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APA GROUP — Annual Report 2023
Aug 22, 2023
64398_rns_2023-08-22_93dd07a5-beea-4d77-90d2-660394d5e11b.pdf
Annual Report
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APA Group Limited ACN 091 344 704 | APA Infrastructure Trust ARSN 091 678 778 | APA Investment Trust ARSN 115 585 441 Level 25, 580 George Street Sydney NSW 2000 | PO Box R41 Royal Exchange NSW 1225 Phone +61 2 9693 0000 | Fax +61 2 9693 0093 APA Group | apa.com.au
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23 August 2023
ASX ANNOUNCEMENT
APA Group (ASX: APA)
Annual Financial Results
APA Group provides the attached for the financial year ended 30 June 2023:
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APA Infrastructure Trust Appendix 4E
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APA Infrastructure Trust Annual Report
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APA Investment Trust Annual Report
The webcast, which starts at 10.30am (AEST) today is accessible via a link here
Authorised for release by Amanda Cheney
Company Secretary APA Group Limited
For further information, please contact:
Investor enquiries: Media enquiries: Andrew Gibson Michael Cox General Manager Investor Relations Head of Media Relations & Financial Communications Telephone: +61 3 8416 2466 Telephone: +61 2 8044 7002 Mob: +61 437 169 292 Mob: +61 429 465 227 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]
About APA Group (APA)
APA is a leading Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) listed energy infrastructure business. We own and/or manage and operate a diverse, $22 billion portfolio of gas, electricity, solar and wind assets. Consistent with our purpose to strengthen communities through responsible energy, we deliver approximately half of the nation’s gas usage and connect Victoria with South Australia, Tasmania with Victoria and New South Wales with Queensland through our investments in electricity transmission assets. We also own and operate renewable power generation assets in Australia, with wind and solar projects across the country. APA Infrastructure Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of APA Infrastructure Trust and is the borrowing entity of APA Group. For more information visit APA’s website, apa.com.au.
APA Infrastructure Trust Results for announcement to the market For the year ended 30 June 2023 Appendix 4E
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Results
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2023 2022
Change $m $m
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| Revenue including share of profts from equity | Up | 6.6% | to | 2,913 | 2,732 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| accounted investments | |||||
| Proft after tax including signifcant items(1) | Up | 10.4% | to | 287 | 260 |
| Proft after tax excluding signifcant items | Up | 19.6% | to | 287 | 240 |
| Free cash fow(2) | Down | 1.0% | to | 1,070 | 1,081 |
| Free cash fow per security | Down | 0.9¢ | to | 90.7¢ | 91.6¢ |
| Earnings per security including signifcant items | Up | 2.2¢ | to | 24.3¢ | 22.1¢ |
| Earnings per security excluding signifcant items | Up | 3.9¢ | to | 24.3¢ | 20.4¢ |
(1) Refer to note 2 of the Financial Statements for details of significant items.
(2) Free cash flow is Operating cash flow adjusted for strategically significant transformation projects, less stay-in-business (SIB) capital expenditure, which includes operating asset replacement costs and technology lifecycle costs.
Reporting Period
The above results are for the financial year ended 30 June 2023, reference is made to movements from the previous corresponding period being the financial year ended 30 June 2022.
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APA Group
Amount per Franking credits
Distributions paid and proposed security per security
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| Final distribution proposed | ||
|---|---|---|
| proft distribution | 7.64¢ | – |
| capital distribution | 21.36¢ | – |
| 29.00¢ | – | |
| Interim distribution paid | ||
| proft distribution | 16.93¢ | 3.64¢ |
| capital distribution | 9.07¢ | – |
| 26.00¢ | 3.64¢ | |
| 55.00¢ | 3.64¢ |
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APA Infrastructure Trust Results for announcement to the market For the year ended 30 June 2023 Appendix 4E
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The record date for determining entitlements to the unrecognised final distribution in respect of the current financial year is 30 June 2023.
Distribution information is presented on an accounting classification basis. The APA Group Annual Tax Statement and Annual Tax Return Guide (to be released in September 2023) provides the classification of distribution components for the purposes of preparation of security holder income tax returns.
The Directors have reviewed APA Group’s financial position and funding requirements and have decided to retain the suspension of the Distribution Reinvestment Plan until further notice.
| Net asset backing per security | 2023 $ 2022 $ |
|---|---|
| Net tangible asset backing per security Net asset backing per security |
(1.19) (0.73) 1.62 2.23 |
Additional information and commentary on results for the year
For additional disclosures refer to the APA Group annual report for the year ended 30 June 2023 accompanying this Appendix 4E.
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ANNUAL REPORT 2023
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powering tomorrow
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About this report: The 2023 Annual Report is our primary report to securityholders and provides a consolidated summary of APA Group’s performance for the financial year ended 30 June 2023. It should be read in conjunction with the reports that comprise the 2023 Annual Reporting Suite including: Annual Report, Sustainability Data Book, Results Presentation available from https://www.apa.com.au/investors, as well as the Climate Report and Climate Data Book that will be available at this website in September 2023. In this report, unless otherwise stated, references to ‘APA Group’, ‘we’, ‘us’ and ‘our’ refer to APA comprising the ASX-listed entity and the APA Infrastructure Trust and the APA Investment Trust. Any reference in this report to a ‘year’ relates to the financial year ended 30 June 2023. All dollar figures are expressed in Australian dollars unless otherwise stated.
The Board acknowledges its responsibility for the 2023 Annual Report and has been directly involved in its development and direction. The Board reviewed, considered and provided feedback during the production process and approved the Annual Report at its August 2023 Board meeting.
This report outlines APA Group’s activities – governed by our purpose, vision and values and corporate strategy – delivering the financial, non-financial and sustainability performance required to capture opportunities whilst managing risks.
Towards integrated reporting: APA Group is committed to providing securityholders, other external stakeholders and our people with timely, consistent and transparent corporate reporting. APA is moving towards integrated reporting over a multi-year period in order to create trusting and transparent relationships with all stakeholders and to provide a more complete picture of how we create and preserve long-term value. The integrated reporting concept refers to a principles-based, multi-capital framework in which companies can communicate clearly and concisely about how their strategies, governance, performance, prospects and sustainability-related actions create value in the context of their external environment. The International Finance Reporting Standards Foundation formed the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) in November 2021. The ISSB’s purpose is to deliver a comprehensive global baseline of sustainability-related disclosure standards that provide investors and other capital market participants with information about companies’ sustainability-related risks and help them make informed investment. These standards, when issued, are expected to result in a more definitive approach for companies to follow with regard to integrated reporting. Our FY23 Annual Report has been developed with this in mind.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY
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At APA, we acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands on which we live and work throughout Australia. We acknowledge their connections to land, sea and community.
We pay our respects to their Elders past and present and commit to ensuring APA operates in a fair and ethical manner that respects First Nations peoples’ rights and interests.
| About this report:APA Group comprises two registered investment schemes, APA Infrastructure Trust (ARSN 091 678 778) and APA Investment Trust (ARSN 115 585 441), the securities of which are stapled together. APA Group Limited (ACN 091 344 704) is the responsible entity of APA Infrastructure Trust and APA Investment Trust. Disclaimer: Please note that APA Group Limited is not licensed to provide fnancial product or investment advice in relation to securities in APA Group. This publication does not constitute fnancial product advice and has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, fnancial situation or particular needs. Before relying on any statements contained in this publication, including forecasts and projections, you should consider the appropriateness of the information, having regard to your own objectives, fnancial situations and needs and seek professional advice if necessary. Past performance information should not be relied upon as (and is not) an indication of future performance. Forward-looking information:This publication contains forward-looking information, including about APA Group, its fnancial results and other matters which are subject to risk factors. ‘Forward-looking statements’ may include indications of, and guidance on, future earnings and fnancial position and performance, statements regarding APA Group’s future strategies and capital expenditure, statements regarding estimates of future demand and consumption and statements regarding APA’s sustainability and climate transition plans and strategies, the impact of climate change and other sustainability issues for APA, energy transition scenarios, actions of third parties, and external enablers such as technology development and commercialisation, policy support, market support and energy and ofsets availability. Forward-looking statements can generally be identifed by the use of forward-looking words such as, ‘expect’, ‘anticipate’, ‘likely’, ‘intend’, ‘could’, ‘may’, ‘predict’, ‘plan’, ‘propose’, ‘will’, ‘believe’, ‘forecast’, ‘estimate’, ‘target’, ‘outlook’, ‘guidance’, ‘goal’, ‘ambition’ and other similar expressions and include, but are not limited to, forecast EBIT and EBITDA, free cash fow, operating cash fow, distribution guidance and estimated asset life. At the date of this report, APA Group believes there are reasonable grounds for these forward-looking statements and due care and attention have been used in preparing this report. Forward-looking statements, opinions and estimates are not guarantees or predictions of future performance and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors. Many of these are beyond the control of APA Group, and may involve signifcant elements of subjective judgement and assumptions about future events, which may or may not be correct. There can be no assurance that actual outcomes will not materially difer from these forward-looking statements, opinions and estimates. A number of important factors could cause actual results or performance to difer materially from such forward- looking statements, opinions and estimates. These factors include, but are not limited to: general economic conditions; exchange rates; technological changes; the geopolitical environment; the extent, nature and location of physical impacts of climate change; changes associated with the energy market transition; and government and regulatory intervention, including to limit the impacts of climate change or manage the impact of Australia’s transitioning energy system. A number of these factors are described under the heading ‘Material risks’ beginning on page 20 of this report. Readers should review and have regard to these risks when considering the information in this report, and are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, particularly in light of the long-time horizon which this report discusses. There are also limitations with respect to climate scenario analysis and it is difcult to predict which, if any, of the scenarios might eventuate. Scenario analysis is not an indication of probable outcomes and relies on assumptions that may or may not prove to be correct or eventuate. Scenarios may also be impacted by additional factors to the assumptions disclosed. Investors should form their own views as to these matters and any assumptions on which any forward-looking statements, estimates or opinions are based. Except as required by applicable laws or regulations, APA does not undertake to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements to refect any change in expectations, contingencies or assumptions, whether as a result of new information or future events. To the maximum extent permitted by law, APA and its ofcers do not accept any liability for any loss arising from the use of the information contained in this report. Non-IFRS fnancial measures:APA Group results are reported under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). However, investors should be aware that this report includes certain fnancial measures that are non-IFRS fnancial measures for the purposes of providing a more comprehensive understanding of the performance of the APA Group. These non-IFRS fnancial measures include FCF, EBIT, EBITDA and other 'normalised' measures. Such non-IFRS information is unaudited, however the numbers have been extracted from the audited fnancial statements. |
About this report IFC |
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| Disclaimer 1 |
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| Overview and highlights 2 Chairman's and Managing Director’s Report 2 FY23 summary 4 |
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| About APA 8 |
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| External environment 11 |
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| Our strategy 14 |
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| Risks and opportunities 18 |
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| Sustainability at APA 24 Sustainability highlights 26 Climate change transition and risk 28 Community and social performance 30 First Nations Peoples 34 Environment and heritage 36 People and culture 38 Safety, health and wellbeing 42 Customers and suppliers 46 |
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| Performance 50 |
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| Outlook 59 |
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| Governance 60 APA Group Board 62 APA Executive Leadership 64 |
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| APA Infrastructure Trust Financial Report 68 Directors’ Report 68 Remuneration Report 74 Consolidated Financial Statements 92 Directors’ Declaration 160 Auditor Independence / Audit Report 161 |
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| APA Investment Trust Financial Report 168 Directors’ Report 168 Consolidated Financial Statements 174 Directors’ Declaration 189 Auditor Independence / Audit Report 190 |
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| Additional information 194 |
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| Five year fnancial summary 195 |
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| Investor information 196 |
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| Glossary 197 |
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1
Message from the Chairman and Managing Director
FY23 was another solid year of delivery for APA.
Over the past 12 months we delivered earnings and distribution growth, invested in infrastructure to support Australia’s energy security and refreshed our strategic ambition – to be the partner of choice in delivering infrastructure solutions for the energy transition.
With execution against this strategy building momentum, we have revitalised our executive team to position us to capture future growth opportunities. We also made good progress on our three strategic priorities – ensuring our people are engaged, motivated and safe; delivering operational excellence; and creating value for investors and communities.
Over the last 12 months we also progressed our strategy to improve employee inclusion and diversity. Highlights included increasing female representation across our total workforce from 29.5% to 31.8% and in senior leadership roles from 30.4% to 31.4%. These trends are a direct result of the specific action we’ve taken to attract women to APA and support their career progression.
We also completed a comprehensive review of like-for-like roles and where any gender pay equity gaps were identified, we ensured they were immediately addressed.
Delivering operational excellence
Financial performance
Our financial performance in FY23 was underpinned by the reliability of our operations and the strength of our infrastructure and capabilities. Total statutory revenue (excluding pass-through revenue) was $2,353 million, up 5.1%, driven by a strong Energy Infrastructure performance and initial contributions from Basslink.
Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (Reported EBITDA) of $1,686 million represented a 3.4% increase on the previous year and on an underlying EBITDA basis, earnings were up 2% to $1,725 million. Statutory profit after tax (including significant items) was up 10.4% to $287 million.
Our performance enabled the Board to declare a final distribution of 29.0 cents, taking the FY23 distribution to 55.0 cents per security, in line with guidance. This represents an increase of 3.8% on FY22 and has been delivered in parallel with our ongoing significant investment to build capability and capitalise on emerging growth opportunities.
Our people
The skills and dedication of our people are critical to our ongoing success, and their safety and engagement remain a priority focus area.
We reported zero fatalities and zero serious injuries in FY23 and achieved a 42% reduction in our potential serious harm incident frequency rate compared to FY22. This was the result of our focus on incident prevention and drive towards continuous improvement in safety performance.
Our Total Recordable Injury Frequency Rate (TRIFR) increased slightly this year following a 42% decrease in FY22.
Delivering operational excellence goes to the heart of our social licence and underpins our ongoing financial results. In FY23 we opened our new national state-of-the-art Integrated Operations Centre – a facility that will allow us to support all our customers and markets from one central location.
In process safety we recorded three Tier 1 incidents, including a rupture on our Young-Lithgow pipeline during a flooding event, as well as two power outages highlighting the need to ensure we are always vigilant in the operation and maintenance of our assets.
Creating value
Creating value is central to our success and underpins our ability to deliver for customers, investors, communities and our people.
In FY23 we brought clarity to our growth strategy. Our focus is to be the partner of choice in our selected asset classes of contracted renewables and firming, electricity transmission, gas transportation and future energy.
We already have momentum with the execution of this strategy. In FY23 we invested $845 million in growth opportunities and completed several major projects. This included the delivery of the largest remote-grid solar farm in Australia, the Dugald River Solar Farm, the acquisition of the Basslink interconnector which further expands our electricity transmission business, delivery of the first stage of the East Coast Gas Grid expansion and completion of the Northern Goldfields Interconnect (NGI) pipeline, providing greater energy security and supporting growth and transition in the Western Australia resources sector.
2 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
Positioning for the energy transition
APA has a critical role to play in the energy transition and we look forward to progressing the opportunities in front of us. The strength of our infrastructure and capabilities will be central to this.
In FY23 we took important steps to further build the capability we need to deliver our strategy and capitalise on these opportunities. We’ve done this by investing in our people and bringing new skills and experiences into the organisation, including in our executive leadership team.
We appointed Adam Watson as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director in December. Over the past year we also welcomed Liz McNamara as Group Executive, Sustainability and Corporate Affairs, and Vin Vassallo as our Group Executive, Electricity Transmission. We also announced the appointment of Petrea Bradford as Group Executive, Operations, and Garrick Rollason as Chief Financial Officer, who will both join APA in the first half of FY24.
Similarly, we have recently announced the appointment of Nino Ficca as a Non-Executive Director, with effect from 1 September 2023, who will bring significant electricity transmission and energy market experience to APA.
These appointments complement the existing diverse skills and experiences of our executive leadership team and Board and will ensure we are well positioned to deliver on the next phase of growth.
Building a sustainable business
Delivering for securityholders
Over the past three years we have invested in ongoing safe and reliable operations, funded the acquisition of Basslink as well as $1.6 billion in organic growth opportunities from existing cash flow and debt, all while maintaining an investment grade credit rating. In FY23 we again delivered growth in EBITDA and distributions.
Reflecting our ongoing investment in the business and the significant opportunities presented by the energy transition, in FY24 we will ensure our distribution growth is appropriately balanced to accommodate ongoing investment in the business and drive long-term value accretive growth.
Looking ahead
Our progress in FY23 provides a strong foundation for us to build on. We have clarity around our customer focused strategy and the role APA can play in the energy transition.
The growth opportunity set for our organisation is large. We are focused on continuing to invest in our business, executing our growth strategy and ensuring we can continue to deliver sustainable earnings growth for securityholders over the long-term.
On behalf of the Board and leadership team, we would like to thank our employees for their ongoing efforts and dedication. We would also like to thank our customers, communities and other stakeholders for their continuing engagement.
Finally, our sincere thanks to our securityholders for their support. We look forward to updating you over the year ahead.
Incorporating sustainability into everything we do is central to how we operate.
Further progress against our FY21-24 Sustainability Roadmap was delivered throughout the year. This included the release of our first Climate Transition Plan (CTP), detailing our commitment and pathway to net zero and the development of our inaugural Reconciliation Action Plan that we will launch in FY24.
This year we have also brought our non-financial or sustainability reporting into our Annual Report as a first step towards integrated reporting and look forward to progressing this further for securityholders in FY24.
Our FY23 Climate Report will also be released ahead of the FY23 Annual General Meeting, satisfying our commitment to report annually on the progress against our CTP.
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Michael Fraser Chairman
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Adam Watson Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director
3
Financial highlights
SEGMENT REVENUE[1] UNDERLYING EBITDA² FREE CASH FLOW (FCF)³ +2.0% to +5.1% to $1,725m -1.0% to $2,353m Up 3.5% excluding Orbost; $1,070m Driven by a solid Energy includes investment in capability Infrastructure performance to support growth ambitions and Impacted by higher and inflation business resilience stay-in-business capex BALANCE SHEET FY23 DPS⁴ FY24 DPS GUIDANCE[5] 10.6% FFO/ +3.8% to 56.0 cps Net Debt 55.0cps Up 1.8% on FY23, reflecting Funded ~$1.2bn of investment In line with guidance; representing desire to accommodate from cash flow and debt a payout ratio of 60.6% ongoing investment
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Segment Revenue excluding pass-through. Pass-through revenue is offset by pass-through expenses within EBITDA. Any management fee earned for the provision of these services is recognised within total revenue. Reported increase is against FY22. Underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation ("EBITDA") excludes recurring items arising from other activities, transactions that are not directly attributable to the performance of APA Group's business operations and significant items. Reported increase is against FY22. Free Cash Flow is Operating Cash Flow adjusted for strategically significant transformation projects, less stay-in-business (SIB) capex. SIB capex includes operational assets lifecycle replacement costs and technology lifecycle costs. Reported decrease is against FY22.
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Distribution guidance is subject to asset performance, macroeconomic factors, regulatory changes as well as timing of distributions from non-100% owned assets, with distributions to be determined at the Board’s discretion. It does not take into account the impact of any potential acquisitions or divestments by APA and any associated funding arrangements, other than the acquisition of Alinta Energy Pilbara and the associated Placement and Security Purchase Plan
4
Non-financial highlights
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|Operational excellence|Invested in capability|Sustainability progress|
|enhancements|achieved across priority|
|Enhanced capability across|
|areas in FY23|
|business development,|
|Established a new Integrated|
|technology and business|
|Operations Centre, implemented|
|resilience, regulatory, risk and|Set a methane target, developed|
|a new Field Mobility system, GRID|
|compliance, sustainability and|APA's inaugural RAP|[1]|, developed and|
|solution program underway|
|corporate affairs|commenced the roll-out of our ‘Being|
|Heritage Aware’ training module|
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Partnering with our $845m invested in customers to achieve critical infrastructure their decarbonisation in FY23 objectives Delivered key projects to underpin reliable energy supply for the community 1 Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).
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Refreshed our strategy
Customer focused across four priority asset classes
DELIVERED SOLUTIONS FOR OUR CUSTOMERS, INVESTED IN CAPABILITY AND PROGRESSED OUR SUSTAINABILITY AGENDA
5
FY23 Summary (continued)
Financial results
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30 June 2023 30 June 2022 Changes
$m $m %1
Revenue 2,913 2,732 6.6%
Total revenue excluding pass-through [2] 2,401 2,236 7.4%
Segment revenue excluding pass-through [3] 2,353 2,238 5.1%
Underlying EBITDA [4] 1,725 1,692 2.0%
Total reported EBITDA [5] 1,686 1,630 3.4%
Statutory profit after tax including significant items 287 260 10.4%
Profit after tax excluding significant items 287 240 19.6%
Free cash flow [6] 1,070 1,081 (1.0%)
Financial position
Total assets 15,866 15,836 0.2%
Total drawn debt [7] 11,240 11,146 0.8%
Total equity 1,910 2,629 (27.3%)
Financial ratios
Free cash flow per security (cents) 90.7 91.6 (1.0%)
Earnings per security (cents) including significant items 24.3 22.1 10.0%
Earnings per security (cents) excluding significant items 24.3 20.4 19.1%
Distribution per security (cents) 55.0 53.0 3.8%
Distribution payout ratio (%) [8] 60.6 57.9 4.7%
FFO/Net Debt (%) [9] 10.6 11.1 (7.8%)
FFO/Interest (times) 3.3x 3.6x (8.3%)
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1 Positive/negative changes are shown relative to impact on profit or other relevant performance metric.
2 Statutory revenue excluding pass-through. Pass-through revenue is offset by pass-through expenses within EBITDA. Any management fee earned for the provision of these services is recognised within total revenue.
3 Segment revenue excludes: pass-through revenue; Wallumbilla Gas Pipeline hedge accounting unwind; income on Basslink debt investment; Basslink AEMC market compensation and other interest income.
4 Underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) excludes recurring items arising from other activities, transactions that are not directly attributable to the performance of APA Group’s business operations and significant items.
5 Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation ("EBITDA") including non-operating items.
6 Free cash flow is Operating Cash Flow adjusted for strategically significant transformation projects, less stay-in-business (SIB) capex. SIB capex includes operational assets’ lifecycle replacement costs and technology lifecycle costs.
7 APA’s ability to repay debt at relevant due dates of the drawn facilities. This amount represents the actual debt outstanding in Australian Dollars at period end. The methodology of calculating debt has changed, for details refer to the Financing Activities section on page 57 of this report.
8 Distribution payout ratio = total distribution applicable to the financial year as a percentage of free cash flow.
- 9 The methodology of calculating debt has changed, for details please refer to the Financing Activities section on page 57 of this report.
6
APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
A SOLID FY23 FINANCIAL RESULT AS WE CONTINUE TO INVEST TO SUPPORT AUSTRALIA’S ENERGY TRANSITION
7
About APA
PURPOSE · WHY WE EXIST
To strengthen communities through responsible energy.
STRATEGY · WHAT WE DO
To be the partner of choice in delivering infrastructure solutions for the energy transition.
8
APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Group is a leading Australian energy infrastructure business, owning, operating and managing a diverse $22 billion portfolio. We are proud of the role we play in delivering energy solutions to millions of customers in every State and Territory.
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Our behaviours
Our strategic ambition is to be the partner of choice in delivering infrastructure solutions for Australia’s energy transition.
Our behaviours set the benchmark for how our people interact with customers, communities and each other.
Our approach is customer driven as we look to support the decarbonisation ambitions of our priority customer groups – including governments, resource companies, energy supply and wholesale customers, and large commercial and industrial customers.
They support our strategy and the high-performance culture that we strive for. The behaviours guide how we conduct our business and help to shape our inclusive culture:
We are customer focused, innovative and collaborative, with empowered and energised teams.
Through this approach to market we see immense opportunities across our four priority asset classes of contracted renewables and firming, electricity transmission, gas transportation and future energy.
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COURAGEOUS
ACCOUNTABLE
COLLABORATIVE We are inclusive, work together and respect and listen to our stakeholders.
IMPACTFUL
NIMBLE
We are honest and transparent; we learn from our mistakes and we challenge the status quo.
We spend time on what matters, we do what we say and deliver world class solutions.
We are curious, adaptive and future focused.
We create positive legacies and work safely, for our customers, communities, our people and the environment.
9
About APA (continued)
APA PORTFOLIO OF ASSETS AND INVESTMENTS
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2 Darwin
1
Katherine
3
48 Mount Isa 4 8
49 5
Karratha 6
7
9 Gladstone
47 Alice Springs 14
50 Roma 13 17
35 34 10 12
Gruyere Ballera Wallumbilla Brisbane
Yarmana 33 Moomba 11 15 16
36
40 18 IOC
46 39 Tropicana 19
43 38 37 20 24
45 4441 Kalgoorlie 21 Dubbo 22 Tamworth
Perth 42 32 23 Lithgow 51 Kurri Kurri
Sydney
31
Adelaide 30 25 Albury Canberra
52 29 BallaratBendigo 27
28
Melbourne Melbourne
Airport
53
Melbourne
Hobart
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Pipeline
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3 Amadeus Gas Pipeline (inc laterals) 13 Berwyndale Wallumbilla Pipeline 1 Bonaparte Gas Pipeline 9 Carpentaria Gas Pipeline (inc laterals) 22 Central Ranges Pipelines 23 Central West Pipeline 37 Eastern Goldfields Pipeline 47 Goldfields Gas Pipeline 38 Kalgoorlie Kambalda Pipeline 40 Mid West Pipeline
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20 Moomba Sydney Pipeline (inc laterals)
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21 Moomba to Sydney Ethane Pipeline 28 Mortlake Gas Pipeline 39 Northern Goldfields Interconnect 45 Parmelia Gas Pipeline 48 Pilbara Pipeline System 12 Reedy Creek Wallumbilla Pipeline
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15 Roma Brisbane Pipeline (inc Peat lateral)
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30 SEA Gas Pipeline
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29 SESA Pipeline
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10 South West Queensland Pipeline
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49 Telfer/Nifty Gas Pipelines and lateral 25 Victorian Transmission System
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14 Wallumbilla Gladstone Pipeline (inc laterals)
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2 Wickham Point Pipeline
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36 Yamarna Gas Pipeline 51 Kurri Kurri Lateral Pipeline (KKLP) 52 Western Outer Ring Main (WORM)
Gas Processing and Storage 27 Dandenong (680TJ/12000t) 18 Kogan North (12TJ/d) 46 Mondarra (18PJ)
Gas Distribution
16 Allgas Gas Network 50 Australian Gas Networks 24 Tamworth Gas Network
Electricity Transmission
19 Directlink 31 Murraylink 53 Basslink*
Generation 17 Daandine (30 MW) 6 Diamantina (242 MW)
33 Gruyere (47 MW) 7 Leichhardt (60 MW) 5 Thomson (22 MW) 4 X41 (41 MW) 35 Gruyere Battery Station (4.4 MW/MWh)
Solar Farm
43 Badgingarra (19 MW) 11 Darling Downs (108 MW) 41 Emu Downs (20 MW) 34 Gruyere Solar Farm (13.2 MW) 8 Dugald River Solar Farm (88 MW)
Wind Farm 44 Badgingarra (130 MW) 42 Emu Downs (80 MW) 32 North Brown Hill (132 MW)
Key
APA Group asset APA Group distribution network asset APA Group investment Investment distribution network APA Group managed asset (not owned) Managed distribution network Other natural gas pipelines Under construction
Wind farm
Solar farm LNG plan Battery storage Gas storage facility Gas processing plant Gas power station Integrated Operations Centre
- Acquired October 2022.
10
APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
External environment
APA is committed to working with our customers, communities and governments to deliver an energy transition that prioritises reliable, affordable and low emissions energy for all Australians.
Major trends
Both industry and governments continue to confront the challenge of balancing the competing demands of the energy sector to deliver:
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reliable energy
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and
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affordable energy
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low emissions energy
Australia, like most countries, strives to balance these three interconnected objectives as our energy sector transitions towards net zero.
As low emission variable renewable electricity (‘VRE’) steps in to replace coal-fired generation, industry and governments are searching for solutions to ensure the transition remains affordable and reliable. Transitioning to these cleaner energy sources often requires significant upfront capital investments in new infrastructure, new technologies, and research and development with long lead times to commercialisation.
Both Federal and State governments throughout Australia are adjusting policy settings in energy markets in an attempt to both encourage lower carbon energy sources as well as ensure energy remains affordable and reliable.
Interventions that commenced in FY22 continued in FY23 as it was deemed necessary by government bodies to take action in the electricity, coal and gas markets across eastern Australia. This was driven by supply constraints leading to high energy prices and included:
-
The National Electricity Market (NEM) was suspended in June 2022 by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO). Supply shortages made the ongoing operation of the market under the National Electricity Rules ‘practically impossible’.[1]
-
The Federal Government introduced legislation in December 2022 which applies a temporary price cap of $12/GJ on the supply of regulated gas for 12 months. The government also requested a domestic coal price cap of $125/T to be implemented in New South Wales and Queensland.
-
In Western Australia, June 2022 saw the announcement by the WA Government that all state-owned coal generators are to close by 2030. Following this, the WA Government announced a review of the State's domestic gas reservation policy. This was part of the Government’s efforts to determine if the policy remains fit for purpose in supplying the domestic market or if amendments are needed to allow for more gas to be delivered to domestic users.
1 AEMO Market Suspension FAQs June 2022.
11
External environment (continued)
Economic regulatory matters
Gas pipelines in Australia are regulated under the National Gas Law (NGL) and National Gas Rules (NGR) by the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) or the Economic Regulation Authority of Western Australia (ERA). On 2 March 2023, amendments to the NGL and NGR were proclaimed and came into effect across all States except Western Australia. Prior to these amendments the NGL and NGR established two regulatory pipeline frameworks:
-
Scheme pipelines (NGR Parts 8-12) subject to either:
-
Full regulation with regulator approved tariffs and terms and conditions; or
-
Light regulation where pipeline owners publish services and prices and comply with information provision requirements.
-
Non-Scheme pipelines (NGR Part 23) where tariffs and terms are negotiated between parties.
The 2 March 2023 amendments to the NGL and NGR discontinue light regulation and transition to a:
-
‘heavier’ form of regulation, based on the current full regulation for scheme pipelines; or
-
‘lighter’ form of regulation, based on the previous Part 23 (now Part 10) regime for non-scheme pipelines.
In practice, pipelines currently subject to full regulation are not expected to experience much change. APA’s non-scheme pipelines and pipelines previously subject to light regulation will transition to the new ‘lighter’ form of regulation.
Following on from this legislative change, the regulator will now have the power to determine the form of regulation to apply to a particular pipeline. In effect, this means that the AER can decide to apply full regulation to non-scheme pipelines. The AER would then have the role of approving capital and operating expenditure and rates of return under five year access arrangement proposals. APA will also be required to publish actual contracted prices across its pipeline network. Further changes to the information disclosure framework will take place from FY25, under a new Pipeline Information Disclosure Guideline, currently under development.
APA pipelines (owned and/or operated) – by regulation type
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Full regulation pipelines
Light regulation pipelines
Non-scheme pipelines
Partly full regulation/non-scheme pipelines
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12
APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
Regulatory resets
The diagram below shows the scheduled regulatory reset dates for pipelines owned and operated by APA. During FY23, approximately 8.2% of APA’s Energy Infrastructure revenues were subject to regulated outcomes.
Key regulatory matters relating to APA assets addressed during the year included:
-
Victorian Transmission System (VTS) 2023-2027 access arrangement – On 9 December 2022, the AER published its final decision on the 2023-27 VTS access arrangement. The decision recognised the importance of continued investment in the VTS to maintain reliability and system security for Victorian gas users. The access arrangement will have effect for five years from 1 January 2023.
-
Murraylink 2023-2028 revenue proposal[1] – On 28 April 2023, the AER published its final determination for the Murraylink electricity transmission interconnector between South Australia and Victoria, approving total revenues for the 2023-28 period at levels 4.5% lower than allowed for in the 2018-22 period. This cut was driven largely by reductions in the allowed cost of capital.
Energy industry policy developments
In FY23 APA continued to engage in national and jurisdictional policy processes focused predominantly on gas security, development of the hydrogen and renewable gas industries, and the decarbonisation of the economy. The focuses of our submissions were as follows:
-
Gas security – APA submitted that market approaches, rather than direct Government intervention, are the most efficient means of ensuring gas is delivered to customers. Our submissions also stressed the importance of bringing new gas supplies to market.
-
Hydrogen and renewable gas reforms – APA lodged submissions to various jurisdictional processes proposing to extend licensing and technical frameworks to include hydrogen and renewable gases.
-
Decarbonisation of the economy – APA supports the development of Renewable Energy Zones and contestability in transmission delivery to help efficiently connect renewable generation to the National Electricity Market. APA also supported amendments to the National Energy Objectives and the Safeguard Mechanism to help drive the decarbonisation of the economy.
-
Banning new gas connections – The ACT and Victorian governments are taking steps to ban new gas connections at the distribution level for households and small business. Both governments are also offering subsidies for households and small business to replace gas appliances with electric ones.
Scheduled regulatory reset dates for pipelines owned and operated by APA[2]
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Victorian Transmission System 31 DECEMBER 2027
31 DECEMBER 2024
Goldfields Gas Pipeline
Amadeus Gas Pipeline 30 JUNE 2026
Roma Brisbane Pipeline 30 JUNE 2027
CY23 CY24 CY25 CY26 CY27
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- 1 APA has ~20% ownership of Murraylink.
2 Victorian Transmission System access arrangement from 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2027.
13
Our strategy
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Creating value as
THE PARTNER OF CHOICE
Meeting the needs of our customers
WHERE WE HAVE A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
Disciplined investment ACROSS FOUR ASSET CLASSES
14
APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA’s strategy is to be the partner of choice in delivering infrastructure solutions for the energy transition.
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An effective transition requires an ambitious but pragmatic approach to delivering affordable, reliable and low emissions energy. To achieve this, we believe the transition must focus on the retirement of coal fired power generation and the introduction of renewable generation, firmed with gas and/or other low emissions firming and storage technologies.
APA’s strategy is to be the partner of choice in delivering infrastructure solutions for the energy transition . We will do this in select asset classes, where we have a competitive advantage – renewable electricity and firming, electricity transmission, gas transportation and future energy (including clean fuels such as hydrogen and renewable methane).
This approach will be underpinned by anticipating the needs of our customers, partnering with them, pursuing unsolicited proposals, and delivering bundled energy solutions.
APA is well positioned in Australia to play a key role in developing and deploying energy solutions that strike the balance between these often competing priorities. Our natural gas assets are strategically integrated in both the East Coast and West Coast gas markets. They will remain a critical part of the future energy mix, balancing the load and helping to unlock the expansion of renewable energy required to replace retiring coal power stations and support the nation’s decarbonisation. In addition, natural gas continues to play an important role for powering hard-to-abate and hard-to-electrify industrial sectors and provides essential heating in colder climates. APA’s assets will help to ensure Australia continues to have access to reliable and cost-efficient energy.
APA’s energy transition strategy is focused on four asset classes
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----- Start of picture text -----
Contracted
Renewables and Firming
Electricity
Transmission
Gas
Transportation
Future
Energy
----- End of picture text -----
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----- Start of picture text -----
We are supporting
Australia’s energy
transition through
investment in
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15
Our strategy (continued)
BRINGING THE APA STRATEGY TO LIFE THROUGH A CUSTOMER DRIVEN APPROACH TO MARKET
| A CUSTOMER FOCUSED STRATEGY ... | A CUSTOMER FOCUSED STRATEGY ... | A CUSTOMER FOCUSED STRATEGY ... | A CUSTOMER FOCUSED STRATEGY ... | A CUSTOMER FOCUSED STRATEGY ... | A CUSTOMER FOCUSED STRATEGY ... | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RESOURCE INDUSTRY ENERGY SUPPLY AND WHOLESALE GOVERNMENT LARGE COMMERCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL |
||||||
| ... MEETING THE NEEDS OF OUR CUSTOMERS WHERE WE HAVE A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE ... | ||||||
| R d h R w L k Si in Pi M o |
esource companies are ecarbonising – majority ave CO2reduction goals eliability of energy supply ith a trusted operator/partner evelised cost of energy remains ey for global competitiveness gnifcant opportunity exists North West Minerals Province, lbara, Goldfelds t Isa and Gruyere showcases ur capability |
Ability to provide fexible and responsive services to changing market demands Reliability of supply with a trusted partner Requiring innovative ways to respond to the energy transition Opportunity across both East and West coasts Core operating business with a proven track record |
Require trusted partner to support accelerating transition Reliability and social licence are key Cost is important, but timely delivery drives outcomes Opportunity estimated amounts to $54bn including REZs and subsea cables Basslink, Murraylink, Directlink illustrate our capability |
Levelised cost of energy remains key Flexibility to respond to changing supply sources Reliability of service remains high Opportunity across both East and West coasts Leverage current assets along with incremental learning and execution |
||
| Cor with |
||||||
| ... ACROSS VARIOUS ASSET CLASSES | ||||||
Asset class and total estimated addressable market size1:
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----- Start of picture text -----
$25bn $206bn $54bn $8bn $13bn $260bn
Contracted Contracted Electricity Gas CO2 Hydrogen
VRE and VRE and Transmission Pipelines Transmission
Firming Firming (including
Remote Grid on Grid (NEM) Subsea Cables)
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- 1 Estimated addressable market sizes in Australia. Estimates are based on a number of key assumptions, including in relation to macroeconomic factors, future technology advancements and costs, market demand, regulatory requirements and government policies and there can be no assurance the estimates are accurate. The actual addressable market sizes may differ materially from the estimates because events frequently do not occur as projected.
16 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
Our sustainability roadmap
As a leading Australian energy infrastructure business, we believe we have a responsibility to steward our natural resources and preserve long-term value for securityholders, communities and our people.
At APA we see sustainability as a priority that involves both opportunities and risks. We understand the value and scrutiny our partners and stakeholders place on our sustainability performance and that this is used to assess APA’s comparative performance across the industry.
APA’s Net Zero ambitions and the low-carbon transition are at the heart of our Roadmap and we are prioritising achievement of the targets outlined within our Climate Transition Plan (CTP).
Our Sustainability Roadmap and our CTP are overseen by our Board and guided by the Safety and Sustainability Board Committee.
Our approach to sustainability is governed by a Sustainability Roadmap centred on nine material sustainability issue areas identified through a consultative process. Our Roadmap provides a three-year framework for building the foundations of sector-leading sustainability performance.
ROADMAP AND PLAN PRINCIPLES
1 Leverage our strengths and focus on the things 4 Engage, listen and innovate with key stakeholders that matter and alliances 2 Achieve consistently meaningful, measurable and 5 Anticipate and be well positioned to respond to fast impactful outcomes moving issues and opportunities 3 Accelerate our improvement actions to close the gap 6 Take a ‘know and show’ approach with disclosure and transparency
- 2 Achieve consistently meaningful, measurable and impactful outcomes
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ESG SCORECARD
BUILD ACCELERATE MAINTAIN AND EVOLVE
Priority issues to be built Fundamental issues which Existing plans and processes
into strengths require strengthening to evolve via ESG lens
Climate Change Transition and Risk Environmental Management Safety, Health and Wellbeing
including Heritage Management
Community and Social Performance Inclusion and Diversity
First Nations Peoples People and Culture
Governance and Risk Management
Sustainable Development
Sustainability issues
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17
Risks and opportunities
EMBRACING
the energy transition opportunity
OPTIMISING
outcomes in a highly regulated and fluid environment
FUTURE PROOFING APA with the right capability and technology
18
APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
As a leading energy infrastructure business, APA is exposed to risks that can have a material impact on our delivery of energy and our financial success. Our approach to managing material risks is summarised below.
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Risk management framework
In lines two and three, APA’s Executive Leadership Team, the Board’s Risk Management Committee and the relevant business divisions have oversight of and review material risks regularly, with the support of internal and external experts.
APA’s risk management framework supports the identification, management, escalation and reporting of material risks. By implementing an effective risk management framework APA’s Board and executive aim to ensure that strategies are in place to manage potential opportunities and threats.
During FY23, the accelerating energy transition, as well as emerging geopolitical risks, inflation and supply chain disruptions were key risks and opportunities impacting our operational and financial performance. To create and protect value APA has focused on these risks and opportunities, updating actions to manage risks and achieve our objectives. Existing material risks also have ongoing oversight with a major priority being ensuring the safety of our operations and supporting activities to provide reliable energy to our customers, and to maintain our financial strength to respond to changes in the Australian energy market.
APA adopts a three lines model for managing risks and establishing controls to promote the behaviours and decision making to support effective risk management. This model of risk management is depicted below.
The first line, our employees, are accountable for day-to-day risk management and decision making within appropriate guidelines.
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BOARD
Accountable to stakeholders for organisational oversight
RISK MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE/AUDIT AND FINANCE COMMITTEE
Delegates, directs, ensures adequate resourcing and provides oversight
EXECUTIVE RISK MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
Accountable for risk and reporting to the Risk Management Committee
MANAGEMENT INTERNAL AUDIT
LINE ONE LINE TWO LINE THREE
Owns and manages risks Builds, reviews and supports Independent assurance
Enterprise/Divisional Risk, Compliance and
Group Executives
Assurance Teams, HSEH, Enterprise Group Internal Audit
Our People
Security, Enterprise PMO
• Provide products/services to customers • Provide expertise, support, monitoring • Provide independent and objective
• Implement risk management frameworks and challenge on risk-related matters assurance of objectives
(identify, assess, own and manage risks • Maintain and continuously improve • Ensure that governance structures and
to achieving objectives) risk management practices at an processes are appropriately designed
•• Own internal controls and actionsOwn and manage compliance with legal, • enterprise/function, system or process levelReport on the adequacy and • and operating as intendedProvide oversight and direction in aligning governance activities, including
regulatory and ethical expectations effectiveness of risk management integrated assurance
• Control attestation/self-assessment • Coordinate insurance
• Maintain and implement risk-based
control assurance programs at
enterprise/function level
Key: Accountability reporting Delegation, direction, resources, oversight Alignment, communication, coordination, collaboration
(External Audit 1
EXTERNAL ASSURANCE PROVIDERS
, Regulator Audit, Third Party Audit, Advisory Reviews)
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1 External Auditors have not provided assurance over the risk management framework in FY23.
19
Risks and opportunities (continued)
Material risks
APA currently considers the following risks to have the possibility of materially impacting our ability to meet our business objectives. Material risks are subject to enhanced oversight by management and the Risk Management Committee. This list is not exhaustive and is subject to change as new risks emerge or are no longer considered material risks.
