares---(5,776)(5,776)-(5,776)Dividends paid on other equity instruments---(28)(28)-(28)Dividend reinvestment plan (net of issue costs)929---929-929Other equity movements:Share based payments--(4)-(4)-(4)Issue of shares (net of issue costs)193---193-193Purchase of treasury shares(664)---(664)-(664)Sale and vesting of treasury shares690---690-690Other changes--(791)82029(10)19As at 30 June 2013 (1)26,3239391,33316,40545,00053745,537Net profit after income tax---8,6318,631198,650Net other comprehensive income--60548653-653Total comprehensive income for the financial year--6058,6799,284199,303Transactions with equity holders in their capacity as equity holders:Dividends paid on ordinary shares---(6,174)(6,174)-(6,174)Dividends paid on other equity instruments---(32)(32)-(32)Dividend reinvestment plan (net of issue costs)707---707-707Other equity movements:Share based payments--(7)-(7)-(7)Issue of shares (net of issue costs)-------Purchase of treasury shares(813)---(813)-(813)Sale and vesting of treasury shares819---819-819Other changes--78(51)27(19)8As at 30 June 201427,0369392,00918,82748,81153749,348 
  
 
Statements of Changes in Equity (continued) 

For the year ended 30 June 2014 

Financial Statements 

(1)  Comparative information has been restated to reflect the impact of changes in accounting policy. Refer to Note 1(f) for more details. 

The above Statements of Changes in Equity should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    73 

BankShareholders'equityattributableOrdinaryOtherto Equity shareequityRetainedholderscapitalinstrumentsReservesprofitsof the Bank$M$M$M$M$MAs at 30 June 201225,4981,8952,73210,73440,859Change in accounting policy---4848As at 30 June 2012 (restated)25,4981,8952,73210,78240,907Net profit after income tax (1)---7,2337,233Net other comprehensive income (1)--55367422Total comprehensive income for the financial year--557,6007,655Additions through merger of banking licences--2079191,126Transactions with equity holders in their capacity as equity holders:Dividends paid on ordinary shares---(5,776)(5,776)Dividend reinvestment plan (net of issue costs)928---928Other equity movements:Share based payments--(4)-(4)Issue of shares (net of issue costs)193---193Other changes--(349)349-As at 30 June 2013 (1)26,6191,8952,64113,87445,029Net profit after income tax---8,4428,442Net other comprehensive income--39348441Total comprehensive income for the financial year--3938,4908,883Transactions with equity holders in their capacity as equity holders:Dividends paid on ordinary shares---(6,174)(6,174)Dividend reinvestment plan (net of issue costs)704---704Other equity movements:Share based payments--(7)-(7)Issue of shares (net of issue costs)-----Other changes--(16)16-As at 30 June 201427,3231,8953,01116,20648,435 
  
 
Financial Statements 

Statements of Cash Flows (1) 

For the year ended 30 June 2014 

It should be noted that the Group does not use these accounting Statements of Cash Flows in the internal management of its liquidity positions. 

(1) 
(2)  Comparative information has been restated to reflect the impact of changes in accounting policy. Refer to Note 1(f) for more details. 
(3)  Represents gross premiums and policy payments before splitting between policyholders and shareholders. 
(4)  Amounts received from and paid to controlled entities are presented in line with how they are managed and settled. 

74  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

GroupBank20142013201220142013Note$M$M$M$M$MCash flows from operating activitiesInterest received 33,62334,86838,33734,82736,065Interest paid (18,160)(21,056)(25,456)(21,085)(23,903)Other operating income received5,1385,0475,1333,6303,385Expenses paid (2)(8,377)(7,819)(7,913)(6,852)(6,269)Income taxes paid(3,763)(2,940)(2,372)(3,467)(2,679)Net inflows/(outflows) from assets at fair value through Income Statement (excluding life insurance)5,188(756)2,3284,871(368)Net inflows/(outflows) from liabilities at fair value through Income Statement:Insurance:Investment income3942,551791--Premiums received (3)2,8992,1062,138--Policy payments and commission expense (2) (3)(3,080)(4,516)(3,656)--Other liabilities at fair value through Income Statement(1,619)1,503(3,603)1,81581Cash flows from operating activities beforechanges in operating assets and liabilities12,2438,9885,72713,7396,312Changes in operating assets and liabilities arising from cash flow movementsMovement in available-for-sale investments:Purchases(49,468)(45,429)(76,408)(48,489)(46,730)Proceeds44,13047,09062,86544,02737,579Net change in deposits with regulatory authorities(48)(2)(15)(8)(5)Net increase in loans, bills discounted and other receivables(36,795)(28,035)(25,754)(33,355)(29,042)Net (increase)/decrease in receivables due from other financial institutions(197)3,54049(360)6,491Net decrease/(increase) in securities purchased underagreements to resell1,119(699)(498)970(62)Insurance business:Purchase of insurance assets at fair value through Income Statement(3,156)(2,591)(2,189)--Proceeds from sale/maturity of insurance assets at fair value through Income Statement3,8043,8323,291--Net decrease/(increase) in other assets298(265)(61)325(368)Net increase in deposits and other public borrowings29,41917,24335,75026,11417,664Net (decrease)/increase in payables due to other financial institutions(1,812)2,1234,752(1,246)2,348Net increase in securities sold underagreements to repurchase4,3893271,1834,419281Net increase/(decrease) in other liabilities37455155(3,278)3,847Changes in operating assets and liabilities arising from cash flow movements(8,280)(2,411)3,120(10,881)(7,997)Net cash provided by/(used in) operating activities41 (a)3,9636,5778,8472,858(1,685)Cash flows from investing activitiesPayments for acquisition of controlled entities41 (e)--(125)--Net proceeds from disposal of controlled entities41 (d)531--569-Net proceeds from disposal of entities and businesses (net of cash disposals)481-21414-Dividends received7082521,9441,507Net amounts received from controlled entities (4)---3,36242Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment6130254723Purchases of property, plant and equipment(513)(642)(584)(212)(229)Payments for acquisitions of investments in associates/joint ventures(36)(264)(85)-(206)Purchase of intangible assets(400)(464)(585)(346)(412)Sale of assets held for sale 72-72Additions through merger of banking licences----557Net cash provided by/(used in) investing activities201(1,256)(1,281)5,7851,284 
 
 
Statements of Cash Flows (1) (continued) 

For the year ended 30 June 2014 

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. 

The above Statements of Cash Flows should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    75 

GroupBank20142013201220142013Note$M$M$M$M$MCash flows from financing activitiesProceeds from issue of shares (net of issue costs)-1932-193Dividends paid (excluding Dividend Reinvestment Plan)(5,491)(4,860)(3,748)(5,458)(4,833)Proceeds from issuance of debt securities87,55492,250162,43076,48286,296Redemption of issued debt securities(79,776)(93,691)(158,918)(72,677)(82,310)Purchase of treasury shares(813)(664)(96)--Sale of treasury shares76063419--Issue of loan capital3581,977--1,965Redemption of loan capital(500)(2,215)(1,775)(500)(1,909)Other(157)218132(58)73Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities1,935(6,158)(1,954)(2,211)(525)Net increase/(decrease) in cash and cash equivalents6,099(837)5,6126,432(926)Effect of foreign exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents 411852266298728Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of year12,61812,6036,72510,74810,946Cash and cash equivalents at end of year41 (b)19,12812,61812,60317,47810,748 
 
 
 
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 2014, were approved and 
the  Board  of  Directors  on 
authorised 
12 August 2014. The Directors have the power to amend and 
reissue the Financial Statements. 

issue  by 

for 

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 Ground Floor, Tower 1, 201 Sussex Street, Sydney, 
NSW 2000, Australia. 

is  one  of  Australia’s 

The  Group 
leading  providers  of 
integrated  financial  services,  including  retail,  business  and 
institutional banking, funds management, superannuation, life 
insurance,  general  insurance,  broking  services  and  finance 
company activities. 

The  principal  accounting  policies  adopted  in  the  preparation 
of  this  financial  report  and  that  of  the  previous  financial  year 
are  set  out  below.  These  policies  have  been  consistently 
applied to all the periods presented, unless otherwise stated. 
The assets and liabilities are presented in order of liquidity on 
the Balance Sheet. 

Basis of Preparation 

(a) Basis of Accounting 

This  General  Purpose  Financial  Report  for  the  year  ended 
30 June 2014  has  been  prepared 
in  accordance  with 
Australian  Accounting  Standards  (the  standards),  which 
include  Australian  Interpretations  by  virtue  of  AASB  1048 
the 
‘Interpretation  and  Application  of  Standards’,  and 
requirements of the Corporations Act 2001. The Bank is a for-
profit entity for the purposes of preparing this report. 

The  Financial  Statements  also  comply  with  the  International 
Financial  Reporting  Standards  (IFRS)  as  issued  by  the 
(IASB)  and 
International  Accounting  Standards  Board 
Interpretations  as 
Interpretations 
Committee (IFRIC). 

issued  by 

IFRS 

the 

(b) Historical Cost Convention 

This  financial  report  has  been  prepared  under  the  historical 
cost  convention,  except  for  certain  assets  and  liabilities 
(including  derivative  instruments)  measured  at  fair  value.  A 
more  detailed  discussion  on  measurement  basis  is  outlined 
within this note. 

(c) Use of Estimates and Assumptions 

It  also 

The  preparation  of  the  financial  report  requires  the  use  of 
certain  critical  accounting  estimates. 
requires 
management  to  exercise  its  judgement  in  the  process  of 
applying  the  Group’s  accounting policies. The  estimates  and 
associated  assumptions  are  based  on  historical  experience 
and  other  factors  that  are  considered  to  be  relevant.  Actual 
results  may  differ  from  these  estimates.  The  estimates  and 
underlying  assumptions  are  reviewed  on  an  ongoing  basis. 
Areas  involving  a  higher  degree  of  judgement  or complexity, 
or areas where assumptions and estimates are significant are 
discussed  in  Note  1  Critical  Judgements  and  Estimates 
section.  

(d) Rounding of Amounts 

The  amounts  in  this  financial  report  have  been  rounded  in 
accordance  with  ASIC  Class  Order  98/0100  to  the  nearest 
million dollars, unless otherwise indicated.  

76  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

The financial report is presented in Australian dollars. 

(e) Segment Reporting 

and  management 

Operating  segments  are  reported  based  on  the  Group’s 
structures.  Senior 
organisational 
management  review  the  Group’s  internal  reporting  based 
around these segments, in order to assess performance and 
allocate resources.  

All  transactions  between  segments  are  conducted  on  an 
arm’s  length  basis,  with  inter-segment  revenue  and  costs 
being eliminated in “Other”. 

(f) Changes in Accounting Policies 

The accounting policies adopted are consistent with those of 
the previous financial year, except for the adoption of: 

AASB 7 Offsetting 

The  Group  has  adopted  the  revised  AASB  7  ‘Financial 
Instruments:  Disclosures’  requiring  the  disclosure  of  new 
information  in  respect  of  the  Group’s  use  of  enforceable 
netting  arrangements  and  similar  agreements.  These 
amendments  require  entities  to  disclose  both  gross  and  net 
amounts  of  financial  assets  and  liabilities  currently  offset  on 
the  Balance  Sheet;  and  amounts  not  offset,  but  subject  to 
enforceable  master  netting  agreements  and  similar 
arrangements, including the effects of financial collateral. The 
new  information  is  disclosed  in  Note  44  ‘Offsetting  Financial 
Assets and Financial Liabilities’.  

AASB 9 Financial Instruments 

The Group has early adopted the own credit requirements in 
AASB  9  ‘Financial  Instruments’  from  1  January  2014.  Fair 
to  credit  risk  on  own  debt 
value  movements  relating 
Income 
instruments  were  previously  recognised 
in 
Statement  and  will  now  be 
in  Other 
Comprehensive  Income.  There  will  be  no  recycling  of  these 
gains  or  losses  on  disposal.  This  policy  has  been  applied 
prospectively  from  1  January  2014  as  the  retrospective 
impact was not considered to be material. 

recognised 

the 

AASB 10 Consolidated Financial Statements and 
Associated Standards 

The  Group  has  adopted  the  new  consolidation  suite  of 
standards  from  1  July  2013.  The  principal  consolidation 
standard  AASB  10 
‘Consolidated  Financial  Statements’, 
introduces control as the single basis for consolidation for all 
entities,  regardless  of  the  nature  of  the  investee.  AASB  10 
replaces 
‘Consolidated  and 
Separate  Financial  Statements’  that  address  when  and  how 
an investor should prepare consolidated financial statements 
and  replaces  SIC-12 
‘Consolidation  –  Special  Purpose 
Entities’ in its entirety. 

those  parts  of  AASB  127 

The implementation of AASB 10 did not materially impact the 
entities consolidated or deconsolidated by the Group, and the 
amounts recognised in the financial statements.  

Concurrent  with  the  adoption  of  AASB  10,  the  following 
associated standards were also adopted: 

 

 

 

 

AASB 11 ‘Joint Arrangements’; 

AASB 12 ‘Disclosure of Interests in Other Entities’; 

AASB 127 ‘Separate Financial Statements’, amended for 
the issuance of AASB 10; and 

AASB  128  ‘Investments  in  Associates’,  amended  for 
conforming changes based on the issuance of AASB 10 
and AASB 11. 

 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 1 Accounting Policies (continued)

Adoption  of  AASB  11,  AASB  127  and  AASB  128  has  not 
resulted in any material impact to the Group. 

AASB  12  sets  out  disclosures  for  interests  in  entities  that  are 
subsidiaries,  associates,  joint  arrangements  and  structured 
entities.  Adoption  of  AASB  12  has  resulted  in  additional 
disclosures  of  structured  entities  as  provided  in  Note 38. 
Comparative  disclosures 
in  unconsolidated 
for 
structured entities are not required in the first year of adoption. 

interests 

AASB 13 Fair Value 

AASB  13  ‘Fair  Value’  was  applied  by  the  Group  from 
1 July 2013. AASB 13 explains how to measure fair value and 
aims to enhance fair value disclosures. Initial application has 
not  resulted  in  any  material  impact  to  the  Group,  however 
additional fair value disclosure is now required and has been 
provided in Note 42. 

AASB 119 Employee Benefits 

The  amended  AASB  119  ‘Employee  Benefits’  was  applied  by 
the  Group  from  1  July  2013.  This  resulted  in  the  following 
significant changes: 

 

 

Annual  defined  benefit  superannuation  expense  now 
includes  net  interest  expense  or  income,  calculated  by 
applying  the  relevant  discount  rate  to  the  net  defined 
benefit asset or liability. This replaced the former finance 
charge and expected return on plan assets. Applying this 
change to year ended 30 June 2013 and 30 June 2012 
increased the total defined benefit plan expense by $84 
million  and  $105  million 
respectively,  with  a 
corresponding  increase  net  of  tax  recognised  in  Other 
Comprehensive  Income  of  $59  million  and  $74  million 
respectively; and 

The discount rate used in calculating the defined benefit 
liability relating to active members can no longer include 
a 15% investment tax adjustment. This resulted in a one-
off  decrease  of  $68 million  in  defined  benefit  liability  as 
at  30  June  2012,  which  was  recognised  retrospectively 
through retained earnings. 

Research and Development Expenditure Tax Offset 

During the year, the Group has changed its accounting policy 
with  respect  to  tax  offsets  received  for  expenditure  incurred 
on  software  development.  Previously, 
the  Group  had 
recognised  these  offsets  as  a  reduction  to  corporate  tax 
expense in the income statement in the period in which they 
were  receivable.  Under  the  Group’s  revised  policy,  such 
offsets are recognised as a reduction to the related software 
expense or asset. 

The  Group  considers  that  the  revised  policy  provides  more 
reliable  and  relevant  information.  The  cumulative  impact  of 
applying  this  change  has  been  recognised  wholly  within  the 
current  period,  as 
restatement  was  not 
considered material. 

retrospective 

The  impact  of  this  change  in  accounting  policy  for  the  year 
ended  30  June  2014  was  an  increase  in  corporate  tax 
expense of $129 million, a decrease in operating expenses of 
$64 million,  decrease  in  net  profit  after  income  tax  of 
$65 million and a decrease in basic and diluted earnings per 
share  of  4.0  and  3.9  cents  respectively.  The  impact  on  the 
balance  sheet  as  at  30  June  2014  was  a  decrease  in 
intangible assets of $65 million. 

Volume Related Expenses 

During  the  year  the  presentation  of  the  following  volume 
related expenses was changed to align with industry practice: 

 

The  Group  has  reviewed  the  presentation  of  broker 
commissions  paid  within  the  funds  management  and 
insurance businesses together with other volume-related 
expenses. These expenses vary directly with the amount 
of  associated  revenue  generated,  and  have  been 
reclassified from operating expenses and netted against 
operating  income.  This  is  in  line  with  recent  industry 
practice and the relevant accounting requirements. This 
reclassification results in changes to the presentation of 
the  Income  Statement  of  the  Group  and  affected 
business  segments  (Institutional  Banking  and  Markets, 
Wealth  Management,  New  Zealand  and  International 
Financial  Services)  as  shown  in  Note  28.  The  total 
impact  is  an  equivalent  decrease  in  both  operating 
expenses  and  operating  income  of  $678 million  and 
$674 million  for  the  years  ended  30 June 2013  and 
30 June 2012 respectively. 

 

The  Group  has  reclassified  depreciation  expense  from 
operating expense to other operating income in line with 
industry  practice  on  the  basis  it  better  represents  net 
income earned from operating lease arrangements. 

Comparatives 

Where necessary, comparative information has been restated 
to conform to changes in presentation in the current year. All 
comparative changes have been made and all changes have 
been footnoted throughout the financial statements. 

(g) Principles of Consolidation 

Subsidiaries 

The  consolidated  financial  report  comprises  the  financial 
report  of  the  Bank  and  its  subsidiaries.  Subsidiaries  are 
entities (including structured entities) over which the Bank has 
control.  The  Bank  has  control  over  another  entity  when  the 
Bank has all of the following: 

 

 

 

power  over  the  relevant  activities  of  the  entity,  for 
example through voting or other rights;  

exposure to, or rights to, variable returns from the Bank’s 
involvement with the entity; and  

the  ability  to  use  its  power  over  the  entity  to  affect  the 
Bank’s returns from the entity.  

The  effects  of  all  transactions  between  entities  in  the  Group 
are  eliminated  in  full.  Non-controlling  interests  in  the  results 
and  equity  of  subsidiaries  are  shown  separately  in  the 
consolidated  Income  Statement,  Statement  of  Changes  in 
Equity, and Balance Sheet. 

Subsidiaries  are  fully  consolidated  from  the  date  on  which 
control is transferred to the Group. They are de-consolidated 
from the date that control ceases. 

Business Combinations 

Business  combinations  are  accounted 
the 
acquisition method. Cost is measured as the aggregate of the 
fair  values  of  assets  given,  equity  instruments  issued,  or 
liabilities incurred or assumed at the date of exchange. 

for  using 

Identifiable  assets  acquired  and  liabilities  and  contingent 
liabilities  assumed  in  a  business  combination  are  measured 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    77 

 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 1 Accounting Policies (continued)

at  fair  value  on  the  acquisition  date.  Goodwill  is  recorded  as 
the excess of the total consideration transferred, the carrying 
amount of any non-controlling interest in the acquiree and the 
acquisition  date  fair  value  of  any  previous  equity  interest  in 
the acquiree over the net identifiable assets acquired. If there 
is a deficit instead, this discount on acquisition is recognised 
directly in the consolidated Income Statement, but only after a 
reassessment  of  the  identification  and  measurement  of  the 
net assets acquired. 

 

 

Assets  and  liabilities  of  each  foreign  operation  are 
translated  at  the  rates  of  exchange  at  Balance  Sheet 
date; 

Revenue  and  expenses  of  each  foreign  operation  are 
translated  at  the  average  exchange  rate  for  the  period, 
unless this average is not a reasonable approximation of 
the  rate  prevailing  on  transaction  date,  in  which  case 
revenue  and  expenses  are  translated  at  the  exchange 
rate at transaction date; and 

Interests in Associates and Joint Ventures Accounted for 
Using the Equity Method 

 

All resulting exchange differences are recognised in the 
foreign currency translation reserve. 

Associates  and  joint  ventures  are  entities  over  which  the 
Group has significant influence or joint control, but not control, 
and  are  accounted  for  under  the  equity  method.  The  equity 
method of accounting is applied in the consolidated  financial 
report and involves the recognition of the Group’s share of its 
associates’  and  joint  ventures’  post-acquisition  profits  or 
losses  in  the  Income  Statement,  and  its  share  of  post-
acquisition movements in other comprehensive income ‘OCI’. 
Associates  and  joint  ventures  are  accounted  for  at  cost  less 
accumulated impairments at the Bank level. 

The  Group  assesses,  at  each  Balance  Sheet  date,  whether 
there  is  any  objective  evidence  of  impairment.  The  main 
indicators of impairment are as for equity securities classified 
as available for sale (Note 1(u)). If there is an indication that 
an  investment  in  an  associate  or  joint  venture  may  be 
impaired, then the entire carrying amount of the investment in 
associate  or  joint  venture  is  tested  for  impairment  by 
comparing  the  recoverable  amount  (higher  of  value  in  use 
and  fair  value  less  disposal  costs)  with  its  carrying  amount. 
Impairment  losses  recognised  in  the  income  statement  for 
investments in associates and joint ventures are subsequently 
reversed  through  the  Income  Statement  if  there  has  been  a 
change  in  the  estimates  used  to  determine  recoverable 
amount since the impairment loss was recognised. 

(h) Foreign Currency Translation 

Functional and Presentation Currency 

the  Bank’s 

The  consolidated  financial  statements  are  presented  in 
functional  and 
is 
Australian  dollars,  which 
foreign  operations 
presentation  currency.  The  Group’s 
(including  subsidiaries,  branches,  associates,  and 
joint 
ventures)  will  have  different  functional  currencies  based  on 
the currency of the main economy to which each operation is 
exposed. 

Foreign Currency Transactions 

Foreign  currency 
the 
functional currency, using the exchange rates prevailing at the 
date of each transaction. 

transactions  are 

translated 

into 

Monetary assets and liabilities resulting from foreign currency 
transactions  are  subsequently  translated  at  the  spot  rate  at 
reporting  date.  Exchange  differences  arising  upon  settling  or 
translating monetary items at different rates to those at which 
they  were  initially  recognised  or  previously  reported,  are 
recognised in the Income Statement. 

Foreign Operations 

The  results  and  financial  position  of  all  Group  entities  that 
have  a 
the  Group’s 
presentation currency as follows: 

functional  currency  different 

from 

78  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

foreign  operation 

When  a 
is  disposed  of,  exchange 
differences are recognised in the Income Statement as part of 
the gain or loss on sale. No Group entities have a functional 
currency of a hyperinflationary economy. 
(i) Offsetting 

Income and expenses are only offset in the Income Statement 
if  permitted  under 
relevant  accounting  standard. 
Examples  of  offsetting  include gains and losses from foreign 
exchange exposures and trading operations. 

the 

Financial  assets  and  liabilities  are  offset  and the  net  amount 
is  presented  in  the  Balance  Sheet  if,  and  only  if,  there  is  a 
currently  enforceable  legal  right  to  offset  the  recognised 
amounts, and there is an intention to settle on a net basis, or 
to realise the asset and settle the liability simultaneously. 

(j) Fair Value Measurement 

Fair  value  is  the  amount  that  would  be  received  to  sell  an 
asset  or  paid  to  transfer  a  liability  in  an  orderly  transaction 
between  market  participants  at  the  measurement  date. 
Financial  assets  and  liabilities  at  fair  value  through  income 
statement,  available-for-sale  investments  and  all  derivative 
instruments  are 
recognised  and  subsequently 
measured at fair value. 

initially 

The  fair  value  for  financial  instruments  traded  in  active 
markets at the reporting date is based on their quoted market 
price  or  dealer  price  quotations,  without  any  deduction  for 
transaction costs. Assets and long positions are measured at 
a quoted bid price; liabilities and short positions are measured 
at a quoted asking price. Where the Group has positions with 
offsetting  market  risks,  mid-market  prices  are  used 
to 
measure  the  offsetting  risk  positions  and  a  quoted  bid  or 
asking  price  adjustment  is  applied  only  to  the  net  open 
position as appropriate. 

Non-market  quoted  financial  instruments  are  mostly  valued 
using  valuation  techniques  based  on  observable  inputs, 
except  for  a  limited  number  of  instances  where  observable 
market  data  is  unavailable.  In  this  instance,  the  financial 
instrument  is  initially  recognised  at  the  transaction  price, 
which  is  generally  the  best  indicator  of  fair  value.  This  may 
differ  from  the  value  obtained  from  the  valuation model.  The 
timing of the recognition in the Income Statement of this initial 
difference  in  fair  value  depends  on  the  individual  facts  and 
circumstances  of  each  transaction,  but  is  never  later  than 
when  the  market  data  becomes  observable.  The  difference 
may  be  either  amortised  over  the  life  of  the  transaction, 
recognised  when  the  inputs  become  observable  or  on 
derecognition of the instrument, as appropriate. 

 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 1 Accounting Policies (continued)

Income Statement 

Revenue  is  measured  at  the  fair  value  of  the  consideration 
received or receivable. Revenue is recognised for each major 
revenue stream as follows: 

(k) Interest Income 

Interest  income  is  brought  to  account  using  the  effective 
interest method. The effective interest method calculates the 
amortised  cost  of  a  financial  instrument  and  allocates  the 
interest income or interest expense over the relevant period. 

The effective interest rate is the rate that discounts estimated 
future cash payments or receipts through the expected life of 
the  financial  instrument  or,  when  appropriate,  a  shorter 
period,  to  the  net  carrying  amount  of  the  financial  asset  or 
liability. Fees and transaction costs associated with loans are 
capitalised  and  included  in  the  effective  interest  rate  and 
recognised in the Income Statement, over the expected life of 
the  instrument.  Interest  income  on  finance  leases  is  brought 
to account progressively over the life of the lease, consistent 
with 
income 
balance. 

investment  and  unearned 

the  outstanding 

(l) Fee and Commission Income 

Fees  and  commissions  that  relate  to  the  execution  of  a 
(for  example,  advisory  or  arrangement 
significant  act 
services,  placement 
fees)  are 
recognised when the significant act has been complete. 

fees  and  underwriting 

Fees  charged  for  providing  ongoing  services  (for  example, 
maintaining,  managing  and  administering  existing  facilities 
and  funds)  are  recognised  as  income  over  the  period  the 
service is provided. 

Fees  and  commissions,  which  include  commitment  fees  to 
originate  a  loan  that  is  unlikely  to  be  drawn  down,  are 
recognised as fee income as the facility is provided. 

(m) Other Income 

Trading income represents both realised and unrealised gains 
and  losses  from  changes  in  the  fair  value  of  trading  assets, 
liabilities and derivatives.  

Translation  differences  on  non-monetary  items,  such  as 
derivatives measured at fair value through Income Statement, 
are  reported  as  part  of  the  fair  value  gain  or  loss  on  these 
items.  Translation  differences  on  non-monetary 
items 
measured  at  fair  value  through  equity,  such  as  equities 
financial  assets,  are 
classified  as  available-for-sale 
recognised in equity through OCI.  

Insurance income recognition is outlined in Note 1(ff). 

(n) Interest Expense 

Interest expense on financial liabilities measured at amortised 
cost is recognised in the Income Statement using the effective 
interest rate method. 

includes 

that  are 

issue  costs 

Interest  expense 
initially 
recognised  as  part  of  the  carrying  value  of  the  liability  and 
amortised  over  the  expected  life  using  the  effective  interest 
rate method. These include fees and commissions payable to 
advisers  and  other  expenses  such  as  external  legal  costs, 
provided these are direct and incremental costs related to the 
issue of a financial asset. 

(o) Operating Expenses  

Operating expenses are recognised as the relevant service is 
rendered or once a liability is incurred. 

Staff expenses are recognised over the period the employee 
renders the service to receive the benefit. 

increase 

Staff expenses include share based remuneration which 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.  Market  vesting  conditions,  such  as  share  price 
into  account  when 
performance  conditions,  are 
estimating the fair value. Non–market vesting conditions, such 
as service conditions, are taken into account by adjusting the 
number  of 
the 
measurement of the expense.  

the  equity 

instruments 

included 

taken 

in 

in 

Cash  settled  share  based  remuneration  is  recognised  as  a 
liability  and  remeasured  to  fair  value  until  settled,  with 
changes in the fair value recognised as an expense. 

Occupancy and equipment expenses include the depreciation 
and lease rentals that are outlined in Note 1(y) property, plant 
and equipment and Note 1(v) lease receivables respectively. 

IT  expenses  are  recognised  as  incurred  unless  they  qualify 
for  capitalisation  as  an  asset  due  to  the  related  service 
generating  probable  future  economic  benefits.  If  capitalised 
the  asset  is subsequently  amortised  per  Note  1(z)  intangible 
assets. 

Taxation 

(p) Income Tax Expense 

Income tax is recognised in the Income Statement, except to 
the extent that it relates to items recognised directly in OCI, in 
which  case 
the  Statement  of 
Comprehensive  Income.  Income  tax  on  the  profit  or  loss  for 
the period comprises current and deferred tax. 

recognised 

in 

is 

it 

(q) Current Tax 

Current tax is the expected tax payable on the taxable income 
for  the  year,  using  tax  rates  enacted  at  the  Balance  Sheet 
date,  and  any  adjustment  to  tax  payable  in  respect  of 
previous years. 

(r) Deferred Tax 

Deferred  tax  is  calculated  using  the  Balance  Sheet  method 
where temporary differences between the carrying amounts of 
assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and their 
tax base are recognised. 

The  amount  of  deferred  tax  provided  is  based  on  the 
expected  manner  of  realisation  or  settlement  of  the  carrying 
amount  of  assets  and  liabilities  (i.e.  through  use  or  through 
sale),  using  tax  rates  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  when  it  is  probable 
that  future  taxable  profits  will  be  available  for  it  to  be  used 
against. Deferred tax assets are reduced to the extent that it 
is  no  longer  probable  that  the  related  tax  benefit  will  be 
realised. 

Deferred tax assets and liabilities are only offset when there is 
both a legal right to set-off and an intention to settle on a net 
basis with the same taxation authority. 

(s) The Tax Consolidated Group 

The  Commonwealth  Bank  of  Australia  Tax  Consolidated 
Group  elected  to  be  taxed  as  a  single  entity  under  the  tax 
from  1  July  2002. 
consolidation 

regime  with  effect 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    79 

 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 1 Accounting Policies (continued)
The Group has formally notified the Australian Taxation Office 
of its adoption of the tax consolidation regime. In addition, the 
measurement  and  disclosure  of  deferred  tax  assets  and 
liabilities  has  been  performed 
the 
principles  in  AASB  112  ‘Income  Taxes’,  and  on  a  modified 
standalone  basis  under  UIG  1052 
‘Tax  Consolidation 
Accounting’. 

in  accordance  with 

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. 

from  unused 

Any  current  tax  liabilities/assets  and  deferred  tax  assets 
from  subsidiaries  are 
arising 
recognised  in  conjunction  with  any  tax  funding  arrangement 
amounts  by  the  Bank  legal  entity  (as  the  head  of  the  tax 
consolidated group). 

losses 

tax 

Assets 

(t) Cash and Liquid Assets 

Cash  and  liquid  assets  include  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.  

For the purposes of the Statements of Cash Flows, cash and 
cash equivalents include cash and money at short call. 

(u) Financial Assets 

The  Group  classifies  its  financial  assets  in  the  following 
categories:  

 

 

 

 

financial  assets  at 
Statement; 

derivative assets; 

fair  value 

through 

the 

Income 

loans and receivables; and  

available-for-sale investments.  

The classification of financial instruments at initial recognition 
depends  on 
their  purpose  and  characteristics  and 
management’s intention when acquiring them. 

the 

Financial  instruments,  except  for  loans  and  receivables,  are 
initially  recognised  by  the  Group  on  the  trade  date,  i.e.  the 
date  that  the  Group  becomes  a  party  to  the  contractual 
trades 
provisions  of 
transacted  in  a  regular  way,  i.e.  purchases  or  sales  of 
financial assets that require delivery of assets within the time 
frame generally established by regulation or convention in the 
market  place.  Loans  and  receivables  are  recognised  on 
settlement date, when funding is advanced to the borrowers.  

instruments.  This  applies 

to 

All  financial  assets  are  measured  initially  at  their  fair  value 
plus directly attributable transaction costs, except in the case 
of  financial  assets  recorded  at  fair  value  through  the Income 
Statement.  Directly  attributable  transaction  costs  on  these 
assets are expensed on subsequent fair value measurement. 

The  Group  has  not  classified  any  of  its  financial  assets  as 
held to maturity investments. 

Financial Assets at Fair Value through the Income 
Statement 

Assets classified  at fair  value  through  the  Income Statement 
are  further  classified  into  three  sub-categories:  trading, 
insurance and other. 

80  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

Trading  assets  are  those  acquired  or  incurred  principally  for 
the  purpose  of selling  or  repurchasing  in  the  near  term,  or  if 
they are a part of a portfolio of identified financial instruments 
that are managed together and for which there is evidence of 
a recent actual pattern of short term profit-taking. Discounted 
bills that the Group intends to sell into the market immediately 
or in the near term also meet the definition of assets held for 
trading. Due to their nature, such assets are included in loans, 
bills  discounted  and  other  receivables  in  the  Balance  Sheet, 
while being measured at fair value. 

Insurance  assets  are  investments  that  back  life  insurance 
contracts and life investment contracts. These are outlined in 
Note 1(hh). 

Other  investments  include  financial  assets,  which  the  Group 
has  designated  at  fair  value  through  Income  Statement  at 
inception  to:  eliminate  an  accounting  mismatch;  reflect  they 
are  managed  on  a  fair  value  basis;  or  where  the  asset  is  a 
contract which contains an embedded derivative. 

to 

initial 

Subsequent 
financial  assets  are 
recognition, 
measured at fair value with changes in fair value recognised 
in other operating income. Dividends earned are recorded in 
other operating income. Interest earned is recorded within net 
interest income using the effective interest method. 

Derivative Financial Instruments 

Derivative financial instruments are contracts whose value is 
derived  from  one  or  more  underlying  price,  index  or  other 
variable.  They  include  forward  rate  agreements,  futures, 
options  and  interest  rate,  currency,  equity  and  credit  swaps. 
Derivatives  are  entered  into  for  trading  purposes  or  for 
hedging purposes.  

to 

initial  recognition,  gains  or 

losses  on 
Subsequent 
derivatives  are  recognised  in  the  Income  Statement,  unless 
they  are  entered  into  for  hedging  purposes  and  designated 
into a cash flow hedge. 

The Group uses derivatives to manage exposures to interest 
rate,  foreign  currency  and  credit  risks,  including  exposures 
arising from forecast transactions. 

Where  derivatives  are  held  for  risk  management  purposes 
and  when  transactions  meet  the  required  criteria,  the  Group 
applies  one  of  three  hedge  accounting  models;  fair  value 
hedge accounting, cash flow hedge accounting, or hedging of 
a net investment in a foreign operation as appropriate to the 
risks being hedged. 

(i) Fair Value Hedges 

Changes  in  fair  value  of  derivatives  that  qualify  and  are 
designated  as  fair  value  hedges  are  recorded  in  the  Income 
Statement,  together  with  changes  in  the  fair  value  of  the 
hedged  asset  or  liability  that  are  attributable  to  the  hedged 
risk.  The  changes  in  the  fair  value  of  the  hedged  asset  or 
liability shall be adjusted against their carrying value. 

If  the  hedge  relationship  no  longer  meets  the  criteria  for 
hedge accounting, it is discontinued. For fair value hedges of 
interest rate risk, the fair value adjustment to the hedged item 
is  amortised  to  the  Income  Statement  over  the  period  to 
maturity of the previously designated hedge relationship using 
the  effective  interest  method.  If  the  hedged  item  is  sold  or 
repaid,  the  unamortised  fair  value  adjustment  is  recognised 
immediately in the Income Statement. 

(ii) Cash Flow Hedges 

Changes in fair value associated with the effective portion of a 
derivative  designated  as  a  cash  flow  hedge  are  recognised

 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 1 Accounting Policies (continued) 

through  Other  Comprehensive  Income  in  the  Cash  Flow 
Hedge  Reserve  within  equity. 
Ineffective  portions  are 
recognised  immediately  in  the  Income  Statement.  Amounts 
deferred in equity are transferred to the Income Statement in 
the  period  in  which  the  hedged  forecast  transaction  takes 
place. 

When  a  hedging  instrument  expires  or  is sold, terminated  or 
exercised, or when the hedge no longer meets the criteria for 
hedge  accounting,  any  cumulative  gain  or  loss  existing  in 
equity  at  that  time  remains  in  equity  and  is  reclassified  to 
profit  or  loss  in  the  period  in  which  the  hedged  item  affects 
profit  or  loss.  When  a  forecast  transaction  is  no  longer 
expected  to  occur,  the  cumulative  gain  or  loss  that  was 
reported  in  equity  is  recycled  immediately  to  the  Income 
Statement. 
(iii) Net Investment Hedges 

Gains  and  losses  on  derivative  contracts  relating  to  the 
effective  portion  of the  net  investment  hedge  are  recognised 
in the foreign currency translation reserve in equity. 

Ineffective portions are recognised immediately in the Income 
Statement.  Gains  and  losses  accumulated  in  equity  are 
included in the Income Statement when the foreign subsidiary 
or branch is disposed of. 

(iv) Embedded Derivatives 

In certain  instances,  a  derivative may  be  embedded  within  a 
host  contract.  If  the  host  contract  is  not  carried  at  fair  value 
through  Income  Statement  and  the  economic  characteristics 
and  risks  of the  embedded  derivative  are  not  closely  related 
to  those  of  the  host  contract,  the  embedded  derivative  is 
separated from the host contract. It is then accounted for as a 
stand-alone derivative instrument at fair value. 

Available-for-Sale Investments 

(AFS) 

Available-for-sale 
investments  are  non-derivative 
financial  assets  that  are  not  classified  at  fair  value  through 
Income Statement or as loans and receivables. They primarily 
include  public  debt  securities  held  as  part  of  the  Group’s 
liquidity holdings. 

to 

investments  are 
initial  recognition,  AFS 
Subsequent 
measured  at  fair  value  with  unrealised  gains  and  losses 
arising  from  changes  in  fair  value  recognised  in  the  AFS 
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  recognised  in  the  Income  Statement  when 
earned.  Foreign  exchange  gains  and  losses  on  AFS  equity 
instruments are recognised directly in equity. 

The  Group  assesses  at  each  Balance  Sheet  date,  whether 
there  is  any  objective  evidence  of  impairment.  If  any  such 
evidence  exists  for  available-for-sale  securities,  cumulative 
losses are removed from equity and recognised in the Income 
Statement. If, in a subsequent period, the fair value of an AFS 
debt  security  increases  and  the  increase  can  be  linked 
objectively  to  an  event  occurring  after  the  impairment  event, 
the  impairment  is  reversed  through  the  Income  Statement. 
However, impairment losses on AFS equity securities are not 
reversed. 

Upon  disposal,  the  accumulated  change  in  fair  value  within 
the  AFS  investments  reserve  is  transferred  to  the  Income 
income.
Statement  and  reported  within  other  operating 

Loans, Bills Discounted and Other Receivables 

Loans,  bills  discounted  and  other  receivables  are  non-
derivative 
fixed  and  determinable 
payments that are not quoted in an active market.  

financial  assets,  with 

receivables 

Loans,  bills  discounted  and  other 
include 
overdrafts,  home  loans,  credit  card  and  other  personal 
lending,  term  loans,  bill  financing,  redeemable  preference 
shares,  securities,  finance  leases,  and  receivables  due  from 
other  financial  institutions  (including  loans,  deposits  with 
regulatory  authorities  and  settlement  account  balances  due 
from other banks). Subsequent to initial recognition, loans and 
receivables  are  measured  at  amortised  cost  using  the 
effective interest method and are presented net of provisions 
for impairment.  

Discounted  bills  included  in  this  category  due  to  their  nature 
meet  the  definition  of  trading  assets  and  are  therefore 
measured at fair value through Income Statement in line with 
the  accounting  policy  for  assets  held  for  trading.  As  a  result 
discounted bills are not subject to impairment assessment. 

The  Group  assesses  at  each  Balance  Sheet  date  whether 
there  is  any  objective  evidence  of  impairment.  If  there  is 
objective evidence that an impairment loss on loans 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  estimated  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.  

Loans  and  other  receivables  are presented  net  of  provisions 
for  loan  impairment.  The  Group  has  individually  assessed 
provisions  and  collectively  assessed  provisions.  Individually 
assessed  provisions  are  made  against  financial  assets  that 
are  individually  significant,  or  which  have  been  individually 
assessed as impaired. 

Individual provisions for impairment are recognised to reduce 
the carrying amount of non-performing facilities to the present 
value  of 
Individually 
significant  provisions  are  calculated  based  on  discounted 
cash flows. 

their  expected 

future  cash 

flows. 

The  unwinding  of  the  discount,  from  initial  recognition  of 
impairment through to recovery of the written down amount, is 
In  subsequent  periods, 
recognised  as 
income. 
interest 
is 
recognised  in  the  Income  Statement  using  the  original 
effective interest rate. 

in  arrears/due  on  non-performing 

facilities 

interest 

All  loans  and  other  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 
advances  to  the  present  value  of  their  expected  future  cash 
flows at the Balance Sheet date. 

The  expected  future  cash  flows  for  portfolios  of  assets  with 
similar credit 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. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    81 

 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 1 Accounting Policies (continued) 

Derecognition of Financial Assets and Financial 
Liabilities 

return on this net investment and is recognised within interest 
income in the Income Statement.  

The  Group  derecognises  financial  assets  when  the  rights  to 
receive  cash  flows  from  the  asset  have  expired  or  when  the 
Group transfers its rights to receive cash flows from the asset 
together  with  substantially  all  the  risks  and  rewards  of  the 
asset.  The  Group  enters  into  certain  transactions  where  it 
transfers financial assets recognised on its Balance Sheet but 
retains either all or a majority of the risks and rewards of the 
transferred financial assets. If all or substantially all risks and 
rewards are retained, the transferred financial assets are not 
derecognised  from  the  Balance  Sheet.  Transactions  where 
transfers of financial assets result in the Group retaining all or 
substantially all risks and rewards include reverse repurchase 
transactions,  and  some  of  the  Group’s  securitisation  and 
covered bonds programs. A financial liability is derecognised 
when the obligation under the liability is discharged, cancelled 
or expires. Where an existing  financial liability is replaced by 
another from the same lender on substantially different terms, 
or the terms of an  existing liability are substantially modified, 
such  an  exchange  or  modification 
treated  as  a 
derecognition  of  the  original  liability  and  the  recognition  of  a 
new 
the  respective  carrying 
amounts is recognised in the Income Statement.  

liability.  The  difference 

in 

is 

Repurchase and Reverse Repurchase Agreements 

Securities sold under repurchase agreements are retained in 
the  financial statements  where  substantially  all  the  risks  and 
rewards of ownership remain with the Group.  

A  counterparty  liability  is  recognised  within  deposits  and 
public borrowings. The difference between the sale price and 
the repurchase price is accrued over the life of the repurchase 
agreement  and  charged  to  interest  expense  in  the  income 
statement. 

Securities  purchased  under  agreements  to  resell,  where  the 
Group  does  not  acquire  the  risks  and  rewards  of  ownership, 
are  recorded  as  receivables  in  cash  and  liquid  assets.  The 
security is not included in the Balance Sheet as the Group is 
not exposed to substantially all its risks and rewards. Interest 
income is accrued on the underlying receivable amount. 

Provision for Off Balance Sheet Items 

Guarantees and other contingent liabilities are accounted for 
as off balance sheet items. Provisioning for these exposures 
‘Provisions,  Contingent 
is  calculated  under  AASB  137 
Liabilities and Contingent Assets’. 

Loan  assets  under  committed  lending  facilities  are  not 
recognised until the facilities are drawn upon. 

The  Group  has  determined  that  it  is  appropriate  to  establish 
provisions in relation to such facilities where a customer has 
been  downgraded.  These  provisions  are  disclosed  as  other 
liabilities in the Balance Sheet. 

(v) Lease Receivables 

Leases are classified as either a finance lease or an operating 
lease.  Under  a  finance  lease,  substantially  all  the  risks  and 
rewards  incidental  to  legal  ownership  are  transferred  to  the 
lessee. Under an operating lease, these risks remain with the 
lessor. 

As  a  lessor,  the  assets  the  Group  has  leased  out  under 
finance  leases  are  recognised  as  lease  receivables  on  the 
Balance  Sheet  at  an  amount  equal  to  the  net  investment  in 
the lease. Finance lease income reflects a constant periodic  

82  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

The assets the Group has leased out under operating leases 
continue to be recognised on the Balance Sheet as property, 
plant  and  equipment  and  are  depreciated  accordingly. 
Operating 
Income 
Statement on a straight line basis over the lease term. 

lease  revenue 

is  recognised 

the 

in 

As  a  lessee,  the  Group  engages  only  in  operating  leases. 
Rental expense is recognised on a straight line basis over the 
lease term. 

(w) Shares in and Loans to Controlled Entities 

Investments in controlled entities are initially recorded at cost 
and  subsequently  held  at  the  lower  of  cost  and  recoverable 
amount.  Loans 
to  controlled  entities  are  subsequently 
recorded at amortised cost less impairment. 
(x) Assets Classified as Held for Sale 

Assets  are  classified  as  held  for  sale,  when  their  carrying 
amounts  are  expected  to  be  recovered  principally  through 
sale within twelve months. They are measured at the lower of 
carrying  amount  and  fair  value  less  costs  to  sell,  unless  the 
nature of the assets require that they be measured in line with 
another accounting standard. 

Assets  classified  as  held  for  sale  are  neither  amortised  nor 
depreciated.  

(y) Property, Plant and Equipment 

The Group measures its property assets (land and buildings) 
at fair value, based on annual independent market valuations.  

Revaluation adjustments are 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.  Upon  sale  or  disposal,  realised  amounts 
in  the  asset  revaluation  reserve  are  transferred  to  retained 
profits. 

Other property, plant and equipment assets are stated at cost, 
which  includes  direct  and  incremental  acquisition  costs  less 
accumulated  depreciation  and  any  impairment  if  required. 
Subsequent  costs  are  capitalised  if  these  result  in  an 
enhancement to the asset. 

Depreciation is calculated using the straight line method over 
the asset’s estimated useful economic life. The useful lives of 
major depreciable asset categories are as follows: 

Land 

Buildings 

Equipment 

Leasehold improvements 

Assets under lease 

 

 

 

Aircraft 

Rail 

Ships 

Indefinite (not 
depreciated) 

Up to 30 years 

3 – 8 years 

Lesser of unexpired 
lease term or lives as 
above 

25 years 

35-40 years 

25-40 years 

The Group assesses at each Balance Sheet date useful lives 
and  residual  values  and  whether  there  is  any  objective 
evidence of impairment. If an asset’s carrying value is greater 
than  its  recoverable  amount,  the  carrying  amount  is  written 
down immediately to its recoverable amount. 

