Private Equity in Australia

Private equity investment in Australia has changed in both extent and nature over the last few years. In particular, transactions where a private equity fund buys out a mature publicly listed company have increased. The targeting of ‘iconic’ companies such as Qantas by private equity heightened the concerns held in some quarters of the possible impact of private equity ownership on corporate stability and employment conditions in these companies. This article provides an overview of private equity transactions in Australia. It also reviews the major concerns with the private equity business model, which were presented by various parties to a senate enquiry in 2007. It argues that a window of opportunity was open during 2006 and 2007 for private equity owners to extract returns on their investment by reducing employment costs using the Work Choices legislation. That such an approach was not pursued suggests that private equity funds realize returns through a number of avenues, not just by reducing running costs or rationalizing productive assets.