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RISK DESCRIPTION MANAGING THE RISK
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| Strategic Risks – Strategic risks are those uncertainties that could materially | Strategic Risks – Strategic risks are those uncertainties that could materially | impact the business’ ability to implement its |
|---|---|---|
| strategic objectives. | ||
| Energy market transition | Accelerating decarbonisation and carbon | • Execution of APA’s customer-focused strategy |
| emissions (net zero) targets drives potential | creates value as the partner of choice, delivering | |
| for cleaner power generation, renewables | infrastructure solutions for the energy transition | |
| development, and energy innovation/new | where APA has a competitive advantage and | |
| entrants in markets. | across targeted asset classes. | |
| Government net zero policies/targets and new technologies could materially decrease the market for gas and gas transportation and APA may fail to grow in other energy |
• Actively contribute to Government policy process and advocate for the importance of APA’s role in supporting energy transition and managing the intermittency of renewables. |
|
| infrastructure classes, limiting domestic | • Engage with customers and pro-actively manage | |
| market growth. | opportunities to retain, re-contract or switch to alternative APA assets via structured, fexible and competitive price and service oferings. |
|
| Government and regulatory | APA is exposed to regulatory policy change | • Maintain strong regulatory and policy functions |
| intervention | and government interventions. | and be an active participant and stakeholder in the |
| These changes and interventions may be at Federal, state or territory level, and may vary. They could include those that are designed to support decarbonisation, limit the impacts of climate change, or manage the impact of Australia's transitioning energy system. |
development of regulation and policy, including AER guidelines which support the exercise of its new powers. • Continually assess and respond to key policy change proposals with potential impacts on APA’s businesses. |
|
| Those policy changes and interventions | • Actively engage with updating/developing relevant Australian standards. |
|
| may constrain gas supply (including through | ||
| limiting or restricting new gas projects), | ||
| impact the availability of competitively priced | ||
| gas, increase compliance costs for APA and | ||
| its customers and otherwise place additional | ||
| operating restrictions or complexities on | ||
| APA's businesses and the businesses of its | ||
| customers. | ||
| In addition, under the recent amendments to | ||
| the National Gas Law and National Gas Rules, | ||
| the Australian Energy Regulator (AER) will | ||
| now have the power to determine the form | ||
| of regulation to apply to a particular pipeline, | ||
| and could apply full regulation to pipelines | ||
| that are currently non-scheme. | ||
| If implemented, any of those policy | ||
| changes and interventions may change the | ||
| commercial viability of existing or proposed | ||
| projects or operations and adversely impact | ||
| APA's future business and operations. | ||
| Social licence | APA relies on a level of public acceptance | • Engage with key stakeholders (landowners, |
| for the development and operation of its | producers, customers, government etc) to identify | |
| assets. Changing societal and community | focus areas. | |
| sentiment in relation to the energy industry, as well as APA’s business, may impact APA’s commercial opportunities, and its ability to develop new projects and operate its assets. |
• Monitor expectations, major trigger events within the community and APA’s reputation score. • Drive community and social performance initiatives and programs working with First Nations People. |
|
| • Implementation of APA’s Climate Tranistion Plan, | ||
| Sustainability Roadmap, transparent and proactive | ||
| annual disclosure. |
20
APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
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RISK DESCRIPTION MANAGING THE RISK
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| Operating multiple asset | Risks arise from managing and partnering | • Continue to invest in our capability in electricity |
|---|---|---|
| types | across multiple asset types. While many | transmission development and engineering, power |
| existing structures for managing people, | generation optimisation and asset development | |
| processes and plant are already asset | and integration. | |
| agnostic (e.g. asset management framework, IT systems, risk and assurance O&M workforce management and the Integrated Operations Centre), risks will arise from the need to scale up and integrate new asset types. |
• Continuous improvement of existing asset agnostic structure and framework for managing people, processes and plant. • Continue to invest in maturing asset management framework and real time data analytics. |
|
| Partnering across multiple | APA’s engagement spans a diverse range | • The development of targeted State-based |
| stakeholder groups | of stakeholders (e.g. across State and | stakeholder engagement plans to ensure |
| Federal Government agencies, community, | appropriate ‘owners’ are assigned to stakeholders | |
| landholders, customers, suppliers, investors and employees) who hold diferent |
and there is coordination and cohesion across the business. |
|
| perspectives and objectives. | • Continued investment in core capability around | |
| Risks arising from engagement with this | targeted workforce planning. | |
| complex and changing set of stakeholders | ||
| could lead to reputation damage, loss of | ||
| stakeholder support/trust which ultimately afects APA’s ability to win projects, source approvals, and diversifcation into new |
||
| energy markets. | ||
| Operational Risks – Operational risks potentially arise from weaknesses in internal processes, people or systems or from | ||
| unforeseen external events. | ||
| Health and safety | Preventing workplace injury and keeping all | • APA’s Board Safety and Sustainability Committee |
| our employees and contractors safe is our | has oversight of this risk. The key focus is | |
| highest priority. Risks arise from operating | prevention achieved by appropriately identifying, | |
| within our hazardous industry, where | managing and where possible eliminating risks. | |
| safety events or major hazards have the potential to cause illness, injury or impact the safety (including psychological safety) and wellbeing of APA’s employees, contractors and communities. |
• Continued focus on comprehensive health and safety management policies, strategies, frameworks (including employee Wellbeing Framework), systems and processes. |
|
| • Reporting of key performance metrics to | ||
| monitor safe behaviours and identify continuous | ||
| improvement opportunities. | ||
| Asset operations | APA is exposed to major incidents or events | • Comprehensive operational, process safety, |
| that may result in harm to our people, | cultural heritage and environment management | |
| environment, and the communities we | programs. | |
| operate in; or materially impact our reputation or fnancial performance. |
• Continue to engage with wider industry to stay abreast of best practice asset management |
|
| processes. | ||
| • Implement asset management and maintenance | ||
| engineering standards, including integrity | ||
| monitoring and maintenance programs, as | ||
| part of risk-based asset lifecycle management. | ||
| • Conduct asset operational monitoring through | ||
| control rooms to manage assets within | ||
| design parameters and coordinate asset | ||
| maintenance issues. | ||
| • Provide comprehensive insurance arrangements as | ||
| part of the asset protection program. | ||
| Infrastructure development | Risks associated with the development of | • Access and approvals management for new |
| new pipeline capacity, renewable, battery and gas-fred power generation plants, and gas storage and gas processing assets. This includes typical construction risks such as: obtaining necessary regulatory approvals, |
construction projects. • Dedicated construction project management capability and governance to manage efcient, safe and quality delivery of construction projects. |
|
| employee or equipment shortages, third-party | ||
| contractor failure, weather risk, and higher | ||
| than budgeted construction costs impacting | ||
| liquidated damages and project delay. |
21
Risks and opportunities (continued)
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RISK DESCRIPTION MANAGING THE RISK
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| Corporate transformation | APA is exposed to the risks associated | • Roll-out of an enterprise-wide project governance |
|---|---|---|
| with the design and delivery of enterprise- | and delivery framework, tools and organisational | |
| wide corporate transformation programs. | change management capability. | |
| These strategic programs include the transformation of APA’s core fnancial and people management processes, technology platforms and capability uplift to achieve |
• Project/program reporting, risks and issues management and escalation and oversight by senior management and the Board. |
|
| APA’s net zero targets and the security of | ||
| critical infrastructure. | ||
| Sustainability | The risks arising from the management and | • APA’s Board Safety and Sustainability Committee |
| disclosure of sustainability issues (including | has regular oversight of this risk. | |
| climate and ESG matters) impacting APA performance and reputation. |
• Delivery of comprehensive environment and heritage management policies, strategies, |
|
| frameworks, systems and processes. | ||
| • Refreshed sustainability risk assessment (including | ||
| climate risks) with clear business ownership. | ||
| • Formalised procedures supporting sustainability | ||
| including integrated reporting, an enhanced | ||
| scorecard and APA’s Sustainability Roadmap | ||
| and strategy. | ||
| People and culture | Our leaders are held accountable for creating | • APA’s Board People and Remuneration Committee |
| cultural alignment with APA’s behaviours and | has oversight of this risk. | |
| establishing a workplace where everyone feels safe, respected and included. |
• Execution of clear employee value proposition and efective talent programs to develop and maintain |
|
| APA’s inclusive culture is a prerequisite to our | talent pipelines. | |
| ability to attract, engage, develop and retain | • Delivery of comprehensive learning and | |
| a diverse pool of skills and capabilities in a | development programs including leadership | |
| competitive talent market. | programs to build the skills and capability required | |
| for now and the future. | ||
| • Implementation of holistic cultural programs | ||
| designed to improve workplace inclusion and | ||
| diversity, employee experience and wellbeing. | ||
| • Identifcation of clear expectations of behaviour | ||
| in APA’s Code of Conduct and Respect@Work | ||
| procedure. | ||
| Technology strategy, | The risk of interruption to APA’s operations | • Manage APA’s information and technology assets |
| operation and security | due to unreliability of information and | in accordance with recognised industry standards |
| operational technology systems, applications, | across hardware, software, applications and | |
| technology architecture or third-party | communication systems. | |
| providers. | • Apply security standards across APA information | |
| and technology systems, including those managed | ||
| by third-party vendors, with standards continually | ||
| assessed against new threats and vulnerabilities. | ||
| • Regular reviews and testing of information and | ||
| operational technology systems. | ||
| Cyber security | Cyber-attacks are increasing in frequency, | • Implementation of a program to strengthen the |
| scale and sophistication across both our | security of APA assets, and cater for emerging | |
| communities and industry. APA plays a | threats, security regulation and stakeholder | |
| pivotal role in Australia’s essential energy | expectations. | |
| supply chain and could be the target for a cyber incident. Breaches may involve sensitive commercial and/or personal information or impact the operation of critical infrastructure assets and systems possibly leading to shutdowns of our energy assets. |
• Robust security monitoring and incident response process supported by regular exercises and security control assurance programs. • Compulsory security awareness training for APA employees and contractors, including how to identify phishing emails and keep data safe; |
|
| and a regular program of random testing. |
22 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
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RISK DESCRIPTION MANAGING THE RISK
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| Financial and Compliance Risks – Financial risks are those arising from the management of APA’s fnancial resources, accounting, tax and fnancial disclosure. Compliance risks arise from laws, regulations, licences and recognised practising |
Financial and Compliance Risks – Financial risks are those arising from the management of APA’s fnancial resources, accounting, tax and fnancial disclosure. Compliance risks arise from laws, regulations, licences and recognised practising |
Financial and Compliance Risks – Financial risks are those arising from the management of APA’s fnancial resources, accounting, tax and fnancial disclosure. Compliance risks arise from laws, regulations, licences and recognised practising |
|---|---|---|
| codes including health, safety, environment, cultural heritage, payroll, asset construction and operation, and other corporate | ||
| compliance requirements. | ||
| Legal, compliance and | APA is exposed to the risk of operating | • Comprehensive Enterprise Compliance |
| operating licences | within a highly regulated environment with complex legal requirements, operating |
Management Framework in place with regulations identifed, controls monitored and assurance |
| licence conditions, industry standards/codes | operating. | |
| of practice and corporate obligations. | • Dedicated specialist teams that provide asset level | |
| monitoring and assurance for technical, safety, | ||
| environment and cultural heritage compliance. | ||
| Debt and capital management |
The risk arising from reduced business and fnancial fexibility due to inefective |
• Board approved risk limits and Treasury Risk Management Policy. |
| management of APA’s debt and capital or limited availability, or unfavorable pricing, timing and access to debt and equity funding. |
• Regular, independent reviews of corporate and asset models underpinning investment decisions. • Efective debt and capital management strategy |
|
| and hedging against interest rate movements and foreign currency rate fuctuations. |
||
| • Maintain access to a broad range of global banking | ||
| and debt capital markets. |
Key emerging risks, threats and opportunities
Below we note several key emerging risks that are highly uncertain by nature and include threats and opportunities for APA:
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EMERGING RISK THREATS AND OPPORTUNITIES APPROACH
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| Global economic slowdown | Threat:Global economic slowdown impacts fnancial markets and customer |
• Strong capital management framework, including hedging arrangements and customer credit |
|---|---|---|
| demand, potentially reducing gas | monitoring. | |
| contract capacity demand and recontracting revenue, access to new debt markets and liquidity and commodity prices. |
• Actively monitor commodity pricing impacting sourcing of goods and materials utilised in large construction projects and domestic demand. • Closely monitor changes in energy demand |
|
| including substitution. | ||
| Geopolitical uncertainty | Threat:Geopolitical uncertainty with | • Continue to evaluate options for alternative |
| rising tensions in the region and | sources of supply for international construction | |
| continuation of the Russia/Ukraine confict impacting changes in sanctions regimes, international energy demand, rising national security interests and |
procurement. • Conduct resilience updates for information technology infrastructure, including cyber resilience. |
|
| worsening supply chain disruption. | • Focus on gas reserving management, | |
| including increases in gas line pack to meet | ||
| high demand periods. | ||
| Carbon ofsets | Opportunity:Introduction of carbon ofsets as part of decarbonisation and |
• Continue to investigate a number of carbon ofset programs via a mix of direct procurement and |
| climate change requirements to support | investment opportunities. | |
| energy infrastructure development | ||
| and growth. | ||
| Artifcial intelligence | Opportunity:Growth in artifcial | • Initiatives to improve data quality and data |
| intelligence and potential impact | governance providing for adoption of digital | |
| on productivity improvements. | technologies impacting workforce improvements. |
23
Sustainability at APA
Developed our inaugural APA RECONCILIATION ACTION PLAN
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Supported our communities through our SOCIAL INVESTMENT INITIATIVES
Established
GENDER-NEUTRAL PARENTAL LEAVE BENEFITS
24
APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
We prioritise sustainable outcomes so that APA, our employees, customers and communities in which we operate can thrive – now and in the future.
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At APA we are united behind a singular purpose to strengthen communities through responsible energy. We are committed to act responsibly across all of our business activities.
We seek continual improvement, working collaboratively with our industry peers and engaging transparently with our stakeholders. We understand the value and focus that our partners and stakeholders place on our sustainability performance and that this is used to assess APA’s performance across the industry.
Our Sustainability Roadmap provides the foundations for APA to develop key strategic sustainability initiatives and deliver on them in a prioritised way. Over the last two years our main areas of focus have been on the ‘build’ and ‘accelerate’ pillars of our Sustainability Roadmap. These pillars identify fundamental focus areas that require growth and/or strengthening. It is important that we are targeted in our approach and focused on those topics that matter most to APA and our stakeholders.
Our material sustainability focus areas
In FY21, we conducted a stakeholder-centric materiality assessment to identify the core sustainability-related issues that APA should focus on. This process informed the development of our three-year Sustainability Roadmap and enabled us to bring APA’s vision and purpose to life. APA’s Sustainability Roadmap categorises the core issue areas into three groups: Build, Accelerate and Maintain and Evolve. The diagram on page 26 highlights our progress against the Sustainability Roadmap in FY23.
To continue to deliver the most positive impact for APA and highest value for our stakeholders, it is critical we regularly re-evaluate the sustainability issues most material to our business and stakeholders. This will enable us to assess the economic, social, environmental and cultural impacts of our activities and business relationships and refine our main focus areas and associated initiatives.
As our Sustainability Roadmap is due to complete in June 2024, work is underway to prepare a refreshed Roadmap. The first step towards this is delivery of a sustainability materiality assessment, culminating in an impact-based sustainability materiality matrix. The materiality assessment approach will be guided by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI 3: Material Topics 2021) which considers actual and potential negative and positive impacts of our business to determine our material sustainability issues for prioritisation.
Supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals
APA continues to support the delivery of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). By working more strategically and aligning our initiatives to the relevant SDGs we can tackle major societal, environmental and economic challenges whilst also identifying and unlocking significant business opportunities.
At their core, the SDGs aim to create a shared value approach through the creation of economic and business value in a way that fundamentally addresses societal needs and challenges. The paradigm shift required to transition from a philanthropic approach to one delivering both business and social values now guides our approach.
To demonstrate how the business is meeting the relevant SDGs, we have mapped goals to the three areas of our Roadmap and indicated where each goal is connected to our performance and priorities.
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25
Sustainability at APA (continued)
FY23 PROGRESS AGAINST APA’S SUSTAINABILITY ROADMAP
| BUILD Priority issues to be built into strengths |
ACCELERATE Fundamental issues which require strengthening |
MAINTAIN AND EVOLVE Existing plans and processes to evolve via ESG lens |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Climate change transition and risk Community and social performance First Nations Peoples |
Environmental management including heritage management |
Safety, health and wellbeing Inclusion and diversity People and culture Governance and risk management |
|||
| • Progressed CTP actions in line with FY23 commitments. • Established a dedicated Community and Social Performance (CSP) team to deliver CSP strategy and social investment framework. • Hosted workshops with our fve corporate partners to understand new and meaningful ways to collaborate together • Contributed $1.2 million through discretionary social investment to communities via targeted community grants programs, corporate partnerships with charitable organisations and local sponsorships and donations. • Prepared APA’s Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) under the guidance of a newly established cross-functional RAP Working Group. |
• Progressed our four year Environment Improvement Program in line with the HSEH Strategy schedule. Processes, tools and templates for 3 of 8 environment risks areas have now been developed/refned, integrated and implemented across the business. • Scoped environment data uplift opportunities across the waste, water and contaminated land risk areas. • Uplifted our heritage practices at targeted assets and recruited additional Heritage Specialist. • Ongoing delivery of our three-year weed survey program. • Delivered 15 environment audits. • Refreshed our HSEH Policy. |
• Prepared, approved and initiated our fve-year HSEH strategy with strategic pillars centred on safety performance, leadership and innovation. • Introduction of the Board Safety and Sustainability Committee. • Prepared an ESG Risk Register tracking and monitoring our business- wide ESG risks. • Revised our Inclusion and Diversity (I&D) Plan and refreshed our Policy to focus on facilitating an inclusive culture, including the launch of our Respect@Work Procedure and e-module and completing a gender pay review. • Established gender-neutral parental leave benefts. • Uplifted leadership training and capability including the introduction of the INSEAD Curriculum. |
Refer to APA's FY23 Sustainability Data Book for further information about our FY23 sustainability performance.
26 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
Climate transition plan
Our CTP is an important step in APA’s commitment to actively participate and support Australia’s energy transition, consistent with the objectives of the Paris Agreement. Our FY23 progress on the commitments in our CTP will be reported in our new FY23 Climate Report, due to be released in September 2023.
GOAL: Gas infrastructure – net zero operational GOAL: Power generation and electricity emissions by 2050[1] transmission infrastructure – net zero operational emissions2 by 2040[3]
INTERIM COMMITMENTS FOR 2030 TARGET: 30% emissions reduction for gas GOAL: 35% reduction in emissions intensity infrastructure (FY21 base year) for power generation (FY21 base year) TARGET: 100% renewable electricity procurement GOAL: Contribute positively to grid from FY23 onwards decarbonisation measured by MW of enabled renewable infrastructure GOAL: 100% zero direct emission fleet by 2030 COMMITMENT: Active program to reduce emissions we can control and apply best practice management techniques to managing line losses COMMITMENT: Responsible criteria applied when offsets are required
NEW COMMITMENT FOR 2030 TARGET: 30% methane reduction target (FY21 base year) KEY SUPPORTING COMMITMENTS 1 Incorporation of 2 Hold a non-binding 3 Report annually on 4 Link executive 5 Scope 3 emissions the Methane securityholder vote progress against remuneration to goal to be finalised Guiding Principles on future material the targets, goals climate-related before or in updates to our and commitments performance conjunction with Climate Transition in our Climate from FY23 next Climate Plan Transition Plan Transition Plan
When setting APA’s targets and goals, we have made our commitments clear to stakeholders, based on the level of uncertainty in the pathway required to reach them.
Target: an intended outcome where we have identified one or more pathways for delivering that outcome, subject to certain assumptions or conditions.
Goal: an ambition to seek an outcome for which there is no current pathway but for which efforts will be pursued towards addressing that challenge, subject to certain assumptions or conditions.
1 Includes transmission, distribution, gas processing, storage and corporate.
2
assets are not within APA’s operational control for emissions reporting purposes: Victorian Transmission System (maintenance excepted), Gruyere and X41 Power Stations, Wallumbilla Gladstone Pipeline, SEA Gas Pipeline and Mortlake Pipeline, North Brown Hill Wind Farm and Australian Gas Networks.
3 Includes power generation and interconnectors.
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BUILD
Climate change transition and risk
Our FY23 Climate Report will be released in September 2023, in line with our commitment to report annually on progress against our CTP. This allows for sufficient time to prepare and independently assure our emissions data. The Climate Report will contain disclosures consistent with the recommendations of the TCFD.
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Our climate transition plan defines interim and long-term emission reduction targets and goals by asset class. We have sought to set interim targets and goals aligned with the objective of the Paris Agreement and to disclose consistent with the Taskforce on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) recommendations.
Since the release of our CTP in August 2022, APA has made clear progress against our plan. Our focus has been on embedding the necessary structures, processes and systems to ensure our approach to climate is integrated across the business.
Performance against our gas infrastructure and power generation interim targets and goals will be detailed within our FY23 Climate Report.
APA's strategy is to achieve our CTP commitments through:
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Electrifying and optimising the operation of compressors.
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Reducing the emissions intensity of power generation through investments in renewables.
-
Reducing methane emissions through leak detection and repair and implementation of specific initiatives such as seal gas recovery.
Linked executive remuneration to
CLIMATE-RELATED PERFORMANCE OUTCOMES
Procured large-scale generation certificates (LGCs) to meet our
100% RENEWABLE ELECTRICITY PROCUREMENT COMMITMENT
Set a methane target aligned with the Global Methane Pledge (GMP) of an
AT LEAST 30% REDUCTION IN OUR OPERATIONAL METHANE EMISSIONS BY 2030 (FY21 BASE YEAR)
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Optimising the performance of existing power generation equipment.
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Buying or internally generating high quality offsets where emissions reduction is not possible or cost prohibitive.
APA has committed to finance these infrastructure emission reduction initiatives through a $150 million to $170 million net zero fund over FY23 to FY30. There is some upside pressure on this spend projection in the area of compressor electrification due to higher grid connection and electric motor drive unit costs, while other opportunities may be implemented in a more cost-efficient manner.
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APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
Supporting a lower carbon future and the energy transition
APA’s Pathfinder Program
APA is investing in future fuels through our Pathfinder Program established in FY21, to understand the requirements to support clean molecules in either existing or new infrastructure. In May 2023, our landmark Parmelia Gas Pipeline (PGP) conversion project in Western Australia confirmed via pressurised hydrogen laboratory testing the technical feasibility of converting a 43km section of the PGP to carry 100% hydrogen.
The testing results indicate it is technically feasible, safe and efficient to run the 43km section of the pipeline at the current operating pressure using hydrogen. The project will now consider preparing the section of pipeline for hydrogen service, and will include detailed safety studies and conversion plans, while continuing to investigate potential supply and offtake opportunities.
Off the back of this research, APA has developed a Pipeline Screening Tool (PST) that provides a high-level assessment of the hydrogen readiness of its national pipeline assets, based on key pipeline material and operating characteristics. Initial assessments using the PST indicate there is a high likelihood that around half of APA’s natural gas pipeline assets could be used for hydrogen transportation in 100% pure or blended form, with no, or small, changes to their current operating profile. For the remainder of APA’s pipelines, which consist largely of high strength steel operating at higher pressure, further research and materials testing will be required to determine if any changes in operating pressure are needed to maintain pipeline integrity whilst transporting hydrogen.
Supporting the PGP conversion project is a Memorandum of Understanding between APA and Wesfarmers Chemicals, Energy and Fertilisers (WesCEF), signed in May 2022. As part of this, we committed to a pre-feasibility study to assess the viability of producing and transporting green hydrogen via the PGP to WesCEF’s production facilities in Kwinana. The findings were promising, demonstrating that the PGP study area is likely to be suitable for green hydrogen development. APA and WesCEF are now considering the results further.
In September 2021, APA joined an international consortium in an effort to establish Queensland’s largest green hydrogen project – the Central Queensland Hydrogen Project (CQH2). In April 2023, APA paused our involvement in the early stages of the CQH2 project but believes the project has an exciting pathway ahead. APA remains interested in a future role in the project and continues to be involved in other Queensland projects developing hydrogen export supply chains.
Pathfinder is investigating other hydrogen and Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) project opportunities where APA can bring its market-leading energy infrastructure expertise and experience to large-scale projects.
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BUILD
Community and social performance
Driven by our purpose, to strengthen communities through responsible energy, we are committed to outstanding performance in our interactions with communities. We work to understand the needs and aspirations of our host communities and contribute to their sustainable development. We seek respectful and mutually valuable relationships with our stakeholders.
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Building stronger community and social performance
APA works to embed community engagement, development, partnership and participation in all our business activities. We strive to engage with stakeholders in a culturally appropriate way.
In FY23 we prepared a revised Social Investment Framework and 2-year CSP Strategy which is scheduled for consultation in early Q1 FY24. This strategy seeks to elevate practices and drive consistency and awareness throughout the business.
Community and stakeholder engagement
Supported more than 84 organisations through our SOCIAL INVESTMENT PROGRAMS
Launched the Mount Isa and Cloncurry
COMMUNITY GRANTS PROGRAM
11,271 landholder contact visits through our LANDHOLDER CONTACT PROGRAM
APA plays a critical role in the energy supply chain and we recognise the impacts our activities may have on a range of stakeholders and on the progress of energy transition more broadly. For APA, understanding who our stakeholders are and how we impact each other is vital to achieving operational excellence.
APA’s community and stakeholder engagement programs connect and work with local landholders, Traditional Owners, communities, governments and industry. Our programs are tailored to meet the broad needs of our stakeholders and range from simple awareness of our activities to involvement in the design of new infrastructure.
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APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
Regulatory Engagement – Basslink
Basslink is fundamental to both the supply of affordable and reliable energy to Victoria and Tasmania and also the energy transition through the supply of renewable energy to the National Electricity Market.
Following the acquisition of Basslink in FY23, we are progressing a revenue proposal and application, seeking approval from the AER for Basslink to become a ‘regulated asset’ as a way to support Basslink’s continued operation. Converting Basslink to a ‘regulated asset’ means the maximum prices consumers pay as part of their retail bills for Basslink would be set by the AER through a public consultation process. For consumers, this means a more transparent and independent approach to setting prices for Basslink, and a range of opportunities for public consultation on what prices consumers should pay.
In November 2022, we established a Regulatory Reference Group (RRG) to co-design the development and implementation of our regulatory engagement plan for Basslink. This plan identifies the scope, timing, themes and engagement methodology.
The RRG served as an independent advisory group representing residential, small business and large energy users in Tasmania and Victoria. The RRG guided our understanding of the needs and expectations of different consumer segments and was used to continually refine our engagement materials and our approach to consulting with consumers, industry and Government stakeholders.
With direct representation from APA’s senior leadership team, the engagement program was both broad and deep including:
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regular RRG engagement forums
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online focus groups
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consumer workshops in Launceston and Melbourne
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an online quantitative survey of 1,200 electricity consumers from Victoria and Tasmania.
31
BUILD Community and social performance (continued)
Landholder engagement
APA sees landholders as key partners in our operations. With easements across many properties throughout the country, access to these properties is an essential part of maintaining and developing our infrastructure. When this is needed, we engage proactively with landholders and seek to minimise our footprint as much as possible.
In FY23, we continued to run the annual APA Landholder Contact Program, sharing operational and safety information with landholders and providing Before-YouDig information. This Program also allows landholders to update APA about their activities, access and notification requirements, and to raise any concerns.
The Landholder Contact Program aims to make contact with at least one representative from each parcel every year, preferably face to face. In FY23, we made contact with 11,271 landholder contacts. Over the past few years we have consistently achieved at least 80% of contacts completed in all States. In most cases we have achieved over 90%. In recent years we have conducted a popular APA Landholder Photo Competition, with entries used in our annual calendar to highlight the stunning and diverse landscapes in which we operate.
The Energy Charter
APA works collaboratively across the energy industry to address common issues and improvement opportunities. As a signatory to the Energy Charter – a national CEO-led collaboration – we share the vision to support better outcomes for energy customers.
APA is one of 20 Australian energy businesses forming the charter. Signatories commit to publicly disclose their progress against the Energy Charter Principles through the release of an annual disclosure report.
In September 2022, we submitted our third disclosure report under the Energy Charter. The annual disclosure report details the actions, investments, partnerships and programs that have been delivered and demonstrates our alignment to the five Energy Charter Principles. A copy of this report is published on the APA website.
APA continues to receive positive feedback from landholders. Our proactive engagement with landholders is seen as a point of difference with other similar companies.
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32 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
Focusing investment on sustainable development outcomes
APA continued to refine and deliver on its Social Investment Framework in FY23. The Framework provides meaningful, valuable discretionary funding to support sustainable development outcomes in host communities.
Partnerships and employee contributions
As part of our commitment to better outcomes for First Nations people and communities, APA continued our long-standing corporate partnerships with the Clontarf Foundation and The Fred Hollows Foundation in FY23.
Community grants programs
In addition to the partnerships and employee contributions, in FY23 APA contributed more than $92,000 in grants across almost 30 community orgnisations as part of our Community Grants Program. These initiatives align to APA’s Investment Priority Funding Areas and focus on maximising social impact.
Projects funded under this program included NAIDOC celebrations, social infrastructure investment and community health and wellbeing initiatives across our East Coast Grid Expansion, Kurri Kurri Lateral Pipeline, and Mount Isa and Cloncurry assets.
APA also recommitted to another year of funding with three corporate partners who we began working with in FY22 – the Stars Foundation, Rural Aid and Uniting.
The Stars Foundation aligns with our commitment to support gender equity and better outcomes for First Nations communities.
Rural Aid is our dedicated partner when preparing for and responding to natural disasters through community resilience initiatives.
Our corporate partnership with Uniting is derived from our membership of the Energy Charter and provides energy literacy support to individuals and households suffering energy hardship.
In FY23 we invested $1.2 million in our communities, prioritising rural and regional communities, First Nations Peoples, climate transition and natural environment protection.
APA’S SOCIAL INVESTMENT PRIORITY AREAS
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----- Start of picture text -----
REGIONAL AND REMOTE FIRST NATIONS CLIMATE NATURAL
COMMUNITIES PEOPLES TRANSITION ENVIRONMENT
Building the strength Working in partnership
and resilience of with First Nations Peoples Supporting communities in climate transition Protecting and enhancing the natural environments
communities located near regional economies and outcomes for First Nations to support better outcomes and and biodiversity located
adaptation activities near APA assets/projects
APA assets/projects communities and heritage
We also recognise the importance of considering the following when designing, selecting and delivering initiatives,
investments and partnerships:
Impacted community People in vulnerable Access to energy and Building human capability
needs and aspirations circumstances Inclusion and diversity energy affordability e.g. skills
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BUILD
First Nations Peoples
At APA, partnering with First Nations Peoples is central to our purpose. We seek to become a partner of choice for First Nations stakeholders and supporters as we deliver solutions for the energy transition.
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Reconciliation
APA’s Sustainability Roadmap identifies First Nations Peoples as a priority area for us to build organisational capability, and in FY22 we committed to developing our first Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).
In FY23, we appointed a Reconciliation and First Nations Manager to improve our First Nations governance, performance and disclosures. We established a crossfunctional RAP Working Group (RAPWG), chaired by an Executive Sponsor, to develop, implement and report on a Reflect RAP. With the support of our external advisor, Murawin Indigenous Voice Consultancy, we undertook an extensive internal consultation to co-design a quality RAP that meets Reconciliation Australia’s standards. APA aims to launch our RAP in the first half of FY24.
Committing to a Reflect RAP allows APA to spend time scoping and developing relationships with stakeholders, defining our reconciliation vision and exploring our sphere of influence, in preparation for future reconciliation initiatives and RAPs.
Extensive consultation was undertaken to inform development of the RAP, involving targeted, APA-wide engagements, directly involving >700 employees.
Consultation with more than 700 employees to develop our first RECONCILIATION ACTION PLAN
Over 500 APA employees joined our INAUGURAL NATIONAL RECONCILIATION WEEK DISCUSSION PANEL EVENT
Launched our new online cultural awareness training module as part of our
FIRST NATIONS WORKFORCE STRATEGY
$2.67 million spend on goods and services with 24 directly engaged
FIRST NATIONS SUPPLIERS
34
APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
First Nations engagement
APA holds Indigenous Land Use Agreements and Cultural Heritage Management Plans with Traditional Owners. These set out processes and plans for protecting Aboriginal cultural heritage and engaging with Traditional Owners in areas where we operate.
We are committed to continually improving processes which guide First Nations engagement and Aboriginal cultural heritage management. Our aim is to drive improved land use and benefit sharing with First Nations groups and contribute to community capacity through training and employment in the energy sector. This extends to joint venture and equity partnership opportunities with Traditional Owners.
Our future engagement will focus on improving the quality and depth of our relationships with First Nations groups to ensure we respect their rights and interests and adequately build in the priorities of Traditional Owners and host communities throughout our assets lifecycle.
First Nations employment
With less than 1% of our workforce who identify as First Nations Peoples compared to 3.2% of the national population, we recognise more work is needed to ensure our workforce reflects the communities where we operate. In support of this we undertook initiatives in FY23 to improve cultural safety for current and future First Nations employees.
First Nations procurement
In FY23, APA continued its membership of Supply Nation, a national non-profit organisation that aims to grow the First Nations business sector through the promotion of supplier diversity in Australia. In FY23, we directly engaged 24 First Nations suppliers, spending $2.67 million on goods and services. Suppliers are comprised of Registered and Certified Supply Nation as well as Land Councils.
APA’s Reflect RAP will include measurable actions and deliverables to increase the diversity and quantity of goods and services procured directly and indirectly from First Nations-owned businesses. We intend to support and participate in opportunities to build our network of local and First Nations suppliers.
We will investigate including First Nations Participation Commitments (FNPCs) in our contracts with key suppliers to help facilitate more opportunities for First Nations businesses. Engaging First Nations businesses via FNPCs will enable more First Nations businesses to participate in our supply chain indirectly, growing local industry and employment opportunities for First Nations communities.
-
In FY23, as part of the implementation of our First Nations Workforce Strategy, we launched our new online cultural awareness training module.
-
Over 500 APA employees joined our inaugural National Reconciliation Week discussion panel event involving representatives of our RAP Working Group and external First Nations thought leaders. The panel discussed Reconciliation, APA’s RAP and the upcoming Referendum.
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Over 100 employees have joined our Reconciliation Allies @ APA community.
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In FY23, we engaged a new Employee Assistance Program provider which has capability to provide primary and secondary health and wellbeing support to First Nations staff and family members.
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Our Reflect RAP will prioritise our focus and effort on building cultural safety and cultural competency across the entire organisation.
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35
ACCELERATE
Environment and heritage
APA performs an extensive range of activities across a diverse range of environments. We are committed to managing our risks and protecting the environment across all areas of our business. Pursuing a high standard of environment and heritage management is one way we ensure we build and operate our assets in a socially responsible manner.
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In FY23, APA continued our program of strategic initiatives to drive improved environmental performance. We have:
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Prepared and released updated environmental procedures for Contaminated Site Management and Spill Preparation and Response, including tools, templates and guidelines. The procedures were supported by updates to related business processes and systems and included dedicated staff training and communications. As part of this change a spill response online training module was procured and launched. This has been completed by 450 employees.
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Continued our weed survey program investigating the presence of invasive weeds on APA transmission pipelines. The outcomes of these surveys will inform long-term monitoring and management measures and help to quantify potential impacts on nature and biodiversity.
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Completed an assessment of APA’s water consumption to improve our understanding of water usage and determine a pathway forward for more comprehensive water data capture. In addition, we identified all areas of water stress in the areas that we operate and overlaid this information in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) to help inform decision making.
LAUNCHED OUR NEW SPILL RESPONSE ONLINE TRAINING MODULE
completed by 450 employees
DEVELOPED A FRAMEWORK TO ASSESS SITE CONTAMINATION HAZARDS
associated with chemical and hazardous substance storage on APA sites
EMBEDDED HERITAGE MANAGEMENT
launched a 'Being Heritage Aware' training module across the business
-
Completed a waste assessment to understand waste generation patterns and to better inform future work regarding improved waste data capture and centralisation.
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Developed a framework to assess site contamination hazards associated with chemical and hazardous substance storage on APA sites and to manage associated contamination risks.
36 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
A four-year Environment Improvement Program is underway to elevate and embed environment processes across the business. This involves uplift of procedures, development of new innovative tools and implementation for eight environment risk areas. Following full completion of the program, all Environment Management Plans will be updated to ensure alignment of content.
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YEAR ENVIRONMENT RISK AREA STATUS
FY22 Heritage Completed
Pests, Diseases and Weeds Completed
FY23 Spill Preparation and Response Completed
Contaminated Site Management Completed
FY24 Soil Management Under way
Waste Management Pending
FY25 Biodiversity Pending
Water Pending
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Environment compliance
In FY23 APA received seven penalty infringement notices and two regulatory warning notices.
The penalty notices were received from the Queensland Department of Environment and Science and had a total penalty value of $34,461. The notices related to late resubmission of Estimated Rehabilitation Cost (ERC) calculations required under the Environmental Protection Act, 1994, for six operating assets in Queensland. APA promptly resolved the outstanding information with the Department.
One warning notice was received from the First People – State Relations (FPSR) portfolio of the Department of Premier and Cabinet (Victoria). The warning notice related to a ground disturbance activity that did not comply with the approved Cultural Heritage Management Plan. APA self-reported the incident and is working with the stakeholders to resolve the matter.
The second warning notice related to missing information required under APA’s Environmental Authority for the Kogan North Central Gas Processing Facility. Whilst information was available in technical air quality monitoring reports, required details had not been included in the Register of Fuel Burning and Combustion Equipment Register for the facility. APA rectified the error once aware of the issue.
Embedding heritage management across the business
APA continued to improve heritage management processes throughout FY23.
To facilitate continuous improvements in heritage management we have:
-
Completed a targeted heritage study on our operational pipeline asset. The study aimed to understand what ‘unrecorded’ heritage values might existing on ageing infrastructure, constructed in times when heritage management practices and recording were vastly different to today. The heritage surveys, undertaken by the Traditional Owners for the area, identified important heritage values that do remain in these areas. This study will be used to inform APA’s approach nationally.
-
Commissioned a review of APA’s heritage data management. This review identified opportunities for APA to improve its data management. The recommendations will inform future heritage improvements.
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Recruited an additional Heritage Specialist to drive positive First Nations engagement and heritage management outcomes on the Moomba Sydney Pipeline.
Environment warning and penalty notices
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9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
FY23 FY22 FY21 FY20 FY19
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-
Environmental warning notices recieved
-
Environmental penalty notices recieved
37
MAINTAIN AND EVOLVE
People and culture
APA is committed to being a responsible energy company where people are proud to work. We are striving to create a healthy, safe, inclusive and diverse workplace.
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Building on our Inclusion and Diversity Strategy
The four pillars of APA’s Inclusion and Diversity Strategy 2020 to 2025 are:
Gender Equity – We are committed to a level playing field by giving all women and men the same chance to reach their potential.
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Flexibility – Flex APA means we encourage flexible ways of working and empower people to think differently about where, when and how work is completed to meet the professional goals, priorities and lifestyles.
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COMPLETED A COMPREHENSIVE GENDER PAY EQUITY REVIEW
a like-for-like comparison of roles across the organisation, with all identified gaps resolved
Launched APA’s
RESPECT@WORK PROCEDURE
INCREASED TOTAL FEMALE REPRESENTATION TO 31.8% among total employees, up from 29.5% in FY22
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Inclusive Culture – We are committed to creating an inclusive culture that values all people and addresses biases. (Age, cultural background, LGBTIQ, disability, indigenous, etc.).
Established
GENDER-NEUTRAL PARENTAL LEAVE BENEFITS
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Inclusive Leadership – Inclusive
leadership is about making sure our people feel a sense of belonging, are treated fairly and respectfully, and all our people’s voices are heard and valued.
38
APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
In FY23, we have continued to build on our Inclusion and Diversity (I&D) Strategy 2020 to 2025 and refreshed our Inclusion and Diversity Policy.
We also completed a comprehensive Gender Pay Equity Review. Recent investments in systems and better quality data enabled a like-for-like comparision of roles across the organisation, with all identified gaps resolved immediately.
We are working to strengthen APA policies and remuneration processes to avoid any recurrence of Gender Pay Gaps on like-for-like roles at APA in the future.
We have also revised our I&D strategy to focus on the strategic components that will best accelerate the creation of an inclusive culture, including:
-
Refreshed content for our Inclusive Leadership development program. This program was successfully delivered to our Executive Leadership team in March 2023 with roll-out to General Managers and broader leader population starting in August 2023. This program reviews unconscious bias, everyday sexism and the link between diversity and performance.
-
Launched APA’s Respect@Work procedure. This aligns with the I&D Policy and the APA Code of Conduct. To complement this, a Respect@Work e-learning module has also been implemented. The module encourages employees to speak up if they witness harmful behaviours including unlawful discrimination, bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, sex-based harassment, vilification and victimisation.
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Introduced APA’s enhanced gender-neutral parental leave benefits aligned to industry benchmarks.
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Further embedded our Hybrid @ APA working model to improve flexibility for employees. The model – with 40% of face-to-face office collaboration over the span of a month – allows employees the flexibility to manage their lifestyles and priorities outside of work.
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Achieved a 46% female representation in our 2023 Graduate program, and a 53% female representation in the 2022/23 intern programs. Further recruitment efforts are underway to ensure our apprenticeship program reaches a 50% gender split.
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Became sponsors and partners for Chief Executive Women (CEW).
-
Implemented targeted national campaigns to promote I&D aligned to national recognition days (such as International Women’s Day events, Pride month and NAIDOC Week).
Supporting our people Diversity performance
In FY23, under APA’s Gender Target Action Plan, female representation among total employees increased to 31.8%, up from 29.5% in FY22. Senior Leader female representation increased to 31.4%, up from 30.4%, with female representation in the Executive Leadership Team increasing from 29% in FY22 to 44% in FY23. The APA Board has set a gender diversity target of 40/40/20, recognising this may vary slightly depending on the size and required skills mix of the Board. At 30 June 2023 50% of APA’s non-executive directors were female. With the appointment of Nino Ficca to the APA Board from 1 September 2023, female representation will be 43%.
APA’s challenge is to increase the female representation in operational divisions. These areas have a large proportion of roles requiring science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, in which females are generally underrepresented.
In FY23, 25% of employees in operational divisions identified as female, compared with 49% in our corporate divisions.
APA is also working to improve age diversity. Over 91% of employees are aged 30 years and over. We continued to address this disparity during the year through a focused early talent strategy, including an increase in our FY23 Graduate Program intake, and identifying younger talent through a continued focus on internships, traineeships, and our National Apprenticeship Program.
The increase in workforce mobility experienced nationally over the past 18 months continued. In response, APA accelerated several attraction and retention strategies throughout the year, with APA’s voluntary employee turnover rate improving, at 11.5% for FY23, down from 13.4% in FY22.
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39
MAINTAIN AND EVOLVE People and culture (continued)
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32%
68%
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FY23 gender diversity of APA employees
-
Male
-
Female
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44%
56%
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FY23 gender diversity of APA Executive Leadership Team (ELT)1
-
Male
-
Female
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9%
34% 57%
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-
FY23 age diversity FY23 workforce training of APA employees 2,130 hours by type ● <30 years 7,492 ● Mandatory APA Compliance training
-
● 30–49 years ● Role-specific training
-
● >50 years ● Other training
-
30,920
FY23 workforce training hours by type
- 1 Executive Leadership Team (ELT) - portion of employees aligned to WGEA Management Category: Key Management Personnel / Head of Business; Key Management Personnel and internationally based ELT members (Excludes CEO).
Freedom of association and collective bargaining
APA supports the right of all employees to choose whether to be, or not to be, a union member. In FY23, a number of unions were party to six of APA’s seven Enterprise Agreements. APA provides industrial relations training for operations leaders in Union Right of Entry and other key Fair Work Industrial Relations principles, such as freedom of association and unprotected industrial action.
Investing in APA’s future
At APA, we continually develop our people’s core compliance, technical and leadership skills. In FY23, the APA workforce completed 40,542 hours of training, averaging 15 hours per team member.
For more information on our People and Employment performance, see the FY23 Sustainability Data Book.
APA does not tolerate any form of discrimination or exclusionary behaviour. In FY23, APA recorded zero incidents of discrimination.
For more information on our People and Employment performance, see the FY23 Sustainability Data Book.
40 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
Leadership training and capability
APA continues to invest in developing our people, seeking to maximise collaboration and effectiveness and give everyone an opportunity to reach their full career potential.
To further develop the capability of our leaders we offer a suite of leadership development courses, including:
-
Ignite Talent Program: targeted at identified future leaders. This 12-month accelerated talent development program focuses on understanding self and leading others.
-
Elevate Talent Program: designed for senior leaders who have been identified as successors for Executive Leadership Team roles.
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INSEAD Leadership Curriculum: in partnership with INSEAD, this is a customised program for all leaders which aims to lift the leadership capability bench strength and ensure consistent practice and strategic leadership. Our Executive Leadership completed this Curriculum in February and General Managers in May 2023. The one-week experiential learning program focuses on developing senior leaders in Personal Leadership, Interpersonal Leadership and Strategic Leadership.
In addition, we have continued to invest in the Digital Learning Library (Percipio), with thousands of courses, videos, e-books, and audiobooks employees can access any time, from any device.
Technical training
Over FY23 two new learning technologies were introduced. A wearable digital headset (RealWear) was trialled and introduced as a field-based assessment methodology in the Certificate III Gas Supply (System Operations). The success of the innovation resulted in APA winning Silver at the Australian Training Awards, in the category of Innovation in VET (Vocational Education and Training).
Additionally, digital avatar software was used across several learning programs to simulate face-to-face engagement in eLearning courses.
A new national training program was developed and rolled out for frontline Operations and Maintenance Technicians. The Asset Maintenance for Technicians program is focused on developing the knowledge and skills to undertake routine maintenance tasks through completion of 16 learner-led modules delivered using a blended approach of eLearning, field-based coaching (Tech Notes) and an assessment process. A new technician would typically complete the course over an 18-24-month period.
Talent pipeline
As part of our Early Talent Strategy, graduate and intern program intake numbers increased with a greater balance of males and females:
-
2023 Graduate Program = 24 Graduates with an 11 Female: 13 Male gender split (46%)
-
2022/2023 Internship Program = 34 Interns with an 18 Female: 16 Male gender split (53%)
41
MAINTAIN AND EVOLVE
Safety, health and wellbeing
APA’s foremost priority is the health, safety and wellbeing of our workforce and our communities. We want everyone to go home healthy and safe every day. We strive for world-class performance in Health, Safety and Wellbeing.
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Delivering against our Health, Safety, Environment and Heritage (HSEH) Strategy
APA’s new HSEH Strategy commenced in FY23 and all initiatives have been delivered in line with the schedule. Some of the key initiatives undertaken in FY23 are highlighted below.
The results of the survey have been used to inform improvement opportunities which will be incorporated into the APA Culture Action Plan.
IMPROVING SYSTEMS AND PROCESSES
- Commitment to proactive process improvement
Leadership collaboration and learning HSEH Interactions
In FY23, 4,334 HSEH Interactions were completed by our leaders. This was a 13% increase from FY22, and reflects a consistent effort by leadership across the organisation to actively engage in meaningful conversations.