 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 1 Accounting Policies (continued) 

 (z) Intangible Assets 

Intangible assets are identifiable non-monetary assets without 
physical substance. They are recognised only if it is probable 
the asset will generate future benefits for the Group. They are 
measured  at  cost.  Those  assets  with  an  indefinite  useful  life 
are tested for impairment annually. All intangible assets must 
be  tested  for  impairment  when  there  is  an  indication  that  its 
carrying amount may be greater than its recoverable amount. 

Goodwill 

Goodwill has an indefinite useful life. It represents the excess 
of  the  cost  of  an  acquisition  over  the  fair  value  of  the  net 
identifiable assets acquired as at the date of acquisition. The 
cost  of  an  acquisition  is  made  up  of  the  consideration 
transferred,  the  amount  of  non-controlling  interests  and  the 
fair  value  of  any  previously  held  equity  interest  in  the 
acquiree. 
Goodwill  arising  from  business  combinations  is  included  in 
intangible assets on the Balance Sheet. Goodwill is tested for 
impairment  annually  through  allocation  to  a  group  of  Cash 
Generating Units (CGUs). The CGUs’ recoverable amount is 
then  compared  to  its  carrying  amount  and  an  impairment  is 
recognised for any excess carrying value. The CGUs and how 
their recoverable amount is calculated are listed in Note 15. 

Computer Software Costs 

in 
Certain  internal  and  external  costs  directly 
acquiring  and  developing  software,  net  of  specific  project 
related  grants,  are  capitalised  and  amortised  over  the 
estimated  useful  life.  The  majority  of  software  projects  are 
five  years.  The  Core  Banking 
amortised  over 
Modernisation software project is amortised over ten years.  

incurred 

two 

to 

Costs  incurred  on  software  maintenance  are  expensed  as 
incurred.  

Core Deposits 

Core deposits were initially recognised  at fair value following 
the  acquisition  of  Bankwest  and  represent  the  value  of  the 
deposit  base  acquired  in  the  business  combination.  Core 
deposits  are  amortised  over  their  estimated  useful  life  of 
seven years. 

Brand Names 

Brand  names  are  recognised  when  acquired  in  a  business 
combination. Initially recognised at fair value,  in general they 
are considered to have a similar useful life to the period of the 
brand  names  existence  at  the  time  of  purchase  or  an 
indefinite  useful  life.  An  indefinite  useful  life  is  considered 
appropriate  when  there  is  no  foreseeable  limit  to  the  period 
over  which  the  brand  name  is  expected  to  generate  cash 
flows. 

Management Fee Rights 

Management fee rights are recognised when acquired as part 
of  a  business  combination  and  are  considered  to  have  an 
indefinite  useful  life  under  the  contractual  terms  of  the 
management agreements. 

Other Intangibles 

Other  intangibles  predominantly  comprise  customer  lists. 
Customer  relationships  acquired  as  part  of  a  business 
combination are initially measured at fair value at the date of 
less 
acquisition  and  subsequently  measured  at  cost 
losses. 
accumulated  amortisation  and  any 

impairment 

Amortisation  is  calculated  based  on  the  timing  of  projected 
cash  flows  of  the  relationships  over  their  estimated  useful 
lives. 

Liabilities 

(aa) Financial Liabilities 

The  Group  classifies  its  financial  liabilities  in  the  following 
categories: liabilities at fair value  through Income Statement, 
liabilities  at  amortised  cost  and  derivative  liabilities  (refer  to 
previous  discussion  on  derivative  financial  instruments  in 
Note 1(u)). 

Financial  liabilities  are  initially  recognised  at  fair  value  less 
directly  attributable  transaction  costs,  except  in  the  case  of 
financial  liabilities  recorded  at  fair  value  through  Income 
Statement.  Directly  attributable  transaction  costs  on  these 
liabilities  are  expensed  on 
value 
measurement. 

subsequent 

fair 

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, where the liabilities eliminate 
an  accounting  mismatch,  or  where  they  contain  embedded 
derivatives. 

Subsequent to initial recognition these liabilities are measured 
at  fair  value  with  changes  in  fair  value  recognised  in  other 
operating  income.  Interest  incurred  is  recorded  within  net 
interest income using the effective interest method. 

Liabilities at Amortised Cost 

(i) Deposits From Customers  

Deposits from customers include certificates of deposit, term 
deposits,  savings  deposits,  other  demand  deposits  and 
debentures.  Subsequent 
they  are 
measured  at  amortised  cost.  Interest  and  yield  related  fees 
are recognised on an effective interest basis.  

initial  recognition 

to 

(ii) Payables Due to Other Financial Institutions 

Payables  due  to  other  financial  institutions  include  deposits, 
vostro  balances  and  settlement  account  balances  due  to 
other  banks.  Subsequent  to  initial  recognition  they  are 
measured  at  amortised  cost.  Interest  and  yield  related  fees 
are recognised using the effective interest method. 

(iii) Debt Issues 

Debt issues are short and long term debt issues of the Group, 
including  commercial  paper,  notes,  term  loans  and  medium 
term notes issued by the Group. 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 
Income 
Statement in the period in which they are realised. 

to  maturity  are 

taken  to  the 

Where  the  Group  has  designated  debt  instruments  at  fair 
value  through  Income  Statement,  the  changes  in  fair  value 
are recognised in the Income Statement. 

The  Group  hedges interest  rate  and  foreign currency  risk  on 
certain  debt  issues.  When  fair  value  hedge  accounting  is 
applied  to  fixed  rate  debt  issues,  the  carrying  values  are

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    83 

 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 1 Accounting Policies (continued) 

adjusted for changes in fair value related to the hedged risks, 
rather than carried at amortised cost.  

(iv) Loan Capital 

Loan  capital  is  debt  issued  by  the  Group  with  terms  and 
conditions  that  qualify  for  inclusion  as  capital,  under  APRA 
Prudential Standards. It is initially recorded at fair value, plus 
directly  attributable 
thereafter  at 
amortised cost using the effective interest method. 

transaction  costs  and 

(v) Bank Acceptances of Customers - Liability 

These are bills of exchange initially accepted and discounted 
by the Group and subsequently sold into the market. They are 
recognised  at  amortised  cost.  The  market  exposure  is 
recognised as a liability. An asset of equal value is recognised 
to reflect the offsetting claim against the drawer of the bill.  

Bank  acceptances  generate  interest  and  fee  income  that  is 
recognised in the Income Statement when earned. 

(vi) Financial Guarantees and Credit Commitments  

In the ordinary course of business, the Group gives financial 
guarantees  consisting  of  letters  of  credit,  guarantees  and 
acceptances.  Financial  guarantees  are  recognised  within 
other liabilities in the financial statements initially at fair value, 
being the premium received. Subsequent to initial recognition, 
the Group’s liability under each guarantee is measured at the 
higher  of  the  amount  initially  recognised  less  cumulative 
amortisation  recognised  in  the  Income  Statement,  and  the 
best  estimate  of  expenditure  required  to  settle  any  financial 
obligation arising as a result of the guarantee. Any increase in 
the  liability  relating  to  financial  guarantees  is  recorded  in the 
Income  Statement.  The  premium  received  is  recognised  in 
the Income Statement in other operating income on a straight 
line basis over the life of the guarantee. 

Loan  commitments  are  defined  amounts  (unutilised  credit 
lines or undrawn portions of credit lines) against which clients 
can borrow money under defined terms and conditions. Loan 
commitments  that  are  cancellable  by  the  Group  are  not 
recognised on the Balance Sheet. Upon a loan drawdown by 
the  counterparty,  the  amount  of  the  loan  is  accounted  for  in 
accordance  with  accounting  policies 
loans  and 
receivables.  Irrevocable  loan  commitments  are  not  recorded 
in  the  Balance  Sheet,  but  a  provision  is  recognised  if  it  is 
probable that a loss has been incurred and a reliable estimate 
of the amount can be made. 

for 

(bb) Employee Benefits 

Annual Leave 

for  annual 

The  provision 
outstanding 
liability 
entitlements at Balance Sheet date. 

to  employees 

leave  represents 

the  current 
leave 

for  annual 

Long Service Leave 

The  provision  for  long  service  leave  is  discounted  to  the 
present value and is set based on actuarial assumptions. The 
assumptions  and  provision  balance  are  subject  to  tri-annual 
internal actuarial review. 

Other Employee Benefits 

The  provision  for  other  employee  entitlements  represents 
liabilities for a subsidy to a registered health fund with respect 
to  retired  and  current  employees,  and  employee  incentives 
under employee share plans and bonus schemes. 

84  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

Defined Benefit Superannuation Plans 

The  Group  currently  sponsors 
superannuation plans for its employees. 

two  defined  benefit 

The  net  defined  benefit  liability  or  asset  recognised  in  the 
Balance  Sheet  is  the  present  value  of  the  defined  benefit 
obligation as at the Balance Sheet date less the fair value of 
plan  assets.  The  defined  benefit  obligation  is  calculated  by 
independent fund actuaries.  

In  each  reporting  period,  the  movement  in  the  net  defined 
benefit liability or asset is treated as follows: 

 

 

 

 

The net movement relating to the current period service 
cost,  net  interest  cost  (income),  past  service  and  other 
costs  (such  as  the  effects  of  any  curtailments  and 
settlements)  is  recognised  as  an  employee  expense  in 
the Income Statement; 

Remeasurements  relating  to  actuarial  gains  and  losses 
and  the  difference  between  interest  income  and  the 
return on plan assets are recognised directly in retained 
profits through OCI; 

Contributions made by the Group are recognised directly 
against the net defined benefit liability or asset; and 

Net  interest  cost  (income)  is  determined  by  multiplying 
the  government  bond  rate  by  the  net  defined  benefit 
obligation (asset) at the beginning of the reporting period 
and  adjusted  for  changes  in  the  net  defined  benefit 
liability 
to  contributions  and  benefit 
payments.  

(asset)  due 

Defined Contribution Superannuation Plans 

The  Group  sponsors  a  number  of  defined  contribution 
superannuation  plans.  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. 

(cc) Provisions 

Provisions  are  recognised  when  a  probable  obligation  has 
arisen  as  a  result  of  a  past  event  that  can  be  reliably 
measured. The following are examples of provisions raised. 

Provision for Dividends 

A  provision 
for  dividend  payable 
dividends are determined or declared by the Directors. 

is  recognised  when 

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 
lending 
products  the  Group  originates.  The  provision  is  reassessed 
annually in consultation with actuarial advice. 

insurance  risks  on 

Equity 

(dd) Shareholders’ Equity 

Ordinary  shares  are  recognised  at  the  amount  paid  up  per 
ordinary share, net of directly attributable issue costs. 

Where  the  Bank  or  other  members  of  the  Group  purchase 
shares  in  the  Bank,  the  consideration  paid  is  deducted  from 
total  shareholders’  equity  and  the  shares  are  treated  as 
treasury shares until they are subsequently sold, reissued or

 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 1 Accounting Policies (continued) 

cancelled.  Where  such  shares  are  sold  or  reissued,  any 
consideration received is included in shareholders’ equity. 

(ee) Reserves 

General Reserve 

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. 

Capital Reserve 

The  capital  reserve  held  by  the  Bank  relates  to  historic 
internal  Group  restructuring  performed  at  fair  value.  The 
capital reserve is eliminated on consolidation. 

Asset Revaluation Reserve 

The  asset  revaluation  reserve  is  used  to  record  revaluation 
adjustments on the Group’s property assets. In the event the 
asset  is  sold  or  disposed  of,  any  balance  in  the  reserve  in 
relation to the asset is transferred directly to retained profits. 

Foreign Currency Translation Reserve 

Exchange  differences  arising  on  translation  of  the  Group’s 
foreign  operations  are  accumulated  in  the  foreign  currency 
translation  reserve.  The  cumulative  amount  is  reclassified  to 
profit  or  loss  when  the  foreign  investment  is  disposed  of  or 
wound up.  

Cash Flow Hedge Reserve 

The  cash  flow  hedge  reserve  is  used  to  record  fair  value 
gains  or  losses  associated  with  the  effective  portion  of 
designated  cash  flow  hedging  instruments.  Amounts  are 
reclassified  to  profit  or  loss  when  the  hedged  transaction 
impacts profit or loss.  

Employee Compensation Reserve 

The employee compensation reserve is used to recognise the 
fair  value  of  shares  and  other  equity  instruments  issued  to 
employees  under  the  employee  share  plans  and  bonus 
schemes. 

Available-for-sale Investment Reserve 

The available-for-sale investment reserve includes changes in 
the  fair  value  of  available-for-sale  financial  assets.  These 
changes  are  transferred  to  profit  or  loss  when  the  asset  is 
derecognised or impaired. 

Life and General Insurance Business 

The  Group’s  consolidated  financial  statements  include  the 
assets, liabilities, income and expenses of the life and general 
insurance  businesses  conducted  by  various  subsidiaries  of 
the Bank.  

Insurance  contracts  involve  the  acceptance  of  significant 
insurance  risk  from  another  party  (the  policyholder)  by 
agreeing  to  compensate  the  policyholder  if  a  specified 
uncertain future event adversely affects the policyholder. The 
insured benefit is either not linked or only partly linked to the 
market  value  of the  investments held,  and  the  financial  risks 
are substantially borne by the insurer. 

General insurance contracts are insurance contracts that are 
not life insurance contracts.  

Life  investment  contracts  involve  the  origination  of  one  or 
more  financial  instruments  and  may  involve  the  provision  of 
management services. Life investment contracts do not meet 
the definition of insurance contracts as they do not involve an 
acceptance of significant insurance risk by the Group’s life  

insurers.  The  financial  risks  are  substantially  borne  by  the 
policyholder.  Shareholders  can  only  receive  a  distribution 
when  the  capital  adequacy  requirements  of  the  Life  Act  are 
met.  

(ff) Revenue 

Life  insurance  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.  

Life  investment  premiums  received  include  the  management 
fee portion recognised as revenue over the period the 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.  

General  insurance  premium  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 
actuarial  assessment  of  the  likely  pattern  in  which  risk  will 
emerge.  The  portion  not  yet  earned  based  on  the  pattern 
assessment is recognised as unearned premium liability. 

Returns  on  all  investments  controlled  by  life  and  general 
insurance businesses are recognised as revenue.  

(gg) Expenses 

Life and general insurance contract claims are recognised as 
an expense when a liability has been established.  

Acquisition  costs  (which  include  commission  costs)  are  the 
costs  associated  with  obtaining  and  recording  insurance 
contracts.  Acquisition  costs  are  deferred  or  capitalised  when 
they  relate  to  the  acquisition  of  new  business.  These  costs 
are amortised on the same basis as the earning pattern of the 
premium, over the life of the contract. The amount deferred is 
limited  to  the  extent  that  they  are  deemed  recoverable  from 
the expected future profits. 

(hh) Investment Assets 

Assets  backing  insurance  liabilities  are  carried  at  fair  value 
through Income Statement.  

Investments held in the life insurance funds are subject to the 
restrictions imposed under the Life Act.  

(ii) Policy Liabilities 

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  where  benefits  are  contractually  linked  to  the 
asset  performance),  and  are  calculated  in  accordance  with 
the principles of Margin on Services (MoS) profit reporting as 
set  out  in  Prudential  Standard  LPS  340  ‘Valuation  of  Policy 
Liabilities’ issued by APRA. 

Life  investment  contract  liabilities  are  measured  at  fair  value 
in  accordance  with  AASB  139.  The  balance  is  no  less  than 
the contract surrender value. 

General  insurance  policy  liabilities  are  made  up  of  two 
components:  unearned  premium  liability  and  outstanding 
claims liability. 

The  unearned  premium  liability  is  subject  to  a  liability 
adequacy test. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    85 

 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 1 Accounting Policies (continued) 

Any  deficiency  will  be  recognised  as  an  expense  in  the 
Income  Statement  by  first  writing  down  any  related  deferred 
acquisition  costs,  with  any  excess  being  recorded  on  the 
Balance Sheet as an unexpired risk liability.  

The  provision  for  outstanding  claims  is  measured  as  the 
central  estimate  of  the  present  value  of  expected  future 
claims  payments  plus  a  risk  margin.  The  expected  future 
payments include those in relation to claims reported but not 
yet paid; claims incurred but not reported; claims incurred but 
not enough reported; and estimated claims handling costs. 

Other 

(jj) Managed Funds Units on Issue – Held by Non-
controlling Unit-Holders 

The life insurance and other funds include controlling interests 
in trusts and companies which are recognised in the Group’s 
consolidated Financial Statements. 

When a controlled unit trust is consolidated, the amounts due 
to  external  unit-holders  remain  as  managed  funds  units  on 
issue liabilities in the Group’s consolidated balance sheet. In 
the Income Statement, the net profit or loss of the controlled 
entities  relating  to  non-controlling  interests  is  excluded  from 
the Group’s net profit or loss. 

(kk) Asset Securitisation 

The Group conducts an asset securitisation  program through 
which  it  packages  and  sells  asset  backed  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.  The  Group  also  directs  any  decisions  over 
relevant  activities  of  the  program  and  therefore  controls  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  borrowing  is 
recognised  by  the  Bank  inclusive  of  the  derivative  and  any 
related fees. 

(ll) Fiduciary Activities 

Certain  controlled  entities  within 
the  Group  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. 

(mm) Earnings per Share 

Basic earnings per share is calculated by dividing the Group’s 
profit  attributable  to  ordinary  equity  holders,  by  the  weighted 
average  number  of  ordinary  shares  outstanding  during  the 
financial  year,  excluding  the  number  of  ordinary  shares 
purchased and held as treasury shares. 

86  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

Diluted  earnings  per  share  is  calculated  by  dividing  the 
Group’s  profit  attributable  to  ordinary  equity  holders,  after 
deducting interest on the convertible redeemable loan capital 
instruments,  by  the  weighted  average  number  of  ordinary 
shares  adjusted  for  the  effect  of  dilutive  convertible  non-
cumulative redeemable loan capital instruments. 

Critical Judgements and Estimates 

The  application  of  the  Group’s  accounting  policies  requires 
the use of judgement, estimates and assumptions. If different 
assumptions  or  estimates  were  applied,  the  resulting  values 
would  change,  impacting  the  net  assets  and  income  of  the 
Group. 

(nn) Provisions for Impairment of Financial Assets 

Provisions for impairment of financial assets are raised where 
there  is  objective  evidence  of  impairment  at  an  individual  or 
collective  basis,  at  an  amount  adequate  to  cover  assessed 
credit related losses. 

Credit  losses  arise  primarily  from  loans,  but  also  from  other 
credit  instruments  such  as  bank  acceptances,  contingent 
liabilities, guarantees and other financial instruments. 

Individually Assessed Provisions 

Individually  assessed  provisions  are  raised  where  there  is 
objective evidence of impairment (where the Group does not 
expect to receive all of the cash flows contractually due).  

Individually  assessed  provisions  are  made  against  individual 
risk  rated credit facilities  where  a  loss  of  $20,000  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. 

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 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 
borrowers are considered. Current developments in portfolios 
(industry, geographic and term) are reviewed. 

In  the  statistically  managed  (retail)  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 13. 

(oo) Provisions (Other than Loan Impairment) 
Provisions are held in respect of a range of future obligations 

 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 1 Accounting Policies (continued) 

losses  and  customer 

such  as  employee  entitlements,  restructuring  costs,  non-
lending 
remediation  payments. 
Provisions carried for long service leave are calculated based 
on  actuarial  models  and  subject  to  annual  review  based  on 
changes  in  underlying  assumptions.  Some  of  the  provisions 
involve  significant  judgement  about  the  likely  outcome  of 
various events and estimated future cash flows. 

The  measurement  of  these  obligations  involves  the  exercise 
of  management  judgements  about  the  ultimate  outcomes  of 
the transactions. Payments which are expected to be incurred 
later  than  one  year  are  discounted  at  a  rate  which  reflects 
both  current  interest  rates  and  the  risks  specific  to  that 
provision.  The  carrying  value  of  these  provisions  is  included 
in Note 20. 

(pp) Life Insurance Policyholder Liabilities 

The  determination  of  life  insurance  policyholder  liabilities 
involves the following key actuarial assumptions: 

 

 

 

Business  assumptions  including  amount,  timing  and 
duration  of  claims/policy  payments,  policy  lapse  rates 
and acquisition and 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: 

technique commonly used by market participants to price the 
instrument  and  that  technique  has  been  demonstrated  to 
provide reliable estimates of prices obtained in actual market 
transactions, the Group uses that technique. 

The  chosen  valuation  technique  makes  maximum  use  of 
market inputs and relies as little as possible on entity specific 
inputs.  It  incorporates  all  factors  that  market  participants 
would  consider  in  setting  a  price  and  is  consistent  with 
financial 
accepted  economic  methodologies 
instruments.  Data  inputs  that  the  Group  relies  upon  when 
valuing financial instruments relate to counterparty credit risk, 
volatility, correlation and extrapolation. 

for  pricing 

Periodically, the Group calibrates its valuation techniques and 
tests  them  for  validity  using  prices  from  any  observable 
current  market  transactions  in  the  same  instrument  (i.e. 
without  modification  or  repackaging)  and  any  other  available 
observable market data. Details of the extent non-observable 
inputs are used to fair value financial instruments are included 
in Note 42. 

(ss) Goodwill 

The  carrying  value  of  goodwill  is  reviewed  annually  and  is 
written  down,  to  the  extent  that  it  is  no  longer  supported  by 
probable future benefits. 

Goodwill is allocated to cash-generating units (CGUs) whose 
recoverable  amount 
the  purpose  of 
is  calculated 
impairment testing. The recoverable amount calculation relies 
primarily  on  publicly  available  earnings  multiples.  Details  of 
the  inputs  used  in  recoverable  amount  calculations  are 
outlined further in Note 15. 

for 

Recent results may be a statistical aberration; or 

(tt) Taxation 

 

 

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. 
Further detail on the financial position on performance of the 
Group’s Life Insurance operations is set out in Note 29. 

(qq) Consolidation of Special Purpose Entities 

The Group assesses, at inception and periodically, whether a 
structured entity should be consolidated based on the  power 
the Bank has over the relevant activities of the entity and the 
significance of the Bank’s exposure to variable returns of the 
structured  entity.  Such  assessments  are  predominantly 
required in the context of the Group’s securitisation program, 
structured  transactions,  and  involvement  with  investment 
funds. 

 (rr) Financial Instruments at Fair Value 

A significant portion of financial instruments are carried on the 
Balance Sheet at fair value. 

The  best  evidence  of  fair  value  is  quoted  prices in  an  active 
market.  If  the  market  for  a  financial  instrument  is  not  active, 
the  Group  establishes  fair  value  by  using  a  valuation 
technique. The  objective  of  using  a  valuation  technique is to 
establish what the transaction price would have been  on the 
measurement date in an arm’s length exchange motivated by 
normal business considerations. 

Valuation  techniques  include  using  recent  arm’s  length 
market transactions between knowledgeable willing parties (if 
available),  reference  to  the  current  fair  value  of  another 
instrument  that  is  substantially  the  same,  discounted  cash 
flow analysis and option pricing models. If there is a valuation 

Provisions  for  taxation  require  significant  judgement  with 
respect 
that  are  uncertain.  For  such 
uncertainties,  the  Group  has  estimated  its  tax  provisions 
based on its expected outcomes. 

to  outcomes 

(uu) Superannuation Obligations 

The  Group  currently  sponsors  two  defined  benefit  plans  as 
described  in  Note  37.  For  each  of  these  plans,  actuarial 
valuations  of  the  plan’s  obligations  and  the  fair  value 
measurements  of  the  plan’s  assets  are  performed  semi-
annually in accordance with the requirements of AASB 119. 

The actuarial valuation of plan obligations is dependent upon 
a  series  of  assumptions,  the  key  ones  being  price  inflation, 
discount  rates,  earnings  growth,  mortality,  morbidity  and 
investment returns assumptions. Different assumptions could 
significantly  alter  the  amount  of  the  difference  between  plan 
assets and obligations, and the superannuation cost charged.  

Future Accounting Developments 

The  following  amendments  to  existing  standards  have  been 
published  and  are  mandatory 
for  accounting  periods 
beginning  on  or  after  1  January  2014  or  later  periods,  but 
have  not  been  adopted.  They  are  not  expected  to  result  in 
significant changes to the Group’s accounting policies, unless 
otherwise noted. 

 

 

AASB  2010-7  ‘Amendments  to  Australian  Accounting 
Standards  arising  from  AASB  9’,  including  subsequent 
amendments in AASB 2009-11, 2012-6, and 2013-9; 

AASB  2012-3  ‘Amendments  to  Australian  Accounting 
Standards  –  Offsetting  Financial  Assets  and  Financial 
Liabilities’; 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    87 

 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

The general hedge accounting provisions have been finalised 
with  the  new  requirements  being  more  principle  based, 
allowing  closer  alignment  between  accounting  and  risk 
management practices. 

The  IASB  finalised  the  modifications  to  classification  and 
measurement requirements and the new expected credit loss 
impairment  model  in  July  2014.  In  addition  the  IASB  has  a 
separate project on macro hedge accounting.  

IFRS  15  ‘Revenue  from  Contracts  with  Customers’  contains 
for 
new  requirements 
the  recognition  of  revenue.  The 
standard  will  also 
include  additional  disclosures  about 
revenue. 

Adoption of IFRS 9 and IFRS 15 is not mandatory until annual 
periods beginning on or after 1 January 2017 and 1 January 
2018  respectively.  Early  adoption  is  permitted.  The  potential 
financial impact to the Group is not yet possible to determine. 

Note 1 Accounting Policies (continued)

 

 

 

AASB 2013-3 ‘Amendments to AASB 136 – Recoverable 
Amount Disclosures’; 

AASB  2013-4  ‘Amendments  to  Australian  Accounting 
Standards – Novation of Derivatives and Continuation of 
Hedge Accounting’; and 

AASB  2013-5  Amendments  to  Australian  Accounting 
Standards – Investment Entities. 

In  addition  to  the  above,  the  IASB  plans  to  issue  new 
standards  on  Leases  and  Insurance  Contracts.  The  Group 
will  consider  the  financial  impacts  these  new  standards  as 
they are finalised. 

AASB  132  ‘Financial  Instruments:  Presentation’,  has  been 
amended  to  clarify  the  conditions  for  offsetting  financial 
assets  and 
the  Balance  Sheet.  These 
amendments are effective from 1 July 2014 for the Group but 
are  not  likely  to  impact  the  Group’s  current  accounting 
practice for offsetting arrangements. 

liabilities 

in 

AASB  9  ‘Financial  Instruments’  contains  new  accounting 
requirements  for  financial  assets  and  liabilities,  including 
classification  and  measurement  and  general  hedge 
accounting.

88  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 2 Profit 

Profit before income tax has been determined as follows: 

(1)  Total interest income for financial assets that are not at fair value through profit or loss is $33,081 million (2013: $34,289 million, 2012: $37,637 million) for 

the Group and $34,334 million (2013: $35,293 million) for the Bank. 

(2)  Total interest expense for financial liabilities that are not at fair value through profit or loss is $18,338 million (2013: $20,607 million, 2012: $24,816 million) 

for the Group and $21,387 million (2013: $23,444 million) for the Bank. 

(3)  There was no gain or loss on financial assets and liabilities designated at fair value for the Group (2013: $3 million gain, 2012: $4 million loss) or for the 

Bank (2013: $nil gain or loss). 

(4)  Non-trading derivatives are held for risk management purposes. 
(5)  Comparative information has been restated to reflect the impact of changes in accounting policy. Refer to Note 1(f) for more details. 
(6)  For the Group includes depreciation of $77 million (30 June 2013: $65 million, 30 June 2012: $50 million) and rental income of $139 million (30 June 2013: 
$116 million, 30 June 2012: $89 million) in relation to operating leases where the Group is the lessor. For the Bank includes depreciation of $17 million (30 
June 2013: $18 million) and rental income of $38 million (30 June 2013: $41 million) in relation to operating leases where the Bank is the lessor. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    89 

GroupBank20142013201220142013$M$M$M$M$MInterest IncomeLoans and bills discounted 31,15432,02034,70927,80528,065Other financial institutions 69641026045Cash and liquid assets 251187330201145Assets at fair value through Income Statement 447450621409414Available-for-sale investments 1,7242,0182,4964,2214,861Controlled entities---2,1642,177Total interest income (1)33,64534,73938,25834,86035,707Interest ExpenseDeposits13,33815,07017,63312,05313,481Other financial institutions228233185205207Liabilities at fair value through Income Statement 20619832010797Debt issues 4,3434,8696,4923,5714,118Controlled entities---5,1375,209Loan capital429435506421429Total interest expense (2)18,54420,80525,13621,49423,541Net interest income15,10113,93413,12213,36612,166Other Operating IncomeLending fees 1,0831,0539971,015960Commissions2,1301,9901,9971,7831,621Trading income922863522850797Net gain on disposal of available-for-sale investments 1231811231Net gain/(loss) on other non-fair valued financial instruments36(41)2(4)(41)Net hedging ineffectiveness(21)(25)39(25)(29)Net gain/(loss) on sale of property, plant and equipment(12)(14)39(9)(13)Net gain/(loss) on other fair valued financial instruments:Fair value through Income Statement (3)(6)(1)48(1)-Non-trading derivatives (4)(91)2885(90)(30)Dividends - Controlled entities---1,8941,464Dividends - Other12965048Net funds management operating income:Fees receivable on trust and other fiduciary activities1,7991,6421,517--Other (5)23520569--Insurance contracts income (5)1,033923963--Share of profit of associates and joint ventures net of impairment15016595--Other (5) (6)105114128903801Total other operating income7,3876,9426,5886,3785,609Total net operating income before impairment and operating expense22,48820,87619,71019,74417,775Impairment ExpenseLoan impairment expense 9181,1461,0898711,042Total impairment expense (Note 13)9181,1461,0898711,042 
 
  
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 2 Profit (continued) 

(1)  Comparative information has been restated to reflect the impact of changes in accounting policy. Refer to Note 1(f) for more details. 
(2)  Comprises expenses related to the Count Financial Limited acquisition. 
(3)  Merger related amortisation relates to Bankwest core deposits and customer lists. 

90  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

GroupBank20142013201220142013$M$M$M$M$MStaff ExpensesSalaries and wages 4,4904,2504,1363,3773,165Share-based compensation24419218510795Superannuation (1)354346315279272Provisions for employee entitlements 81961017275Payroll tax239223213191177Fringe benefits tax3635352726Other staff expenses 9890676550Total staff expenses5,5425,2325,0524,1183,860Occupancy and Equipment ExpensesOperating lease rentals607580585526493Depreciation of property, plant and equipment (1)244234220197186Repairs and maintenance9492907674Other 1081121118882Total occupancy and equipment expenses1,0531,0181,006887835Information Technology ServicesApplication, maintenance and development 412439322375394Data processing218236241218236Desktop1011001058987Communications189202226169180Amortisation of software assets328245183290216Software write-offs70--68-IT equipment depreciation6277825973Total information technology services1,3801,2991,1591,2681,186Other ExpensesPostage118114112108101Stationery7085855768Fees and commissions:Professional fees (1)257230195232206Other (1)111120108328297Advertising, marketing and loyalty477463459391364Amortisation of intangible assets (excluding software and merger related amortisation)192018--Non-lending losses9767819260Other (1)375362352311268Total other expenses1,5241,4611,4101,5191,364Total expenses9,4999,0108,6277,7927,245Investment and RestructuringIntegration expenses (2)--60--Merger related amortisation (3)7475757456Total investment and restructuring74751357456Total operating expenses9,5739,0858,7627,8667,301Profit before income tax11,99710,6459,85911,0079,432Net hedging ineffectiveness comprises:Gain/(loss) on fair value hedges:Hedging instruments59(614)(337)(315)(424)Hedged items(71)617318305421Cash flow hedge ineffectiveness(9)(28)58(15)(26)Net hedging ineffectiveness(21)(25)39(25)(29) 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 3 Average Balances and Related Interest 

The  following  tables  have  been  produced  using  Statutory  Balance  Sheet  and  Income  Statement  categories.The  tables  list  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 (predominantly daily averages). Interest is accounted for based on product yield.  

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 25 basis points during the year while rates in New Zealand 
increased by 75 basis points. 

(1)  Certain comparative information has been restated to conform to presentation in the current year. 
(2)  Loans, bills discounted and other receivables include bank acceptances. 
(3)  Excludes amortisation of acquisition related fair value adjustments made to fixed interest financial instruments. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    91 

Group201420132012AverageInterestAverageAverageInterestAverageAverageInterestAverageInterest earning BalanceRateBalanceRateBalanceRateassets (1)$M$M%$M$M%$M$M%Cash and liquid assetsAustralia8,1791692. 15,4591162. 16,5812333. 5Overseas17,840820. 512,787710. 612,456970. 8Receivables due from other financial institutionsAustralia5,070290. 63,405351. 03,676691. 9Overseas4,334400. 95,888290. 55,321330. 6Assets at fair value through Income Statement - Trading & OtherAustralia16,2593522. 210,5513623. 411,3664764. 2Overseas6,053951. 66,035881. 56,1521452. 4Available-for-sale investmentsAustralia54,0261,6353. 052,6801,9333. 748,0732,3764. 9Overseas7,702891. 26,822851. 27,2371201. 7Loans, bills discounted and other receivables (2)Australia (3)512,89427,3715. 3491,16028,8405. 9475,06631,6856. 7Overseas73,0143,7835. 258,8503,1805. 453,7573,0245. 6Total interest earning assets and interest income705,37133,6454. 8653,63734,7395. 3629,68538,2586. 1Group 201420132012Average Average Average Balance Balance Balance Non-interest earning assets$M $M $M Assets at fair value through Income Statement - InsuranceAustralia12,14112,46413,220Overseas2,4132,1772,046Property, plant and equipmentAustralia2,5062,3801,967Overseas237210194Other assetsAustralia51,44852,03655,706Overseas10,8249,9868,992Provisions for impairmentAustralia(4,027)(4,516)(4,801)Overseas(269)(234)(263)Total non-interest earning assets75,27374,50377,061Total assets780,644728,140706,746Percentage of total assets applicable to overseas operations (%)15.614.113.6 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 3 Average Balances and Related Interest (continued) 

(1)  Certain comparative information has been restated to conform to presentation in the current year. 
(2)  Debt issues include bank acceptances. 

Changes in Net Interest Income: Volume and Rate Analysis 

The following tables show 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. 

92  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

Group 201420132012Average Interest Average Average Interest Average Average Interest Average Interest bearingBalance Rate Balance Rate Balance Rate liabilities (1)$M $M % $M $M % $M $M % Time depositsAustralia210,4067,9903. 8210,2939,6494. 6200,71311,1315. 5Overseas36,5169312. 535,6029542. 735,3781,1253. 2Savings depositsAustralia110,3582,2782. 194,7142,3552. 586,1452,7343. 2Overseas12,8973953. 18,7402743. 17,4452723. 7Other demand depositsAustralia97,9851,6491. 789,6121,7662. 084,5072,3082. 7Overseas5,024951. 93,988721. 83,534631. 8Payables due to other financialinstitutionsAustralia9,5201161. 27,5181171. 64,602982. 1Overseas16,8291120. 713,7681160. 814,140870. 6Liabilities at fair value throughIncome StatementAustralia4,3061022. 42,433974. 04,3812004. 6Overseas4,1051042. 54,3991012. 35,1231202. 3Debt issues (2)Australia 129,1014,0003. 1118,2954,6663. 9126,4776,4505. 1Overseas15,1833432. 310,2572032. 07,096420. 6Loan capitalAustralia5,9592594. 35,8462834. 85,7843125. 4Overseas3,5441704. 84,0921523. 75,3291943. 6Total interest bearing liabilities and interest expense661,73318,5442. 8609,55720,8053. 4590,65425,1364. 3Group 201420132012Average Average Average Balance Balance Balance Non-interest bearing liabilities$M $M $M Deposits not bearing interestAustralia8,8787,8957,312Overseas2,3281,9031,694Insurance policy liabilitiesAustralia11,64811,79912,298Overseas1,3891,2551,268Other liabilitiesAustralia37,38642,94545,897Overseas9,9759,3328,374Total non-interest bearing liabilities71,60475,12976,843Total liabilities733,337684,686667,497Shareholders' equity47,30743,45439,249Total liabilities and Shareholders' equity780,644728,140706,746Total liabilities applicable to overseas operations (%)14.713.613.4 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 3 Average Balances and Related Interest (continued) 

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). 

(1)  Comparative information has been restated to conform to presentation in the current year. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    93 

GroupJune 2014 June 2013 (1)vs June 2013vs June 2012Change in net interest income$M$MDue to changes in average volume of interest earning assets1,105505Due to changes in interest margin62307Change in net interest income1,167812June 2014 vs June 2013June 2013 vs June 2012 (1)Changes in net interest income:VolumeRateTotalVolumeRateTotalVolume and rate analysis$M$M$M$M$M$MInterest Earning AssetsCash and liquid assetsAustralia57(4)53(32)(85)(117)Overseas26(15)112(28)(26)Receivables due from other financial institutionsAustralia13(19)(6)(4)(30)(34)Overseas(11)22113(7)(4)Assets at fair value through Income Statement - Trading & OtherAustralia160(170)(10)(31)(83)(114)Overseas-77(2)(55)(57)Available-for-sale investmentsAustralia45(343)(298)198(641)(443)Overseas11(7)4(6)(29)(35)Loans, bills discounted and other receivablesAustralia 1,218(2,687)(1,469)1,009(3,854)(2,845)Overseas 750(147)603281(125)156Changes in interest income2,609(3,703)(1,094)1,364(4,883)(3,519)Interest Bearing Liabilities and Loan CapitalTime depositsAustralia5(1,664)(1,659)485(1,967)(1,482)Overseas24(47)(23)7(178)(171)Savings depositsAustralia356(433)(77)243(622)(379)Overseas129(8)12144(42)2Other demand depositsAustralia153(270)(117)120(662)(542)Overseas19423819Payables due to other financial institutionsAustralia28(29)(1)54(35)19Overseas23(27)(4)(3)3229Liabilities at fair value through Income StatementAustralia60(55)5(83)(20)(103)Overseas(7)103(17)(2)(19)Debt issuesAustralia 381(1,047)(666)(370)(1,414)(1,784)Overseas 1043614041120161Loan capitalAustralia 5(29)(24)3(32)(29)Overseas(23)4118(45)3(42)Changes in interest expense1,621(3,882)(2,261)725(5,056)(4,331)Changes in net interest income1,105621,167505307812 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 4 Income Tax 

The income tax expense for the year is determined from the profit before income tax as follows: 

(1)  Comparative information has been restated to reflect the impact of changes in accounting policy. Refer to Note 1(f) for more details. 
(2)  Group and Bank balances include the impact of the change in accounting policy for Research and Development tax offsets. Refer to Note 1(f) for more 

details. 

94  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

GroupBank20142013201220142013$M$M$M$M$MProfit before Income Tax (1)11,99710,6459,85911,0079,432Prima facie income tax at 30% (1)3,5993,1932,9583,3022,830Effect of amounts which are non-deductible/ (assessable) in calculating taxable income:Taxation offsets and other dividend adjustments(6)(3)(3)(574)(442)Tax adjustment referable to policyholder income897986--Tax losses not previously brought to account(21)(18)(28)(15)(13)Offshore tax rate differential(99)(89)(83)(21)(12)Offshore banking unit(30)(33)(36)(30)(33)Effect of changes in tax rates3--3-Income tax (over)/under provided in previous years (2)(121)(50)22(77)(71)Other (1)(67)(68)(89)(23)(60)Total income tax expense3,3473,0112,8272,5652,199Corporate tax expense (1)3,2212,8992,7052,5652,199Policyholder tax expense126112122--Total income tax expense3,3473,0112,8272,5652,199Group Bank Income tax expense attributable to 20142013201220142013profit from ordinary activities$M $M $M $M $M AustraliaCurrent tax expense2,4332,3922,4872,2142,296Deferred tax (benefit)/expense (1)389192(61)247(159)Total Australia2,8222,5842,4262,4612,137OverseasCurrent tax expense6704253198468Deferred tax expense/(benefit)(145)28220(6)Total overseas52542740110462Total income tax expense3,3473,0112,8272,5652,199Group Bank 20142013201220142013Effective Tax Rate (1)% % % % % Total – corporate 27. 127. 527. 823. 323. 3Retail Banking Services – corporate 29. 929. 929. 6n/an/aBusiness and Private Banking – corporate29. 929. 730. 1n/an/aInstitutional Banking and Markets – corporate24. 822. 821. 3n/an/aWealth Management – corporate23. 427. 627. 6n/an/aNew Zealand – corporate24. 424. 725. 7n/an/aBankwest – corporate30. 129. 833. 0n/an/a 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 4 Income Tax (continued) 

  (1)  Comparative information has been restated to reflect the impact of changes in accounting policy. Refer to Note 1(f) for more details. 
(2)  The following amounts are expected to be recovered within twelve months of the Balance Sheet date: for the Group $1,151 million (2013: $1,165 million); 

for the Bank $1,031 million (2013: $1,074 million). 

(3)  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. 

(4)  The following amounts are expected to be settled within twelve months of the Balance Sheet date: for the Group $366 million (2013: $329 million); for the 

Bank $189 million (2013: $194 million). 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    95 

GroupBank20142013201220142013$M$M$M$M$MDeferred tax asset balances comprise temporary differences attributable to:Amounts recognised in the Income Statement:Provision for employee benefits437414381360347Provisions for impairment on loans, bills discounted and other receivables1,0441,1771,2649861,121Other provisions not tax deductible until expense incurred160175192134145Recognised value of tax losses carried forward1-1--Financial instruments991023Defined benefit superannuation plan (1)265199141265199Other232231212206216Total amount recognised in the Income Statement2,1482,2052,2011,9532,031Amounts recognised directly in Other Comprehensive Income:Asset revaluation reserve-22-2Foreign currency translation reserve-33--Cash flow hedge reserve99777264Employee compensation reserve21-21Available-for-sale investments reserve--36157Total amount recognised directly in Other Comprehensive Income10183113964Total deferred tax assets (before set off) (2)2,2492,2882,3141,9622,095Set off of tax (1) (3)(1,663)(1,372)(1,354)(1,166)(1,051)Net deferred tax assets5869169607961,044Deferred tax liability balances comprise temporary differences attributable to:Amounts recognised in the Income Statement:Impact of TOFA adoption-119-11Lease financing381370365187182Intangible assets45731273762Financial instruments1841421681527Other624587564151161Total amount recognised in the Income Statement1,2341,1831,233390443Amounts recognised directly in Other Comprehensive Income:Revaluation of properties8582798482Cash flow hedge reserve193259302179200Defined benefit superannuation plan (1)22918054229180Available-for-sale investments reserve28813924284146Total amount recognised directly in Other Comprehensive Income795660459776608Total deferred tax liabilities (before set off) (4)2,0291,8431,6921,1661,051Set off of tax (1) (3)(1,663)(1,372)(1,354)(1,166)(1,051)Net deferred tax liabilities (Note 20)366471338--Deferred tax assets opening balance: (1)9169601,3001,044879Movement in temporary differences during the year:Additions through merger of banking licences----469Provisions for employee benefits233361321Provisions for impairment on loans, bills discounted and other receivables(133)(87)(123)(135)(69)Other provisions not tax deductible until expense incurred(15)(17)(10)(11)2Recognised value of tax losses carried forward1(1)---Financial instruments19(32)(121)(55)28Defined benefit superannuation plan (1)6658486658Asset revaluation reserve(2)-2(2)-Other22017(9)45Set off of tax (1) (3)(291)(18)(159)(115)(389)Deferred tax assets closing balance5869169607961,044 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 4 Income Tax (continued) 

(1)  Comparative information has been restated to reflect the impact of changes in accounting policy. Refer to Note 1(f) for more details. 
(2)  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. 

Deferred tax assets have not been recognised in respect of the following items: 

Potential deferred tax assets of the Group arose from: 

 

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: 

 

 

 

Future capital gains and assessable income of a nature and of an amount sufficient to enable the benefit from the losses to 
be realised is derived; 

Compliance with the conditions for claiming capital losses and deductions imposed by tax legislation is continued; and 

No changes in tax legislation adversely affect the Group in realising the benefit from deductions for the losses. 

Tax Consolidation 

Tax consolidation legislation has been enacted to allow Australian resident entities to elect to consolidate and be treated as single 
entities for Australian tax purposes. The Commonwealth Bank of Australia elected to be taxed as  a single entity with effect from 
1 July 2002. 

The  Bank  has  recognised  a  tax  consolidation  contribution  to  the  wholly-owned  tax  consolidated  entity  of  $97  million  (2013: 
$89 million). 

The Bank is the head entity of the tax consolidated group and has entered into tax funding and tax sharing agreements with its 
eligible  Australian  resident  subsidiaries.  The  terms  and  conditions  of  these  agreements  are  set  out  in  Note  1(s).  The  amount 
receivable by the Bank under the tax funding agreement was $252 million as at 30 June 2014 (2013: $207 million receivable). 
This balance is included in ‘Other assets’ in the Bank’s separate Balance Sheet. 

Taxation of Financial Arrangements (TOFA) 

The new tax regime for financial instruments TOFA began to apply to the Tax Consolidated Group from 1 July 2010. The regime 
allows  a  closer  alignment  of  the  tax  and  accounting  recognition  and  measurement  of  financial  arrangements  and  their  related 
flows.  Following  adoption,  deferred  tax  balances  from  financial  arrangements  progressively  reverse  over  a  four  year  period.

96  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

Group Bank 20142013201220142013$M $M $M $M $M Deferred tax liabilities opening balance:471338301--Movement in temporary differences during the year:Additions through merger of banking licences----292Impact of TOFA adoption(11)2(21)(11)2Property asset revaluations33923Lease financing115(5)51Defined benefit superannuation plan (1)49126(62)49126Intangible assets(28)(54)(7)(25)(26)Financial instruments125462901056Other (1)3723(8)(10)(15)Set off of tax (1) (2)(291)(18)(159)(115)(389)Deferred tax liabilities closing balance (Note 19)366471338--Group Bank 20142013201220142013Deferred tax assets not taken to account$M $M $M $M $M Tax losses and other temporary differences on revenue account6294713966Group Bank Expiration of deferred tax assets not taken20142013201220142013to account$M $M $M $M $M At Balance Sheet date carry-forward losses expired as follows:From one to two years91461-From two to four years163201415After four years2566452451Losses that do not expire under current tax legislation1211---Total6294713966 
  
 
  
  
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 5 Dividends 

(1)  The 2014 final dividend will be satisfied in full by cash disbursements with the Dividend Reinvestment Plan (DRP) anticipated to be satisfied in full by an on 
market purchase of shares. The 2013 final dividend was satisfied by cash disbursements of $3,224 million with the DRP satisfied in full by an on market 
purchase  of  shares.  The  2012  final  dividend  was  satisfied  by  cash  disbursements  of  $2,207  million  and  $930  million  being  reinvested  by  participants 
through the DRP. 

Dividend Franking Account  

After fully franking the final dividend to be paid for the year, the amount of credits available, at the  30% tax rate as at 30 June 
2014 to frank dividends for subsequent financial years, is $533 million (2013: $742 million). This figure is based on the franking 
accounts of the Bank at 30 June 2014, adjusted for franking credits that will arise from the payment of income tax payable on 
profits for the year, franking debits that will arise from the payment of dividends proposed, and franking credits that the Bank may 
be prevented from distributing in subsequent financial periods. 

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 2014. 

