Our Organisation

We’re open to the public and we’re all about the member; we exist to benefit our members and we routinely return profits to them, not shareholders. This philosophy shapes everything we do and since 1971 has enabled us to provide a genuine alternative to the big banks through low fees, competitive interest rates, attentive service and more recently focused financial advice.

Today we assist members right around Australia, including in the mining communities Moranbah, Newman, Hedland and Roxby Downs, and the cities of Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane amongst others.

Our approach is simple; we aim to meet the financial needs of our members over the course of their life, through Big Sky Financial Solutions.  That means products and advice right for kids, right for retirees, and right for everyone in between. We continue to build our businesses to better accommodate this aim, by developing our own products to members’ specifications and by introducing specialist product providers such as insurers where appropriate.

Our members tell us we’re warm and friendly, knowledgeable and trustworthy, and in many instances that trust now extends over decades and amounts to assisting up to 4 generations of family members.

If you’d like to learn more about Big Sky Credit Union or Big Sky Financial Solutions, or indeed tell us your story, get in contact with us on 1300 654 321.

Since starting out as the BHP Employee Co-operative in 1971 we’ve come a very long way. Along the journey we’ve successfully merged with several Credit Unions (BP CU, GMH CU, RACV CU) opened our doors to the general public and diversified to better meet the ongoing needs of our members.

As the BHP Employee Credit Co-operative, our Head Office was located at 600 Bourke St in Melbourne and was supported by offices in the company strongholds of Hedland, Newman and Moranbah with Westernport a former Lysaght CU site. Upon our merger in 2003 with the then BP Credit Union, (est. 1971 also) we increased our Service Centre footprint by two, adding a presence in major refineries in Kwinana (WA) and Bulwer Island (Qld), and our membership by 6000.

When BHP merged with Billiton Ltd in 2000 the Credit Union also saw the need to make a change. The name Big Sky was chosen to represent our long association with BHP and to the resources industry.  At this point our link to the resource industry extended to Hedland and Newman in WA, Moranbah (QLD) and Roxby Downs (SA) and many of the businesses divested by BHP during its restructure. Further mergers with RACV CU (2006) and GMH CU (2009) strengthened our member base and facilitated Service Centres in Elizabeth (SA) andPort Melbourne (VIC).

In 2009 we also took the significant step of creating Big Sky Financial Solutions, a financial planning business jointly owned with Outlook Financial Solutions.

The staff and management of Big Sky are passionately committed to a set of values which underpin the accepted behaviours at Big Sky.

• Teamwork  - We strive for relationships, partnerships and alliances that foster valued team outcomes and support a shared vision.
• Empowerment  - Our people are the interface with our members. Engaged and committed staff will be attracted, retained and supported through 'Best Workplace' practices.
• Accountability  - We hold ourselves and each other accountable to the members and Board of Big Sky, for a relationship built on honesty, respect and integrity.
• Member Focus  - We respect and value the mutuality relationship. We will deliver services and products to enhance the benefits of belonging.

Big Sky members are predominately drawn from regional and industrial communities. Regional communities include: Hedland (WA), Newman (WA), Moranbah (QLD) and Roxby Downs (SA) where everyone is welcome to join Big Sky. Industrial communities include: BHP Billiton, BP Australia, BlueScope Steel, Onesteel, Elite, Hatch Associates, RACV, GMH and their subsidiaries, affiliated or divested companies. For all our locations visit Our Service Centre page.

Big Sky staff are it’s biggest asset. With a strong focus on member service, we continue to develop our staff through various training and coaching programs, ensuring that we continue to further develop their skills and aspirations in particular by supporting and coaching all staff both during and post any training undertaken.

The Board and Management are responsible for ensuring Big Sky meets its prudential and statutory requirements and has systems in place to limit risk to prudent levels.

The Board has determined the various risks and established policies and monitoring systems to manage those risks.

Big Sky Board Members:

G J Willcock, B.Comm, FCPA (Chairman)
Board member since January 2006. Chairman of the Board, Chairman of the Executive Committee. Member of the Nominations Committee, Ex-officia member of all Board Committees.

C W Wirth, B.Comm, FCPA 
Board Member since 2000. Chairman of the Board June 2001- 2010. Member of the Governance Committee and Member of the Executive Committee.

P A MacCuspie, B.Sc (Hons), FAICD 
Former Chairman of BP Credit Union, appointed to the Board in September 2003. Chairman of Big Sky Financial Solutions.

H L Thornton, B.Ec, ACA 
Board member since August 1999. Chairperson of the Audit and Risk Committee and Member of the Executive Committee.

Evelyn Harris, B Ec LLB 
Appointed to the Board 26th March 2009. Member of the Governance Committee and Audit and Risk Committee.

Diarmuid McAlary B. Bus (Acc), CPA, GAICD
Appointed to the Board 18th May 2011. Member of the Audit & Risk Committee.

The names of the Company Secretaries in office at the end of the year are:

A P Ryan, B.Bus(Acc), FCPA, AFAIM, F.Fin, FdnDFP, FAMI 
Current Chief Executive Officer of Big Sky Credit Union.

M R McCall, B.Ec, CPA, MAMI
Current Chief Financial Officer of Big Sky Credit Union.
 
Board Renewal Policy
Constitution
Audit & Risk Commitee Terms of Reference
Governance Committee Terms of Reference
Executive Committee Terms of Reference
Nominations Committee Terms of Reference