Health and safety survey
A Health and Safety survey was undertaken across the business in December 2022 that focused on four key areas including:
-
Health and Wellbeing
-
Enable efficiency and systems to drive high performance
-
Embed nimble behaviour through new recognition program and continuous improvement/productive habits program.
SENIOR LEADERSHIP VISIBILITY/ACCESSIBILITY
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Proactively increase opportunities for ELT visibility
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Enable more 1:1 employee interaction with senior leaders
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ELT personal accountability
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Educate leaders to have meaningful HSEH conversations
-
Safety Systems
-
Safety Leadership
-
Safety Engagement
With a participation rate of 70%, APA achieved an overall score of 76%, 1% above the industry benchmark. Safety Engagement, Safety Leadership, and Health and Wellbeing scores exceeded the benchmark while Safety Systems was below benchmark.
IMPROVE HEALTH, WELLBEING AND WORKLOAD MANAGEMENT
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Commit to prioritising work to ensure workload is managed to an acceptable level
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Educate in respect at work to further minimise the risk of bullying and harassment
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Improve access to Health and Wellbeing support services for all employees
42
APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
Health and Wellbeing
4,334 HSEH INTERACTIONS COMPLETED BY OUR LEADERS, 18% increase from FY22
76% HEALTH AND SAFETY SURVEY SCORE,
1% above industry benchmark
PARTNERED WITH SONDER;
a best-in-class, technology-enabled platform which assists APA employees, contingent workers and their families across all aspects of Health
Health and wellbeing framework
We have implemented the evidence-based framework, Thrive at Work, which has been adapted to include all health-related initiatives. The framework provides for a balanced approach to Health and Wellbeing prioritisation and management.
Psychosocial risk management
APA has taken steps to respond to recent Work Health and Safety (WHS) legislation changes with the inclusion of Psychosocial Risk within the HSEH Risk Register. A new WHS management system protocol has been drafted and an assessment of psychosocial hazards and controls completed. An action plan has been developed to ensure continued review and alignment of systems and processes.
Improved health and wellbeing support
Serious Harm Prevention
Improved assurance schedule targeting critical risk
The FY23 Assurance Schedule focused on APA’s critical risks that are linked to our Fatal Risk Protocols. This schedule was designed to measure the effectiveness of critical risks across various APA operations.
The areas covered in the FY23 Assurance Schedule included:
-
Contractor Management
-
Excavation and Trenching
-
Permit to Work
-
Driving
-
Process Safety
-
Safety Management Plans
To test the effectiveness of support mechanisms associated with psychosocial risk management we completed a review of the Employee Assistance Program (EAP). As a result of the review, a decision was made to partner with Sonder – a best-in-class, technology-enabled platform which assists APA employees, contingent workers and their families across all aspects of Health.
Sonder will link other health and wellbeing programs and enable access for our people when they need assistance.
Systems, technology and innovation
Incident, near miss and hazard management review
In FY23, we completed a review of the Incident Management and Investigation procedures across APA, resulting in the development and approval of the Incident, Near Miss and Hazard Management Protocol. This Protocol provides the overarching process for reporting all Incidents, Near Misses and Hazards, including Regulatory Events, and Harmful Behaviours.
In FY23, a total of 17 Line 2 assurance HSEH Management System activities were undertaken according to the schedule. This included auditing 1,332 controls, resulting in an overall compliance rating of 97% across all assessed areas.
43
MAINTAIN AND EVOLVE Safety, health and wellbeing (continued)
HSEH digital roadmap
In FY23, we undertook a comprehensive review of APA’s current suite of digital systems to support the business processes stipulated by the HSEH Management System, identifying the key areas where improvements in our digital systems are necessary to support our HSEH Strategy over a five-year horizon.
The roadmap identified seven key areas where significant improvements were required over the next five years:
-
Mobile-enabled digital tool for employees and contractors
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Integrated digital HSEH Incident, Near Miss and Hazard
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Management System
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New HSEH reporting and analytical framework supporting current and future digital tools
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Integrated Contractor Management System
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Digital solutions for HSEH inductions
-
Digital solutions for Permit to Work
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Predictive Analytics for HSEH
In FY23 we have focused on collating the business requirements for the first three items in our Roadmap. They represent the foundational building blocks of our digital strategy. In FY24 we will be undertaking the procurement and implementation of these systems.
Process safety
In FY23 we made progress against our process safety improvement initiatives identified in the HSEH Strategy. This included commencement of the Management of Change (MOC) Uplift initiative where we have:
-
Conducted a thorough current state MOC review
-
Developed and received endorsement for a Business Requirements Document
The next stage of the MOC Uplift initiative is to implement the specification requirements in our Enterprise Asset Management System prior to rolling out to the business in the second half of FY24.
The Process Hazard Analysis (PHA) Revalidation Uplift initiative progressed in FY23 by completing the Moomba Hub and Dalby Compressor Station HAZOP Studies. In FY24 we will continue to revalidate PHAs on critical operating assets.
The Safety Critical Element (SCE) Management and Assurance initiative has delivered and published SCE dossiers for all transmission assets and developed a draft SCE performance standard. In FY24 we will revise the SCE Lifecycle Process Standard and implement this in our Enterprise Asset Management System.
HSEH data and analytics improvements
In FY23, we rolled out the HSEH Dashboard and Detailed Reports to provide the business with a consolidated view of APA’s leading and lagging HSEH Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). The dashboards are updated on a monthly basis.
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44 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
Measuring health and safety performance
In FY23, our key focus areas included contractor safety across our projects and the identification of incidents and near misses that could have caused serious harm to our employees and contractors. We continue to drive our visible leadership initiatives through the key leading indicators of HSEH Interactions and High Potential Hazard Identification.
By focusing on visible leadership through HSEH Interactions, leaders can understand the challenges workers face and how they can be addressed to improve safety performance. HSEH interactions underwent an improvement exercise with the introduction of subcategories of focused interactions that include:
-
Health and safety – Focuses on general health and safety
-
Environment and heritage – Focuses on general environment and heritage
-
Critical control – Focuses on interacting with a work group on the implementation of critical controls for high-risk activities
-
Wellbeing – Introduced to improve health and wellbeing with a focus on psychosocial risk management
In FY24, there will be a focus on increasing the number of Critical Control and Wellbeing interactions to enhance and complement our Serious Harm Prevention and Wellbeing initiatives.
Safety lag indicators
In FY23, APA did not record any Fatalities or Actual Serious Harm incidents.
In line with our Serious Harm Prevention initiatives, APA recorded 33 Potential Serious Harm Incidents versus 46 in FY22. The Potential Serious Harm Incident Frequency Rate for FY23 was 3.74, compared to 6.51 in FY22 – a 42% decrease.
At the end of FY23, APA’s combined employee and contractor TRIFR was 3.4 Recordable Injuries per million hours worked. This represents a slight increase of 3% on the FY22 figure of 3.3. This equates to 30 people requiring medical intervention, up from 23 in FY22, against a 24.8% increase in the total number of hours worked by our employees and contractors when compared to FY22.
Safety compliance
APA received one regulatory (safety) penalty infringement notice and 20 regulatory (safety) improvement notices in FY23. Workplace Health and Safety Queensland issued the infringement notice on an APA contractor undertaking electrical repairs on a number of inverters at our Dugald River Solar Farm without the appropriate electrical licences. This resulted in a $2,000 penalty. The 20 improvement notices were issued by the same Regulator during an inspection at the Dugald River Solar Farm. All notices were related to minor administrative matters at the site and were promptly rectified.
The two key lag indicators for safety performance in FY23 were Potential Serious Harm Incident Frequency Rate (PSHIFR) and Total Recordable Injury Frequency Rate (TRIFR).
Safety lead indicators
Under APA’s HSEH Interactions metric, APA’s leaders have safety-focused discussions on hazard identification, risk mitigation and corrective action mechanisms with employees. In FY23, our leaders completed over 4,334 HSEH Interactions, an increase of 13% on FY22. These interactions help to keep safety front-of-mind for everyone.
Assurance
We engaged Deloitte to undertake limited assurance of selected key performance indicators included in the Safety Performance section of our FY23 Sustainability Data Book, in accordance with the Australian Standard on Assurance Engagements ASAE 3000 Assurance Engagements other than Audits or Reviews of Historical Financial Information issued by the Australian Auditing and Assurance Standards Board (ASAE 3000). Details of the assurance scope, procedures and conclusion are included in the Assurance Report on page 200 of this report.
45
Customers and suppliers
We work with our customers to deliver affordable and low emissions solutions and a better customer experience. We keep our customers informed about our assets to help them better meet peak seasonal demands and understand the impact of new regulatory changes. And we step in to assist where we can, including when responding to natural disasters.
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Keeping customers at the heart of what we do
FY23 was another dynamic year for the energy sector. The energy transition continued at pace with decarbonisation a key driver for our customers. With the conclusion of pandemic restrictions, APA continued to prioritise customer engagement and communications, innovation and customer experience. We sought to put customers at the centre of our decisions, activities and planning as we worked to deliver on our Energy Charter commitments.
We continued to take a customer-led approach to the development of new offers, working to meet our customers’ needs by delivering reliable, affordable and low emissions solutions. We sought to better inform our customers to help them deal with the volatility of peak winter/summer markets as well as new regulatory requirements that might affect day-to-day operations. Finally, we worked to ensure we supported our customers where they faced temporary hardships through natural disasters.
As in previous years, APA’s customer-driven approach included an annual feedback survey and an action plan in response.
HOSTED WINTER READINESS FORUM
to keep east coast customers better informed about asset and service availability through the peak winter period
Launched our RESPONSIBLE PROCUREMENT STRATEGY
AWARDED THE CIPS CORPORATE ETHICS MARK[1]
demonstrating our global commitment to ethical procurement practices
- 1 Ethics Register | CIPS.
46 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
Customer performance
APA’s annual commercial customer feedback survey was completed in November 2022. It involved a quantitative survey administered by an independent external agency. The key deliverable from the survey is APA’s Customer Experience Score (CES), an average performance score across attributes such as trust, responsiveness, value, ease, rapport and innovation.
Our CES was 6.7 out of 10 , representing an improvement from our 2021 score of 6.3. The result was driven by improvements in customer relationships with our key commercial counterparts. This reflected the success of our 2022 action plan which focused on re-invigorating relationships, re-establishing APA’s industry leadership and re-prioritising face-to-face meetings after COVID.
The survey also highlighted the opportunity to better engage senior representatives within our customer groups and work harder with specific accounts. This means prioritising key attributes such as ease of doing business and innovation, whilst also delivering on commitments, and continuing to work on improved communications and understanding of customers’ concerns. The survey informed our updated 2023 action plan which has now been in implementation for six months.
Customer experience
In addition to our annual survey, we regularly monitor and manage the customer experience through:
Communications and industry leadership
In response to customer feedback, we worked to keep customers better informed about the availability of our assets and services through peak winter and summer periods. We also acted to make sure they understand the impact of key regulatory changes. This included:
-
A Customer Forum on east coast gas asset winter readiness and the new AEMO gas system reliability and supply adequacy powers
-
Approaching winter, regular communications on contracted capacities of key APA east coast assets for north-south gas transport; and on progress on key asset upgrades to support winter peak gas transport. We also published advice on customer behaviours that help manage peak winter loads
Support for vulnerable customers
In keeping with our Energy Charter commitments, a monthly ‘Vulnerable Customer’ review meeting is held, monitoring commercial customers who may be facing hardship or credit issues and identifying opportunities for early assistance.
During the year, two customers were provided with assistance to help them deal with the impacts of significant flooding, with one entering into a deferred payment program and the other provided with a temporary extension of payment terms.
-
Dedicated account managers assigned to all commercial customers
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A quarterly customer experience dashboard focused on practical elements contributing to customers’ experience of APA
-
Key account management with a monthly review meeting to monitor customer feedback, service delivery and performance across APA’s key customers.
We also maintain a commercial customer complaints process with four complaints received during FY23 – this compares with 10 complaints in FY22, so a significantly better performance. The complaints related to land access, metering, processes around rejection of non-firm nominations, and the scope of protection works. We are also working to understand how we can better monitor and respond to customer impacts related to power outages as we grow our portfolio of electricity assets.
As well as working to resolve each complaint, we conducted ‘lessons learnt’ reviews to ensure any underlying issues driving the complaint do not recur.
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47
Customers and suppliers (continued)
Responsible Procurement Strategy
Outlined below is APA’s Responsible Procurement Strategy. It is aligned to APA's Sustainable Development Investment Program and the four priority investment areas.
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VISION We strengthen communities through impactful supplier relationships with a responsible and resilient supply chain
SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY Regional and remote First Nations People Climate transition Natural environment
INVESTMENT AREAS: communities
PROCUREMENT Supporting local Increase supplier diversity Enhance climate transition Optimise the full life
SPECIFIC GOALS communities and human cycle to consider
rights protection circularity opportunities
Create positive community impact through Optimise the full life cycle of goods to consider
TARGETED AREAS supplier diversity circularity opportunities and achieving net zero targets
OF ACTION
Monitor and address sustainability risk in the procurement of high-risk goods and services
ENABLERS Capacity and capacity building Digital and technology Governance and reporting
THE STRATEGY
SUPPORTS THE
FOLLOWING SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT GOALS:
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Striving to improve supply chain sustainability performance
APA developed and launched its first Responsible Procurement Strategy during the year. This supports the execution of APA’s Sustainable Development Investment Program by aligning to priority investment areas.
Early initiatives included building awareness of the strategy across business groups and starting to improve supplier diversity capability by engaging with First Nations businesses as part of our Supply Nation membership.
An initiative to better understand emissions in our supply chain and identify a roadmap of future opportunities to reduce emissions was undertaken in collaboration with the Net Zero and Climate team to support net zero ambitions.
48 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
Combatting modern slavery
As part of the continuous improvement approach to APA’s Modern Slavery Program, a number of key initiatives were progressed through the year.
After carefully evaluating several providers and undertaking a pilot due diligence exercise we implemented a technology solution in use from FY24 for modern slavery and ESG risk in our supply chain. The third-party solution assesses the modern slavery/ ESG risk of a potential supplier and plans ongoing due diligence accordingly. It also assesses risk of the existing supplier base. The ability to assess our supply chain ESG risk will support our broader responsible procurement strategy.
Implementation of the solution removes the need for manual data analysis and reduces risk of human error. It also enables access to a broader range of source data providing information about high-risk suppliers we would not otherwise have access to.
As part of our Modern Slavery commitments, we have also undertaken a program maturity assessment to identify recommendations for FY23 and further improve our capability to identify, assess and monitor risk and supplier performance.
A deep dive into our renewable energy suppliers was also undertaken as part of the pilot due diligence exercise to identify further steps to reduce risk of modern slavery. Renewable energy is recognised globally as a high-risk area for forced labour and child labour. It’s imperative we keep abreast of these emerging risk areas.
APA was awarded the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply Corporate Ethics Mark[1] during the year. The Ethics Mark is a global commitment to ethical procurement practices and it must be renewed annually to demonstrate ongoing commitment.
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1 Ethics Register | CIPS
49
Performance
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Financial performance
Earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) and EBIT before depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) excluding significant items are financial measures not prescribed by Australian Accounting Standards (AIFRS) and represent the profit under AIFRS adjusted for specific significant items. The Directors consider these measures to reflect the core earnings of APA Group, and therefore these are described in this report as ‘underlying’ measures.
In FY23, APA delivered a solid result, as shown in the table below. Underlying EBITDA increased 2.0% to $1,725 million (FY22 $1,692 million) representing growth from the Energy Infrastructure segment, partly offset by lower contributions from the Asset Management and Energy Investment segments as well as higher corporate costs. Statutory profit after tax including significant items increased by 10.4% to $287 million (FY22 $260 million) benefiting from lower non-operating items and net finance costs. Free cash flow declined 1.0% to $1,070 million (FY22 $1,081 million) largely due to higher FY23 Stay in Business capital expenditure.
On 23 August 2023, the Directors announced a final distribution of 29.0 cents per security, taking APA’s FY23 total distributions to 55.0 cents per security, in line with guidance. This represents an increase of 3.8%, or 2.0 cents, over the FY22 distributions of 53.0 cents per security.
Key financial data for FY23
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Changes
30 June 2023 30 June 2022
$m $m $m % [1]
Statutory Revenue
Total revenue 2,913 2,732 181 6.6%
Pass-through revenue [2] 512 496 16 3.2%
Total revenue excluding pass-through 2,401 2,236 165 7.4%
Underlying EBITDA [3] 1,725 1,692 33 2.0%
Fair value gains/(losses) on contract for difference 12 (30) 42 140.0%
Technology transformation projects (67) (22) (45) (204.5%)
Wallumbilla Gas Pipeline hedge accounting discontinuation (37) (15) (22) (146.7%)
Basslink debt revaluation, interest and integration costs 47 12 35 291.7%
Basslink AEMC market compensation 15 – 15 –
Payroll review (9) (7) (2) (28.6%)
Total reported EBITDA 1,686 1,630 56 3.4%
Depreciation and amortisation expenses (750) (735) (15) (2.0%)
Total reported EBIT 936 895 41 4.6%
Net finance costs and interest income (459) (483) 24 5.0%
Significant items
Reversal of impairment of property, plant and equipment – 28 (28) (100.0%)
Profit before income tax 477 440 37 8.4%
Income tax expense (190) (180) (10) (5.6%)
Statutory profit after tax including significant items 287 260 27 10.4%
Profit after tax excluding significant items 287 240 47 19.6%
Free cash flow [4 ] 1,070 1,081 (10) (1.0%)
Free cash flow per security (cents) 90.7 91.6 (0.9) (1.0%)
Earnings per security including significant items (cents) 24.3 22.1 2.2 10.0%
Earnings per security excluding significant items (cents) 24.3 20.4 3.9 19.1%
Distribution per security (cents) 55.0 53.0 2.0 3.8%
Distribution payout ratio (%) [5] 60.6 57.9 2.7 4.7%
Weighted average number of securities (millions) 1,180 1,180 – –
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-
1 Positive/negative changes are shown relative to impact on profit or other relevant performance metric.
-
2 Pass-through revenue is offset by pass-through expense within EBITDA. Any management fee earned for the provision of these services is recognised as part of asset management revenues.
-
3 Underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation ("EBITDA") excludes recurring items arising from other activities, transactions that are not directly attributable to the performance of APA Group's business operations and significant items.
4 Free cash flow is Operating cash flow adjusted for strategically significant transformation projects, less stay-in-business (SIB) capex. SIB capex includes operational assets lifecycle replacement costs and technology lifecycle costs.
5 Distribution payout ratio = total distribution applicable to the financial year as a percentage of free cash flow.
50
APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
Business segment performance and operational review
APA's principal activities are as follows:
-
Energy Infrastructure – APA’s wholly or majority owned energy infrastructure assets across gas transmission, compression, processing, storage and electricity generation (gas and renewables) and transmission.
-
Asset Management – The provision of asset management and operating services for third parties and the majority of APA’s investments.
-
Energy Investments – APA’s interests in energy infrastructure investments.
FY23 statutory reported revenue and underlying EBITDA performance of each segment
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Changes
30 June 2023 30 June 2022
$m $m $m % [1]
Revenue [2]
Energy Infrastructure
East Coast Gas 808 805 3 0.4%
West Coast Gas 369 342 27 7.9%
Wallumbilla Gas Pipeline 622 581 41 7.1%
Electricity Generation and Transmission 409 354 55 15.5%
Energy Infrastructure total 2,208 2,082 126 6.1%
Asset Management 114 115 (1) (0.9%)
Energy Investments 23 28 (5) (17.9%)
Other non-contracted revenue 8 13 (5) (38.5%)
Total segment revenue (excluding pass-through) 2,353 2,238 115 5.1%
Pass-through revenue 512 496 16 3.2%
Wallumbilla Gas Pipeline hedge accounting discontinuation (37) (15) (22) (146.7%)
Income on Basslink debt investment 50 12 38 316.7%
Basslink AEMC market compensation 15 – 15 –
Unallocated revenue [3] 20 1 19 1,900.0%
Total revenue 2,913 2,732 181 6.6%
EBITDA
Energy Infrastructure
East Coast Gas 645 646 (1) (0.2%)
West Coast Gas 305 289 16 5.5%
Wallumbilla Gas Pipeline [4] 620 578 42 7.3%
Electricity Generation and Transmission 223 194 29 14.9%
Energy Infrastructure total 1,793 1,707 86 5.0%
Asset Management 56 73 (17) (23.3%)
Energy Investments 23 28 (5) (17.9%)
Corporate costs (147) (116) (31) (26.7%)
Underlying EBITDA⁵ 1,725 1,692 33 2.0%
Fair value gains/(losses) on contracts for difference 12 (30) 42 140.0%
Technology transformation projects (67) (22) (45) (204.5%)
Wallumbilla Gas Pipeline hedge accounting unwind (37) (15) (22) (146.7%)
Basslink debt revaluation, interest and acquisition costs 47 12 35 291.7%
Basslink AEMC market compensation 15 – 15 –
Payroll Review (9) (7) (2) (28.6%)
Total reported EBITDA [6] 1,686 1,630 56 3.4%
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-
1 Positive/negative changes are shown relative to impact on profit or other relevant performance metric.
-
2 Refer to Revenue Note 4 for additional disclosure on revenue streams from contracts with customers disaggregated by geographical location and major sources.
-
3 Interest income is not included in calculation of EBITDA but nets off against interest expense in calculating net interest cost.
-
4 Wallumbilla Gladstone Pipeline is separated from East Coast Grid in this table as a result of the significance of its revenue and EBITDA in the Group. It is categorised as part of the East Coast Grid cash-generating unit for impairment assessment purposes.
-
5 Underlying FY23 EBITDA excluding the earnings from Basslink and the Orbost Gas Processing Plant was up 1.8% to $1,697m (FY22: $1,667m). 6 Excludes significant items.
51
Performance (continued)
Energy Infrastructure
In FY23, Energy Infrastructure is the largest business segment contributor to Group segment revenue at 93.8% (excluding passthrough) and 95.7% of underlying EBITDA (before corporate costs).
Of this revenue:
-
88% was derived from either long-term, take-or-pay contracts or regulated assets, as shown below, providing predictability and cash flow stability.
-
85% was derived from investment grade counterparties with a diversified customer base across the energy, utility, resources and industrial sectors.
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FY23 Energy Infrastructure
by Revenue Type
● Capacity charge revenue 77%
[88%] ● Regulated revenue 8%
Take or pay/ ● Contracted fixed revenue 3%
regulated ● Throughput charge and
other variable revenue 10%
● Flexible short-term services 1%
● Other 1%
FY23 Energy Infrastructure Revenue
by Counterparty Credit Rating1
● A-rated or better 44%
[85%] ● BBB to BBB+ rated 34%
investment ● Investment grade 7%
grade ● Not rated 10%
● Sub-investment grade 5%
FY23 Energy Infrastructure Revenue
by Customer Industry Segment
● Energy 46%
Diverse ● Utility 25%
source of ● Resources 25%
revenue ● Industrial & other 4%
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- 1 An investment grade credit rating from either S&P (BBB- or better) or Moody’s (Baa3 or better), or a joint venture with an investment grade average rating across owners. Ratings shown as equivalent to S&P’s rating scale.
52 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
Comparing FY23 performance to FY22
East Coast Gas
Underlying EBITDA benefited from higher inflation-linked revenues, a stronger contribution from the Victorian Transmission System and some favorable short-term contracting. This was offset by higher costs including Young-Lithgow repairs, and a lower contribution from the Orbost Gas Processing Plant which was sold in July 2022.
West Coast Gas
Underlying EBITDA largely benefited from higher inflation-linked revenues, partly offset by higher costs.
Wallumbilla Gladstone Pipeline
Underlying EBITDA benefited from a 7.5% increase in tariffs on 1 January 2023, partly offset by FX.
Electricity Generation and Transmission
A part-year contribution from Basslink drove higher earnings.
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Energy Infrastructure Revenue by segment Energy Infrastructure EBITDA by segment
(A$m) (A$m)
2,500 2,000
2,000 1,600
1,500 1,200
1,000 800
500 400
0 0
FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23
● East Coast Gas ● West Coast Gas ● Wallumbilla Gladstone Pipeline ● Power Generation
Energy Infrastructure EBITDA by asset
(A$m)
FY23
FY22
FY21
FY20
0 200 400 600 800 1,000 1,200 1,400 1,600 1,800
● Roma Brisbane Pipeline ● Wallumbilla Gladstone Pipeline ● Carpentaria Gas Pipeline ● South West Queensland Pipeline
● Diamantina Power Station ● Other QLD assets ● and other NSW pipelines [Moomba Sydney Pipeline] ● Victorian Systems
● SESA Pipeline and other SA assets ● Orbost Gas Plant ● GoldFields Gas Pipeline ● Eastern Goldfields Pipeline
● Other WA assets ● Emu Downs Wind and Solar Farms ● Pilbara Pipeline System ● [Mondarra Gas Storage]
and Processing Facility
● Amadeus Gas Pipeline ● Gruyere Power Station ● Badgingarra Wind and Solar Farms ● Darling Downs Solar Farm
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53
Performance (continued)
Asset Management
In FY23, Asset Management contributed 4.8% to Group segment revenue (excluding pass-through) and 3.0% of underlying EBITDA (before corporate costs).
APA’s major third-party customers are Australian Gas Networks Limited (AGN), Energy Infrastructure Investments (EII) and GDI, who receive asset management services under long-term contracts.
The decrease in Asset Management EBITDA in FY23 compared to FY22 was driven by a combination of lower margin activities and reduced customer contributions which fluctuate from one period to the next. Customer contributions for FY23 were $15 million (FY22 $28 million).
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Asset Management Revenue Asset Management EBITDA
(A$m) (A$m)
120 120
100 100
80 80
60 60
40 40
20 20
0 0
FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23
● Underlying Asset Management Revenue ● Underlying Asset Management EBITDA
● One-off Customer Contributions ● One-off Customer Contributions
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Energy Investments
In FY23, Energy Investments contributed 1.0% to Group segment revenue (excluding pass-through) and 1.3% of underlying EBITDA (before corporate costs). FY23 EBITDA was lower than in FY22 due to reduced equity income from SEA Gas as a result of contract changes.
| Asset and ownership interests Asset details and APA services Partners Mortlake Gas Pipeline 50% SEA Gas (Mortlake) Partnership 83 kmgas pipeline connecting the Otway Gas Plant to the Mortlake Power Station REST SEA Gas Pipeline 50% South East Australia Gas Pty Ltd 687 kmgas pipeline from Iona and Port Campbell in Victoria to Adelaide REST North Brown Hill Wind Farm 20.2% EII2 132 MWwind farm in South Australia Foresight (ICG were taken over in 2022) Osaka Gas Allgas Gas Distribution Network 20% GDI (EII) 3,900 kmAllgas gas distribution 114,000connections Marubeni Corporation Kogan North Processing Plant Directlink and Murraylink Electricity Interconnectors Nifty and Telfer Gas Pipelines Wickham Point and Bonaparte Gas Pipelines 19.9% Energy Infrastructure Investments Gas processing facilities12 TJ/day Electricity transmission243 km Gas pipelines totalling786 km MM Midstream Investments CORPORATE SERVICES CORPORATE SERVICES CORPORATE SERVICES OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT MAINTENANCE MAINTENANCE |
|
|---|---|
Corporate costs
Corporate costs excluding significant items for FY23 were higher than FY22 largely due to investment in capability and growth including: technology and business resilience; regulatory, risk and compliance; sustainability and corporate affairs.
54
APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
Capital and investment expenditure
In FY23, total capital and investment expenditure of $1,180 million was $96 million lower than in FY22, largely driven by the remaining investment in Basslink in FY23 being lower than the investment in the senior secured debt of Basslink FY22. Outside of this, in FY23 there was higher growth capex, as well as higher Stay in Business (SIB) capex compared to FY22.
Capital and investment expenditure for FY23
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Capital and investment 30 June 2023 30 June 2022
expenditure [1] Description of major projects $m $m
Regulated Western Outer Ring Main (WORM), Winchesea 242 68
Compressor; Access Arrangement Allowed
Expenditure
Non-Regulated
East Coast Gas East Coast Grid Stage 1, Kurri Kurri Gas Lateral 172 129
West Coast Gas Northern Goldfields Interconnect 300 217
Electricity Generation Dugald River Solar Farm; Gruyere Power Grid 113 76
and Transmission
Customer contribution VIC Estate, Road and Rail Projects 18 33
projects and others
Total growth capex 845 523
SIB capex
Asset Lifecycle capex [2] 161 123
IT Lifecycle capex 32 7
Total SIB capex 193 130
Foundation capex
Technology and Other capex 10 18
Corporate Real Estate 22 17
Total Foundation capex 32 35
Total capital expenditure 1,070 689
Acquisitions and Investments 110 587
Total capital and investment expenditure 1,180 1,276
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-
1 The capital expenditure shown in this table represents payments for property, plant, equipment and intangibles as disclosed in the cash flow statement, and excludes accruals brought forward from the prior period and carried forward to the next period.
-
2 Represents Stay in Business capital expenditure not recoverable from customers and/or regulatory frameworks.
Regulated growth capital expenditure
-
Western Outer Ring Main (WORM) project – The Pipeline Licence for the project was issued in May 2022 and approval under the EPBC Act received in June 2022. Construction, which began in August 2022, progressed significantly during the year with some delays to overall completion due to an exceptionally wet spring and some difficult ground conditions. Completion and commissioning is now expected in Q1FY24. The Australian Energy Regulator (AER) included growth capital expenditure for the WORM in the access arrangement decision in December 2022. The project will enhance gas security of supply by supporting higher withdrawals in summer and injections in winter from the Iona Underground Storage Facility in Victoria’s west.
-
Winchelsea Compressor Station – In April 2022, APA reached a Final Investment Decision for a $60 million expansion of the South-West Pipeline in the Victorian Transmission System. The project, to install an additional compressor facility at Winchelsea Compressor Station, enabled additional capacity ahead of winter 2023 gas supply shortfalls highlighted by the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) in its 2022 Gas Statement of Opportunities (GSOO). Recognising the critical importance of natural gas to Victoria’s energy system, APA has worked with the Australian Energy Regulator and the Victorian Government to expedite the project. The project was completed and commissioned on schedule in Q4FY23.
55
Performance (continued)
Unregulated growth capital expenditure
East Coast Gas
-
East Coast Grid Expansion – Stage 1 of the expansion works, increasing Wallumbilla to Wilton capacity by 12%, was completed and commissioned in Q4FY23. This will help mitigate the forecast 2023 southern State winter supply risks identified in the 2022 AEMO GSOO. Confirmation of Stage 2, which will add a further 13% of capacity, was announced in May 2022. Stage 2 is well advanced with major procurement complete and construction commenced on both the MSP and SWQP sites in late FY23. The project is scheduled for commissioning ahead of the forecast potential winter 2024 shortfalls.
-
Kurri Kurri Lateral Pipeline – On 20 June 2022, APA executed a Gas Transportation and Storage Agreement and a Development Agreement with Snowy Hydro Limited to develop a 20 kilometre Kurri Kurri Lateral gas pipeline connection. APA will build, own and operate the Kurri Kurri Lateral, connecting the Sydney to Newcastle Pipeline to the Hunter Power Project at Kurri Kurri in New South Wales. The project includes a 70 TJ gas storage facility to service the Hunter Power Project. During the year, the New South Wales Government approved the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the project. APA submitted an application for a pipeline licence in February which is expected to be issued in early FY24. APA has secured an easement with all landowners along the pipeline alignment. Major procurement is complete and pipe has arrived at Newcastle Port. Electric drive compressors will be used to minimise the emissions intensity of operations. Construction contracts are expected to be awarded in early FY24 with project completion in 1HFY25 and ahead of the Hunter Power station project completion.
West Coast Gas
Northern Goldfields Interconnect (NGI) – The NGI pipeline connects the Perth Basin to APA’s Goldfields Gas Pipeline and APA’s Eastern Goldfields network. Construction of the pipeline and compressor station were both completed during the year and commissioned in Q4FY23.
Power Generation
Gruyere Power Station Expansion and Hybrid Energy Microgrid – APA’s first hybrid energy microgrid investment will expand the existing reciprocating gas-fired power station, with a 13MWp solar farm backed up by a 4.4MW/4.4MWh battery energy storage system (BESS). The microgrid uses a hybrid control system to monitor and react to cloud movements, battery control and the existing reciprocating engine control systems to optimise efficiency and maximise the use of renewable generation. During the year, the expansion to the existing reciprocating gas-fired power station was completed and commissioned, and the solar farm and BESS constructed. Commissioning and performance testing were completed on 31 July 2022. Total installed capacity of the microgrid is 64MW (60MW of power generation and 4.4MW of battery storage).
Dugald River Solar Farm – Construction of the $150 million 88MW Dugald River Solar Farm (previously called Mica Creek Solar Farm) was approved in March 2022. The project is underpinned by two offtake agreements – a 15-year solar offtake agreement to supply renewable energy to the MMG Dugald River mine and a variation to an existing agreement with existing APA customer, Mount Isa Mines Limited, to supply renewable energy for 15 years. As part of the project, APA entered into a 32-year lease agreement with the Queensland Government to locate the Dugald River Solar Farm near the Diamantina Power Station Complex. The solar farm was completed during the year and successfully connected and commissioned in Q4FY23.
Prospective projects
-
In FY23, APA progressed preliminary work on several other large projects including:
-
Beetaloo Basin, Northern Territory – In FY22, APA entered a non-binding MOU with Empire Energy to progress feasibility studies on APA providing processing and transportation infrastructure for Empire Energy’s Beetaloo and McArthur Basins Project. Through FY23, APA continued to engage with Empire Energy to develop infrastructure requirements to support Empire’s early project concepts in the Beetaloo Basin. In FY23, APA entered an initial agreement with Tamboran Resources to progress the connection of Tamboran’s proposed Beetaloo Basin production projects to APA’s gas transmission assets. Under the agreement, APA commenced early land access and approvals, and pre-engineering studies to develop a gas pipeline from Tamboran’s proposed Shenandoah South project to the Amadeus Gas Pipeline. APA also commenced early work to develop a large-volume, open access pipeline from the Beetaloo Basin to APA’s South West Queensland Pipeline, facilitating the connection of Beetaloo Basin gas to APA’s East Coast Gas Grid.
-
Gabanintha Vanadium Project, Western Australia – During the year, APA progressed the non-binding MOU with a customer for gas transportation services along a proposed 150 kilometre long new pipeline to supply gas to the Gabanintha Vanadium Project. In June 2022, APA entered into an Early Works Agreement to progress early work activities for the proposed pipeline, including confirming the pipeline route, preparing appropriate licences, initial engineering design and identifying long lead procurement items.
56 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
Financing Activities
Capital management
At 30 June 2023, APA had 1,179,893,848 securities on issue. This is unchanged from 30 June 2022.
Debt facilities
At 30 June 2023, APA had $11,241 million of drawn debt facilities (compared with $11,146 million at 30 June 2022). APA’s debt portfolio has a broad spread of maturities across the global debt capital markets extending out to FY36, with an average maturity of drawn debt of 5.7 years. APA’s Treasury Policy requires interest rate hedging to minimise the potential impacts from adverse movements in interest rates. At year end, 100% of interest obligations on gross drawn borrowings was either hedged into or issued at fixed interest rates for varying periods extending out to 2036.
In FY23, APA raised AUD $1.6 billion of bilateral facility agreements from leading Australian and overseas banks, replacing $1.3 billion of the previous existing facilities. The new bilateral facility agreements comprise of 3-year, 4-year and 5-year tenors which remain undrawn at 30 June 2023. The purpose of the bilateral agreements is to provide access to facilities for general corporate purposes.
Interest costs
During the year, net finance costs decreased by $24 million or 5.0%, to $459 million (FY22: $483 million). The average interest rate[1] , including credit margins, applying to drawn debt was 4.43% for FY23 (FY22: 4.42%). The decrease is due to higher average cash balances and higher market interest rates facilitating higher interest income offsetting interest expense. Most of APA’s debt obligations were either issued at fixed rates or hedged at lower interest rates because they were issued in the lower interest rate environment prior to 2022.
Credit ratings
During the year, APA Infrastructure Limited (APAIL), the borrowing entity of APA, maintained two investment grade credit ratings:
-
BBB long-term corporate credit rating (outlook Stable) assigned by Standard & Poor’s (S&P) in June 2009, and last confirmed on 31 January 2023.
-
Baa2 long-term corporate credit rating (outlook Stable) assigned by Moody’s Investors Service (Moody’s) in April 2010, and last confirmed on 20 March 2023.
APA calculates the Funds From Operations (FFO) to Interest to be 3.3 times (FY22: 3.6 times) and FFO to Net Debt to be 10.6% for FY23 (FY22: 11.1%).
FFO to Net Debt is the key quantitative measure used by S&P and Moody’s to assess APA’s creditworthiness and credit rating[2] .
Capital management strategy
APA’s four-pillar capital management strategy positions APA for its next phase of growth. It comprises:
-
Securityholder returns – focus on maximising available free cash flow and distributions
-
Access to capital – maintain investment grade credit metrics and a diverse source of funding
-
Capital allocation – make disciplined investments aligned to strategy and investment hurdles that drive long-term value
-
Risk management – use a funding strategy focused on diversification, tenor and maturities, with Treasury policies that support strong liquidity and reduce volatility
Income tax
Income tax expense for FY23 of $190 million resulted in an effective income tax rate of 39.8%, compared with 40.9% in the previous year. The high effective rate is due to significant amortisation charges relating to contract intangibles acquired with the Wallumbilla Gladstone Pipeline. These are not tax deductible.
In FY23 APA has deducted $902 million of capital expenditure as part of the Government’s Temporary Full Expensing measures and as a result, the FY23 cash tax payable is $0. The effective cash tax paid rate is 0% for the FY23 income tax year, compared with 20.3% in FY22.
APA has published a Tax Transparency Report, including a reconciliation of profit to income tax payable.
To assist APA securityholders who wish to submit their annual tax return before receiving their annual APA Tax Statement in mid- September, APA has an indicative online tax estimator tool which is available on the Investor page on APA’s website.
-
1 The average interest rate is now calculated using period end FX and hedged rates to better reflect actual debt outstanding at period end (comparative year has also been restated). Based on the previous methodology, average interest was 4.59% in FY22.
-
2 The credit metric ratios are now calculated to be more closely aligned with credit rating agency methodology (comparatives have also been restated). Based on the previous methodology, FFO/Net debt was 11.5% for the 12 months to 30 June 2022. FFO/Interest is unchanged at 3.6 times for the 12 months to 30 June 2022.
57
Performance (continued)
Distributions
| Final FY22 distribution – paid 14 September 2022 |
Interim FY23 distribution – paid 16 March 2023 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Cents per security Total distribution $m |
Cents per security Total distribution $m |
|
| APA Infrastructure Trust franked proft distribution APA Infrastructure Trust unfranked proft distribution APA Infrastructure Trust capital distribution APA Investment Trust proft distribution APA Investment Trust capital distribution |
6.31 74 – – 15.40 182 1.14 13 5.15 61 |
8.50 100 7.42 89 6.67 79 1.01 12 2.40 28 |
| 28.00 330 |
26.00 308 |
|
| Frankingcredits allocated | 2.70 32 |
3.64 43 |
| Final FY23 distribution - payable 13 September 2023 |
||
| Cents per security Total distribution $m |
||
| APA Infrastructure Trust franked proft distribution APA Infrastructure Trust unfranked proft distribution APA Infrastructure Trust capital distribution APA Investment Trust proft distribution APA Investment Trust capital distribution |
– – 6.64 79 15.02 177 1.00 12 6.34 74 |
|
| 29.00 342 |
||
| Frankingcredits allocated | – – |
The Distribution Reinvestment Plan remains suspended.
58 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
Outlook
Distributions outlook
APA anticipates a FY24 distribution of 56.0 cents per security[1] , representing a 1.8% increase on the prior period.
As part of the energy supply chain, APA can be affected by regulatory changes, economic downturns and reductions in energy demand. Given market conditions are not certain, APA’s revenues will continue to be subject to regulatory dynamics, customer recontracting and investment decisions.
Looking ahead, APA is in a strong position to continue executing its growth program, investing for the long-term energy needs of its customers.
1 Distribution guidance is subject to asset performance, macroeconomic factors, regulatory changes as well as timing of distributions from non-100% owned assets, with distributions to be determined at the Board’s discretion. It does not take into account the impact of any potential acquisitions or divestments by APA and any associated funding arrangements, other than the acquisition of Alinta Energy Pilbara and the associated Placement and Security Purchase Plan announced today.
59
Governance
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Robust corporate governance policies and practices facilitate the responsible creation of long-term value for securityholders and help APA to meet the expectations of other stakeholders.
APA comprises two registered managed investment schemes, APA Infrastructure Trust and APA Investment Trust, the securities of which are ‘stapled’ together and traded on the ASX.
APA Group Limited is the responsible entity of those trusts and is responsible for APA’s corporate governance practices.
The Board and our Executive Leadership Team are committed to conducting APA’s business in accordance with high standards of corporate governance. We believe robust corporate governance policies and practices help APA to create long-term value for securityholders and to meet the expectations of other stakeholders.
Because of our stapled trust structure, there are certain governance and remuneration-related obligations under the Corporations Act and the ASX Listing Rules that do not apply to us.
In line with the Board’s commitment to high standards of corporate governance, we have:
-
adopted a Corporate Governance Framework (1 July 2017); and
-
entered into a related Deed Poll (adopted in 2004 and amended in 2011),
which together are designed to ensure that APA’s corporate governance regime is consistent, as far as is practicable, with the best practice procedures of public listed companies.
APA complies with each of the recommendations of the ASX Corporate Governance Council’s Corporate Governance Principles and Recommendations (Fourth Edition). The Board periodically reviews and approves material corporate governance principles, policies and procedures in line with market practice, the expectations of our stakeholders and regulatory developments.
Our 2023 Corporate Governance Statement provides further information about our approach to governance during FY23.
Role of the Board
The Board of APA is responsible for the proper management of APA’s business and affairs. The Board’s primary role is to approve APA’s strategic intent, provide leadership and effectively oversee the implementation of strategy and a system of risk management. To assist it in carrying out its responsibilities, the Board has established five standing committees, each with its own charter approved by the Board. In addition, the Board has delegated responsibility for the day-to-day management of APA to the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer and other members of the Executive Leadership Team subject to the Delegations of Authority Policy, as amended by the Board from time to time.
The specific responsibilities of the Board and each standing committee are detailed in APA’s Corporate Governance Statement. Copies of our Corporate Governance Framework and related Deed Poll can be found on our website at apa.com.au.
60 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
OUR CORPORATE GOVERNANCE FRAMEWORK
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BOARD
Risk Safety and People and
Audit and Finance Nomination
Management Sustainability Remuneration
Committee Committee
Committee Committee Committee
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND MANAGING DIRECTOR
EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP TEAM
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61
APA Group Board
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Michael Fraser BCom FCPA MAICD
Independent Chairman Appointed 1 September 2015 Appointed Chairman 27 October 2017
Michael Fraser is the Chairman of APA Group and brings to the Board more than 35 years’ experience in the Australian energy and infrastructure sectors.
Michael has an extensive background in all aspects of the Australian energy market, including with the development of renewable energy projects and related firming infrastructure. Michael has held various executive positions at AGL Energy, including the role of Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer for a period of seven years to February 2015.
Michael is a current Director of Orora Limited. He is a former Chairman of the Clean Energy Council, Elgas Limited, ActewAGL and the NEMMCO Participants Advisory Committee, as well as a former Director of Aurizon Holdings Limited, Queensland Gas Company Limited, the Australian Gas Association and the Energy Retailers Association of Australia.
Michael is Chair of the Nomination Committee and a member of the Safety and Sustainability Committee.
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Adam Watson
BBus FCPA GAICD
Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Appointed 19 December 2022
Adam Watson was appointed Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director in December 2022. He joined APA Group in November 2020 as Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
In his role as CFO, Adam was responsible for APA’s technology, finance, taxation, treasury and capital markets, risk, cyber and physical security, procurement, real estate and shared services activities.
Adam has deep local and international experience in the industrial and manufacturing sectors and in the development, delivery and operations of critical infrastructure. He previously held senior executive roles at Transurban, Australia’s largest infrastructure business, along with Melbourne Airport and BlueScope Steel. Adam has deep experience in public private partnerships and his senior leadership roles have spanned finance, commercial, strategy, corporate development and operations.
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James Fazzino
BEc (Hons) FCPA
Independent Director Appointed 21 February 2019
James Fazzino brings to the Board extensive local and international experience in industrial, manufacturing and emerging energy markets.
James held the role of Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer at Incitec Pivot Limited for eight years up until 2017. In this role he built significant experience in sustainability and in the safe operation of high hazard and highrisk facilities in remote locations. James also has experience building strategic customer relationships and in the delivery of world scale hydrogen projects.
James is currently the Chair of Manufacturing Australia and a Director of Rabobank Australia Limited. He is also a convenor of the Champions of Change Coalition, a group of senior business executives focussed on gender equality and inclusive workplaces. He was formerly the Chairman of Tassal Group Limited and Osteon Medical.