Dividend History 

(1)  Dividend Payout Ratio: dividends divided by statutory earnings (earnings are net of dividends on other equity instruments). 
(2)  DRP Participation Rate: the percentage of total issued share capital participating in the DRP. 
(3)  Comparative information has been restated to reflect the impact of changes in accounting policy. Refer to Note 1(f) for more details. 
(4)  Dividend expected to be paid on 2 October 2014. 

Note 6 Earnings Per Share 

(1)  Comparative information has been restated to conform to presentation in current year. 

Basic earnings per share amounts are calculated by dividing the net profit for the year attributable to ordinary equity holders of the 
Bank  by  the  weighted  average  number  of  ordinary  shares  on  issue  during  the  year,  excluding  the  number  of  ordinary  shares 
purchased and held as treasury shares. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    97 

Group Bank 20142013201220142013$M $M $M $M $M Ordinary SharesInterim ordinary dividend (fully franked) (2014: 183 cents; 2013: 164 cents; 2012: 137 cents)Interim ordinary dividend paid - cash component only2,2432,6391,6352,2432,639Interim ordinary dividend paid - Dividend Reinvestment Plan707-531707-Total dividend paid2,9502,6392,1662,9502,639Other Equity InstrumentsDividend paid454042--Total dividend provided for, reserved or paid2,9952,6792,2082,9502,639Other provision carried7365527365Dividend proposed and not recognised as a liability (fully franked) (2014: 218 cents; 2013: 200 cents, 2012: 197 cents) (1)3,5343,2243,1373,5343,224Provision for dividendsOpening balance6552376552Provision made during the year6,1745,8315,1136,1745,831Provision used during the year(6,166)(5,818)(5,098)(6,166)(5,818)Closing balance (Note 20)7365527365Half-yearFull YearDRPPayoutPayoutDRPParticipationCents Per Ratio (1) Ratio (1)Price Rate (2)Half year endedShareDate Paid% % $ % 31 December 2011 (3)137          05/04/201260. 8-48. 8124. 530 June 2012 (3)197          05/10/201292. 076. 054. 5429. 631 December 2012 (3)164          05/04/201373. 1-68. 7622. 730 June 2013 (3)200          03/10/201381. 377. 473. 4222. 431 December 2013183          03/04/201470. 5-75. 2624. 030 June 2014 (4)218          02/10/201480. 375. 5--Group 20142013 (1)2012 (1)Earnings per ordinary shareCents per ShareBasic 533. 8474. 2444. 2Fully diluted521. 9461. 0428. 5 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 6 Earnings Per Share (continued) 

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 instruments) by the weighted average  number of ordinary shares 
issued during the year (adjusted for the effects of dilutive options and dilutive convertible non-cumulative redeemable loan capital 
instruments). 

(1)  Comparative information has been restated to reflect the impact of changes in accounting policy. Refer to Note 1(f) for more details. 
(2) 

Note 7 Cash and Liquid Assets 

Note 8 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 9 Assets at Fair Value through Income Statement 

(1) 

 In addition to the assets above, the Group also measures bills discounted that are intended to be sold into the market at fair value. These are classified 
within Loans, bills discounted and other receivables (refer to Note 12). 

98  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

Group 20142013 (1)2012 (1)Reconciliation of earnings used in calculation of earnings per share$M $M $M Profit after income tax8,6507,6347,032Less: Other equity instrument dividends(45)(40)(42)Less: Non-controlling interests(19)(16)(16)Earnings used in calculation of basic earnings per share8,5867,5786,974Add: Profit impact of assumed conversions of loan capital190193199Earnings used in calculation of fully diluted earnings per share8,7767,7717,173Number of Shares 201420132012M M M Weighted average number of ordinary shares used in the calculationof basic earnings per share1,6081,5981,570Effect of dilutive securities - executive share plans and convertible loan capital instruments7388104Weighted average number of ordinary shares used in the calculation of fully diluted earnings per share1,6811,6861,674Group Bank 2014201320142013$M $M $M $M Notes, coins and cash at banks12,4907,65311,0896,183Money at short call6,4824,3676,3023,976Securities purchased under agreements to resell7,2818,0166,6307,282Bills received and remittances in transit15659887589Total cash and liquid assets26,40920,63424,10818,030GroupBank2014201320142013$M$M$M$MPlacements with and loans to other financial institutions7,8857,6127,4296,978Deposits with regulatory authorities (1)1801322820Total receivables due from other financial institutions8,0657,7447,4576,998GroupBank2014201320142013$M $M $M $M Trading21,45919,61720,57218,398Insurance 15,14214,359--Other financial assets designated at fair value760907561718Total assets at fair value through Income Statement (1)37,36134,88321,13319,116 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
  
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 9 Assets at Fair Value through Income Statement (continued) 

The above amounts are expected to be recovered within twelve months of the Balance Sheet date. 

Of the above amounts, $1,412 million is expected to be recovered within twelve months of the Balance Sheet date (2013: $1,794 
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. 

Investments held in the Australian statutory funds may only be used within the restrictions imposed under the Life Insurance Act 
1995. Refer to Note 1(hh) for further details. 

(1)  Designated at Fair Value through Income Statement at inception as they are managed by the Group on a fair value basis or to eliminate an accounting 

mismatch. 

Of the amounts in the preceding table, $705 million is expected to be recovered within twelve months of the Balance Sheet date 
by the Group (2013: $862 million). All amounts are expected to be recovered within twelve months of the Balance Sheet date by 
the Bank. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    99 

GroupBank2014201320142013Trading$M $M $M $M Government bonds, notes and securities10,45313,86610,31113,780Corporate/financial institution bonds, notes and securities7,2164,6726,4773,550Shares and equity investments1,7919491,791949Commodities1,9991301,993119Total trading assets21,45919,61720,57218,398Investments Investments Investments Investments Backing Life Backing Life Backing Life Backing Life Risk Investment Risk Investment Contracts Contracts Total Contracts Contracts Total 201420142014201320132013Insurance $M $M $M $M $M $M Equity Security Investments:Direct4001,0511,4513899531,342Indirect5253,7714,2965423,1153,657Total equity security investments9254,8225,7479314,0684,999Debt Security Investments:Direct910799898302351,065Indirect2,5303,3715,9012,1973,6995,896Total debt security investments3,4403,4506,8903,0273,9346,961Property Investments:Direct163436599224203427Indirect119229348221365586Total property investments2826659474455681,013Other Assets4091,1491,5582491,1371,386Total life insurance investment assets5,05610,08615,1424,6529,70714,359Group Bank 2014201320142013Other (1)$M $M $M $M Government securities192632137588Receivables due from other financial institutions568275424130Total other assets at fair value through Income Statement760907561718 
  
 
  
  
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 10 Derivative Financial Instruments 

Derivative Contracts 

Derivatives are classified as “Held for Trading” or “Held for Hedging”. Held for Trading derivatives are contracts entered into in 
order to meet customers’ needs, to undertake market making and positioning activities, or for risk management purposes that do 
not qualify for hedge accounting. Held for Hedging derivatives are instruments held for risk management purposes, which meet 
the criteria for hedge accounting. 

Derivatives Transacted for Hedging Purposes 

There are three types of allowable hedging relationships: fair value hedges, cash flow hedges and hedges of a net investment in 
a foreign operation. For details on the accounting treatment of each type of hedging relationship refer to Note 1(u). 

Fair Value Hedges 

Fair value hedges are used by the Group to manage exposure to changes in the fair value of an asset, liability or unrecognised 
firm commitment. Changes in fair values can arise from fluctuations in interest or foreign exchange rates. The Group principally 
uses interest rate swaps, cross currency swaps and futures to protect against such fluctuations. 

All gains and losses associated with the ineffective portion of fair value hedge relationships are recognised immediately as ‘Other 
operating income’ in the Income Statement. Ineffectiveness recognised in the Income Statement in the current year amounted to 
a $12 million net loss for the Group (2013: $3 million net gain), and $10 million net loss for the Bank (2013: $3 million net loss). 

Cash Flow Hedges 

Cash flow hedges are used by the Group to manage exposure to volatility in future cash flows, which may result from fluctuations 
in interest or exchange rates on financial assets, liabilities or highly probable forecast transactions. The Group principally uses 
interest rate and cross currency swaps to protect against such fluctuations. Ineffectiveness recognised in the Income Statement in 
the  current  year  amounted  to  a  $9  million  loss  for  the  Group  (2013:  $28  million  loss),  and  $15  million  loss  for  the  Bank 
(2013: $26 million loss). 

Amounts  accumulated  in  Other  Comprehensive  Income  in  respect  of  cash  flow  hedges  are  recycled  to  the  Income  Statement 
when the forecast transaction occurs. Underlying cash flows from cash flow hedges are discounted to calculate deferred gains 
and losses which are expected to occur in the following periods: 

100  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

Exchange RateInterest RateGroupRelated ContractsRelated ContractsTotal2014201320142013 20142013$M$M$M$M$M$MWithin 6 months(41)(3)1395598526 months - 1 year(51)(15)85(52)34(67)1 - 2 years(83)(27)3522122691852 - 5 years(303)(173)616831313658After 5 years(325)(153)(70)(96)(395)(249)Net deferred (losses)/gains(803)(371)1,122950319579Exchange Rate Interest Rate Bank Related Contracts Related Contracts Total 201420132014201320142013$M$M$M$M$M$MWithin 6 months(2)(1)394837476 months - 1 year(14)(17)5(42)(9)(59)1 - 2 years(7)(25)2851672781422 - 5 years(120)(120)641886521766After 5 years(145)(94)(77)(74)(222)(168)Net deferred (losses)/gains(288)(257)893985605728 
 
  
  
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 10 Derivative Financial Instruments (continued) 

Net Investment Hedges 

The  Group  uses  foreign  exchange  forward  transactions  to  minimise  its  exposure  to  the  currency  translation  risk  of  certain  net 
investments in foreign operations. 

In the current and prior year, there have been no material gains or losses as a result of ineffective net investment hedges. 

The fair value of derivative financial instruments is set out in the following tables: 

Derivative  assets  and  liabilities  held  for  trading  are  expected  to  be  recovered  or  due  to  be  settled  within  twelve  months  of  the 
Balance Sheet date. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    101 

Group20142013Fair ValueFair ValueFair ValueFair ValueAssetLiabilityAssetLiabilityDerivative assets and liabilities$M$M$M$MHeld for trading20,290(19,841)36,531(30,571)Held for hedging8,957(7,418)8,809(8,009)Total derivative assets/(liabilities)29,247(27,259)45,340(38,580)Group20142013Fair ValueFair ValueFair ValueFair ValueAssetLiabilityAssetLiabilityDerivatives held for trading$M$M$M$MExchange rate related contracts:Forward contracts3,666(3,784)7,529(6,896)Swaps4,200(4,536)14,570(9,819)Futures15-6-Options purchased and sold391(373)392(405)Total exchange rate related contracts8,272(8,693)22,497(17,120)Interest rate related contracts:Forward contracts--6(6)Swaps11,103(10,163)13,091(12,641)Futures7(4)--Options purchased and sold620(580)754(670)Total interest rate related contracts11,730(10,747)13,851(13,317)Credit related contracts:Swaps33(38)24(27)Total credit related contracts33(38)24(27)Equity related contracts:Swaps65(9)4(8)Options purchased and sold34(53)78(25)Total equity related contracts99(62)82(33)Commodity related contracts:Swaps136(205)54(51)Options purchased and sold14(14)10(7)Total commodity related contracts150(219)64(58)Identified embedded derivatives6(82)13(16)Total derivative assets/(liabilities) held for trading20,290(19,841)36,531(30,571) 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 10 Derivative Financial Instruments (continued) 

The  majority  of  derivative  assets  and  liabilities  held  for  hedging  are  expected  to  be  recovered  or  due  to  be  settled  more  than 
twelve months after the Balance Sheet date. 

102  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

Group20142013Fair ValueFair ValueFair ValueFair ValueAssetLiabilityAssetLiabilityDerivatives held for hedging$M$M$M$MFair value hedgesExchange rate related contracts:Forward contracts2-1-Swaps4,481(2,516)3,534(2,626)Total exchange rate related contracts4,483(2,516)3,535(2,626)Interest rate related contracts:Swaps938(3,101)1,374(2,760)Total interest rate related contracts938(3,101)1,374(2,760)Equity related contracts:Swaps33(1)33(1)Total equity related contracts33(1)33(1)Total fair value hedges5,454(5,618)4,942(5,387)Cash flow hedgesExchange rate related contracts:Swaps983(640)1,103(1,242)Total exchange rate related contracts983(640)1,103(1,242)Interest rate related contracts:Swaps2,518(1,160)2,764(1,378)Total interest rate related contracts2,518(1,160)2,764(1,378)Total cash flow hedges3,501(1,800)3,867(2,620)Net investment hedgesExchange rate related contracts:Forward contracts2--(2)Total exchange rate related contracts2--(2)Total net investment hedges2--(2)Total derivative assets/(liabilities) held for hedging8,957(7,418)8,809(8,009) 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 10 Derivative Financial Instruments (continued) 

Derivative  assets  and  liabilities  held  for  trading  are  expected  to  be  recovered  or  due  to  be  settled  within  twelve  months  of  the 
Balance Sheet date. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    103 

Bank20142013Fair ValueFair ValueFair ValueFair ValueAssetLiabilityAssetLiabilityDerivative assets and liabilities$M$M$M$MHeld for trading 20,961(21,717)36,826(32,007)Held for hedging8,654(7,624)8,377(8,222)Total derivative assets/(liabilities)29,615(29,341)45,203(40,229)Bank20142013Fair ValueFair ValueFair ValueFair ValueAssetLiabilityAssetLiabilityDerivatives held for trading$M$M$M$MExchange rate related contracts:Forward contracts3,642(3,733)7,424(6,863)Swaps4,272(4,469)14,605(9,725)Futures15-6-Options purchased and sold391(372)390(404)Derivatives held with controlled entities744(2,081)744(1,857)Total exchange rate related contracts9,064(10,655)23,169(18,849)Interest rate related contracts:Forward contracts--6(6)Swaps10,890(9,828)12,613(12,036)Futures3(4)--Options purchased and sold619(578)752(667)Derivatives held with controlled entities98(251)117(315)Total interest rate related contracts11,610(10,661)13,488(13,024)Credit related contracts:Swaps33(38)24(27)Total credit related contracts33(38)24(27)Equity related contracts:Swaps64(9)4(8)Options purchased and sold34(53)78(25)Total equity related contracts98(62)82(33)Commodity related contracts:Swaps136(205)54(51)Options purchased and sold14(14)8(7)Derivatives held with controlled entities--1-Total commodity related contracts150(219)63(58)Identified embedded derivatives6(82)-(16)Total derivative assets/(liabilities) held for trading20,961(21,717)36,826(32,007) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 10 Derivative Financial Instruments (continued) 

The  majority  of  derivative  assets  and  liabilities  held  for  hedging  are  expected  to  be  recovered  or  due  to  be  settled  more  than 
twelve months after the Balance Sheet date. 

104  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

Bank20142013Fair ValueFair ValueFair ValueFair ValueAssetLiabilityAssetLiabilityDerivatives held for hedging$M$M$M$MFair value hedgesExchange rate related contracts:Forward contracts2-1-Swaps4,313(2,351)3,432(2,591)Derivatives held with controlled entities162(271)-(255)Total exchange rate related contracts4,477(2,622)3,433(2,846)Interest rate related contracts:Swaps826(3,027)1,244(2,683)Derivatives held with controlled entities27(139)70(119)Total interest rate related contracts853(3,166)1,314(2,802)Equity related contracts:Swaps33(1)33(1)Total equity related contracts33(1)33(1)Total fair value hedges5,363(5,789)4,780(5,649)Cash flow hedgesExchange rate related contracts:Swaps946(475)1,022(1,202)Derivatives held with controlled entities30(290)-(78)Total exchange rate related contracts976(765)1,022(1,280)Interest rate related contracts:Swaps2,305(1,066)2,548(1,293)Derivatives held with controlled entities10(4)27-Total interest rate related contracts2,315(1,070)2,575(1,293)Total cash flow hedges3,291(1,835)3,597(2,573)Total derivative assets/(liabilities) held for hedging8,654(7,624)8,377(8,222) 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 11 Available-for-Sale Investments 

(1)  Supranational, Sovereign and Agency Securities (SSA). 

The following amounts are expected to be recovered within twelve months of the Balance Sheet date: for Group $17,928 million 
(2013: $12,920 million); for Bank $17,373 million (2013: $12,319 million). 

Revaluation of Available-for-sale investments resulted in a gain of $509 million for the Group (2013: $553 million gain) and a gain 
of  $671  million  for  the  Bank  (2013:  $365  million  gain)  recognised  directly  in  other  comprehensive  income.  As  a  result  of  sale, 
derecognition or impairment during the year of Available-for-sale investments, the following amounts were removed from equity 
and reported in Income Statement; Group: $12 million net gain (2013: $31 million net gain), Bank: $12 million net gain (2013: $31 
million net gain). 

Proceeds received from settlement at or close to maturity of Available-for-sale investments for the Group  were $41,527 million 
(2013: $44,645 million) and for the Bank were $41,424 million (2013: $35,135 million). 

Proceeds  from  the  sale  of  Available-for-sale  investments  for  the  Group  were  $2,603  million  (2013:  $2,445  million)  and  for  the 
Bank were $2,603 million (2013: $2,444 million). 

Maturity Distribution and Weighted Average Yield 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    105 

GroupBank2014201320142013$M$M$M$MGovernment bonds, notes and securities32,72729,50632,01728,459Corporate/financial institution bonds, notes and securities22,09819,80921,89420,000Shares and equity investments942647799527Covered bonds, mortgage backed securities & SSA (1)10,3649,60876,86176,925Other securities631630Total available-for-sale investments66,13759,601131,577125,941GroupMaturity Period at 30 June 20143 to10 orNon-0 to 3 Months12 Months1 to 5 Years5 to 10 Yearsmore YearsMaturingTotal$M%$M%$M%$M%$M%$M$MGovernment bonds, notes and securities2,4240.481,9793.9011,4243.8112,1894.924,7114.81-32,727Corporate/financial institution bonds, notes and securities9,4242.543,1102.979,5593.4854.65---22,098Shares and equity investments----------942942Covered bonds, mortgage backed securities & SSA604.707914.704,4694.405184.814,5263.43-10,364Other securities----------66Total available-for-sale investments11,908-5,880-25,452-12,712-9,237-94866,137GroupMaturity Period at 30 June 20133 to10 orNon-0 to 3 Months12 Months1 to 5 Years5 to 10 Yearsmore YearsMaturingTotal$M%$M%$M%$M%$M%$M$MGovernment bonds, notes and securities8890.722,0860.9310,5194.8311,7535.004,2595.03-29,506Corporate/financial institution bonds, notes and securities7,1492.792,2232.9810,4323.3954.65---19,809Shares and equity investments4---------643647Covered bonds, mortgage backed securities & SSA--5674.644,3885.065474.724,1063.69-9,608Other securities----254.18----631Total available-for-sale investments8,042-4,876-25,364-12,305-8,365-64959,601 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 12 Loans, Bills Discounted and Other Receivables 

(1)  Home loans balance includes residential mortgages that  have been assigned to securitisation vehicles and covered bond trusts. Further detail on these 

residential mortgages is disclosed in Note 43. 

(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. 

The following amounts, based on behavioural terms and current market conditions, are expected to be recovered within twelve 
months  of  the  Balance  Sheet  date  for  Group  $172,321  million  (2013:  $184,807  million),  and  for  Bank  $141,976  million 
(2013: $167,238 million). The maturity tables below are based on contractual terms. 

Finance Lease Receivables 

The  Group  and  the  Bank  provide  finance  leases  to  a  broad  range  of  clients  to  support  financing  needs  in  acquiring  movable 
assets such as trains, aircraft, ships and major production and manufacturing equipment.  

Finance lease receivables are included within loans, bills discounted and other receivables to customers. 

106  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

GroupBank2014201320142013$M$M$M$MAustraliaOverdrafts23,35020,03923,35020,039Home loans (1)360,218338,023358,343336,927Credit card outstandings11,73611,45711,73611,457Lease financing4,1624,3283,0242,944Bills discounted (2)19,24422,01719,24422,017Term loans107,380101,141107,140100,814Other lending348271347270Other securities-7--Total Australia526,438497,283523,184494,468OverseasOverdrafts1,2301,098222187Home loans (1)39,46734,817481457Credit card outstandings803676--Lease financing3393925962Term loans34,82328,49216,11412,678Total overseas76,66265,47516,87613,384Gross loans, bills discounted and other receivables603,100562,758540,060507,852LessProvisions for Loan Impairment (Note 13):Collective provision(2,739)(2,827)(2,547)(2,628)Individually assessed provisions (1,127)(1,628)(1,087)(1,585)Unearned income:Term loans(802)(900)(798)(891)Lease financing(651)(755)(381)(399)(5,319)(6,110)(4,813)(5,503)Net loans, bills discounted and other receivables597,781556,648535,247502,349Group 20142013GrossPresent Value GrossPresent Value Investment inof Minimum Investment inof Minimum Finance LeaseUnearnedLease Payment Finance LeaseUnearnedLease Payment ReceivableIncomeReceivable ReceivableIncomeReceivable $M$M$M $M$M$M Not later than one year1,050(142)9081,390(221)1,169One year to five years2,824(365)2,4592,735(388)2,347Over five years627(144)483595(146)4494,501(651)3,8504,720(755)3,965 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 12 Loans, Bills Discounted and Other Receivables (continued) 

(1)  The industry split has been prepared on an industry exposure basis. 

The maturity tables are based on contractual terms. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    107 

Bank 20142013Gross Present Value Gross Present Value  Investment in of Minimum  Investment in of Minimum Finance Lease Unearned Lease Payment Finance Lease UnearnedLease Payment Receivable Income Receivable Receivable Income Receivable $M $M $M $M $M $M Not later than one year789(66)7231,028(125)903One year to five years1,898(197)1,7011,749(169)1,580Over five years396(118)278229(105)1243,083(381)2,7023,006(399)2,607GroupMaturity Period at 30 June 2014Maturing 1MaturingMaturingYearBetweenAfteror Less1 & 5 Years5 YearsTotalIndustry (1)$M$M$M$MAustraliaSovereign5,0745472995,920Agriculture2,3362,4701,0585,864Bank and other financial4,9704,81739210,179Home loans8,57427,679323,965360,218Construction1,2869754182,679Other personal7,60813,1382,30123,047Asset financing2,4525,3912358,078Other commercial and industrial43,49655,47611,481110,453Total Australia75,796110,493340,149526,438OverseasSovereign6,2064,6791,42412,309Agriculture1,3442,0743,9717,389Bank and other financial2,0891,5951,8025,486Home loans6,7484,09428,62539,467Construction166104108378Other personal1,0443921,085Asset financing1682229327Other commercial and industrial4,1863,7772,25810,221Total overseas21,79916,44438,41976,662Gross loans, bills discounted and other receivables97,595126,937378,568603,100Maturing 1MaturingMaturingYearBetweenAfteror Less1 & 5 Years5 Years TotalInterest rate$M$M$M$MAustralia65,75592,588273,965432,308Overseas14,52510,24518,60243,372Total variable interest rates80,280102,833292,567475,680Australia10,04117,90566,18494,130Overseas7,2746,19919,81733,290Total fixed interest rates17,31524,10486,001127,420Gross loans, bills discounted and other receivables97,595126,937378,568603,100 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 12 Loans, Bills Discounted and Other Receivables (continued) 

(1)  The industry split has been prepared on an industry exposure basis. 

The maturity tables are based on contractual terms. 

108  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

GroupMaturity Period at 30 June 2013Maturing 1MaturingMaturingYearBetweenAfteror Less1 & 5 Years5 YearsTotalIndustry (1)$M$M$M$MAustraliaSovereign1,6272121321,971Agriculture2,6372,2141,1205,971Bank and other financial3,3014,2603687,929Home loans7,98524,529305,509338,023Construction1,7195523632,634Other personal7,33812,3202,13821,796Asset financing2,9955,3091108,414Other commercial and industrial47,59449,52213,429110,545Total Australia75,19698,918323,169497,283OverseasSovereign4,6493,7611,2609,670Agriculture1,3431,8623,2756,480Bank and other financial2,0792,1102,8407,029Home loans6,3153,74324,75934,817Construction10211287301Other personal831284863Asset financing18123133274Other commercial and industrial2,6432,8085906,041Total overseas17,98014,54732,94865,475Gross loans, bills discounted and other receivables93,176113,465356,117562,758Maturing 1MaturingMaturingYearBetweenAfteror Less1 & 5 Years5 YearsTotalInterest rate $M$M$M$MAustralia63,40583,039265,866412,310Overseas13,13210,42619,76343,321Total variable interest rates76,53793,465285,629455,631Australia11,79115,87957,30384,973Overseas4,8484,12113,18522,154Total fixed interest rates16,63920,00070,488107,127Gross loans, bills discounted and other receivables93,176113,465356,117562,758 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 13 Provisions for Impairment 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    109 

GroupBank20142013201220142013Provisions for impairment losses$M$M$M$M$MCollective provisionOpening balance2,8582,8373,0432,6591,989Additions through merger of banking licences----664Net collective provision funding497559312495522Impairment losses written off(753)(695)(740)(717)(649)Impairment losses recovered165154228148132Other123(6)21Closing balance2,7792,8582,8372,5872,659Individually assessed provisionsOpening balance1,6282,0082,1251,5851,011Additions through merger of banking licences----894Net new and increased individual provisioning7269371,202630805Write-back of provisions no longer required(305)(350)(425)(254)(285)Discount unwind to interest income(51)(90)(122)(51)(77)Impairment losses written off(1,060)(1,194)(1,137)(1,010)(1,019)Other189317365187256Closing balance1,1271,6282,0081,0871,585Total provisions for impairment losses3,9064,4864,8453,6744,244Less: Off balance sheet provisions(40)(31)(18)(40)(31)Total provisions for loan impairment3,8664,4554,8273,6344,213GroupBank20142013201220142013Provision ratios%%%%%Total provisions for impaired assets as a % of gross impaired assets37. 6040. 6245. 4740. 6143. 53Total provisions for impairment losses as a % of gross loans and acceptances0. 640. 790. 890. 670. 83Group Bank 20142013201220142013Loan impairment expense$M $M $M $M $M Net collective provision funding497559312495522Net new and increased individual provisioning7269371,202630805Write-back of individually assessed provisions(305)(350)(425)(254)(285)Total loan impairment expense9181,1461,0898711,042 
 
 
  
  
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 13 Provisions for Impairment (continued) 

110  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

Group Individually assessed provisions by20142013201220112010industry classification$M $M $M $M $M AustraliaSovereign-----Agriculture123168898775Bank and other financial68217235254254Home loans151182256202150Construction2989152133132Other personal1414111121Asset financing3023143715Other commercial and industrial6208711,1631,3071,268Total Australia1,0351,5641,9202,0311,915OverseasSovereign-----Agriculture31671115Bank and other financial155611Home loans1117282512Construction1----Other personal-----Asset financing-----Other commercial and industrial6226475749Total overseas9264889477Total individually assessed provisions1,1271,6282,0082,1251,992Group 20142013201220112010Loans written off by industry classification$M $M $M $M $M AustraliaSovereign-----Agriculture13830321010Bank and other financial1227951107383Home loans113217888495Construction52139458972Other personal677622657567651Asset financing3725382672Other commercial and industrial568686884989604Total Australia1,7071,7981,7951,8721,887OverseasSovereign-----Agriculture345177Bank and other financial-101150Home loans1321242625Construction---1-Other personal3025192218Asset financing-----Other commercial and industrial6031333686Total overseas1069182103186Gross loans written off1,8131,8891,8771,9752,073Recovery of amounts previously written offAustralia14814421619970Overseas17101277Total amounts recovered16515422820677Net loans written off1,6481,7351,6491,7691,996 
  
  
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 13 Provisions for Impairment (continued) 

Note 14 Property, Plant and Equipment 

The majority of the above amounts have expected useful lives longer than twelve months after the Balance Sheet date. 

There are no significant items of property, plant and equipment that are currently under construction. 

Land and buildings are carried at fair value based on independent valuations performed during the year; refer to Note 1(y). 

These fair values fall under the Level 3 category of the fair value hierarchy as defined in Note 42. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    111 

Group20142013201220112010Loans recovered by industry classification$M $M $M $M $M AustraliaSovereign-----Agriculture-----Bank and other financial68173-Home loans445433Construction-----Other personal10611314713459Asset financing561723Other commercial and industrial271330175Total Australia14814421619970OverseasSovereign-----Agriculture3----Bank and other financial31---Home loans11---Construction-----Other personal88876Asset financing-----Other commercial and industrial2-4-1Total overseas17101277Total loans recovered16515422820677GroupBank2014201320142013$M$M$M$MLandAt 30 June valuation196217177197Closing balance196217177197BuildingsAt 30 June valuation303316271279Closing balance303316271279Total land and buildings 499533448476Leasehold ImprovementsAt cost1,3921,4161,1801,200Accumulated depreciation(803)(772)(693)(661)Closing balance589644487539EquipmentAt cost1,6211,5171,2681,171Accumulated depreciation(1,266)(1,174)(995)(910)Closing balance355343273261Assets Under LeaseAt cost1,6031,366331350Accumulated depreciation(230)(168)(72)(68)Closing balance1,3731,198259282Total property, plant and equipment2,8162,7181,4671,558 
  
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 14 Property, Plant and Equipment (continued) 

The  table  below  sets  out  the  carrying  amount  that  would  have  been  recognised  had  the  assets  measured  at  fair  value  been 
measured using the cost model. 

Reconciliation of the carrying amounts of Property, Plant and Equipment is set out below: 

112  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

Group Bank 2014201320142013Carrying value at cost$M $M $M $M Land951028997Buildings129143114135Total land and buildings at cost224245203232GroupBank2014201320142013$M$M$M$MLandCarrying amount at the beginning of the year217222197145Additions through merger of banking licences---52Transfers to assets held for sale-(3)-(3)Disposals(22)(3)(19)(3)Net revaluations1(1)(1)5Foreign currency translation adjustment-2-1Carrying amount at the end of the year196217177197BuildingsCarrying amount at the beginning of the year316351279255Additions through merger of banking licences---57Additions7878Transfers to assets held for sale-(3)-(2)Disposals(19)(3)(15)(3)Transfers---(3)Net revaluations264274Depreciation(29)(43)(27)(37)Foreign currency translation adjustment22--Carrying amount at the end of the year303316271279Leasehold ImprovementsCarrying amount at the beginning of the year644620539450Additions through merger of banking licences---97Additions8614674100Disposals(16)(15)(14)(10)Net revaluations(2)2--Depreciation(130)(116)(112)(99)Foreign currency translation adjustment77-1Carrying amount at the end of the year589644487539EquipmentCarrying amount at the beginning of the year343355261231Additions through merger of banking licences---57Additions161143131102Disposals(8)(12)(2)(8)Transfers---3Net revaluations-3--Depreciation(147)(151)(117)(124)Foreign currency translation adjustment65--Carrying amount at the end of the year355343273261Assets Under LeaseCarrying amount at the beginning of the year1,198955282295Additions260358-19Disposals(5)(70)(6)(14)Depreciation(77)(65)(17)(18)Foreign currency translation adjustment(3)20--Carrying amount at the end of the year1,3731,198259282 
  
 
  
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 15 Intangible Assets 

 (1)  Following the internalisation of the management of both CFS Retail Property Trust Group (CFX) and the Kiwi Income Property Trust (KIP), and the sale of 

Commonwealth Property Office Fund, goodwill was allocated to the business by means of a relative values allocation and derecognised.  

(2)  Core deposits represent the value of the Bankwest deposit base compared to the avoided cost of alternative funding sources such as securitisation and 
wholesale funding. This asset was acquired on 19 December 2008 with a useful life of seven years based on the weighted average attrition rates of the 
Bankwest deposit portfolio. 

(3)  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.  The  management  rights  were  disposed  of  as  part  of  the 
internalisation of the management of CFS Retail Property Trust Group (CFX) during the 2014 financial year. 

(4)  Brand  names predominantly represent 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, as there is no foreseeable limit to the period over which the brand name is expected to generate cash flows. The asset is 
not subject to amortisation, but is subject to annual impairment testing. No impairment was required as a result of this test. The balance also includes the 
Count Financial Limited brand name ($4 million) that is amortised over the estimated useful life of 20 years. 

(5)  Other intangibles include the value of credit card relationships acquired from Bankwest and Count franchise relationships. This value represents future net 
income  generated  from  the  relationships  that  existed  at  Balance  Sheet  date.  The  assets  have  a  useful  life  of  10  years  based  on  the  attrition  rates  of 
customers. 

Impairment Tests for Goodwill and Intangible Assets with Indefinite Lives 

To assess whether goodwill and other assets with indefinite useful lives are impaired, the carrying amount of a cash-generating 
unit or a group of cash-generating units are compared to the recoverable amount. The recoverable amount is determined based 
on fair value less cost to sell, using an earnings multiple applicable to that type of business. The category of this fair value is Level 
3 as defined in Note 42. 

Earnings multiples  relating  to the  Group‘s  Banking  (Retail  Banking  Services,  Business  and  Private Banking,  New  Zealand  and 
IFS  and  Other)  and  Wealth  Management  cash-generating  units  are  sourced  from  publicly  available  data  associated  with 
businesses  displaying  similar  characteristics  to  those  cash-generating  units,  and  are  applied  to  current  earnings.  The  key 
assumption  is  the  Price-Earnings  (P/E)  multiple  observed  for  these  businesses,  which  for  the  Banking  businesses  were  in  the 
range of 12.4 – 14.2 (2013: 12.0 – 15.1), and for Wealth Management businesses were in the range of 11.4 – 19.1 (2013: 11.0 – 
23.0). The P/E multiples are sourced for similar companies operating in Australia and New Zealand. 

Carrying  amounts  of  cash-generating  units  are  determined  with  reference  to  the  contribution  of  that  business  to  the  Group’s 
Earnings. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    113 

GroupBank2014201320142013$M$M$M$MGoodwill (1)Purchased goodwill at cost7,5667,7232,5222,522Closing balance 7,5667,7232,5222,522Computer Software CostsCost2,9132,7702,5802,503Accumulated amortisation(1,059)(847)(856)(696)Closing balance 1,8541,9231,7241,807Core Deposits (2)Cost495495495495Accumulated amortisation (390)(318)(389)(318)Closing balance 105177106177Management Fee Rights (3)Cost-316--Closing balance -316--Brand Names (4)Cost190190186186Accumulated amortisation(1)---Closing balance 189190186186Other Intangibles (5)Cost2562553838Accumulated amortisation(178)(161)(21)(17)Closing balance 78941721Total intangible assets9,79210,4234,5554,713 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 15 Intangible Assets (continued) 

Goodwill Allocation to the following Cash-Generating Units 

(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 acquisitions of Colonial and Count Financial Limited. 

Reconciliation of the carrying amounts of Intangible Assets is set out below: 

(1)  Group and Bank balances include the impact of  the change in accounting policy for Research and Development tax offsets. Refer to Note 1(f) for more 

details. 

114  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

Group 20142013$M $M Retail Banking Services (1)4,1494,149Business and Private Banking297297Wealth Management (2)2,4102,587New Zealand691667IFS and Other1923Total7,5667,723GroupBank2014201320142013$M$M$M$MGoodwill Opening balance7,7237,7052,5222,522Additions----Transfers/disposals(171)---Foreign currency translation adjustments1418--Closing balance 7,5667,7232,5222,522Computer Software CostsOpening balance1,9231,7001,8071,601Additions:Through merger of banking licences---10From purchases1714126From internal development (1)312454263406Amortisation and write-offs(398)(245)(358)(216)Closing balance 1,8541,9231,7241,807Core DepositsOpening balance177247177-Additions through merger of banking licences---230Amortisation(72)(70)(71)(53)Closing balance 105177106177Management Fee RightsOpening balance316316--Transfers/disposals(316)---Closing balance -316--Brand NamesOpening balance190190186-Additions through merger of banking licences---186Amortisation(1)---Closing balance 189190186186Other IntangiblesOpening balance9412321-Additions through merger of banking licences---24Additions71--Disposals-(5)--Amortisation(23)(25)(4)(3)Closing balance 78941721 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 16 Other Assets 

The above amounts are expected to be recovered within twelve months of the Balance Sheet date. 

Note 17 Deposits and Other Public Borrowings 

The  majority  of  the  amounts  are  due  to  be  settled  within  twelve  months  of  the  Balance  Sheet  date  as  shown  in  the  maturity 
analysis table below. 

(1)  All certificates of deposit issued by the Group are for amounts greater than $100,000. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    115 

Group Bank 2014201320142013$M $M $M $M Accrued interest receivable2,1672,1452,7372,705Accrued fees/reimbursements receivable1,3131,155155154Securities sold not delivered1,2641,414908955Intragroup current tax receivable--252207Current tax assets741--Prepayments606453519370Life insurance other assets4554254041Other574973212667Total other assets6,3866,6064,8235,099Group Bank 2014201320142013$M $M $M $M AustraliaCertificates of deposit43,91242,34644,90043,316Term deposits150,406157,959150,712158,322On demand and short-term deposits227,555195,017227,739195,199Deposits not bearing interest 9,9718,8919,9718,891Securities sold under agreements to repurchase9,9255,5029,9585,539Total Australia441,769409,715443,280411,267OverseasCertificates of deposit6,2866,2386,0166,157Term deposits28,70326,8818,0007,536On demand and short term deposits19,05414,464198233Deposits not bearing interest2,5042,0617783Securities sold under agreements to repurchase3670--Total overseas56,58349,71414,29114,009Total deposits and other public borrowings498,352459,429457,571425,276GroupAt 30 June 2014MaturingMaturingMaturingMaturingThreeBetweenBetweenafterMonths orThree &Six & TwelveTwelveLessSix MonthsMonthsMonthsTotal$M$M$M$M$MAustraliaCertificates of deposit (1)22,9426,3052,59812,06743,912Term deposits86,35026,93828,5158,603150,406Total Australia109,29233,24331,11320,670194,318OverseasCertificates of deposit (1)2,3591,2452,622606,286Term deposits15,4376,3624,5012,40328,703Total overseas17,7967,6077,1232,46334,989Total certificates of deposits and term deposits127,08840,85038,23623,133229,307 
  
 
  
 
  
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 17 Deposits and Other Public Borrowings (continued) 

(1)  All certificates of deposit issued by the Group are for amounts greater than $100,000. 

Note 18 Liabilities at Fair Value through Income Statement 

(1)  These  liabilities  have  been  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. For the Group, the majority of the other amounts are expected to be settled within twelve months of the Balance 
Sheet date. For the Bank, the majority of debt instruments are expected to be settled more than twelve months after the Balance 
Sheet date. 

The change in fair value for those liabilities designated at fair value through Income Statement due to credit risk for the Group is a 
$4 million loss (2013: $11 million loss) and for the Bank is a $4 million loss (2013: $10 million loss), which has been calculated by 
determining the changes in credit spreads implicit in the fair value of the instruments issued. The cumulative change in fair value 
due to changes in credit risk for the Group is a $6 million gain (2013: $11 million gain) and for the Bank is a $6 million gain (2013: 
$10 million gain). 

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 $7,450 million (2013: $8,641 million) and for the Bank is $5,100 million (2013: 
$3,278 million). 

Note 19 Tax Liabilities 

116  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

GroupAt 30 June 2013MaturingMaturingMaturingMaturingThreeBetweenBetweenafterMonths orThree &Six & TwelveTwelveLessSix MonthsMonthsMonthsTotal$M$M$M$M$MAustraliaCertificates of deposit (1)20,6357,49556313,65342,346Term deposits103,85319,56027,3847,162157,959Total Australia124,48827,05527,94720,815200,305OverseasCertificates of deposit (1)2,7972,835539676,238Term deposits15,3445,3264,2601,95126,881Total overseas18,1418,1614,7992,01833,119Total certificates of deposits and term deposits142,62935,21632,74622,833233,424Group Bank 2014201320142013$M$M$M$MDeposits and other borrowings (1)1,3331,454203-Debt instruments (1)1,5634,300343400Trading liabilities4,6122,9474,6062,932Total liabilities at fair value through Income Statement7,5088,7015,1523,332GroupBank2014201320142013Note$M$M$M$MAustraliaCurrent tax liability5991,4735991,439Total Australia5991,4735991,439OverseasCurrent tax liability8956131Deferred tax liability4366471--Total overseas455527131Total tax liabilities1,0542,0006121,440 
  
 
  
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 20 Other Provisions 

Maturity Distribution for Other Provisions 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    117 

Group Bank 2014201320142013Note$M $M $M $M Long service leave444445405412Annual leave217223174180Other employee entitlements64616359Restructuring costs60415741General insurance claims161159--Self insurance/non-lending losses42523949Dividends573657365Other204203175186Total other provisions1,2651,249986992Group20142013Due to beDue to beDue to beDue to beSettled WithinSettled MoreSettled WithinSettled More12 Monthsthan 12 MonthsTotal12 Monthsthan 12 MonthsTotal$M$M$M$M$M$MLong service leave329115444299146445Annual leave217-2172212223Other employee entitlements1636425961Restructuring costs60-6034741General insurance claims1402116114118159Self insurance/non-lending losses113142133952Dividends73-7365-65Other1406420415647203Total9712941,2659313181,249Bank20142013Due to beDue to beDue to beDue to beSettled WithinSettled MoreSettled WithinSettled More12 Monthsthan 12 MonthsTotal12 Monthsthan 12 MonthsTotal$M$M$M$M$M$MLong service leave298107405289123412Annual leave174-174180-180Other employee entitlements-6363-5959Restructuring costs57-5734741General insurance claims------Self insurance/non-lending losses83139103949Dividends73-7365-65Other1116417514145186Total721265986719273992 
  
 
  
  
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 20 Other Provisions (continued) 

Provision Commentary 

Restructuring Costs 

Provisions are recognised for restructuring activities when a detailed plan has been developed and a valid expectation that the 
plan will be carried out is held by those affected by it. The majority of the provision is expected to be used within 12 months of the 
Balance Sheet date.  

General Insurance Claims 

This provision is to cover future claims on general insurance contracts that have been incurred but not reported. The provision will 
be realised upon settlement of claims whose maturities were uncertain at the reporting date. 

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. 

118  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

GroupBank2014201320142013Reconciliation$M$M$M$MRestructuring costs:Opening balance41744138Additions through merger of banking licences---24Additional provisions377347Amounts utilised during the year(18)(40)(18)(28)Closing balance60415741General insurance claims:Opening balance159184--Additional provisions6454--Amounts utilised during the year(62)(79)--Closing balance161159--Self insurance/non-lending losses:Opening balance52534949Additions through merger of banking licences---4Additional provisions1011107Amounts utilised during the year(16)(5)(15)(4)Release of provision(4)(7)(4)(7)Closing balance42524049Other:Opening balance203143186117Additions through merger of banking licences---16Additional provisions26941063Amounts utilised during the year(11)(26)(8)(4)Release of provision(14)(8)(13)(6)Closing balance204203175186 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 21 Debt Issues 

(1) 

 For the Group this balance represents $11,698 million USD (2013: $11,138 million); $3,394 million AUD (2013: $3,243 million); and $5,283 million other 
currencies  (2013: $5,735 million).  For  the  Bank  this  balance  represents  $11,152  million  USD  (2013:  $10,619  million);  $575  million  AUD  (2013: 
$1,107 million); and $4,414 million other currencies (2013: $3,981 million). 

(2)  Represents the contractual maturity of the underlying instrument. 

The  Bank’s  long  term  debt  issues  include  notes  issued  under  the:  USD70 billion  Euro  Medium  Term  Note  Program;  the 
USD50 billion  US  Medium  Term  Note  Program;  the  USD30 billion  Covered  Bond  Program;  the  USD25 billion  CBA  New  York 
Branch Medium Term Note Program; and other applicable debt documentation. 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. 

For  certain  debt  issues  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 into the AUD equivalent. 

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. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    119 

GroupBank2014201320142013Note$M$M$M$MMedium term notes72,60871,03965,63564,813Commercial paper32,90534,60231,18133,738Securitisation notes 4311,4268,929--Covered bonds4325,28018,23822,73216,740Total debt issues142,219132,808119,548115,291Short Term Debt Issues by currencyUSD32,15534,23030,43033,366EUR1789917899AUD1649116491GBP333182333182Other currencies75-76-Long term debt issues with less than one year to maturity (1)20,37520,11616,14115,707Total short term debt issues53,28054,71847,32249,445Long Term Debt Issues by currencyUSD28,29830,58128,16129,800EUR22,74817,07720,77415,984AUD16,33412,7426,3405,437GBP5,9753,6954,9233,173NZD2,9102,397639730JPY6,3534,9116,3014,856Other currencies5,8756,6484,6425,827Offshore loans (all JPY)4463944639Total long term debt issues88,93978,09072,22665,846Maturity Distribution of Debt Issues (2)Less than three months14,66616,47212,95714,805Between three and twelve months38,61438,24634,36534,640Between one and five years65,64956,97052,62047,443Greater than five years23,29021,12019,60618,403Total debt issues142,219132,808119,548115,291 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 21 Debt Issues (continued) 

(1)  The amount outstanding at year end is measured at amortised cost. 
(2)  The maximum and average amounts over the year 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. 

(1)  End of day, Sydney time. 

120  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

Group201420132012Short term borrowings by programTotalOutstanding at year-end (1)32,90534,60234,142Maximum amount outstanding at any month end (2)33,17434,60239,242Average amount outstanding (2)31,09628,17836,721US Commercial Paper ProgramOutstanding at year-end (1)31,15833,49226,471Maximum amount outstanding at any month end (2)32,40533,49230,998Average amount outstanding (2)29,66725,51528,292Weighted average interest rate on:Average amount outstanding0.2%0.3%0.4%Outstanding at year end0.2%0.3%0.4%Euro Commercial Paper ProgramOutstanding at year-end (1)1,7471,1107,671Maximum amount outstanding at any month end (2)1,9836,6429,472Average amount outstanding (2)1,4292,6638,415Weighted average interest rate on:Average amount outstanding0.4%0.6%0.8%Outstanding at year end0.4%0.5%0.7%Domestic Commercial Paper ProgramOutstanding at year-end (1)---Maximum amount outstanding at any month end (2)--150Average amount outstanding (2)-114Weighted average interest rate on:Average amount outstanding0.0%0.0%0.0%Outstanding at year-end0.0%0.0%0.0%             $M (except where indicated)As AtAs At30 June30 JuneCurrency20142013AUD 1.00  =USD0.94050.9268EUR0.68920.7098GBP0.55250.6076NZD1.07621.1860JPY95.451791.5647Exchange rates utilised (1) 
  
 
  
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 21 Debt Issues (continued) 

Guarantee Arrangements 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia 

Australian Government Guarantee Scheme for Large Deposits and Wholesale Funding (Guarantee Scheme) 

The  Bank  issued  debt  under  its  programs  which  has  the  benefit  of  a  guarantee  by  the  Australian  Government  announced  on 
12 October 2008  and  formally  commenced  on  28  November  2008.  On  7  February  2010  it  was  announced  that  the  Guarantee 
Scheme would close to new liabilities from 31 March 2010. 

The  arrangements  were  provided  in  a  Deed  of  Guarantee  dated  20  November  2008,  Scheme  Rules  and  in  additional 
documentation for offers to residents of the United States and other jurisdictions. 

