Acquisition of Assets or Shares

The types of proposals in this category, which should be notified to the Government, are as follows:

• Acquisitions of Shares in an existing Australian business with total assets of more than $100 million or where the proposal values the business at more than $100 million.  Different thresholds apply to US investors (indexed annually) - $105 million for investments in prescribed sensitive sectors or by an entity controlled by a US government, or $913 million in any other case;
• Acquisition of Assets valued at more than $100 million.  Different thresholds apply to US investors (see above);
• Offshore takeovers of a foreign company whose Australian subsidiaries or assets are valued at more than $200 million, and account for less than 50 per cent of the target company's global assets.  Different thresholds apply to US investors (indexed annually) - $210 million for investments in prescribed sensitive sectors or by an entity controlled by a US government, or $913 million in any other case;
• Direct Investments By Foreign Governments or their agencies irrespective of size;
• Acquisition of shares in a company or trust that is considered an Urban Land Corporation or Trust, regardless of value;
• proposals where any doubt exists as to whether they are notifiable.

This section also includes a section on Compliance Issues.