James is Chair of the Safety and Sustainability Committee, and a member of the Audit and Finance Committee and the Risk Management Committee.
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Debra (Debbie) Goodin
BEc FCA MAICD
Independent Director Appointed 1 September 2015
Debra (Debbie) Goodin brings to the Board experience in the infrastructure, construction, engineering services and energy sectors as both a senior executive and director.
Debbie has held senior finance, operations and corporate development roles in both the private and public sectors, including as a chief financial officer and chief operating officer. As an experienced non-executive director, Debbie has local and global experience in organizational leadership, financial management, operations and risk management and as chairman and audit and risk committee chair of organisations in the infrastructure and service delivery sectors.
Debbie is currently Chairman of Atlas Arteria Limited and a Director of Ansell Limited. She was formerly a Director of oOh!media Limited, Senex Energy Limited, Ten Network Holdings Limited and Australia Pacific Airports Corporation Limited.
Debbie is Chair of the Audit and Finance Committee and a member of the Risk Management Committee and the Safety and Sustainability Committee.
62
APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
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Shirley In’t Veld BCom LLB (Hons)
Independent Director Appointed 19 March 2018
Shirley In’t Veld brings to the Board over 30 years’ experience in the resources and energy sectors, including as Managing Director of Verve Energy and more than 10 years in senior roles at Alcoa Australia Limited, WMC Resources Limited, Bond Corporation and BankWest.
Shirley is currently a Non-executive Director with Alumina Limited, Develop Global Limited and Karora Resources Inc. She was formerly Deputy Chair of CSIRO, a Non-executive Director of NBN Co Limited, Northern Star Resources Limited, Perth Airport, DUET Group, Alcoa of Australia Limited and Asciano Limited, where she was Chair of the Sustainability Committee. Shirley was also formerly a member of the Federal Government’s Renewable Energy Target Review Panel.
Shirley is a member of the People and Remuneration Committee, the Safety and Sustainability Committee and the Nomination Committee.
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Rhoda Phillippo
MSc Telecommunications Business GAICD
Independent Director Appointed 1 June 2020
Rhoda Phillippo brings to the Board over 30 years of local and international experience in the telecommunications, technology and energy sectors.
Rhoda has held senior executive roles in the telecommunications, IT and energy sector in the UK, NZ and Australia including as Managing Director of Lumo Energy. She also has significant experience in infrastructure mergers and acquisitions in Australia and overseas.
Rhoda is currently Chairperson of Kinetic IT Pty Ltd, and a Non-executive Director with Dexus Funds Management Ltd and Waveconn Group Holdings Management Pty Ltd. She is also an advisor to the Board of Tally Group, an energy billing solutions provider.
She is formerly a Non-executive Director of Pacific Hydro, Datacom Group Limited, Vocus Group Ltd and LINQ, the Chairman of Snapper Services in New Zealand and Deputy Chair of Kiwibank in New Zealand.
Rhoda is Chair of the Risk Management Committee, and a member of the Audit and Finance Committee and the People and Remuneration Committee.
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Peter Wasow
BCom GradDip (Management) Fellow (CPA Australia)
Independent Director Appointed 19 March 2018
Peter Wasow brings to the Board significant global experience in the energy and resources sectors as both a senior executive and director. He retired as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Alumina Limited in 2017 and previously held senior executive positions at Santos Limited and BHP.
Peter was formerly a Non-executive Director of Alcoa of Australia Limited, AWA Brazil Limitada, AWAC LLC, Alumina Limited, Oz Minerals Limited and the privately held GHD Group.
Peter is Chair of the People and Remuneration Committee and a member of the Audit and Finance Committee and the Risk Management Committee.
63
APA Executive Leadership
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Kynwynn Strong
BEng(Hons), BSc, MAppFin Acting Chief Financial Officer
Amanda Cheney
LLB (Hons) BArts FGIA Group Executive Legal and Governance
Kynwynn Strong is APA Group’s acting Chief Financial Officer.
Kynwynn has over 20 years’ experience in financial markets, finance and strategy, including holding senior roles for over a decade at a leading multinational investment bank and in financial services companies.
Kynwynn joined APA in 2022 and is responsible for governance of APA's financial systems, plans, processes and procedures, strategic programs, and leads the group’s technology, risk and compliance functions.
Amanda Cheney is responsible for APA Group’s legal and company secretariat functions.
Amanda has over 20 years’ experience advising on major energy and infrastructure projects in Australia and internationally. She joined APA more than 10 years ago and has played a pivotal role in driving transformation and growth in a range of projects across the business.
Prior to joining APA, Amanda worked as a lawyer in private practice with leading law firms in Australia and Japan.
Amanda is a Fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia.
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Stuart Davis
BEng (Hons) BCom, MAICD Acting Group Executive Operations
Ross Gersbach
BBus
Group Executive Strategy and Corporate Development
Stuart Davis is responsible for the operations of APA Group’s infrastructure portfolio.
Stuart has over 20 years’ experience in the power, electricity transmission and oil and gas sectors, in senior leadership roles including in operations, engineering and commercial both in Australia and overseas.
Stuart is responsible for the operations, maintenance, stay in business capital projects and asset management of APA’s infrastructure portfolio that spans electricity and gas transmission, renewable power generation, and gas distribution networks. Stuart joined APA in 2017 and previously held the roles of General Manager, Engineering and Planning, and General Manager, Operations and Maintenance.
Ross Gersbach is responsible for APA Group’s strategy, market analytics, corporate development, and regulation and policy functions.
Ross has over 25 years’ experience in senior commercial positions across a range of energy-related sectors, covering infrastructure investments, mergers and acquisitions, strategic development and the management of energy infrastructure assets.
Ross joined APA in 2008 and has previously held several leadership positions, including Chief Executive, Strategy and Corporate Development.
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Kevin Lester
BEng MIEAust CPEng EngExec GAICD
Group Executive Infrastructure Delivery
Kevin Lester is responsible for APA Group’s Infrastructure Delivery division, including the planning, approvals, engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning of the company’s growth projects.
Kevin has over 35 years’ experience across the mining, resources and energy sectors managing the delivery of major infrastructure projects.
Kevin joined APA over 10 years ago and is responsible for supporting APA's $22 billion portfolio of assets, developing and delivering growth projects, and managing APA’s Pathfinder program, which pursues innovation, technology and new energy opportunities.
Kevin is a Director and a past President of the Australian Pipelines and Gas Association.
64 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
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Elizabeth (Liz) McNamara BEc (Hons), PCSB, GAICD Group Executive Sustainability and Corporate Affairs
Darren Rogers BEng MEng MBA GAICD Group Executive Energy Solutions
Liz Joined APA Group in November 2022 as Group Executive Sustainability and Corporate Affairs.
Liz has 25 years’ experience in corporate affairs and leadership roles across large public service and ASX-listed organisations, including in energy, mining, investment banking and transport.
Liz joined APA in 2022 to lead the company’s Sustainability and Corporate Affairs division and is responsible for the development and execution of APA’s climate change and sustainability, government and industry relations, communications and brand functions.
Darren Rogers is responsible for APA Group’s customer, business development and commercial functions, along with the company’s work in future fuels, including APA’s Pathfinder program.
Darren has almost 30 years’ experience across the energy sector working in large and complex businesses, including in senior commercial, operations, engineering and asset management roles.
Darren joined APA in 2017 and previously held the role of Group Executive, Operations, responsible for the safe operations, maintenance and asset management of the company’s infrastructure portfolio, including gas and electricity transmission, renewable power generation, and gas distribution networks.
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Jane Thomas
BBus LLB (Hons) MPsychol (org) GAICD Fellow AHRI Group Executive People, Safety and Culture
Vin Vassallo
Group Executive Electricity Transmission
Jane Thomas is responsible for APA Group’s health, safety, environment and heritage systems, and people and culture functions.
Jane has 30 years’ experience across industries spanning energy, mining, banking and finance, retail and manufacturing.
Jane joined APA in 2021 and has driven a strengthened focus on culture and business transformation across the organisation. Prior to joining APA, Jane held senior leadership roles in major ASX-listed organisations and multinational global companies, leading people, health, safety, environment, community and legal functions.
Vin Vassallo is responsible for APA Group’s Electricity Transmission division.
Vin has more than 30 years’ experience in leading the development and delivery of infrastructure both in Australia and North America, including under Private Public Partnerships, and managing business teams in complex environments.
Vin joined APA in 2022 and is responsible for the development of new business in electricity transmission and distribution, with a focus on contracted and regulated electricity transmission infrastructure.
65
Governance (continued)
Ethics and integrity
Key policies governing ethics and integrity at APA include:
-
Code of Conduct: Our Code brings our purpose and culture to life so we can make the right choices every day. It is underpinned by our behaviours of being courageous, accountable, nimble, collaborative and impactful. It includes principles and business standards that support safety, anti-harassment, anti-bullying, antidiscrimination, human rights, community engagement, environmental protection, anti-corruption and data privacy and security, and prevent anti-competitive behaviour.
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Inclusion and Diversity Policy (including Equal Employment Opportunity): Our commitment and strategy to building a diverse, equitable and truly inclusive workplace where everyone belongs, and feels valued, and respected to bring their best selves to work.
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Anti-Bribery and Corruption Policy: Our commitment to fostering business integrity including detecting and preventing bribery, corruption and fraud.
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Whistleblower Policy: This policy creates a safe and protected environment to escalate potential matters of concern and suspected wrong doing for those working with and for APA, including our employees, contractors, suppliers and consultants.
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Respect@Work Procedure: Our commitment to providing and fostering an inclusive and respectful workplace with safe, fair and positive working conditions. APA has zero tolerance for any form of harmful behaviour including unlawful discrimination, bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, sex-based harassment, vilification, victimisation and other inappropriate behaviour.
-
Health, Safety, Environment and Heritage Policy: Our aspiration to not just respect the past but protect values for the future. We do this by protecting the health, safety and wellbeing of our people; and the environment, heritage and the communities in which we operate.
Reports and incidents
APA’s Anti-Bribery and Corruption Policy prohibits bribery and corruption in any form. The Policy mandates our antibribery and corruption program and covers approvals for gifts, sponsorships, donations and entertainment, and third-party due diligence, and provides for monitoring and reporting.
We maintain a Whistleblower Line through an externally managed disclosure service as an independent, impartial and confidential means of reporting potential incidents. Through the Whistleblower Line and our internal reporting channels, we identify and record material breaches of the APA Code of Conduct and any actual or potential incidents relating to fraud, bribery or corruption.
Awareness activities of the Whistleblower Policy and the independent hotline continued through FY23 with the number of reports decreasing in the reporting period. All allegations are investigated in accordance with our Policy.
APA recorded zero incidents of fraud, bribery or corruption in FY23 and received no fines for non-compliance with any laws or regulations related to bribery or corruption.
There were 10 material breaches of the APA Code of Conduct, relating to unacceptable behaviour, breach of key policies and sexual harassment, in FY23. Each incident was fully investigated, with performance management actions put in place. The Risk Management Board committee was fully informed of all incidents and outcomes.
Political donations
In FY23, APA remained a member of the Federal Labor Business Forum and the Liberal Party of Australia’s Australian Business Network. These business-focused political forums are part of the APA stakeholder engagement program.
APA does not permit direct political donations to any political party, representative or candidate.
These policies are supported by standards that set out performance requirements, and detailed procedures. They are periodically reviewed to ensure they remain relevant and are made available on APA’s website and intranet.
66 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
Membership of associations
APA participates in business and industry associations where there is an opportunity to provide business leadership on national issues, insights and advocacy to public policy processes, and contribute to the enhancement of industry standards through the exchange of best practice learning and development.
FY23 associations
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Australian Climate Leaders Coalition
-
Australian Hydrogen Council
-
Australian Pipeline and Gas Association
FY23 signatories
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United Nations Global Compact
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Energy Charter
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Methane Guiding Principles
-
Bell Bay Advanced Manufacturing Zone
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Business Council of Australia
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CEDA
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Chamber of Minerals and Energy of WA
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Champions of Change Coalition
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Clean Energy Council
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Committee for Gippsland
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Diversity Council of Australia
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Energy Charter
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Energy Club NT
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Energy Club of WA
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Energy Networks Australia
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Energy Users Association of Australia
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Gas Energy Australia
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Materials and Embodied Carbon Leaders’ Alliance
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MITEZ
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Regulatory Policy Institute
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Safer Together
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South Australian H2 Hub
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The Global Compact Network Australia
-
Toowoomba Surat Business Enterprise
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APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities Directors’ Report
Directors’ Report
The Directors of APA Group Limited (the Responsible Entity) submit their report of APA Infrastructure Trust (APA Infra) and its controlled entities (together, APA or Consolidated Entity) for the financial year ended 30 June 2023. This report refers to the consolidated results of APA and APA Investment Trust (APA Invest).
Directors
The names of the Directors of the Responsible Entity during the year and since year end are:
| Current Directors | First Appointed |
|---|---|
| Michael Fraser | 1 September 2015 and appointed Chairman 27 October 2017 |
| Adam Watson | 30 September 2022 appointed Acting Chief Executive Ofcer and appointed permanent Chief Executive Ofcer and Managing Director 19 December 2022 |
| James Fazzino | 21 February 2019 |
| Debra (Debbie) Goodin | 1 September 2015 |
| Shirley In’t Veld | 19 March 2018 |
| Rhoda Phillippo | 1 June 2020 |
| Peter Wasow | 19 March 2018 |
| Steven (Steve) Crane | 1 January 2011. Retired 15 September 2022. |
| Robert (Rob) Wheals | 6 July 2019 appointed Chief Executive Ofcer and Managing Director. Resigned 30 September 2022. |
Nino Ficca has been appointed a Director, effective 1 September 2023.
The Company Secretaries of the Responsible Entity during the year were Amanda Cheney and Bronwyn Weir (who was appointed 19 June 2023).
Executive Leadership changes:
-
On 30 September 2022, Rob Wheals resigned as Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
-
On 30 September 2022, Adam Watson was appointed as the Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
-
On 19 December 2022, Adam Watson was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director (CEO)
-
On 20 August 2022, Julian Peck resigned as Group Executive Strategy and Commercial
-
On 25 August 2022, Darren Rogers started secondment as the new Group Executive Strategy and Commercial
-
On 17 October 2022, Darren Rogers was appointed as the new Group Executive Strategy and Commercial
-
On 1 November 2022, Liz McNamara was appointed to the newly created role of Group Executive Sustainability and Corporate Affairs
-
On 2 November 2022, Vin Vassallo was appointed to the newly created role of Group Executive Electricity Transmission Development
With the internal promotion of Adam Watson and Darren Rogers, the following two appointments have been made commencing in FY24.
-
Chief Financial Officer (CFO) – Garrick Rollason appointed as CFO effective October 2023, Kynwynn Strong to remain as acting until Garrick’s commencement date
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Group Executive Operations – Petrea Bradford appointed as Group Executive of Operations effective 28 August 2023, Stuart Davis to remain as acting until Petrea’s commencement date
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Directors’ Report
Subsequent events
Alinta Energy Pilbara acquisition
On 23 August 2023, APA entered into a Share Sale Agreement with Alinta Power Cat Pty Ltd and Alinta Energy Development Pty Ltd to acquire 100% of Alinta Energy Pilbara Holdings Pty Ltd and its subsidiaries and Alinta Energy (Newman Storage) Pty Ltd (together referred to as Alinta Energy Pilbara). Alinta Energy Pilbara is an energy infrastructure business underpinned by contracted operational assets (gas and solar power generation, gas transmission, battery energy storage systems (BESS) and electricity transmission), together with an extensive development pipeline of projects (wind, solar, gas reciprocating engines, BESS, and associated electricity transmission), located in Western Australia’s Pilbara region.
The enterprise value is $1,722 million excluding stamp duty and other transaction costs (currently estimated to be $86 million), and will be subject to post-completion adjustments for working capital, net debt and capex as at completion of the acquisition. Completion of the acquisition remains subject to meeting certain conditions precedent and is expected to occur in the fourth quarter of calendar year 2023.
Capital raise
APA also announced its plans to raise $675 million through a fully underwritten pro-rata institutional placement to partly fund the acquisition. The balance of the purchase price will be funded by new debt facilities established in connection with the acquisition of $993 million. In addition, a non-underwritten Security Purchase Plan will be undertaken for eligible securityholders to raise $75 million.
Final distribution declaration
On 23 August 2023, the Directors declared a final distribution of 29.0 cents per security ($342 million) for APA Group, an increase of 3.6%, or 1.0 cent per security over the previous corresponding period (30 June 2022: 28.0 cents). This comprises a distribution of 21.66 cents per security from APA Infrastructure Trust and a distribution of 7.34 cents per security from APA Investment Trust.
The APA Infrastructure Trust distribution represents 6.64 cents per security unfranked profit distribution and 15.02 cents per security capital distribution. The APA Investment Trust distribution represents a 1.00 cent per security unfranked profit distribution and 6.34 cents capital distribution. The distribution is expected to be paid on 13 September 2023.
Other than noted above and as disclosed elsewhere in this report, in the interval between 30 June 2023 and the date of this report, no matter or circumstance has significantly affected, or may significantly affect, the Group’s operations, the results of those operations, or the Group’s state of affairs, in future financial years.
Principal activities
Information on the principal activities of the Group and its business strategies and prospects is set out on page 51 of the Annual Report and forms part of this Directors’ Report.
Operating Financial Review
Information on the operations and financial position of the Group and its business strategies and prospects is set out on pages 9 to 58 of the Annual Report and forms part of this Directors’ Report.
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Directors
Information on Directors and Company Secretary
For information relating to the qualifications and experience of Directors and Company Secretary refer to pages 62 to 64.
Directorships of other listed companies
Directorships of other listed companies held by Directors at any time in the three years immediately before the end of the financial year:
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----- Start of picture text -----
Name Company Period of directorship
----- End of picture text -----
| Michael Fraser | Aurizon Holdings Limited | February 2016 to February 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Orora Limited | Since April 2022 | |
| Adam Watson | – | – |
| James Fazzino | Tassal GroupLimited | May2020 to November 2022 |
| Debra Goodin | Senex Energy Limited | May 2014 to November 2020 |
| Atlas Arteria Limited | Since September 2017, Chair since November 2020 | |
| Ansell Limited | Since December 2022 | |
| Shirley In’t Veld | Northern Star Resources Limited | September 2016 to June 2021 |
| Alumina Limited | Since August 2020 | |
| Develop Global Limited | ||
| (formerly Venturex Resources Limited) | Since July 2021 | |
| Karora Resources Inc | Since December 2021 | |
| Rhoda Phillippo | Dexus Funds Management Limited | Since February2023 |
| Peter Wasow | Oz Minerals Limited | November 2017 to May2023 |
Directors Meetings
During year, the Board reviewed the roles and responsibilities of the Board and its Committees and made the following changes:
-
The Health, Safety, Environment and Heritage Committee was renamed the Safety and Sustainability Committee
-
The Audit and Risk Committee was divided into the Audit and Finance Committee and the Risk Management Committee
Further information on the Board and Committees can be found in APA’s Corporate Governance Statement which is available on our website.
During the year, 11 Board meetings, three Risk Management Committee meetings, three Audit and Finance Committee meetings, five People and Remuneration Committee meetings, four Safety and Sustainability Committee meetings, and four Nomination Committee meetings were held. The Committee previously known as the Audit and Risk Committee met once.
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----- Start of picture text -----
People and Risk Audit and Risk Safety and
Board Remuneration Audit & Finance Management Management [1] Sustainability Nomination
Directors A B A B A B A B A B A B A B
----- End of picture text -----
| Michael Fraser | 11 | 11 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adam Watson2 | 5 | 5 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Robert Wheals3 | 2 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Steven Crane4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | – | – | 1 | 1 |
| James Fazzino | 11 | 11 | – | – | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | – | – |
| Debra Goodin | 11 | 11 | – | – | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| ShirleyIn’t Veld | 11 | 11 | 5 | 5 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| Rhoda Phillippo | 11 | 11 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Peter Wasow | 11 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – |
-
1 The Audit and Risk Management Committee was dissolved on 14 October 2022 and replaced by the Audit and Finance Committee and the Risk Management Committee.
-
2 Adam Watson appointed as a Director on 19 December 2022.
-
3 Robert Wheals resigned as a Director on 30 September 2022.
-
4 Steven Crane retired as a Director on 15 September 2022.
A Number of meetings held during the time the Director held office or was a member of the committee during the financial year. B Number of meetings attended.
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Directors’ security holdings
The aggregate number of APA securities held directly, indirectly or beneficially by Directors or their related entities at 30 June 2023 is 282,388.
Directors’ relevant interests in APA securities
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----- Start of picture text -----
Fully paid securities at Fully paid securities at
Directors 1 July 2022 Securities acquired Securities disposed 30 June 2023
----- End of picture text -----
| Michael Fraser | 102,942 | – | – | 102,942 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adam Watson1 | 55,556 | – | – | 55,556 |
| Debra Goodin | 24,179 | – | – | 24,179 |
| James Fazzino | 30,751 | – | – | 30,751 |
| Shirley In’t Veld | 25,000 | – | – | 25,000 |
| Peter Wasow | 26,000 | – | – | 26,000 |
| Rhoda Phillippo | 10,000 | 7,960 | – | 17,960 |
| Robert Wheals2 | 108,721 | 52,213 | – | 160,934 |
| Steven Crane2 | 30,000 | – | – | 30,000 |
1 Adam Watson was appointed as a Director effective 19 December 2022 at which time he held 55,556 securities.
2 Balance as at date of ceasing to be a Director.
As at 30 June 2023, Adam Watson held 397,255 performance rights granted under APA Group’s long-term incentive plan. Each performance right is a right to receive one ordinary stapled security in APA subject to satisfaction of certain performance hurdles. Further information can be found in section 8 of APA’s Remuneration Report.
The Directors hold no other rights or options over APA securities. There are no contracts to which a Director is a party or under which the Director is entitled to a benefit and that confer a right to call for or deliver APA securities.
Options granted
No options over unissued APA securities were granted during or since the end of the financial year. No unissued APA securities were under option at the date of this report. No APA securities were issued during or since the end of the financial year as a result of an option being exercised over unissued APA securities.
Indemnification of Officers
During the year, the Responsible Entity paid a premium on a contract insuring the Directors and Officers of any APA Group entity against certain liability incurred in performing those roles. The contract of insurance prohibits disclosure of the specific nature of the liability and the amount of the premium.
APA Group Limited, in its own capacity and as responsible entity of APA Infra and APA Invest, indemnifies each Director and Company Secretary, and certain other executives, former executives and officers of the Responsible Entity or any APA Group entity, under a range of deed polls and indemnity agreements, which have been in place since 1 July 2000. The indemnity operates to the full extent allowed by law but only to the extent not covered by insurance and is on terms the Board considers usual for arrangements of this type.
Under its constitution, APA Group Limited (in its personal capacity) indemnifies each person who is or has been a Director, Company Secretary or Executive Officer of that Company.
The Responsible Entity has not otherwise, during or since the end of the financial year, indemnified or agreed to indemnify an officer or external auditor of the Responsible Entity or any APA Group entity against a liability incurred by such an officer or auditor.
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APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities Directors’ Report
Remuneration Report
The Remuneration Report is set out on pages 74 to 91 of the Annual Report and forms part of this Directors’ Report.
Auditors
Auditor’s independence
A copy of the independence declaration of the auditor, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, as required under section 307C of the Corporations Act 2001, is included at page 161.
Non-audit services
A description of any non-audit services provided during the financial year by the Auditor and the amounts paid or payable to the Auditor for these services are set out in note 29 to the financial statements.
The Board has considered the non-audit services provided by the Auditor. In accordance with advice provided by the Audit and Finance Committee (the Committee), the Board is satisfied that this provision is compatible with the general standard of independence for auditors imposed by the Corporations Act 2001 and does not compromise the auditor independence requirements of the Act.
The Board concluded that the non-audit services provided did not compromise the Auditor’s independence because:
-
All non-audit services were subject to APA’s corporate governance procedures with respect to such matters and have been reviewed by the Committee to ensure they do not impact on the Auditor’s impartiality and objectivity.
-
The non-audit services provided did not undermine the general principles relating to auditor independence as they did not involve reviewing or auditing the Auditor’s own work, acting in a management or decision-making capacity for APA, acting as an advocate for APA or jointly sharing risks and rewards.
-
The Auditor has provided a letter to the Committee with respect to the Auditor’s independence and the Auditor’s independence declaration referred to above.
Information required for registered schemes
Fees paid to the Responsible Entity and its associates (including Directors and Secretaries of the Responsible Entity, related bodies corporate and Directors and Secretaries of related bodies corporate) out of APA scheme property during the financial year are disclosed in note 28 to the financial statements.
Except as disclosed in this report, neither the Responsible Entity nor any of its associates holds any APA securities.
The number of APA securities issued during the financial year, and the number of APA securities on issue at the end of the financial year, are disclosed in note 22 to the financial statements.
The value of APA’s assets at the end of the financial year is disclosed in the balance sheet in total assets. The basis of valuation is disclosed in the notes to the financial statements.
Rounding of amounts
APA is an entity of the kind referred to in ASIC Corporations Instrument 2016/191. In accordance with that Class Order, amounts in the Directors’ report and the financial report are rounded to the nearest million dollars, unless otherwise indicated.
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Authorisation and signatures
The Directors’ Report is signed in accordance with a resolution of the Directors of the Responsible Entity made pursuant to section 298(2) of the Corporations Act 2001.
On behalf of the Directors
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Michael Fraser Chairman
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Adam Watson CEO and Managing Director
Sydney, 23 August 2023
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APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities Remuneration Report
Remuneration Report
Letter from the Chair of the People and Remuneration Committee
I am pleased to present the Remuneration Report of APA Group (APA or the Company) for financial year 2023.
APA’s position as a market leader in the Australian energy infrastructure sector is reflected in our solid FY23 company performance with underlying EBITDA increasing by 2% to $1,725 million.
Key Management Personnel (KMP) changes in FY23
In FY23 we appointed Adam Watson to the CEO/MD role and Darren Rogers was appointed to the role of Group Executive (GE) Strategy & Commercial.
Ross Gersbach moved into a different leadership team role as the GE Commercial Development, which is not considered to be a KMP role.
Remuneration outcomes for FY23
Reflecting strong financial and non-financial performance, the Short-Term Incentive (STI) outcome was 78.9% of maximum for the CEO/MD and 76.3% of maximum for the GE Strategy & Commercial.
The FY21 Long-Term Incentive (LTI) was tested at the end of FY23. The relative Total Shareholder Return (TSR) metric was not met, however the return on capital (ROC) hurdle was met. This resulted in 50% of LTI becoming available to vest according to APA’s LTI vesting schedule.
Remuneration changes for FY23
The sole change made to the remuneration framework in FY23 was the introduction of climaterelated metrics for 10% of the STI scorecard, set in-line with meeting the objectives of our Climate Transition Plan.
Upon promotion to their new roles Adam Watson and Darren Rogers’ remuneration was increased to reflect their new responsibilities and was made with reference to peer market benchmarking data.
FY24 and beyond
A review was undertaken in FY23 to ensure the executive remuneration framework remains competitive and fit for purpose. As a result of this review the STI maximum opportunity for KMP (excluding the CEO/MD) will increase from 60% of fixed pay to 75% of fixed pay. Even after this change, APA’s remuneration mix maintains a significant weighting to long-term performance, while making the short term opportunity more competitive relative to market.
I hope you find this Remuneration Report informative. We look forward to receiving your support at the 2023 AGM.
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Peter Wasow
People and Remuneration Committee Chair
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APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
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Contents
| 1. | Individuals covered by the Remuneration Report | 75 |
|---|---|---|
| 2. | Executive summary | 76 |
| 3. | FY23 performance and executive incentive outcomes | 78 |
| 4. | Executive remuneration policy and framework | 81 |
| 5. | Executive KMP contract and severance arrangements | 84 |
| 6. | Non-executive Director remuneration | 85 |
| 7. | Remuneration governance | 86 |
| 8. | Statutory tables | 87 |
1. Individuals covered by the Remuneration Report
The Remuneration Report (the Report) for APA for FY23 has been prepared in accordance with Section 300A of the Corporations Act 2001. The information provided in this Report has been audited, unless indicated otherwise, and forms part of the Directors’ Report.
This Report includes the following KMP:
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Name Role Term As KMP
----- End of picture text -----
| Non-Executive Directors (NEDS) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Michael Fraser | Chair | Full year |
| James Fazzino | Director | Full year |
| Debra (Debbie) Goodin | Director | Full year |
| Shirley In’t Veld | Director | Full year |
| Rhoda Phillippo | Director | Full year |
| Peter Wasow | Director | Full year |
| Former NEDS | ||
| Steven (Steve) Crane | Director | Part year until 15 September 2022 |
| Executive KMP | ||
| Adam Watson | Chief Executive Ofcer and Managing | Full year |
| Director (CEO/MD) | (CFO until 30 September 2022) | |
| (Acting CEO until 19 December 2022) | ||
| Darren Rogers | GE Strategy and Commercial | Full year |
| (GE Operations until 24 August 2022) | ||
| (Acting GE Strategy & Commercial until | ||
| 16 October 2022) | ||
| Former Executive KMP | ||
| Robert Wheals | Former CEO/MD | Part year until 30 September 2022 |
| when ceased employment. | ||
| Ross Gersbach1 | Former President North American | Part year KMP until 22 August 2022 |
| Development | ||
| Julian Peck | Former GE Strategy and Commercial | Part year KMP until 25 August 2022, and |
| ceased employment 28 October 2022 |
The Board has considered whether the current Acting Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Acting GE Operations met the definition of KMP. Both roles have been excluded from disclosure in the Remuneration Report on the basis that they lack the authority and responsibility for planning, directing and controlling the activities of APA Group in their current acting roles.
Nino Ficca has been appointed as an NED commencing 1 September 2023, Petrea Bradford has been appointed as the GE Operations commencing 28 August 2023, and Garrick Rollason has been appointed as CFO and will be commencing in this role on 16 October 2023.
1 Ross Gersbach’s role during the financial year as GE Commercial Development is not deemed to be a KMP role, hence only his remuneration until 22 August 2022 (the date he ceased the role of President, North American Development) has been shown throughout the Remuneration Report.
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APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities Remuneration Report
2. Executive summary
2.1 Remuneration strategy
The Board recognises the important role remuneration plays in supporting, implementing and achieving APA’s operational strategy over both the short and long-term. The key principles of the remuneration policy and a summary of the executive remuneration framework are outlined below.
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MARKET BUSINESS BEHAVIOURS SECURITY HOLDER COMPETITIVE STRATEGY ALIGNMENT Drive delivery of Health, Provide competitive Drive delivery of APA’s Safety, Environment Ensure executive rewards to attract, growth strategy, while and Heritage (HSEH) performance and motivate and retain highly maintaining its financial strategy, caring for our behaviours align with skilled executives. strength. people, communities, the interests of security the environment and our holders. assets, and demonstrating the APA behaviours.
2.2 Executive remuneration snapshot
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Fixed pay STI LTI
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| Purpose | To be market competitive to attract, | To reward executives | To focus Executive KMP on |
|---|---|---|---|
| motivate and retain individuals. | for their contribution to | the achievement of APA’s | |
| APA's annual budget and | long-term business strategy | ||
| performance targets, which | and to create alignment with | ||
| will enable the achievement | the experience of security | ||
| of long-term goals. | holders. | ||
| FY23 approach | Executive KMP roles are benchmarked | Subject to meeting | Performance Rights are |
| against external positions in companies | the EBITDA gateway, | assessed against relative | |
| with a comparable market capitalisation, | performance is assessed | TSR (50%) and ROC | |
| operate in a similar industry and/or are key competitors. |
against a scorecard of fnancial and non-fnancial |
(50%) over a three year performance period, with |
|
| measures. | vested Performance Rights | ||
| Each Executive KMP member has a unique scorecard comprising Group measures and role specifc |
converting to securities in equal tranches over Years 3, 4 and 5. |
||
| key performance indicators (KPI’s), to refect Group and |
|||
| individual accountabilities. | |||
| FY23 remuneration |
Following the appointment of a new CEO/MD, Adam Watson’s fxed pay was |
As the EBITDA gateway was met, the STI pool was funded |
The FY21 LTI award was tested on 30 June 2023 |
| outcomes | set at $1.6m. | and outcomes were: | resulting in an outcome of |
| Following Darren Rogers’ appointment to the GE Strategy & Commercial role, his fxed pay was set at $920,000, to recognise the increase in responsibilities and refective of comparator peer remuneration levels. |
• CEO/MD: 78.9% of maximum. • GE, Strategy & Commercial: 76.3% of maximum. Section 3.2 provides details |
50%. 1/3 of Performance Rights will vest based on the assessed outcome in August 2023, with the remaining 2/3 of Performance Rights vesting in equal tranches in 2024 and 2025. |
|
| on scorecard outcomes for the CEO/MD. |
Section 3.5 provides details of results against the relative |
||
| TSR and ROC measures. |
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| Fixed pay STI |
LTI | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum | APA’s minimum security holding requirement requires our Executive KMP to continue to hold a material | |||
| security holding | security holding in APA Group. These requirements are: | |||
| requirement | • CEO/MD: 100% of fxed pay; and | |||
| • Other Executive KMP: 50% of fxed pay. | ||||
| Where the minimum security holding requirement has not been met, 1/3 of the STI payable will be | ||||
| deferred into Restricted Securities to help build individual security holding levels. | ||||
| Executive KMP participants have fve years from the date of appointment to their position to accumulate | ||||
| the required securities. | ||||
| Reward time | ||||
| horizons | FIXED PAY Base salary, superannuation and other benefts |
|||
| STI Assessed against a scorecard of Group and individual KPIs subject to meeting an EBITDA gateway Cash (2/3) STI Restricted Securities (1/3)1 |
CEO: 90% of fxed pay (maximum) Other executive KMP: 60% of fxed pay (maximum) |
|||
| 1/3 vests | CEO: 150% of fxed pay | |||
| LTI Performance Rights tested at the end of 3-year performance period against Relative TSR (50%) and Return on Capital (50%) |
1/3 | vests | Other executive KMP: 125% of fxed pay |
|
| 1/3 vests | ||||
| FY23 FY24 FY25 |
FY26 | FY27 | ||
| Pay Mix | The pay mix graph below displays the proportion of fxed vs variable remuneration (STI and LTI) at the | |||
| maximum pay mix. |
The LTI component has been calculated at face value assuming 100% vesting.
APA Executive KMP Maximum Pay Mix
| CEO/MD (FY23) | 29.4% | 29.4% | 26.5% | 26.5% | 44.1% | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other Executive KMP (FY23) | 35.1% | 21.1% | 43.9% | ||||
| 0% | 20% | 40% | 60% | 80% | 100% | ||
| ● FIXED PAY | ● MAX STI |
● | LTI |
- 1 Release of Restricted Securities is subject to whether the minimum security holding requirement is met.
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3. FY23 performance and executive incentive outcomes
3.1 Company performance
The table below summarises APA’s financial performance for the past 5 years.
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Measure FY23 FY22 FY21 [1] FY20 [1] FY19 [1,4]
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| Underlying EBITDA ($m)2 | 1,725 | 1,692 | 1,629 | 1,650 | 1,570 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proft after tax including signifcant items ($m)3 | 287 | 260 | 1 | 309 | 282 |
| Proft after tax excluding signifcant items ($m) | 287 | 240 | 279 | 309 | 282 |
| Free cash fow per security (cents) | 90.7 | 91.6 | 76.4 | 81.1 | 75.7 |
| Distribution per security (cents) | 55.0 | 53.0 | 51.0 | 50.0 | 47.0 |
| Closing security price at 30 June ($) | 9.69 | 11.27 | 8.90 | 11.13 | 10.80 |
| CEO/MD STI outcome(% of maximum) | 78.9 | 66.1 | 66.4 | 37.0 | 73.1 |
Since listing in 2000, APA has paid an interim and full year distribution every year. Our distribution per security of 55.0 cents for FY23 represents a 3.8% increase on FY22.
APA 10-year TSR and distributions
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300 % TSR Distributions (cents per security) 60
250 50
200 40
150 30
100 20
50 10
0 0
2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023
Distributions S&P/ASX100 APA S&P/ASX200 Utilities
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Source: Eikon’s Refinitv platform
3.2 FY23 STI scorecard outcomes – CEO/MD
The Board reviewed the CEO/MD’s performance considering his performance against the KPI’s in his STI scorecard.
The Board assesses business performance against the STI scorecard and the CEO/MD’s individual contribution to these results. As part of the assessment the Board considers overall the behaviours demonstrated in delivering against the scorecard and any other performance throughout the year (not already reflected in the STI scorecard).
1 Restated for the impact of the provision for payroll review.
2 Statutory EBITDA excluding non-recurring items arising from other activities, transactions that are not directly attributable to the performance of APA Group’s business operations and significant items. The Board considers this to best reflect the core earnings of APA. Refer to note 3 of the Financial Statements.
3 Includes an impairment gain on the Orbost Gas Processing Plant in FY22 and a once-off interest charge associated with bond note redemption in FY21. 4 The opening price of APA securities on 2 July 2018 was $9.82.
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Based on the Board’s assessment, it deemed the scorecard outcome to be a holistic reflection of the CEO/MD’s FY23 performance and there was no exercise of discretion over the final outcome.
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Scorecard measures and rationale FY23 outcome Further detail
Financial – Underlying EBITDA (12.5% weighting)
Underlying EBITDA is our THRESHOLD TARGET MAXIMUM Underlying EBITDA outcome was $1,725 million
key financial metric to assess against a target of $1,666 million and stretch
the financial health of our of $1,691 million.
business. We aim to maintain The Board considered adjusting the underlying
financial strength through solid EBITDA result for an estimate of the benefit from
underlying EBITDA. CPI exceeding our budget estimates. This would also
have resulted in achievement at maximum.
Financial – Free Cash Flow (12.5% weighting)
THRESHOLD TARGET MAXIMUM
Strong free cash flow ensures Free cash flow was $1,070 million against a target of
our business’ profitability by $981 million and stretch of $1,021 million.
considering changes in working The Board considered adjusting the Free Cash
capital, interest and tax. Flow result for an estimate of the benefit from CPI
exceeding our budget estimates. This also would have
resulted in an above stretch result
Financial – Organic Revenue Growth from deploying CAPEX (10% weighting)
Assesses our ability to grow THRESHOLD TARGET MAXIMUM Actual outcome of $293.5 million against a target of
revenue streams organically. $325 million and stretch of $475 million.
Financial – Execution of growth strategy (25% weighting)
Assesses our ability to identify THRESHOLD TARGET MAXIMUM Basslink was successfully acquired and the integration
and delivery on growth was delivered to plan and budget; Electricity
opportunities. Transmission capability was developed strengthening
our offering for future Renewable Energy Zone
opportunities; and key business transformation
projects (e.g. ERP implementation) are all on track.
Non-financial – Deliver Climate Transition Plan Objectives (10% weighting)
Ensure progress against THRESHOLD TARGET MAXIMUM This objective measured APA performance against the
our Climate Transition Plan priorities set for FY23 in the Climate Transition Plan.
objectives. The priorities set were delivered at the target level of
expectation.
Further information on APA’s progress against the
Climate Transition Plan will be set out in our Climate
Report which will be released in September 2023.
Non-financial – Health, Safety, Environment and Heritage (10% weighting)
To improve safety, wellbeing THRESHOLD TARGET MAXIMUM Safety performance against our scorecard (including
and environmental performance HSEH Interactions, HSEH Strategy delivery, TRIFR,
and safety culture through Actual Serious Harm Incidents) was between
delivery of the HSEH Strategy threshold and target.
so that our employees return
home safely each day.
Non-financial – Inclusion & Diversity (10% weighting)
Leverage diversity and build an THRESHOLD TARGET MAXIMUM Strong performance in meeting or exceeding our
inclusive culture so all our people targets for improved female representation in senior
feel safe, valued and trusted to leadership, extended leadership and our talent
do their best every day. pipeline offset by total female representation falling
short of our target for FY23.
Non-financial - Stakeholder Engagement (10% weighting)
Maintain APA’s reputation THRESHOLD TARGET MAXIMUM Reputation measured by Reptrack improved year on
across internal and external year and exceeded our target.
stakeholders.
Scorecard outcome 78.9% of Maximum
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3.3 FY23 STI performance scorecard outcomes – Other Executive KMP
The GE Strategy & Commercial had KPIs aligned to the CEO/MD, with additional focus on economic and regulatory engagement, and on customer satisfaction. The STI achieved was 76.3% of Maximum.
3.4 STI outcomes
The table below provides an overview of the STI outcomes for FY23 for current Executive KMP, delivered in a mix of cash and restricted securities.
| STI earned | STI forfeited | |
|---|---|---|
| Executive KMP | Cash Restricted securities (deferred) Total % of maximum |
Foregone % of maximum |
| A Watson1 D Rogers |
$765,377 $201,359 $966,736 78.9% $415,576 – $415,576 76.3% |
$258,064 21.1% $129,323 23.7% |
3.5 LTI outcomes
Equity LTI plan
The FY21 LTI plan was tested as at 30 June 2023.
The relative TSR was not met, whilst the ROC hurdle was met, resulting in an LTI outcome of 50% achieved.
| Performance measure |
Weighting | Threshold | Maximum | Actual | Vesting outcome |
Amount forfeited |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Relative TSR | 50% | 50thpercentile | 82.5thpercentile | 23.6% | Nil | 100% |
| ROC | 50% | 11.6% | 11.9% | 12.1% | 100% | Nil |
| Final Outcome | 50% | 50% |
The original ROC targets set were 11.1% (threshold) and 11.4% (maximum). This was based on an assumption that a M&A transaction would be executed. Given the transaction did not occur and another transaction (Basslink) did occur, the Board exercised its discretion and adjusted the targets. The ROC targets were increased to 11.6% (threshold) and 11.9% (maximum).
Performance Rights that do not vest are forfeited automatically following performance assessment. Vested Performance Rights will convert to APA securities as follows:
-
1/3 in August 2023,
-
1/3 in August 2024, and
-
1/3 in August 2025.
For further details of how the Board assess performance for the purposes of the LTI, please see section 4.3.
Legacy cash LTI plan
Under the legacy LTI plan arrangements (cash settled), the awards vest in 3 equal tranches over three years following performance assessment. The final awards under the legacy LTI plan were tested and made in FY20. Vesting of the final third tranche of the legacy cash awards in FY23 are summarised in section 3.6 below and is due to be paid in September 2023. Further details on the Legacy cash LTI plan can be found in the 2020 Annual Report.
1 The CEO/MD’s STI outcome is based on the STI opportunities applicable through the three distinct periods as CFO, acting CEO/MD and CEO/MD through the year and applying the total scorecard outcome of 78.9% of maximum. In the role of CFO the minimum security holding requirement was met and as such no STI deferral was applied. The portion applicable to the permanent period as CEO/MD has had 1/3 deferral applied.
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3.6 FY23 actual remuneration
The actual remuneration detailed in the table below differs from the statutory remuneration disclosed in section 8 which is subject to requirements under the Accounting Standards and Corporations Act.
The following is included in the table:
-
Fixed pay and Cash STI – as received which relates to FY23.
-
STI deferred equity – awards from prior years which have vested in FY23.
-
Legacy cash LTI plan – awards vested from the legacy cash LTI plan vesting at the end of FY23 and payable in September 2023.
-
LTI equity released – FY20 LTI (Tranche 2) and FY21 LTI (Tranche 1) that have met performance and time restrictions as at 30 June 2023 and will vest in August 2023.
Given this is not a statutory disclosure, we have only included Executive KMP as at 30 June 2023.
| Executive KMP |
Fixed Pay1 $ |
Cash STI2 $ |
STI Deferred Equity Released3 $ |
Legacy Cash LTI Vested4 $ |
LTI Equity Vested & Released5 $ |
Total $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A Watson | 1,466,647 | 765,377 | – | N/A | 177,515 | 2,409,539 |
| D Rogers | 908,413 | 415,576 | 126,615 | 78,919 | 242,064 | 1,771,587 |
4. Executive remuneration policy and framework
APA’s remuneration objective is to reward executives at the median of observed total remuneration for selected comparable companies when performance is at target and up to the 75th percentile for above target performance.
4.1 Fixed pay
Fixed pay includes base salary and any salary sacrifice items (including any relevant fringe benefits tax) such as car parking, motor vehicles and superannuation. The level of fixed pay is based on multiple factors, including the skills and experience of the individual, external market positioning and the size and complexity of the role.
4.2 STI plan
In addition to the information covered in section 2, further detail on the operation of the FY23 STI plan is provided below:
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Feature Description
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| Opportunity | Role STI target (% of fxed pay) STI maximum (% of fxed pay) CEO/MD 60% 90% Other Executive KMP 40% 60% |
|---|---|
| Performance period |
One year. |
| Delivery | Cash (2/3) paid at the end of FY23 (in September 2023) and deferred equity (1/3) delivered as Restricted Securities which vest after 2-years (in September 2025) where the minimum security holding requirement is not met. |
| Allocation methodology of deferred STI |
Restricted Securities are allocated at face value using a volume weighted average price (VWAP) of the 30 trading days ending 7 working days before the People & Remuneration Committee meeting to consider APA’s full year fnancial results. |
-
1 Fixed pay is inclusive of cash salary and any salary sacrifice items (including any relevant fringe benefits tax) such as car parking and superannuation.