The  text  of  the  Guarantee  Scheme  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. 

Existing guaranteed debt issued by the Bank remains guaranteed until maturity, unless redeemed earlier. 

The  Financial  Claims  Scheme  (also  known  as  the  Australian  Government  Deposit  Guarantee),  which  is  administered  by  the 
Australian  Prudential  Regulation  Authority,  guarantees  deposits  denominated  in  Australian  dollars  held  in  a  specified  range  of 
deposit accounts with the Bank for balances per account-holder totalling up to $250,000. Deposits and Other Public Borrowings 
are set out in Note 17. 

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. 

Demand deposits are no longer guaranteed by the Commonwealth under this guarantee. However, 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. 

Note 22 Bills Payable and Other Liabilities 

(1)  Comparative information has been restated to reflect the impact of changes in accounting policy. Refer to Note 1(f) for more details. 

Other than the defined benefit superannuation plan deficit, the majority of the  amounts are expected to be settled within twelve 
months of the Balance Sheet date. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    121 

Group Bank 2014201320142013Note$M $M $M $M Bills payable912861862823Accrued interest payable2,9573,2522,2902,559Accrued fees and other items payable2,4672,1861,6901,464Defined benefit superannuation plan deficit (1)37191138191138Securities purchased not delivered1,5521,2751,197802Amortised receipts870820505485Life insurance other liabilities and claims payable3152984862Other1,2031,1563,9777,282Total bills payable and other liabilities10,4679,98610,76013,615 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 23 Loan Capital 

  As  at  the  reporting  date,  there  are  no  securities  of the  Group  or  the  Bank  (other  than  the  $275  million  extendible  floating  rate 
notes, and the NZD350 million debt issue that previously qualified as Tier 2 Capital until April 2013) that are contractually due for 
redemption in the next twelve months (note the Group has the right to call some securities earlier than the contractual maturity 
date). 

(1) USD100 million Floating Rate Notes 

On  15  October  1986,  the  State  Bank  of  Victoria  issued 
USD125  million  of  floating  rate  notes  current  outstanding 
balance  of  USD100  million.  The  floating  rate  notes  are 
perpetual but were able to be redeemed from October 1991. 
They were assigned to the Bank on 1 January 1991. 

The Bank entered into an agreement with the Commonwealth 
of  Australia  on  31  December  1991  which  provides  that,  if 
certain events occur, the Bank may either issue CBA ordinary 
shares  to  the  Commonwealth  of  Australia,  or  (with  the 
consent  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Australia)  conduct  a 
renounceable  rights  issue  for  CBA  ordinary  shares  to  all 
shareholders.  The  capital  raised  must  be  used  to  pay  any 
amounts due and payable on the floating rate notes. 

The  floating  rate  notes  were  issued  into  the  international 
markets  and  are  subject  to  English  law.  They  qualify  as 
Additional  Tier  1  Capital  of  the  Bank  under  the  Basel  III 
transitional  arrangements 
instruments  as 
implemented by APRA. 

for  capital 

(2) TPS 2003 

On  6  August  2003,  a  wholly  owned  entity  of  the  Bank  (CBA 
Capital  Trust)  issued  USD550  million  of  Trust  Preferred 
Securities (TPS 2003). TPS 2003 may be redeemed for cash 
on 30 June 2015 and, if not redeemed, CBA Capital Trust will 
be required to exchange TPS 2003 for CBA ordinary shares. 

TPS  2003  were  issued  into  the  US  capital  markets  and  are 
subject  to  Delaware  law.  They  qualify  as  Additional  Tier  1 
Capital  of 
transitional 
arrangements  for  capital  instruments  as  implemented  by 
APRA. 

the  Bank  under 

the  Basel 

III 

(3) PERLS III 

On 6 April 2006, a wholly owned entity of the Bank (Preferred  

122  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

Capital  Limited  or  “PCL”)  issued  $1,166  million  of  Perpetual 
Exchangeable  Repurchaseable  Listed  Shares  (PERLS  III). 
PERLS  III  are  preference  shares  which  may  be  exchanged 
for CBA ordinary shares or $200 cash each (or a combination 
of  both)  on  6  April  2016.  If  PCL  does  not  elect  to  exchange 
PERLS  III,  the  margin  on  the  distributions  payable  on 
PERLS III  will  increase  by  1.00%  per  annum.  PERLS  III  will 
automatically  be  exchanged  for  CBA  preference  shares  no 
later than 10 Business Days prior to 6 April 2046. 

PERLS  III  are  listed  on  the  ASX  and  are  subject  to  New 
South Wales law. They qualify as Additional Tier 1 Capital of 
the  Bank  under  the  Basel  III  transitional  arrangements  for 
capital instruments as implemented by APRA. 

(4) PERLS V 

On  14  October  2009,  the  Bank  issued  $2,000  million  of 
Perpetual  Exchangeable  Resaleable  Listed  Securities 
(PERLS  V).  PERLS  V  are  stapled  securities  comprising  an 
unsecured  subordinated  note  issued  by  the  Bank’s  New 
Zealand branch and a preference share issued by the Bank. 
PERLS  V  may  be  resold  to  a  third  party  or  repurchased  for 
$200  cash  each  on  31  October  2014  and,  if  not  resold  or 
repurchased,  the  Bank  will  be  required  to  convert  PERLS  V 
into CBA ordinary shares provided certain conditions are met.  
PERLS V are listed on the ASX and are subject to New South 
Wales  law.  They  qualify  as  Additional  Tier  1  Capital  of  the 
Bank under the Basel III transitional arrangements for capital 
instruments as implemented by APRA. 

(5) PERLS VI 

On  17  October  2012,  the  Bank  issued  $2,000  million  of 
Perpetual  Exchangeable  Resaleable  Listed  Securities 
(PERLS VI). PERLS VI are subordinated, unsecured notes.  

PERLS  VI  may  be  redeemed  or  resold  to  a  third  party  for 
$100 cash each on 15 December 2018 and, if not redeemed

 Group BankCurrency 2014201320142013Amount (M)Footnotes$M $M $M $M Tier 1 Loan CapitalUndatedFRN   USD 100  (1)106108106108UndatedTPS   USD 550  (2)585593584593UndatedPERLS III   AUD 1,166  (3)1,1621,1601,1621,160UndatedPERLS V   AUD 2,000  (4)1,9971,9911,9971,988UndatedPERLS VI   AUD 2,000  (5)1,9821,9791,9821,979UndatedTPS   USD 700  (6)--741755Total Tier 1 Loan Capital5,8325,8316,5726,583Tier 2 Loan CapitalAUD denominated(7)300799300799USD denominated(8)372377372377JPY denominated(9)618648618648GBP denominated(10)270246270246NZD denominated(11)362---EUR denominated(12)1,4461,4041,4461,404Total Tier 2 Loan Capital3,3683,4743,0063,474Fair value hedge adjustments394382391380Total Loan Capital9,5949,6879,96910,437 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 23 Loan Capital (continued)

or resold, the Bank will be required to exchange PERLS VI for 
CBA ordinary shares on 15 December 2020.  

PERLS  VI  are  listed  on  the  ASX  and  are  subject  to  New 
South Wales law. They qualify as Additional Tier 1 Capital of 
the Bank under Basel III as implemented by APRA. 

(6) TPS 2006 

On 15 March 2006, a  wholly owned entity of the Bank (CBA 
Capital  Trust  II)  issued  USD700  million  of  Trust  Preferred 
Securities (TPS 2006) which may be redeemed for cash, CBA 
Tier  1  Capital  securities  or  CBA  preference  shares  on 
15 March 2016.  If  CBA  Capital  Trust  II  does  not  elect  to 
redeem TPS 2006, the fixed distribution rate payable on TPS 
2006 will change to a floating distribution rate. TPS 2006 will 
automatically  be  exchanged  for  CBA  preference  shares  on 
15 March 2056. 

TPS  2006  were  issued  into  the  US  capital  markets  and  are 
subject  to  Delaware  law.  They  qualify  as  Additional  Tier  1 
Capital  of 
transitional 
arrangements  for  capital  instruments  as  implemented  by 
APRA. 

the  Bank  under 

the  Basel 

III 

(7) AUD denominated Tier 2 Loan Capital issuances 
 
floating  rate  notes, 

$275  million  extendible 
December 1989, due December 2014; 

issued 

 

 

$25 million subordinated floating rate notes, issued April 
1999, due April 2029; and 

$500  million  subordinated  floating  rate  notes,  issued 
September 2008, and redeemed in September 2013. 

(8) USD denominated Tier 2 Loan Capital issuances 
 

USD350  million  subordinated  fixed  rate  notes,  issued 
June 2003, due June 2018. 

(9) JPY denominated Tier 2 Loan Capital issuances 
 

JPY20  billion  perpetual  subordinated  EMTN  (Euro 
Medium Term Notes), issued February 1999; 

 

JPY30 billion subordinated EMTN, issued October 1995, 
due October 2015; and 

 

JPY9  billion  perpetual  subordinated  notes,  issued  May 
1996. 

(10) GBP denominated Tier 2 Loan Capital issuances 
  GBP150 million subordinated EMTN, issued June 2003, 

due December 2023. 

(11) NZD denominated Tier 2 Loan Capital issuances 

Limited) 

  On  17  April  2014,  a  wholly  owned  entity  of  the  Bank 
issued  NZD400  million 
(ASB  Bank 
subordinated, unsecured notes (ASB Notes) with a face 
value of NZD1 each. As at 30 June 2014, all 400 million 
ASB  Notes  remain  outstanding  and  ASB’s  liability 
remains  at  NZD400  million.  ASB  Notes  may  be 
redeemed  on  15  June  2019,  and,  if  not  redeemed,  are 
due on 15 June 2024. ASB Notes may be exchanged for 
CBA  ordinary  shares  (subject  to a maximum  number  of 
24,278,502  CBA  ordinary  shares)  if  either  ASB  is 
deemed  non-viable  by  the  Reserve  Bank  of  New 
Zealand  (RBNZ)  (including  if  ASB  is  made  subject  to 
statutory  management)  or  the  Bank  is  deemed  to  be 
non-viable by APRA. No payment will be made by either 
ASB or the Bank in respect of the exchange. 

ASB  Notes  are  listed  on  the  New  Zealand  Stock 
Exchange  (NZX)  debt  market  and  are  subject  to  New 
South Wales and New Zealand law. They qualify as Tier 
2  Capital  of  the  Bank  and  ASB  under  Basel  III  as 
implemented by APRA and the RBNZ.  

(12) EUR denominated Tier 2 Loan Capital Issuances 
 

subordinated 

notes, 

EUR1,000  million 
August 2009, due August 2019. 

issued 

All  Tier  2  Capital  securities  (other  than  the  $500  million 
subordinated  floating  rate  notes)  qualify  as  Tier  2  Capital  as 
implemented by APRA. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    123 

 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 24 Shareholders’ Equity 

(1)  Refer to Note 25. 
(2)  During the prior year the number of shares issued included the acquisition of an additional 47% interest in Aussie Home Loans Pty Limited. 
(3)  The determined dividend includes an amount attributable to Dividend Reinvestment Plan (DRP) of $707 million (interim 2013/2014) and $930 million (final 
2011/12) with $707 million and $929 million ordinary shares being issued  under plan rules  respectively which include the carry forward of DRP balance 
from previous dividends. 

(4)  Relates to the on-market purchase of shares to satisfy the 2012/13 final and 2012/13 interim DRP and the movement in treasury shares held within Life 

Insurance Statutory Funds and the employee share scheme trust. 

(5)  Comparative information has been restated to conform to presentation in the current year. 
(6)  Dividends relating to equity instruments on issue other than ordinary shares. 

The balances disclosed above include a share of associates’ and joint ventures’ other comprehensive income of $nil million for 
the year ended 30 June 2014 (2013: $1 million). 

124  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

GroupBank2014201320142013Note$M$M$M$MOrdinary Share Capital (1)Opening balance26,32325,17526,61925,498Issue of shares (2)-193-193Dividend Reinvestment Plan (net of issue costs) (3)707929704928Purchase of treasury shares (4)(813)(664)--Sale and vesting of treasury shares (4)819690--Closing balance2527,03626,32327,32326,619Other Equity Instruments (1)Opening balance9399391,8951,895Closing balance259399391,8951,895Retained ProfitsOpening balance (5)16,40513,40413,87410,782Additions through merger of banking licences---919Actuarial gains and losses from defined benefit superannuation plans (5)4236742367Gains and losses on liabilities at fair value due to changes in own credit risk6-6-Realised gains and dividend income on treasury shares2729--Operating profit attributable to Equity holders of the Bank8,6317,6188,4427,233Total available for appropriation25,11121,41822,36419,301Transfers (to)/from general reserve(101)436-(3)Transfers from capital reserve-355-352Transfers from asset revaluation reserve23-16-Interim dividend - cash component(2,243)(2,639)(2,243)(2,639)Interim dividend - Dividend Reinvestment Plan (3)(707)-(707)-Final dividend - cash component(3,224)(2,207)(3,224)(2,207)Final dividend - Dividend Reinvestment Plan (3)-(930)-(930)Other dividends (6)(32)(28)--Closing balance18,82716,40516,20613,874 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 24 Shareholders’ Equity (continued) 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    125 

Group Bank 2014201320142013Reserves$M$M$M$MGeneral ReserveOpening balance7651,201573570Appropriation from/(to) retained profits101(436)-3Closing balance866765573573Capital ReserveOpening balance-3511,2541,594Additions through merger of banking licences---8Revaluation surplus on sale of property-4-4Transfer to retained profits-(355)-(352)Closing balance--1,2541,254Asset Revaluation ReserveOpening balance194195164150Additions through merger of banking licences---10Revaluation of properties284279Transfers on sale of properties-(4)-(4)Transfer to retained profits(23)-(16)-Tax on revaluation of properties(2)(1)(3)(1)Closing balance197194172164Foreign Currency Translation ReserveOpening balance(427)(893)(178)(260)Currency translation adjustments of foreign operations405489393Currency translation on net investment hedge(6)(13)(3)(11)Tax on translation adjustments(14)(10)--Closing balance(42)(427)(178)(178)Cash Flow Hedge ReserveOpening balance368644508587Additions through merger of banking licences---189Gains and losses on cash flow hedging instruments:Recognised in other comprehensive income338(575)492(619)Transferred to Income Statement:Interest income(1,294)(1,046)(1,249)(862)Interest expense6981,2726351,091Tax on cash flow hedging instruments1147338122Closing balance224368424508Employee Compensation ReserveOpening balance132136132136Current period movement(7)(4)(7)(4)Closing balance125132125132Available-for-Sale Investments ReserveOpening balance301(63)188(45)Net gains and losses on revaluation of available-for-sale investments509553671365Net gains and losses on available-for-sale investments transferred toIncome Statement on disposal(12)(31)(12)(31)Tax on available-for-sale investments(159)(158)(206)(101)Closing balance639301641188Total Reserves2,0091,3333,0112,641Shareholders' Equity attributable to Equity holders of the Bank48,81145,00048,43545,029Shareholders' Equity attributable to Non-controlling interests537537--Total Shareholders' Equity49,34845,53748,43545,029 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 25 Share Capital 

Ordinary Share Capital 

(1)  During the prior year the number of shares issued included the acquisition of an additional 47% interest in Aussie Home Loans Pty Limited. 
(2)  The determined dividend includes an amount attributable to DRP of $930 million (final 2011/2012) with $929 million ordinary shares  being issued  under 
plan rules, which include the carry forward of DRP balance from previous dividends. The DRP in respect of 2012/2013 final dividend was satisfied in full 
through the on market purchase and transfer of $722 million of shares to participating shareholders. 

(3)  The determined dividends include an amount attributable to DRP of $707 million (interim 2013/2014) with $707 million ordinary shares being issued under 
plan rules. The DRP in respect of 2012/2013 interim dividend was satisfied in full through the on market purchase and transfer of $596 million shares to 
participating shareholders. 

(4)  Relates to treasury shares held within Life Insurance statutory funds and the employee share scheme trust. 

(1)  During the prior year the number of shares issued included the acquisition of an additional 47% interest in Aussie Home Loans Pty Limited. 
(2)  The DRP in respect of 2012/2013 interim, and final dividend were satisfied in full through the on market purchase and transfer of 8,662,389 and 

9,829,242 shares to participating shareholders. 

(3)  Relates to treasury shares held within the Life Insurance statutory funds and the employees share scheme trust. 

Ordinary shares have no par value and the Company does not have a limited amount of share capital. 

Ordinary shares entitle holders to receive dividends payable to ordinary shareholders and to participate in the proceeds available 
to ordinary shareholders on winding up of the Company in proportion to the number of fully paid ordinary shares held. 

On a show of hands every holder of fully paid ordinary shares present at a meeting in person or by proxy is entitled to one vote, 
and upon a poll one vote for each share held. 

Other Equity Instruments 

 Trust Preferred Securities 2006 

On 15 March 2006, a wholly owned entity of the Bank (CBA Capital Trust II) issued USD700 million of Trust Preferred Securities 
(TPS 2006) into the US capital markets. They qualify as Additional Tier 1 Capital under the Basel III transitional arrangements for 
capital instruments as implemented by APRA. 

A related instrument was issued by the Bank to a subsidiary for $956 million and eliminates on consolidation. 

126  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

Group Bank 2014201320142013Issued and paid up ordinary capital$M $M $M $M Ordinary Share CapitalOpening balance (excluding treasury shares deduction)26,62025,49826,61925,498Issue of shares (1)-193-193Dividend reinvestment plan: Final dividend prior year (2)-929-928Dividend reinvestment plan: Interim dividend (3)707-704-Closing balance (excluding treasury shares deduction)27,32726,62027,32326,619Less: treasury shares (4)(291)(297)--Closing balance27,03626,32327,32326,619Group Bank 2014201320142013Number of shares on issueShares Shares Shares Shares Opening balance (excluding treasury shares deduction)1,611,928,8361,592,154,7801,611,928,8361,592,154,780Issue of shares (1)-2,747,995-2,747,995Dividend reinvestment plan issues:2011/2012 Final dividend fully paid ordinary shares $54.54-17,026,061-17,026,0612012/2013 Interim dividend fully paid ordinary shares $68.76 (2)----2012/2013 Final dividend fully paid ordinary shares $73.42 (2)----2013/2014 Interim dividend fully paid ordinary shares $75.269,390,358-9,390,358-Closing balance (excluding treasury shares deduction)1,621,319,1941,611,928,8361,621,319,1941,611,928,836Less: treasury shares (3)(5,516,035)(6,076,006)--Closing balance1,615,803,1591,605,852,8301,621,319,1941,611,928,836Group Bank 2014201320142013Other equity instruments$M $M $M $M Issued and paid up9399391,8951,895Shares Shares Shares Shares Number of shares700,000700,0001,400,0001,400,000 
  
 
  
 
  
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 25 Share Capital (continued) 

Dividends 

The  Directors  have  declared  a  franked  final  dividend  of  218  cents  per  share  amounting to  $3,534 million.  The  dividend  will  be 
payable on 2 October 2014 to shareholders on the register at 5pm AEST on 21 August 2014. 

The Board determines the dividends based on the Group’s 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 to support business development; 

Competitors comparison and market expectations; and 

Earnings per share growth. 

Dividends Paid since the End of the Previous Financial Year 

 

 

A fully franked final dividend of 200 cents per share amounting to $3,224 million was paid on 3 October 2013. The payment 
comprised cash disbursements of $3,224 million. The DRP was satisfied in full by the on market purchase of shares; and 

A fully franked interim dividend of 183 cents per share amounting to $2,950 million was paid on 3 April 2014. The payment 
was satisfied by cash disbursements of $2,243 million and $707 million being reinvested by participants through the DRP. 

Dividend Reinvestment Plan 

The  Bank  expects  the  DRP  for  the  final  dividend  for  the  year  ended  30  June  2014  will  be  satisfied  in  full  by  an  on  market 
purchase of shares of approximately $884 million. 

Record Date 

The register closes for determination of dividend entitlement at 5pm AEST on 21 August 2014. 

Ex-dividend Date 

The ex-dividend date is 19 August 2014. 

Note 26 Share Based Payments 

The Group operates a number of cash and equity settled share plans as detailed below. 

Employee Share Acquisition Plan 

Under  the  Employee  Share  Acquisition  Plan  (ESAP),  eligible  employees  have  the  opportunity to  receive  up  to  $1,000  worth  of 
ordinary shares (“shares”) each year (at no cost to them) if the Group meets the required performance hurdles.  

To be eligible for an award each employee must achieve a minimum level of performance and service. The value of the shares an 
individual receives is determined by the Group’s performance against a hurdle. The performance hurdle is growth in the Group’s 
net profit after tax (“cash basis”) of greater than 5%. If the hurdle is not met, the Board has discretion to determine whether a full 
award, a partial award or no award is made. 

The  number  of  shares  a  participant  receives  is  calculated  by  dividing  the  award  amount  by  the  average  price  paid  for  shares 
purchased during the purchase period preceding the grant date. Shares granted are restricted from sale until the earlier of three 
years or until such time as the participant ceases employment with the Group. Participants receive full dividend entitlements and 
voting rights attached to those shares. The Group achieved the performance target for 2013 resulting in $1,000 worth of shares 
being awarded to each eligible employee during the financial year ended 30 June 2014. 

The  following  table  provides  details  of  shares  granted  under  the  ESAP  during  the  current  and  previous  financial  years  ended 
30 June. 

It is estimated that approximately $34.0 million of shares will be purchased on market at the prevailing market price for the  2014 
grant. 

International Employee Share Acquisition Plan 

A limited number of employees receive cash-based versions of ESAP under the International Employee Share Acquisition Plan 
(IESAP). Like the ESAP, eligible employees can receive an award up to $1,000 determined by the Group’s performance against a 
hurdle.  The  performance  hurdle  is  the  same  as  that  which  applies  to  ESAP.  To  be  eligible  for  an  award  each  employee  must 
achieve a minimum level of performance and service. Under IESAP participants receive grants of performance units, which are 
monetary units with a value linked to the share price.  

A total of $0.6 million has been expensed during the year (2013: $0.5 million) in respect of this plan. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    127 

Number of SharesTotal NumberTotalPeriodAllocation dateParticipants Allocated by Participant of Shares AllocatedIssue Price $Fair Value $201423 Sep 201332,74913425,73773. 4231,257,610201314 Sep 201229,92114418,89454. 7922,951,202 
 
  
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 26 Share Based Payments (continued) 

Group Rights Plan (GRP) 

The Group Rights Plan (GRP) replaced the Employee Share Plan (ESP) from 1 July 2013 and facilitates mandatory short term 
incentive (STI) deferral, sign-on incentives and retention awards. 

Under the GRP, participants are awarded rights to shares that generally vest when the participant remains in employment of the 
Group until the vesting date. Each right that vests entitles the participant to receive one share. The Board has discretion to apply 
a cash equivalent. 

The following table provides details of outstanding awards of shares granted under the GRP. 

The weighted average fair value at grant date of rights awarded during the year was $73.00 (2013: $nil). A total of $20.2 million 
has been expensed during the year (2013: $nil) in respect of this plan.  

Employee Share Plan 

The Employee Share Plan (ESP) facilitated mandatory STI deferral, sign-on incentives and retention awards made from 1 July 
2010. The ESP was replaced by the GRP in July 2013 and is now closed to new offers. 

Under the ESP, shares awarded generally vest when the participant remains in employment of the Group until the vesting date. 
The  Group  purchases  fully  paid shares  and  holds these in  trust  until such  time  as  the  vesting  conditions  are met. ESP shares 
receive full dividend and voting rights. Participants may direct the Trustee on how the voting rights are to be exercised during the 
vesting period. Dividends accrue in the trust and are paid to participants upon vesting of the shares. Where a participant does not 
satisfy the vesting conditions, shares and dividend rights are forfeited. 

The following table provides details of outstanding awards of shares granted under the ESP. 

The weighted average fair value at grant date of shares awarded during the year was $72.63 (2013: $54.82). A total of $25 million 
has been expensed during the year (2013: $41.5 million) in respect of this plan.  

Employee Share (Performance Unit) Plan 

A limited number of employees receive awards under a cash-based version of GRP through the Employee Share (Performance 
Unit) Plan (ESPUP). The ESPUP facilitates mandatory STI deferral, sign-on incentives and retention awards. Under the ESPUP 
participants  receive  grants  of  performance  units,  which  are monetary  units  with  a  value  linked to the  share  price. Performance 
units generally vest when the participant remains employed by the Group until the vesting date. 

On  meeting  the  vesting  conditions,  a cash  payment is made  to  the  participant,  the  value  of  which  is  determined  based  on  the 
share  price  upon  vesting  plus  an  accrued  dividend  value.  The  following  table  provides  details  of  outstanding  awards  of 
performance units granted under the ESPUP. 

The weighted average fair value at grant date of performance units issued during the year was  $69.59 (2013: $54.63). A total of 
$9.4 million has been expensed during the year (2013: $7.4 million) in respect of this plan. 

128  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

OutstandingOutstandingPeriod1 JulyGrantedVestedForfeited30 JuneJuly 2013 - June 2014-675,469(3,624)(17,729)654,116Total 2014-675,469(3,624)(17,729)654,116Total 2013-----OutstandingOutstandingPeriod1 JulyGrantedVestedForfeited30 JuneJuly 2010 - June 2011502,437-(498,849)-3,588July 2011 - June 2012782,942-(175,920)(18,779)588,243July 2012 - June 2013776,565-(136,647)(17,232)622,686July 2013 - June 2014-10,663(4,094)-6,569Total 20142,061,94410,663(815,510)(36,011)1,221,086Total 20131,634,889827,482(307,770)(92,657)2,061,944OutstandingOutstandingPeriod1 JulyGrantedVestedForfeited30 JuneJuly 2010 - June 201139,287-(34,814)-4,473July 2011 - June 201256,606-(27,180)(1,313)28,113July 2012 - June 201350,321-(11,980)(246)38,095July 2013 - June 2014-131,047(42,658)-88,389Total 2014146,214131,047(116,632)(1,559)159,070Total 2013159,29079,634(82,972)(9,738)146,214 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 26 Share Based Payments (continued) 

Group Employee Rights Plan 

The  Group  Employee  Rights  Plan  (GERP)  facilitated  mandatory  STI  deferral,  sign-on  incentives  and  retention  awards  for 
executives of selected subsidiary companies made from December 2009.  The GERP was replaced by the GRP in July 2013 and 
is now closed to new offers. Under the GERP, participants receive a right to a share which is subject to vesting conditions. Rights 
awarded generally vest when the participant remains in employment of the Group until the vesting date.  

No new awards were made under the GERP in 2014.  The following table provides details of outstanding awards of rights granted 
under GERP. 

The weighted average fair value at grant date of rights issued during 2013 was $54.74. A total of $1 million has been expensed 
during the year (2013: $1.5 million) in respect of this plan. 

Employee Salary Sacrifice Share Plan 

Under the Employee Salary Sacrifice Share Plan (ESSSP), Australian-based employees can elect to receive between $2,000 and 
$5,000 of their fixed remuneration and/or annual STI as shares. Shares are purchased on market at the current market price and 
are  restricted  from  sale  for  a  minimum  of  two  years  and  a  maximum  of  seven  years  or  earlier,  if  the  employee  ceases 
employment with the Group. Shares receive full dividend entitlements and voting rights. 

The following table provides details of shares granted under the ESSSP. 

Equity Participation Plan 

The Equity Participation Plan (EPP) facilitated the partial deferral of executives STI payments, together with sign-on and retention 
awards until it was closed to new offers in the 2010 financial year. The final EPP award reached its vesting date during the 2013 
financial  year.    Vested  awards  may  remain  in  the  EPP  for  up  to  10  years  from  the  date  they  are  granted,  and  are  subject  to 
holding locks during that period.   

The following table provides details of outstanding awards of shares granted under the EPP. 

(1)  No awards were allocated from July 2005 to June 2007. 

No amount has been expensed during the year (2013: $0.04 million). 

Group Leadership Reward Plan 

The  Group  Leadership  Reward  Plan  (GLRP)  is  the  Group’s  long  term  incentive  plan  for  the  CEO  and  Group  Executives.  The 
GLRP focuses on driving performance and shareholder alignment in the longer term. 

Under  the  GLRP,  participants  are  awarded  a  maximum  number  of  Reward  Rights  that  may  vest  at  the  end  of  a  performance 
period of up to four years subject to the satisfaction of performance hurdles. Each Reward Right that vests entitles the participant 
to receive one share. The Board has discretion to apply a cash equivalent. 

Vesting is subject to the satisfaction of certain performance hurdles as follows. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    129 

OutstandingOutstandingAllocation period1 JulyGrantedVestedForfeited30 JuneJuly 2010 - June 201115,834-(15,834)--July 2011 - June 201229,944-(5,804)(2,127)22,013July 2012 - June 201329,357-(6,392)(1,243)21,722Total 201475,135-(28,030)(3,370)43,735Total 201359,94334,400(14,477)(4,731)75,135Number ofAverage ShareTotal purchasePeriodParticipantsShares PurchasedPrice $consideration $201439517,61075.621,331,652201347717,96559.861,075,390OutstandingVested andOutstandingAllocation period1 JulyGrantedReleasedForfeited30 JuneJuly 2003 - June 200423,462-(23,462)--July 2004 - June 2005 (1)18,089-(4,407)-13,682July 2007 - June 200822,871-(7,833)-15,038July 2008 - June 200920,100-(4,643)-15,457July 2009 - June 201016,752-(5,522)-11,230Total 2014101,274-(45,867)-55,407Total 2013686,400-(585,126)-101,274 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 26 Share Based Payments (continued) 

Group Leadership Reward Plan (continued) 

For the award made during the 2010 financial year: 

 

 

50% of the award was assessed against Customer Satisfaction compared to a set peer group; and 

50% of the award was assessed against Total Shareholder Return (TSR) compared to a set peer group. 

For awards made from the 2011 financial year onwards: 

 

 

25% of the is award assessed against Customer Satisfaction compared to a set peer group; and 

75% of the is award assessed against TSR compared to a set peer group. 

The  Customer  Satisfaction  peer  group  consists  of  the  ANZ,  NAB,  St  George  (FY10  award  only),  Westpac  and  other  key 
competitors for our wealth management business. 

The  TSR  peer  group  for  all  awards  comprises  the  20  largest  companies  listed  on  the  ASX  (by  market  capitalisation)  at  the 
beginning of each respective performance period, excluding resource companies and CBA. 

Customer  satisfaction  is  determined  by  the  Board  with  reference  to  independent  external  surveys,  and  TSR  is  measured 
independently.  

The Board applies a scale when determining the portion of each award to vest at the end of the performance period as follows: 

 

 

 

For the 2010 financial year award, the portion of the award assessed against Customer Satisfaction that will vest is: 100% if 
CBA is ranked 1st, 75% if CBA is ranked 2nd, and 50% if CBA is ranked 3rd at the end of the performance period, with no 
vesting below this level.  

For the 2011 and 2012 financial year awards, the portion of the awards assessed against Customer Satisfaction that will vest 
is: 100% if CBA is ranked 1st across three surveys, 75% if CBA is ranked 1st across two surveys, and 50% if CBA is ranked 
2nd across the three surveys at the end of the performance period. The Board will exercise discretion where CBA’s Customer 
Satisfaction has improved over the performance period, but in a different combination. Where the Board determines that the 
overall performance is worse at the end of the performance period than at the beginning, none of this portion will vest. 

For the 2013 and 2014 financial year awards, the portion of the award assessed against Customer Satisfaction that will vest 
is:  100%  where  the  weighted  average  ranking  for  CBA  over  the  performance  period  is  1st  (i.e.  1.00),  50%  where  CBA’s 
weighted average ranking is 2nd and vesting on a sliding scale between 100% and 50% on a pro-rata straight line basis if 
CBA’s weighted average ranking is between 1st and 2nd (i.e. between 1.00 and 2.00). No Reward Rights in this part of the 
award will vest if CBA’s weighted average ranking is lower than 2nd (i.e. above 2.00). 

For the portion of the awards assessed against TSR performance, full vesting applies where CBA is ranked in the top quartile  of 
the peer group at the end of the performance period, 50% will vest if CBA is ranked at the median, with vesting on a sliding scale 
between the median and 75th percentile. No Reward Rights in this part of the award will vest if the Group’s TSR is ranked below 
the median of the peer group. The total number  of Reward Rights that vest will be the aggregate of rights that vest against the 
Customer Satisfaction and the TSR hurdles at the end of the performance period.  

The second tranche of the 2010 financial year award reached the end of its performance period on 30 June 2013 and in line with 
the plan rules 87.50% of the awarded rights vested. 

The following table provides details of outstanding awards of performance rights granted under the GLRP. 

The  weighted  average  fair  value  at  the  grant  date  of  all  Reward  Rights  issued  during  the  year  was  $74.52  per  right  (2013: 
$53.86). The fair value of TSR hurdled Reward Rights granted during the period has been independently calculated at grant date 
using a Monte-Carlo pricing model. The assumptions included in the valuation of the  2014 financial year award includes a risk 
free interest rate ranging from 3.28% to 3.59%, a nil dividend yield on the Bank’s shares and a volatility in the share price of 20%. 
The  fair  value  for  customer  satisfaction  hurdled  Reward  Rights  granted  during  the  period  is  the  closing  price  of  shares  on  the 
grant date. 

A total of $11.9 million has been expensed in the current year (2013: $12.9 million) for GLRP. 

Equity Reward Plan 

The Equity Reward Plan (ERP) was the Group’s long term incentive plan for executives until the final grants were made in 2006. 
Under the ERP executives could receive awards of shares or options. 

The final ERP award reached the end of its performance period during the 2010 financial year. Vested awards may remain in the 
ERP for up to 10 years from the date they are granted, and are subject to holding locks during that period. 

The following table provides details of outstanding awards of shares granted under the ERP. 

130  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

PerformancePerformanceOutstandingOutstandingperiod start datetest date1 JulyGrantedVestedForfeited30 June 1 July 200930 June 2013476,448-(416,896)(59,552)- 1 July 201030 June 2014353,966--(4,540)349,426 1 July 201130 June 2015378,059--(39,824)338,235 1 July 201230 June 2016446,281--(41,858)404,423 1 July 201330 June 2017-331,689--331,689Total 20141,654,754331,689(416,896)(145,774)1,423,773Total 20131,699,614446,281(312,931)(178,210)1,654,754 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 26 Share Based Payments (continued) 

Equity Reward Plan (continued) 

No amount has been expensed in the current or prior year. 

Non-Executive Directors Share Plan 

The Non-Executive Directors Share Plan (NEDSP) facilitates the following arrangements for Non-Executive Directors’ (NEDs): 

 

 

Acquisition of shares using 20% of their post-tax fees. NEDs are required to defer 20% of their post-tax fees until they reach 
a minimum shareholding requirement of 5,000 shares; and  

Further voluntary fee sacrifice of between $2,000 and $5,000 p.a. on a pre-tax basis. 

Shares acquired using after tax fees are restricted for sale for ten years or until such time as the Non-Executive Director retires 
from the Board if earlier. Shares acquired voluntarily are restricted from sale for a minimum of two years and a maximum of seven 
years, or earlier if the Non-Executive Director retires from the Board.  

Shares  are  purchased  on market  at  the  prevailing market  price  at that time,  and  rank  equally  for  dividends  with  other  ordinary 
shares. 

For  the  current  year  $0.03 million  (2013:  $0.03 million)  was  expensed  reflecting  shares  purchased  and  allocated  under  the 
NEDSP. 

The following table provides details of the number of shares acquired under the NEDSP. 

Note 27 Capital Adequacy 

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 based on the Basel Committee 
on Banking Supervision (BCBS) guidelines.  

adjustments.  Tier  1  Capital  is  comprised  of  CET1  plus  other 
capital  instruments  acceptable  to  APRA.  Tier  2  Capital  is 
instruments 
comprised  primarily  of  hybrid  and  debt 
acceptable to APRA. Total Capital is the aggregate of Tier 1 
and Tier 2 Capital. 

The  Basel  III  measurement  and  monitoring  of  capital  has 
been  effective  from  1  January  2013.  APRA  has  adopted  a 
more  conservative  approach  than  the  minimum  standards 
published  by  the  BCBS  and  a  more  accelerated  timetable. 
The  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, which includes 
ASB Bank (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  Common  Equity  Tier  1 
(CET1), Tier 1 and Tier 2 Capital. CET1 primarily consists of 
Shareholders’  Equity,  less  goodwill  and  other  prescribed 

The  tangible  component  of  the  investment  in  the  insurance 
and  funds management  operations  are  deducted  100%  from 
CET1. 

Capital  adequacy  is  measured  by  means  of  a  risk  based 
capital  ratio.  The  capital  ratios  reflect  capital  (CET1,  Tier  1, 
Tier 2 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. 

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  loan  capital  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 both the Executive Committee 
and  the  Asset  and  Liability  Committee  (ALCO).  Three  year 
capital  forecasts  are  conducted  on  a  quarterly  basis  with  a 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    131 

OutstandingOutstandingAllocation period1 JulyGrantedReleasedForfeited30 JuneJuly 2003 - June 200412,500-(12,500)--July 2004 - June 200510,500-(2,500)-8,000July 2005 - June 200630,780-(2,000)-28,780July 2006 - June 200735,000-(3,300)-31,700Total 201488,780-(20,300)-68,480Total 2013102,330-(13,550)-88,780Total fees appliedNumber of sharesAverage purchase pricePeriod$Participants purchased$201432,067141976.53201334,049153863.29 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Approved minimums. The Bank is required to inform APRA 
immediately  of  any  breach  or  potential  breach  of  its 
minimum  prudential  capital  adequacy 
requirements, 
including details of remedial action taken or planned to be 
taken. 

financial  and 
includes  debt  and  equity  capital  raising, 
commodities  price 
transactional 
risk  management  and 
banking  capabilities.  Institutional  Banking  and  Markets  has 
international  operations  in  London,  Malta,  New  York,  New 
Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan and Shanghai. 

(iv) Wealth Management 

Wealth Management includes the Global Asset Management 
(including  operations 
in  Asia  and  Europe),  Platform 
Administration and Life and General Insurance businesses of 
the Australian operations. 

(v) New Zealand 

New Zealand includes the Banking, Funds Management and 
insurance  businesses  operating  in  New  Zealand  (excluding 
the 
Institutional  Banking  and 
Markets). 

international  business  of 

(vi) Bankwest 

Bankwest  is  active  in  all  domestic  market  segments,  with 
lending  diversified  between  the  business,  rural,  housing  and 
personal markets, including a full range of deposit products. 

(vii) IFS and Other Divisions 

The  following  parts  of  the  business  are  included  in  the  IFS 
and Other Divisions: 

 

International  Financial  Services  Asia  incorporates  the 
Asian  retail  and  SME  banking  operations  (Indonesia, 
China,  Vietnam  and  India),  investments  in  Chinese  and 
Vietnamese  banks, 
life 
insurance  business  and  the  life  insurance  operations  in 
Indonesia.  It  does  not include the  Business  and Private 
Banking, Institutional Banking and Markets and Colonial 
First  State  Global  Asset  Management  businesses  in 
Asia; 

joint  venture  Chinese 

the 

 

Corporate  Centre  includes  the  results  of  unallocated 
Group  support  functions  such  as  Investor  Relations, 
Group Strategy, Secretariat and Treasury; and 

  Group  wide  Eliminations/Unallocated 

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

includes 

Note 27 Capital Adequacy (continued) 

detailed  capital  and  strategy  plan  presented  to  the  Board 
annually. 

The  Group’s  capital  ratios  throughout  the  2013  and  2014 
in  compliance  with  both  APRA 
financial  years  were 
minimum  capital  adequacy  requirements  and  the  Board 

Note 28 Financial Reporting by Segments 
The  principal  activities  of  the  Group  are  carried  out  in  the 
below business segments. These segments are based on the 
distribution channels through which the customer relationship 
is being managed. 

The  primary sources  of  revenue  are  interest  and fee  income 
(Retail  Banking  Services,  Institutional  Banking  and  Markets, 
Business and Private Banking, Bankwest, New Zealand, IFS 
and  Other  Divisions)  and  insurance  premium  and  funds 
management  income  (Wealth  Management,  New  Zealand, 
IFS and Other Divisions).  

Revenues  and  expenses  occurring  between  segments  are 
subject to transfer pricing arrangements. All intra-group profits 
are eliminated on consolidation. 

Business  segments  are  managed  on  the  basis  of  net  profit 
after income tax (“cash basis”). Management use “cash basis” 
to  assess  performance  and  it  provides  the  basis  for  the 
determination  of  the  Bank’s  dividends.  The  “cash  basis” 
presents  a  clear  view  of  the  Group’s  underlying  operating 
results,  excluding  a  number  of  items  that  introduce  volatility 
and/or  one-off  distortions  of  the  Group’s  current  period 
performance.  These  items,  such  as  hedging  and  IFRS 
volatility, are calculated consistently year on year and do not 
discriminate between positive and negative adjustments. 

(i) Retail Banking Services 

Retail  Banking  Services  provides  home  loan,  consumer 
finance and retail deposit products and servicing to all Retail 
bank  customers.  In  addition,  commission  is  received  for  the 
distribution of wealth management products through the retail 
distribution network. 

(ii) Business and Private Banking 

Business  and  Private  Banking  provides  specialised  banking 
services  to  relationship managed  business  and  Agribusiness 
customers,  private  banking  to  high  net  worth  individuals  and 
margin lending and trading through CommSec. 

(iii) Institutional Banking and Markets 

Institutional Banking and Markets services the Group’s major 
corporate, 
institutional  and  government  clients  using  a 
relationship  management  model  based  on  industry  expertise 
and  local  insights.  The  Total  Capital  Solutions  offering 

132  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

 
 
Note 28 Financial Reporting by Segments (continued) 

Notes to the Financial Statements 

Investment experience is presented on a pre-tax basis. 

(1) 
(2)  Non-cash items are excluded from net profit after tax (“cash basis”), which is management’s preferred measure of the Group’s financial performance, as they tend to be non-recurring in nature or not considered representative of the Group’s ongoing 
financial performance. The items for the period are gain on sale of management rights ($17 million gain), treasury shares valuation adjustment ($41 million loss), unrealised gains and losses related to hedging and IFRS volatility ($6 million gain), 
Bankwest non-cash items ($56 million loss) and Bell Group litigation ($25 million gain). 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    133 

2014RetailBusiness andInstitutionalBankingPrivateBanking andWealthNewIFS andServicesBankingMarketsManagementZealandBankwestOtherTotal$M$M$M$M$M$M$M$MNet interest income7,0042,9971,421-1,3781,57771415,091Other banking income1,6198591,258-1922061894,323Total banking income8,6233,8562,679-1,5701,78390319,414Funds management income---1,83760-361,933Insurance income---575202-42819Total operating income8,6233,8562,6792,4121,8321,78398122,166Investment experience (1)---2025-28235Total net operating income before impairment and operating expense8,6233,8562,6792,6141,8371,7831,00922,401Operating expenses(3,103)(1,426)(947)(1,588)(805)(799)(831)(9,499)Loan impairment expense(566)(253)(61)-(51)(11)(11)(953)Net profit before income tax4,9542,1771,6711,02698197316711,949Corporate tax expense(1,482)(651)(413)(233)(239)(293)61(3,250)Non-controlling interests------(19)(19)Net profit after tax ("cash basis") (2)3,4721,5261,2587937426802098,680Hedging and IFRS volatility----10-(4)6Other non-cash items--25(24)-(56)-(55)Net profit after tax ("statutory basis")3,4721,5261,2837697526242058,631Additional informationIntangible asset amortisation(25)(34)(44)(19)(38)(75)(186)(421)Depreciation(6)(1)(17)(3)(36)(31)(212)(306)Balance SheetTotal assets281,062103,864149,80220,75965,73676,79593,433791,451Total liabilities196,85369,691145,45724,13358,14945,671202,149742,103 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 28 Financial Reporting by Segments (continued) 

Investment experience is presented on a pre-tax basis. 

(1)  Comparative information has been restated to reflect the impact of changes in accounting policy. Refer to Note 1(f) for more details. 
(2) 
(3)  Non-cash items are excluded from net profit after tax (“cash basis”), which is management’s preferred measure of the Group’s financial performance, as they tend to be non-recurring in nature or not considered representative of the Group’s ongoing 
financial performance. The items for the period are Bell Group litigation ($45 million loss), treasury shares valuation adjustment ($53 million loss), unrealised gains and losses related to hedging and IFRS volatility ($27 million gain), and Bankwest 
non-cash items ($71 million loss). 

134  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

2013 (1)RetailBusiness andInstitutionalBankingPrivateBanking andWealthNewIFS andServicesBankingMarketsManagementZealandBankwestOtherTotal$M$M$M$M$M$M$M$MNet interest income6,4252,9521,341-1,0931,53759613,944Other banking income1,5048171,238-2372101504,156Total banking income7,9293,7692,579-1,3301,74774618,100Funds management income---1,73549-441,828Insurance income---542171-26739Total operating income7,9293,7692,5792,2771,5501,74781620,667Investment experience (2)---1456-3154Total net operating income before impairment and operating expense7,9293,7692,5792,4221,5561,74781920,821Operating expenses(2,992)(1,392)(871)(1,494)(686)(825)(750)(9,010)Loan impairment expense(533)(280)(154)-(45)(118)48(1,082)Net profit before income tax4,4042,0971,55492882580411710,729Corporate tax expense(1,315)(623)(359)(249)(204)(243)40(2,953)Non-controlling interests------(16)(16)Net profit after tax ("cash basis") (3)3,0891,4741,1956796215611417,760Hedging and IFRS volatility----(24)-5127Other non-cash items--(45)(53)-(71)-(169)Net profit after tax ("statutory basis")3,0891,4741,1506265974901927,618Additional informationIntangible asset amortisation(27)(31)(37)(14)(27)(75)(129)(340)Depreciation(7)(1)(15)(3)(29)(36)(220)(311)Balance SheetTotal assets264,332102,432146,40720,50858,18773,78188,210753,857Total liabilities182,28664,840149,53922,88251,54141,925195,307708,320 
 
                                                                                                                                        
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 28 Financial Reporting by Segments (continued) 

Products and Services Information 

Revenue from external customers by product or service is disclosed in Note 2. No single customer amounted to greater than 10% 
of the Group’s revenue. 

Geographical Information 

(1)  Comparative information has been restated to reflect the impact of changes in accounting policy. Refer to Note 1(f) for more details. 
(2)  Other locations include: United Kingdom, United States, Japan, Singapore, Malta, Hong Kong, Indonesia, China, India and Vietnam. 
(3)  Non-current assets include Property, plant and equipment, Investments in associates and joint ventures and Intangibles. 

The geographical segment represents the location in which the transaction was recognised. 

Note 29 Insurance Businesses 

Life Insurance 

The  following  information  is  provided  to  disclose  the  statutory  life  insurance  business  transactions  contained  in  the  Group 
Financial Statements and the underlying methods and assumptions used in their calculations. 

All  financial  assets  within  the  life  statutory  funds  have  been  determined  to  support  either  life  insurance  or  life  investment 
contracts. Refer to Note 1(ff) – (ii). The insurance segment result is prepared on a business segment basis. 

(1)  Comparative information has been restated to reflect the impact of changes in accounting policy. Refer to Note 1(f) for more details. 
(2) 

Income tax includes tax attributable to policyholders and shareholders. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    135 

GroupYear Ended 30 June20142013 (1)2012 (1)Financial performance and position$M%$M%$M%IncomeAustralia37,60384. 839,11987. 341,75988. 6New Zealand4,63310. 53,8908. 73,7087. 9Other locations (2)2,0764. 71,7934. 01,6763. 5Total income44,312100. 044,802100. 047,143100. 0Non-Current Assets (3)Australia13,19991. 314,21192. 213,59492. 6New Zealand1,0577. 31,0236. 69176. 2Other locations (2)1961. 41881. 21711. 2Total non-current assets14,452100. 015,422100. 014,682100. 0Life InsuranceLife InvestmentContractsContractsGroup20142013 (1)20142013 (1)20142013 (1)Summarised Income Statement$M$M$M$M$M$MNet premium income and related revenue1,8431,6592162442,0591,903Outward reinsurance premiums expense(289)(302)--(289)(302)Claims expense(1,277)(1,187)(40)(51)(1,317)(1,238)Reinsurance recoveries223233--223233Investment revenue (excluding investments in subsidiaries):Equity securities138164657757795921Debt securities19384280242473326Property3340346167101Other913991146182185Increase in contract liabilities(242)(157)(946)(1,097)(1,188)(1,254)Operating income7135732923021,005875Acquisition expenses(96)(87)(2)(9)(98)(96)Maintenance expenses(192)(159)(56)(60)(248)(219)Management expenses(8)(9)(10)(9)(18)(18)Net profit before income tax417318224224641542Income tax expense attributable to operating profit (2)(125)(125)(113)(121)(238)(246)Net profit after income tax292193111103403296 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 29 Insurance Businesses (continued) 

The  disclosure  of  the  components  of  net  profit  after  income  tax  is  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. 

Capital Adequacy of The Group’s Life Insurance Company 

Under the Life Insurance Act 1995, life insurers are required to hold reserves in excess of the amount of policy liabilities. These 
additional  reserves  are  necessary  to  support  the  life  insurer's  capital  requirements  under  its  business  plan  and  to  provide  a 
cushion against adverse experience in managing long term risks. APRA has issued Life Prudential Standard (LPS) 110 'Capital 
Adequacy' for determining the level of capital reserves. LPS110 prescribes the minimum capital requirement for each statutory 
fund and the minimum level of assets required to be held in each statutory fund. 

The  table  below  shows  the  Capital  Adequacy  Multiple  representing  the  ratio  or  assets  available  for  capital  over  the  capital 
reserve. 

136  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

Life Insurance Life Investment Contracts Contracts Group 201420132014201320142013Sources of life insurance net profit$M $M $M $M $M $M The net profit after income tax is represented by:Emergence of planned profit margins2192229483313305Difference between actual and planned experience(38)(95)1619(22)(76)Effects of changes to underlying assumptions68--68Reversal of previously recognised losses or loss recognition on groups of related products4(4)--4(4)Investment earnings on assets in excess of policyholder liabilities101621110263Other movements------Net profit after income tax292193111103403296Life insurance premiums received and receivable2,2382,0466025412,8402,587Life insurance claims paid and payable1,3481,2471,3861,6332,7342,880Life InsuranceLife InvestmentContractsContractsGroupReconciliation of movements in201420132014201320142013policy liabilities$M$M$M$M$M$MContract policy liabilitiesGross policy liabilities opening balance3,4153,2669,5899,72813,00412,994Movement in policy liabilities reflected in the Income Statement3052459461,0971,2511,342Contract contributions recognised in policy liabilities76328237335243Contract withdrawals recognised in policy liabilities(68)(61)(1,349)(1,582)(1,417)(1,643)Non-cash movements(18)(60)-41(18)(19)FX translation adjustment(10)1921681187Gross policy liabilities closing balance3,6313,4159,5359,58913,16613,004Liabilities ceded under reinsuranceOpening balance(261)(172)--(261)(172)Increase in reinsurance assets(64)(89)--(64)(89)Closing balance(325)(261)--(325)(261)Net policy liabilitiesExpected to be realised within 12 months5125791,6681,7282,1802,307Expected to be realised in more than 12 months2,7942,5757,8677,86110,66110,436Total net insurance policy liabilities3,3063,1549,5359,58912,84112,74320142013Capital Adequacy MultipleTimesTimesThe Colonial Mutual Life Assurance Society Limited, Australia1. 881. 65 
 
  
 
  
 
  
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 30 Remuneration of Auditors 

During the financial year, the following fees were paid or payable for services provided by the auditor of the Group and the Bank, 
and its network firms: 

(1)  An additional amount of $9,106,912 (2013: $8,812,600) was paid to PricewaterhouseCoopers by way of fees for entities not consolidated into the Financial 

Statements. Of this amount, $8,249,653 (2013: $8,331,928) relates to audit and audit-related services. 

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  services  principally  includes  assurance  and  attestation  reviews  of  the  Group’s  foreign  disclosures  for  overseas 
investors,  services  in  relation  to  regulatory  requirements,  acquisition  accounting  advice  as  well  as  reviews  of  internal  control 
systems and financial or regulatory information. 

Taxation  services  included  assistance  and  training  in  relation  to  tax  legislation  and  developments  and  other  services  primarily 
consisted of project assurance and risk compliance support. 

Other services include project assurance particularly relating to information technology projects, and reviews of compliance  with 
legal and regulatory frameworks. 

Note 31 Lease Commitments 

Lease Arrangements 

Operating leases are entered into to meet the business needs of entities in the Group. Leases are primarily over commercial and 
retail premises and plant and equipment. 

Lease rentals are determined in accordance with market conditions when leases are entered into or on rental review dates. 

The total expected future sublease payments to be received are $127 million as at 30 June 2014 (2013: $149 million). 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    137 

GroupBank2014201320142013$'000$'000$'000$'000a) Audit and audit related servicesAudit servicesPricewaterhouseCoopers Australian firm14,71914,62710,43810,077Network firms of PricewaterhouseCoopers Australian firm3,9973,915577517Total remuneration for audit services18,71618,54211,01510,594Audit related servicesPricewaterhouseCoopers Australian firm3,2322,7022,7002,157Network firms of PricewaterhouseCoopers Australian firm78853893218Total remuneration for audit related services4,0203,2402,7932,375Total remuneration for audit and audit related services22,73621,78213,80812,969b) Non-audit servicesTaxation servicesPricewaterhouseCoopers Australian firm1,6651,8811,4871,513Network firms of PricewaterhouseCoopers Australian firm1,5221,207677116Total remuneration for tax related services3,1873,0882,1641,629Other ServicesPricewaterhouseCoopers Australian firm3,3701,6782,7661,287Network firms of PricewaterhouseCoopers Australian firm21---Total remuneration for other services3,3911,6782,7661,287Total remuneration for non-audit services 6,5784,7664,9302,916Total remuneration for audit and non-audit services (1)29,31426,54818,73815,885Group Bank 2014201320142013$M $M $M $M Lease Commitments - Property, Plant and EquipmentDue within one year 561565509515Due after one year but not later than five years 1,4531,4271,3001,284Due after five years 9941,073753839Total lease commitments - property, plant and equipment3,0083,0652,5622,638 
 
  
 
 
 
  
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 32 Contingent Liabilities, Contingent Assets and Commitments 

Details  of  contingent  liabilities  and  off  balance  sheet  business  are  presented  below.  The  face  (contract)  value  represents  the 
maximum potential amount that could be lost if the counterparty fails to meet its financial obligations. 

(1)  Guarantees are unconditional undertakings given to support the obligations of a customer to third parties. 
(2)  Standby letters of credit are undertakings to pay, against presentation of documents, an obligation in the event of a default by a customer. 
(3)  Bills of exchange endorsed by the Group and Bank which represent liabilities in the event of default by the acceptor and the drawer of the bill. 
(4)  Documentary  letters  of  credit  are  undertakings  by  the  Group  and  Bank  to  pay  or  accept  drafts  drawn  by  a  supplier  of  goods  against  presentation  of 

documents in the event of payment default by a customer. 

(5)  Performance related contingents are  undertakings that oblige the Group and  Bank to pay third parties should a customer fail to fulfil a contractual non-

monetary obligation. 

(6)  Commitments to provide credit include all obligations on the part of the Group and Bank to provide credit facilities. As facilities may expire without being 

drawn upon, the notional amounts do not necessarily reflect future cash requirements. 
(7)  Other commitments include underwriting facilities and commitments with certain drawdowns. 

Contingent Credit Liabilities 

The  Group  and  Bank  is  party  to  a  range  of  financial  instruments  that  give  rise  to  contingent  and/or  future  liabilities.  These 
transactions are a consequence of the Group’s normal course of business to meet the financing needs of its customers and in 
managing its own risk. These financial instruments include guarantees, letters of credit, bill endorsements and other commitments 
to provide credit. The face (contract) value represents the maximum potential amount that could be lost if the counterparty fails to 
meet its financial obligations. 

As the  Group  and Bank  will  only  be  required  to meet  these  obligations  in the  event  of  default,  the cash  requirements  of  these 
instruments are expected to be considerably less than their face values. 

These transactions combine  varying  levels  of credit,  interest  rate, foreign  exchange  and  liquidity  risk.  In  accordance  with Bank 
policy,  exposures  to  any  of  these  transactions  (net  of  collateral)  are  not  carried  at  a  level  that  would  have  a  material  adverse 
effect on the financial condition of the Bank and its controlled entities. 

Commitments  to  provide  credit  include  both  fixed  and  variable  facilities.  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. Other commitments include the Group’s and Bank’s obligations under sale and repurchase agreements, outright forward 
purchases,  forward  deposits  and  underwriting  facilities.  Other  commitments  also  include  obligations  not  otherwise  disclosed 
above to extend credit, which are irrevocable because they cannot be withdrawn at the discretion of the Group or Bank without 
the  risk  of  incurring  significant  penalty  or  expense.  In  addition,  commitments  to  purchase  or  sell  loans  are  included  in  other 
commitments. 

These transactions are categorised and credit equivalents calculated under APRA guidelines for the risk-based measurement of 
capital adequacy. The credit equivalent amounts are a measure of potential loss to the Group in the event of non-performance by 
the counterparty. 

Under the Basel III advanced internal ratings based 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  when  approved  by  APRA  may  an 
exposure less than that fully-advanced amount be used as the credit equivalent exposure amount. 

138  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

Group Face Value Credit Equivalent 2014201320142013Credit risk related instruments$M $M $M $M Guarantees (1)6,1215,6966,1215,696Standby letters of credit (2)171134171134Bill endorsements (3)16191619Documentary letters of credit (4)4,7293,6534,5463,621Performance related contingents (5)1,5851,5421,4091,510Commitments to provide credit (6)151,135139,964143,270132,451Other commitments (7)2,1751,8681,7141,510Total credit risk related instruments165,932152,876157,247144,941Bank Face Value Credit Equivalent 2014201320142013Credit risk related instruments$M $M $M $M Guarantees (1)5,7245,3455,7245,345Standby letters of credit (2)60366036Bill endorsements (3)16191619Documentary letters of credit (4) 4,6373,6014,4993,575Performance related contingents (5)1,5851,5421,4091,510Commitments to provide credit (6)140,209130,753133,469123,235Other commitments (7)1,1529391,113924Total credit risk related instruments153,383142,235146,290134,644 
 
  
  
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 32 Contingent Liabilities, Contingent Assets and Commitments (continued) 

Contingent Credit Liabilities (continued)

As  the  potential  loss  depends  on  counterparty  performance, 
the  Group  utilises  the  same  credit  policies  in  making 
commitments  and  conditional  obligations  as  it  does  for  on-
balance  sheet  instruments.  The  Group  and  Bank  takes 
collateral  where  it  is  considered  necessary  to  support  off 
balance  sheet  financial  instruments  with  credit  risk.  If  an 
event has occurred that gives rise to a present obligation and 
it is probable a loss will eventuate, then provisions are raised. 

Failure to Settle Risk 

The  Group  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  unquantifiable  in  advance,  but  is  well 
understood,  and  is  extinguished  upon  settlement  following 
each  exchange  during  the  business  day  or  at  9am  next 
business day. 

Interbank Deposit Agreement 

The Bank is a participant to the Interbank Deposit Agreement 
along  with  the  other  three  major  Australian  banks.  This 
agreement has been certified as a liquidity support facility  by 
APRA.  Under  the  agreement,  should  one  of  the  participants 
experience  liquidity  issues,  it  can  request  deposits  from  the 
other three participating banks, each of which are required to 
deposit up to $2 billion for a period of 30 days. At the end of 
30 days the deposit holder has the option to repay the deposit 
in cash or by way of assignment of mortgages to the value of 
the deposit. 

Other Contingent Liabilities 

Fiduciary Activities 

The  Group  conducts  investment  management  and  other 
fiduciary  activities  as  responsible  entity,  trustee,  custodian, 
adviser or manager for investment funds and trusts, including 
superannuation  and  approved  deposit  funds,  wholesale  and 
retail  trusts.  These  funds  and  trusts  are  not  consolidated  as 
the Group does not have direct or indirect control. Where the 
Group  incurs  liabilities  in  respect  of  these  activities,  and  the 
primary  obligation  is  incurred  in  an  agency  capacity,  for  the 
fund  or  trust  rather  than  on  its  own  account,  a  right  of 
indemnity  exists  against  the  assets  of  the  applicable  fund  or 
trust. As these assets are sufficient to cover the liabilities and 
it is therefore not probable that the Group will be required to 
settle  the  liabilities,  the  liabilities  are  not  included  in  the 
financial statements. 

Services 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 2014 was $4.9 million (2013: $5 million). 

Litigation related Contingent Liabilities 

The  Group  is  not  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  Group.  For  all 
litigation  exposure  where  some  loss  is  probable  and  can  be 

reliably  estimated  an  appropriate  provision  has  been  made. 
Litigation  related  contingent  liabilities  at  30  June  2014 
included: 

Storm Financial 

The  Australian  Securities  and 
Investments  Commission 
(ASIC)  commenced  legal  proceedings  against  the  Bank  in 
relation  to  Storm  Financial,  a  Queensland-based  financial 
planning  firm  that  collapsed  and  went  into  receivership  in 
March  2009.  These  proceedings  were  settled  in  September 
2012 with CBA agreeing, without admission of liability, to pay 
affected  investors  up  to  approximately  $136  million  (in 
addition  to  payments  under  CBA’s  resolution  scheme).  The 
majority  of  payments  to  affected  investors  under  the  ASIC 
settlement have been paid by CBA.  

In addition, class action proceedings have been commenced 
against the Group in relation to Storm Financial. At this stage 
only the damages sought on behalf of the four lead applicants 
have  been  quantified  on  a  number  of  alternate  bases,  thus 
quantification  of  the  claims  of  all  group  members  is  not 
possible.  The  hearing  of  the  proceedings  was  completed  in 
November 2013 and judgement is yet to be delivered. 

The  Group  believes  that  appropriate  provisions  are  held  to 
cover any exposures referred to above. 

Exception Fee Class Action 

In  May  2011,  Maurice  Blackburn  announced  that  it  intended 
to sue 12 Australian banks, including Commonwealth Bank of 
Australia  and  Bankwest,  with  respect  to  exception  fees.  On 
issued  against 
16  December  2011  proceedings  were 
Commonwealth  Bank  of  Australia,  and  on  18  April  2012 
proceedings  were  issued  against  Bankwest.  The  stay  of  the 
two  class  actions  has  been  extended  from  March  2014  to 
December  2014  (and  may  be  extended  again)  pending  the 
hearing  of  similar  proceedings  against  another  bank.  The 
financial impact is not yet known however, it is not anticipated 
to have a material impact on the Group. 

Open Advice Review program 

On  3  July  2014,  the  Group  announced  an  Open  Advice 
Review  program  for  customers  of  Commonwealth  Financial 
Planning  and  Financial  Wisdom,  who  received  advice 
between  1  September  2003  and  1  July  2012.  The  program 
involves: 
 

A 
review  of  past  advice  by  a  specialist 
Commonwealth  Bank  team  for  customers  who  have  a 
concern; 

free 

 

 

Customers  having  access  to  an  independent  customer 
advocate  funded  by  the  Group  and  an  Independent 
Review Panel chaired by the Hon Ian Callinan AC; 

The Group being bound by any determinations made by 
the Independent Review Panel. However, customers will 
retain  their  rights  to  escalate  their  concerns  to  the 
Financial  Ombudsman  Service  or  otherwise  pursue  a 
claim; and  

 

Independent reporting by Promontory Financial Group. 

Customer registrations opened on 3 July 2014 and will remain 
open  for  12  months.  As  this  program  has  only  recently 
commenced,  and  the  outcomes  are  therefore  uncertain,  the 
Group  considers  that  provisions  held  are  adequate  and  that 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    139 

 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 32 Contingent Liabilities, Contingent Assets and Commitments (continued) 

the  overall  costs  of  the  program  will  not  be  material  to  the 
Group results. 

Contingent Assets  

The credit commitments shown in the table on page 138 also 
constitute  contingent  assets.  These  commitments  would  be 
classified  as loans  and  other  assets  in the  balance  sheet  on 
the occurrence of the contingent event. 

Capital Commitments 

The  Group  is  committed  for  capital  expenditure  on  property, 
plant and equipment and computer software under contract of 
$19 million as at 30 June 2014 (2013: $17 million). The Bank 
is  committed  for  $11  million  (2013:  $12 million).  These 
commitments  are  expected  to  be  extinguished  within  12 
months. 

Note 33 Risk Management 

Risk Management 

The Group is a major financial services provider of integrated 
financial  services  including  retail,  premium,  business  and 
institutional  banking,  funds  management,  superannuation, 
investment  and  share-broking  products  and 
insurance, 
services.  Financial 
the 
instruments  are 
Group’s  business.  Managing  financial  risks,  especially  credit 
risk, is a fundamental part of the Group’s business activities. 

fundamental 

to 

Risk Management Governance 

Risk Management governance originates at Board level, and 
cascades through to the CEO and businesses, via Group and 
Business  Unit  risk  appetite  statements,  policies,  delegated 
authorities  and  committee  structures.  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 and Assurance. 

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

 

 

is 

responsible 

for  overseeing 

the 
The  Board 
establishment  of  systems  of  risk  management  by 
approving  accounting  policies,  financial  statements  and 
reports, credit  policies  and standards,  risk management 
policies,  operational  risk  policies  and  procedures  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  CEO  and  the  Chief  Financial  Officer  have  given  the 
Board  their  declaration  in  accordance  with  section  295A  of 
the  Corporations  Act  2001.  The  CEO  and  Chief  Financial 
Officer have confirmed that the declarations are founded on a 
sound  system  of  risk  management  and  internal  control  and 
also  that  the  system  is  operating  effectively  in  all  material 
respects in relation to financial risks. 

Risk Committee 

The Risk Committee oversees the Group’s risk management 
framework.  This  includes  credit,  market  (including  traded 
interest  rate  risk  in  the  banking  book,  non-traded  equity, 
structural  foreign  exchange  and  lease  residual  values), 
liquidity  and  funding,  operational, insurance,  compliance  and 

140  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

reputational  risks  assumed  by  the  Group  in  the  course  of 
carrying  on  its  business.  It  reviews  regular  reports  from 
management on the measurement of risk and the adequacy  

and  effectiveness  of  the  Group’s  risk  management  and 
internal controls systems. 

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

A key purpose of the Risk Committee is to help formulate the 
Group’s  risk  appetite  for  consideration  by  the  Board,  and 
agreeing  and  recommending  a  risk  management  framework 
to the Board that is consistent with the approved risk appetite. 

The  risk  appetite  is  designed  to  achieve  portfolio  outcomes 
consistent  with 
It 
includes: 
 

the  Group’s  risk-return  expectations. 

The Group Risk Appetite Statement; 

 

 

High-level risk management policies for each of the risk 
areas it is responsible for overseeing; and 

A  set  of  risk  limits  to  manage  exposures  and  risk 
concentrations. 

The Risk Committee monitors management’s compliance with 
the  Group  risk  management  framework  (including  high-level 
policies  and  limits).  It  also  makes  recommendations  to  the 
Board on the key policies relating to capital (that underpin the 
Internal Capital Adequacy Assessment Process), liquidity and 
funding  and  other  material  risks.  These  are  overseen  and 
reviewed by the Board on at least an annual basis. 

The  Risk  Committee  also monitors the  health  of  the Group’s 
risk culture, and reports any significant issues to the Board. 

As  part  of  the  remuneration  policy,  the  Risk  Committee 
provides  written  input  to  the  Remuneration  Committee  to 
assist  in  the  alignment  of  executive  remuneration  with 
appropriate risk behaviours. 

The Risk Committee reviews significant correspondence  with 
regulators,  receives  reports  from  management  on  regulatory 
relations  and  reports  any  significant  regulatory  issues  to  the 
Board.  

The  Risk  Committee  charter  states  that  the  Committee  will 
meet at least quarterly, and as required. In practice this is at 
least  six  times  a  year.  To  allow  it  to  form  a  view  on  the 
independence of the function, the Risk Committee meets with 
the  Group  Chief  Risk  Officer  (CRO)  in  the  absence  of  other 
the 
management  at 
Committee or the CRO. The Chairman of the Risk Committee 
provides  a  report  to  the  Board  following  each  Committee 
meeting. 

least  annually  or  as  decided  by 

A copy of the Risk Committee charter appears on the Group’s 
website. 

Risk Management 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. 

This  framework  requires  each  business  to  manage  the 
outcome  of  its  risk-taking  activities  and  allows  it  to  benefit 
from the resulting risk adjusted returns. 

Accountability for risk management is structured by a “Three 
Lines of Defence” model as follows: 
 

Line 1 – Business Management  – risk is  best managed 
at 
it  occurs.  Business  Managers  are 
responsible for managing the risks for their business.  

the  place 

 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 33 Risk Management (continued)

 

 

This  includes  implementing  approaches  to  proactively 
manage  their  risk  within  risk  appetite  levels,  and  using 
risk  management  outcomes  (“the  costs  of  risk”)  and 
considerations  as  part  of  their  day-to-day  business 
making processes. They are to establish and maintain all 
appropriate risk controls.  

Line  2  –  Risk  Management  –  Group  and  Business  Unit 
Risk  Management  teams  provide  risk  management 
expertise  and  oversight  for  Business  Management  risk-
taking activities. Risk Management develop and maintain 
aligned  and 
frameworks,  policies  and 
procedures  for  risk  management  and  ensure  they  are 
in  use  as  part  of  the  day-to-day 
embedded  and 
management of the business. 

integrated 

Risk  Management  also  measures  risk  exposures  to 
support  risk  decisions  by  business  owners  and  also  to 
make  certain  market  and  credit  risk  decisions  under 
it 
approved  delegations  of  authority; 
undertakes  quantitative  and  qualitative  analysis  of  the 
credit exposures originated by the business as part of its 
responsibility  for  credit  rating  and  decisioning.  Line  2 
also  monitors  control  testing  by  Line  1  and  provides 
supplemental control testing. 

in  particular 

Line  3  –  Group  Audit  and  Assurance  –  provide 
independent  assurance  to  key  stakeholders  regarding 
the adequacy and effectiveness of the Group’s system of 
internal  controls,  risk  management  procedures  and 
governance  processes.  It  is  responsible  for  reviewing 
risk  management 
frameworks  and  Business  Unit 
practices, including credit origination and credit quality of 
the portfolio. 

Material Business Risks 

There  are  a  number  of  material  business  risks  that  could 
adversely  affect  the  achievement  of  the  Group’s  financial 
performance objectives.  The main financial risks affecting the 
Group are discussed in Notes 29 (Insurance Businesses), 34 
(Credit Risk), 35 (Market Risk), and 36 (Liquidity and Funding 
Risk).  Insurance  Risk,  Operational  Risk,  Compliance  Risk, 
Strategic Business Risk and Reputational Risk are discussed 
below. 

Insurance Risk 

Insurance  risk  is  the  risk  of  loss  due  to  increases  in  claim 
payments  arising  from  variations  in  the  incidence  or  severity 
of  insured  events.  In  the  life  insurance  business,  this  arises 
primarily  through  mortality  (death)  or  morbidity  (illness  or 
injury)  claims  being  greater  than  expected.  For  the  general 
insurance business, variability arises mainly through weather 
related  incidents  and  similar  events,  as  well  as  general 
variability in home and motor insurance claims. 

The  management  of  insurance  risk  is  an  integral  part  of  the 
operation of the insurance business. It is applied on an end-
to-end basis, from underwriting to policy  termination or claim 
payment. 

The major methods of mitigating insurance risk are: 

 

 

Sound product design and pricing, to ensure  customers 
understand  the  extent  of  their  cover  and  that  premiums 
are sufficient to cover the risk involved; 

Underwriting of new customers to ensure that the cover 
provided and the premium rates quoted are appropriate 
for the level of risk accepted; 

 

 

Regular review of insurance experience, so that product 
design, policy liabilities and pricing remains sound; 

Claims management to ensure that claims are paid 

within  the  agreed  policy  terms  and  that  these  genuine 
claims are paid as soon as possible after documentation  
is 
investigations  are 
reasonable 
undertaken; and 

received  and 

 

Transferring  a  proportion  of  insurance  risk  to  reinsurers 
to keep within risk appetite. 

Further information on the Life Insurance Business is included 
in Note 29 to the Financial Statements. 

Operational Risk 

failed 

inadequate  or 

Operational risk is defined as the risk of economic loss arising 
from 
internal  processes,  people, 
systems,  or  from  external  events.  The  Group  is  continually 
faced  with  issues  or  incidents  that  have  the  potential  to 
disrupt  normal  business  operations,  exposing  the  Group  to 
loss, reputation and/or regulatory scrutiny. 

The  Group’s  operational 
risk  objectives  support 
achievement of its financial and business goals, through: 

the 

 

 

 

The  maintenance  of  an  effective 
environment and system; 

internal  control 

The  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; and 

  Making  decisions  based  upon  an  informed  risk-return 
analysis  and  appropriate  standards  of  professional 
practice. 

The  Operational  Risk  Management  Framework  (ORMF)  is 
integral  to  the  achievement  of  the  Group’s  operational  risk 
objectives and is embedded within business practices across 
the  Group.  It  comprises  four  core  components  to  ensure 
sound  management  and  measurement  of 
the  Group’s 
operational risk. The core components are: 

  Governance; 

  Management, Measurement and Systems; 

 

 

Analytics, Review and Reporting; and 

People and Culture. 

investment 

its  strategic 

The  Group  continues  to  enhance  and  embed  its  ORMF, 
in  consolidating 
supported  by 
operational  risk  and  compliance  systems  into  a  single 
platform, internally referred to as RiskInSite. The deployment 
of  the  RiskInSite  platform  across  all  Business  Units  enables 
consistency,  sharing  of  better  operational  risk  practices  and 
enhanced analytical capabilities for the Group. 

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

is  consistent  with 

The  Group’s  Compliance  Risk  Management  Framework 
(CRMF) 
the  Australian  Standard  on 
Compliance  Programs  and  is  designed  to  help  meet  the 
Group’s  obligations  under  the  Corporations  Act  2001,  the 
Group’s Australian Financial Services Licence and Australian 
Credit  Licences.  The  CRMF  incorporates  a  number  of 
components, 
including  Group  policies,  key  mandatory 
requirements  and  roles  and  responsibilities  for  achieving 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    141 

 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 33 Risk Management (continued) 

Compliance. 
It  captures  Compliance  Obligations,  Group 
Policies,  Regulatory  Change  and  People  and  Culture 
considerations.  

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 purchases insurance to mitigate some operational 
risks.  The  insurance  cover  and  risks  insured  are  reviewed 
and monitored by the Executive  Committee, Risk Committee 
and the Board. 

Reputational Risk 

Reputational  risk  arises  from  the  negative  perception  on  the 
part  of  customers,  counterparties,  shareholders,  investors, 
debt  holders,  market  analysts,  regulators  and  other  relevant 
parties of the Group. 

throughout 

This  risk  can  adversely  affect  the  Group’s  ability  to  maintain 
existing, or establish new, business relationships and sources 
of  funding.  Reputational  risk  is  multidimensional  and  reflects 
the  perception  of  other  market  participants.  Furthermore,  it 
to 
exists 
reputational risk is a function of the adequacy of the Group’s 
control  of  its  risk  management  processes,  as  well  as  the 
manner  and  efficiency  with  which  management  responds  to 
external  influences  on  Group-related  transactions.  In  many 
but  not  all  respects,  adverse  reputational  risk  outcomes flow 
from the failure to manage other types of risk. 

the  organisation  and  exposure 

Strategic Business Risk 

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

  Macroeconomic conditions; 

 

 

 

 

Competitive forces at work; 

Technology; 

Regulatory; or 

Social trends. 

Strategic  business  risk  is  taken  into  account  as  business 
strategies  and  objectives  are  defined.  The  Board  receives 
reports  on  business  plans,  major  projects  and  change 
initiatives  and  monitors  progress  and  reviews  successes 
compared to plans. 

Note 34 Credit Risk 
Credit  risk  is  the  potential  for  loss  arising  from  failure  of  a 
debtor or counterparty to meet their contractual obligations. It 
arises  primarily  from  lending  activities,  the  provision  of 
guarantees (including letters of credit), commitments to lend, 
investments 
financial  market 
transactions,  providers  of  credit  enhancements  (e.g.  credit 
default  swaps,  lenders  mortgage  insurance),  securitisations 
and  other  associated  activities.  In  the  insurance  business, 
credit risk arises from investment in bonds and notes, loans, 
and from reliance on reinsurance. 

in  bonds  and  notes, 

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  appetite  and  risk/return  expectations.  The 

142  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

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 
loan 
documentation tests. 

terms  and  security  and 

The  Group  uses  a  Risk  Committee  approved  diversified 
portfolio  approach 
the  management  of  credit  risk 
concentrations comprised of the following: 

for 

 

 

 

A  large  credit  exposures  policy,  which  sets  limits  for 
aggregate  exposures  to  individual,  commercial,  bank 
and government client groups; 

An  industry  concentrations  policy  that  defines  a  system 
of limits for concentrations by industry; and 

A  country  risk  exposure  policy  that  sets  limits  for 
managing  geographic  exposures  beyond  the  borders  of 
Australia and New Zealand. 

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  charge  over  income  or  assets,  is  generally  taken  for 
business  credit  except  for  major  government,  bank  and 
corporate  counterparties  that  are  often  externally  risk-rated 
and of  strong financial standing other than for collateral held 
on  derivative  products.  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  by  relevant  people  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 Managed 

This  segment  has  sub-segments  covering  housing  loan, 
credit card and personal loan facilities, some leasing products 
and most secured commercial lending up to $1 million. 

Auto-decisioning  is  used  to  approve  credit  applications  for 
eligible  business  and  consumer  customers.  Auto-decisioning 
uses  a  scorecard  approach  based  on  the  Group’s  historical 
experience  on  similar  applications,  information  from  a  credit 
reference bureau and/or from the Group’s existing knowledge 
of a customer’s behaviour. 

that  do  not  meet  scorecard  Auto-
Loan  applications 
decisioning 
to  a  Risk 
Management  Officer  with  a  Personal  Credit  Approval 
Authority (PCAA) for manual decisioning. 

requirements  may  be 

referred 

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  Risk  Management  or  Business  Credit  Support  Unit. 
Commercial lending up to $3 million is reviewed as part of the 
Group’s quality assurance process and oversight is provided 
by the independent Credit Portfolio Assurance unit. 

 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 34 Credit Risk (continued)

(ii) Credit Risk-Rated 

This  segment  comprises  commercial  exposures,  including 
bank and government exposures. Each exposure is assigned 
an  internal  Credit  Risk  Rating  (CRR).  The  CRR  is  normally 
assessed  by  reference  to  a  matrix  where  the  probability  of 
default  (PD)  and  the  amount  of  loss  given  default  (LGD) 
combine  to  determine  a  CRR  grade  commensurate  with 
expected loss (EL). 

For  Credit  Risk  Rated  exposures  either  a  PD  Rating  Tool  or 
Expert  Judgement  is  used  to  determine  the  PD.  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 APRA. 

Credit  risk-rated  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. 

Credit risk-rated exposures fall within the following categories: 

 

 

“Pass”  –  Internal  CRR  of  1-6.  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.  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 the facility is impaired. 

Facilities  are  classified  as  restructured  where  their  original 
contractual  arrangements  have  been  modified  to  provide  for 
concessions of interest or principal, for reasons that relate to 
the customer’s financial difficulties, rendering the facility non-
commercial 
that  have  been 
the  Group.  Facilities 
restructured are considered impaired. 

to 

Default is usually consistent with one or more of the following 
criteria: 

 

 

The  customer  is  90  days  or  more  overdue  on  a 
scheduled credit obligation repayment; or  

The  customer  is  unlikely  to  repay  their  credit  obligation 
to  the  Bank  in  full,  without  taking  actions  such  as 
realising on available security. 

The  Credit  Portfolio  Assurance  unit,  part  of  Group  Audit  and 
Assurance,  reviews  credit  portfolios  and  business  unit 
compliance  with  policies,  portfolio  standards,  application  of 
credit risk ratings and other key practices on a regular basis. 
The Credit Portfolio 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  that 
reviews  and  endorses  the  use  of  the  tools  prior  to  their 
implementation  to  ensure  they  are  sufficiently  predictive  of 
risk. 

(i) Expected Loss 

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  credit  risk-rated  exposures  are  required  to  be 
reviewed  at  least  annually  although  small  transactions  may 
be managed on a behavioural basis post origination. 

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  except 
where prudential standards permit differentiation.  

EAD,  expressed  as  a  percentage  of  the  facility  limit,  is  the 
proportion of a facility that may be outstanding in the event of 
default.  The  EAD  treatment  is  as  follows  for  different  facility 
types: 

 

 

 

Drawn  committed  facilities  (such  as  fully  drawn  loans 
and  advances),  EAD  will  generally  be  the  higher  of  the 
limit or outstanding balance; 

Committed  facilities  with  uncertain  future  drawdown 
(such  as credit cards  and  overdrafts), EAD  is  based  on 
the  Group’s  historical  experience  of  additional  drawings 
prior to customer default; and 

Uncommitted 
outstanding balance only. 

facilities,  EAD  will  generally  be 

the 

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; 

Carrying costs (effectively the costs of providing a facility 
that is not generating an interest return); and 

Realisation costs (costs of internal workout specialists). 

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. 

(ii) Unexpected Loss 

In addition to EL, a more stressed loss amount is calculated. 
This unexpected loss estimate directly affects the calculation 
of  regulatory  and  internal  economic  capital  requirements, 
refer to the  Group Operations and Business Settings section 
and Note 27, for information relating to regulatory capital. 

In  addition to  the credit  risk management  processes  used to 
manage  exposures  to  credit  risk  in  the  credit  portfolio,  the 
internal 
in 
assessing  impairment  and  provisioning  of  financial  assets, 
refer to Note 13. 

ratings  process  also  assists  management 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    143 

 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 34 Credit Risk (continued) 
Credit Risk Mitigation, Collateral and Other Credit 
Enhancements 

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. 

The  general  nature  and  amount  of  collateral  that  may  be 
taken  by  financial  asset  classes  are  summarised  below.  A 
table  setting  out  the  collateral  held  against  Loans,  bills 
discounted and other receivables is included  in the collateral 
held  against  loans,  bills  discounted  and  other  receivables 
section of this note. 

Cash and Liquid Assets 

Collateral  is  not  usually  sought  on  the  majority  of  Cash  and 
Liquid  Asset  balances  as  these  types  of  exposures  are 
generally considered low risk. However, securities purchased 
under  agreement  to  resell  are  100%  collateralised  by  highly 
liquid debt securities. The collateral related to agreements to 
resell has been legally transferred to the Group subject to an 
agreement to return them for a fixed price.  

The  Group’s  cash  and 
liquid  asset  balance  as  of 
30 June 2014  was  $26,409  million  (2013:  $20,634 million). 
Included 
(2013: 
$9,250 million)  that  is  deposited  with  central  banks  and 
considered to carry less credit risk. 

is  $15,815  million 

this  balance 

in 

Receivables Due from Other Financial Institutions 

Collateral  is  usually  not  sought  on  these  balances  as 
exposures  are  generally  considered  to  be  of  low  risk.  The 
exposures  are mainly to  relatively  low  risk  banks  (Rated  A+, 
AA-  or  better).  As  of  30  June  2014,  the  Group  had 
$8,065 million  (2013:  $7,744  million)  receivables  due  from 
other financial institutions.   

nature of the trades, the creditworthiness of the counterparty, 
netting, and collateral arrangements.  

for 

financial  markets  counterparties,  but 

Credit  risk  from  derivatives  is  mitigated  where  possible 
less 
(typically 
frequently 
for  corporate  or  government  counterparties) 
through  netting  agreements,  whereby  derivative  assets  and 
liabilities  with  the  same  counterparty  can  be  offset.  Group 
policy  requires  all  netting  arrangements 
legally 
International  Swaps  and  Derivatives 
documented.  The 
Association  (ISDA)  Master  Agreement  (or  other  derivative 
contracts)  are  used  by  the  Group  as  an  agreement  for 
documenting  over  the  counter  (OTC)  derivatives.  It  provides 
the  contractual  framework  within  which  dealing  activities 
across  a  range  of  OTC  products  are  conducted,  and 
contractually  binds  both  parties  to  apply  close-out  netting 
across all outstanding transactions covered by an agreement 
if either party defaults or other predetermined events occur. 

to  be 

Collateral is obtained against derivative assets, depending on 
the  creditworthiness  of  the counterparty  and/or  nature  of  the 
transaction.  As  at  30  June  2014,  the  Group  held  positive 
derivative asset OTC contracts with a value of $29,247 million 
(2013: $45,340 million). The Group holds collateral in relation 
to  its  derivative  assets.  The  related  credit  risk  is  further 
reduced  where  the  Group  has  master  netting  agreements 
with the derivative counterparties. The fair value of collateral 
held  and  the  potential  effect  of  offset  obtained  by  applying 
in  Note  44 
master  netting  agreements  are  disclosed 
Offsetting of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities. 

Available-for-Sale (AFS) Investments 

As  of  30  June  2014,  the  Group  held  $66,137  million  (2013: 
$59,601  million)  of  AFS  Investments.  As  at  this  date  there 
were no longer any holdings of securities issued by Australian 
banks,  which  were  subject  to  an  Australian  Government 
guarantee (2013: $523 million). 

Trading Assets at Fair Value through Income Statement 

Due from Controlled Entities 

These assets are carried at fair value which accounts for the 
credit risk. Collateral is not generally sought from the issuer or 
counterparty.  Credit  derivatives  have  been  used  to  a  limited 
to  credit  risk.  As  of 
extent 
30 June 2014, the Group held $21,459 million (2013: $19,617 
million) 
Income 
Statement. 

trading  assets  at 

the  exposure 

to  mitigate 

fair  value 

through 

Insurance Assets 

These assets are carried at fair value which accounts for the 
credit  risk.  Collateral  is  not  generally  sought  or  provided  on 
these  types  of  assets,  other  than  a  fixed  charge  over 
properties backing Australian mortgage investments. 

As  at  30  June  2014,  the  Group  has  $10,086  million  (2013: 
$9,707 million)  of  life  investment contracts, the credit  risk  on 
which is borne by policyholders. 

Other Assets at Fair Value through Income Statement 

These assets are carried at fair value which accounts for the 
credit risk. Credit derivatives used to mitigate the exposure to 
credit risk are not significant. 

Derivative  Assets 

The Group’s use of derivative contracts is outlined in Note 10. 
The  Group  is  exposed  to  credit  risk  on  derivative  contracts, 
which  arises  as  a  result  of  counterparty  credit  risk.  The 
Group’s exposure to counterparty credit risk is affected by the 

144  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

Collateral is not generally taken on these intergroup balances 

Credit Commitments and Contingent Liabilities 

The Group applies fundamentally the same risk management 
policies  for  off  balance  sheet  risks  as  it  does  for  its  on 
balance  sheet  risks.  In  the  case  of  credit  commitments, 
customers  and  counterparties  will  be  subject  to  the  same 
credit  management  policies  as  for  loans  and  advances. 
Collateral  may  be  sought  depending  on  the  strength  of  the 
counterparty and the nature of the transaction. 

As  at  30  June  2014,  the  Group  had  $165,932  million  (2013: 
$152,876  million)  of  off  balance  sheet  exposures 
(commitments  and  guarantees).  Of  these  $85,613  million 
(2013: $82,199 million) are secured. 

Loans, Bills Discounted and Other Receivables 

The  principal  collateral  types  for 
balances are: 

loans  and  receivable 

  Mortgages over residential and commercial real estate; 

 

Charges  over  business  assets  such  as  cash,  scrip, 
inventory and accounts receivables; and 

  Guarantees received from third parties. 

Specifically,  the  collateral  mitigating  credit  risk  of  the  key 
lending  portfolios  is  addressed  in  the  table  notes  in  the 
collateral  held  against  Loans,  bills  discounted  and  other 
receivables section of this note. 

 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 34 Credit Risk (continued) 

Maximum Exposure to Credit Risk by Industry and Asset Class before Collateral Held or Other Credit Enhancements 

The below tables detail the concentration of credit exposure assets by significant geographical locations and counterparty types. 
Disclosures do not take into account collateral held and 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)  Loans,  bills  discounted  and  other  receivables  is  presented  gross  of  provisions  for  impairment  and  unearned  income  on  lease  receivables  in  line  with 

Note 12. 

(3)  For the purpose of reconciling to the Balance Sheet, “Other assets” predominantly comprises assets which do not give rise to credit exposure, including 

Intangible assets, Property, plant and equipment and Other assets. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    145 

GroupAt 30 June 2014BankAssetOtherAgri-& OtherHomeConstr-OtherFinanc-Comm &SovereigncultureFinancialLoansuctionPersonalingIndust.OtherTotal $M $M $M $M $M $M $M $M $M $MAustraliaCredit risk exposures relating to on balance sheet assets:Cash and liquid assets--8,249------8,249Receivables due from otherfinancial institutions--3,707------3,707Assets at fair value throughIncome Statement:Trading9,026-1,517----7,049-17,592Insurance (1)767-7,425----4,816-13,008Other54-372------426Derivative assets4144821,989-19--3,268-25,738Available-for-sale investments32,097-24,795----947-57,839Loans, bills discountedand other receivables (2)5,9205,86410,179360,2182,67923,0478,078110,453-526,438Bank acceptances22,226128-536--2,092-4,984Other assets (3)77164,794642776939312,86818,882Total on balance sheet Australia48,3578,15483,155360,8603,24123,1238,087129,01812,868676,863Credit risk exposures relating to off balance sheet assets:Guarantees10326214-806--4,555-5,704Loan commitments8081,7012,57764,9041,83221,551736,316-129,696Other commitments57204,634-490-1472,056-7,404Total Australia49,3259,90190,580425,7646,36944,6748,241171,94512,868819,667OverseasCredit risk exposures relating to on balance sheet assets:Cash and liquid assets--18,160------18,160Receivables due from otherfinancial institutions--4,358------4,358Assets at fair value throughIncome Statement:Trading1,426-571----1,870-3,867Insurance (1)--2,134------2,134Other138-196------334Derivative assets181102,589----729-3,509Available-for-sale investments5,703-2,594----1-8,298Loans, bills discountedand other receivables (2)12,3097,3895,48639,4673781,08532710,221-76,662Bank acceptances-11-----32-43Other assets (3)35-76111449431,6482,542Total on balance sheet overseas19,7927,41036,84939,4683791,08937612,8961,648119,907Credit risk exposures relating to off balance sheet assets:Guarantees1350-82--281-417Loan commitments4915477225,5985431,689-11,849-21,439Other commitments73---6--1,193-1,272Total overseas20,3577,96037,62145,0661,0102,77837626,2191,648143,035Total gross credit risk69,68217,861128,201470,8307,37947,4528,617198,16414,516962,702 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 34 Credit Risk (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)  Loans,  bills  discounted  and  other  receivables  is  presented  gross  of  provisions  for  impairment  and  unearned  income  on  lease  receivables  in  line  with 

Note 12. 

(3)  For the purpose of reconciling to the Balance Sheet, “Other assets” predominantly comprises assets which do not give rise to credit exposure, including 

Intangible assets, Property, plant and equipment and Other assets. 

(4)  Comparative information has been restated to reflect the impact of changes in accounting policy. Refer to Note 1(f) for more details. 

146  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

GroupAt 30 June 2013BankAssetOtherAgri-& OtherHomeConstr-OtherFinanc-Comm &SovereigncultureFinancialLoansuctionPersonalingIndust.OtherTotal $M $M $M $M $M $M $M $M $M $MAustraliaCredit risk exposures relating to on balance sheet assets:Cash and liquid assets--5,857------5,857Receivables due from otherfinancial institutions--3,808------3,808Assets at fair value throughIncome Statement:Trading9,726-1,078----2,406-13,210Insurance (1)945-8,013----3,487-12,445Other44-145------189Derivative assets4223335,189-42--4,539-40,225Available-for-sale investments28,587-23,311----859-52,757Loans, bills discountedand other receivables (2)1,9715,9717,929338,0232,63421,7968,414110,545-497,283Bank acceptances32,770190-554--2,537-6,054Other assets (3) (4)98221,8027707491246917,60720,836Total on balance sheet Australia41,7968,79687,322338,7933,23721,8458,426124,84217,607652,664Credit risk exposures relating to off balance sheet assets:Guarantees1,43046192-726--2,935-5,329Loan commitments9191,4701,90560,5841,61518,625-37,686-122,804Other commitments 123223,477-538--1,903-6,063Total Australia44,26810,33492,896399,3776,11640,4708,426167,36617,607786,860OverseasCredit risk exposures relating to on balance sheet assets:Cash and liquid assets--14,777------14,777Receivables due from otherfinancial institutions--3,936------3,936Assets at fair value throughIncome Statement:Trading493-798----5,116-6,407Insurance (1)--1,914------1,914Other587-131------718Derivative assets474153,481----1,145-5,115Available-for-sale investments5,460-1,359----25-6,844Loans, bills discountedand other receivables (2)9,6706,4807,02934,8173018632746,041-65,475Bank acceptances-------9-9Other assets (3)24142611-2361,6172,108Total on balance sheet overseas16,7086,49633,85134,81830286327612,3721,617107,303Credit risk exposures relating to off balance sheet assets:Guarantees7243-45--270-367Loan commitments3884471324,0667291,383-10,015-17,160Other commitments765191-10-75796-1,153Total overseas17,1796,95034,21738,8841,0862,24635123,4531,617125,983Total gross credit risk61,44717,284127,113438,2617,20242,7168,777190,81919,224912,843 
  
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 34 Credit Risk (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 risk of the client, the type of client and the 
security cover. All exposures outside the policy limits require approval by the Executive Risk Committee and are reported to  the 
Board 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  1  and  Tier  2 
capital): 

The Group has a good quality and well diversified credit portfolio, with 60% of the gross loans and other receivables in domestic 
mortgage loans and a further 7% in overseas mortgage loans primarily in New Zealand. Overseas loans account for 13% of loans 
and advances. 

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 are primarily used to manage the risk of derivative 
transactions and off balance sheet exposures. Balance Sheet assets and liabilities are usually settled on a gross basis. 

The credit risk associated with favourable contracts is reduced by a master netting arrangement. The potential offset available to 
the Group under these arrangements is set out in Note 44 Offsetting of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities. 