-
2 Cash STI refers to the cash portion of the STI relating to performance in FY23. Payment will be made in September 2023.
-
3 Awards from prior years which have vested in the year. Valued based on the average price of securities on the date of purchase.
-
4 Refers to cash amount to be paid in September 2023 under the legacy LTI plan, based on the VWAP of $9.7939 (as determined by the plan rules) and number of reference units that vested in August 2023.
-
5 Relates to rights vesting and converting to securities for Tranche 2 of the FY20 Performance Rights plan and Tranche 1 of FY21 Performance Rights plan which vested in August 2023. Valued based on a VWAP of $10.0076 (being the 20 trading days leading up to 30 June 2023).
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4.3 LTI plan
In addition to the information covered in section 2, further detail on the operation of the FY23 LTI plan is provided below:
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Feature Description
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| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Opportunity | Role LTI maximum (% of fxed pay) CEO/MD 150% Other Executive KMP 125% |
| Performance period |
Three years, commencing on 1 July 2022. |
| Grant date | 16 December 2022 |
| Delivery | Performance Rights are tested at the end of year three. Vested Performance Rights convert to securities and are released from restrictions in equal tranches at the end of year three, four and fve. Performance Rights which do not vest are forfeited automatically unless the Board determines otherwise. |
| Allocation methodology |
Performance Rights are allocated at face value using a VWAP of the 20 trading days prior to the start of the performance period (1 July 2022). No amount is payable on the grant or vesting of Performance Rights. |
| Performance measures |
Relative TSR (50%) Relative TSR measures the Group’s TSR over a three-year period against a group of ASX 100 bespoke peers in the infrastructure and gas sectors. Relative TSR has been selected to align executives with the experience of security holders and to ensure executives are only rewarded for outperformance against our peers The peer group comprises of the following companies: |
| AGL Energy Transurban Mirvac Group Atlas Arteria Group Aurizon Holdings Scentre Group TPG Telecom Qube Holdings Stockland Origin Energy Dexus Vicinity Centres GPT Group Goodman Group Telstra Corporation |
The Board retains discretion to vary the relative TSR peer group at the end of the performance period to reflect de-listings, mergers and other corporate actions. APA sets challenging LTI hurdles to ensure that the LTI plan only vests where our executive team meet stretching targets.
The relative TSR component vests in accordance with the following scale:
| Hurdle | Vesting outcome |
|---|---|
| Below 50thpercentile | Nil |
| At 50thpercentile | 50% |
| Between 50thand 82.5th | Straight line pro-rata vesting between 50% and 100% |
| percentile | |
| At 82.5th percentile or above | 100% |
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| Return on capital (50%) The ROC hurdle measures APA Group’s operating earnings achieved relative to operating assets over a three-year performance period. It has been selected to ensure management balances earnings improvements with prudent capital management. ROC is calculated as an average over three years by dividing underlying EBITDA by Funds Employed (FE). FE is determined by adjusting total assets per the balance sheet by excluding capital work in progress, excluding current and non-current portion of other fnancial assets (excluding redeemable preference shares), including working capital relating to assets under construction and normalised cash balances. Underlying EBITDA is the average for the current and following two fnancial years and FE is the average of seven data points as at the June and December half year ends for the current fnancial year and following two fnancial years, including the opening balance for the frst year. Calculation of ROC will be determined by the Board and the Board retains discretion to adjust EBITDA and FE to account for extraordinary items, acquisitions, organisational changes or otherwise ensure that the vesting outcomes are appropriate. The ROC component vests in according with the following scale: |
|
|---|---|
| Hurdle Vesting outcome |
|
| Less than 12.20% 0% Equal to 12.20% 33% Greater than 12.20% up to 12.50% Straight line pro-rata vesting between 33% and 100% At or above 12.50% 100% |
|
| Retesting | Re-testing of LTI awards is not permitted. |
4.4 Additional provisions
The table below summarises additional provisions as they relate to the remuneration of Executive KMP for FY23.
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Provision STI LTI
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| Malus / Clawback | The Board in its discretion may determine that some, | or all, of an Executive KMP’s STI and/or LTI awards |
|---|---|---|
| be forfeited (malus) or recouped (clawback) in the event of misconduct or of a material misstatement in the year-end fnancial statements, in accordance with provisions that are included within the STI and LTI plans and ofer documentation to Executive KMP’s. |
||
| Distribution and | Restricted Securities carry the same distribution | Unvested Performance Rights do not carry |
| voting rights | and voting rights as ordinary securities. | distribution and voting rights. |
| Cessation of | Subject to Board discretion: | Subject to Board discretion: |
| employment | • Where the participant is terminated summarily | • Where the participant is terminated summarily |
| or resigns having breached their terms of | or resigns having breached their terms of | |
| employment, they will not be eligible for a STI payment for the relevant fnancial year. |
employment, all Performance Rights will automatically lapse. |
|
| • Where employment ceases for any other reason, | • Where employment ceases for any other | |
| a pro-rated STI award may be paid based on | reason, unvested Performance Rights will | |
| the performance period served and restricted | remain on-foot subject to the original terms of | |
| securities awarded in prior years are generally | grant and tested against performance hurdles | |
| released from dealing restrictions at the end of | in the ordinary course. | |
| the restriction period in the ordinary course. | ||
| Change of control | Subject to Board discretion, if a change of control | The Board has absolute discretion to determine |
| occurs, an STI award will be paid out based on the | whether any or all Performance Rights vest. | |
| proportion of the period that has passed at the | Where the Board does not make a determination, | |
| time of change of control to the extent to which | all Performance Rights will vest. | |
| performance conditions have been met. | ||
| The Board has absolute discretion to determine | ||
| whether any or all Restricted Securities are | ||
| released from restrictions. Where the Board does | ||
| not make a determination, all Restricted Securities | ||
| will be released from dealing restrictions. |
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4.5 Executive KMP minimum security holding requirement
The minimum security holding requirement aligns the interests of Executive KMP and security holders.
Within five years from the date of appointment to their role:
-
The CEO/MD is required to hold securities to the value of 100% of fixed pay; and
-
Other Executive KMP are required to hold securities to the value of 50% of fixed pay.
Given the recent promotion of Adam Watson his new role, he remains within the five-year timeframe to meet the MSR. Darren Rogers has met the MSR requirement. Details of Executive KMP security holdings may be found in Section 8.
5. Executive KMP contract and severance arrangements
5.1 Executive KMP service agreements
Remuneration arrangements for Executive KMP are formalised in individual employment agreements. Termination arrangements, in addition to normal statutory entitlements, are summarised in the table below.
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Total Fixed Remuneration
(as at 30 June 2023) Notice period
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| CEO/MD | $1,600,000 | • 9 months’ notice by either APA or CEO/MD. |
|---|---|---|
| • APA may provide payment in lieu of notice. | ||
| • No notice is required by APA for termination for cause. | ||
| GE Strategy & Commercial | $920,000 | • 6 months’ notice by either APA or the individual. |
| • APA may provide payment in lieu of notice. | ||
| • No notice is required by APA for termination for cause. |
5.2 Outgoing arrangements of Rob Wheals (former CEO/MD)
Rob Wheals resigned on 22 August 2022 and continued to serve out a portion of his notice period until 30 September 2022 to ensure a smooth transition of the CEO/MD role.
In addition to the statutory entitlements and payment in lieu of notice to Rob Wheals, in accordance with the plan rules, his LTI awards were left on-foot and will be tested in the ordinary course, with no accelerated vesting of awards. Rob Wheals did not receive an LTI grant in FY23 and his FY23 STI has been pro-rated to 30 September 2022 to reflect his period of employment for the financial year. His FY23 STI outcome was 66.6% of maximum and will be delivered in cash, based on APA performance and individual contribution in the period employed.
5.3 Outgoing arrangements of Julian Peck (former GE Strategy & Commercial)
Julian Peck resigned in June 2022, ceased to be KMP on 25 August 2022 when Darren Rogers commenced as the GE Strategy & Commercial, and then ceased employment on 28 October 2022 following the completion of the handover period.
In addition to the statutory entitlements paid to Julian Peck, in accordance with the plan rules, his LTI awards were left on-foot and will be tested in the ordinary course, with no accelerated vesting of awards. Julian Peck did not receive an LTI grant in FY23 and his FY23 STI has been pro-rated to 28 October 2022 to reflect his period of employment. His FY23 STI outcome was 70% of maximum and will be delivered in cash, based on APA performance and individual contribution in the period employed.
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6. Non-executive Director remuneration
6.1 Determination of NED fees
The Board seeks to attract and retain high calibre NEDs who are equipped with the diverse skills needed to oversee all functions of APA in an increasingly complex environment. NED fees comprise:
-
A Board fee; and
-
An additional fee for serving as a Chair or member of a Board Committee.
NED fees are inclusive of superannuation contributions which are provided in accordance with the statutory requirements under the Superannuation Guarantee Act. NEDs do not receive incentive payments nor participate in incentive plans.
The Board Chair does not receive additional fees for his membership on Committees.
One-off ‘per diems’ may be paid in exceptional circumstances. No per-diem payments were made in FY23.
6.2 Aggregate NED fee pool
The aggregate NED fee pool as at 30 June 2023 was $2,500,000.
6.3 Director fees
During FY23, the Board reviewed the roles and responsibilities of the Board and its Committees and made the following changes:
-
The Health, Safety, Environment & Heritage Committee was renamed the Safety & Sustainability Committee.
-
The Audit & Risk Management Committee was divided into the Audit & Finance Committee and Risk Management Committee.
The following table sets out the FY23 NED fee policy.
| FY23 Before Review Of Committee Structure |
FY23 Before Review Of Committee Structure |
FY23 Following Review Of Committee Structure |
FY23 Following Review Of Committee Structure |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chair $ |
Member $ |
Chair $ |
Member $ |
|
| Board | 513,735 | 182,806 | 513,735 | 182,806 |
| Audit Finance Committee | N/A | N/A | 40,883 | 20,391 |
| Risk Management Committee | N/A | N/A | 40,883 | 20,391 |
| Audit & Risk Management Committee | 60,300 | 24,488 | N/A | N/A |
| Safety & Sustainability Committee | 40,883 | 20,391 | 40,883 | 20,391 |
| People & Remuneration Committee | 40,833 | 20,391 | 40,833 | 20,391 |
| Nomination Committee | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
6.4 NED minimum security holding requirement
The minimum security holding requirement helps to ensure the alignment of the interests of NEDs and security holders.
NEDs are expected to hold securities to a value not less than their annual Board fee (before tax and excluding fees payable for their membership on Committees). This level of security holding is to be held throughout their tenure as a NED and the requirement is to be met within three years of their appointment.
As at 30 June 2023, all NEDs met this requirement. Details of NED security holdings may be found in section 8.
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7. Remuneration governance
The diagram below outlines the remuneration governance framework in place at APA.
Board
The Board has overarching responsibility for the approval of the Executive KMP and NED remuneration framework, pay outcomes, policies and procedures, based on the recommendations of the People & Remuneration Committee.
People & Remuneration Committee
The Committee has been established by the Board to oversee Executive KMP and NED remuneration.
The purpose of the Committee is to oversee the development of APA’s performance and remuneration strategy frameworks to reflect APA’s behaviours, purpose, strategic direction and risk appetite.
Specifically, the Committee ensures there is a robust remuneration and reward system that aligns employee, investor and customer interests, promotes a positive culture and facilitates the effective attraction, retention and development of a diverse and talented workforce. The full responsibilities of the Committee can be found in APA’s People & Remuneration Committee Charter available on APA’s website.
Audit & Finance, Safety & Sustainability and Risk Management Committees
In considering whether a robust performance assessment process is in place, the People & Remuneration Committee consults with the Audit
& Finance, Safety & Sustainability and Risk Management Committees on whether proposed remuneration outcomes are appropriate considering relevant risk outcomes and corporate culture.
The members of the Committee, all of whom are independent NEDs are:
- Peter Wasow (Chair)
External advisors
-
Shirley In’t Veld
-
Rhoda Phillippo
Management
Management is responsible for providing relevant information and analysis to the Board and the People & Remuneration Committee. This advice is used as a guide, and does not serve as a substitute for the thorough consideration of the issues by each NED.
Management may also be required to communicate with external advisors as required to ensure the People & Remuneration Committee receives all the relevant factual information.
The People & Remuneration Committee seeks external professional advice from time-to-time on matters within its terms of reference.
In FY23, external advisors were engaged to provide market practice information and benchmarking data.
Where a remuneration
recommendation is provided, as defined by the Corporations Act 2001 all advice is provided directly to the Committee to ensure it is free from the influence of management. No remuneration recommendations were provided in FY23.
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8. Statutory tables
The following tables outline the amounts recognised as an expense in the respective years, determined in accordance with the relevant accounting standards.
8.1 Executive KMP statutory remuneration
Given Adam Watson and Darren Rogers were promoted to their new roles in FY23, their FY22 and FY23 remuneration levels differ significantly as they refer to two different roles.
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Short-Term Employment Post- Security-based
Benefits Employment payments
Equity
settled
Awarded STI Super- Legacy LTI Security
Salary [1] Cash STI [2] Deferral Termination [3] Other [4] annuation Plan Based [5,6] Total
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| A Watson | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1,441,355 | 765,377 | 201,359 | – | – | 25,292 | – | 608,563 | 3,041,946 |
| 2022 | 898,752 | 670,422 | – | – | – | 26,667 | – | 343,992 | 1,939,833 |
| D Rogers | |||||||||
| 2023 | 883,120 | 415,576 | – | – | – | 25,292 | 59,189 | 480,030 | 1,863,207 |
| 2022 | 776,153 | 272,578 | 136,289 | – | 3,676 | 27,500 | 70,948 | 347,011 | 1,634,155 |
| Former Executive KMP | |||||||||
| R Wheals7 | |||||||||
| 2023 | 412,427 | 253,361 | – | 1,645,153 | – | 12,646 | 104,077 | 2,120,475 | 4,548,139 |
| 2022 | 1,647,500 | 664,171 | 332,086 | – | 9,910 | 27,500 | 229,988 | 1,077,997 | 3,989,152 |
| R Gersbach8 | |||||||||
| 2023 | 152,437 | 63,747 | – | – | 36,778 | 3,673 | 16,726 | 76,953 | 350,315 |
| 2022 | 949,856 | 350,433 | – | – | 231,397 | 23,568 | 255,706 | 392,223 | 2,203,183 |
| J Peck9 | |||||||||
| 2023 | 136,213 | 58,755 | – | 62,763 | – | 5,951 | – | – | 263,682 |
| 2022 | 821,918 | 361,644 | – | – | – | 82,192 | – | 780,082 | 2,045,836 |
| Total Remuneration | |||||||||
| 2023 | 3,025,552 | 1,556,816 | 201,359 | 1,707,919 | 36,778 | 72,854 | 179,993 | 3,286,022 | 10,067,289 |
| 2022 | 5,094,179 | 2,319,248 | 468,375 | – | 244,983 | 187,427 | 556,642 | 2,941,305 | 11,812,159 |
-
1 Salary includes both fixed pay and any salary sacrificed items, such as motor vehicles or car parking (including any applicable fringe benefits tax). It is exclusive of any superannuation contributions.
-
2 Awarded STI relates to that element of remuneration which is earned by the Executive KMP in respect of performance during the financial year (or for the relevant period that they were KMP as set out in the Report).
-
3 Reflects the payment in lieu of notice and other statutory entitlements required to be paid on termination.
-
4 This includes expatriate housing and a cost of living allowance in relation Ross Gersbach’s secondment to the USA.
-
5 For equity settled security-based payments, an expense is recognised equal to the portion of service received based on the fair value of the equity instrument at grant date.
-
6 Security-based payment for R Wheals in 2023 represents accelerated accounting value on cessation of employment for retained LTI awards. Further detail provided in section 5.2.
-
7 Ceased employment on 30 September 2022.
-
8 Ceased as KMP on 22 August 2022. Remuneration is shown until this date.
-
9 Ceased as KMP on 25 August 2022. Remuneration is shown until this date.
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8.2 NED statutory remuneration disclosure
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----- Start of picture text -----
Short-term Post-
employment employment
benefits benefits
Fees Superannuation Total
Financial Year $ $ $
----- End of picture text -----
| M Fraser | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| FY23 | 488,443 | 25,292 | 513,735 |
| FY22 | 467,032 | 46,703 | 513,735 |
| J Fazzino | |||
| FY23 | 230,276 | 24,179 | 254,455 |
| FY22 | 204,214 | 20,421 | 224,635 |
| D Goodin | |||
| FY23 | 239,191 | 25,115 | 264,306 |
| FY22 | 231,451 | 23,145 | 254,596 |
| S In’t Veld | |||
| FY23 | 207,490 | 21,786 | 229,276 |
| FY22 | 218,972 | 21,897 | 240,869 |
| R Phillippo | |||
| FY23 | 229,256 | 24,072 | 253,328 |
| FY22 | 200,525 | 20,052 | 220,577 |
| P Wasow | |||
| FY23 | 235,377 | 24,715 | 260,092 |
| FY22 | 222,661 | 22,266 | 244,927 |
| Former NEDs | |||
| S Crane1 | |||
| FY23 | 43,868 | 4,512 | 48,380 |
| FY22 | 204,214 | 20,421 | 224,635 |
| Total | |||
| FY23 | 1,673,901 | 149,671 | 1,823,572 |
| FY22 | 1,749,069 | 174,905 | 1,923,974 |
1 Ceased in his role on 15 September 2022.
88 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities Remuneration Report
8.3 Outstanding awards under current LTI plan
The following table sets out the movements in the number of Performance Rights granted to executives as remuneration, and any amounts vested or forfeited during the financial year.
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----- Start of picture text -----
Performance Fair value of
Opening Rights granted Forfeited / Performance
balance at 1 Jul in FY23 as lapsed or other Closing balance Rights at
2022 remuneration Grant date Vested in FY23 change in FY23 on 30 Jun 2023 grant date $ [1]
----- End of picture text -----
| A Watson | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY21 LTI | 106,426 | - | 12/11/2020 | - | - | 106,426 | 682,723 |
| FY22 LTI | 128,367 | - | 10/11/2021 | - | - | 128,367 | 683,340 |
| FY23 LTI | - | 162,462 | 16/12/2022 | - | - | 162,462 | 1,050,588 |
| D Rogers | |||||||
| FY20 LTI | 51,064 | - | 13/12/2019 | 12,238 | 14,350 | 24,476 | 342,895 |
| FY21 LTI | 71,698 | - | 12/11/2020 | - | - | 71,698 | 459,943 |
| FY22 LTI | 108,098 | - | 10/11/2021 | - | - | 108,098 | 575,442 |
| FY23 LTI | - | 100,990 | 16/12/2022 | - | - | 100,990 | 653,069 |
| R Wheals2 | |||||||
| FY20 LTI | 217,872 | - | 13/12/2019 | 52,213 | 61,233 | 104,426 | 1,463,010 |
| FY21 LTI | 215,094 | - | 12/11/2020 | - | - | 215,094 | 1,379,828 |
| FY22 LTI | 270,362 | - | 10/11/2021 | - | - | 270,362 | 1,439,227 |
| R Gersbach3 | |||||||
| FY20 LTI | 65,975 | - | 13/12/2019 | 15,812 | 18,539 | 31,624 | 443,022 |
| FY21 LTI | 65,133 | - | 12/11/2020 | - | - | 65,133 | 417,829 |
| FY22 LTI | 130,934 | - | 10/11/2021 | - | - | 130,934 | 697,006 |
| FY23 LTI | - | 109,526 | 16/12/2022 | - | - | 109,526 | 708,268 |
| J Peck4 | |||||||
| FY21 LTI | 82,179 | - | 12/11/2020 | - | - | 82,179 | 527,179 |
| FY22 LTI | 121,610 | - | 10/11/2021 | - | - | 121,610 | 647,371 |
The fair value of performance rights in the above is calculated based on fair value, grant date, vesting date and individual vesting conditions for the relative TSR and ROC hurdle vesting conditions as set out in the table below.
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TSR ROC
Grant year Tranche 1 Tranche 2 Tranche 3 Tranche 1 Tranche 2 Tranche 3
----- End of picture text -----
| FY20 | Fair value | $4.47 | $4.27 | $4.08 | $9.57 | $9.15 | $8.75 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grant date | 13/12/2019 | 13/12/2019 | |||||
| Vestingdate | August 2022 | August 2023 | August 2024 | August 2022 | August 2023 | August 2024 | |
| FY21 | Fair value | $4.17 | $3.97 | $3.79 | $9.28 | $8.85 | $8.43 |
| Grant date | 12/11/2020 | 12/11/2020 | |||||
| Vestingdate | August 2023 | August 2024 | August 2025 | August 2023 | August 2024 | August 2025 | |
| FY22 | Fair value | $3.58 | $3.40 | $3.23 | $7.62 | $7.24 | $6.87 |
| Grant date | 10/11/2021 | 10/11/2021 | |||||
| Vestingdate | August 2024 | August 2025 | August 2026 | Vestingdate | August 2024 | August 2025 | |
| FY23 | Fair value | $4.19 | $3.98 | $3.79 | $9.40 | $8.94 | $8.50 |
| Grant date | 16/12/2022 | 16/12/2022 | |||||
| Vestingdate | August 2025 | August 2026 | August 2027 | August 2025 | August 2026 | August 2027 |
1 This represents the maximum value of the employee benefit expense as based on the grant date that would be recorded if all Rights which remain outstanding at 30 June 2023 satisfied all vesting conditions. 2 Ceased employment on 30 September 2022.
3 Ceased as KMP on 22 August 2022.
- 4 Ceased as KMP on 25 August 2022.
89
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities Remuneration Report
8.4 Outstanding awards under legacy LTI plan
The following table sets out the movements in the number of reference units and the number of reference units that have been allocated to executives but have not yet vested or been paid, and the years in which they will vest.
| Allocation Date Opening balance at 1 Jul 2022 Units allocated in FY23 Cash settled reference units paid Closing balance at 30 Jun 2023 |
Reference units allocated that have not yet vested or been paid and the months in which they will vest |
|---|---|
| Aug-23 | |
| D Rogers 2020 16,116 (8,058) 8,058 Total |
8,058 8,058 |
| Former Executive KMP R Wheals1 2019 12,654 (12,654) – 2020 28,338 (14,169) 14,169 Total |
– 14,169 14,169 |
| R Gersbach2 2019 14,069 (14,069) – 2020 31,364 (15,682) 15,682 Total |
– 15,682 15,682 |
8.5 Security holdings
The following table sets out APA Group stapled securities held by KMP or their closely related parties, directly, indirectly or beneficially.
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----- Start of picture text -----
Meets minimum
security holding
Year ended Opening Balance Closing Balance requirement
30 June 2023 at 1 Jul 2022 Securities Acquired Securities Disposed at 30 Jun 2023 as at 30 June 2023
----- End of picture text -----
| NEDS | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M Fraser | 102,942 | 102,942 | Yes | |
| J Fazzino | 30,751 | 30,751 | Yes | |
| D Goodin | 24,179 | 24,179 | Yes | |
| S In’t Veld | 25,000 | 25,000 | Yes | |
| R Phillippo | 10,000 | 7,960 | 17,960 | Yes |
| P Wasow | 26,000 | 26,000 | Yes | |
| Former NEDs | ||||
| S Crane3 | 30,000 | 30,000 | N/A | |
| Executive KMP | ||||
| A Watson4 | 55,556 | 55,556 | No | |
| D Rogers | 25,750 | 23,847 | 49,597 | Yes |
| Former Executive KMP | ||||
| R Wheals5 | 108,721 | 52,213 | 160,934 | N/A |
| R Gersbach6 | 44,691 | 44,691 | N/A | |
| J Peck7 | 53,428 | 53,428 | N/A |
-
1 Ceased employment on 30 September 2022.
-
2 Ceased as KMP on 22 August 2022.
-
3 Ceased in role on 15 September 2022. Closing balance is shown as at this date.
-
4 Appointed as CEO on 19 December 2022 and is now subject to a higher MSR of 100% of fixed pay within 5 years of appointment.
-
5 Ceased employment on 30 September 2022. Closing balance is shown as at this date.
-
6 Ceased as on 22 August 2022. Closing balance is shown as at this date.
-
7 Ceased as KMP on 25 August 2022. Closing balance is shown as at this date.
90 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities Remuneration Report
8.6 Loans to KMP and other transaction of KMP and personally related entities
During FY23, there were no transactions between KMP or their close family members and APA Group other than as described in this report.
There are no loans with any KMP.
A number of KMP have control or joint control of other entities (outside APA Group). During the year, there have been no transactions between those entities and APA Group, and no amounts were owed by or to APA Group from those entities.
91
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Consolidated Statement of Profit or Loss and Other Comprehensive Income
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2023 2022
Note $m $m
Revenue 2,890 2,705
Share of net profits of associates and joint ventures using the equity method 23 27
4 2,913 2,732
Asset operation and management expenses (227) (228)
Depreciation and amortisation expenses 5 (750) (735)
Other operating costs – pass-through 5 (512) (496)
Finance costs 5 (479) (484)
Employee benefit expense 5 (398) (323)
Other expenses (82) (24)
Fair value gains/(losses) on contracts for difference 20 12 (30)
Reversal of impairment of property, plant and equipment [ (1)] 2 – 28
477 440
Profit before tax
Income tax expense 6 (190) (180)
Profit for the year 287 260
Other comprehensive income, net of income tax
Items that will not be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss:
Actuarial gain on defined benefit plan 5 7
Income tax relating to items that will not be reclassified subsequently (1) (2)
4 5
Items that may be reclassified subsequently to profit or loss:
Transfer of gain on cash flow hedges to profit or loss (note 5) 167 160
Loss on cash flow hedges taken to equity (705) (152)
Gain on associate hedges taken to equity 4 25
Income tax relating to items that may be reclassified subsequently 160 (10)
(374) 23
Other comprehensive income, net of income tax (370) 28
Total comprehensive (loss)/income for the year (83) 288
Profit attributable to:
Unitholders of the parent 263 231
Non-controlling interest – APA Investment Trust unitholders 24 29
APA stapled securityholders 287 260
Total comprehensive income attributable to:
Unitholders of the parent (107) 259
Non-controlling interest – APA Investment Trust unitholders 24 29
APA stapled securityholders (83) 288
Earnings per security 2023 2022
Basic and diluted (cents per security) 7 24.3 22.1
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(1) The impairment reversal in FY22 relates to the Orbost Gas Processing Plant. Refer to note 2 for further details.
The above consolidated statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes.
92 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities As at 30 June 2023
Consolidated Statement of Financial Position
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2023 2022
Note $m $m
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| Current assets | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash and cash equivalents | 19 | 513 | 940 |
| Trade and other receivables | 9 | 374 | 309 |
| Other fnancial assets | 21 | 49 | 32 |
| Inventories | 55 | 46 | |
| Other | 42 | 31 | |
| Assets classifed as held for sale(1) | 11 | – | 295 |
| Current assets | 1,033 | 1,653 | |
| Non-current assets | |||
| Trade and other receivables | 9 | 27 | 608 |
| Other fnancial assets | 21 | 430 | 362 |
| Investments accounted for using the equity method | 24 | 273 | 266 |
| Property, plant and equipment | 12 | 10,755 | 9,420 |
| Goodwill | 13 | 1,184 | 1,184 |
| Other Intangible assets | 13 | 2,130 | 2,312 |
| Other | 16 | 34 | 32 |
| Non-current assets | 14,833 | 14,184 | |
| Total assets | 15,866 | 15,837 | |
| Current liabilities | |||
| Trade and other payables | 10 | 471 | 417 |
| Lease liabilities | 18 | 16 | 14 |
| Borrowings | 19 | 202 | 3 |
| Other fnancial liabilities | 21 | 207 | 206 |
| Provisions | 15 | 159 | 138 |
| Unearned revenue | 13 | 13 | |
| Liabilities directlyassociated with assets classifed as held for sale(1) | 11 | – | 31 |
| Current liabilities | 1,068 | 822 | |
| Non-current liabilities | |||
| Trade and other payables | 10 | 9 | 11 |
| Lease liabilities | 18 | 47 | 43 |
| Borrowings | 19 | 11,321 | 10,902 |
| Other fnancial liabilities | 21 | 452 | 422 |
| Deferred tax liabilities | 6 | 894 | 863 |
| Provisions | 15 | 113 | 94 |
| Unearned revenue | 52 | 51 | |
| Non-current liabilities | 12,888 | 12,386 | |
| Total liabilities | 13,956 | 13,208 | |
| Net assets | 1,910 | 2,629 |
(1) On 20 June 2022, the APA Group announced that it had entered into binding agreements with Cooper Energy Limited for the sale of the Orbost Gas Processing Plant resulting in the recognition of assets and liabilities held for sale as at 30 June 2022. On 28 July 2022, APA completed the sale of Orbost Gas Processing Plant to Cooper Energy Limited for an initial upfront consideration of $210 million. Refer to note 11 for further details.
The above consolidated statement of financial position should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes.
93
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Consolidated Statement of Financial Position (continued)
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2023 2022
Note $m $m
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| Equity | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| APA Infrastructure Trust equity: | |||
| Issued capital | 22 | 1,964 | 2,225 |
| Reserves | (700) | (328) | |
| Retained earnings | 79 | 75 | |
| Equityattributable to unitholders of theparent | 1,343 | 1,972 | |
| Non-controlling interests: | |||
| APA Investment Trust: | |||
| Issued capital | 555 | 644 | |
| Retained earnings | 12 | 13 | |
| Equityattributable to unitholders of APA Investment Trust | 23 | 567 | 657 |
| Total equity | 1,910 | 2,629 |
The above consolidated statement of financial position should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes.
94 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
| APA Infrastructure Trust APA Investment Trust Issued capital $m Asset revaluation reserve (1) $m Share-based payments reserve (2) $m Hedging reserve (3) $m (Accumulated defcit)/retained earnings $m Attributable to owners of the parent $m Issued capital $m Retained earnings $m APA Investment Trust $m Total $m Balance at 1 July 2021 2,571 9 3 (366) (50) 2,167 765 19 784 2,951 Proft for the year – – – – 231 231 – 29 29 260 Other comprehensive income – – – 33 7 40 – – – 40 Income tax relating to components of other comprehensive income – – – (10) (2) (12) – – – (12) Total comprehensive income for the year – – – 23 236 259 – 29 29 288 Payment of distributions (note 8) (346) – – – (111) (457) (121) (35) (156) (613) Equity settled long-term incentives (net of tax) – – 3 – – 3 – – – 3 Balance at 30 June 2022 2,225 9 6 (343) 75 1,972 644 13 657 2,629 Balance at 1 July 2022 2,225 9 6 (343) 75 1,972 644 13 657 2,629 Proft for the year – – – – 263 263 – 24 24 287 Other comprehensive income – – – (534) 5 (529) – – – (529) Income tax relating to components of other comprehensive income – – – 160 (1) 159 – – – 159 Total comprehensive income for the year – – – (374) 267 (107) – 24 24 (83) Payment of distributions (note 8) (261) – – – (263) (524) (89) (25) (114) (638) Equity settled long-term incentives (net of any tax) – – 2 – – 2 – – – 2 Balance at 30 June 2023 1,964 9 8 (717) 79 1,343 555 12 567 1,910 (1) The asset revaluation reserve arose on the revaluation of the existing interest in a pipeline as a result of a business combination. Where revalued pipelines are sold, the portion of the asset revaluation reserve which relates to that asset is efectively realised and is transferred directly to retained earnings. The reserve can be used to pay distributions only in limited circumstances. (2) The share-based payments reserve represents the expenses recognised in the Consolidated Statement of Proft or Loss equal to the portion of the services received based on the fair value of the equity instrument at grant date. (3) The hedging reserve represents the efective portion of the cumulative net change in the fair value of cash fow hedging instruments related to hedged transactions that have not yet occurred. The cumulative deferred gain or loss on the hedge is recognised in the Consolidated Statement of Proft or Loss when the hedged transaction impacts proft or loss, consistent with the applicable accounting policy. The above consolidated statement of changes in equity should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes. OPERATING & FINANCIAL REVIEW SUSTAINABILITY GOVERNANCE APA INFRASTRUCTURE TRUST FINANCIAL REPORT APA INVESTMENT TRUST FINANCIAL REPORT ADDITIONAL INFORMAT |
APA Infrastructure Trust APA Investment Trust Issued capital $m Asset revaluation reserve (1) $m Share-based payments reserve (2) $m Hedging reserve (3) $m (Accumulated defcit)/retained earnings $m Attributable to owners of the parent $m Issued capital $m Retained earnings $m APA Investment Trust $m Total $m Balance at 1 July 2021 2,571 9 3 (366) (50) 2,167 765 19 784 2,951 Proft for the year – – – – 231 231 – 29 29 260 Other comprehensive income – – – 33 7 40 – – – 40 Income tax relating to components of other comprehensive income – – – (10) (2) (12) – – – (12) Total comprehensive income for the year – – – 23 236 259 – 29 29 288 Payment of distributions (note 8) (346) – – – (111) (457) (121) (35) (156) (613) Equity settled long-term incentives (net of tax) – – 3 – – 3 – – – 3 Balance at 30 June 2022 2,225 9 6 (343) 75 1,972 644 13 657 2,629 Balance at 1 July 2022 2,225 9 6 (343) 75 1,972 644 13 657 2,629 Proft for the year – – – – 263 263 – 24 24 287 Other comprehensive income – – – (534) 5 (529) – – – (529) Income tax relating to components of other comprehensive income – – – 160 (1) 159 – – – 159 Total comprehensive income for the year – – – (374) 267 (107) – 24 24 (83) Payment of distributions (note 8) (261) – – – (263) (524) (89) (25) (114) (638) Equity settled long-term incentives (net of any tax) – – 2 – – 2 – – – 2 Balance at 30 June 2023 1,964 9 8 (717) 79 1,343 555 12 567 1,910 (1) The asset revaluation reserve arose on the revaluation of the existing interest in a pipeline as a result of a business combination. Where revalued pipelines are sold, the portion of the asset revaluation reserve which relates to that asset is efectively realised and is transferred directly to retained earnings. The reserve can be used to pay distributions only in limited circumstances. (2) The share-based payments reserve represents the expenses recognised in the Consolidated Statement of Proft or Loss equal to the portion of the services received based on the fair value of the equity instrument at grant date. (3) The hedging reserve represents the efective portion of the cumulative net change in the fair value of cash fow hedging instruments related to hedged transactions that have not yet occurred. The cumulative deferred gain or loss on the hedge is recognised in the Consolidated Statement of Proft or Loss when the hedged transaction impacts proft or loss, consistent with the applicable accounting policy. The above consolidated statement of changes in equity should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes. OPERATING & FINANCIAL REVIEW SUSTAINABILITY GOVERNANCE APA INFRASTRUCTURE TRUST FINANCIAL REPORT APA INVESTMENT TRUST FINANCIAL REPORT ADDITIONAL INFORMAT |
|---|---|
| Total $m |
|
| APA Infrastructure Trust APA Investment Trust |
APA Investment Trust $m |
| Retained earnings $m |
|
| Issued capital $m |
|
| Attributable to owners of the parent $m |
|
| (Accumulated defcit)/retained earnings $m |
|
| Hedging reserve (3) $m |
|
| Share-based payments reserve (2) $m |
|
| Asset revaluation reserve (1) $m |
|
| Issued capital $m |
|
95
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows
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2023 2022
Note $m $m
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| Cash fows from operating activities | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Receipts from customers | 3,126 | 2,963 | |
| Payments to suppliers and employees | (1,479) | (1,311) | |
| Dividends received from associates and joint ventures | 19 | 27 | |
| Proceeds from repayments of fnance leases | 1 | 1 | |
| Interest received | 21 | 4 | |
| Interest and other costs of fnance paid | (460) | (444) | |
| Income taxespaid | (22) | (43) | |
| Net cashprovided by operating activities | 1,206 | 1,197 | |
| Cash fows from investing activities | |||
| Payments for property, plant and equipment(1) | (1,166) | (661) | |
| Proceeds from sale of property, plant and equipment(2) | 211 | 6 | |
| Payments for intangible assets | (14) | (28) | |
| Payments for debtpurchases | – | (588) | |
| Net cash used in investing activities | (969) | (1,271) | |
| Cash fows from fnancing activities | |||
| Proceeds from borrowings | – | 1,000 | |
| Repayments of borrowings | (3) | (3) | |
| Repayments of lease liabilities | (16) | (14) | |
| Transaction costs related to borrowings | (7) | (8) | |
| Distributions paid to: | |||
| Unitholders of APA Infrastructure Trust | 8 | (524) | (457) |
| Unitholders of non-controllinginterests – APA Investment Trust | 8 | (114) | (157) |
| Net cash(used in)/provided by fnancing activities | (664) | 361 | |
| Net (decrease)/increase in cash and cash equivalents | (427) | 287 | |
| Cash and cash equivalents at beginning of fnancial year | 940 | 652 | |
| Efect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents | – | 1 | |
| Cash and cash equivalents at end of fnancialyear | 19 | 513 | 940 |
(1) Included in payments for property, plant and equipment is the net consideration paid of $110 million to acquire Basslink. Refer to note 26 for further details.
(2) Included in the proceeds from the sale of property, plant and equipment is the $210 million upfront component of the proceeds from the sale of the
Orbost Gas Processing Plant on 28 July 2022.
The above consolidated statement of cash flows should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes.
96 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows (continued)
Reconciliation of profit for the year to the net cash provided by operating activities
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2023 2022
Note $m $m
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| Proft for the year | 287 | 260 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reversal of impairment of property, plant and equipment | 2 | – | (28) |
| Proft on disposal of property, plant and equipment(1) | – | (2) | |
| Share of net profts of joint ventures and associates using the equity method | (23) | (27) | |
| Dividends received from equity accounted investments | 19 | 27 | |
| Depreciation and amortisation expenses | 750 | 735 | |
| Finance costs | 2 | 65 | |
| Efect of exchange rate changes | 3 | (1) | |
| Amortisation of hedging loss | 4 | 9 | |
| Wallumbilla Gas Pipeline hedge accounting discontinuation(2) | 37 | 15 | |
| Equity settled long-term incentives | 2 | 3 | |
| Changes in assets and liabilities: | |||
| Trade and other receivables | (51) | (42) | |
| Inventories | (9) | (6) | |
| Other assets | (13) | (9) | |
| Trade and other payables | 21 | 22 | |
| Provisions | 16 | 26 | |
| Other liabilities | (8) | 11 | |
| Income tax balances | 169 | 139 | |
| Net cashprovided by operating activities | 1,206 | 1,197 |
(1) On 28 July 2022 APA completed the sale of Orbost Gas Processing Plant to Cooper Energy Limited resulting in a $nil pre-tax profit on sale.
(2) In February 2022, following entry into a series of forward exchange contracts, hedge accounting was discontinued for WGP revenues to be generated from early calendar year 2022 to late calendar year 2025. The revenues were previously hedged by USD denominated 144A notes. WGP hedge accounting discontinuation reflects the non-cash amortisation of the amount deferred in the hedging reserve over the same period relating to the discontinued hedge relationship.
Cash flows are included in the statement of cash flows on a gross basis. The GST component of cash flows arising from investing and financing activities which is recoverable from, or payable to, the taxation authority is classified within operating cash flows.
97
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements
Basis of Preparation
1. About this report
In the following financial statements, note disclosures are grouped into six sections being: Basis of Preparation; Financial Performance; Operating Assets and Liabilities; Capital Management; Group Structure; and Other. Each note sets out the accounting policies applied in producing the results along with any key judgements and estimates used.
| Basis of Preparation 98 1. About this report 98 2. General information 99 Financial Performance 101 3. Segment information 101 4. Revenue 106 5. Expenses 108 6. Income tax 109 7. Earnings per security 112 8. Distributions 113 Operating Assets and Liabilities 115 9. Receivables 115 10. Payables 115 11. Assets classifed as held for sale 116 12. Property, plant and equipment 117 13. Goodwill and intangibles 119 14. Impairment of non-fnancial assets 121 15. Provisions 123 16. Other non-current assets 124 17. Employee superannuation plans 125 18. Leases 126 |
Capital Management 128 19. Net debt 128 20. Financial risk management 130 21. Other fnancial instruments 144 22. Issued capital 147 |
|---|---|
| Group Structure 148 23. Non-controlling interests 148 24. Joint arrangements and associates 149 25. Subsidiaries 151 |
|
| Other 154 26. Basslink Asset Acquisition 154 27. Commitments and contingencies 155 28. Director and Executive Key Management Personnel remuneration 155 29. Remuneration of external auditor 156 30. Related party transactions 157 31. Parent entity information 158 32. Adoption of new and revised Accounting Standards 158 33. Events occurring after reporting date 159 |
|
98 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Basis of Preparation (continued)
2. General information
APA Group comprises of two trusts, APA Infrastructure Trust and APA Investment Trust, which are registered managed investment schemes regulated by the Corporations Act 2001. APA Infrastructure Trust units are “stapled” to APA Investment Trust units on a one-to-one basis so that one APA Infrastructure Trust unit and one APA Investment Trust unit form a single stapled security which trades on the Australian Securities Exchange under the code “APA”.
Australian Accounting Standards require one of the stapled entities of a stapled structure to be identified as the parent entity for the purposes of preparing a consolidated financial report. In accordance with this requirement, APA Infrastructure Trust is deemed to be the parent entity. The results and equity attributable to APA Investment Trust, being the other stapled entity which is not directly or indirectly held by APA Infrastructure Trust, are shown separately in the financial statements as non-controlling interests.
The financial report represents the consolidated financial statements of APA Infrastructure Trust and APA Investment Trust (together the “Trusts”), their respective subsidiaries and their share of joint arrangements and associates (together “APA Group”). For the purposes of preparing the consolidated financial report, APA Group is a for-profit entity.
Total comprehensive income attributable to non-controlling interests is reported as disclosed in the separate financial statements of APA Investment Trust. Comprehensive income arising from transactions between the parent (APA Infrastructure Trust) group entities and the non-controlling interest (APA Investment Trust) have not been eliminated in the reporting of total comprehensive income attributable to non-controlling interests.
All intra-group transactions and balances have been eliminated on consolidation. Where necessary, adjustments are made to the assets, liabilities, and results of subsidiaries, joint arrangements and associates to bring their accounting policies into line with those used by APA Group.
APA Infrastructure Trust’s registered office and principal place of business is as follows:
Level 25 580 George Street SYDNEY NSW 2000 Tel: (02) 9693 0000
The consolidated general purpose financial report for the year ended 30 June 2023 was authorised for issue in accordance with a resolution of the directors on 23 August 2023.
This general purpose financial report has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Corporations Act 2001, Australian Accounting Standards and other authoritative pronouncements of the Australian Accounting Standards Board (“AASB”) and also complies with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board.
The financial report has been prepared on the basis of historical cost, except for the revaluation of financial instruments. Assets classified as held for sale are measured at the lower of their carrying amount and fair value less costs to sell. The financial report including prior year comparatives is presented in Australian dollars and all values are rounded to the nearest million dollars ($million) in accordance with ASIC Corporations Instrument 2016/191, unless otherwise stated.
Foreign currency transactions
Both the functional and presentation currency of APA Group is Australian dollars (A$). All foreign currency transactions during the financial year are brought to account using the exchange rate in effect at the date of the transaction. Foreign currency monetary items at reporting date are translated at the exchange rate existing at that date and resulting exchange differences are recognised in profit or loss in the period in which they arise, unless they qualify for hedge accounting.
99
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Basis of Preparation (continued)
2. General information (continued)
Critical accounting judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty
In the process of applying APA Group’s accounting policies, a number of judgements and estimates have been made. Judgements and estimates which are material to the financial statements are found in the following disclosures:
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Property, plant and equipment (note 12)
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Carrying value of non-financial assets (note 14)
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Provision for payroll review (note 15)
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Fair value of financial instruments (note 20(c))
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Equity accounted investments (note 24)
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Commitments and contingencies (note 27)
Judgements and estimates require assumptions to be made about highly uncertain external factors such as: discount rates; probability factors; the effects of inflation within the Reserve Bank of Australia’s guidance range; the outlook for global and regional gas market supply-and-demand conditions; contract renewals; asset useful lives; and climate-related risks. As such the actual outcomes may differ as a result of change in these judgements and assumptions.
These judgements, estimates and assumptions are based on the most current facts and circumstances and are reassessed on an ongoing basis, the results of which form the basis of the reported amounts that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions and conditions in respect of laws, regulations, climate change, licences and recognised practising codes including health, safety and environment, employee entitlements, environmental laws and regulations and asset construction and operation. This may materially affect the financial results and the financial position to be reported in future periods.
Working capital
As at 30 June 2023, APA Group’s current liabilities exceeded current assets by $35 million (2022: current assets exceeded current liabilities by $831 million) primarily as a result of current borrowings of $202 million.
APA has access to sufficient available cash and committed undrawn bank facilities of $2,111 million as at 30 June 2023 (2022: $2,190 million) to meet the repayment of current borrowings on the due date and to assist in the ongoing funding of the business. APA Group continues to fund its growth with appropriate levels of equity, cash retained in the business, and debt in order to maintain strong BBB/Baa2 credit ratings.
The Directors continually monitor APA Group’s working capital position, including forecast working capital requirements and have ensured that there are appropriate funding strategies and debt facilities in place to accommodate the funding of capital expenditure and debt repayments as and when they fall due.
Significant items
Individually significant items included in profit after income tax expense are as follows:
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2023 2022
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| Signifcant items impacting proft before tax | ||
|---|---|---|
| Reversal of impairment ofproperty,plant and equipment(1) | – | 28 |
| Total signifcant items impacting proft before tax | – | 28 |
| Income tax related to signifcant items above | – | (8) |
| Proft from signifcant items after income tax | – | 20 |
(1) In FY22, immediately prior to the reclassification of the Orbost Gas Processing Plant as held for sale, the recoverable amount was determined and an impairment reversal of $28 million before tax was recognised to reflect the consideration estimated to be realised from the sale of the plant.
100 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued)
Financial Performance
3. Segment information
APA Group operates in one geographical segment, being Australia and the revenue from major products and services is shown by the reportable segments.
APA Group comprises the following reportable segments:
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Energy Infrastructure: APA’s wholly or majority owned energy infrastructure assets across gas transmission, compression, processing, storage and electricity generation (gas and renewables) and transmission;
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Asset Management: The provision of asset management and operating services for third parties and the majority of APA’s Energy Investments; and
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Energy Investments: APA’s interests in energy infrastructure investments.
Reportable segments
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Energy Asset Energy
Infrastructure Management Investments Other Consolidated
2023 $m $m $m $m $m
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| Segment revenue (1) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue from contracts with customers | 2,208 | 114 | – | – | 2,322 |
| Equity accounted net profts | – | – | 23 | – | 23 |
| Pass-through revenue | 51 | 461 | – | – | 512 |
| Other income | 6 | 1 | – | – | 7 |
| Finance lease and investment interest income | 1 | – | – | – | 1 |
| Total segment revenue | 2,266 | 576 | 23 | – | 2,865 |
| Wallumbilla Gas Pipeline hedge accounting discontinuation(2) |
(37) | – | – | – | (37) |
| Income on Basslink debt investment(3) | – | – | 50 | – | 50 |
| Basslink AEMC market compensation(4) | 15 | – | – | – | 15 |
| Other interest income | – | – | – | 20 | 20 |
| Total revenue | 2,244 | 576 | 73 | 20 | 2,913 |
(1) The revenue reported above represents revenue generated from external customers. Any intersegment sales were immaterial.
(2) In February 2022, following the entry into a series of forward exchange contracts, hedge accounting was discontinued for WGP revenues to be generated from early calendar year 2022 to late calendar year 2025 that were hedged by USD denominated 144A notes. The segment result reflects the hedged rate for revenues in this period, while the WGP hedge accounting discontinuation reflects the non-cash amortisation of the amount deferred in the hedging reserve over the same period relating to the discontinued hedge relationship.
(3) Income including accrued interest and the revaluation gain up until the date of acquisition of Basslink Pty Ltd and its subsidiary on 20 October 2022. As part of the net consideration, APA was repaid the face value of its 100% interest in Basslink’s senior secured debt of $648 million. Refer to Note 26 for further details.
(4) On 15 December 2022, the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) approved Basslink’s compensation claim of $15 million for direct costs following the application of the administered price cap during an administered price period in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia in June 2022.
101
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Financial Performance (continued)
3. Segment information (continued)
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Energy Asset Energy
Infrastructure Management Investments Other Consolidated
2023 $m $m $m $m $m
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| Segment result | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Segment underlying EBITDA(1) | 1,792 | 56 | – | – | 1,848 |
| Share of net profts of joint ventures and associates using the equity method |
– | – | 23 | – | 23 |
| Finance lease and investment interest income | 1 | – | – | – | 1 |
| Corporate costs | – | – | – | (147) | (147) |
| Total underlying EBITDA (1) | 1,793 | 56 | 23 | (147) | 1,725 |
| Fair value gain on contracts for diference(2) | 12 | – | – | – | 12 |
| Technology transformation projects(3) | – | – | – | (67) | (67) |
| Wallumbilla Gas Pipeline hedge accounting discontinuation(4) |
(37) | – | – | – | (37) |
| Basslink debt revaluation, interest and integration costs(5) |
– | – | 47 | – | 47 |
| Basslink AEMC market compensation(6) | 15 | – | – | – | 15 |
| Payroll review(7) | – | – | – | (9) | (9) |
| Total reported EBITDA | 1,783 | 56 | 70 | (223) | 1,686 |
| Depreciation and amortisation | (733) | (17) | – | – | (750) |
| Total reported EBIT (8) | 1,050 | 39 | 70 | (223) | 936 |
| Net interest cost(9) | (459) | ||||
| Proft before tax | 477 | ||||
| Income tax expense | (190) | ||||
| Proft after tax | 287 |
(1) Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (“EBITDA”) excludes recurring items arising from other activities and transactions that are not directly attributable to the performance of APA Group’s business operations.
(2) The amount represents a net gain arising from electricity contracts for difference that economically hedge the future cash flows of the electricity contracts for which hedge accounting is not applicable.
(3) The amount represents costs associated with technology and transformation projects to develop and uplift organisation capabilities, including SaaS customisation and configuration costs incurred during implementation.
(4) In February 2022, following the entry into a series of forward exchange contracts, hedge accounting was discontinued for WGP revenues to be generated from early calendar year 2022 to late calendar year 2025 that were hedged by USD denominated 144A notes. The segment result reflects the hedged rate for revenues in this period, while the WGP hedge accounting discontinuation reflects the non-cash amortisation of the amount deferred in the hedging reserve over the same period relating to the discontinued hedge relationship.
(5) Income including accrued interest and the revaluation gain up until the date of acquisition of Basslink Pty Ltd and its subsidiary on 20 October 2022, net of integration costs of $3 million incurred in the full year to 30 June 2023. As part of the net consideration to acquire Basslink, APA was repaid the face value of its 100% interest in Basslink’s senior secured debt of $648 million. Refer to Note 26 for further details.
(6) On 15 December 2022, the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) approved Basslink’s compensation claim of $15 million for direct costs following the application of the administered price cap during an administered price period in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia in June 2022.
(7) Estimated payment shortfalls for the year ended 30 June 2023 are included within underlying EBITDA. Interest and other related costs are included within reported EBITDA.
(8) Earnings before interest and tax (“EBIT”).
(9) Excluding finance lease and investment interest income, any gains or losses on revaluation of derivatives included as part of EBIT for segment reporting purposes, but including other interest income.
102 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Financial Performance (continued)
3. Segment information (continued)
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Energy Asset Energy
Infrastructure Management Investments Other Consolidated
2023 $m $m $m $m $m
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| Segment assets and liabilities | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Segment assets | 14,422 | 177 | 11 | – | 14,610 |
| Carrying value of investments using the equity method |
– | – | 273 | – | 273 |
| Unallocated assets(1) | – | – | – | 983 | 983 |
| Total assets | 14,422 | 177 | 284 | 983 | 15,866 |
| Segment liabilities | 659 | 94 | – | – | 753 |
| Unallocated liabilities(2) | – | – | – | 13,203 | 13,203 |
| Total liabilities | 659 | 94 | – | 13,203 | 13,956 |
(1) Unallocated assets consist of cash and cash equivalents, fair value of cross currency swaps, foreign currency forward exchange contracts and equity forwards.
(2) Unallocated liabilities consist of current and non-current borrowings, deferred tax liabilities, fair value of cross currency swaps, foreign currency forward exchange contracts and equity forwards.
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Energy Asset Energy
Infrastructure Management Investments Other Consolidated
2022 $m $m $m $m $m
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| Segment revenue (1) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue from contracts with customers | 2,082 | 115 | – | – | 2,197 |
| Equity accounted net profts | – | – | 27 | – | 27 |
| Pass-through revenue | 65 | 431 | – | – | 496 |
| Other income(2) | 12 | – | – | – | 12 |
| Finance lease and investment interest income |
1 | – | 1 | – | 2 |
| Total segment revenue | 2,160 | 546 | 28 | – | 2,734 |
| Wallumbilla Gas Pipeline hedge accounting discontinuation(3) |
(15) | – | – | – | (15) |
| Income on Basslink debt investment(4) | – | – | 12 | – | 12 |
| Other interest income | – | – | – | 1 | 1 |
| Total revenue | 2,145 | 546 | 40 | 1 | 2,732 |
(1) The revenue reported above represents revenue generated from external customers. Any intersegment sales were immaterial.
(2) On 8 October 2021, APA Group entered into an Asset Sale and Purchase Agreement to divest the Group’s 50% ownership in Mid West Pipeline. Financial close was reached on 6 May 2022 for consideration of $5 million, resulting in a pre tax profit on sale of $4 million.
(3) In February 2022, following the entry into a series of forward exchange contracts, hedge accounting was discontinued for WGP revenues to be generated from early calendar year 2022 to late calendar year 2025 that were hedged by USD denominated 144A notes. The segment result reflects the hedged rate for revenues in this period, while the WGP hedge accounting unwind reflects the non-cash amortisation of the amount deferred in hedging reserve over the same period relating to the discontinued hedge relationship.
(4) Interest income accrued on the 100% interest in the senior secured debt of Nexus Australia Management Pty Ltd (Basslink) acquired by APA Group during the year ended 30 June 2022.
103
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Financial Performance (continued)
3. Segment information (continued)
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Energy Asset Energy
Infrastructure Management Investments Other Consolidated
2022 $m $m $m $m $m
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| Segment result | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Segment underlying EBITDA(1) | 1,706 | 73 | – | – | 1,779 |
| Share of net profts of joint ventures and | – | – | 27 | – | 27 |
| associates using the equity method | |||||
| Finance lease and investment interest income | 1 | – | 1 | – | 2 |
| Corporate cost | – | – | – | (116) | (116) |
| Total underlying EBITDA (1) | 1,707 | 73 | 28 | (116) | 1,692 |
| Fair value loss on contract for diference(2) | (30) | – | – | – | (30) |
| Technology transformation projects(3) | – | – | – | (22) | (22) |
| Wallumbilla Gas Pipeline hedge accounting | (15) | – | – | – | (15) |
| discontinuation(4) | |||||
| Income on Basslink debt investment(5) | – | – | 12 | – | 12 |
| Payroll review(6) | – | – | – | (7) | (7) |
| Total reported EBITDA (7) | 1,662 | 73 | 40 | (145) | 1,630 |
| Depreciation and amortisation | (718) | (17) | – | – | (735) |
| Total reported EBIT (8) | 944 | 56 | 40 | (145) | 895 |
| Net interest cost(9) | (483) | ||||
| Proft before tax excluding signifcant items | 412 | ||||
| Income tax expense(6) | (172) | ||||
| Proft after tax excluding signifcant items | 240 | ||||
| Signifcant items before tax(10) | 28 | ||||
| Reported proft before tax | 440 | ||||
| Signifcant items after tax(10) | 20 | ||||
| Reportedproft after tax | 260 |
(1) Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (“EBITDA”) excludes recurring items arising from other activities and transactions that are not directly attributable to the performance of APA Group’s business operations and significant items.
(2) The amount represents a net loss arising from contract for difference in an electricity sales agreement with a customer that economically hedges the fair value of the electricity sales agreement for which hedge accounting is not applicable. Refer to note 20.
(3) The amount represents costs associated with technology and transformation projects to develop and uplift organisation capabilities, including SaaS customisation and configuration costs incurred during implementation.
(4) In February 2022, following entry into a series of forward exchange contracts, hedge accounting was discontinued for WGP revenues to be generated from early calendar year 2022 to late calendar year 2025. The revenues were previously hedged by USD denominated 144A notes. WGP hedge accounting discontinuation reflects the non-cash amortisation of the amount deferred in the hedging reserve over the same period relating to the discontinued hedge relationship.
(5) Interest income accrued on the 100% interest in the senior secured debt of Nexus Australia Management Pty Ltd (Basslink) acquired by APA Group during the year ended 30 June 2022.
(6) Estimated payment shortfalls for the year ended 30 June 2022 are included within underlying EBITDA. Interest and other related costs are included within reported EBITDA.
(7) Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (“EBITDA”) excluding significant items.
(8) Earnings before interest and tax (“EBIT”) excluding significant items.
(9) Excluding finance lease and investment interest income, any gains or losses on revaluation of derivatives included as part of EBIT for segment reporting purposes.
(10) Refer to note 2 significant items section for details.
104 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Financial Performance (continued)
3. Segment information (continued)
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Energy Asset Energy
Infrastructure Management Investments Other Consolidated
2022 $m $m $m $m $m
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| Segment assets and liabilities | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Segment assets | 13,452 | 186 | 609 | – | 14,247 |
| Carrying value of investments using the equity method |
– | – | 266 | – | 266 |
| Unallocated assets(1) | 1,324 | 1,324 | |||
| Total assets | 13,452 | 186 | 875 | 1,324 | 15,837 |
| Segment liabilities | 581 | 96 | – | – | 677 |
| Unallocated liabilities(2) | 12,531 | 12,531 | |||
| Total liabilities | 581 | 96 | – | 12,531 | 13,208 |
(1) Unallocated assets consist of cash and cash equivalents, fair value of cross currency swaps, foreign currency forward exchange contracts and equity forwards.
(2) Unallocated liabilities consist of current and non-current borrowings, deferred tax liabilities, fair value of cross currency swaps, foreign currency forward exchange contracts and equity forwards.
105
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Financial Performance (continued)
4. Revenue
Disaggregation of revenue
Revenue is disaggregated below by business unit and region.
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| Energy Infrastructure | ||
|---|---|---|
| Wallumbilla Gladstone Pipeline(1) | 622 | 581 |
| East Coast | 808 | 805 |
| West Coast | 369 | 342 |
| ElectricityGeneration and Transmission(2) | 409 | 354 |
| Energy Infrastructure revenue from contracts with customers | 2,208 | 2,082 |
| Asset Management revenue from contracts with customers | 114 | 115 |
| Energy Investments | 23 | 28 |
| Other non-contract revenue | 8 | 13 |
| Total segment revenue excluding pass-through | 2,353 | 2,238 |
| Pass-through revenue | 512 | 496 |
| Wallumbilla Gas Pipeline hedge accounting discontinuation(3) | (37) | (15) |
| Income on Basslink debt investment(4) | 50 | 12 |
| Basslink AEMC market compensation(5) | 15 | – |
| Unallocated revenue | 20 | 1 |
| Total revenue | 2,913 | 2,732 |
(1) Wallumbilla Gladstone Pipeline is separated from East Coast Grid in this note as a result of the significance of its revenue and EBITDA in the Group. It is categorised as part of the East Coast Grid cash-generating unit for impairment assessment purposes in note 14.
(2) The Power Generation sub-segment has been renamed to Electricity Generation and Transmission to align the segment with the nature of operations post the acquisition of Basslink. The results of Basslink Pty Ltd and its subsidiary are included within this segment following acquisition on 20 October 2022.
(3) In February 2022, following entry into a series of forward exchange contracts, hedge accounting was discontinued for WGP revenues to be generated from early calendar year 2022 to late calendar year 2025. The revenues were previously hedged by USD denominated 144A notes. WGP hedge accounting discontinuation reflects the non-cash amortisation of the amount deferred in the hedging reserve over the same period relating to the discontinued hedge relationship.
(4) Income including accrued interest and the revaluation gain up until the date of acquisition of Basslink Pty Ltd and its subsidiary on 20 October 2022. As part of the net consideration, APA was repaid the face value of its 100% interest in Basslink’s senior secured debt of $648 million. Refer to Note 26 for further details.
(5) On 15 December 2022, the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC) approved Basslink’s compensation claim of $15 million for direct costs following the application of the administered price cap during an administered price period in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia in June 2022.
106 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Financial Performance (continued)
4. Revenue (continued)
Revenue is recognised at an amount that reflects the consideration to which the Group expects to be entitled in exchange for the provision of services or for the transferring of goods to a customer (the performance obligations) under a contract. APA Group recognises revenue when control of a product or service is transferred to the customer. Amounts disclosed as revenue are net of duties, goods and services tax (“GST”) and other taxes paid, except where the amount of GST incurred is not recoverable from the taxation authority. Given the nature of APA Group’s services there is no significant right of return or warranty provided.
Revenue from contracts with customers is derived from the major business activities as follows:
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Energy Infrastructure revenue from contracts with customers, is derived from the transportation, processing and storage of gas and other related services (transmission revenue), and the generation of electricity and other related services (power generation revenue). Revenue from contracts with customers may either be identified as separate performance obligations or a series of distinct performance obligations that are substantially the same, have the same pattern of transfer and are therefore treated as a single performance obligation that is satisfied over time. This includes both firm and interruptible services. The consideration is primarily volume based and is recognised as revenue in a manner that depicts the transfer based on output to the customer. This method most accurately depicts the progress towards satisfaction of the performance obligation of the services provided, as the customer simultaneously receives and consumes the benefits of APA Group’s service and obtains value as each volume of output is transported by APA Group. The amount billed corresponds directly to the value of the performance to date;
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Asset Management revenue from contracts with customers, is derived from the provision of commercial services, operating services, asset management services and/or asset maintenance services to APA Group’s energy investments and other third parties. APA Group recognises revenue at the amount to which APA Group has a right to invoice; and
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Pass-through revenue, is revenue from contracts with customers for the provision of commercial services, operating services, asset management services and/or asset maintenance services to APA Group’s energy investments. Any management fee earned for the provision of these services is recognised as part of asset management revenues. APA Group recognises revenue at the amount to which APA Group has a right to invoice. APA Group is determined to be the principal in these relationships.
Other types of revenue are recognised as follows:
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Other non-contract revenue: includes dividend income, which is recognised when the right to receive the payment has been established; and
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Unallocated revenue: interest income, which is recognised as it accrues and is determined using the effective interest method and finance lease income, which is allocated to accounting periods so as to reflect a constant periodic rate of return on APA Group’s net investment outstanding in respect of the leases.
Contract liabilities – unearned revenue
Where amounts have been received in advance of fulfilling the contract obligation these amounts are deferred in the balance sheet as unearned revenue until the performance obligation is fulfilled. Where the period between the payment by the customer and the fulfilment of the obligation is expected to exceed one year any amounts associated with the finance component of this deferred revenue is recognised as interest expense.
Included in the unearned revenue are customer upfront contributions on contracts with customers and government grants received in advance. During the year, APA Group recognised $8 million (2022: $9 million) in revenue from contracts with customers from the unearned revenue balance at 30 June 2022.
Contract assets – accrued revenue
Contract assets primarily relate to APA Group’s right to consideration for work completed but not billed at the reporting date. These amounts are known as accrued revenue and are disclosed in note 9.
Accrued revenue is transferred to trade receivables when the rights become unconditional. This usually occurs when APA Group issues an invoice to the customer.
Accounting for costs to obtain contracts
APA Group generally expenses costs to obtain contracts as they are incurred, as they are incurred whether the contract is obtained or not (e.g. staff salaries, professional fees, etc.).
107
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Financial Performance (continued)
4. Revenue (continued)
Future revenues from remaining performance obligations
As at 30 June 2023, future contracted Energy Infrastructure revenues extending through to 2051 are approximately $16.4 billion (2022: $17.0 billion extending through to 2051), of which $1.8 billion is expected to be recognised in the year ending 30 June 2024. These amounts relate to Energy Infrastructure revenue from contracts, with a significant portion of customers being high credit worthy counterparties.
Future contracted Energy Infrastructure revenues outlined above are in nominal 2023 dollars escalated by CPI. Variable revenues, potential future revenues from new contracts, contract renewals or extensions, and revenues from potential new assets or expansions where a contract does not currently exist with a customer are not included. As such, the future contract revenues described above represent only part of APA Group’s forecast revenues for the year ended 30 June 2024 and beyond.
Information about major customers
Included in revenues from contracts with customers arising from Energy Infrastructure of $2,208 million (2022: $2,083 million) are revenues of approximately $783 million (2022: $710 million) which arose from sales to APA Group’s top three customers.
5. Expenses
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| Depreciation of non-current assets | 554 | 537 |
|---|---|---|
| Amortisation of non-current assets | 196 | 198 |
| Depreciation and amortisation expense | 750 | 735 |
| Energy infrastructure costs – pass-through | 51 | 65 |
| Asset management costs –pass-through | 461 | 431 |
| Other operating costs –pass-through | 512 | 496 |
| Interest on bank overdrafts and borrowings(1) | 498 | 452 |
| Amortisation of deferred borrowing costs | 10 | 8 |
| Other fnance costs | 8 | 6 |
| 516 | 466 | |
| Less: amounts included in the cost ofqualifyingassets | (42) | (11) |
| 474 | 455 | |
| (Gain)/Loss on derivatives(2) | (7) | 16 |
| Unwinding of discount on non-current liabilities | 8 | 8 |
| Unwinding of discount on deferred revenue | 2 | 3 |
| Interest incurred on lease liabilities | 2 | 2 |
| Finance costs | 479 | 484 |
| Defned contribution plans | 26 | 21 |
| Defned beneftplans(note 17) | 2 | 2 |
| Post-employment benefts | 28 | 23 |
| Termination benefts | 2 | 1 |
| Cash settled long-term incentive payments(3) | 36 | 36 |
| Equity settled long-term incentive payments(3) | 8 | (1) |
| Other employee benefts | 324 | 264 |
| Employee beneft expense (4) | 398 | 323 |
(1) The average interest rate applicable to drawn debt is 4.43% p.a. (2022: 4.42% p.a.) excluding finance costs associated with amortisation of borrowing costs.
(2) Represents unrealised gains and losses on the mark-to-market valuation of derivatives.
(3) APA Group provides benefits to certain employees in the form of long-term incentive payments. For cash settled long-term incentive payments, a liability equal to the portion of services received is recognised at the current fair value determined at each reporting date. For equity settled long-term incentive payments, a reserve is recognised equal to the portion of services received based on the fair value of the equity instrument at grant date.
(4) Employee benefit expense of $77 million (2022: $74 million) is recharged as pass-through revenue and presented as part of other operating costs – pass-through.
108 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Financial Performance (continued)
6. Income tax
The major components of tax benefit/(expense) are:
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2023 2022
$m $m
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| Income statement | ||
|---|---|---|
| Current tax beneft/(expense) in respect of the current year | 122 | (83) |
| Adjustments recognised in the current year in relation to current tax of prior years | (2) | – |
| Deferred tax expense relatingto the origination and reversal of temporarydiferences | (310) | (97) |
| Total tax expense | (190) | (180) |
| Tax reconciliation | ||
| Proft before tax | 477 | 440 |
| Income tax expense calculated at 30% | (143) | (132) |
| Non-assessable trust distribution | 7 | 9 |
| Non-deductible expenses | (53) | (61) |
| Non-assessable income | – | – |
| (189) | (184) | |
| Franking credits received | 1 | 2 |
| Other | (2) | 2 |
| (190) | (180) |
Income tax expense comprises of current and deferred tax. Income tax is recognised in profit or loss except to the extent that it relates to items recognised directly in other comprehensive income, in which case it is recognised in equity. Current tax represents the expected taxable income at the applicable tax rate for the financial year, and any adjustment to tax payable in respect of previous financial years.
Income tax expense for the year is $190 million (2022: $180 million). Nil income tax payable or receivable has been recognised (2022: $20 million payable) (refer to note 9).
109
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued)
Financial Performance (continued)
6. Income tax (continued)
Deferred tax balances
Deferred tax (liabilities)/assets arise from the following:
| 2023 | Opening balance $m |
Charged to income $m |
Charged to equity $m |
Closing balance $m |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gross deferred tax liabilities | ||||
| Property, plant and equipment and intangibles | (1,176) | (322) | – | (1,498) |
| Investments equity accounted | (1) | – | (1) | (2) |
| Deferred expenses | (51) | 3 | – | (48) |
| Other | (1) | 2 | – | 1 |
| (1,229) | (317) | (1) | (1,547) | |
| Gross deferred tax assets | ||||
| Provisions | 83 | 4 | – | 87 |
| Cash fow hedges | 154 | 5 | 161 | 320 |
| Deferred revenue | 17 | (4) | – | 13 |
| Defned beneft obligation | 2 | – | (1) | 1 |
| Tax losses | 110 | 122 | – | 232 |
| 366 | 127 | 160 | 653 | |
| Net deferred tax liability | (863) | (190) | 159 | (894) |
| 2022 | ||||
| Gross deferred tax liabilities | ||||
| Property, plant and equipment and intangibles | (1,080) | (96) | – | (1,176) |
| Deferred expenses | (51) | – | – | (51) |
| Other | – | (1) | – | (1) |
| (1,131) | (97) | – | (1,228) | |
| Gross deferred tax assets | ||||
| Provisions | 74 | 9 | – | 83 |
| Cash fow hedges | 143 | 14 | (3) | 154 |
| Security issue costs | 1 | (1) | – | – |
| Deferred revenue | 13 | 4 | – | 17 |
| Investments equity accounted | 6 | – | (7) | (1) |
| Defned beneft obligation | 4 | – | (2) | 2 |
| Tax losses | 135 | (25) | – | 110 |
| Other | 1 | (1) | – | – |
| 377 | – | (12) | 365 | |
| Net deferred tax liability | (754) | (97) | (12) | (863) |
110 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Financial Performance (continued)
6. Income tax (continued)
Deferred tax assets
Deferred tax is provided using the balance sheet liability method, providing for temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting purposes and the amounts used for taxation purposes. The following temporary differences are not provided for:
-
Initial recognition of goodwill;
-
Initial recognition of assets or liabilities that affect neither accounting nor taxable profit; and
-
Differences relating to investments in wholly-owned entities to the extent that they will probably not reverse in the foreseeable future.
Deferred tax is based on the expected manner of realisation or settlement of the carrying amount of assets and liabilities, using the appropriate tax rates at the end of the reporting period.
A deferred tax asset is recognised only to the extent that it is probable that future taxable profits will be available against which the asset can be utilised and are reduced to the extent that it is no longer probable that the related tax benefit will be realised.
Tax consolidation
APA Infrastructure Trust and its wholly-owned Australian resident entities formed a tax-consolidated group with effect from 1 July 2003 and are therefore taxed as a single entity from that date. The head entity within the tax-consolidated group is APA Infrastructure Trust. The members of the tax-consolidated group are identified at note 25.
Tax expense/income, deferred tax liabilities and deferred tax assets arising from temporary differences of the members of the tax-consolidated group are recognised in the separate financial reports of the members of the tax-consolidated group using the ‘separate taxpayer within group’ approach, by reference to the carrying amounts in the separate financial reports of each entity and the tax values applying under tax consolidation.
Any current tax liabilities (or assets) and deferred tax assets arising from unused tax losses of the wholly-owned entities are assumed by the head entity in the tax-consolidated group and are recognised as amounts payable/(receivable) to/ (from) other entities in the tax-consolidated group in conjunction with any tax funding arrangement amounts.
The head entity recognises deferred tax assets arising from unused tax losses of the tax-consolidated group to the extent that it is probable that future taxable profits of the tax-consolidated group will be available against which the assets can be utilised.
Nature of tax funding arrangement and tax sharing agreement
Entities within the tax-consolidated group have entered into a tax funding arrangement and a tax sharing agreement with the head entity. Under the terms of the tax funding arrangement, each of the entities in the tax-consolidated group have agreed to pay a tax equivalent payment to or from the head entity based on the current tax liability or current tax asset of the entity. Such amounts are reflected in amounts receivable from or payable to other entities in the tax-consolidated group.
The tax sharing agreement entered into between members of the tax-consolidated group provides for the determination of the allocation of income tax liabilities between the entities should the head entity default on its tax payment obligations or if an entity should leave the tax-consolidated group. The effect of the tax sharing agreement is that each member’s liability for the tax payable by the tax-consolidated group is limited to the amount payable to the head entity under the tax funding arrangement.
111
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Financial Performance (continued)
7. Earnings per security
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2023 2022
cents cents
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| Earnings per security | ||
|---|---|---|
| Basic and diluted earnings per unit attributable to the parent | 22.3 | 19.6 |
| Basic and diluted earningsper unit attributable to the non-controllinginterest | 2.0 | 2.5 |
| Basic and diluted earningsper security | 24.3 | 22.1 |
| Earnings per security excluding signifcant items | ||
| Basic and diluted earnings excluding signifcant items per unit attributable to the parent | 22.3 | 17.9 |
| Basic and diluted earnings excluding signifcant items per unit attributable to the non-controllinginterest |
2.0 | 2.5 |
| Basic and diluted earningsper securityexcludingsignifcant items | 24.3 | 20.4 |
| Underlying earnings per security (1) | ||
| Underlying basic and diluted earnings per unit attributable to the parent | 24.6 | 21.6 |
| Underlyingbasic and diluted earningsper unit attributable to the non-controllinginterest | 2.0 | 2.5 |
| Underlyingbasic and diluted earningsper security | 26.6 | 24.1 |
(1) Excludes recurring items arising from other activities and transactions that are not directly attributable to the performance of APA Group’s business operations, and significant items.
The earnings and weighted average number of ordinary securities used in the calculation of basic and diluted earnings per security are as follows:
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2023 2022
$m $m
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| Net proft | ||
|---|---|---|
| Net proft attributable to unitholders of the parent | 263 | 231 |
| Netproft attributable to unitholders of the non-controllinginterest | 24 | 29 |
| Net proft attributable to stapled securityholders for calculating basic and diluted earningsper security (note 3) |
287 | 260 |
| Underlying net proft | ||
| Net proft attributable to unitholders of the parent | 263 | 231 |
| Signifcant items, net of tax | – | (20) |
| Net proft excluding signifcant items attributable to unitholders of the parent | 263 | 211 |
| Fair value (gains)/losses on contracts for diference, net of tax | (8) | 21 |
| Technology transformation projects, net of tax | 47 | 15 |
| Wallumbilla Gas Pipeline hedge accounting discontinuation, net of tax | 26 | 11 |
| Basslink debt revaluation, interest and integration costs, net of tax | (33) | (9) |
| Basslink AEMC Market Compensation, net of tax | (11) | – |
| Payroll review, net of tax | 6 | 5 |
| Underlying net proft attributable to unitholders of the parent | 290 | 254 |
| Underlyingnetproft attributable to unitholders of the non-controllinginterest | 24 | 29 |
| Underlying net proft attributable to stapled securityholders for calculating basic and diluted earningsper security |
314 | 283 |
| 2023 No. of securities millions |
2022 No. of securities millions |
|
|---|---|---|
| Adjusted weighted average number of ordinary securities used in the calculation of; | ||
| Basic earnings per security | 1,180 | 1,180 |
| Diluted earningsper security(1) | 1,182 | 1,182 |
(1) Includes $3 million (2022: $2 million) performance rights granted under long-term incentive plan. Each performance right is a right to receive one ordinary stapled security in APA Group subject to satisfaction of certain performance hurdles and board approval. Further information can be found in the most recent annual report. APA Group has historically instructed Link Market Services to acquire securities on-market to minimise dilution of existing securityholders.
112 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Financial Performance (continued)
8. Distributions
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2023 2023 2022 2022
cents per Total cents per Total
security $m security $m
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| Recognised amounts | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final FY22 distribution paid on 14 September 2022 | ||||
| (30 June 2021: Final FY21 distribution paid on 15 September 2021) | ||||
| Proft distribution – APA Infrastructure Trust(1) | 6.31 | 74 | – | – |
| Capital distribution – APA Infrastructure Trust | 15.40 | 182 | 18.63 | 220 |
| Proft distribution – APA Investment Trust(2) | 1.14 | 13 | 1.67 | 20 |
| Capital distribution – APA Investment Trust | 5.15 | 61 | 6.70 | 79 |
| 28.00 | 330 | 27.00 | 319 |
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(1) 30 June 2022: APA Infrastructure Trust profit distributions were fully franked and resulted in franking credits of 2.70 cents per security.
(2) 30 June 2021: APA Investment Trust profit distributions were unfranked.
2023 2023 2022 2022
cents per Total cents per Total
security $m security $m
----- End of picture text -----
| Interim FY23 distribution paid on 16 March 2023 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (31 December 2021: Interim FY22 distribution paid on 17 March 2022) | ||||
| Proft distribution – APA Infrastructure Trust(1) | 15.92 | 189 | 9.43 | 111 |
| Capital distribution – APA Infrastructure Trust | 6.67 | 79 | 10.69 | 126 |
| Proft distribution – APA Investment Trust(2) | 1.01 | 12 | 1.33 | 16 |
| Capital distribution – APA Investment Trust | 2.40 | 28 | 3.55 | 42 |
| 26.00 | 308 | 25.00 | 295 | |
| Total distributions recognised | ||||
| Proft distributions | 24.38 | 288 | 12.43 | 147 |
| Capital distributions | 29.62 | 350 | 39.57 | 467 |
| 54.00 | 638 | 52.00 | 614 |
(1) 31 December 2022: APA Infrastructure Trust profit distributions were partially franked and resulted in franking credits of 3.64 cents per security. (31 December 2021: fully franked.)
(2) APA Investment Trust profit distributions were unfranked.
113
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Financial Performance (continued)
8. Distributions (continued)
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2023 2023 2022 2022
cents per Total cents per Total
security $m security $m
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| Unrecognised amounts | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final FY23 distribution payable on 13 September 2023 (1) | ||||
| (30 June 2022: Final FY22 distribution paid on 14 September 2022) | ||||
| Proft distribution – APA Infrastructure Trust(2) | 6.64 | 79 | 6.31 | 74 |
| Capital distribution – APA Infrastructure Trust | 15.02 | 177 | 15.40 | 182 |
| Proft distribution – APA Investment Trust(3) | 1.00 | 12 | 1.14 | 13 |
| Capital distribution – APA Investment Trust | 6.34 | 74 | 5.15 | 61 |
| 29.00 | 342 | 28.00 | 330 |
(1) Record date 30 June 2023.
(2) 30 June 2023: APA Infrastructure Trust profit distributions are unfranked (30 June 2022: Fully franked, franking credits of 2.70 per security). (3) APA Investment Trust profit distributions are unfranked.
The final distribution in respect of the financial year has not been recognised in this financial report because the final distribution was not declared, determined or publicly confirmed prior to the end of the financial year.
| 2023 $m |
2022 $m |
|
|---|---|---|
| Franking account balance | 2 | 55 |
| Income tax(receivable)/payable | (2) | 20 |
| Adjusted frankingaccount balance | – | 75 |
114 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued)
Operating Assets and Liabilities
9. Receivables
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2023 2022
$m $m
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| Trade receivables | 76 | 50 |
|---|---|---|
| Accrued revenue | 247 | 243 |
| Loss allowance(note 20) | (4) | (1) |
| Trade receivables | 319 | 292 |
| Receivables from associates and related parties | 12 | 15 |
| Finance lease receivables (note 18) | 1 | 1 |
| Interest receivable | 2 | 1 |
| Other receivables | 40 | – |
| Current | 374 | 309 |
| Finance lease receivables (note 18) | 8 | 9 |
| Other receivables | 19 | – |
| Loan receivable(note 20)(1) | – | 599 |
| Non-current | 27 | 608 |
(1) During FY22, APA Group acquired 100% of the senior secured debt of Nexus Australia Management Pty Ltd (Basslink) at a discount to face value. The loan receivable was classified as a purchased or originated credit impaired (“POCI”) financial asset. During FY23, as part of the net consideration to acquire Basslink, APA was repaid the face value of its 100% interest in Basslink’s senior secured debt of $648 million including accrued interest and the revaluation gain up until the date of acquisition. Refer to Note 26 for further details.
Trade receivables are non-interest bearing and are generally on 14 to 30 day terms. There are no material trade receivables past due and not provided for.
Trade receivables, loans, and other receivables that have fixed or determinable payments that are not quoted in an active market are classified as loans and receivables. Trade and other receivables are initially recognised at fair value plus any directly attributable transaction costs. Subsequent to initial recognition, they are stated at amortised cost less impairment.
10. Payables
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| Trade payables | 68 | 86 |
|---|---|---|
| Income tax payable | – | 20 |
| Otherpayables | 403 | 311 |
| Current | 471 | 417 |
| Otherpayables | 9 | 11 |
| Non-current | 9 | 11 |
Trade payables are non-interest bearing and are normally settled on 15 – 30 day terms.
Trade and other payables are recognised when APA Group becomes obliged to make future payments resulting from the purchase of goods and services. Trade and other payables are initially recognised at fair value plus any directly attributable transaction costs. Subsequent to initial recognition, they are stated at amortised cost.
Payables are recognised inclusive of GST, except for accrued revenue and accrued expense at balance dates which exclude GST.
The net amount of GST recoverable from, or payable to, the taxation authority is included as part of receivables or payables. GST receivable or GST payable is only recognised once a tax invoice has been issued or received.
115
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Operating Assets and Liabilities (continued) 11. Assets classified as held for sale
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2023 2022
$m $m
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| Consolidated Statement of Financial Position | ||
|---|---|---|
| Inventories | – | 1 |
| Property, Plant and Equipment | – | 294 |
| Assets classifed as held for sale | – | 295 |
| Unearned revenue | – | 25 |
| Otherpayables | – | 6 |
| Liabilities associated with assets classifed as held for sale | – | 31 |
| Net assets associated with held for sale | – | 264 |
Non-current assets classified as held for sale are measured at the lower of their carrying amount and fair value less costs of disposal if their carrying amount will be recovered principally through a sale transaction. They are not depreciated or amortised once classified as held for sale. This condition is regarded as met only when the sale is highly probable and the asset is available for immediate sale in its present condition.
Orbost Gas Processing Plant
On 20 June 2022, APA Group announced that it had entered into binding agreements with Cooper Energy Limited for the sale of the Orbost Gas Processing Plant for cash consideration of between $270 million and $330 million. Completion was reached on 28 July 2022.
The cash consideration consists of an upfront payment to APA of $210 million followed by a series of deferred payments to APA as follows:
-
A first post-completion payment of $40 million within 12 months of completion (being the date on which ownership of the Orbost Gas Processing Plant transfers from APA to Cooper Energy);
-
A second post-completion payment of between $20 million and $40 million within 24 months of completion, and
-
A third post-completion payment of up to $40 million within 36 months of completion.
The final amounts of the second and third post-completion payments were subject to post-completion plant performance to be calculated at the point when APA ceased operating the Orbost Gas Processing Plant and the plant’s Major Hazard Facility Licence (MHFL) was transferred to Cooper Energy, which occurred on 22 May 2023. No consideration relating to post-completion plant performance has been recognised because the plant did not achieve the required levels of production, being production rates in excess of 50 TJ/day between completion date and the MHFL transfer date. Final cash consideration amounts to $270 million.
In FY22, immediately prior to the reclassification of the plant as held for sale, the recoverable amount was determined and an impairment reversal of $28 million before tax was recognised to reflect the consideration estimated to be realised from the sale of the Orbost Gas Processing Plant. The measurement of the recoverable amount excluded consideration contingent on future plant performance.
The FY22 impairment reversal has been separately presented in the consolidated statement of profit or loss. The Orbost Gas Processing Plant was classified as held for sale as at 30 June 2022 and depreciation was ceased on the date it was classified as held for sale. The Orbost Gas Processing Plant was previously included within the Energy Infrastructure operating segment.
116 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Operating Assets and Liabilities (continued)
12. Property, plant and equipment
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ROU
Freehold land Leasehold Plant and Work in ROU land and plant and
and buildings improvements equipment – progress – buildings – equipment –
– at cost – at cost at cost at cost at cost at cost Total
$m $m $m $m $m $m $m
----- End of picture text -----
| Gross carrying amount | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balance at 1 July 2021 | 276 | 11 | 12,444 | 335 | 62 | 14 | 13,142 |
| Additions | – | – | 12 | 705 | 6 | 5 | 728 |
| Disposals | – | – | (34) | – | (9) | (2) | (45) |
| Reclassifed as asset held for sale (note 11) |
(2) | – | (533) | – | – | – | (535) |
| Transfers | 6 | 4 | 379 | (389) | – | – | – |
| Balance at 30 June 2022 | 280 | 15 | 12,268 | 651 | 59 | 17 | 13,290 |
| Balance at 1 July 2022 | 280 | 15 | 12,268 | 651 | 59 | 17 | 13,290 |
| Additions | 39 | 2 | 698 | 1,127 | 17 | 8 | 1,891 |
| Disposals | – | – | (17) | – | (13) | (5) | (35) |
| Transfers | – | – | 1,145 | (1,145) | – | – | – |
| Balance at 30 June 2023 | 319 | 17 | 14,094 | 633 | 63 | 20 | 15,146 |
| Accumulated depreciation | |||||||
| and impairment | |||||||
| Balance at 1 July 2021 | (70) | (6) | (3,540) | – | (19) | (6) | (3,641) |
| Disposals | – | – | 29 | – | 7 | 2 | 38 |
| Depreciation expense (note 5) | (8) | (1) | (514) | – | (10) | (4) | (537) |
| Impairment expense reversal | – | – | 28 | – | – | – | 28 |
| Reclassifed as held for sale (note 11) |
– | – | 242 | – | – | – | 242 |
| Balance at 30 June 2022 | (78) | (7) | (3,755) | – | (22) | (8) | (3,870) |
| Balance at 1 July 2022 | (78) | (7) | (3,755) | – | (22) | (8) | (3,870) |
| Disposals | – | – | 15 | – | 13 | 5 | 33 |
| Depreciation expense(note 5) | (8) | (2) | (528) | – | (11) | (5) | (554) |
| Balance at 30 June 2023 | (86) | (9) | (4,268) | – | (20) | (8) | (4,391) |
| Net book value | |||||||
| As at 30 June 2022 | 202 | 8 | 8,513 | 651 | 37 | 9 | 9,420 |
| As at 30 June 2023 | 233 | 8 | 9,826 | 633 | 43 | 12 | 10,755 |
117
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Operating Assets and Liabilities (continued)
12. Property, plant and equipment (continued)
Property, plant and equipment is stated at cost, less accumulated depreciation and impairment losses. Work in progress is stated at cost. Cost includes expenditure that is directly attributable to the acquisition or construction of the item.
The right-of-use (ROU) asset is initially measured at cost comprising the initial measurement of the lease liability (as outlined in note 18) adjusted for any lease payments made before the commencement date and reduced by any lease incentives received plus initial direct costs incurred in obtaining the lease. Any make good requirements are recognised and measured under AASB 137 Provisions, Contingent Liabilities and Contingent Assets and to the extent that the costs relate to a ROU asset these are included in the related ROU asset.
A ROU asset is subsequently measured using the cost model less any accumulated depreciation and any accumulated impairment losses, and adjusted for any remeasurement of the lease liability. The ROU asset is depreciated over the term of the lease.
Subsequently, APA Group applies AASB 136 Impairment of Assets to determine whether a ROU asset is impaired and accounts for any impairment as described in note 14.
Depreciation is provided on property, plant and equipment excluding land. Depreciation is calculated on a straight-line basis depending on the nature of the asset so as to write off the net cost of each asset over its estimated useful life.
Leasehold improvements are depreciated over the period of the lease or estimated useful life, whichever is the shorter, using the straight-line method. The estimated useful lives and depreciation methods are reviewed at the end of each reporting period, with the effect of any changes recognised on a prospective basis.
Where the ROU asset is adjusted due to changes in the lease liability, the depreciation for the ROU asset is adjusted on a prospective basis.
The depreciation charge for each period is recognised in profit or loss unless it is included in the cost of another asset.
Borrowing costs directly attributable to the acquisition, construction or production of qualifying assets (i.e. assets that take a substantial period of time to get ready for their intended use or sale) are added to the cost of those assets until such time as the assets are substantially ready for their intended use or sale.
All other borrowing costs are recognised in profit or loss in the period in which they are incurred.
Critical accounting judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty – useful lives of non-current assets
APA Group reviews the estimated useful lives of property, plant and equipment at the end of each annual reporting period. Physical, economic, climate and environmental factors are taken into consideration in assessing the useful lives of the assets, including but not limited to asset condition and obsolescence, technology changes, regulatory determinations, government policy, commercial contract lives and renewals, global and regional gas supply-and-demand, and certain climate-related risks and policies.
The impact of the above indicators and other factors that may emerge are uncertain at this time and difficult to predict. Refer to note 14 for additional critical judgements that underpin APA’s assessments in relation to the potential impact of climate transition risks on APA Group’s portfolio of assets which may affect asset carrying values and prospective depreciation rates.
Energy Infrastructure Assets
In FY23 APA undertook a detailed review of the estimated useful lives of its Energy Infrastructure assets giving consideration to APA’s Net Zero commitments, goals and targets together with APA’s most recent commercial, operational, and technical outlooks to reduce stranded asset risk.
As a result of this review and effective from 30 June 2023, all gas infrastructure and electricity generation and transmission assets have a maximum useful life end date of FY60 and FY57 respectively. The changes to estimated useful lives are expected to increase future annual depreciation by $30-40 million. The changes are captured in the estimated useful life by asset class information below.