Derivative financial instruments expose the Group to credit risk where there is a positive current fair value. 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 Note 10. 

The Group also nets its credit exposure through the operation of certain corporate facilities that allow on balance sheet netting for 
credit management purposes. On balance sheet netting reduced the credit risk of the Group by approximately $20.0 billion as at 
30 June 2014 (2013: $16.7 billion). 

Distribution of Financial Assets by Credit Classification 

When  doubt  arises  as  to  the  collectability  of  a  credit  facility,  the  financial  instrument  is  classified  and  reported  as  impaired. 
Provisions  for  impairment  are  raised  where  there  is  objective  evidence  of  impairment  and  for  an  amount  adequate  to  cover 
assessed  credit  related  losses.  The  Group  regularly  reviews  its  financial  assets  and  monitors  adherence  to  contractual  terms. 
Credit risk-rated portfolios are assessed, at least at each Balance Sheet date, to determine whether the financial asset or portfolio 
of assets is impaired. 

Distribution of Financial Instruments by Credit Quality 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    147 

Group20142013NumberNumber5% to less than 10% of the Group's capital resources2-10% to less than 15% of the Group's capital resources--Group2014Neither PastPast dueTotal Provisions Due norbut notImpairedfor ImpairmentImpaired ImpairedAssetsGrossLossesNet$M$M$M$M$M$MCash and liquid assets26,409--26,409-26,409Receivables due from other financial institutions8,065--8,065-8,065Assets at fair value through Income Statement:Trading21,459--21,459-21,459Insurance15,142--15,142-15,142Other760--760-760Derivative assets29,213-3429,247-29,247Available-for-sale investments66,137--66,137-66,137Loans, bills discounted and other receivables:Australia511,15412,6652,619526,438(3,599)522,839Overseas73,1882,92355176,662(267)76,395Bank acceptances5,027--5,027-5,027Credit related commitments165,769-163165,932(40)165,892Total922,32315,5883,367941,278(3,906)937,372 
 
 
 
 
  
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 34 Credit Risk (continued) 

  (1)  Comparative information has been restated to conform to presentation in the current period. 

148  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

Group 2013Neither PastPast DueTotal Provisions Due nor but notImpairedfor ImpairmentImpaired (1)Impaired (1)AssetsGrossLossesNet$M$M$M$M$M $MCash and liquid assets20,634--20,634-20,634Receivables due from other financial institutions7,744--7,744-7,744Assets at fair value through Income Statement:Trading19,617--19,617-19,617Insurance14,359--14,359-14,359Other907--907-907Derivative assets45,337-345,340-45,340Available-for-sale investments59,601--59,601-59,601Loans, bills discounted and other receivables:Australia480,57513,1703,539497,284(4,198)493,086Overseas63,0102,01744765,474(257)65,217Bank acceptances6,063--6,063-6,063Credit related commitments152,535-341152,876(31)152,845Total870,38215,1874,330889,899(4,486)885,413Bank2014Neither PastPast DueTotal ProvisionsDue nor but notImpairedfor ImpairmentImpairedImpairedAssetsGrossLossesNet$M$M$M$M$M$MCash and liquid assets24,108--24,108-24,108Receivables due from other financial institutions7,457--7,457-7,457Assets at fair value through Income Statement:Trading20,572--20,572-20,572Insurance------Other561--561-561Derivative assets29,582-3329,615-29,615Available-for-sale investments131,577--131,577-131,577Loans, bills discounted and other receivables:Australia507,95012,6582,576523,184(3,563)519,621Overseas16,6222123316,876(71)16,805Bank acceptances4,984--4,984-4,984Shares in and loans to controlled entities64,086--64,086-64,086Credit related commitments153,226-157153,383(40)153,343Total960,72512,6792,999976,403(3,674)972,729Bank2013Neither PastPast DueTotal ProvisionsDue nor but notImpairedfor ImpairmentImpaired (1)Impaired (1)AssetsGrossLossesNet$M$M$M$M$M$MCash and liquid assets18,030--18,030-18,030Receivables due from other financial institutions6,998--6,998-6,998Assets at fair value through Income Statement:Trading18,398--18,398-18,398Insurance------Other718--718-718Derivative assets45,200-345,203-45,203Available-for-sale investments125,941--125,941-125,941Loans, bills discounted and other receivables:Australia477,82313,1503,495494,468(4,168)490,300Overseas13,27889813,384(45)13,339Bank acceptances6,059--6,059-6,059Shares in and loans to controlled entities63,017--63,017-63,017Credit related commitments141,896-339142,235(31)142,204Total917,35813,1583,935934,451(4,244)930,207 
  
  
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 34 Credit Risk (continued) 

Financial Assets Assessed as Impaired 

(1)  This includes individually assessed provisions, as well as collective provisions held for these portfolios. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    149 

Group20142013GrossTotal ProvisionsNet GrossTotal ProvisionsNet Impairedfor ImpairedImpaired Impairedfor ImpairedImpaired AssetsAssets (1)Assets AssetsAssets (1)Assets $M$M$M $M$M$M AustraliaHome loans755(151)604946(182)764Other personal261(145)116255(142)113Asset financing85(30)5558(23)35Other commercial and industrial1,630(840)7902,620(1,345)1,275Financial assets assessed as impaired - Australia2,731(1,166)1,5653,879(1,692)2,187OverseasHome loans143(11)132171(17)154Other personal11(8)39(3)6Asset financing2-24-4Other commercial and industrial480(81)399267(47)220Financial assets assessed as impaired - overseas636(100)536451(67)384Total financial assets assessed as impaired3,367(1,266)2,1014,330(1,759)2,571Bank20142013Gross Total ProvisionsNet Gross Total ProvisionsNet Impaired for ImpairedImpaired Impaired for ImpairedImpaired Assets Assets (1)Assets Assets Assets (1)Assets $M $M $M $M $M $M AustraliaHome loans753(151)602945(182)763Other personal261(145)116255(142)113Asset financing85(30)5556(22)34Other commercial and industrial1,589(840)7492,578(1,345)1,233Financial assets assessed as impaired - Australia2,688(1,166)1,5223,834(1,691)2,143OverseasHome loans1-1---Other personal------Asset financing---1-1Other commercial and industrial310(52)258100(22)78Financial assets assessed as impaired - overseas311(52)259101(22)79Total financial assets assessed as impaired2,999(1,218)1,7813,935(1,713)2,222 
 
  
  
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 34 Credit Risk (continued) 

Distribution of Loans, Bills Discounted and Other Receivables by Impairment Status 

The table below segregates the loans, bills discounted and other receivables into neither past due nor impaired, past due but not 
impaired and impaired. An asset is considered to be past due when any payment under the contractual terms has been missed. 

The amount included as past due is the entire contractual balance, rather than the overdue portion.  

The split in the tables below does not reflect the basis by which the Group manages credit risk.   

(1)  Comparative information has been restated to conform to presentation in the current year. 

Credit Quality of Loans, Bills Discounted and Other Financial Assets which were Neither Past Due nor Impaired 

For the analysis below, financial assets that are neither past due nor impaired have been segmented into investment, pass and 
weak  classifications.  This  segmentation  of  loans  in  retail  and  risk-rated  portfolios  is  based  on  the  mapping  of  a  customer’s 
internally  assessed  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  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  LGD,  the  impact  of  any  recoveries  or  the  potential  benefit  of 
mortgage insurance. 

Segmentation of financial assets other than loans is based on external credit ratings of the counterparties and issuers of financial 
instruments held by the Group and the Bank. 

(1)  For New Zealand Housing Loans, PDs reflect Reserve Bank of New Zealand requirements resulting in higher PDs on average and lower grading. 

150  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

Group Bank 2014201320142013Distribution of loans by credit quality$M $M (1)$M$M (1)Gross loans AustraliaNeither past due nor impaired511,154480,575507,950477,823Past due but not impaired12,66513,17012,65813,150Impaired2,6193,5392,5763,495Total Australia526,438497,284523,184494,468OverseasNeither past due nor impaired73,18863,01016,62213,278Past due but not impaired2,9232,017218Impaired55144723398Total overseas76,66265,47416,87613,384Total gross loans 603,100562,758540,060507,852Group2014OtherHomeOtherAssetCommercialLoansPersonalFinancingand IndustrialTotalCredit grading$M$M$M$M$MAustraliaInvestment236,4874,36759786,674328,125Pass104,14413,6477,06043,557168,408Weak9,1103,8452181,44814,621Total Australia349,74121,8597,875131,679511,154Overseas (1)Investment11,819-1223,80235,633Pass24,97973830011,14637,163Weak264-1127392Total overseas37,06273831335,07573,188Total loans which were neither past due nor impaired386,80322,5978,188166,754584,342 
 
  
 
  
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 34 Credit Risk (continued) 

Credit Quality of Loans, Bills Discounted and Other Financial Assets which were Neither Past Due nor Impaired 
(continued) 

  (1)  Comparative information has been restated to conform to presentation in the current year. 
(2)  For New Zealand Housing Loans, PDs reflect Reserve Bank of New Zealand requirements resulting in higher PDs on average and lower grading. 

 (1)  Comparative information has been restated to conform to presentation in the current year. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    151 

Group2013OtherHomeOtherAssetCommercialLoansPersonalFinancingand IndustrialTotalCredit grading (1)$M  $M$M$M$MAustraliaInvestment224,5313,58271281,617310,442Pass93,67113,4907,44741,058155,666Weak8,5753,547982,24714,467Total Australia326,77720,6198,257124,922480,575Overseas (2)Investment8,129-1019,68227,821Pass24,3656442408,98234,231Weak590--368958Total overseas33,08464425029,03263,010Total loans which were neither past due nor impaired 359,86121,2638,507153,954543,585Bank2014OtherHomeOtherAssetCommercialLoansPersonalFinancingand IndustrialTotal Credit grading$M$M$M$M$M AustraliaInvestment236,2764,36654985,772326,963Pass102,49513,6477,01043,277166,429Weak9,1033,8452171,39314,558Total Australia347,87421,8587,776130,442507,950OverseasInvestment158-114,64514,804Pass3051331,4971,818Weak-----Total overseas46313416,14216,622Total loans which were neither past due nor impaired348,33721,8717,780146,584524,572Bank2013Other HomeOtherAssetCommercialLoansPersonalFinancingand IndustrialTotal Credit grading (1)$M$M$M$M$M AustraliaInvestment224,2443,58165980,679309,163Pass92,88813,4907,32440,603154,305Weak8,5633,547942,15114,355Total Australia325,69520,6188,077123,433477,823OverseasInvestment188-111,46911,658Pass2581311,2721,544Weak3--7376Total overseas44913212,81413,278Total loans which were neither past due nor impaired326,14420,6318,079136,247491,101 
 
 
  
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 34 Credit Risk (continued) 

Other Financial Assets which were Neither Past Due nor Impaired 

The majority of all other financial assets of the Group and the Bank that were neither past due nor impaired as of 30 June 2014 
and 30 June 2013 were of investment grade. 

Age Analysis of Loans, Bills Discounted and Other Receivables that are Past Due but Not Impaired 

For the purposes of this analysis an asset is considered to be past due when any payment under the contractual terms has been 
missed. 

Past due loans are not classified as impaired if no loss to the Group is expected or if the loans are unsecured consumer loans 
and less than 90 days past due. 

(1) 

Included in these balances are credit card facilities and other unsecured portfolio managed facilities up to 90 days past due. At 90 days past due, the loans 
are classified as impaired. 

(2)  Certain comparative information has been restated to conform to presentation in the current year. 

152  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

Group 2014OtherHomeOtherAssetCommercialLoansPersonal (1)Financingand IndustrialTotal Loans which were past due but not impaired$M$M$M$M$M AustraliaPast due 1 - 29 days5,639622667977,124Past due 30 - 59 days1,731185392552,210Past due 60 - 89 days830111111471,099Past due 90 - 179 days860--2741,134Past due 180 days or more67610-4121,098Total Australia9,7369281161,88512,665OverseasPast due 1 - 29 days1,82925392852,376Past due 30 - 59 days25439210305Past due 60 - 89 days952213121Past due 90 - 179 days57151578Past due 180 days or more277-943Total overseas2,262336133122,923Total loans which were past due but not impaired 11,9981,2641292,19715,588Group 2013Other HomeOtherAsset Commercial Loans (2)Personal (1)Financing and Industrial Total Loans which were past due but not impaired$M $M $M $M $M AustraliaPast due 1 - 29 days5,999620629487,629Past due 30 - 59 days1,754178262292,187Past due 60 - 89 days896109102471,262Past due 90 - 179 days891-11511,043Past due 180 days or more78115-2531,049Total Australia10,321922991,82813,170OverseasPast due 1 - 29 days1,195149151931,552Past due 30 - 59 days2123836259Past due 60 - 89 days65111683Past due 90 - 179 days5852368Past due 180 days or more305-2055Total overseas1,560208212282,017Total loans which were past due but not impaired 11,8811,1301202,05615,187 
 
  
  
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 34 Credit Risk (continued) 

Age Analysis of Loans, Bills Discounted and Other Receivables that are Past Due but Not Impaired (continued) 

(1) 

Included in these balances are credit card facilities and other unsecured portfolio managed facilities up to 90 days past due. At 90 days past due, the loans 
are classified as impaired. 

(2)  Certain comparative information has been restated to conform to presentation in the current year. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    153 

Bank2014OtherHomeOtherAssetCommercialLoansPersonal (1)Financingand IndustrialTotal Loans which were past due but not impaired$M$M$M$M$M AustraliaPast due 1 - 29 days5,635622667977,120Past due 30 - 59 days1,729185392552,208Past due 60 - 89 days829111101471,097Past due 90 - 179 days860--2741,134Past due 180 days or more67610-4131,099Total Australia9,7299281151,88612,658OverseasPast due 1 - 29 days15--318Past due 30 - 59 days1---1Past due 60 - 89 days-----Past due 90 - 179 days1---1Past due 180 days or more1---1Total overseas18--321Total loans which were past due but not impaired 9,7479281151,88912,679Bank 2013OtherHome OtherAssetCommercialLoans (2)Personal (1)Financingand IndustrialTotal Loans which were past due but not impaired $M$M$M$M$M AustraliaPast due 1 - 29 days5,992620599487,619Past due 30 - 59 days1,753178252292,185Past due 60 - 89 days89510972471,258Past due 90 - 179 days889--1511,040Past due 180 days or more78015-2531,048Total Australia10,309922911,82813,150OverseasPast due 1 - 29 days4---4Past due 30 - 59 days2---2Past due 60 - 89 days-----Past due 90 - 179 days2---2Past due 180 days or more-----Total overseas8---8Total loans which were past due but not impaired 10,317922911,82813,158 
 
  
  
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 34 Credit Risk (continued) 

Impaired Assets by Classification 

Assets  in  credit  risk  rated  portfolios  and  home  loan  portfolios  are  assessed  for  objective  evidence  that  the  financial  asset  is 
impaired. Impaired assets in the unsecured retail segment are those facilities that are past due 90 days or more. 

Impaired assets are split into the following categories: 

 

 

 

Non-Performing Facilities;  

Restructured Facilities; and 

Unsecured retail products 90 days or more past due. 

Non-performing  facilities  are  facilities  against  which  an  individually  assessed  provision  for  impairment  has  been  raised  and 
facilities where loss of principal or interest is anticipated. 

Restructured  facilities  are  facilities  where  the  original  contractual  terms  have  been  modified  to  non-commercial  terms  due  to 
financial difficulties of the borrower. Interest on these facilities is taken to the Income Statement. Failure to comply fully with the 
modified terms will result in immediate reclassification to non-performing. 

Unsecured retail products 90 days or more past due are credit cards, personal loans and other unsecured retail products which 
are 90 days or more past due. These loans are collectively provided for. 

The  Group  does  not  manage  credit  risk  based  solely  on  arrears  categorisation,  but  also  uses  credit  risk  rating  principles  as 
described earlier in this note. 

(1)  Collective provisions are held for these portfolios. 

154  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

Group20142013201220112010$M $M $M $M $M AustraliaNon-Performing assets:Gross balances2,1343,3163,9664,5924,633Less individual provisions for impairment(1,035)(1,564)(1,920)(2,031)(1,915)Net non-performing assets1,0991,7522,0462,5612,718Restructured assets:Gross balances361346933878Less individual provisions for impairment-----Net restructured assets361346933878Unsecured retail products 90 days or more past due:Gross balances236217204202205Less provisions for impairment (1)(131)(128)(120)(109)(107)Unsecured retail products 90 days or more past due10589849398Net Australia impaired assets1,5652,1872,2232,6922,894OverseasNon-Performing assets:Gross balances377356344467317Less individual provisions for impairment(92)(64)(88)(94)(77)Net non-performing assets285292256373240Restructured assets:Gross balances2488770189169Less individual provisions for impairment-----Net restructured assets2488770189169Unsecured retail products 90 days or more past due:Gross balances118101417Less provisions for impairment (1)(8)(3)(3)(3)(3)Unsecured retail products 90 days or more past due3571114Net overseas impaired assets536384333573423Total net impaired assets2,1012,5712,5563,2653,317 
 
  
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 34 Credit Risk (continued) 

Impaired Assets by Size 

Movement in Impaired Assets 

(1)  2010 represents the balance of unsecured retail products 90 days or more past due. 

Impaired Loans by Industry and Status 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    155 

GroupAustraliaOverseasTotalAustraliaOverseasTotal201420142014201320132013Impaired assets by size $M$M$M$M$M$MLess than $1 million1,2031601,3631,3591851,544$1 million to $10 million9021251,0271,1591461,305Greater than $10 million6263519771,3611201,481Total2,7316363,3673,8794514,330Group20142013201220112010Movement in gross impaired assets$M $M $M $M $M Gross impaired assets - opening balance4,3304,6875,5025,4194,210New and increased2,3933,0163,3894,1565,455Balances written off(1,697)(1,774)(1,687)(1,798)(1,904)Returned to performing or repaid(2,303)(2,165)(3,040)(2,740)(2,545)Portfolio managed - new/increased/return to performing/repaid (1)644566523465203Gross impaired assets - closing balance3,3674,3304,6875,5025,419Group2014GrossTotal ProvisionsNetImpairedfor ImpairedImpairedNet LoansLoansAssetsLoansWrite-offsRecoveriesWrite-offs Industry $M$M$M$M$M$M$M AustraliaSovereign5,920------Agriculture5,864326(123)203138-138Bank and other financial10,17973(68)5122(6)116Home loans360,218743(151)592113(4)109Construction2,67942(29)1352-52Other personal23,047260(145)115677(106)571Asset financing8,07885(30)5537(5)32Other commercial and industrial110,4531,090(620)470568(27)541Total Australia526,4382,619(1,166)1,4531,707(148)1,559OverseasSovereign12,309------Agriculture7,38972(3)693(3)-Bank and other financial5,48630(15)15-(3)(3)Home loans39,467143(11)13213(1)12Construction3785(1)4---Other personal1,08511(8)330(8)22Asset financing3272-2---Other commercial and industrial10,221288(62)22660(2)58Total overseas 76,662551(100)451106(17)89Gross balances 603,1003,170(1,266)1,9041,813(165)1,648 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 34 Credit Risk (continued) 

Impaired Loans by Industry and Status (continued) 

Collateral held against Loans, Bills Discounted and Other Receivables 

156  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

Group2013GrossTotal ProvisionsNetImpairedfor ImpairedImpairedNet LoansLoansAssetsLoansWrite-offsRecoveriesWrite-offs Industry $M$M$M$M$M$M$M AustraliaSovereign1,971------Agriculture5,971398(168)23030-30Bank and other financial7,929300(217)8379(8)71Home Loans338,023924(182)742217(4)213Construction2,634110(89)21139-139Other personal21,796255(142)113622(113)509Asset financing8,41458(23)3525(6)19Other commercial and industrial 110,5451,494(871)623686(13)673Total Australia497,2833,539(1,692)1,8471,798(144)1,654OverseasSovereign9,670------Agriculture6,480142(16)1264-4Bank and other financial7,02936(5)3110(1)9Home Loans34,817171(17)15421(1)20Construction3014-4---Other personal8639(3)625(8)17Asset financing2744-4---Other commercial and industrial6,04181(26)5531-31Total overseas 65,475447(67)38091(10)81Gross balances 562,7583,986(1,759)2,2271,889(154)1,735Group2014OtherHomeOtherAssetCommercialLoansPersonalFinancingand IndustrialTotalMaximum exposure ($M)399,68524,1328,405170,877603,100Collateral classification:Secured (%)99. 314. 399. 043. 280. 0Partially secured (%)0. 7-1. 013. 54. 3Unsecured (%)-85. 7-43. 315. 7Group2013OtherHomeOtherAssetCommercialLoansPersonalFinancingand IndustrialTotalMaximum exposure ($M)372,84022,6598,688158,571562,758Collateral classification:Secured (%)99. 115. 099. 344. 680. 4Partially secured (%)0. 9-0. 714. 54. 7Unsecured (%)-85. 0-40. 914. 9 
 
  
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 34 Credit Risk (continued) 

Collateral held against Loans, Bills Discounted and Other Receivables (continued) 

A  facility  is  determined  to  be  secured  where  the  ratio  of  the  exposure  to  that  facility  to  the  estimated  value  of  the  collateral 
(adjusted for lending margins) is less than or equal to 100%. A facility is deemed to be partially secured when this ratio exceeds 
100% but not more than 250%, and unsecured when either no security is held, (e.g. can include credit cards, personal loans, and 
exposures to highly rated corporate entities), or where the secured loan to estimated value of collateral exceeds 250%. 

Home Loans 

All home loans are secured by fixed charges over borrowers’ residential properties, other properties (including commercial and 
broad  acre),  or  cash  (usually  in  the  form  of  a  charge  over  a  deposit).  Further,  with  the  exception  of  some  relatively  small 
portfolios,  for  loans  with  a  Loan  to  Valuation  (LVR)  of  higher  than  80%  either  a  Low  Deposit  Premium  is  levied,  or  Lenders 
Mortgage Insurance (LMI) is taken out to cover 100% of the principal amount at default plus interest. 

Personal Lending 

Personal lending (such as credit cards), is predominantly unsecured. 

Asset Finance 

The  Group  leases  assets  to  corporate  and  retail  clients.  When  the  title  to  the  underlying  assets  are  held  by  the  Group  as 
collateral, the balance is deemed fully secured. In other instances, a client’s facilities may be secured by collateral valued at less 
than the carrying amount of credit exposure. These facilities are deemed partially secured or unsecured. 

Other Commercial and Industrial Lending 

The Group’s main collateral types for other commercial and industrial lending consists of secured rights over specified assets of 
the borrower in the form of: commercial property; land rights; cash (usually in the form of a charge over a deposit); guarantees by 
company  directors  supporting  commercial  lending;  a  charge  over  a  company’s  assets  (including  debtors,  stock  and  work  in 
progress); or a charge over stock or scrip. In other instances, a client’s facilities may be secured by collateral with value less than 
the carrying amount of the credit exposure. These facilities are deemed partially secured or unsecured. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    157 

Bank2014OtherHomeOtherAssetCommercialLoansPersonalFinancingand IndustrialTotal Maximum exposure ($M)358,82423,0607,979150,197540,060Collateral classification:Secured (%)99. 214. 898. 942. 179. 8Partially secured (%)0. 8-1. 112. 84. 1Unsecured (%)-85. 2-45. 116. 1Bank2013OtherHomeOtherAssetCommercialLoansPersonalFinancingand IndustrialTotal Maximum exposure ($M)337,38421,8088,227140,433507,852Collateral classification:Secured (%)99. 115. 499. 244. 580. 5Partially secured (%)0. 9-0. 813. 74. 4Unsecured (%)-84. 6-41. 815. 1 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 35 Market Risk 

Market Risk 

Market  risk  is  the  potential  of  an  adverse  impact  on  the 
Group’s  earnings  from  changes  in  interest  rates,  foreign 
exchange rates, commodity and equity prices, credit spreads, 
and the resale value of assets underlying operating leases at 
maturity (lease residual value risk). 

The  Group  makes  a  distinction  between  Traded  and  Non-
traded  market  risks  for  the  purposes  of  risk  management, 
measurement  and  reporting.  Traded  market  risks  principally 
arise  from  the  Group’s  trading  book  activities  within  the 
Institutional Banking and Markets business and ASB. 

The  predominant  Non-traded  market  risk  is  interest  rate  risk 
that  arises  from  banking  book  activities.  Other  Non-traded 
market  risks  are  Non-traded  equity  risk,  market  risk  arising 
from the insurance business, structural foreign exchange risk 
and lease residual value risk. 

The Group’s assessment of regulatory capital required under 
the Basel II and Basel III framework is discussed in Note 27. 

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  movements  in 
market rates. The VaR measure for Non-traded Banking Book 
market risk uses six years of daily movement in market rates. 

VaR  is  modelled  at  a  97.5%  confidence  level  over  a  1  day 
holding  period  for  trading  book  positions.  A  20  day  holding 
period  is  used  for  interest  rate  risk  in  the  banking  book 
(IRRBB),  insurance  business  market  risk  and  Non-traded 
equity risk. 

Stressed  VaR  is  calculated  for  Traded  market  risk  using  the 
same  methodology  as  the  regular  Traded  market  risk  VaR 
except  that  the  historical  data  is  taken  from  a  one  year 
observation  period  of  significant  market  volatility  as  seen 
during the Global Financial Crisis (GFC). 

that 

loss 

the  maximum 

VaR  is  driven  by  actual  historical  observations  and  is  not  an 
the  Group  could 
estimate  of 
experience from an extreme market event. As a result of this 
limitation,  management  also  uses  stress  testing  to  measure 
the  potential 
levels 
significantly  higher  than  97.5%.  Management  then  uses  the 
results  in  its  decisions  to  manage  the  economic  impact  of 
market risk positions. 

loss  at  confidence 

for  economic 

The stress events considered for market risk are extreme but 
plausible  market  movements,  and  have  been  back-tested 
against  moves  seen  during  2008  and  2009  at  the  height  of 
the  GFC.  The  results  are  reported  to  the  Board  Risk 
Committee  and  the  Group’s  Asset  and  Liability  Committee 
(ALCO) on a regular basis. Stress tests also include a range 
of forward looking macro scenario stresses. 

The  following  table  provides  a  summary  of  VaR,  across  the 
Group,  for  those market  risk  types  where  it  is  appropriate  to 
use this measure. 

158  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

(1)  Average VaR calculated for each twelve month period. 
(2)  The risk of these exposures has been represented in this table using a 
one  day  holding  period.  In  practice  however,  these  ‘non-traded’ 
exposures are managed to a longer holding period. 

Traded Market Risk 

The  Group  trades  and  distributes  financial  markets  products 
and  provides  risk  management  services  to  customers  on  a 
global basis. 

The objectives of the Group’s financial markets activities are 
to: 

 

 

 

Provide  risk  management  capital  markets  products  and 
services to customers; 

Efficiently  assist  in  managing  the  Group’s  own  market 
risks; and 

Conduct  profitable  market  making  within  a  controlled 
framework,  to  assist  in  the  provision  of  products  and 
services to customers. 

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 all major markets across foreign 
exchange  and  interest  rate  products,  debt,  equity  and 
commodities products as required to provide treasury, capital 
markets  and  risk  management  services  to 
institutional, 
corporate, middle market and retail customers.  

Income  is  earned  from  spreads  achieved  through  market 
making and from warehousing market risk. Trading positions 
are valued at fair value and taken to profit and loss on a mark 
to  market  basis.  Market 
is  controlled  by 
concentrating trading activity in highly liquid markets. 

liquidity  risk 

Trading  assets  at  fair  value  through  the  Income  Statement 
are  shown  in  Note  9.  Trading  liabilities  at  fair  value  through 
the  Income  Statement  are  shown  in  Note  18.  Note  2  details 
the  income  contribution  of  trading  activities  to  the  income  of 
the Group. 

The  Group  measures  and  manages  Traded  market  risk 
through a combination of VaR and stress test limits, together 
with  other  key  controls  including  permitted  instruments, 
sensitivity  limits  and  term  restrictions.  Thus  Traded  market 
risk  is  managed  under  a  clearly  defined  risk  appetite  within 
the  Market  Risk  Policy  and  limit  structure  approved  by  the 
Board Risk Committee of the Board. Risk is monitored by an 
independent Market Risk Management (MRM) function. 

Credit  Valuation  Adjustment  (CVA)  is  comparable  to  Traded 
market  risk  and  is  managed  using  a  VaR  and  stress-testing 
framework.  The  Board  Risk  Committee  and  ALCO  monitors 
CVA  exposures  with  oversight  by  the  independent  risk 
function. 

Average (1)As atAverage (1)As atTotal Market RiskJuneJuneJuneJuneVaR (1 day 97.5% 2014201420132013confidence)$M$M$M$MTraded Market Risk 11. 07. 89. 111. 6Non-Traded Interest Rate Risk (2)11. 919. 015. 39. 0Non-Traded Equity Risk (2)20. 315. 622. 425. 0Non-Traded Insurance Market Risk (2)5. 84. 77. 56. 9 
 
  
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 35 Market Risk (continued) 
The  Basel  III  framework  has  required  a  CVA  regulatory 
capital charge since 1 January 2013. 

The following table provides a summary of VaR for the trading 
book of the Group. The VaR for ASB is shown separately; all 
other data relates to the Group and is split by risk type. 

(1)  Average VaR calculated for each twelve month period. 

Non-Traded Market Risk 

is 

the 

risk 

responsibility  of 

framework  approved  by 

Non-traded  market  risk  activities are  governed  by  the  Group 
market 
the  Board  Risk 
Committee. The Group market risk framework governs all the 
activities  performed  in  relation  to  Non-traded  market  risk. 
Implementation  of  the  policy,  procedures  and  limits  for  the 
Group 
the  Group  Executive 
undertaking  activities  with  Non-traded  market  risk.  The 
Group’s  Risk  division  performs  risk  measurement  and 
monitoring  activities  of  Non-traded  market  risk.  Ownership 
and  management  responsibility  for  the  Bank’s  domestic 
operations  are  assumed  by  Group  Treasury.  Management 
actions  conventionally  include  hedging  activities  using  a 
range of policy approved derivative instruments. Independent 
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 ALCO. Senior management 
oversight is provided by the Group’s ALCO. 

Interest Rate Risk in the Banking Book 

Interest rate risk is the current and prospective impact to the 
Group’s financial condition due to adverse changes in interest 
rates  to  which  the  Group’s  Balance  Sheet  is  exposed. 
Maturity  transformation  activities  of  the  Group  result  in 
mismatched  assets  and  liabilities  positions  which  direct  that 
the  propensity, 
rate 
movements  have  undesired  outcomes  over  both  the  short 
term  and  long  term.  The  Group’s  objective  is  to  manage 
interest rate risk to achieve stable and sustainable net interest 
income in the long term. 

timing  and  quantum  of 

interest 

The Group measures and manages the impact of interest rate 
risk in two ways: 

(a) Next 12 months’ earnings 
Interest  rate  risk  from  an  earnings  perspective  is  the  impact 
based on changes to the net interest income over the next 12 
months. 

The risk to net interest income over the next 12 months from 
changes in interest rates is measured on a monthly basis. 

Earnings risk is measured through sensitivity analysis, which 
applies  an  instantaneous  100  basis  point  parallel  shock  in 
interest rates across the yield curve.  

The  prospective  change  to  the  net  interest  income  is 
measured  by  using  an  Asset  and  Liability  Management 
simulation  model  which 
incorporates  both  existing  and 
anticipated  new  business  in  its  assessment.  The  change  in 
the  Balance  Sheet  product  mix,  growth,  funding  and  pricing 
strategies  is  incorporated.  Assets  and  liabilities  that  reprice 
directly from observable market rates are measured based on 
the full extent of the rate shock that is applied. 

Products  that  are  priced  based  on  Group  administered  or 
discretionary interest rates and that are impacted by customer 
behaviour  are  measured  by  taking  into  consideration  the 
historic  repricing  strategy  of 
the  Group  and  repricing 
behaviours  of  customers.  In  addition  to  considering  how  the 
products  have  repriced  in  the  past  the  expected  change  in 
price  based  on  both  the  current  and  anticipated  competitive 
market forces are also considered in the sensitivity analyses. 

The  figures  in  the  following  table  represent  the  potential 
unfavourable  change  to  the  Group’s  net  interest  earnings 
during  the  year  based  on  a  100  basis  point  parallel  rate 
shock. 

(b) Economic Value  

Interest  rate  risk  from  the  economic  value  perspective  is 
based on a 20 day 97.5% VaR measure. 

Measuring  the  change  in  the  economic  value  of  equity  is  an 
assessment of the long term impact to the earnings potential 
of  the  Group  present  valued  to  the  current  date.  The  Group 
assesses the potential change in its economic value of equity 
through  the  application  of  the  VaR  methodology.  A  20  day 
97.5%  VaR  measure  is  used  to  capture  the  net  economic 
value  impact  over  the  long  term  or  total  life  of  all  Balance 
Sheet  assets  and  liabilities  to  adverse  changes  in  interest 
rates.  The 
the 
contractual  cash  flows  for  fixed  rate  products  is  included  in 
the  calculation.  Cash  flows  for  discretionary  priced  products 
are  behaviourally  adjusted  and  repriced  at  the  resultant 
profile. 

impact  of  customer  prepayments  on 

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. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    159 

Average (1)As atAverage (1)As atTraded Market RiskJuneJuneJuneJuneVaR (1 day 97.5% 2014201420132013confidence)$M$M$M$MInterest rate risk5. 44. 45. 96. 1Foreign exchange risk 1. 40. 81. 01. 0Equities risk 1. 20. 32. 10. 4Commodities risk 2. 30. 71. 00. 9Credit spread risk1. 82. 22. 41. 7Diversification benefit (6. 2)(4. 7)(7. 4)(5. 4)Total general market risk 5. 93. 75. 04. 7Undiversified risk 4. 93. 93. 96. 7ASB Bank 0. 20. 20. 20. 2Total 11. 07. 89. 111. 6JuneJuneNet Interest20142013Earnings at Risk$M$MAverage monthly exposureAUD90. 2105. 1NZD21. 09. 5High monthly exposureAUD134. 0128. 6NZD29. 616. 2Low monthly exposureAUD43. 659. 3NZD12. 34. 3As at balance dateAUD117. 459. 3NZD28. 412. 1 
 
  
 
 
 
  
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 35 Market Risk (continued) 

Group  on  the  investment  of this capital.  Shareholders’  funds 
in the Australian Life Insurance businesses are invested 91% 
in  income  assets  (cash  and fixed  interest)  and  9% in  growth 
assets (shares and property) as at 30 June 2014. 

A  20  day  97.5%  VaR  measure  is  used  to  capture  the  Non-
traded market risk exposures. 

(1)  Average VaR calculated for each twelve month period. 
(2)  VaR in relation to the investment of shareholder funds. 
(3)  VaR  in  relation  to  product  portfolios  where  the  Group  has  guaranteed 

liability to policyholders. 

Further  information  on  the  Insurance  Businesses  can  be 
found in Note 29. 

Structural Foreign Exchange Risk 

Structural foreign exchange risk is the risk that movements in 
foreign  exchange  rates  may  have  an  adverse  effect  on  the 
Group’s Australian dollar earnings and economic value when 
the  Group’s  foreign  currency  denominated  earnings  and 
capital are translated into Australian dollars. The Group’s only 
material  exposure  to  this  risk  arises  from  its  New  Zealand 
banking  and  insurance  subsidiaries.  This  risk  is  managed  in 
accordance  with 
following  Board  Risk  Committee 
approved principles: 

the 

 

 

Permanently  deployed  capital  in  a  foreign  jurisdiction  is 
not hedged; and 

Forecast  earnings  from  the  Group’s  New  Zealand 
banking and insurance subsidiaries are hedged. 

The  management  of  structural  foreign  exchange  risk  is 
regularly reported to the Group’s ALCO. 

Lease Residual Value Risk 

The Group takes lease residual value risk on assets such as 
industrial, mining, rail, aircraft, marine, technology, healthcare 
and  other  equipment.  A  lease  residual  value  guarantee 
exposes  the  Group  to  the  movement  in  second-hand  asset 
prices.  The  lease  residual  value  risk  within  the  Group  is 
controlled  through  a  risk  management  framework  approved 
by  the  Board  Risk  Committee.  Supporting  this  framework  is 
an internal Market Risk Standard document which has a risk 
limit framework which includes asset, geographic and maturity 
concentration limits and stress testing which is performed by 
the MRM function. 

Commonwealth Bank Group Super Fund 

The  Commonwealth  Bank  Group  Super  Fund  (the  Fund)  is 
the  staff  superannuation  fund  for  the  Group’s  Australian 
employees and former employees. Wealth Risk Management 
and  Human  Resources  manage  the  risks  of  the  Fund  on 
behalf  of  the  Group.  Regular  reporting  is  provided  to  senior 
management  via  the  Group’s  ALCO  and  the  Board  Risk 
Committee on the status of the surplus, risk sensitivities and 
risk  management  options.  For  further  information  on  the 
Fund, refer to Note 37. 

(1)  Average VaR calculated for each twelve month period. 
(2)  VaR is only for entities that have material risk exposure. 
(3)  ASB data (expressed in NZD) is for the month-end date. 

Non-Traded Equity Risk 

The  Group  retains  Non-traded  equity  risk  through  business 
activities  in  divisions  including  Institutional  Banking  and 
Markets, and Wealth  Management. This activity is subject to 
governance  arrangements  approved  by  the  Board  Risk 
Committee,  and  is  monitored  within  the  Risk  Management 
function. 

A  20-day,  97.5%  confidence  VaR  is  used  to  measure  the 
economic impact of adverse changes in value.  The following 
table provides a summary of VaR for Non-traded equity. 

Market Risk in Insurance Businesses 

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:  (i) 
market  risk  arising  from  guarantees  made  to  policyholders; 
and 
investment  of 
(ii)  market 
Shareholders’ capital. 

risk  arising 

from 

the 

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 assets under management and reduce the fee income 
collected for this class of business. 

Guarantees (to Policyholders) 

All financial assets within the Life Insurance Statutory Funds 
directly  support  either  the  Group's  life  insurance  or  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  having  an 
asset and liability management framework and monitoring the 
risk on a monthly basis. 

However,  for  some  contracts  the  ability  to  match  asset 
characteristics  with  policy  obligations  is  constrained  by  a 
number  of  factors  such  as  the  lack  of  investments  that 
substantially  align  cash  flows  with  the  cash  payments  to  be 
made to policyholders. This risk is managed through the use 
of hedging instruments. 

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 

160  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

Average (1)Average (1)JuneJuneNon-Traded Interest Rate VaR20142013(20 day 97.5% confidence) (2)$M$MAUD Interest rate risk53. 168. 5NZD Interest rate risk (3)2. 03. 0As atAs atJuneJuneNon-Traded Equity VaR 20142013(20 day 97.5% confidence)$M$MVaR 70. 0112. 0Average (1)Average (1)Non-Traded VaR in Australian JuneJuneLife Insurance Business 20142013(20 day 97.5% confidence)$M$MShareholder funds (2)18. 921. 3Guarantees (to Policyholders) (3)15. 220. 0 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 36 Liquidity and Funding Risk 

Overview 

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,  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  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  across  its  Retail  Banking  Services, 
Business  and  Private  Banking,  Institutional  Banking  and 
Markets,  Wealth  Management,  New  Zealand,  Bankwest, 
and  overseas  businesses,  during  periods  of  unfavourable 
market conditions. 

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 
funding 
activities. 

the  Group’s  wholesale  and  retail 

to 

Liquidity and Funding Risk Management Framework 

The Group’s liquidity and funding policies are approved by 
the Board and agreed with APRA. The Group has an Asset 
and  Liability  Committee  (ALCO)  whose  charter  includes 
reviewing 
liabilities, 
the  management  of  assets  and 
reviewing  liquidity  and  funding  policies  and  strategies,  as 
well as regularly monitoring compliance with those policies 
across  the  Group.  Group  Treasury  manages  the  Group’s 
liquidity  and  funding  positions  in  accordance  with  the 
Group’s  liquidity  policies  and  has  ultimate  authority  to 
execute  liquidity  decisions  should  the  Group  Contingent 
Funding  Plan  be  evoked.  Group  Risk  Management 
provides oversight of the Group’s liquidity and funding risks, 
compliance  with  Group  policies  and  manages  the  Group’s 
relationship with prudential regulators. 

Subsidiaries  within  the  Colonial  Group  apply  their  own 
liquidity  and  funding  strategies  to  address  their  specific 
needs. The Group’s New Zealand banking subsidiary, ASB 
Bank,  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 
a  relatively  small  banking  subsidiary  in  Indonesia  that 
manages its own liquidity and funding on a similar basis. 

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,  reviewed  regularly  and  monitored  to 
ensure that they are met. The Group’s market capacity 
is regularly assessed and used as a factor in funding 
strategies;

 

 

 

 

At  least  a  prescribed  minimum  level  of  assets  are 
retained in highly liquid form; 

This level of liquid assets complies with crisis scenario 
assumptions related to “stressed” wholesale and retail 
market conditions; is adequate to meet known funding 
obligations  over  certain  timeframes  and  are  held  to 
provide  for  the  risk  of  the  Group’s  committed  but 
undrawn lending obligations; 

Liquid assets are held in Australian dollar and foreign 
currency  denominated  securities  in  accordance  with 
expected requirements; 

The Group has three categories of liquid assets within 
its  domestic  liquid  assets  portfolio.  The  first  includes 
cash,  government  and  Australian  semi-government 
bonds.  The  second  includes  negotiable  certificates  of 
deposit, bank bills, bank term securities, supranational 
bonds  and  Australian  Residential  Mortgage-backed 
that  meet  certain 
Securities 
Reserve  Bank  of  Australia  (RBA)  requirements.  The 
final  is  internal  RMBS,  being  mortgages  that  have 
been  securitised  but  retained  by  the  Bank,  that  are 
repo-eligible  with  the  RBA  under  a  stress  scenario; 
and 

(RMBS),  securities 

  Offshore branches and subsidiaries adhere to liquidity 
policies  and  hold  appropriate  foreign  currency  liquid 
assets  as  required.  All  securities  are  central  bank 
repo-eligible under normal market conditions. 

The Group’s key funding tools include: 

 

 

 

Its  consumer  retail  funding  base,  which  includes  a 
wide  range  of  retail  transaction  accounts,  savings 
accounts and term deposits for individual consumers; 

Its  small  business  customer  and  institutional  deposit 
base; and 

include 

international  and  domestic 

funding 
Its  wholesale 
its  Australian  dollar 
programs  which 
Negotiable  Certificates  of  Deposit;  Australian  dollar 
bank  bills;  Asian  Transferable  Certificates  of  Deposit 
program; Australian, U.S. and Euro Commercial Paper 
programs; U.S. Extendible Notes programs; Australian 
dollar  Domestic  Debt  Program;  U.S.144a  and  3a2 
Medium  Term  Note  Programs;  Euro  Medium  Term 
Note  Program,  multi 
jurisdiction  Covered  Bond 
program, and its Medallion securitisation program. 

The Group’s key liquidity tools include: 

 

 

 

 

A  liquidity  management  model  similar  to  a  “maturity 
ladder”  or 
that  allows 
“liquidity  gap  analysis”, 
forecasting of liquidity needs on a daily basis; 

liquidity  management  model 

that 
An  additional 
implements  the  agreed  prudential  liquidity  policies. 
This  model  is  calibrated  with  a  series  of  “stress” 
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; 

Central  bank  repurchase  agreement  facilities  provide 
the  Group  with  the  ability  to  borrow  funds  on  a 
secured basis, even when normal funding markets are 
unavailable; and 

A  robust  Contingent  Funding  Plan  is  in  place  and 
regularly  tested  so  that  it  can  be  evoked  in  case  of 
need due to a liquidity event. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    161 

 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 36 Liquidity and Funding Risk (continued) 
Recent Market Environment 

In January 2014, APRA issued revised prudential standard 
APS210  to  implement  the  Basel  III  liquidity  reforms  in 
Australia. APS210 requires ADIs to maintain a ratio of high 
quality  liquid  assets  to  projected  30  day  cash  outflows 
(Liquidity  Coverage  Ratio  or  LCR)  of  at  least  100%.  In 
addition,  the  standard  requires  ADIs  to  calculate  “going 
concern”  and  “stress”  funding  and  liquidity  metrics.  LCR 
compliance  is  required  from  1  January  2015  until  which 
time the Group is subject to the existing “name crisis”. 

The  Group’s  wholesale  funding  costs  generally  improved 
over the course of the financial year as high levels of global 

Maturity Analysis of Monetary Liabilities 

to 

lower  credit  spreads 

liquidity and a generally improved economic global outlook 
combined 
in  domestic  and 
international debt capital markets. The Group has managed 
to  avoid  concentrations  such  as 
its  debt  portfolio 
dependence  on  single  sources  of  funding,  by  type  or  by 
investor,  and  continues  to  maintain  a  diversified  funding 
base  and  significant  funding  capacity  in  the  domestic  and 
global unsecured and secured debt markets. 

Details of the Group’s regulatory capital position and capital 
management activities are disclosed in Note 27. 

Amounts shown in the tables below are based on contractual undiscounted cash flows for the remaining contractual maturities. 

(1) 

Includes 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 Group. 

(2)  All off balance sheet items are included in the 0 to 3 month maturity band to reflect their earliest possible maturity. 

162  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

GroupMaturity Period as at 30 June 20140 to 33 to 121 to 5Over 5NotAt CallMonthsMonthsYearsYearsSpecifiedTotal$M$M$M$M$M$M$MMonetary liabilitiesDeposits and other public borrowings (1)259,411138,12780,47323,912584-502,507Payables due to other financial institutions6,81616,4881,358345--25,007Liabilities at fair value through Income Statement-3,1714102,9712,243-8,795Derivative financial instruments:Held for trading -19,605----19,605Held for hedging purposes (net-settled) -1301861,5122,461-4,289Held for hedging purposes (gross-settled): Outflows-4478,55236,5029,872-55,373Inflows-(333)(8,130)(34,180)(9,300)-(51,943)Bank acceptances-5,01710---5,027Insurance policy liabilities-----13,16613,166Debt issues and loan capital-15,52744,51974,14635,154-169,346Managed funds units on issue-----1,2141,214Other monetary liabilities8814,6241,248370-427,165Total monetary liabilities267,108202,803128,626105,57841,01414,422759,551Guarantees (2)-6,121----6,121Loan commitments (2)-151,135----151,135Other commitments (2)-8,676----8,676Total off balance sheet items-165,932----165,932Total monetary liabilities and off balance sheet items267,108368,735128,626105,57841,01414,422925,483 
 
 
  
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 36 Liquidity and Funding Risk (continued) 

Maturity Analysis of Monetary Liabilities (continued) 

(1) 

Includes 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 Group. 