118 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Operating Assets and Liabilities (continued)
12. Property, plant and equipment (continued)
As at 30 June 2023, the following estimated useful lives from the date of construction are used in the calculation of depreciation:
-
Buildings 30 – 50 years;
-
• Compressors 10 – 50 years; • Gas transportation systems 10 – 80 years; • Meters 20 – 30 years; • Power generation facilities 3 – 36 years; • Gas processing facilities 10 – 25 years; • Other plant and equipment 3 – 20 years; • ROU land and buildings 1 – 40 years; and • ROU property, plant and equipment 1 – 4 years.
13. Goodwill and intangibles
| 2023 $m |
2022 $m |
|
|---|---|---|
| Goodwill | ||
| Balance at beginningof fnancialyear | 1,184 | 1,184 |
| Balance at end of fnancialyear | 1,184 | 1,184 |
Allocation of goodwill to cash-generating units
Goodwill has been allocated for impairment testing purposes to individual cash-generating units.
The East Coast Grid is an interconnected pipeline network that includes, inter alia, the Wallumbilla Gladstone, Moomba Sydney, Roma Brisbane, Carpentaria Gas and South West Queensland pipelines and the Victorian Transmission System. Since the acquisition of the South West Queensland Pipeline to complete the formation of APA’s East Coast Grid in December 2012, APA has installed facilities to enable bi-directional transportation of gas to meet the demand of our major customers who now typically operate portfolios of gas supply and demand. Through the provision of multi-asset services, bi-directional transportation, capacity trading and gas storage and parking facilities, APA’s East Coast Grid delivers options for customers to choose from, and move gas between, more than 60 receipt points and over 170 delivery points on the east coast of Australia. The East Coast Grid is categorised as an individual cash-generating unit.
Goodwill acquired in a business combination is initially measured at cost and subsequently at cost less accumulated impairment. Refer to note 14 for critical accounting judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty relating to impairment of assets.
The carrying amount of goodwill allocated to cash-generating units that are significant individually or in aggregate are as follows:
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| Asset Management business | 22 | 22 |
|---|---|---|
| Energy Infrastructure | ||
| East Coast Grid | 1,061 | 1,061 |
| Diamantina Power Station | 43 | 43 |
| Other energyinfrastructure(1) | 58 | 58 |
| 1,184 | 1,184 |
(1) Primarily represents goodwill relating to the Pilbara Pipeline System ($33 million) and the Goldfields Gas Pipeline ($19 million).
119
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Operating Assets and Liabilities (continued) 13. Goodwill and intangibles (continued)
Software, licences, contract and other intangibles
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Work in Contract
Software – Licences – progress – and other –
at cost at cost at cost at cost [(1)] Total
$m $m $m $m $m
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| Gross carrying amount | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balance at 1 July 2021 | 81 | 2 | 17 | 3,592 | 3,692 |
| Additions | – | – | 26 | 2 | 28 |
| Transfer | 26 | 1 | (26) | – | 1 |
| Balance at 30 June 2022 | 107 | 3 | 17 | 3,594 | 3,721 |
| Balance at 1 July 2022 | 107 | 3 | 17 | 3,594 | 3,721 |
| Additions | – | – | 12 | 2 | 14 |
| Transfer | 17 | 1 | (18) | – | – |
| Balance at 30 June 2023 | 124 | 4 | 11 | 3,596 | 3,735 |
| Accumulated amortisation | |||||
| Balance at 1 July 2021 | (63) | (1) | – | (1,147) | (1,211) |
| Amortisation expense(note 5) | (15) | (1) | – | (182) | (198) |
| Balance at 30 June 2022 | (78) | (2) | – | (1,329) | (1,409) |
| Balance at 1 July 2022 | (78) | (2) | – | (1,329) | (1,409) |
| Amortisation expense(note 5) | (13) | (1) | – | (182) | (196) |
| Balance at 30 June 2023 | (91) | (3) | – | (1,511) | (1,605) |
| Net book value | |||||
| As at 30 June 2022 | 29 | 1 | 17 | 2,265 | 2,312 |
| As at 30 June 2023 | 33 | 1 | 11 | 2,085 | 2,130 |
(1) Includes $2,033 million (30 June 2022: $2,204 million) of contract intangibles associated with the acquisition of Wallumbilla Gladstone Pipeline in FY15, which are being amortised over 20 years.
Intangible assets acquired separately are carried at cost less accumulated amortisation and impairment losses. Intangible assets acquired in a business combination are identified and recognised separately from goodwill and are initially recognised at their fair value at the acquisition date and subsequently at cost less accumulated amortisation and impairment losses.
Amortisation is recognised on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of each asset. The estimated useful life and amortisation method are reviewed at the end of each annual reporting period, with the effects of any changes in estimate being accounted for on a prospective basis. Amortisation expense is a non-cash item, and is included in the line item of depreciation and amortisation expense in the statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income.
The following useful lives are used in the calculation of amortisation:
| • | Contract and other intangibles | 1 | – 20 years; |
|---|---|---|---|
| • | Software | 4 | – 7 years; and |
| • | Licences | 4 | years. |
Contract and other intangibles
APA Group holds various third party operating and maintenance contracts. The combined gross carrying amount of $3,596 million amortises over terms ranging from 1 to 20 years. Useful life is determined based on the underlying contractual terms.
Software
Software is measured at cost less accumulated amortisation and impairment losses. Cost includes expenditure that is directly attributable to the acquisition or development of software.
Licences
Licences are carried at cost less any accumulated amortisation and impairment losses.
120
APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Operating Assets and Liabilities (continued)
14. Impairment of non-financial assets
APA Group tests goodwill for impairment at least annually or whenever there is an indication that the asset may be impaired. Other non-financial assets with finite useful lives are assessed for indicators of impairment at least annually. Assets other than goodwill that have previously reported an impairment are reviewed for possible reversal of the impairment at each reporting period.
If the asset does not generate independent cash inflows and its value in use cannot be estimated to be close to its fair value, the asset is tested for impairment as part of the cash-generating unit to which it belongs.
Assets are impaired if their carrying value exceeds their recoverable amount. The recoverable amount of an asset or cashgenerating unit is determined as the higher of its fair value less costs of disposal or value-in-use.
Determining whether identifiable intangible assets and goodwill are impaired requires an estimation of the value-in-use or fair value of the cash-generating units. The calculations require APA Group to estimate the future cash flows expected to arise from cash-generating units and apply suitable discount rates in order to calculate the present value of cashgenerating units. These estimates and assumptions are reviewed on an ongoing basis.
The recoverable amounts of cash-generating units are determined based on the higher of value-in-use calculations and fair value less costs of disposal. Value-in-use calculations use cash flow projections based on a three year financial business plan and thereafter a further 17 year financial model inclusive of appropriate terminal values. This is the basis of APA Group’s forecasting and planning processes which represents the underlying long term nature of associated customer contracts on these assets. Fair value less costs to dispose calculations, utilise comparable market transactions less estimated costs of disposal.
In accordance with the requirements of AASB 136 Impairment of Assets, APA Group reviewed its cash-generating units for indicators of impairment at the end of the reporting period. No such indicators were identified and no impairment recognised.
121
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Operating Assets and Liabilities (continued) 14. Impairment of non-financial assets (continued)
Critical accounting judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty – impairment of assets
The key estimates and assumptions used in the assessment of impairment include but are not limited to: asset capacity; asset lives; generation and transmission volumes; forecast operating costs and margins; gas field reserve estimates; for some assets, availability of gas supply from undeveloped gas fields and contingent resources to meet forecast demand; the effect of inflation; discount rates; customer contract terms and renewals; residual value; and asset construction costs. Where the key assumptions for the assessment of new assets such as expected construction costs, expected time to commissioning, expected revenues, expected operating and capital costs at the time of investment differs from the final outcomes, significant variances to the key assumptions may cause triggers for impairment.
These assumptions have been determined with reference to historic information, current performance and expected changes taking into account external information such as market inputs on discount rates, the effects of inflation within Reserve Bank of Australia’s guidance range, the outlook for global and regional gas market supply-and-demand conditions, internal information such as contract renewals and forecast input costs. Such estimates may change as new information becomes available.
APA is exposed to a range of climate-related risks and opportunities across its energy infrastructure and investment portfolios. Risks and opportunities associated with climate change including the transition to a low carbon economy (“transition risks”) are assessed and considered as part of APA’s policy, strategy, and commercial management practices. APA is committed to embedding consideration of its climate-related goals, targets and commitments as outlined in its Climate Transition Plan, as well as climate risks, into its business strategy, processes and decision-making. APA will disclose progress against its commitments and Climate Transition Plan in accordance with the Taskforce for Climate Related Financial Disclosures.
APA continues to develop its assessment of the potential physical impacts and transition risks of climate change which may have a material impact on the Australian energy market and may result in a material change to APA’s estimated cash inflows and the carrying values of APA’s asset portfolio. APA has included estimates for the potential impacts of climate change based on its current understanding, however recognises that there is an increased pace of change in the energy industry including continuously evolving government policy and market regulation, and will continue to review and update its estimates, assumptions and judgements, utilising inputs from external experts where necessary.
Cash flow projections include the estimated impact of mandated government climate policies, such as the Safeguard Mechanism. Future changes in government climate policies may impose significant costs on APA and its customers and limit future investment in the Australian energy market such as the development of new gas fields. Cash flows are estimated for a period of up to 20 years, and for many assets include a terminal value, which assumes steady to slightly declining cash flows over time. recognising the long term nature of the assets. The pre-tax discount rates used are 7.50% p.a. (2022: 7.50% p.a.) for Energy Infrastructure assets and 7.50% p.a. (2022: 7.50% p.a.) for Asset Management. APA does not consider the potential physical impacts and transition risks of climate change on the carrying value of its existing assets to be significant based on the estimated profile of long-term cash flow returns.
For fully regulated assets, cash flows have been extrapolated on the basis of existing transportation contracts and government policy settings, and expected contract renewals. APA Group has assumed prudent capital and operating expenditure, appropriate regulated rates of return, and forecast inflation over the existing and renewal contract terms. These expected cash flows are factored into the regulated asset base and do not exceed management’s expectations of the long-term average growth rate for the market in which the cash generating unit operates.
For non-regulated assets, APA Group has assumed no capacity expansion and firming costs beyond installed and committed levels; utilisation of capacity is based on existing contracts and renewals, government policy settings and APA Group’s expected market outcomes.
As contracts mature, given ongoing demand for capacity, it is assumed that the majority of the capacity is resold at similar pricing levels.
Future regulatory changes to both APA’s fully regulated and non-regulated assets may result in a material change to estimated cash inflows and the carrying value of these assets.
For certain assets single counterparty risk is more prevalent. The FY23 carrying value review includes key estimates, assumptions and judgements regarding the recontracting of pipeline capacity including tariffs and tenure for these assets, which may not be realised. Any future changes to these estimates, assumptions and judgements may result in a material change to APA’s estimated cash inflows and the carrying values of certain APA assets.
122 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Operating Assets and Liabilities (continued) 15. Provisions
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| Employee benefts | 158 | 135 |
|---|---|---|
| Other | 1 | 3 |
| Current | 159 | 138 |
| Employee benefts | 21 | 24 |
| Restorationprovision | 92 | 70 |
| Non-current | 113 | 94 |
| Employee benefts | ||
| Incentives | 47 | 40 |
| Cash settled long-term incentives | 3 | 6 |
| Leave balances | 60 | 57 |
| Other employeeprovisions | 48 | 32 |
| Current | 158 | 135 |
| Cash settled long-term incentives | 1 | 3 |
| Defned beneft liability (note 17) | 10 | 12 |
| Leave balances | 10 | 9 |
| Non-current | 21 | 24 |
A provision is recognised when there is a legal or constructive obligation as a result of a past event, it is probable that future economic benefits will be required to settle the obligation and the amount of the provision can be measured reliably.
The amount recognised as a provision is the best estimate of the consideration required to settle the present obligation at the end of the financial year, taking into account the risks and uncertainties surrounding the obligation. Where a provision is measured using the cash flows estimated to settle the present obligation, its carrying amount is the present value of those cash flows.
When some or all of the economic benefits required to settle a provision are expected to be recovered from a third party, the receivable is recognised as an asset if it is probable that recovery will be received and the amount of the receivable can be measured reliably.
Provision is made for benefits accruing to employees in respect of wages and salaries, incentives, annual leave and long service leave when it is probable that settlement will be required. Provisions made in respect of employee benefits expected to be settled within 12 months, are recognised for employee services up to reporting date at the amounts expected to be paid when the liability is settled. Provisions made in respect of employee benefits which are not expected to be wholly settled within 12 months are measured as the present value of the estimated future cash outflows using a discount rate based on the corporate bond yield in respect of services provided by employees up to reporting date.
Provisions for the costs to restore leased assets to their original condition, as required by the terms and conditions of the lease, are recognised when the obligation is incurred, at the best estimate of the expenditure that would be required to restore the assets.
Critical accounting judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty – payroll review
In FY22, APA identified certain employees across the Group were not paid in full compliance with the Group’s obligations under APA’s enterprise agreements (“EA’s”). The review identified payment errors to employees subject to these EA’s. Included in employee benefits provisions is the provision for the payroll review, which represents APA’s estimate of the historical payment errors.
The calculations of the employee payment errors involve a substantial volume of data, a high degree of complexity, interpretation and estimation assumptions. APA has self disclosed information relating to the review to the Fair Work Ombudsman. Detailed analysis of the seven year period subject to review is nearing completion and the results of the analysis are reflected in the provision as at 30 June 2023. The provision also includes an estimate of any payment errors from the end of the seven year review period through to 30 June 2023. Determining the historical employee payment errors requires consideration of numerous clauses of the EA’s and related payroll source documentation, across each year of the review period, for every current and former employee who may have been impacted.
Critical accounting estimates and judgements have been applied to determine the extent of the provision required. Changes to any of these estimates and judgements have the potential to result in a future adjustment to the provision in subsequent periods as the review continues.
123
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Operating Assets and Liabilities (continued)
16. Other non-current assets
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| Line pack gas | 23 | 23 |
|---|---|---|
| Gas held in storage | 5 | 5 |
| Defned beneft asset(note 17) | 6 | 4 |
| 34 | 32 |
17. Employee superannuation plans
All employees of APA Group are entitled to benefits on retirement, disability or death from an industry sponsored fund, or an alternative fund of their choice. APA Group has three plans with defined benefit sections (due to the acquisition of businesses) and a number of other plans with defined contribution sections. The defined benefit sections provide lump sum benefits upon retirement based on years of service. The defined contribution sections receive fixed contributions from APA Group and APA Group’s legal and constructive obligations are limited to these amounts.
The most recent actuarial valuations of plan assets and the present value of the defined benefit obligations were determined at 30 June 2023. The present value of the defined benefit obligations, and the related current service cost and past service cost, were measured using the projected unit credit method.
The following sets out details in respect of the defined benefit plans only:
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| Amounts recognised in the statement of proft or loss and other comprehensive income | ||
|---|---|---|
| Current service cost | 2 | 2 |
| Components of defned beneft costs recognised inproft or loss(note 5) | 2 | 2 |
| Actuarial gain on defned beneft plan | 8 | 7 |
| Actual return onplan assets excludinginterest income | (3) | – |
| Components of defned beneft costs recognised in other comprehensive income | 5 | 7 |
| Amounts recognised in the statement of fnancial position | ||
| Fair value of plan assets | 133 | 135 |
| Present value of beneft obligation | (137) | (143) |
| Defned beneft asset – non-current (note 16) | 6 | 4 |
| Defned beneft liability – non-current(note 15) | (10) | (12) |
| Opening defned beneft obligation | 143 | 154 |
| Current service cost | 2 | 2 |
| Interest cost | 6 | 5 |
| Actuarial gain | (8) | (7) |
| Beneftspaid | (6) | (11) |
| Closing defned beneft obligation | 137 | 143 |
Movements in the present value of the plan assets in the current period were as follows:
| 2023 $m |
2022 $m |
|
|---|---|---|
| Opening fair value of plan assets | 135 | 139 |
| Interest income | 6 | 4 |
| Actual return on plan assets excluding interest income | (3) | – |
| Contributions from employer | 1 | 2 |
| Contributions from plan participants | – | 1 |
| Beneftspaid | (6) | (11) |
| Closing fair value ofplan assets | 133 | 135 |
124 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Operating Assets and Liabilities (continued) 17. Employee superannuation plans (continued)
Defined benefit plans
Actuarial gains and losses and the return on plan assets (excluding interest) are recognised immediately in the statement of financial position with a charge or credit recognised in other comprehensive income in the period in which they occur. Remeasurement, comprising of actuarial gains and losses and the return on plan assets (excluding interest), is recognised in other comprehensive income and immediately reflected in retained earnings and will not be reclassified to profit or loss.
Past service cost is recognised in profit or loss in the period of a plan amendment.
The defined benefit obligation recognised in the consolidated statement of financial position represents the actual deficit or surplus in APA Group’s defined benefit plans. Any asset resulting from this calculation is limited to the present value of economic benefits available in the form of refunds and reductions in future contributions to the plan.
Key actuarial assumptions used in the determination of the defined benefit obligation include a discount rate of 5.4% gross of tax (2022: 4.4%), based on the corporate bond yield curve published by Milliman, an expected salary increase rate of 4.0% (2022: 3.5%), and pension indexation rate of 3.0% (2022: 2.6%). The sensitivity analysis below has been determined based on reasonable possible changes of the respective assumptions occurring at the end of the reporting period, while holding all other assumptions constant:
-
If the discount rate increases (decreases) by 0.5%, the defined benefit obligation would decrease by $7 million (increase by $7 million).
-
If the expected salary growth increases (decreases) by 0.5%, the defined benefit obligation would increase by $1 million (decrease by $1 million).
-
If the expected pension indexation rate increases (decreases) by 0.5%, the defined benefit obligation would increase by $6 million (decrease by $6 million).
The sensitivity analysis presented above may not be representative of the actual change in the defined benefit obligation as it is unlikely that the change in assumptions would occur in isolation to one another as some of the assumptions may be correlated.
Furthermore, in presenting the above sensitivity analysis, the present value of the defined benefit obligation has been calculated using the projected unit credit method at the end of the reporting period, which is the same as that applied in calculating the defined benefit obligation liability recognised in the statement of financial position.
APA Group expects to pay $4 million in contributions to the defined benefit plans during the year ending 30 June 2024.
Defined contribution plans
Contributions to defined contribution plans are expensed when incurred. The percentage rate for superannuation guarantee contribution by APA Group is 11% from 1 July 2023, and eventually to 12% from 1 July 2025.
125
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Operating Assets and Liabilities (continued)
18. Leases
APA Group as a lessee
The APA Group lease obligations are primarily related to commercial office leases and motor vehicles.
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| Lease liabilities | ||
|---|---|---|
| Not longer than 1 year | 32 | 16 |
| Longer than 1 year but not longer than 5 years | 79 | 38 |
| Longer than 5years | 24 | 11 |
| Minimum future leasepayments | 135 | 65 |
| Less: Future fnance cost | 72 | 8 |
| Present value of the future leasepayments | 63 | 57 |
| Included in the consolidated statement of fnancial position as part of: | ||
| Current lease liabilities | 16 | 14 |
| Non-current lease liabilities | 47 | 43 |
| 63 | 57 |
APA Group has no material short-term leases, lease for low-value assets or variable lease payments.
The lease liability is initially measured at the present value of future lease payments at the commencement date, comprising the following:
-
Fixed payments, including in-substance fixed payments;
-
Variable lease payments that depend on an index or a rate, initially measured using the index or rate as at the commencement date (e.g. payments which vary due to changes in CPI, or commodity prices);
-
Amounts expected to be payable by the lessee under residual value guarantees, purchase options and termination penalties (where relevant); and
-
Extension options (or periods after termination options) are only included in the lease term if the lease is reasonably certain to be extended (or not terminated).
126 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Operating Assets and Liabilities (continued)
18. Leases (continued)
To calculate the present value, the future lease payments are discounted using the interest rate implicit in the lease (IRIL), if the rate is readily determinable. If the IRIL cannot be readily determined, the incremental borrowing rate (IBR) at the commencement date is used. The IBR is calculated based on the prevailing swap rate for a tenor that closely aligns with the term of the lease and then adjusted for APA Group credit spreads in a currency that matches the currency of the liability.
Subsequently, the lease liability is measured in a manner similar to other financial liabilities, at amortised cost using the effective interest rate method. The liability is remeasured to reflect any reassessment of lease payments or lease modifications, or to reflect revised in-substance fixed lease payments.
Variable payments other than those included in the measurement of the lease liability above (i.e. those not based on an index or rate) are recognised in the statement of profit or loss in the period in which the event or condition that triggers those payments occur.
Short term leases (i.e. where the lease term is less than 12 months) and low-value asset leases are recognised as an expense in the statement of profit or loss on a straight-line basis.
Total cash outflow for leases amounted to $17 million, excluding payments for short term leases, low-value asset leases and variable payments leases.
APA Group as a lessor
Leases are classified as finance leases when the terms of the lease transfer substantially all the risks and rewards incidental to the ownership of the leased asset to the lessee. All other leases are classified as operating leases.
Finance lease receivables relate to the lease of a metering station, natural gas vehicle refuelling facilities and two pipeline laterals.
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| Finance lease receivables | ||
|---|---|---|
| Not longer than 1 year | 2 | 2 |
| Longer than 1 year and not longer than 5 years | 7 | 8 |
| Longer than 5years | 4 | 4 |
| Minimum future leasepayments receivable (1) | 13 | 14 |
| Less: unearned fnance lease receivables | (4) | (4) |
| Present value of lease receivables | 9 | 10 |
| Included in the consolidated statement of fnancial position as part of: | ||
| Current trade and other receivables (note 9) | 1 | 1 |
| Non-current receivables(note 9) | 8 | 9 |
| 9 | 10 |
(1) Minimum future lease payments receivable include the aggregate of all lease payments receivable and any guaranteed residual.
APA Group does not have any operating leases where it is the lessor.
Amounts due from a lessee under finance leases are recorded as receivables. Finance lease receivables are initially recognised at amounts equal to the present value of the minimum lease payments receivable plus the present value of any unguaranteed residual value expected to accrue at the end of the lease term. Finance lease income is allocated to accounting periods so as to reflect a constant periodic rate of return on the net investment outstanding in respect of the leases.
127
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued)
Capital Management
APA Group’s objectives when managing capital are to safeguard its ability to continue as a going concern whilst maximising the return to securityholders through the optimisation of the debt to equity structure.
APA Group’s overall capital management strategy is to continue to target BBB/Baa2 investment grade credit ratings through maintaining sufficient flexibility to fund organic growth and investment from internally generated and retained cash flows, debt funding and, where appropriate, additional equity.
The capital structure of APA Group consists of cash and cash equivalents, borrowings and equity attributable to securityholders of APA. APA Group’s policy is to maintain balanced and diverse funding sources through raising funds locally and from overseas from a variety of capital markets including bank loan facilities, to meet anticipated funding requirements. This funding plus operating cash flows are used to maintain and expand APA Group’s assets, make distributions to securityholders, repay maturing debt and meet anticipated funding requirements.
Controlled entities are subject to externally imposed capital requirements. These relate to the Australian Financial Services Licence held by APA Group Limited, the Responsible Entity of APA Group, and were adhered to for the entirety of the 2023 and 2022 periods.
APA Group’s capital management strategy takes into consideration the cost of capital and the state of the capital markets. It remains focused on maintaining BBB/Baa2 investment grade credit ratings. APA Group remains focused on maintaining BBB/Baa2 investment grade credit ratings.
The main aspects of APA Group’s capital management strategy are:
-
Distribution policy balances organic growth capex funding with strong investor returns;
-
Competitive investment hurdle rates;
-
Investment grade credit metrics provides prudent levels of gearing and access to capital markets;
-
Treasury policies ensures strong levels of liquidity and minimises risk; and
-
Insightful communications ensuring strong investor engagement.
APA Group’s Funds From Operations (FFO) to Net Debt are better than the minimum threshold levels that Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s consider appropriate for APA Group’s BBB/Baa2 credit ratings. FFO to Net Debt is a leverage metric that measures cash flows generated by the business that are available to service debt noting that each rating agency calculates credit metrics slightly differently using their own proprietary methods. The ability to service debt and therefore creditworthiness, improves as the percentage of FFO to Net Debt increases (and vice versa).
19. Net debt
Cash and cash equivalents comprise of cash on hand, at call bank deposits and investments in money market instruments that are readily convertible to known amounts for cash. Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the financial year as shown in the statement of cash flows are reconciled to the related items in the statement of financial position detailed in the table below.
Borrowings are recorded initially at fair value less attributable transaction costs and subsequently stated at amortised cost. Any difference between the initial recognised cost and the redemption value is recognised in the statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income over the period of the borrowing using the effective interest method.
128 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Capital Management (continued) 19. Net debt (continued)
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| Cash at bank and on hand(1) | 370 | 520 |
|---|---|---|
| Short-term deposits | 143 | 420 |
| Cash and cash equivalents | 513 | 940 |
| Guaranteed senior notes(2) | (200) | – |
| Other fnancial liabilities | (2) | (3) |
| **Current borrowings ** | (202) | (3) |
| Guaranteed senior notes(2) | (10,361) | (9,943) |
| Guaranteed bank loans | (1,000) | (1,000) |
| Other fnancial liabilities | (6) | (8) |
| Less: unamortised borrowingcosts | 46 | 49 |
| Non-current borrowings | (11,321) | (10,902) |
| Total borrowings | (11,523) | (10,905) |
| Current lease liabilities | (16) | (14) |
| Non-current lease liabilities | (47) | (43) |
| Total lease liabilities | (63) | (57) |
| Net debt | (11,073) | (10,022) |
(1) The amount shown in cash and cash equivalents includes $2 million not available for general use as at 30 June 2023 (2022: $1 million).
(2) Represents JPY MTN of ¥10,000 million, GBP MTN of £1,600 million, EUR MTN of €2,350 million and USD denominated 144a notes of US$2,250 million measured at the exchange rate at reporting date, and AUD MTN of A$200 million (2022: Represents JPY MTN of ¥10,000 million, GBP MTN of £1,600 million, EUR MTN of €2,350 million and USD denominated 144a notes of US$2,250 million measured at the exchange rate at reporting date, and AUD MTN of A$200 million ). Refer to note 20 for details of interest rates and maturity profiles.
Reconciliation of net debt
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Cash
and cash Borrowings Borrowings Lease
equivalents Current Non-Current Liabilities Net debt
$m $m $m $m $m
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| Net debt as at 1 July 2021 | 652 | (3) | (9,922) | (63) | (9,336) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cash movements | 287 | 3 | (1,000) | 15 | (695) |
| Non cash changes — leases | – | – | – | (9) | (9) |
| Foreign exchange movements on debt translation | 1 | – | 17 | – | 18 |
| Transfer from non-current to current | – | (3) | 3 | – | – |
| Movement of deferred borrowingcosts | – | – | – | – | – |
| Net debt as at 30 June 2022 | 940 | (3) | (10,902) | (57) | (10,022) |
| Net debt as at 1 July2022 | 940 | (3) | (10,902) | (57) | (10,022) |
| Cash movements | (427) | 3 | – | 17 | (407) |
| Non cash changes — leases | – | – | – | (23) | (23) |
| Foreign exchange movements on debt translation | – | – | (619) | – | (619) |
| Transfer from non-current to current | – | (202) | 202 | – | – |
| Movement of deferred borrowingcosts | – | – | (2) | – | (2) |
| Net debt as at 30 June 2023 | 513 | (202) | (11,321) | (63) | (11,073) |
129
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued)
Capital Management (continued)
19. Net debt (continued)
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| Financing facilities available | ||
|---|---|---|
| Total facilities | ||
| Guaranteed senior notes(1) | 10,561 | 9,943 |
| Guaranteed bank loans | 1,000 | 1,000 |
| Bank borrowings(2) | 1,600 | 1,250 |
| 13,161 | 12,193 | |
| Facilities used at balance date | ||
| Guaranteed senior notes(1) | 10,561 | 9,943 |
| Guaranteed bank loans | 1,000 | 1,000 |
| Bank borrowings(2) | – | – |
| 11,561 | 10,943 | |
| Facilities unused at balance date | ||
| Guaranteed senior notes(1) | – | – |
| Guaranteed bank loans | – | – |
| Bank borrowings(2) | 1,600 | 1,250 |
| 1,600 | 1,250 |
(1) Represents JPY MTN of ¥10,000 million, GBP MTN of £1,600 million, EUR MTN of €2,350 million and USD denominated 144a notes of US$2,250 million measured at the exchange rate at reporting date, and AUD MTN of A$200 million (2022: Represents JPY MTN of ¥10,000 million, GBP MTN of £1,600 million, EUR MTN of €2,350 million and USD denominated 144a notes of US$2,250 million measured at the exchange rate at reporting date, and AUD MTN of A$200 million). Refer to note 20 for details of interest rates and maturity profiles.
(2) Bilateral facilities executed in July 2022 ($500 million), August 2022 ($400 million) and December 2022 ($700 million).
20. Financial risk management
APA Group’s Corporate Treasury team is responsible for the overall management of APA Group’s capital raising activities, liquidity, lender relationships and engagement, debt portfolio management, interest rate and foreign exchange hedging, credit rating maintenance and third party indemnities (bank guarantees) within risk management parameters approved by the Audit and Finance Committee (AFC) and reviewed by the Board.
Based on the Treasury Risk Management Policy, APA Group’s activities generate financial instruments comprising of cash, receivables, payables and interest bearing liabilities which expose it to various risks as summarised below:
(a) Market risk including currency risk, interest rate risk and price risk;
-
(b) Credit risk; and
-
(c) Liquidity risk.
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Risk Sources Risk management framework Financial exposure
----- End of picture text -----
| Market | Commercial transactions in foreign currency and funding activities |
The AFC approves written principles for overall risk management, as well as policies covering specifc areas such as liquidity risk, funding risk, foreign currency risk, interest rate risk and credit risk. APA Group’s AFC ensures there is an appropriate Risk Management Policy for the management of treasury risk and compliance with the policy through the review of monthly reporting to the Board from the Corporate Treasury team. |
Refer to 20 (a) Market risk section. |
| Credit | Cash, receivables, interest bearing liabilities and hedging |
The carrying amount of fnancial assets recorded in the fnancial statements, net of any collateral held or bank guarantees held by the Group, represents APA Group’s maximum exposure to credit risk in relation to those assets. |
|
| Liquidity | Ongoing business operations, fnancial market disruptions and new investment opportunities |
A detailed table shows APA Group’s remaining contractual maturities for its non-derivative fnancial liabilities in 20 (c) Liquidity risk section. |
130 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Capital Management (continued) 20. Financial risk management (continued)
(a) Market risk
APA Group’s market risk exposure is primarily due to changes in market prices such as interest and foreign exchange rates. APA Group is also exposed to price risk arising from its forward purchase contracts over listed equities and electricity price risk arising from electricity contracts for difference. The table below summarises these risks by nature of exposure and provides information about the risk mitigation strategies being applied:
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Nature Sources of financial exposure Risk management strategy
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| Foreign exchange | APA Group’s foreign exchange risk arises from future commercial transactions (including revenue, interest payments and principal debt repayments on long-term borrowings and the purchases of capital equipment and operating cost). |
Exchange rate exposures are managed within approved policy parameters utilising foreign currency forward exchange contracts (FECs), cross currency swap contracts (CCS) and foreign currency denominated borrowings. All foreign currency exposure was managed in accordance with the Treasury Risk Management Policy, including: • FECs to hedge the exchange rate risk arising from foreign currency cash fows, mainly US dollars, derived from revenues, interest payments and capital equipment purchases; • CCSto manage the currency risk associated with foreign currency denominated borrowings; and • Foreign currency denominated borrowings to manage the currency risk associated with foreign currency denominated revenue and receivables. |
| Interest rate | APA Group’s interest rate risk is derived predominately from borrowings subject to foating interest rates. |
This risk is managed by APA Group by maintaining an appropriate mix between fxed and foating rate borrowings, through the use of interest rate swap contracts. Hedging activities are evaluated regularly to align with interest rate views and defned policy, ensuring appropriate hedging strategies are applied. |
| Equity price, electricity price and volumes |
APA Group is exposed to price and volumes risk arising from its forward purchase contracts over listed equities, and electricity price and volumes risk arising from contracts for diference in an electricity sales agreement and a network services agreement with customers. |
The equity price risk is managed by forward purchase contracts held to hedge the long term incentive awards rather than for trading purposes. APA Group does not actively trade these holdings. Electricity price and volumes risk is managed with an electricity sales agreement and a network services agreement with creditworthy counterparties. The key assumptions of the commercial contracts for diference are provided in the fair value of fnancial instrument section. |
There has been no change to the nature of the market risks to which APA Group is exposed or the manner in which these risks are managed and measured.
131
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Capital Management (continued)
20. Financial risk management (continued)
Foreign currency risk
Foreign currency forward exchange contracts
To manage foreign exchange risk arising from future commercial transactions such as forecast capital purchases and operating costs, revenue, interest and debt payments, APA Group uses FECs. Gains and losses recognised in the cash flow hedge reserve (statement of comprehensive income) on these derivatives will be released to profit or loss when the underlying anticipated transaction affects the Statement of Profit or Loss or will be included in the carrying value of the asset or liability acquired.
The carrying amount of APA Group’s foreign currency denominated monetary assets, monetary liabilities and derivative notional amounts at the reporting date is as follows (converted to AUD at the spot rate at reporting date):
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Cross Forward Net foreign
Cash & cash Total currency exchange currency
equivalents borrowings swaps contract position
2023 $m $m $m $m $m
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| US Dollar (USD)(1) | 14 | (3,377) | (1,079) | 501 | (3,941) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| British Pound (GBP) | – | (3,048) | 3,048 | – | – |
| Euro (EUR) | – | (3,849) | 3,849 | 2 | 2 |
| Japanese Yen (JPY) | – | (104) | 104 | – | – |
| Swedish Krona (SEK) | – | – | – | 10 | 10 |
| Canadian Dollar(CAD) | – | – | – | 2 | 2 |
| 14 | (10,378) | 5,922 | 515 | (3,927) |
(1) Foreign currency exposure associated with USD revenue and receivables is used to manage the net foreign currency position (comprising USD denominated borrowings and forward exchange contracts).
| 2022 | Cash & cash equivalents $m |
Total borrowings $m |
Cross currency swaps $m |
Forward exchange contract $m |
Net foreign currency position $m |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Dollar (USD)(1) | 6 | (3,262) | (1,043) | 114 | (4,185) |
| British Pound (GBP) | – | (2,824) | 2,824 | – | – |
| Euro (EUR) | – | (3,569) | 3,569 | 6 | 6 |
| Japanese Yen (JPY) | – | (107) | 107 | – | – |
| Canadian Dollar(CAD) | – | – | – | 4 | 4 |
| 6 | (9,762) | 5,457 | 124 | (4,175) |
(1) Foreign currency exposure associated with USD revenue and receivables is used to manage the net foreign currency position (comprising USD denominated borrowings and forward exchange contracts).
It is the policy of APA Group to hedge 100% of all foreign exchange exposures in excess of US$1 million equivalent that are certain. Forecast foreign currency denominated revenues and interest payments will be hedged by FECs on a rolling basis with the objective being to lock in the AUD gross cash flows and manage liquidity.
For the hedges of highly probable forecast sales and purchases, as the critical terms (i.e. the notional amount, life and underlying currency) of the FECs and their corresponding hedged items are the same, APA Group performs a qualitative assessment of effectiveness and it is expected that the value of the FECs and the value of the corresponding hedged items will systematically change in opposite directions in response to movements in the underlying foreign exchange rates.
The main source of hedge ineffectiveness in these hedging relationships is the effect of the counterparty and APA Group’s own credit risk on the fair value of the FECs, which is not reflected in the fair value of the hedged item attributable to changes in foreign exchange rates. The effect of credit risk does not dominate the value changes that result from that economic relationship.
As at the reporting date, APA Group has entered into FECs to hedge the foreign currency exposure arising from anticipated future transactions, which are designated in cash flow hedge relationships.
132 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Capital Management (continued)
20. Financial risk management (continued)
The following table details the FECs outstanding at reporting date:
Cash flow hedges
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Contract Value
Average < 1 year 1 – 2 years 2 – 5 years > 5 years Fair value
2023 contract rate $m $m $m $m $m
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| Forecast revenue and associated receivable | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sell USD(1) | 0.7166 | 574 | 632 | 377 | – | (104) |
| Forecast capital purchases and operating cost | ||||||
| Buy USD | 0.6844 | (93) | – | – | – | 2 |
| Buy EUR | 0.6260 | (1) | – | – | – | – |
| Buy SEK | 6.7881 | (5) | (1) | (3) | (2) | – |
| Buy CAD | 0.9166 | (2) | – | – | – | – |
| Forecast foreign currency borrowings | ||||||
| Buy USD(1) | 0.7134 | (182) | (1,727) | (60) | – | 118 |
| 291 | (1,096) | 314 | (2) | 16 |
(1) APA entered into a series of FEC’s in February 2022 to manage FX exposure from March 2022 to December 2025 on WGP monthly revenue, the bi-annual interest payments on the USD denominated debt, and the USD denominated debt repayment in 2025.
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Contract Value
Average < 1 year 1 – 2 years 2 – 5 years Fair value
2022 contract rate $m $m $m $m
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| Forecast revenue and associated receivable | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sell USD(1) | 0.7181 | 367 | 431 | 766 | (75) |
| Forecast capital purchases and operating cost | |||||
| Buy USD | 0.7055 | (64) | (80) | – | 4 |
| Buy EUR | 0.6298 | (6) | – | – | – |
| Buy CAD | 0.9133 | (4) | – | – | – |
| Forecast foreign currency borrowings | |||||
| BuyUSD(1) | 0.7124 | – | – | (1,544) | 71 |
| 293 | 351 | (778) | – |
(1) APA entered into a series of FEC’s in February 2022 to manage FX exposure from March 2022 to December 2025 on WGP monthly revenue, the bi-annual interest payments on the USD denominated debt, and the USD denominated debt repayment in 2025.
133
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Capital Management (continued) 20. Financial risk management (continued)
Cross currency swap contracts
APA Group enters into cross currency swap contracts to mitigate the risk of adverse movements in foreign exchange rates in relation to principal and interest payments arising from foreign currency borrowings. APA Group receives fixed amounts in the various foreign currencies and pays fixed interest rates for the full term of the underlying borrowings. In certain circumstances borrowings are retained in the foreign currency, or hedged from one foreign currency to another to match payments of interest and principal against expected future business cash flows in that foreign currency.
The following table details the cross currency swap contract principal payments due as at the reporting date:
Cash flow hedges
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Contract Value
Foreign < 1 year 1 – 2 years 2 – 5 years > 5 years
2023 currency Exchange rate $m $m $m $m
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| Pay AUD/receive foreign currency | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 GBP Medium Term Notes | AUD/GBP | 0.6530 | – | (536) | – | – |
| 2017 US144A | AUD/USD | 0.7668 | – | – | (1,108) | – |
| 2019 GBP Medium Term Notes | AUD/GBP | 0.5388 | – | – | – | (742) |
| 2019 JPY Medium Term Notes | AUD/JPY | 75.2220 | – | – | – | (133) |
| 2020 EUR Medium Term Notes | AUD/EUR | 0.5895 | – | – | – | (1,018) |
| 2021 EUR Medium Term Notes | AUD/EUR | 0.6464 | – | – | – | (1,702) |
| 2021 GBP Medium Term Notes | AUD/GBP | 0.5530 | – | – | – | (452) |
| Pay USD/receive foreign currency | ||||||
| 2015 EUR Medium Term Notes | USD/EUR | 0.9514 | – | – | (1,025) | – |
| 2015 GBP Medium Term Notes | USD/GBP | 0.6773 | – | – | – | (1,329) |
| – | (536) | (2,133) | (5,376) |
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Contract Value
Foreign < 1 year 1 – 2 years 2 – 5 years > 5 years
2022 currency Exchange rate $m $m $m $m
----- End of picture text -----
| Pay AUD/receive foreign currency | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 GBP Medium Term Notes | AUD/GBP | 0.6530 | – | – | (536) | – |
| 2017 US144A | AUD/USD | 0.7668 | – | – | – | (1,108) |
| 2019 GBP Medium Term Notes | AUD/GBP | 0.5388 | – | – | – | (742) |
| 2019 JPY Medium Term Notes | AUD/JPY | 75.2220 | – | – | – | (133) |
| 2020 EUR Medium Term Notes | AUD/EUR | 0.5895 | – | – | – | (1,018) |
| 2021 EUR Medium Term Notes | AUD/EUR | 0.6464 | – | – | – | (1,702) |
| 2021 GBP Medium Term Notes | AUD/GBP | 0.5530 | – | – | – | (452) |
| Pay USD/receive foreign currency | ||||||
| 2015 EUR Medium Term Notes | USD/EUR | 0.9514 | – | – | (991) | – |
| 2015 GBP Medium Term Notes | USD/GBP | 0.6773 | – | – | – | (1,285) |
| – | – | (1,527) | (6,440) |
Foreign currency denominated borrowings
APA Group maintains a level of borrowings in foreign currency, or swapped from one foreign currency to another to match payments of interest and principal against expected future business cash flows in that foreign currency. This mitigates the risk of movements in foreign exchange rates in relation to principal and interest payments arising from these foreign currency borrowings as well as future revenues.
134 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Capital Management (continued)
20. Financial risk management (continued)
Foreign currency sensitivity analysis
The analysis below shows the effect on profit and total equity of retranslating cash, receivables, payables and interestbearing liabilities denominated in USD and EUR into AUD, had the rates been 20 percent higher or lower than the relevant year end rate, with all other variables held constant, and taking into account all underlying exposures and related hedges. A sensitivity of 20 percent has been selected and represents management’s assessment of the possible change in rates taking into account the current level of exchange rates and the volatility observed both on an historical basis and on market expectations for possible future movements.
-
Net profit would increase by $3 million with a 20 percent depreciation of AUD or decrease by $2 million with a 20 percent increase in AUD (2022: increase by $2 million or decrease by $1 million respectively); and
-
Equity reserves would decrease by $389 million with a 20 percent depreciation of the AUD or increase by $260 million with a 20 percent increase in AUD (2022: decrease by $465 million or increase by $312 million respectively).
Interest rate risk
APA Group’s interest rate risk is derived predominately from borrowings. This risk is managed by APA Group maintaining an appropriate mix between fixed and floating rate borrowings, through the use of interest rate swap contracts. Hedging activities are evaluated regularly to align with interest rate views and defined policy, ensuring appropriate hedging strategies are applied.
APA Group’s exposures to interest rate risk on financial liabilities are detailed in the liquidity risk management section of this note. Interest rate risk relating to APA Group’s financial assets is limited to cash and cash equivalents amounting to $513 million as at 30 June 2023 (2022: $940 million).
Cross currency swap and interest rate swap contracts
Cross currency swap and interest rate swap contracts have the economic effect of converting borrowings from floating to fixed rates and/or fixed rate foreign currency to fixed or floating AUD rates on agreed notional principal amounts enabling APA Group to mitigate the risk of cash flow exposures on variable rate debt held. The fair value of cross currency swap and interest rate swap contracts at the reporting date is determined by discounting the future cash flows using the yield curves at reporting date. The average interest rate is based on the drawn debt balances at the end of the financial year.
There is an economic relationship between the hedged item and the hedging instrument. Based on APA Group’s qualitative assessment of effectiveness, it is expected that the value of the interest rate swap contracts and the value of the corresponding hedged items will systematically change in opposite directions in response to movements in the underlying interest rates. The main source of hedge ineffectiveness in these hedge relationships is the effect of the counterparty and APA Group’s own credit risk on the fair value of the cross currency swap and interest rate swap contracts, which is not reflected in the fair value of the hedged item attributable to the change in interest rates and difference in timing of the future cash flows. The effect of credit risk does not dominate the value changes that result from that economic relationship.
The following table details the notional principal amounts and remaining terms of the cross currency swap contracts outstanding as at the end of the financial year:
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Weighted average interest rate Notional principal amount Fair value
2023 2022 2023 2022 2023 2022
% p.a. % p.a. $m $m $m $m
----- End of picture text -----
| Cash fow hedges – Pay fx | ed AUD interest – receive | foating AUD or fxed foreign | foating AUD or fxed foreign | currency | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | – | – | – | |||
| 1 year to 2 years | 7.28 | – | 536 | – | 95 | – |
| 2 years to 5 years(1) | 4.82 | 4.20 | 2,634 | 2,027 | 134 | 25 |
| 5years and more(1) | 4.04 | 2.84 | 5,876 | 6,940 | (428) | (248) |
| 9,046 | 8,967 | (199) | (223) |
(1) This amount includes a notional amount of USD 1.6 billion (2022: USD 1.6 billion).
135
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Capital Management (continued)
20. Financial risk management (continued)
The cross currency swap and interest rate swap contracts settle on a quarterly or semi-annual basis. The floating rate benchmark on the interest rate swaps is Australian BBSW. APA Group will settle the difference between the fixed and floating interest rate on a net basis.