(2)  All off balance sheet items are included in the 0 to 3 month maturity band to reflect their earliest possible maturity. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    163 

Group Maturity Period as at 30 June 20130 to 33 to 121 to 5Over 5NotAt CallMonthsMonthsYearsYearsSpecifiedTotal$M$M$M$M$M$M$MMonetary liabilitiesDeposits and other public borrowings (1)222,387147,93969,45323,748432-463,959Payables due to other financial institutions9,30413,7472,489437--25,977Liabilities at fair value through Income Statement-3,6132,5241,8081,356-9,301Derivative financial instruments:Held for trading-30,138----30,138Held for hedging purposes (net-settled)-1021861,6532,142-4,083Held for hedging purposes (gross-settled):Outflows-30110,84625,70913,958-50,814Inflows-(277)(9,467)(24,016)(13,323)-(47,083)Bank acceptances-6,0612---6,063Insurance policy liabilities-----13,00413,004Debt issues and loan capital-17,37541,06367,39733,777-159,612Managed funds units on issue-----891891Other monetary liabilities8684,0791,944309-1017,301Total monetary liabilities232,559223,078119,04097,04538,34213,996724,060Guarantees (2)-5,696----5,696Loan commitments (2)-139,964----139,964Other commitments (2)-7,216----7,216Total off balance sheet items-152,876----152,876Total monetary liabilities and off balance sheet items232,559375,954119,04097,04538,34213,996876,936BankMaturity Period as at 30 June 20140 to 33 to 121 to 5Over 5NotAt CallMonthsMonthsYearsYearsSpecifiedTotal$M$M$M$M$M$M$MMonetary liabilitiesDeposits and other public borrowings (1)238,346130,28970,08421,972593-461,284Payables due to other financial institutions6,57916,4201,291336--24,626Liabilities at fair value through Income Statement-8523712,9542,241-6,418Derivative financial instruments:Held for trading-19,246----19,246Held for hedging purposes (net-settled)-442491,6402,493-4,426Held for hedging purposes (gross-settled):Outflows--6,69641,42221,793-69,911Inflows--(6,476)(38,756)(20,392)-(65,624)Bank acceptances-4,9768---4,984Debt issues and loan capital-13,66339,15058,45033,076-144,339Due to controlled entities3,1554,6166,45523,20681,490-118,922Other monetary liabilities8174,1183,396106-178,454Total monetary liabilities248,897194,224121,224111,330121,29417796,986Guarantees (2)-5,724----5,724Loan commitments (2)-140,209----140,209Other commitments (2)-7,450----7,450Total off balance sheet items-153,383----153,383Total monetary liabilities and off balance sheet items248,897347,607121,224111,330121,29417950,369 
 
 
 
  
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 36 Liquidity and Funding Risk (continued) 

Maturity Analysis of Monetary Liabilities (continued) 

(1) 

Includes 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 Group. 

(2)  All off balance sheet items are included in the 0 to 3 month maturity band to reflect their earliest possible maturity. 

Note 37 Retirement Benefit Obligations 

Name of Plan 

Type 

Form of Benefit 

Assessment of the Fund 

Date of Last Actuarial 

Commonwealth Bank Group 
Super 

Defined Benefits (1) and 
Accumulation 

Commonwealth Bank of 
Australia (UK) Staff Benefits 
Scheme (CBA (UK) SBS) 

Defined Benefits (1) and 
Accumulation 

Indexed pension and lump sum 

30 June 2012  

Indexed pension and lump sum 

30 June 2013 

(1)  The defined benefit formulae are generally comprised of final superannuation salary, or final average superannuation salary, and service. 

Regulatory Framework  

Both  plans  operate  under  trust  law  with  the  assets  of  the  plans  held  separately  in  trust.  The  Trustee  of  Commonwealth  Bank 
Group  Super  is  Commonwealth  Bank  Officers  Superannuation  Corporation  Pty  Limited.  The  Trustee  of  CBA  (UK)  SBS  is 
Commonwealth  Bank  of  Australia  (UK)  Staff  Benefits  Scheme  Trustee  Company  Limited.  Both  Trustees  are  wholly  owned 
subsidiaries of the Group. The Trustees do not conduct any business other than trusteeship of the plans. The plans are managed 
and administered on behalf of the members in accordance with the terms of each trust deed and relevant legislation. The funding 
of the plans complies with regulations in Australia and the UK respectively. 

Funding and 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 Commonwealth 
Bank Group Super from 8 July 1994. Further, the Bank ceased contributions to the Commonwealth Bank Group Super relating to 
salary  sacrifice  benefits  from  1  July  1997.  An  actuarial  assessment  as  at  30  June  2012  showed  the  plan  remained  in  funding 
surplus at that time, however due to the accounting deficit and forecast funding deficit the actuary  recommended that the Bank 
consider recommencing contributions from 1 July 2013. The Bank agreed to contribute $20 million per month to Commonwealth 
Bank Group Super commencing January 2014. Employer contributions paid to the plan are subject to tax at the rate of 15% in the 
plan.  

164  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

BankMaturity Period as at 30 June 20130 to 33 to 121 to 5Over 5NotAt CallMonthsMonthsYearsYearsSpecifiedTotal$M$M$M$M$M$M$MMonetary liabilitiesDeposits and other public borrowings (1)206,390140,24460,07322,271487-429,465Payables due to other financial institutions9,00813,6522,46056--25,176Liabilities at fair value through Income Statement-3943711,7921,345-3,902Derivative financial instruments:Held for trading-29,704----29,704Held for hedging purposes (net-settled)-482161,9262,165-4,355Held for hedging purposes (gross-settled):Outflows--10,11336,42823,105-69,646Inflows--(8,779)(33,692)(21,800)-(64,271)Bank acceptances-6,059----6,059Debt issues and loan capital-15,56836,98956,05131,181-139,789Due to controlled entities4,0594,5406,19522,43176,643-113,868Other monetary liabilities8263,7677,169103-3211,897Total monetary liabilities220,283213,976114,807107,366113,12632769,590Guarantees (2)-5,345----5,345Loan commitments (2)-130,753----130,753Other commitments (2)-6,137----6,137Total off balance sheet items-142,235----142,235Total monetary liabilities and off balance sheet items220,283356,211114,807107,366113,12632911,825 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 37 Retirement Benefit Obligations (continued) 

Funding and Contributions (continued) 

An actuarial assessment of the CBA (UK) SBS as at 30 June 2013 confirmed a funding deficit of GBP 62 million ($112 million at 
the 30 June 2014 exchange rate). The Bank agreed  to continue the deficit recovery contributions of GBP 15 million per annum 
($27  million  at  the  30  June  2014  exchange  rate)  until  31  December  2017  to  CBA  (UK)  SBS  in  addition  to  the  regular  GBP  2 
million per annum ($4 million at the 30 June 2014 exchange rate) contributions for future defined benefit accruals. 

The Group’s expected contribution to the Commonwealth Bank Group Super and the CBA (UK) SBS for the year ended 30 June 
2015 are $240 million and GBP17 million ($31 million at the 30 June 2014 exchange rate) respectively. 

Defined Benefit Superannuation Plans 

The amounts reported in the Balance Sheet are reconciled as follows: 

 (1)  Comparative information has been restated to reflect the impact of changes in accounting policy. Refer to Note 1(f) for more details. 
(2)  Represents superannuation contributions required by the Bank to meet its obligations to members of the defined contribution division of Commonwealth 

Bank Group Super. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    165 

CBA(UK)SBSTotal20142013 (1)20142013 (1)20142013 (1)$M$M$M$M$M$MPresent value of funded obligations(3,510)(3,269)(544)(472)(4,054)(3,741)Fair value of plan assets3,3883,2044753993,8633,603Net pension liabilities as at 30 June(122)(65)(69)(73)(191)(138)Amounts in the Balance Sheet:Liabilities (Note 22)(122)(65)(69)(73)(191)(138)Net liabilities(122)(65)(69)(73)(191)(138)The amounts recognised in the Income Statement are as follows:Current service cost(38)(45)(4)(4)(42)(49)Net interest expense(8)(15)(3)(5)(11)(20)Employer financed benefits within accumulation division (2)(231)(219)--(231)(219)Total included in superannuation plan expense(277)(279)(7)(9)(284)(288)Changes in the present value of the defined benefit obligation are as follows:Opening defined benefit obligation(3,269)(3,648)(472)(420)(3,741)(4,068)Current service cost(38)(45)(4)(4)(42)(49)Interest cost (145)(141)(23)(20)(168)(161)Member contributions(8)(9)--(8)(9)Actuarial gains/(losses) from changes in demographic assumptions--16-16-Actuarial gains/(losses) from changes in financial assumptions(234)346(30)(16)(264)330Actuarial gains/(losses) from changes in other assumptions(14)33(3)1(17)34Payments from the plan1981951917217212Exchange differences on foreign plans--(47)(30)(47)(30)Closing defined benefit obligation(3,510)(3,269)(544)(472)(4,054)(3,741)Changes in the fair value of plan assets are as follows:Opening fair value of plan assets3,2043,3603993123,6033,672Interest income1371262015157141Return on plan assets (excluding interest income)328123437332160Member contributions89--89Employer contributions140-312917129Employer financed benefits within accumulation division(231)(219)--(231)(219)Payments from the plan(198)(195)(19)(17)(217)(212)Exchange differences on foreign plans--40234023Closing fair value of plan assets3,3883,2044753993,8633,603Commonwealth Bank Group Super   
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 37 Retirement Benefit Obligations (continued) 

Economic Assumptions 

The  discount  rate  assumption  for  Commonwealth  Bank  Group  Super  is  based  on  the  blend  of  yields  on  long  dated 
Commonwealth and State government securities with durations exceeding 10 years. 

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 (longevity) for pensioners are set out below: 

Sensitivity to Changes in Assumptions 

The table below sets out the sensitivities of the present value of defined benefit obligations at 30 June to a change in the principal 
actuarial assumptions: 

Average Duration 

The average duration of defined benefit obligation at the balance date is as follows: 

Risk Management 

The  pension  plans  expose  the  Group  to  longevity  risk,  currency  risk,  interest  rate  risk  and  market  risk.  The  Trustees  perform 
Asset-Liability Matching (ALM) exercises to ensure the plan assets are well matched to the nature and maturities of the defined 
benefit obligations.  

During the year ended 30 June 2013, the Trustee of Commonwealth Bank Group Super implemented a new investment strategy 
of  50%  growth  50%  defensive  assets  (previously  70%  growth  30%  defensive).  Inflation  and  interest  rate  risks  are  partially 
mitigated by investing in long dated fixed interest securities which better match the average duration of liabilities and entering into 
inflation and interest swaps.   

166  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

Commonwealth BankGroup SuperCBA(UK)SBS   2014201320142013Economic assumptions% % % % The above calculations were based on the following assumptions:Discount rate4. 104. 604. 204. 50Inflation rate2. 252. 253. 603. 60Rate of increases in salary3. 753. 754. 604. 60Commonwealth BankGroup SuperCBA(UK)SBS   2014201320142013Expected life expectancies for pensionersYears Years Years Years Male pensioners currently aged 6029. 529. 328. 429. 2Male pensioners currently aged 6524. 624. 523. 424. 3Female pensioners currently aged 6034. 534. 430. 931. 8Female pensioners currently aged 6529. 429. 325. 926. 7Commonwealth BankGroup SuperCBA(UK)SBS   20142014Impact of change in assumptions on liabilities% % 0.25% decrease in discount rate3. 004. 700.25% increase in inflation rate2. 653. 000.25% increase to the rate of increases in salary0. 450. 30Longevity increase of 1 year3. 002. 90Commonwealth BankGroup SuperCBA(UK)SBS   20142014YearsYearsAverage duration at balance date1319 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 37 Retirement Benefit Obligations (continued) 

Risk Management (continued) 

The allocation of assets backing the defined benefit portion of Commonwealth Bank Group Super is as follows: 

(1)  Values based on prices or yields quoted in an active market. 
(2)  Values based on non-quoted information. 
(3)  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  Australian  equities  fair  value  includes  $136 million  of  Commonwealth  Bank  shares.  The  real  estate  fair  value  includes 
$40 million of property assets leased to the Bank. 

Note 38 Investments in Subsidiaries and Other Entities 

Subsidiaries 

Under  AASB  10  ‘Consolidated  Financial  Statements’,  the  Group  has  control  over  an  entity  when  it  is  exposed  or  has  rights  to 
variable returns from its involvement in the entity and has the ability to affect those returns through its power over the entity.  

A subsidiary is considered material if the value of the consolidated gross assets at the end of the financial year of the subsidiary 
and the entities it controls (if any) is more than 0.1% of the total assets of the Group.  

The key subsidiaries of the Bank including but not limited to those meeting the criteria above are: 

All the above subsidiaries are 100% owned and incorporated in Australia. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    167 

Commonwealth Bank Group Super20142013Fair value% of planFair value% of planAsset allocations($M)asset($M)assetCash2246. 601865. 80Equities - Australian (1)3299. 7040412. 60Equities - Overseas (1)53115. 7046514. 50Bonds - Commonwealth Government (1)44313. 1045214. 10Bonds - Semi-Government (1)1,05331. 1087127. 20Bonds - Corporate and other (1)722. 10732. 30Real Estate (2)2256. 602959. 20Derivatives (2)140. 4030. 10Other (3)49714. 7045514. 20Total fair value of plan assets3,388100. 003,204100. 00Entity Name   Entity Name   Australia(a) BankingCBA Covered Bond TrustMedallion Trust Series 2013-2CBA International Finance Pty LimitedMedallion Trust Series 2014-1GT USD Funding Pty LimitedPreferred Capital LimitedMedallion Trust Series 2007-1GResidential Mortgage Group Pty LtdMedallion Trust Series 2008-1RSeries 2008-1D SWAN TrustMedallion Trust Series 2011-1Security Holding Investment Entity Linking Deals Limited Series 50Medallion Trust Series 2013-1(b) Insurance and Funds ManagementCapital 121 Pty LimitedCommonwealth Insurance LimitedColonial Holding Company LimitedThe Colonial Mutal Life Assurance Society LimitedCommonwealth Insurance Holdings Limited 
 
  
 
 
  
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 38 Investments in Subsidiaries and Other Entities (continued) 

Subsidiaries (continued) 

The Group also consolidates a number of unit trusts as part of the ongoing investment activities of the life insurance and wealth 
businesses. These investment vehicles are excluded from the above list. 

Disposal of Controlled Entities 

The  Group  disposed  of  certain  CFS  GAM  operations  including  Colonial  First  State  Property  Management  Pty  Limited, 
Commonwealth  Management  Investments  Limited  and  Colonial  First  State  Management  Pty  Limited  during  the  2014  financial 
year. Refer to Note 41 (d) for details. 

Transition to a Single Authorised Deposit-taking Institution with Bank of Western Australia Limited (Bankwest) 

On 1 October 2012 the Commonwealth Bank of Australia Limited and Bank of Western Australia Limited (Bankwest) commenced 
operating as a single Authorised Deposit-taking Institution (ADI). In conjunction with that process, the legal entity Bank of Western 
Australia Limited was deregistered and the Commonwealth Bank of Australia Limited became its successor in law. This resulted 
in  all  of  Bankwest’s  assets  and  liabilities  (including  all  deposits,  contracts  and  debt  securities  previously  issued  by  Bankwest) 
becoming the Commonwealth Bank of Australia Limited’s assets and liabilities. All Bankwest directly owned subsidiaries became 
directly owned by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia Limited. 

168  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

Extent of BeneficialEntity Name  Interest if not 100%Incorporated inNew Zealand(a) BankingASB Bank LimitedNew Zealand ASB Covered Bond Trustee LimitedNew Zealand ASB Finance LimitedNew Zealand ASB Holdings LimitedNew Zealand ASB Term FundNew Zealand CBA Funding (NZ) LimitedNew Zealand Medallion NZ Series Trust 2009-1RNew Zealand (b) Insurance and Funds ManagementASB Group (Life) LimitedNew Zealand Other Overseas(a) Banking CBA Capital Trust IIUSA CommBank Europe LimitedMalta Newport LimitedMalta PT Bank Commonwealth99%Indonesia  
  
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 38 Investments in Subsidiaries and Other Entities (continued) 

Subsidiaries (continued) 

Details  of  the  impact  of  transferring  the  assets  and  liabilities  of  Bankwest  to  the  Bank  and  the  derecognition  of  the  Bank’s 
investment in Bankwest are set out below: 

Significant Judgements and Assumptions 

Control and Voting Rights 

Holding  more  than  50%  of  an  entity’s  voting  rights  typically  indicates  that  the  Group  has  control  over  the  entity.  Significant 
judgement  is  involved  where  the  Group  either  holds  more  than  50%  of  the  voting  rights  but  does  not  control  an  entity,  which 
occurs in the case of Aussie Home Loans Pty Limited (AHL) as outlined below or where the Group is deemed to control an entity 
despite holding less than 50% of the voting rights. 

Aussie Home Loans Pty Limited (AHL) 

Management have determined that the Group does not control AHL despite owning 80% of the issued share capital of this entity. 
According to the Shareholders Deed agreed between the shareholders of AHL, unanimous consent is required from all parties to 
the  Deed  for  all  key  decisions.  This  results  in  joint  control  and  hence  the  Group  accounts  for  its  investment  in  AHL  as  a  joint 
venture using the equity method. 

Agent or principal  

The Group is deemed to have power over an investment fund when it holds either the responsible entity (RE) and/or the manager 
function of that fund.  Whether that power translates to control depends on whether the Group is deemed to act as an agent or a 
principal  of  that fund.  Management  have  determined  that the  Group  acts  as  a  principal  and  controls  a  fund  when  it  cannot  be 
easily  removed  as  a  manager  or  RE  by  investors  and  when  its  economic  interest  in  that  fund  is  substantial  compared  to  the 
economic interest of other investors. In all other cases the Group acts as agent and does not control the fund. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    169 

1 October 2012$MAssetsCash and liquid assets557Receivables due from other financial institutions2,749Derivative assets(104)Available-for-sale investments2Loans, bills discounted and other receivables66,563Shares in and loans to controlled entities(32,472)Property, plant and equipment262Intangible assets449Deferred tax assets469Other assets151Total assets38,626LiabilitiesDeposits and other public borrowings43,567Payables due to other financial institutions80Liabilities at fair value through Income Statement1Derivative liabilities(363)Due to controlled entities(7,656)Other provisions43Debt issues665Deferred tax liabilities292Bills payable and other liabilities75037,379Loan capital121Total liabilities37,500Net assets1,126Shareholders' EquityShare capital:Ordinary share capital-Other equity instruments-Reserves207Retained profits919Total Shareholders' equity1,126 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 38 Investments in Subsidiaries and Other Entities (continued) 

Non-Controlling Interests 

The  share  capital  above  comprises  predominantly  New  Zealand  Perpetual  Preference  Shares  (PPS)  of  AUD505  million.  On 
10 December 2002, ASB Capital Limited, a New Zealand subsidiary, issued NZD200 million (AUD182 million) of PPS. The PPS 
were issued into the New Zealand capital markets and are subject to New Zealand law. Such shares are non-redeemable and 
carry limited voting rights. Dividends are payable quarterly based on the New Zealand one year swap rate plus a margin of 1.3% 
and are non-cumulative. The payments of dividends are subject to a number of conditions including the satisfaction of solvency 
tests and the ability of the Board to cancel payments. 

On 22 December 2004, ASB Capital No.2 Limited, a New Zealand subsidiary, issued NZD350 million (AUD323 million) of PPS. 
The  PPS  were  issued  into  the  New  Zealand  capital  markets  and  are  subject  to  New  Zealand  law.  Such  shares  are  non-
redeemable  and  carry  limited  voting  rights.  Dividends  are  payable  quarterly  on  the  New  Zealand  one  year  swap  rate  plus  a 
margin  of  1.0%  and  are  non-cumulative.  The  payments  of  dividends  are  subject  to  a  number  of  conditions  including  the 
satisfaction of solvency tests and the ability of the Board to cancel payments. 

ASB  Capital  Limited  and  ASB  Capital  No.2  Limited  have  advanced  proceeds  from  the  above  public  issues  to  ASB  Funding 
Limited,  a  New  Zealand  subsidiary.  ASB  Funding  Limited  in  turn  invested  the  proceeds  in  PPS  issued  by  ASB  Limited  (ASB 
PPS), also a New Zealand subsidiary. In relation to ASB Capital No.2 Limited, if an APRA Event occurs, the loan to ASB Funding 
Limited will be repaid and ASB Capital No.2 Limited will become the holder of the corresponding ASB PPS. 

The PPS may be purchased by a Commonwealth Bank subsidiary exercising a buy-out right five years or more after issue, or on 
the occurrence of regulatory or tax events. 

Significant Restrictions 

There were no significant restrictions on the ability to transfer cash or other assets, pay dividends or other capital distributions, 
provide or repay loans and advances between the entities within the Group. There were also no significant restrictions on CBA’s 
ability to access or use the assets and settle the liabilities of the Group resulting from protective rights of non-controlling interests. 

Associates and Joint Ventures 

An associate or joint venture is considered material if the value of the net assets at the end of the financial year of that associate 
or joint venture and the entities it controls (if any) is more than 0.5% of the total assets of the Group.  

There were no individually significant investments in associates  or joint ventures held by the Group as at 30 June 2014 and 30 
June 2013. In addition, there were no significant restrictions on the ability of associates or joint ventures to transfer funds to CBA 
or its subsidiaries in the form of cash dividends or to repay loans or advances made.  

170  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

Group 20142013$M $M Shareholders' equity537537Total non-controlling interests537537 
 
  
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 38 Investments in Subsidiaries and Other Entities (continued) 

Associates and Joint Ventures (continued) 

The Group’s investments in associates and joint ventures are shown in the table below.  

(1)  The  Group’s  80%  interest  in  Aussie  Home  Loans  Pty  Limited  is  jointly  controlled  as  the  key  financial  and  operating  decisions  require  the  unanimous 
consent  of  all  directors.  Aussie  Home  Loans  Pty  Limited  is  considered  a  structured  entity.  The  Group’s  maximum  exposure  to  loss  in  relation  to  its 
investment is its carrying value and the total assets of Aussie Home Loans equals $374 million. 

(2)  These are joint ventures of the Group. 
(3)  The  management  of  CFS  Retail  Property  Trust  Group  (CFX)  was  internalised  during  the  2014  financial  year  and  a  portion  of  the  Group’s  ownership 

interest disposed of. The prior year value for CFS Retail Property Trust based on published quoted prices was $441 million as at 30 June 2013.  

(4)  Commonwealth  Property  Office  Fund  was  sold  during  the  2014  financial  year.  The  prior  year  value  for  Commonwealth  Property  Office  Fund  based  on 

published quoted prices was $165 million as at 30 June 2013.  

(5)  The  Group previously had  significant influence due to its relationship as Responsible Entity. However, following the internalisation of CFX management 
and  the  sale  of  CPA  the  Group  is  no  longer  the  responsible  entity  and  all  remaining  holdings  in  CFS  Retail  Property  Trust  have  been  reclassified  as 
available for sale securities. These  holdings exclude assets  held in statutory funds backing policyholder liabilities, which are disclosed as Assets  at fair 
value through Income Statement. 

(6)  The value for Countplus Limited based on published quoted prices was $72 million as at 30 June 2014 (2013: $74 million). This investment was purchased 

during the 2012 financial year. 

(7)  An impairment of $50 million was recognised at 30 June 2014. 
(8)  The  investments  included  in  “Other”  are  mostly  joint  ventures.  For  these  investments,  the  Group  is  committed  to  equity  injections  of  $nil  million  (2013: 

$36 million) within 12 months and $nil million (2013: $5 million) greater than 12 months. 

(1)  This  amount  is  recognised  within  Note  2  in  the  share  of  profits  of  associates  and  joint  ventures,  $150  million  for  the  year  ended  30  June  2014  (2013: 

$165 million) and net funds management operating income, $42 million for the year ended 30 June 2014 (2013: $45 million) line items. 

Structured Entities 

A structured entity is an entity in which voting or similar rights are not the dominant factor in deciding control. Structured entities 
are generally created to achieve a narrow and well defined objective with restrictions around their ongoing activities. Depending 
on the Group’s power over the activities of the entity and its exposure to and ability to influence its own returns, it may consolidate 
the entity. In other cases it may sponsor or have exposure to such an entity but not consolidate it. 

Consolidated Structured Entities 

The Group has the following contractual arrangements which require it to provide financial support to its structured entities. 

Securitisation Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) 

The Group provides liquidity facilities to Medallion, Swan and SHIELD 50 Structured Entities.  These facilities can only be drawn 
to cover cash flow shortages relating to mismatches in timing of cash inflows due from securitised asset pools and cash outflows 
due  to  note  holders.  These  ‘timing  mismatch’  facilities  rank  pari  passu  with  other  senior  secured  creditors.  The  facility  limit  is 
$2,066 million. 

The Group has no contractual obligations to purchase assets from its Securitisation Structured Entities. 

Covered Bonds Trust 

The Bank provides funding and support facilities to the CBA Covered Bond Trust, a bankruptcy remote SPE that guarantees any 
debt obligations owing under the  US$30 billion CBA Covered Bond Programme.  The funding facilities allow the Covered Bond 
Trust  to  hold  sufficient  residential  mortgage  loans  to  support  the  guarantee  provided  to  the  Covered  Bonds.  The  Bank  also 
provides various swaps to the Covered Bond Trust to hedge any interest rate and currency mismatches. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    171 

Group2014201320142013OwnershipOwnershipPrincipalCountry ofBalance$M$MInterest %Interest % ActivitiesIncorporationDateAussie Home Loans Pty Limited (1) (2)2662588080Mortgage Broking Australia 30-JunBank of Hangzhou Co., Limited7726482020Commercial Banking China 31-DecBoCommLife Insurance Company Limited (2)79803838Life Insurance China 31-DecCFS Retail Property Trust (3) (5)-439-8Funds Management Australia 30-JunCommonwealth Property Office Fund (4) (5)-147-6Funds Management Australia 30-JunCountplus Limited (6)55553737Financial Advice Australia 30-JunFirst State European Diversified Investment Fund1611511120Funds Management Luxembourg 31-DecQilu Bank Co., Limited2542232020Commercial Banking China 31-DecVietnam International Commercial Joint Stock Bank (7)1642192020Financial Services Vietnam 31-DecOther (8)9361Various Various Various Various VariousCarrying amount of investments in associates and joint ventures1,8442,281Group20142013Share of Associates' and Joint Ventures profits$M $M Operating profits before income tax254254Income tax expense(62)(44)Operating profits after income tax (1)192210 
 
  
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 38 Investments in Subsidiaries and Other Entities (continued) 

Consolidated Structured Entities (continued) 

The  Bank,  either  directly  or  via  its  wholly  owned  subsidiary,  Securitisation  Advisory  Services  Pty  Limited,  provides  various 
services to the Covered Bond Trust including servicing and monitoring of the residential mortgages. 

Structured Asset Finance SPVs 

The Group has no contractual obligation to provide financial support to any of its Structured Asset Finance Structured Entities. 

Unconsolidated Structured Entities 

The Group has exposure to various securitisation vehicles via Residential Mortgage-backed Securities (RMBS) and Asset-backed 
Securities  (ABS).The  Group  may  also  provide  derivatives  and  other  commitments  to  these  vehicles.  The  Group  also  has 
exposure to Investment Funds and other financing vehicles. 

Securitisations 

Securitisations involve transferring assets into a vehicle that sells beneficial interests to investors through the issue of  debt and 
equity notes with varying levels of subordination. The notes are collateralised by the assets transferred to these vehicles and pay 
a return based on the returns of those assets, with residual returns paid to the most subordinated investor. 

The  Group  may  trade  or  invest  in  Residential  Mortgage-backed  Securities  and  Asset-backed  Securities  which  are  backed  by 
Commercial  Properties,  Equipment  and  Auto  Finance.  The  Group  may  also  provide  lending,  derivatives,  liquidity  and 
commitments to these Securitisation vehicles. 

Other Financing  

Asset-backed  vehicles  are  used  to  provide  tailored  lending  for  the  purchase  or  lease  of  assets  transferred  by  the  Group  or  its 
clients. The assets are normally pledged as collateral to the lenders. The Group engages in raising finance for assets such as 
aircraft, trains, vessels and other infrastructure. The Group may also provide lending, derivatives, liquidity and commitments to 
these vehicles. 

Investment Funds 

The  Group  conducts  investment management  and  other  fiduciary  activities  as  responsible  entity,  trustee, custodian,  advisor  or 
manager for investment funds and trusts, including superannuation and approved deposit funds, wholesale and retail trusts. The 
Groups  exposure  to  Investment  Funds  includes  holding  units  in  the  investment  funds  and  trusts,  providing  lending  facilities, 
derivatives and receiving fees for services.  

The  nature  and  extent  of  the  Group’s  interests  in  these  entities  are  summarised  below.  Interests  do  not  include  plain  vanilla 
derivatives (e.g. interest rate swaps and currency swaps) and positions where the Group creates rather than absorbs variability of 
the Structured Entity, for example deposits. These have been excluded from the below table.  

(1)  Relates to undrawn facilities. 
(2)  Size  of  the  entities is  generally  the  total  assets  of  the  entities,  except  for  Real  Estate  Investment  Trusts  where  the  size  is based  on  the  Group’s  credit 

exposure of $12.9 billion. 

The  Group’s  exposure  to  loss  depends  on  the  level  of  subordination  of  the  interest  which  indicates  the  extent  to  which  other 
parties are obliged to absorb credit losses before the Group. An overview of the Group’s interests, relative ranking and external 
credit  rating,  for  vehicles  that  have  credit  subordination  in  place,  is  summarised  in  the  table  below,  and  include  securitisation 
vehicles and other financing. 

172  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

2014OtherInvestmentExposures to unconsolidated RMBSABSFinancingFundsTotalstructured entities$M$M$M$M$MAssets at fair value through income statement - trading82--1,5921,674Available-for-sale investments4,887678-1575,722Loans, bills and discounted and other receivables2,1525411,59214,72719,012Other assets---176176Total on balance sheet exposures7,1211,2191,59216,65226,584Total notional amounts of off balance sheet exposures (1)7763312621521,521Total maximum exposure to loss7,8971,5501,85416,80428,105Total assets of the entities (2)46,3634,36411,003265,751327,481 
 
  
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 38 Investments in Subsidiaries and Other Entities (continued) 

Unconsolidated Structured Entities (continued) 

(1)  $7,548  million  of  RMBS  exposures,  $1,503  million  of  ABS  exposures  and  $818  million  of  other  financing  exposures  are  rated  investment  grade,  the 

remaining $1,333 million exposures are rated sub-investment grade. 

(2)  All RMBS and ABS exposures are rated investment grade, all other financing exposures are rated sub investment grade. 
(3)  All exposures are rated sub investment grade. 

Sponsored unconsolidated structured entities 

For  the  purposes  of  this  disclosure,  the  Group  sponsors  an  entity  when  it  manages  or  advises  the  entity’s  program,  places 
securities into the market on behalf of the entity, provides liquidity and/or credit enhancements to the entity, or the Group’s name 
appears in the Structured Entity.  

During  the  year  ended  30  June  2014,  the  Group  has  sponsored  two  unconsolidated  structured  entities  being  Security  Holding 
Investment  Entity  Linking  Deals  Limited  (SHIELD)  and  SHIELD  Trust  No.  2.  A  wholly  owned  subsidiary  of  the  Group, 
Securitisation Advisory Services Pty Limited (SAS), is the manager of SHIELD and SHIELD is the trustee of SHIELD Trust No. 2. 
The Group continues to hold an interest in these structured entities. 

There has been no income earned or expense incurred directly from these entities during the year ended 30 June 2014. There 
also have been no assets transferred by all parties to the sponsored entities during the year ended 30 June 2014. 

Note 39 Key Management Personnel 

Detailed remuneration disclosures by KMP are provided in the Remuneration Report of the Directors’ Report on pages 55 to 61 
and have been audited. 

(1)  Colin Galbraith and Fergus Ryan retired from the Group on 30 October 2012. Total statutory remuneration for the 2013 financial year was $265,666 and 

$274,956, respectively. 

(2)  Short Term Benefits includes payment made to Ian Saines in lieu of notice as per contractual arrangements and adjustments in relation to previous years. 

Shareholdings 

Details of the aggregate shareholdings of Key Management Personnel are set out below. 

(1)  Reward Shares/Rights represent shares granted under the Group Leadership Reward Plan (GLRP) which are subject to performance hurdles. 
(2)  Deferred  Shares  represent  the  deferred  portion  of  STI,  sign-on  and  special  retention  awards  received  as  restricted  shares.  Reward  Shares/Rights  and 

Deferred Shares become ordinary shares upon vesting. 

(3)  Net Change Other incorporates changes resulting from purchases, sales and forfeitures during the year. 
(4)  Non-Executive  Directors  who  hold  less  than  5,000  Commonwealth  Bank  shares  are  required  to  receive  20%  of  their  total  post-tax  annual  fees  as 
Commonwealth Bank shares. These shares are subject to a 10 year trading restriction (the shares will be released earlier if the director leaves the Board). 

(5)  Other securities: As at 30 June 2014 Non-Executive Directors held 5,000 CNGHA notes (2013: 5,000 CNGHA notes). 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    173 

2014OtherRanking and credit rating of exposuresRMBSABS FinancingTotalto unconsolidated structured entities$M$M$M$MSenior (1)7,8441,5371,82111,202Mezzanine (2)26133372Subordinated (3)27--27Total maximum exposure to loss7,8971,5501,85411,301GroupBank20142013 (1)20142013 (1)Key management personnel compensation$'000$'000$'000$'000Short term benefits (2)34,05134,18634,05134,186Post-employment benefits443777443777Share-based payments11,6549,88211,6549,882Long term benefits7081,3107081,310Total46,85646,15546,85646,155Reward/Acquired/DeferredNetEquity Holdings of Key BalanceGranted asShares ChangeBalanceManagement PersonnelClass (1)1 July 2013RemunerationVested (2)Other (3)30 June 2014Non-Executive DirectorsOrdinary (4)168,1881,685--169,873PERLS 10,080---10,080Other securities (5)72,647--(67,647)5,000ExecutivesOrdinary 489,303--(5,533)483,770Reward Shares/Rights1,393,974331,689(285,161)(159,065)1,281,437Deferred Shares82,4435,729(37,114)-51,058 
 
 
  
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 39 Key Management Personnel (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 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). 

Details of aggregate loans to Key Management Personnel are set out below: 

Other transactions of Key Management Personnel 

Financial Instrument Transactions 

Financial instrument transactions (other than loans and shares disclosed within this report) of Key Management Personnel 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 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 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 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. A related party of an executive 
has also been employed by the Group, and is remunerated in a manner consistent with normal employee relationships. 

Note 40 Related Party Disclosures 

The Group is controlled by the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, the ultimate parent, which is incorporated in Australia.  

Parties are considered to be related if one party has the ability to control the other party or exercise significant influence over the 
other  party  in  making  financial  or  operational  decisions,  or  one  other  party  controls  both.  The  definition  includes  subsidiaries, 
associates, joint ventures, pension plans as well as other persons. 

A number of banking transactions are entered into with related parties in the normal course of business on an arm’s length basis. 
These include loans, deposits and foreign currency transactions, upon which some fees and commissions may be earned. Details 
of amounts paid or received from related parties, in the form of dividends or interest, are set out in Note 2. 

The Bank’s aggregate investments in, and loans to controlled entities are disclosed in the table below. Amounts due to controlled 
entities are disclosed in the Balance Sheet of the Bank. 

The Group also receives fees on an arm’s length basis of $66 million (2013: $81 million) from funds classified as associates.  

The Bank provides letters of comfort to other entities within the Group on standard terms. Guarantees include a $5 million bank 
guarantee provided to Colonial First State Investments Limited and a $40 million guarantee to AFS license holders in respect of 
excess compensation claims. 

The Bank is the head entity of the tax consolidated group and has entered into tax funding and tax sharing agreements with its 
eligible  Australian  resident  subsidiaries.  The  terms  and  conditions  of  these  agreements  are  set  out  in  Note  1(s).  The  amount 
receivable  by  the  Bank  under  the  tax  funding  agreement  with  the  tax  consolidated  entities  is  $252  million  as  at  30  June  2014 
(2013: $207 million receivable). This balance is included in ‘Other assets’ in the Bank’s separate Balance Sheet.  

All transactions between Group entities are eliminated on consolidation. 

174  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

20142013KMP's$'000$'000Loans14,1889,583Interest Charged522484Bank20142013$M$MShares in controlled entities14,23416,167Loans to controlled entities49,85246,850Total shares in and loans to controlled entities64,08663,017 
 
  
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 41 Notes to the Statements of Cash Flows 

(a) Reconciliation of Net Profit after Income Tax to Net Cash provided by/(used in) Operating Activities 

(1) 

 Comparative information has been restated to reflect the impact of changes in accounting policy. Refer to Note 1(f) for more details. 

(b) Reconciliation of Cash 

For the purposes of the Statements of Cash Flows, cash includes cash and money at short call. 

(c) Non-cash Financing and Investing Activities 

(1)  Part of the Dividend Reinvestment Plan paid out in the 2014 financial year was satisfied through the on-market purchase and transfer of $722 million of 

shares to participating shareholders (2013: $596 million). 

(d) Disposal of Controlled Entities - Fair Value of Asset Disposal 

The  Group  disposed  of  certain  CFS  GAM  operations  including  Colonial  First  State  Property  Management  Pty  Limited, 
Commonwealth  Management  Investments  Limited  and  Colonial  First  State  Management  Pty  Limited  during  the  2014  financial 
year. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    175 

GroupBank20142013201220142013$M$M$M$M$MNet profit after income tax (1)8,6507,6347,0328,4427,233(Increase)/decrease in interest receivable(22)13079(33)358Decrease in interest payable(295)(251)(320)(269)(362)Net (increase)/decrease in assets at fair value through Income Statement (excluding life insurance)(1,016)(3,472)3,391(1,433)(4,535)Net (gain)/loss on sale of controlled entities and associates(60)(7)(21)29-Net gain on sale of investments(2)-(1)(2)-Net movement in derivative assets/liabilities 5,3752,372(663)5,8873,781Net loss/(gain) on sale of property, plant and equipment 1214(39)913Equity accounting profit(192)(210)(120)--Loan impairment expense9181,1461,0898711,042Depreciation and amortisation (including asset write downs)874716628705549(Decrease)/increase in liabilities at fair value through Income Statement (excluding life insurance)(1,674)1,569(4,321)1,788126Increase/(decrease) in other provisions 719(69)(14)40(Decrease)/increase in income taxes payable(617)4537(1,124)(341)(Decrease)/increase in deferred tax liabilities(104)133152-(292)Decrease/(increase) in deferred tax assets 363(26)349281234(Increase)/decrease in accrued fees/reimbursements receivable(158)(272)18(1)32Increase in accrued fees and other items payable943156440179Decrease in life insurance contract policy liabilities(1,082)(1,401)(1,157)--Increase/(decrease) in cash flow hedge reserve927(58)1526Loss/(gain) on changes in fair value of hedged items71(617)(318)(305)(421)Dividend received---(1,944)(1,512)Changes in operating assets and liabilities arising from cash flow movements(8,280)(2,411)3,120(10,881)(7,997)Other (1)1,0921,124(25)797162Net cash provided by/(used in) operating activities3,9636,5778,8472,858(1,685)GroupBank20142013201220142013$M$M$M$M$MNotes, coins and cash at banks12,4907,6538,50811,0896,183Other short term liquid assets6,6384,9654,0956,3894,565Cash and cash equivalents at end of year19,12812,61812,60317,47810,748Group201420132012$M$M$MShares issued under the Dividend Reinvestment Plan (1)7079291,363Group201420132012$M$M$MNet assets440--Cash consideration received569--Cash and cash equivalents held in disposed entities38-- 
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 41 Notes to the Statements of Cash Flows (continued) 

(e) Acquisition of Controlled Entities 

The Group gained control of Count Financial Limited (Count Financial) on 29 November 2011. The Group subsequently acquired 
100%  of  the  issued  share  capital  on  9  December  2011.  Count  Financial  is  an  independent,  accountant-based  financial  advice 
business.  This  acquisition  will  support  the  Group  in  growing  its  distribution  capabilities  through  the  expansion  of  its  adviser 
network. 

The fair value of the identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed at the acquisition date are as follows: 

Note 42 Disclosures about Fair Values 

According to AASB 13 ‘Fair Value Measurement’, fair value is a price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a 
liability in an orderly transaction between market participants in the principal or most advantageous market at measurement date. 

(a) Valuation 

The best evidence of fair value is a quoted market price in an active market. Therefore, where possible, fair value is based on 
quoted  market  prices.  Where  no  quoted  market  price  for  an  instrument  is  available,  the  fair  value  is  based  on  present  value 
estimates  or  other  valuation  techniques  based  on  current  market  conditions.  These  valuation  techniques  rely  on  market 
observable inputs wherever possible, or in a limited number of instances, rely on inputs which are reasonable assumptions based 
on market conditions. 

Determination of the fair value of Over-the-Counter (OTC) derivatives includes credit valuation adjustments (CVA) for derivative 
assets to reflect the credit worthiness of the counterparty, and debit valuation adjustment (DVA) for derivative liabilities and other 
liabilities at fair value to reflect the Group’s own credit risk. These adjustments are applied after considering any relevant collateral 
or master netting arrangements. 

The Group utilises various valuation techniques and applies a hierarchy for valuation inputs that maximise the use of observable 
market data, if available.    

Under AASB 13 all financial and non-financial assets and liabilities measured or disclosed at fair value are categorised into one of 
the following three fair value hierarchy levels: 

Quoted Prices in Active Markets – Level 1 

This category  includes  assets  and  liabilities  for  which the  valuation  is  determined  by  reference  to  unadjusted  quoted  prices for 
identical  assets  or  liabilities  in  active  markets  where  the  quoted  price  is  readily  available,  and  the  price  represents  actual  and 
regularly occurring market transactions on an arm’s length basis. 

An  active  market  is  one  in  which  transactions  occur  with  sufficient  volume  and  frequency  to  provide  pricing  information  on  an 
ongoing basis. 

Financial instruments included in this category are liquid government bonds, financial institution and corporate bonds, certificates 
of deposit, bank bills, listed equities and exchange traded derivatives. 

Valuation Technique Using Observable Inputs – Level 2 

This category includes assets and liabilities that have been valued using inputs other than quoted prices as described for Level 1, 
but  which  are  observable  for  the  asset  or  liability,  either  directly  or  indirectly.  The  valuation  techniques  include  the  use  of 
discounted cash flow analysis, option pricing models and other market accepted valuation models. 

Financial instruments included in this category are commercial papers, mortgage-backed securities and OTC derivatives including 
interest rate swaps, cross currency swaps and FX options. 

Valuation Technique Using Significant Unobservable Inputs – Level 3 

This category includes assets and liabilities the valuation of which incorporates significant inputs that are not based on observable 
market  data  (unobservable  inputs).  Unobservable  inputs  are  those  not  readily  available  in  an  active  market  due  to  market 
illiquidity or complexity of the product. These inputs are generally derived and extrapolated from observable inputs to match the 
risk profile of the financial instrument, and are calibrated against current market assumptions, historic transactions and economic 
models, where available. These inputs may include the timing and amount of future cash flows, rates of estimated credit losses, 
discount rates and volatility. 

Financial  instruments  included  in  this  category  for  the  Group  and  Bank  are  certain  exotic  OTC  derivatives  and  certain  asset-
backed securities valued using unobservable inputs. 

176  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

Group201420132012$M$M$MNet identifiable assets at fair value--140Add: Goodwill--232Purchase consideration transferred--372Less: Cash and cash equivalents acquired--(10)--362Less: Non-cash consideration--(237)Net cash outflow on acquisition--125 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 42 Disclosures about Fair Values (continued) 

 (b) Fair Value Hierarchy for Financial Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value 

The classification in the fair value hierarchy of the Group’s and the Bank’s financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value is 
presented in the table below: 

(1) 

In the current period the Group revised the fair value hierarchy classification of certain financial instruments valued using quoted yields to align with market 
practice  and  guidance  referred  in  AASB  13  ‘Fair  Value  Measurement’.  The  policy  has  been  applied  retrospectively  and  at  30  June  2013  resulted  in  a 
$4,965  million  reduction  of  Level  2  and  a  corresponding  increase  of  Level  1  Available-for-sale  securities;  a  $1,745  million  reduction  in  Level  2  and  a 
corresponding increase in Level 1 Trading Assets; and a $196 million reduction in Level 2 and a corresponding increase in Level 1 Trading liabilities. 
(2)  The Group has included both current year and comparative balances for bills discounted on the basis they are measured at fair value using quoted prices. 

These balances are included within loans, bills discounted and other receivables on the face of the Balance Sheet. 

  (1) 

In the current period the Bank revised the fair value hierarchy classification of certain financial instruments valued using quoted yields to align with market 
practice  and  guidance  referred  in  AASB  13  ‘Fair  Value  Measurement’.  The  policy  has  been  applied  retrospectively  and  at  30  June  2013  resulted  in  a 
$4,965  million  reduction  of  Level  2  and  a  corresponding  increase  of  Level  1  Available-for-sale  securities;  a  $1,745  million  reduction  in  Level  2  and  a 
corresponding increase in Level 1 Trading Assets; and a $196 million reduction in Level 2 and a corresponding increase in Level 1 Trading liabilities. 
(2)  Level  3  Available-for-sale  investments  for  the  Bank  include  $67,457  million  of  internal  RMBS  issues.  These  financial  instruments  are  not  quoted  in  an 
active market and their fair value is based on significant unobservable inputs. Specifically, the fair values are determined  by discounting future expected 
cash flows of the notes using discount factors that reflect trading margin on most recent comparable issues. As at 30 June 2014, the trading margin used 
to determine the fair values of internal RMBS was 110 bpts. An increase/decrease of 10 bpts in trading margin would decrease/increase the fair value of 
the notes by $210 million. 

(3)  The Group has included both current year and comparative balances for bills discounted on the basis they are measured at fair value using quoted prices. 

These balances are included on the face of the Balance Sheet as loans, bills discounted and other receivables. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    177 

GroupFair Value as at 30 June 2014Fair Value as at 30 June 2013Level 1Level 2Level 3TotalLevel 1Level 2Level 3Total$M$M$M$M$M$M$M$MFinancial assets measured at fair value on a recurring basisAssets at fair value through Income Statement:Trading (1)15,7855,674-21,45917,8191,798-19,617Insurance5,4519,691-15,1424,5809,779-14,359Other192568-760632275-907Derivative assets1929,09313529,247845,2636945,340Available-for-sale investments (1)58,0338,0079766,13753,0066,591459,601Bills Discounted (2)19,244--19,24422,017--22,017Total financial assets measured at fair value98,72453,033232151,98998,06263,70673161,841Financial liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basisLiabilities at fair value through Income Statement (1)4,6122,896-7,5082,9485,753-8,701Derivative liabilities-27,2451427,259-38,5661438,580Life investment contracts-9,536-9,536-9,589-9,589Total financial liabilities measured at fair value4,61239,6771444,3032,94853,9081456,870BankFair Value as at 30 June 2014Fair Value as at 30 June 2013Level 1Level 2Level 3TotalLevel 1Level 2Level 3Total$M$M$M$M$M$M$M$MFinancial assets measured at fair value on a recurring basisAssets at fair value through Income Statement:Trading (1)15,7644,808-20,57217,796602-18,398Other137424-561588130-718Derivative assets1829,35024729,6151245,1296245,203Available-for-sale investments (1) (2)57,2216,06268,294131,57751,9315,40068,610125,941Bills Discounted (3)19,244--19,24422,017--22,017Total financial assets measured at fair value92,38440,64468,541201,56992,34451,26168,672212,277Financial liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basisLiabilities at fair value through  Income Statement (1)4,606546-5,1522,933399-3,332Derivative liabilities-29,22511629,3412340,1921440,229Total financial liabilities measured at fair value4,60629,77111634,4932,95640,5911443,561 
 
  
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 42 Disclosures about Fair Values (continued) 

 (c) Analysis of Movements between Fair Value Hierarchy Levels 

During the year ended 30 June 2014 the Group and the Bank reclassified $172 million of available-for-sale securities and $722 
million  of  trading  securities  from  Level  1  to  Level  2  due  to  changes  in  the  observability  of  inputs  (2013:  nil).  The  table  below 
summarises movements in Level 3 balance during the year. Transfers have been reflected as if they had taken place at the end 
of the reporting period. 

Level 3 Movement Analysis for the year ended 30 June 2014 

178  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

GroupAvailableDerivativefor SaleDerivative AssetsInvestments LiabilitiesTotal$M$M$M$MAs at 1 July 2012261(17)10Purchases441(5)40Sales/Settlements--1010Gains/(losses) in the period:Recognised in the Income Statement7-(2)5Recognised in the Statement of Comprehensive Income----Transfers in-2-2Transfers out(8)--(8)As at 30 June 2013694(14)59Gains/(losses) recognised in the Income Statement for financial instruments held as at 30 June 20126-(5)1As at 1 July 2013694(14)59Purchases1750-751Sales/Settlements(18)(155)2(171)Gains/(losses) in the period:Recognised in the Income Statement(3)311Recognised in the Statement of Comprehensive Income-(1)-(1)Transfers in8696(3)179Transfers out-(600)-(600)As at 30 June 201413597(14)218Gains/(losses) recognised in the Income Statement for financial instruments held as at 30 June 20149-110 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 42 Disclosures about Fair Values (continued) 

Level 3 Movement Analysis for the year ended 30 June 2014 (continued) 

Transfers in and out of Level 3 are due to changes in the observability of the inputs. 

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. As such, the purchases, sales, as well as 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 of the Group’s results. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    179 

BankAvailableDerivativefor SaleDerivative AssetsInvestments LiabilitiesTotal$M$M$M$MAs at 1 July 20121266,459(17)66,454Purchases49-(5)44Sales/Settlements(2)(1,150)10(1,142)Gains/(losses) in the period:Recognised in the Income Statement10-(2)8Recognised in the Statement of Comprehensive Income-(136)-(136)Transfers in-688-688Transfers out(7)--(7)Additions through merger of banking licence-2,749-2,749As at 30 June 20136268,610(14)68,658Gains/(losses) recognised in the Income Statement for financial instruments held as at 30 June 20128-(6)2As at 1 July 20136268,610(14)68,658Purchases1750-751Sales/Settlements(23)(738)2(759)Gains/(losses) in the period:Recognised in the Income Statement9-110Recognised in the Statement of Comprehensive Income-176-176Transfers in19896(105)189Transfers out-(600)-(600)As at 30 June 201424768,294(116)68,425Gains/(losses) recognised in the Income Statement for financial instruments held as at 30 June 20149-211 
 
 
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

 Note 42 Disclosures about Fair Values (continued) 

 (d) Fair Value Information for Financial Instruments not measured at Fair Value 

The estimated fair values and fair value hierarchy of the Group’s and the Bank’s financial instruments not measured at fair value 
as at 30 June 2014 are presented below: 

180  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

Group30 June 201430 June 2013CarryingCarryingFairvalueFair value valuevalueTotalLevel 1Level 2Level 3TotalTotalTotal$M$M $M$M$M $M$MFinancial assets not measured at fair value on a recurring basisCash and liquid assets26,40919,1287,281-26,40920,63420,634Receivables due from other financial institutions8,065-8,065-8,0657,7447,744Loans and other receivables578,537--579,070579,070534,631535,339Bank acceptances of customers5,027--5,0275,0276,0636,063Other assets4,7455094,236-4,7456,9986,998Total financial assets 622,78319,63719,582584,097623,316576,070576,778Financial liabilities not measured at fair value on a recurring basisDeposits and other public borrowings498,352-483,66015,903499,563459,429460,251Payables due to other financial institutions24,978-24,978-24,97825,92225,922Bank acceptances5,0275,027--5,0276,0636,063Debt issues142,2191,032142,208135143,375132,808136,638Managed funds units on issue1,214-1,214-1,214891891Bills payable and other liabilities7,888-7,888-7,8887,5747,574Loan capital9,5943,2596,565-9,8249,6879,989Total financial liabilities 689,2729,318666,51316,038691,869642,374647,328Financial guarantees, loan commitments and other off-balance sheet instruments164,347--164,347164,347151,334151,334Bank30 June 201430 June 2013CarryingCarryingFairvalueFair value valuevalueTotalLevel 1Level 2Level 3TotalTotalTotal$M$M $M$M$M $M$MFinancial assets not measured at fair value on a recurring basisCash and liquid assets24,10817,4776,631-24,10818,03018,030Receivables due from other financial institutions7,457-7,457-7,4576,9986,998Loans and other receivables516,003--516,553516,553502,349502,978Bank acceptances of customers4,984--4,9844,9846,0596,059Loans to controlled entities49,852--49,73249,73246,85046,852Other assets3,8004963,304-3,8005,4235,423Total financial assets 606,20417,97317,392571,269606,634585,709586,340Financial liabilities not measured at fair value on a recurring basisDeposits and other public borrowings457,571-443,96914,178458,147425,276426,048Payables due to other financial institutions24,599-24,599-24,59925,16625,166Bank acceptances4,9844,984--4,9846,0596,059Due to controlled entities118,920-3,498115,422118,920113,868113,868Debt issues119,548-120,817135120,952115,291119,032Bills payable and other liabilities6,039-6,039-6,0395,6485,648Loan capital9,9692,1198,061-10,18010,43710,445Total financial liabilities 741,6307,103606,983129,735743,821701,745706,266Financial guarantees, loan commitments and other off-balance sheet instruments151,798--151,798151,798140,693140,693 
 
 
 
 
  
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 42 Disclosures about Fair Values (continued) 

(d) Fair Value Information for Financial Instruments not measured at Fair Value (continued) 

The  fair  values  disclosed  above  represent  estimates  of  prices  at  which  these  instruments  could  be  sold  or  transferred  in  an 
orderly transaction between market participants. However, many of the instruments lack an available trading market and it is the 
intention to  hold  to maturity. Thus  it  is  possible  that  realised  amounts may  differ to  amounts  disclosed  above.  Due  to  the  wide 
range  of  valuation  techniques  and  the  numerous  estimates  that  must  be  made,  it  may  be  difficult  to  make  a  reasonable 
comparison of the fair value information disclosed here, against that disclosed by other financial institutions. 

The fair value estimates disclosed above have been derived as follows: 

Loans and Other Receivables 

The  carrying  value  of  loans  and  other  receivables  is  net  of  accumulated  collective  and  individually  assessed  provisions  for 
impairment. Customer creditworthiness is regularly reviewed in line with the Group's credit policies and where necessary, pricing 
is adjusted in accordance with individual credit contracts. 

For the majority of variable rate loans, excluding impaired loans, the carrying amount is considered a reasonable estimate of fair 
value.  For  Institutional  variable  rate  loans,  the  fair  value  is  calculated  using  discounted  cash  flow  models  with  a  discount  rate 
reflecting  market  rates  offered  on  similar  loans  to  customers  with  similar  creditworthiness.  The  fair  value  of  impaired  loans  is 
calculated by discounting estimated future cash flows using the loan's market interest rate. 

The fair value of fixed rate loans is calculated using discounted cash flow models  where the discount rate reflects market rates 
offered for loans of similar remaining maturities and creditworthiness as the customer. 

Deposits and Other Public Borrowings 

Fair value of non-interest bearing, call and variable rate deposits, and fixed rate deposits repricing within six months, approximate 
their carrying value as they are short term in nature or payable on demand. 

Fair  value  of  term  deposits  are  estimated  using  discounted  cash  flows,  applying  market  rates  offered  for  deposits  of  similar 
remaining maturities. 

Debt Issues and Loan Capital 

The  fair  values  are  calculated  using  quoted  market  prices,  where  available.  Where  quoted  market  prices  are  not  available, 
discounted  cash  flow  and  option  pricing  models  are  used.  The  discount  rate  applied  reflects  the  terms  of  the  instrument,  the 
timing of the cash flows and is adjusted for any change in the Group's applicable credit rating.  

Other Financial Assets and Liabilities 

For all other financial assets and liabilities fair value approximates carrying value due to their short term nature, frequent repricing 
or high credit rating. 

Note 43 Securitisation, Covered Bonds and Transferred Assets 

Transfer of Financial Assets 

In  the  normal  course  of  business  the  Group  enters  into  transactions  by  which  it  transfers  financial  assets  to  counterparties  or 
directly  to  Special  Purpose  Entities  (SPE’s).  These  transfers  do  not  give  rise  to  derecognition  of  those  financial  assets  for  the 
Group. 

Repurchase Agreements 

Securities sold under agreement to repurchase are retained on the Balance Sheet when substantially all the risks and rewards of 
ownership  remain  with  the  Group,  and  the  counterparty  liability  is  included  separately  on  the  balance  sheet  when  cash 
consideration is received. 

Securitisation Programs 

Residential mortgages securitised under the Group’s securitisation programs are equitably assigned to bankruptcy remote special 
purpose  entities  (SPEs).  The  Group  is  entitled  to  any  residual  income  of  the  securitisation  program  after  all  payments  due  to 
investors have been met. In addition, where derivatives are transacted between the SPE and the Bank, such that the Bank retains 
exposure to the variability in cash flows from the transferred residential mortgages, the mortgages will continue to be recognised 
on the Bank’s balance sheet. The investors have full recourse only to the residential mortgages segregated into an SPE. 

Covered Bonds Programs 

To  complement  the  existing  wholesale  funding  sources,  the  Group  has  established  two  global  covered  bond  programs  for  the 
Bank  and  ASB  respectively.  Certain  residential  mortgages  have  been  assigned  to  a  bankruptcy  remote  SPE  associated  with 
covered bond programs to provide security for the obligations payable on the covered bonds issued by the Group. Similarly to 
securitisation  programs,  the  Group  is  entitled  to  any  residual  income  after  all  payments  due  to  covered  bonds  investors  have 
been  met.  As  the  Bank  retains  substantially  all  of  the  risks  and  rewards  associated  with  the  mortgages  through  derivatives 
transacted with the SPE, the Bank continues to recognise the mortgages on its Balance Sheet.  The covered bond holders have 
dual recourse to the Bank and the covered pool assets. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    181 

 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 43 Securitisation, Covered Bonds and Transferred Assets (continued) 

At the Balance Sheet date, transferred financial assets that did not qualify for derecognition and their associated liabilities are as 
follows: 

(1)  Securitisation liabilities of the Group include RMBS notes issued by securitisation SPEs and held by external investors. 
(2)  Securitisation liabilities of the Bank include borrowings from securitisation SPEs, including the SPEs that issue only internally held notes for repurchase 

with central banks, recognised on transfer of residential mortgages by the Bank. 

Note 44 Offsetting Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities including Collateral 
Arrangements 

Collateral Accepted as Security for Assets 

The Group takes collateral where it is considered necessary to support both on and off balance sheet financial instruments. The 
Group  evaluates  each  customer’s  creditworthiness  on  a  case-by-case  basis.  The  amount  of  collateral  taken,  if  deemed 
necessary,  is  based  on  management’s  credit  evaluation  of  the  counterparty.  The  Group  has  the  right  to  sell,  re-pledge,  or 
otherwise  use  some  of  the  collateral  received.  At  Balance  Sheet  date  the  carrying  value  of  cash  accepted  as  collateral  (and 
recognised  on  the  Group’s  and  the  Bank’s  Balance  Sheets)  and  the  fair  value  of  securities  accepted  as  collateral  (but  not 
recognised on the Group’s or the Bank’s Balance Sheets) were as follows: 

Assets Pledged 

As  part  of  standard  terms  of  transactions  with  other  banks,  the  Group  has  provided  collateral  to  secure  liabilities.  At  Balance 
Sheet date, the carrying value of assets pledged as collateral to secure liabilities is as follows: 

(1)  These balances include assets sold under repurchase agreements. The liabilities related to these repurchase agreements are disclosed in Note 17. 

182  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

GroupRepurchaseAgreementsCovered BondsSecuritisation201420132014201320142013$M$M$M$M$M$MCarrying amount of transferred assets9,9615,57234,14733,63412,98210,169Carrying amount of associated liabilities (1)9,9615,57225,28018,23811,4268,929For those liabilities that have recourse only to the transferred assets:Fair value of transferred assets12,99210,183Fair value of associated liabilities11,4718,927Net position1,5211,256BankRepurchaseAgreementsCovered BondsSecuritisation201420132014201320142013$M$M$M$M$M$MCarrying amount of transferred assets9,9585,53929,21629,48784,21477,150Carrying amount of associated liabilities (2)9,9585,53922,73216,74084,21477,150For those liabilities that have recourse only to the transferred assets:Fair value of transferred assets84,26277,234Fair value of associated liabilities84,21477,150Net position4884GroupBank2014201320142013$M$M$M$MCash4,6486,9634,5186,689Securities7,2828,0166,6317,282Collateral held11,93014,97911,14913,971Collateral held which is re-pledged or sold-15--GroupBank2014201320142013$M$M$M$MCash3,7452,8533,4772,823Securities (1)10,3085,87710,3065,844Assets pledged14,0538,73013,7838,667Asset pledged which can be re-pledged or re-sold by counterparty9,9615,5729,9585,539 
 
  
  
 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 44 Offsetting Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities including Collateral 
Arrangements (continued) 

The Group and the Bank have pledged collateral as part of entering repurchase and derivative agreements. These transactions 
are governed by standard industry agreements. 

Offsetting Financial Assets and Liabilities 

According to AASB 132 financial assets and financial liabilities can be set off on the balance sheet only when there is a currently 
enforceable legal right to offset the respective recognised amounts and an intention to either settle on a net basis, or to realise the 
asset and settle the liability simultaneously. The right to offset is a legal right to settle or otherwise eliminate all or a portion of an 
amount due by applying an amount receivable, generally from the same counterparty, against it. 

The Group has an enforceable legal right and intention to settle some of its receivables and payables with clients, and exchanges 
arising  in  relation  to  equities  brokerage  transactions,  on  a  net  basis.  Such  receivables  and  payables  are  presented  on  the 
Balance Sheet on a net basis. As at 30 June 2014, the Group’s gross receivables and payables in relation to these transactions 
amount  to  $928  million  and  $1,035  million,  respectively  (2013:  $898  million  and  $943  million).  As  a  result  of  netting  on  the 
Balance  Sheet,  the  gross  receivables  and  payables  were  reduced  by  $516  million  and  $515  million  respectively  (2013:  $456 
million and $444 million). 

The  Group  enters  into  netting  agreements  with  counterparties  to  manage  the  credit  risks  associated  primarily  with  over-the-
counter  derivatives,  repurchase  and  reverse  repurchase  transactions,  securities  borrowing  and  lending  transactions.  These 
netting agreements and similar arrangements enable the counterparties to offset liabilities against assets if an event of default or 
other  predetermined  event  occurs,  however  they  generally  do  not  result  in  net  settlement  in  the  ordinary  course  of  business. 
Consequently,  the  Group  does  not  set  off  its  financial  assets  and  liabilities  on  the  Balance  Sheet,  even  if  these  amounts  are 
subject to enforceable netting arrangements. 

A cash settled  derivative instrument  that  trades  on  an  exchange  is  deemed in substance  economically  settled  and therefore  is 
outside the scope of these Offsetting Disclosures if the change in fair value of the instrument is economically settled on a daily 
basis through the cash payment or receipt of variation margin. 

The tables on pages 184 to 185 identify the amounts that are covered by enforceable netting and similar arrangements (offsetting 
arrangements and financial collateral). 

Derivative Assets and Liabilities 

The ‘Financial Instruments’ column identifies financial assets and liabilities that are subject to set off under netting agreements, 
such as the ISDA Master Agreement. All outstanding transactions with the same counterparty can be offset and close-out netting 
applied  if  an  event  of  default  or  other  predetermined  events  occur.  Financial  collateral  refers  to  cash  and  non-cash  collateral 
obtained  to  cover the  net  exposure  between  counterparties  by  enabling  the collateral to  be  realised in an event of default or if 
other predetermined events occur. 

Repurchase and Reverse Repurchase Agreements and Security Lending Agreements 

The ‘Financial Instruments’ column identifies financial assets and liabilities that are subject to set off under netting agreements, 
such  as  global  master  repurchase  agreements  and  global  master  securities  lending  agreements.  Under  these  netting 
agreements,  all  outstanding  transactions  with  the  same  counterparty  can  be  offset  and  close-out  netting  applied  if  an  event  of 
default  or  other  predetermined  events  occur.  Financial  collateral  typically  comprises  highly  liquid  securities  which  are  legally 
transferred and can be liquidated in the event of counterparty default. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    183 

 
 
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 44 Offsetting Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities including Collateral Arrangements (continued) 

(1)  For the purpose of this disclosure, the related amounts of financial instruments and financial collateral not set off on the Balance Sheet have been capped by relevant netting agreements so as not to exceed the net amounts of financial assets/ 

(liabilities) reported on the Balance Sheet, i.e. over-collateralisation, where it exists, is not reflected in the tables. As a result the above collateral balances will not correspond to the tables on page 182. 

184  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

Group30 June 2014Amounts subject to Enforceable Master Netting or Similar AgreementsFinancial Assets/Amounts ofRelated Amounts not Set Off on the(Liabilities) notRecognised FinancialBalance Sheetsubject toTotal FinancialAssets/ (Liabilities)Enforceable MasterAssets/ (Liabilities)Reported on theFinancialFinancial CollateralNetting or SimilarRecognised on the Balance SheetInstruments (1)(Received)/ Pledged (1)Net AmountAgreementsBalance SheetFinancial Instruments$M$M$M$M$M$MDerivative assets24,249(18,009)(4,367)1,8734,99829,247Reverse repurchase agreements6,516(180)(6,297)39-6,516Security borrowing agreements765-(765)--765Total financial assets31,530(18,189)(11,429)1,9124,99836,528Derivative liabilities(23,293)18,0093,128(2,156)(3,966)(27,259)Repurchase agreements(9,961)1809,779(2)-(9,961)Security lending agreements(3)-3--(3)Total financial liabilities(33,257)18,18912,910(2,158)(3,966)(37,223)Group30 June 2013Amounts subject to Enforceable Master Netting or Similar AgreementsFinancial Assets/Amounts ofRelated Amounts not Set Off on the(Liabilities) notRecognised FinancialBalance Sheetsubject toTotal FinancialAssets/ (Liabilities)Enforceable MasterAssets/ (Liabilities)Reported on theFinancialFinancial CollateralNetting or SimilarRecognised on the Balance SheetInstruments (1)(Received)/ Pledged (1)Net AmountAgreementsBalance SheetFinancial Instruments$M$M$M$M$M$MDerivative assets37,819(28,932)(6,404)2,4837,52145,340Reverse repurchase agreements7,182(1,144)(5,982)56-7,182Security borrowing agreements834-(832)2-834Total financial assets45,835(30,076)(13,218)2,5417,52153,356Derivative liabilities(33,160)28,9322,693(1,535)(5,420)(38,580)Repurchase agreements(5,572)1,1444,420(8)-(5,572)Security lending agreements(11)-11--(11)Total financial liabilities(38,743)30,0767,124(1,543)(5,420)(44,163) 
 
  
  
Note 44 Offsetting Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities including Collateral Arrangements (continued) 

Notes to the Financial Statements 

(1)  For the purpose of this disclosure, the related amounts of financial instruments and financial collateral not set off on the Balance Sheet have been capped by relevant netting agreements so as not to exceed the net amounts of financial assets/ 

(liabilities) reported on the Balance Sheet, i.e. over-collateralisation, where it exists, is not reflected in the tables. As a result the above collateral balances will not correspond to the tables on page 182. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    185 

Bank30 June 2014Amounts subject to Enforceable Master Netting or Similar AgreementsFinancial Assets/Amounts ofRelated Amounts not Set Off on the(Liabilities) notRecognised FinancialBalance Sheetsubject toTotal FinancialAssets/ (Liabilities)Enforceable MasterAssets/ (Liabilities)Reported on theFinancialFinancial CollateralNetting or SimilarRecognised on the Balance SheetInstruments (1)(Received)/ Pledged (1)Net AmountAgreementsBalance SheetFinancial Instruments$M$M$M$M$M$MDerivative assets23,703(17,618)(4,246)1,8395,91229,615Reverse repurchase agreements5,865(145)(5,681)39-5,865Security borrowing agreements765-(765)--765Total financial assets30,333(17,763)(10,692)1,8785,91236,245Derivative liabilities(22,491)17,6183,128(1,745)(6,850)(29,341)Repurchase agreements(9,958)1459,811(2)-(9,958)Security lending agreements(3)-3--(3)Total financial liabilities(32,452)17,76312,942(1,747)(6,850)(39,302)Bank30 June 2013Amounts subject to Enforceable Master Netting or Similar AgreementsFinancial Assets/Amounts ofRelated Amounts not Set Off on the(Liabilities) notRecognised FinancialBalance Sheetsubject toTotal FinancialAssets/ (Liabilities)Enforceable MasterAssets/ (Liabilities)Reported on theFinancialFinancial CollateralNetting or SimilarRecognised on the Balance SheetInstruments (1)(Received)/ Pledged (1)Net AmountAgreementsBalance SheetFinancial Instruments$M$M$M$M$M$MDerivative assets36,898(28,291)(6,181)2,4268,30545,203Reverse repurchase agreements6,448(1,095)(5,293)60-6,448Security borrowing agreements834-(832)2-834Total financial assets44,180(29,386)(12,306)2,4888,30552,485Derivative liabilities(32,619)28,2912,664(1,664)(7,610)(40,229)Repurchase agreements(5,539)1,0954,435(9)-(5,539)Security lending agreements(11)-11--(11)Total financial liabilities(38,169)29,3867,110(1,673)(7,610)(45,779) 
 
  
  
Notes to the Financial Statements 

Note 45 Subsequent Events 

The  Bank  expects  the  DRP  for  the  final  dividend  for  the  year  ended  30  June  2014  will  be  satisfied  in  full  by  an  on-market 
purchase and transfer of shares of approximately $884 million. 

The Directors are not aware of any other 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. 

186  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

 
 
Directors’ Declaration 

In accordance with a resolution of the Directors of the Commonwealth Bank of Australia (Bank), the Directors declare that: 

(a) 

the financial statements for the financial year ended 30 June 2014 in relation to the Bank and the consolidated entity (Group) 
(together the Financial Statements), and the notes to the Financial Statements, are in accordance with the Corporations Act 
2001, including: 

(i) 

s 296 (which requires the financial report, including the Financial Statements and the notes to the Financial Statements, 
to comply with the accounting standards); and 

(ii)  s 297 (which requires the Financial Statements, and the notes to the Financial Statements, to give a true and fair view 

of the financial position and performance of the Group and the Bank); 

(b) 

in  compliance  with  the  accounting  standards,  the  notes  to  the  Financial  Statements  include  an  explicit  and  unreserved 
statement of compliance with international financial reporting standards (see Note 1(a)); 

(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 by s 295A in respect of the financial year ended 30 June 2014. 

Signed in accordance with a resolution of the Directors. 

D J Turner 

Chairman 

12 August 2014 

I M Narev 

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer 

12 August 2014 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    187 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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, which comprises the balance sheets as 
at  30  June  2014,  and  the  income  statements,  the  statements  of  comprehensive  income,  statements  of  changes  in  equity  and 
statements of cash flows for the year ended on that date, a summary of significant accounting policies, other explanatory notes 
and  the  directors’  declaration  for  both  the  Commonwealth  Bank  of  Australia  and  the  Group  (the  consolidated  entity).  The 
consolidated entity comprises Commonwealth Bank of Australia and the entities it controlled at the year-end or from time to time 
during the financial year. 

Directors’ responsibility for the financial report 

The directors of Commonwealth Bank of Australia are responsible for the preparation of the financial report that gives a true and 
fair view in accordance with Australian Accounting Standards and the Corporations Act 2001 and for such internal control as the 
directors determine is necessary to enable the preparation of the financial report that is free from material misstatement, whether 
due to fraud or error. In Note 1(a), the directors of Commonwealth Bank of Australia also state, in accordance with Accounting 
Standard  AASB  101  Presentation  of  Financial  Statements,  that  the  financial  statements  comply  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  risk  of  material  misstatement  of  the 
financial report, whether due to fraud or error. In making those risk assessments, the auditor considers internal controls 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. 

We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our audit opinions.  

PricewaterhouseCoopers, ABN 52 780 433 757  
Darling Park Tower 2, 201 Sussex Street, GPO BOX 2650, SYDNEY NSW 1171 
T: +61 2 8266 0000, F: +61 2 8266 9999, www.pwc.com.au 

Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation. 

188  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 Commonwealth Bank of Australia’s and the consolidated entity’s financial position as at 30 June 
2014 and of their performance for the year ended on that date; and 

(ii)  compliance with Australian Accounting Standards (including the Australian Accounting Interpretations) and the Corporations 
Regulations 2001. 

(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 43 to 63 of the directors’ report for the year ended 30 June 2014. The 
directors of Commonwealth Bank of Australia 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  2014,  complies  with 
section 300A of the Corporations Act 2001. 

PricewaterhouseCoopers 

Marcus Laithwaite 
Partner 
Pricewaterhouse Coopers 

Sydney 
12 August 2014 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    189 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Shareholding Information 

Top 20 Holders of Fully Paid Ordinary Shares as at 7 August 2014 

Rank 

Name of Holder 

Number of Shares   

%   

1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
19 
19 
20 

HSBC Custody Nominees (Australia) Limited 
J P Morgan Nominees Australia Limited 
National Nominees Limited 
Citicorp Nominees Pty Limited 
BNP Paribas Noms Pty Ltd 
RBC Investor Services Australia Nominees Pty Limited 
Bond Street Custodians Limited 
AMP Life Limited 
Australian Foundation Investment Company Limited 
UBS Wealth Management Australia Nominees Pty Ltd 
Pacific Custodians Pty Limited 
Navigator Australia Ltd 
Milton Corporation Limited 
Argo Investments Limited 
Dawnraptor Pty Limited 
Nulis Nominees (Australia) Limited 
Questor Financial Services Limited 
Mr Barry Martin Lambert 
Sandhurst Trustees Ltd 
McCusker Holdings Pty Ltd Level 3 

 252,540,410  
 191,710,722  
 132,373,837  
 72,514,447  
 37,489,301  
 16,680,691  
 15,840,011  
 12,151,248  
 8,482,900  
 5,654,924  
 4,119,022  
 3,579,587  
 3,034,225  
 2,777,895  
 2,747,995  
 2,313,792  
 2,102,424  
 1,711,854  
 1,485,326  
 1,374,000  

15.58 
11.82 
8.16 
4.47 
2.31 
1.03 
0.98 
0.75 
0.52 
0.35 
0.25 
0.22 
0.19 
0.17 
0.17 
0.14 
0.13 
0.11 
0.09 
0.08 

The top 20 shareholders hold 770,684,611 shares which is equal to 47.52% of the total shares on issue. 

Stock Exchange Listing 

The  shares  of  the  Commonwealth  Bank  of  Australia  (Bank)  are  listed  on  the  Australian  Securities  Exchange  under  the  trade 
symbol CBA, with Sydney being the home exchange. 

Details of trading activity are published in most daily newspapers, generally under the abbreviation of CBA or C’wealth Bank. The 
Bank is not currently in the market conducting an on market buy-back of its shares. 

Range of Shares (Fully Paid Ordinary Shares and Employee Shares): 7 August 2014 

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 

Number of   
 Shareholders   

Percentage of    
 Shareholders    

Number of   
Shares   

573,672 
180,318 
17,708 
7,523 
202 
779,423 
14,177 

73.60 
23.13 
2.27 
0.97 
0.03 
100.00 
0.02 

188,194,274 
375,665,151 
121,065,023 
142,200,887 
794,193,859 
1,621,319,194 
42,952 

Percentage of    
Issued   
Capital   
11.61 
23.17 
7.47 
8.77 
48.98 
100.00 
0.00 

Under the Bank’s Constitution, each person who is a voting Shareholder 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 

  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. 

190  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

 
 
 
 
Shareholding Information 

Top 20 Holders of Perpetual Exchangeable Repurchaseable Listed Shares III (“PERLS III”) as at 7 August 2014 

Rank 

Name of Holder 

Number of Shares   

1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
19 
19 
20 

UBS Wealth Management Australia 
National Nominees Limited 
AMP Life Limited 
Citicorp Nominees Pty Limited 
J P Morgan Nominees Australia 
Navigator Australia Ltd 
Mr Walter Lawton and Mrs Jan Rynette Lawton 
HSBC Custody Nominees 
Nulis Nominees (Australia) 
The Australian National 
Catholic Education Office 
RBC Dexia Investor Services 
Australian Executor Trustees Limited 
Truckmate (Australia) Pty Ltd 
BNP Paribas Noms Pty Ltd 
Mifare Pty Ltd 
UCA Cash Management Fund Ltd 
Mutual Trust Pty Ltd 
ANZ Executors & Trustee Company Limited 
Fleischmann Holdings Pty Ltd 

 221,014  
 152,343  
 135,309  
 127,035  
 91,513  
 78,533  
 70,000  
 60,995  
 59,914  
 51,082  
 49,750  
 43,637  
 40,176  
 35,000  
 28,526  
 25,000  
 25,000  
 24,570  
 23,560  
 22,500  

%   

3.79 
2.61 
2.32 
2.18 
1.57 
1.35 
1.20 
1.05 
1.03 
0.88 
0.85 
0.75 
0.69 
0.60 
0.49 
0.43 
0.43 
0.42 
0.40 
0.39 

The top 20 PERLS III shareholders hold 1,365,457 shares which is equal to 23.43% of the total shares on issue. 

Stock Exchange Listing 

PERLS III are preference shares issued by Preferred Capital Limited (a wholly-owned entity of the Bank). They are listed on the 
Australian  Securities  Exchange  under  the  trade  symbol  PCAPA.  Details  of  trading  activity  are  published  in  most  daily 
newspapers. 

Range of Shares (PERLS III): 7 August 2014 

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 

Number of   
 Shareholders   
 17,408  
 523  
 31  
 30  
 4  
17,996 
17 

Percentage of   
 Shareholders   
96.73 
2.91 
0.17 
0.17 
0.02 
100.00 
0.09 

Number of   
Shares   
 3,062,044  
 1,016,065  
 230,511  
 905,952  
 617,709  
5,832,281 
32 

Percentage of    
Issued   
Capital   
52.50 
17.42 
3.96 
15.53 
10.59 
100.00 
0.00 

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, then the voting rights of the ordinary shares will be as set out on page 
190 and the voting rights of the preferences shares will be as set out in the PERLS III prospectus. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    191 

 
 
 
 
Shareholding Information 

Top 20 Holders of Perpetual Exchangeable Resaleable Listed Securities V (“PERLS V”) as at 7 August 2014 

Rank 

Name of Holder 

1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
19 
19 
20 

Bond Street Custodians Limited 
UBS Wealth Management Australia 
Questor Financial Services 
RBC Dexia Investor Services Australia Nominees Pty Limited 
Navigator Australia Ltd 
HSBC Custody Nominees (Australia) Limited 
Citicorp Nominees Pty Limited 
Nulis Nominees (Australia) 
Australian Executor Trustees Limited 
J P Morgan Nominees Australia Limited 
National Nominees Limited 
Netwealth Investments Limited 
Dimbulu Pty Ltd 
Invia Custodian Pty Limited 
Avanteos Investments Limited 
JMB Pty Ltd 
Peters (Meat) Export Pty Ltd 
Gyor Investments Pty Ltd 
Mr Terrence Elmore Peabody + 
UCA Cash Management Fund Ltd 

Number of   

Securities   

 325,480  
 273,224  
 213,114  
 145,172  
 134,452  
 122,549  
 113,629  
 109,115  
 82,955  
 78,500  
 76,410  
 62,097  
 50,000  
 40,568  
 34,936  
 33,925  
 28,455  
 25,000  
 25,000  
 25,000  

%   

3.25 
2.73 
2.13 
1.45 
1.34 
1.23 
1.14 
1.09 
0.83 
0.79 
0.76 
0.62 
0.50 
0.41 
0.35 
0.34 
0.28 
0.25 
0.25 
0.25 

The top 20 PERLS V security holders hold 1,999,581 securities which is equal to 19.99% of the total securities on issue. 

Stock Exchange Listing 

PERLS  V  are stapled securities  comprising  an  unsecured subordinated  note  issued  by  the Bank’s  New  Zealand  branch  and  a 
preference  share  issued  by  the  Bank.  They  are  listed  on  the  Australian  Securities  Exchange  under  the  trade  symbol  CBAPA. 
Details of trading activity are published in most daily newspapers. 

Range of Shares (PERLS V): 7 August 2014 

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 

Number of   
 Security holders   

Percentage of   
 Security holders   

31,930 
951 
57 
44 
6 
32,988 
13 

96.80 
2.89 
0.18 
0.13 
0.00 
100.00 
0.00 

Number of   
Securities   
5,605,894 
1,870,304 
429,562 
1,137,675 
956,565 
10,000,000 
19 

Percentage of    
Issued   
Capital   
56.06 
18.7 
4.3 
11.38 
9.56 
100.00 
0.00 

PERLS V 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. 

Furthermore, if PERLS V convert into ordinary shares of the Bank in accordance with their terms of issue, then the voting rights of 
the ordinary shares will be as set out on page 190. 

At a general meeting of the Bank, holders of PERLS V are entitled: 

  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. 

192  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

 
 
 
 
Top 20 Holders of Perpetual Exchangeable Resaleable Listed Securities VI (“PERLS VI”) as at 7 August 2014 

Shareholding Information 

Rank 

Name of Holder 

1 
2 
3 
4 
5 
6 
7 
8 
9 
10 
11 
12 
13 
14 
15 
16 
17 
19 
19 
20 

UBS Wealth Management Australia 
Bond Street Custodians Limited 
J P Morgan Nominees Australia Limited 
Questor Financial Services 
HSBC Custody Nominees (Australia) Limited 
National Nominees Limited 
Australian Executor Trustees Limited 
Snowside Pty Ltd 
Cogent Nominees Pty Limited 
Citicorp Nominees Pty Limited 
Netwealth Investments Limited 
Nulis Nominees (Australia) 
Dimbulu Pty Ltd 
Eastcote Pty Limited 
UCA Cash Management Fund Ltd 
V S Access Pty Ltd 
Invia Custodian Pty Limited 
Navigator Australia Ltd 
Wenthor Pty Ltd 
Marento Pty Ltd 

Number of   

Securities   

 648,421  
 522,643  
 342,160  
 291,008  
 262,412  
 253,643  
 161,028  
 156,818  
 108,666  
 107,669  
 106,777  
 106,485  
 100,000  
 100,000  
 96,500  
 80,000  
 68,279  
 58,960  
 57,000  
 52,916  

%   

3.24 
2.61 
1.71 
1.46 
1.31 
1.27 
0.81 
0.78 
0.54 
0.54 
0.53 
0.53 
0.50 
0.50 
0.48 
0.40 
0.34 
0.29 
0.29 
0.26 

The top 20 PERLS VI security holders hold 3,681,385 securities which is equal to 18.39% of the total securities on issue. 

Stock Exchange Listing 

PERLS VI are subordinated unsecured notes issued by the Bank. They are listed on the Australian Securities Exchange under 
the trade symbol CBAPC. Details of trading activity are published in most daily newspapers. 

Range of Shares (PERLS VI): 7 August 2014 

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 

Number of   
 Security holders   
26,110 
2,607 
205 
88 
9 
29,019 
2 

Percentage of   
 Security holders   

89.98 
8.98 
0.71 
0.30 
0.03 
100.00 
0.00 

Number of   
Securities   
 8,371,565  
 5,496,486  
 1,550,046  
 2,381,632  
 2,200,271  
20,000,000 
4 

Percentage of    
Issued   
Capital   
41.86 
27.48 
7.75 
11.91 
11.00 
100.00 
0.00 

PERLS VI do not confer any voting rights in the Bank but if they are exchanged for ordinary shares of the Bank in accordance 
with  their  terms  of  issue,  then  the  voting  rights  of  the  ordinary  shares  will  be  as  set  out  on  page  190  for  the  Bank’s  ordinary 
shares. 

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 converted into ordinary 
shares or preference shares of the Bank in accordance with their terms of issue, then the voting rights of the ordinary shares will 
be  as  set  out  on  page  190  and  the  voting  rights  of  the  preference  shares  will  be  as  set  out  in  the  Trust  Preferred  Securities 
information memorandums. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    193 

 
 
 
 
International Representation 

Australia 

Head Office 
Commonwealth Bank of Australia 
Ground Floor, Tower 1 
201 Sussex Street 
Sydney NSW 2000 
Telephone: +61 2 9378 2000 

New Zealand 

ASB Bank Limited 
ASB North Wharf 
12 Jellicoe Street 
Auckland Central 
Auckland 1010 
Telephone: +64 9 377 8930 
Chief Executive Officer 
Barbara Chapman 

Sovereign Assurance Company Limited 
Level 4, Sovereign House 
74 Taharoto Road,  
Takapuna, Auckland 0622 
Telephone: + 64 9 487 9000 
Chief Executive Officer  
Symon Brewis-Weston 

Colonial First State Global Asset 
Management 
Kiwi Income Property Trust 
Level 14, DLA Phillips Fox Tower 
National Bank Centre 
205-209 Queen Street 
Auckland 1010 
Telephone: +64 9 359 4000 
Facsimile: +64 9 359 3997 
Chief Executive Officer 
Chris Gudgeon 

First State Investments 
Level 3, 33-45 Hurstmere Road 
Takapuna 
Auckland 0622 
Telephone: +64 9 448 4922 
Facsimile: +64 9 486 7131 
Managing Director, Asia Pacific 
Michael Stapleton 

Americas 

United States 

CBA Branch Office 
Level 17, 599 Lexington Avenue  
New York NY 10022 
Telephone: +1 212 848 9200 
Facsimile: +1 212 336 7758 
Managing Director, Americas 
Fiamma Morton 

First State Investments 
Level 17, 599 Lexington Avenue 
New York NY 10022 
Telephone: +1 212 848 9200 
Facsimile: +1 212 336 7758 
Managing Director, Americas 
James Twiss 

China 

CBA, Beijing Representative Office 
Unit 03C, 4-6,7B, Level 46 
China World Tower 1, 
1 Jian Guo Men Wai Avenue 
Beijing 
Telephone: +86 10 5680 3188 
Facsimile: +86 10 5961 1916 
China Chief Representative 
Liang Zhang 

CBA Beijing Branch Office  
Room 4606 China World Tower,  
1 Jianguomenwai Avenue, Beijing,  
China 100004 
Telephone: +86 10 5680 3000  
Facsimile: +86 10 5961 1916 
Branch Manager Beijing 
Liang Zhang  

CBA Shanghai Branch Office 
Level 11 Azia Centre  
1233 Lujiazui Ring Road  
Pudong  
Shanghai 200120 
Telephone: +86 21 6123 8900 
Facsimile: +86 21 6165 0285 
Branch Manager Shanghai (Designate) 
Vivienne Yu 

CommBank Management Consulting  
(Shanghai) Co. Ltd 
11F Azia Centre 
1233 Lujiazui Ring Road, Pudong 
Shanghai 200120 
Telephone: +86 21 6058 0100 
Facsimile: +86 21 6168 3298 
Executive General Manager China 
Vivienne Yu 

Additional Chinese representation  
The Group has established 15 County 
Banks in China in Henan Province 
(County: Jiyuan, Dengfeng, Lankao, 
Mianchi, Yichuan, Yongcheng, Wenxian) 
and Hebei Province (County: Xinji, 
Yongnian, Cixian, Luancheng, Cheng’an, 
Weixian, Shexian, Handan). 
Telephone: +86 216058 0100 

First State Cinda Fund Management Co. 
Ltd. 
24th Floor, China Merchants Bank 
Building 
7088, Shen Nan Road, Shenzhen 
China 518040  
Telephone: +86 755 8317 2666 
Facsimile: +86 755 8319 6151 
Managing Director, Asia Pacific 
Michael Stapleton 

Hong Kong 

CBA Branch Office 
1501-5, Chater House 
8 Connaught Road, 
Central 
Hong Kong 
Telephone: +852 2844 7500 
Facsimile: +852 2845 9194 
Executive General Manager Corporate 
and Institutional Banking Asia 
James Rickward 

First State Investments 
6th Floor, Three Exchange Square 
8 Connaught Place, Central 
Hong Kong 
Telephone: +852 2846 7555 
Facsimile: +852 2868 4742 
Managing Director, Asia Pacific 
Michael Stapleton 

India 

CBA Mumbai Branch 
Level 2, Hoechst House 
Nariman Point 
Mumbai 400021 
Telephone: +91 22 6139 0100 
Facsimile: +91 22 6139 0200 
Chief Executive Officer 
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 
Tony Costa 

PT Commonwealth Life 
Level 8, Wisma Metropolitan II 
JI. Jendral Sudirman Kav. 29-31 
Jakarta 12920 
Telephone: +62 21 570 5000 
Facsimile: +62 21 520 5353 
President Director 
Simon Bennett 

194  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
International Representation 

First State Investments 
29th Floor, Gedung Artha Graha 
Sudirman Central Business District 
Jl. Jend. Sudirman Kav. 52-53 
Jakarta 12190 
Telephone: +62 21 2935 3300 
Facsimile: +62 21 2935 3388 
Managing Director, Asia Pacific 
Michael Stapleton 

Japan 

CBA Branch Office 
8th Floor, Toranomon Waiko Building 
12-1 Toranomon 5-chome 
Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0001 
Telephone: +81 3 5400 7280 
Facsimile: +81 3 5400 7288 
Branch Head Tokyo 
Martin Spann 

First State Investments 
8th Floor, Toranomon Waiko Building 
12-1 Toranomon 5-chome 
Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-0001 
Telephone: +81 3 5402 4831 
Facsimile: +81 3 5402 4839 
Managing Director, Asia Pacific 
Michael Stapleton 

CBA HCMC Branch office 
Ground Floor 
Han Nam Office 
65 Nguyen Du St., Dist. 1 
Ho Chi Minh City 
Telephone: +84 8 5445 2939 
Facsimile: +84 8 5445 2942 
General Director 
Ross Munn 

Europe 

United Kingdom 

CBA Branch Office 
Senator House 
85 Queen Victoria Street 
London EC4V 4HA 
Telephone: +44 20 7710 3999 
Facsimile: +44 20 7710 3939 
Managing Director, Europe 
Paul Orchart 

First State Investments 
3rd Floor, 30 Cannon Street 
London EC4M 6YQ 
Telephone: +44 0 20 7332 6500 
Facsimile: +44 0 20 7332 6501 
Managing Director, EMEA 
Chris Turpin 

Singapore 

Scotland 

CBA Branch Office 
One Temasek Avenue 
17-01 Millenia Tower 
Singapore 039192 
Telephone: +65 6349 7000 
Facsimile: +65 6224 5812 
Managing Director, Singapore 
Gregory Williams 

First State Investments 
One Temasek Avenue  
17-01 Millenia Tower 
Singapore 039192 
Telephone: +65 6538 0008 
Facsimile: +65 6538 0800 
Managing Director, Asia Pacific 
Michael Stapleton 

Vietnam 

CBA Representative Office 
Suite 202-203A 
Central Building  
31 Hai Ba Trung, Hanoi 
Telephone: +84 4 3824 3213 
Facsimile: +84 4 3824 3961 
Chief Representative and Director of  
Investment and Banking 
Hanh Nguyen 

First State Investments 
23 St Andrew Square 
Edinburgh EH2 1BB 
Telephone: +44 0 131 473 2200 
Facsimile: +44 0 131 473 2222 
Managing Director, EMEA 
Chris Turpin 

Germany 

First State Investments 
Westhafen Tower 
Westhafenplatz 1 
60327 Frankfurt a.M. 
Telephone: +49 0 69 710456 - 302 
Managing Director, EMEA 
Chris Turpin 

Malta 

CommBank Europe Limited 
Level 3 Strand Towers 
36 The Strand 
Sliema SLM1022 
Telephone: +356 2132 0812 
Facsimile: +356 2132 0811 
Chief Financial Officer 
Brett Smith 

France 

First State Investments 
15, Avenue d’Eylau 
75016 Paris 
Telephone: +33 1 7302 4674 
Managing Director, EMEA 
Chris Turpin 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    195 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Contact Us 

132 221 General Enquiries 

For  your  everyday  banking  including  paying  bills  using 
BPAY® our automated service is available 24 hours a day, 7 
days a week.  

132 221 Lost or Stolen Cards 

To report a lost or stolen card 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

From overseas call +61 2 9999 3283. 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 or investment home loan or to 
maintain an existing loan. Available from 8am to 8pm, 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 132 221. 

Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

Do  your  business  banking  on  our  Business  Internet  Banking 
Service  CommBiz  at  www.commbank.com.au/CommBiz 
available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

To apply for access to CommBiz, call 132 339. 

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. 

196  Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

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. 

131 709 CommSec Margin Loan 

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  our  Business  Banking  team 
living  in  regional  and  rural  Australia,  they  understand  the 
challenges  you  face.  Available  from  8am  to  6pm,  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. 

1300 362 081 Commonwealth Private 

Commonwealth Private offers clients with significant financial 
resources  a  comprehensive  range  of  services,  advice  and 
opportunities  to  meet  their  specific  needs.  For  a  confidential 
discussion  about  how  Commonwealth  Private  can  help  you, 
call  1300  362  081  between  8am  to  5:30pm  (Sydney  time), 
visit 
or 
Monday 
www.commbank.com.au/commonwealthprivate 

Friday 

to 

132 015 Commonwealth Financial Services 

For  enquiries  on  retirement  and  superannuation  products,  or 
to  6pm 
investments.  Available 
managed 
(Sydney Time), Monday to Friday.  

from  8.30am 

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. 

 
Corporate Directory 

Registered Office 

Ground Floor, Tower 1 
201 Sussex Street 
Sydney NSW 2000 
Telephone +61 2 9378 2000 
Facsimile +61 2 9118 7192 

Company Secretary 

Margaret Taylor 

Shareholder Information 

www.commbank.com.au/shareholder 

Share Registrar 

Link Market Services Limited 
Level 12 
680 George Street 
SYDNEY NSW 2000 
Telephone: 1800 022 440 
Facsimile: +61 2 9287 0303 
Internet: www.linkmarketservices.com.au  
Email: cba@linkmarketservices.com.au 

Telephone numbers for overseas shareholders  
New Zealand 
0800 442 845  
United Kingdom 
0845 640 6130  
Fiji 
008 002 054  
Other International 
+61 2 8280 7199  

Australian Securities Exchange Listing 

CBA 

Annual Report 

To request a copy of the Annual Report, please call Link Market Services Limited on 1800 022 440 or by email at 
cba@linkmarketservices.com.au 
Electronic versions of Commonwealth Bank’s past and current Annual Reports are available on 
www.commbank.com.au/shareholder/annualreports. 

Commonwealth Bank of Australia – Annual Report 2014 

    197 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CBA1421 180814