All cross currency swap and interest rate swap contracts exchanging floating rate interest amounts for fixed rate interest amounts are designated as cash flow hedges in order to reduce APA Group’s cash flow exposure on borrowings.
The following tables detail before tax information of APA Group (excluding share of hedge reserves of associates) regarding derivative financial instruments outstanding at the end of the reporting period, their related hedged items and the effectiveness of the hedging relationships.
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Cash flow hedge
Fair value of hedge instrument Fair value of hedge item reserve balance
2023 2022 2023 2022 2023 2022
$m $m $m $m $m $m
----- End of picture text -----
| Foreign exchange risk | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hedging foreign currency borrowings (cross currency swap) |
(224) | (231) | 225 | 242 | 788 | 245 |
| Hedging revenue and associated | ||||||
| receivables (foreign currency | (69) | (54) | 69 | 54 | 69 | 54 |
| borrowings) | ||||||
| Hedging revenue and associated receivables (FECs) |
(76) | (75) | 76 | 75 | 73 | 74 |
| Hedging foreign currency borrowings (FECs) |
89 | 71 | (89) | (71) | 32 | (6) |
| Hedging capital purchases (FECs) | 2 | 3 | (2) | (3) | (2) | (3) |
| Interest rate risk | ||||||
| HedgingAUD borrowings(IRS) | 25 | 8 | (24) | (8) | (24) | (8) |
| (253) | (278) | 255 | 289 | 936 | 356 |
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Change in fair values of hedge Change in fair values of hedged
instruments [ (1)] items [ (1)]
2023 2022 2023 2022
$m $m $m $m
----- End of picture text -----
| Foreign exchange risk | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hedging foreign currency borrowings (cross currency swap) | 7 | (38) | (17) | 38 |
| Hedging revenue and associated receivables (foreign currency borrowings) |
(15) | (35) | 15 | 35 |
| Hedging revenue and associated receivables (FECs) | (20) | (74) | 19 | 74 |
| Hedging foreign currency borrowings (FECs) | 18 | 71 | (18) | (71) |
| Hedging capital purchases (FECs) | 3 | 3 | (3) | (3) |
| Interest rate risk | ||||
| HedgingAUD borrowings(IRS) | 17 | 8 | (16) | (8) |
| 10 | (65) | (20) | 65 |
(1) This table excludes change in fair values of forecast transactions no longer expected to occur.
136 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued)
Capital Management (continued)
20. Financial risk management (continued)
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Hedge ineffectiveness Balance relating to discontinued
gain/(loss) [ (1)] cash flow hedges
2023 2022 2023 2022
$m $m $m $m
----- End of picture text -----
| Foreign exchange risk | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hedging foreign currency borrowings (cross currency swap) | (2) | (8) | – | – |
| Hedging revenue and associated receivables (foreign currency borrowings) |
– | – | 81 | 118 |
| Hedging revenue and associated receivables (FECs) | – | – | – | – |
| Hedging foreign currency borrowings (FECs) | – | – | – | – |
| Hedging capital purchases (FECs) | – | – | – | |
| Interest rate risk | ||||
| HedgingUS$ denominated borrowings(interest rate swap) | – | – | 23 | 28 |
| (2) | (8) | 104 | 146 |
(1) Hedge ineffectiveness gain (loss) shown is cumulative
Interest rate sensitivity analysis
The sensitivity analysis below has been determined based on the exposure to interest rates for both derivative and non-derivative instruments held. A 100 basis point increase or decrease is used and represents management’s assessment of the possible change in interest rates over the short term. At reporting date, if interest rates had been 100 basis points lower or higher and all other variables were held constant, APA Group’s equity reserves would increase by $29 million with a 100 basis point decrease in interest rates or decrease by $42 million with a 100 basis point increase in interest rates (2022: increase by $70 million or decrease by $41 million respectively). This is due to the changes in the fair value of derivative interest instruments.
APA Group’s profit sensitivity to interest rates remains unchanged during the current year as APA Group has no unhedged floating rate borrowings outstanding at the end of the financial year. The increase/decrease in equity reserves is based on 1.00% p.a. increase/decrease in the yield curve at the reporting date.
Price risk – equity price
APA Group is exposed to price risk arising from its forward purchase contracts over listed equities. The forward purchase contracts are held to hedge long term incentive awards rather than for trading purposes. APA Group does not actively trade these holdings.
Price risk – electricity price
APA Group is exposed to electricity price risk arising from contracts for difference in an electricity sales agreement and a network services agreement with customers. The contract guarantees the Group a fixed price for electricity offtake and contracts to provide network services in exchange, of which, a portion of the fee is fixed against the price of capacity. The key assumptions of the contract for difference are provided in the fair value of financial instrument section.
137
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Capital Management (continued)
20. Financial risk management (continued)
(b) Credit risk
Credit risk refers to the risk that a counterparty will default on its contractual obligations resulting in financial loss to APA Group.
Credit risk management
APA Group has adopted the policy of dealing with creditworthy counterparties or obtaining sufficient collateral or bank guarantees where appropriate as a means of mitigating the risk of loss. For financial investments or market risk hedging, APA Group’s policy is to only transact with counterparties that have a credit rating of A- (Standard & Poor’s)/A3 (Moody’s) or higher unless specifically approved by the Board. Where a counterparty’s rating falls below this threshold following a transaction, no other transactions can be executed with that counterparty until the exposure is sufficiently reduced or their credit rating is upgraded above APA Group’s minimum threshold. APA Group’s exposure to financial instrument and deposit credit risk is closely monitored against counterparty credit limits imposed by the Treasury Risk Management Policy approved by the AFC. These limits are regularly reviewed by the Board.
Overview of APA Group’s exposure to credit risk
In order to minimise credit risk, APA Group categorised exposures according to their degree of risk of default. APA Group’s exposure and the credit ratings of its counterparties are continuously monitored and the aggregate value of transactions concluded is spread amongst approved counterparties.
APA Group’s current credit risk grading framework comprises the following categories:
-
Performing – the counterparty has a low risk of default and does not have any past-due amounts;
-
Doubtful – amount is >30 days past due or there has been a significant increase in credit risk since initial recognition; and
-
Write-off – there is evidence indicating that the debtor is in severe financial difficulty and APA Group has no realistic prospect of recovery.
The table below details the credit quality of APA Group’s financial assets.
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External credit rating Internal credit rating ECL method [ (1)]
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| Cash and cash equivalents and cash on deposit | A- (Standard & Poor’s)/ | Performing | 12-month ECL |
|---|---|---|---|
| A3 (Moody’s) or higher | |||
| Trade receivables | N/A | (2) | Lifetime ECL |
| (simplifed approach) | |||
| Finance lease receivables | N/A | (2) | Lifetime ECL |
| (simplifed approach) | |||
| Contract assets | N/A | (2) | Lifetime ECL |
| (simplifed approach) | |||
| Loan receivable | N/A | (3) | Lifetime ECL |
| Loans advanced to related parties | N/A | Performing | 12-month ECL |
| Redeemablepreference shares(GDI) | N/A | Performing | 12-month ECL |
(1) Lifetime ECL represents the expected credit losses (ECL) that will result from possible default events over the expected life of a financial instrument. In contrast, 12-month ECL represents the portion of lifetime ECL that is expected to result from default events on a financial instrument that are possible within 12 months after the reporting date.
(2) For trade receivables, finance lease receivables and contract assets, APA Group has applied the simplified approach in AASB 9 to measure the loss allowance at lifetime ECL. APA Group determines the expected credit losses on these items by using a provision matrix, estimated based on historical credit loss experience based on the past due status of the debtors, adjusted as appropriate to reflect current conditions and estimates of future economic conditions. Accordingly, the credit risk profile of these assets is presented based on their past due status in terms of the provision matrix. Note 9 includes further details on the loss allowance for these assets, respectively, if any.
(3) Loan receivables were considered credit-impaired at initial recognition and classified as purchased or originated credit impaired (“POCI”) assets. Accordingly, lifetime expected credit losses (ECLs) are included in the estimated cash flows when calculating the credit-adjusted effective interest rate (EIR) on initial recognition and no loss allowance is recognised. APA Group continues to inspect any indication of deterioration of debt subsequent to the acquisition date in determining whether any objective evidence exists to be impaired. There has been no movement in expected credit losses since the date of acquisition. Refer to Note 9 for further detail.
138 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Capital Management (continued) 20. Financial risk management (continued)
Cross guarantee
In accordance with a deed of cross guarantee, APA Infrastructure Limited, a subsidiary of APA Group, has agreed to provide financial support, as and when required, to all wholly-owned controlled entities that have ascended to the deed with either a deficit in shareholders’ funds or an excess of current liabilities over current assets. The fair value of the financial guarantee as at 30 June 2023 has been determined to be immaterial and no liability has been recorded (2022: $nil).
(c) Liquidity risk
APA Group has a policy of dealing with liquidity risk which requires an appropriate liquidity risk management framework for the management of APA Group’s short, medium and long-term funding and liquidity management requirements. Liquidity risk is managed by maintaining adequate cash reserves and banking facilities, by monitoring and forecasting cash flow and where possible, by arranging liabilities with longer maturities to more closely match the underlying assets of APA Group.
Detailed in the following table are APA Group’s remaining contractual maturities for its financial liabilities including AUD and foreign currency denominated notes, cross currency swaps and interest rate swaps in aggregate. The table shows the undiscounted Australian dollar cash flows and includes both interest and principal cash flows.
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Contract Value
Average Less than More than
interest rate 1 year 1 – 5 years 5 years
2023 Maturity % p.a. $m $m $m
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| Unsecured fnancial liabilities | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trade and other payables | 471 | – | |||
| Guaranteed bank loans(1) | 20-May-27 | 3.77 | 25 | 574 | – |
| Guaranteed bank loans(1) | 20-May-29 | 3.88 | 26 | 105 | 526 |
| Denominated in A$ | |||||
| Other fnancial liabilities | 3 | 5 | – | ||
| Guaranteed Senior Notes (3) | |||||
| Denominated in A$ | |||||
| 2016 AUD Medium Term Notes | 20-Oct-23 | 3.75 | 204 | – | – |
| Denominated in US$ | |||||
| 2015 US 144A(2) | 23-Mar-25 | 4.20 | 69 | 1,720 | – |
| 2015 US 144A(2) | 23-Mar-35 | 5.00 | 23 | 90 | 608 |
| 2017 US 144A | 15-Jul-27 | 4.25 | 59 | 1,314 | – |
| Denominated in stated foreign currency | |||||
| 2012 GBP Medium Term Notes | 26-Nov-24 | 4.25 | 40 | 555 | – |
| 2015 GBP Medium Term Notes(2) | 22-Mar-30 | 3.50 | 60 | 238 | 1,449 |
| 2015 EUR Medium Term Notes(2) | 22-Mar-27 | 2.00 | 45 | 1,161 | – |
| 2019 GBP Medium Term Notes | 18-Jul-31 | 3.13 | 34 | 135 | 859 |
| 2019 JPY Medium Term Notes | 13-Jun-34 | 1.03 | 6 | 23 | 167 |
| 2020 EUR Medium Term Notes | 15-Jul-30 | 2.00 | 39 | 158 | 1,117 |
| 2021 EUR Medium Term Notes | 15-Mar-29 | 0.75 | 27 | 110 | 956 |
| 2021 EUR Medium Term Notes | 15-Mar-33 | 1.25 | 29 | 117 | 920 |
| 2021 GBP Medium Term Notes | 15-Mar-36 | 2.50 | 19 | 77 | 606 |
| 1,179 | 6,382 | 7,208 |
(1) Bank facilities mature on 20 May 2027 ($500 million limit) and 20 May 2029 ($500 million limit). The facilities are fully drawn at reporting date.
(2) Facilities are denominated in or fully swapped by way of CCS into USD. Cashflows represent the USD cashflow translated at the USD/AUD spot rate as at 30 June 2023. These amounts are fully hedged by FECs or future USD revenues.
(3) Rates shown are the coupon rate in the currency of issuance.
139
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued)
Capital Management (continued)
20. Financial risk management (continued)
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----- Start of picture text -----
Contract Value
Average Less than More than
interest rate 1 year 1 – 5 years 5 years
2022 Maturity % p.a. $m $m $m
----- End of picture text -----
| Unsecured fnancial liabilities | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trade and other payables | 417 | – | – | ||
| Unsecured bank borrowings(1) | 25 | (8) | (7) | ||
| Denominated in A$ | |||||
| Other fnancial liabilities | 3 | 7 | 1 | ||
| Denominated in US$ | |||||
| Guaranteed Senior Notes (3) | |||||
| Denominated in A$ | |||||
| 2016 AUD Medium Term Notes | 20-Oct-23 | 3.75 | 8 | 204 | – |
| Denominated in US$ | |||||
| 2015 US 144A(2) | 23-Mar-25 | 4.20 | 67 | 1,729 | – |
| 2015 US 144A(2) | 23-Mar-35 | 5.00 | 22 | 87 | 609 |
| 2017 US 144A | 15-Jul-27 | 4.25 | 59 | 235 | 1,138 |
| Denominated in stated foreign currency | |||||
| 2012 GBP Medium Term Notes | 26-Nov-24 | 4.25 | 39 | 595 | – |
| 2015 GBP Medium Term Notes(2) | 22-Mar-30 | 3.50 | 57 | 230 | 1,458 |
| 2015 EUR Medium Term Notes(2) | 22-Mar-27 | 2.00 | 43 | 1,165 | – |
| 2019 GBP Medium Term Notes | 18-Jul-31 | 3.13 | 34 | 135 | 894 |
| 2019 JPY Medium Term Notes | 13-Jun-34 | 1.03 | 6 | 23 | 172 |
| 2020 EUR Medium Term Notes | 15-Jul-30 | 2.00 | 39 | 157 | 1,156 |
| 2021 EUR Medium Term Notes | 15-Mar-29 | 0.75 | 27 | 110 | 983 |
| 2021 EUR Medium Term Notes | 15-Mar-33 | 1.25 | 29 | 117 | 949 |
| 2021 GBP Medium Term Notes | 15-Mar-36 | 2.50 | 19 | 77 | 625 |
| 894 | 4,863 | 7,978 |
(1) Bank facilities mature or expire on 18 July 2022 ($50 million limit), 30 June 2023 ($500 million limit), 1 July 2023 ($50 million limit), 18 July 2023 ($100 million limit), 31 December 2023 ($500 million limit), 19 December 2025 ($50 million limit), 20 May 2027 ($500 million limit) and 20 May 2029 ($500 million limit). Additionally, undrawn bank facilities are maturing or expiring in FY23 and FY24.
(2) Facilities are denominated in or fully swapped by way of CCS into US$. Cashflows represent the US$ cashflow translated at the USD/AUD spot rate as at 30 June 2022. These amounts are fully hedged by FECs or future US$ revenues.
(3) Rates shown are the coupon rate in the currency of issuance.
Critical accounting judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty– fair value of financial instruments
APA Group has financial instruments that are carried at fair value in the statement of financial position. The best evidence of fair value is quoted prices in an active market. If the market for a financial instrument is not active, APA Group determines fair value by using various valuation models. The objective of using a valuation technique is to establish the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability between market participants. The chosen valuation models make maximum use of market inputs and rely as little as possible on entity specific inputs. The fair values of all positions include assumptions made as to recoverability based on the counterparty’s and APA Group’s credit risk.
140 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Capital Management (continued) 20. Financial risk management (continued)
Fair value measurements recognised in the statement of financial position
The following table provides an analysis of financial instruments that are measured subsequent to initial recognition at fair value, grouped into Levels 1 to 3 based on the degree to which the fair value is observable.
-
Level 1 fair value measurements are those derived from quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.
-
Level 2 fair value measurements are those derived from inputs other than quoted prices included within Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly (i.e. as prices) or indirectly (i.e. derived from prices).
-
Level 3 fair value measurements are those derived from valuation techniques that include inputs for the asset or liability that are not based on observable market data (unobservable inputs).
Transfers between levels of the fair value hierarchy occur at the end of the reporting period. There have been no transfers between the levels during 2023 (2022: none). Transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 are triggered when there are changes to the availability of quoted prices in active markets. Transfers into Level 3 are triggered when the observable inputs become no longer observable, or vice versa for transfer out of Level 3.
Fair value of the Group’s financial assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis
-
The fair values of financial assets and financial liabilities are measured at the end of each reporting period and determined as follows:
-
The fair values of financial assets and financial liabilities with standard terms and conditions and traded on active liquid markets are determined with reference to quoted market prices. These instruments are classified in the fair value hierarchy at Level 1;
-
The fair values of FECs included in hedging assets and liabilities are calculated using discounted cash flow analysis based on observable forward exchange rates at the end of the reporting period and contract forward rates discounted at a rate that reflects the credit risk of the various counterparties. These instruments are classified in the fair value hierarchy at Level 2;
-
The fair values of interest rate swaps, cross currency swaps, equity forwards and other derivative instruments included in hedging assets and liabilities are calculated using discounted cash flow analysis using observable market inputs (yield curves, foreign exchange rates, equity prices and historical inflation indices) at the end of the reporting period and contract rates discounted at a rate that reflects the credit risk of the various counterparties. These instruments are classified in the fair value hierarchy at Level 2;
-
The fair value of indexed revenue contract is derived from present value of expected future cash flows based on observable inflation indices and yield curve at the end of the reporting period. These instruments are classified in the fair value hierarchy at Level 2;
-
The fair values of other financial assets and financial liabilities (excluding derivative instruments) are determined in accordance with generally accepted pricing models based on discounted cash flow analysis using prices from observable current markets discounted at a rate that reflects the credit risk of the various counterparties. These instruments are classified in the fair value hierarchy at Level 2;
-
The fair value of financial guarantee contracts is determined based upon the probability of default by the specified counterparty extrapolated from market-based credit information and the amount of loss, given the default. These instruments are classified in the fair value hierarchy at Level 2; and
-
The carrying value of financial assets and liabilities recorded at amortised cost in the financial statements approximate their fair value having regard to the specific terms of the agreements underlying those assets and liabilities.
141
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Capital Management (continued)
20. Financial risk management (continued)
Contracts for difference
The financial statements include contracts for difference arising from an electricity sales agreement with a customer that guarantees the Group a fixed price for electricity offtake for the agreed term and a network services agreement where the Group exchanges variable interregional electricity revenues for a fixed fee based on capacity. The contracts are at fair value. The fair value of the contracts for difference is derived from internal discounted cash flow valuation methodology, which includes some assumptions that are not able to be supported by observable market prices or rates.
In determining the fair value, the following assumptions were used:
-
For the electricity sales agreement, the estimated long term forecast electricity pool prices are applied as market prices are not readily observable for the corresponding term. Forecast electricity volumes are also estimated based on an internal forecast output model;
-
For the network services agreement, the variable inter-regional revenues were forecast based on the interconnector’s historical spot prices and electricity volumes as these inputs are not readily observable;
-
The discount rates are based on observable market rates for risk-free instruments of the appropriate term;
-
Credit adjustments are applied to the discount rates to reflect the risk of default by either the Group or a specific counterparty. Where a counterparty specific credit curve is not observable, an estimated curve is applied which takes into consideration the credit rating of the counterparty and its industry; and
-
These instruments are classified in the fair value hierarchy at Level 3.
Changes in any of the aforementioned assumptions may be accompanied by changes in other assumptions which may have an offsetting impact.
Fair value hierarchy
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----- Start of picture text -----
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total
2023 $m $m $m $m
----- End of picture text -----
| Financial assets measured at fair value | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Interest rate swaps used for hedging | – | 25 | – | 25 |
| Cross currency swap contracts used for hedging | – | 286 | – | 286 |
| Foreign currency forward exchange contracts used for hedging | – | 121 | – | 121 |
| Contracts for diference | – | – | 13 | 13 |
| – | 432 | 13 | 445 | |
| Financial liabilities measured at fair value | ||||
| Cross currency swap contracts used for hedging | – | 509 | – | 509 |
| Foreign currency forward exchange contracts used for hedging | – | 106 | – | 106 |
| Contracts for diference | – | – | 3 | 3 |
| Indexed revenue contract | – | 12 | – | 12 |
| – | 627 | 3 | 630 |
142 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued)
Capital Management (continued)
20. Financial risk management (continued)
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----- Start of picture text -----
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Total
2022 $m $m $m $m
----- End of picture text -----
| Financial assets measured at fair value | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equity forwards designated as fair value through proft or loss | – | 5 | – | 5 |
| Interest rate swaps used for hedging | – | 13 | – | 13 |
| Cross currency swap contracts used for hedging | – | 235 | – | 235 |
| Foreign currency forward exchange contracts used for hedging | – | 104 | – | 104 |
| Contracts for diference | – | – | 9 | 9 |
| – | 357 | 9 | 366 | |
| Financial liabilities measured at fair value | ||||
| Interest rate swaps used for hedging | 4 | 4 | ||
| Cross currency swap contracts used for hedging | – | 467 | – | 467 |
| Foreign currency forward exchange contracts used for hedging | – | 105 | – | 105 |
| Indexed revenue contract | – | 12 | – | 12 |
| Contracts for diference | – | – | 11 | 11 |
| – | 588 | 11 | 599 |
Reconciliation of Level 3 fair value measurements
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2023 2022
$m $m
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| Opening balance | (2) | 28 |
|---|---|---|
| Revaluation | 17 | (27) |
| Settlement | (5) | (3) |
| Closingbalance | 10 | (2) |
Fair value measurements of financial instruments measured at amortised cost
The financial liabilities included in the following table are fixed rate borrowings. Other debts held by APA Group are floating rate borrowings and amortised cost as recorded in the financial statements approximate their fair values.
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Carrying amount [ (1)] Fair value (Level 2) [ (2)]
2023 2022 2023 2022
$m $m $m $m
----- End of picture text -----
| Financial liabilities | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unsecured Australian Dollar Medium Term Notes | 200 | 200 | 199 | 198 |
| Unsecured Japanese Yen Medium Term Notes | 104 | 107 | 96 | 100 |
| Unsecured US Dollar 144A Medium Term Notes | 3,366 | 3,249 | 3,231 | 3,213 |
| Unsecured British Pound Medium Term Notes | 3,031 | 2,805 | 2,432 | 2,493 |
| Unsecured Euro Medium Term Notes | 3,825 | 3,542 | 3,095 | 2,874 |
| 10,526 | 9,903 | 9,053 | 8,878 |
(1) The methodology applied to determine carrying amount represents the borrowings at amortised cost. The comparative year has been updated to reflect this methodology.
(2) The fair values have been determined in accordance with generally accepted pricing models based on discounted cash flow analysis using prices from observable current markets, discounted at a rate that reflects APA Group’s credit risk. These instruments are classified in the fair value hierarchy at Level 2.
143
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued)
Capital Management (continued) 21. Other financial instruments
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Assets Liabilities
2023 2022 2023 2022
$m $m $m $m
----- End of picture text -----
| Derivatives at fair value: | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contracts for diference | – | – | 3 | 11 |
| Equity forward contracts | – | 1 | – | – |
| Derivatives at fair value designated as hedging instruments: | ||||
| Cross currency swaps – cash fow hedges(1) | 22 | 18 | 159 | 164 |
| Foreign exchange contracts – cash fow hedges | 17 | 13 | 45 | 27 |
| Interest rate swaps – cash fow hedges(1) | 10 | – | – | 4 |
| Current | 49 | 32 | 207 | 206 |
| Derivatives at fair value: | ||||
| Contracts for diference | 13 | 9 | – | – |
| Equity forward contracts | – | 4 | – | – |
| Indexed revenue contracts | – | – | 12 | 12 |
| Derivatives at fair value designated as hedging instruments: | ||||
| Cross currency swaps – cash fow hedges | 288 | 235 | 379 | 332 |
| Foreign exchange contracts – cash fow hedges | 104 | 91 | 61 | 78 |
| Interest rate swaps – cash fow hedges | 15 | 13 | – | – |
| Financial items carried at amortised cost: | ||||
| Redeemablepreference shares(2) | 10 | 10 | – | – |
| Non-current | 430 | 362 | 452 | 422 |
(1) Derivatives at fair value for Cross currency interest rate swaps and Interest rate swaps include interest receivables and payables.
(2) Redeemable preference shares relate to APA Group’s 20% interest in GDI (EII) Pty Ltd. In December 2011, APA sold 80% of its gas distribution network in South East Queensland (Allgas) into an unlisted investment entity, GDI (EII) Pty Ltd. At that date GDI issued 52 million Redeemable Preference Shares (RPS) to its owners. The shares were redeemed in December 2021 and new redeemable preference shares were issued. The shares attract periodic interest payments and have a redemption date 10 years from issue.
Recognition and measurement Classification of financial assets
Debt instruments that meet the following conditions are subsequently measured at amortised cost:
-
The financial asset is held within a business model whose objective is to hold financial assets in order to collect contractual cash flows; and
-
The contractual terms of the financial asset give rise on specified dates to cash flows that are solely payments of principal and interest on the principal amount outstanding.
Debt instruments that meet the following conditions are subsequently measured at fair value through other comprehensive income (FVTOCI):
-
The financial asset is held within a business model whose objective is achieved by both collecting contractual cash flows and selling the financial assets; and
-
The contractual terms of the financial asset give rise on specified dates to cash flows that are solely payments of principal and interest on the principal amount outstanding.
By default, all other financial assets are subsequently measured at fair value through profit or loss (FVTPL).
Financial assets at FVTPL are measured at fair value at the end of each reporting period, with any fair value gains or losses recognised in profit or loss to the extent they are not part of a designated hedging relationship.
Derivatives that APA Group does not elect to apply hedge accounting to or do not meet the hedge accounting criteria, are classified as ‘financial assets/liabilities’ for accounting purposes and accounted for at FVTPL.
144 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Capital Management (continued) 21. Other financial instruments (continued)
Fair value measurement
For information about the methods and assumptions used in determining the fair value of financial instruments refer to note 20.
Hedge accounting
APA Group designates certain hedging instruments, which include derivatives, embedded derivatives and non-derivatives in respect of foreign currency risk, as either fair value hedges or cash flow hedges. There are no fair value hedges in the current or prior year, hedges of foreign exchange and interest rate risk are accounted for as cash flow hedges.
At the inception of the hedge relationship, APA Group formally designates and documents the relationship between the hedging instrument and the hedged item, along with its risk management objectives and its strategy for undertaking various hedge transactions. Furthermore, at the inception of the hedge and on an ongoing basis, APA Group expects the hedging instrument is effective in offsetting changes in fair values or cash flows of the hedged item attributable to the hedged risk, which is when the hedging relationships meet all of the following hedge effectiveness requirements:
-
there is an economic relationship between the hedged item and the hedging instrument;
-
the effect of credit risk does not dominate the value changes that result from that economic relationship; and
-
the hedge ratio of the hedging relationship is the same as that resulting from the quantity of the hedged item that APA Group actually hedges and the quantity of the hedging instrument that APA Group actually uses to hedge that quantity of hedged item.
Derivatives are initially recognised at fair value at the date a derivatives contract is entered into and subsequently remeasured to fair value at each reporting period. The resulting gain or loss is recognised in profit or loss immediately unless the derivative is designated and effective as a hedging instrument, in which event the timing of the recognition in profit or loss depends on the nature of the hedge relationship. A derivative with a positive fair value is recognised as a financial asset, a derivative with a negative fair value is recognised as a financial liability.
The fair value of hedging derivatives is classified as either current or non-current based on the timing of the underlying discounted cash flows of the instrument. Cash flows due within 12 months of the reporting date are classified as current and cash flows due after 12 months of the reporting date are classified as non-current.
IBOR replacement impact
APA Group does not have any debt or derivative instruments directly linked to US LIBOR, EURIBOR, GBP LIBOR or JPY LIBOR (collectively ‘IBORs’). APA Group only has an indirect exposure to the IBORs in relation to the valuation of Cross Currency Swaps that are designated in hedging relationships. APA has continued to monitor for any potential impact on the valuation of derivative instruments as a result of the transition. As at 30 June 2023, any potential impact is limited and not considered significant.
Cash flow hedges
The effective portion of changes in the fair value of derivatives and other qualifying hedging instruments that are designated and qualify as cash flow hedges is recognised in other comprehensive income and accumulated under the cash flow hedge reserve, limited to the cumulative change in fair value of the hedged item from inception of the hedge. The gain or loss relating to the ineffective portion is recognised immediately in profit or loss, and is included in the ‘finance costs’ line item.
Amounts previously recognised in other comprehensive income and accumulated in equity are reclassified to profit or loss in the periods when the hedged item affects profit or loss, in the same line as the recognised hedged item. However, when the hedged forecast transaction results in the recognition of a non-financial asset or a non-financial liability, the gains and losses previously recognised in other comprehensive income and accumulated in equity are removed from equity and included in the initial measurement of the cost of the non-financial asset or non-financial liability. This transfer does not affect other comprehensive income. Furthermore, if APA Group expects that some or all of the loss accumulated in the cash flow hedging reserve will not be recovered in the future, that amount is immediately reclassified to profit or loss.
APA Group discontinues hedge accounting only when the hedging relationship (or a part thereof) ceases to meet the qualifying criteria (after rebalancing, if applicable). This includes instances when the hedging instrument expires or is sold, terminated or exercised. The discontinuation is accounted for prospectively. Any gain or loss recognised in other comprehensive income and accumulated in the cash flow hedge reserve at that time remains in equity and is reclassified to profit or loss when the forecast transaction occurs. When a forecast transaction is no longer expected to occur, the gain or loss accumulated in the cash flow hedge reserve is reclassified immediately to profit or loss.
145
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Capital Management (continued) 21. Other financial instruments (continued)
Accounting for the forward element of foreign currency forward exchange contracts and foreign currency basis spreads of financial instruments
APA Group designates the full change in the fair value of an FEC (i.e. including the forward elements) as the hedging instrument for all of its hedging relationships involving FECs.
APA Group separates the foreign currency basis spread from a financial instrument and excludes it from the designation of that financial instrument as the hedging instrument. Changes in the value of the undesignated aligned foreign currency basis spread associated with cross currency swaps are deferred in other comprehensive income.
Cash flow hedge and cost of hedging reserve
The cash flow hedge reserve represents the cumulative amount of gains and losses on hedging instruments deemed effective in cash flow hedges. The cumulative deferred gain or loss on the hedging instrument is recognised in profit or loss only when the hedged transaction impacts the profit or loss, or is included directly in the initial cost or other carrying amount of the hedged non-financial items.
The cost of hedging reserve represents the effect of the changes in fair value of the forward currency basis spread of a financial instrument when the foreign currency basis spread of a financial instrument is excluded from the designation of that financial instrument as the hedging instrument (consistent with APA Group’s accounting policy to recognise the nondesignated component of a foreign currency derivative in equity). The changes in fair value of the foreign currency basis spread of a financial instrument, in relation to a time-period related hedged item accumulated in the cash flow hedging reserve, are amortised to profit or loss on a rational basis over the term of the hedging relationship.
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2023 2022
$m $m
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| Balance at beginning of fnancial year | (343) | (366) |
|---|---|---|
| Gain/(loss) recognised taken to equity: | ||
| Loss arising on changes in fair value of hedging instruments | (643) | (200) |
| Changes in fair value of foreign currency basis spread during the year | (62) | 48 |
| Share of hedge reserve of associate | 4 | 25 |
| Amount reclassifed to P&L for efective hedges | 167 | 160 |
| Tax efect | 160 | (10) |
| Balance at end of fnancialyear | (717) | (343) |
In 2023, the foreign currency basis spread reserve balance at the beginning of the financial year is $13 million and at the end of financial year is ($13 million) (2022: ($70 million) at the beginning of the financial year).
Hedge ineffectiveness
Hedge effectiveness is determined at the inception of the hedge relationship, and through periodic prospective effectiveness assessments to ensure that an economic relationship exists between the hedged item and hedging instrument.
In hedges of foreign currency capital equipment purchases, ineffectiveness may arise if the timing of the forecast transaction changes from what was originally estimated, or if there are changes in the credit risk of APA Group or the derivative counterparty.
Hedge ineffectiveness for cross currency swaps is assessed using the same principles as for hedges of foreign currency capital equipment purchases. It may occur due to the credit value/debit value adjustment on the swap contracts which is not matched by the debts.
146 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Capital Management (continued) 21. Other financial instruments (continued)
Impairment of financial assets
In relation to the impairment of financial assets, it is no longer necessary for a credit event to have occurred before credit losses are recognised. APA Group applies an ECL model to account for ECL and changes in those ECL at each reporting date to reflect changes in credit risk since initial recognition of a financial asset.
APA Group recognises a loss allowance for ECL on investments in debt instruments that are measured at amortised cost, for example, loans advanced to related parties and trade receivables. No impairment loss is recognised for investments in equity instruments. For trade receivables, finance lease receivables and contract assets, APA Group applies the simplified approach to assessing ECL. Under the simplified approach, ECL on these financial assets is estimated using a provision matrix. This matrix is based on APA Group’s historical credit losses and reasonable and supportable information that is available without undue cost.
The amount of ECL under either approach is updated at each reporting date to reflect changes in credit risk since initial recognition of the respective financial instrument.
APA Group recognises an impairment gain or loss in profit or loss for all financial instruments with a corresponding adjustment to their carrying amount through a loss allowance account. Aside from the additional disclosure requirements in note 20, the history of collection rates and forward-looking information that is available without undue cost or effort shows that APA Group has immaterial expected loss on collection of debtors or loans.
Significant increase in credit risk
An actual or expected significant deterioration in the financial instrument’s external (if available) or internal credit rating.
Definition of default
When there is a breach of financial covenants by the debtor.
Write-off policy
APA Group writes off a financial asset when all reasonable attempts at recovery have been taken and failed e.g. debts that are considered irrecoverable, or where the cost of recovery is uneconomic, must be written off as a bad debt.
22. Issued capital
| 2023 $m |
2022 $m |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Units | ||||
| 1,179,893,848 securities, fully paid(2022: 1,179,893,848 securities, fully paid)(1) | 1,964 | 2,225 | ||
| 2023 No. of units in millions |
2023 $m |
2022 No. of units in millions |
2022 $m |
|
| Movements | ||||
| Balance at beginning of fnancial year | 1,180 | 2,225 | 1,180 | 2,571 |
| Capital distributionspaid(note 8) | – | (261) | – | (346) |
| Balance at end of fnancialyear | 1,180 | 1,964 | 1,180 | 2,225 |
(1) Fully paid securities carry one vote per security and carry the right to distributions.
The Trust does not have a limited amount of authorised capital.
147
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued)
Group Structure
23. Non-controlling interests
APA Infrastructure Trust is deemed the parent entity of APA Group comprising of the stapled structure of APA Infrastructure Trust and APA Investment Trust. Equity attributable to other trusts stapled to the parent is a form of non-controlling interest and represents 100% of the equity of APA Investment Trust.
Summarised financial information for APA Investment Trust is set out below, the amounts disclosed are before inter-entity eliminations.
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2023 2022
$m $m
----- End of picture text -----
| Financial position | ||
|---|---|---|
| Current assets | 1 | 1 |
| Non-current assets | 566 | 657 |
| Total assets | 567 | 658 |
| Total liabilities | – | – |
| Net assets | 567 | 658 |
| Equity attributable to non-controlling interests | 567 | 658 |
| Financial performance | ||
| Revenue | 24 | 29 |
| Proft for theyear | 24 | 29 |
| Total comprehensive income allocated to non-controlling interests for theyear | 24 | 29 |
| Cash fows | ||
| Net cash provided by operating activities | 25 | 30 |
| Net cash provided by investing activities | 90 | 126 |
| Distributions paid to non-controlling interests | (114) | (157) |
| Net cash used in fnancing activities | (114) | (157) |
The accounting policies of APA Investment Trust are the same as those applied to APA Group.
There are no material guarantees, contingent liabilities or restrictions imposed on APA Group from APA Investment Trust’s non-controlling interests.
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2023 2022
$m $m
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| APA Investment Trust | 567 | 658 |
|---|---|---|
| Equity attributable to non-controlling interests | 567 | 658 |
| APA Investment Trust | ||
| Issued capital: | ||
| Balance at beginning of fnancial year | 644 | 765 |
| Distribution – capital return(note 8) | (89) | (121) |
| 555 | 644 | |
| Retained earnings: | ||
| Balance at beginning of fnancial year | 13 | 19 |
| Net proft attributable to APA Investment Trust unitholders | 24 | 29 |
| Distributionspaid(note 8) | (25) | (35) |
| 12 | 13 |
148 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Group Structure (continued)
24. Joint arrangements and associates
The table below lists APA Group’s interest in joint ventures and associates that are reported as part of the Energy Investments segment. APA Group provides asset management, operation and maintenance services and corporate services, in varying combinations to the majority of energy infrastructure assets housed within these entities.
| Ownership interest % | |
|---|---|
| Name of entity Principal activity Country of incorporation |
2023 2022 |
| Joint ventures: SEA Gas Gas transmission Australia SEA Gas (Mortlake) Gas transmission Australia Energy Infrastructure Investments Energy infrastructure Australia EII 2 Powergeneration(wind) Australia |
50.0 50.0 50.0 50.0 19.9 19.9 20.2 20.2 |
| Associates: GDI(EII) Gas distribution Australia |
20.0 20.0 |
| 2023 $m 2022 $m |
|
| Investment in joint ventures and associates using the equity method | 273 266 |
| Joint Ventures Aggregate carrying amount of investment APA Group’s aggregated share of: Proft from continuing operations Other comprehensive income |
246 238 17 22 4 18 |
| Total comprehensive income | 21 40 |
| Associates Aggregate carrying amount of investment APA Group’s aggregated share of: Proft from continuing operations Other comprehensive income |
27 28 6 5 – 7 |
| Total comprehensive income | 6 12 |
149
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Group Structure (continued)
24. Joint arrangements and associates (continued)
Investment in associates
An associate is an entity over which APA Group has significant influence and that is neither a subsidiary nor a joint arrangement. Investments in associates are accounted for using the equity accounting method.
Under the equity accounting method the investment is recorded initially at cost to APA Group, including any goodwill on acquisition. In subsequent periods the carrying amount of the investment is adjusted to reflect APA Group’s share of the retained post-acquisition profit or loss and other comprehensive income, less any impairment.
Losses of an associate or joint venture in excess of APA Group’s interests (which includes any long-term interests, that in substance, form part of the net investment) are recognised only to the extent that there is a legal or constructive obligation or APA Group has made payments on behalf of the associate or joint venture.
Carrying values of the investment in joint arrangements and associates are subject to impairment testing if there is objective evidence of impairment. No material indicators were identified in the joint arrangements and associates as at the date of the issuance of these financial statements.
Critical accounting judgements and key sources of estimation uncertainty – joint ventures and associates
Indicators that APA’s investment in joint ventures and associates may be impaired include evidence of significant financial difficulty of the associate or joint venture; a breach of contract, the potential that the associate or joint venture will enter bankruptcy or other financial reorganisation, or the disappearance of an active market for the investment because of financial difficulties of the associate or joint venture.
Contingent liabilities and capital commitments
APA Group’s share of the contingent liabilities, capital commitments and other expenditure commitments of joint operations is disclosed in note 27.
APA Group is a party to the following joint operations:
| Output interest | |
|---|---|
| Name of venture Principal activity |
2023 % 2022 % |
| Goldfelds Gas Transmission(1) Gaspipeline operation – Western Australia |
88.2 88.2 |
(1) On 17 August 2004, APA acquired a direct interest in the Goldfields Gas Transmission joint operations as part of the SCP Gas Business acquisition.
Interest in joint arrangements
A joint arrangement is an arrangement whereby two or more parties have joint control. Joint control is the contractually agreed sharing of control such that decisions about the relevant activities of the arrangement (those that significantly affect the returns) require the unanimous consent of the parties sharing control. APA Group has two types of joint arrangements:
Joint ventures: A joint arrangement in which the parties that share joint control have rights to the net assets of the arrangement. Joint Ventures are accounted for using the equity accounting method; and
Joint operations: A joint arrangement in which the parties that share joint control have rights to the assets, and obligations for the liabilities, relating to the arrangement. In relation to its interest in a joint operation, APA Group recognises its share of assets and liabilities, revenue from the sale of its share of the output and its share of any revenue generated from the sale of the output by the joint operation and its share of expenses. These are incorporated into APA Group’s financial statements under the appropriate headings.
150 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Group Structure (continued)
25. Subsidiaries
Subsidiaries are entities controlled by APA Infrastructure Trust. Control exists where APA Infrastructure Trust has power over the entities, i.e. existing rights that give the current ability to direct the relevant activities of the entities (those that significantly affect the returns); exposure, or rights, to variable returns from its involvement with the entities; and the ability to use its power to affect those returns.
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Ownership interest
Country of registration/ 2023 2022
Name of entity incorporation % %
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| Parent entity | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| APA Infrastructure Trust(1) | |||
| Subsidiaries | |||
| Agex Pty. Ltd.(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA (BWF Holdco) Pty Ltd(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA (EDWF Holdco) Pty Ltd(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA (EPX) Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA (NBH) Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA (Pilbara Pipeline) Pty Ltd(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA (SWQP) Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA (WA) One Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA AIS 1 Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA AIS 2 Pty Ltd(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA AIS Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA AM (Allgas) Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA BIDCO Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA Biobond Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA Country Pipelines Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA DPS Holdings Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA DPS2 Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA East Pipelines Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA EE Australia Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA EE Corporate Shared Services Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA EE Holdings Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA EE Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA Electricity T&D Holdings Pty Ltd(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA Electricity T&D Pty Ltd(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA Ethane Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA Facilities Management Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA Group Limited(2) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA Infrastructure Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA Midstream Holdings Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA Northern Goldfelds Interconnect Pty Ltd(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA Operations (EII) Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA Operations Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA Orbost Gas Plant Pty Ltd(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA Pipelines Investments (BWP) Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA Power Holdings Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA Power PF Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
151
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
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Ownership interest
Country of registration/ 2023 2022
Name of entity incorporation % %
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| APA Reedy Creek Wallumbilla Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
|---|---|---|---|
| APA SEA Gas (Mortlake) Holdings Pty Ltd(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA SEA Gas (Mortlake) Pty Ltd(2) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA Services (Int) Inc. | United States | 100 | 100 |
| APA Sub Trust No 1(2),(4) | – | 100 | 100 |
| APA Sub Trust No 2(2),(4) | – | 100 | 100 |
| APA Sub Trust No 3(2),(4) | – | 100 | 100 |
| APA Transmission Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA US Investments | United States | 100 | 100 |
| APA VTS A Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA VTS Australia (Holdings) Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA VTS Australia (NSW) Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA VTS Australia (Operations) Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA VTS Australia Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA VTS B Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA Western Slopes Pipeline Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APA WGP Pty Ltd(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APT (MIT) Services Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APT AM (Stratus) Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APT AM Employment Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APT AM Holdings Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APT Facility Management Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APT Goldfelds Pty Ltd(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APT Management Services Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APT O&M Holdings Pty Ltd(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APT O&M Services (QLD) Pty Ltd(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APT O&M Services Pty Ltd(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APT Parmelia Holdings Pty Ltd(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APT Parmelia Pty Ltd(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APT Parmelia Trust(2),(4) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APT Petroleum Pipelines Holdings Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APT Petroleum Pipelines Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APT Pipelines (NSW) Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APT Pipelines (NT) Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APT Pipelines (QLD) Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APT Pipelines (SA) Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APT Pipelines (WA) Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APT Pipelines Investments (NSW) Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APT Pipelines Investments (WA) Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APT Sea Gas Holdings Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APT SPV2 Pty Ltd(2) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| APT SPV3 Pty Ltd(2) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| Basslink Pty Ltd(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | – |
| Basslink Telecoms Pty Ltd(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | – |
| Central Ranges Pipeline Pty Ltd(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| Darling Downs Solar Farm Pty Ltd(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| Diamantina Holding Company Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
152 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
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Ownership interest
Country of registration/ 2023 2022
Name of entity incorporation % %
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| Diamantina Power Station Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Australian Pipeline Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| EDWF Holdings 1 Pty Ltd(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| EDWF Holdings 2 Pty Ltd(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| EDWF Manager Pty Ltd(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| Epic Energy East Pipelines Trust(2),(4) | – | 100 | 100 |
| EPX Holdco Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| EPX Member Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| EPX Trust(2),(4) | – | 100 | 100 |
| Ethane Pipeline Income Financing Trust(2),(4) | – | 100 | 100 |
| Ethane Pipeline Income Trust(2),(4) | – | 100 | 100 |
| Gasinvest Australia Pty Ltd(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| GasNet A Trust(4) | – | 100 | 100 |
| GasNet Australia Investments Trust(4) | – | 100 | 100 |
| GasNet Australia Trust(2),(4) | – | 100 | 100 |
| Goldfelds Gas Transmission Pty Ltd(2) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| Gorodok Pty. Ltd.(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| Grifn Windfarm 2 Pty Ltd(2) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| InfraEnergy Solutions Pty Limited(2),(3),(5) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| Moomba to Sydney Ethane Pipeline Trust(2),(4) | – | 100 | 100 |
| N.T. Gas Distribution Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| N.T. Gas Pty Limited | Australia | 96 | 96 |
| Roverton Pty. Ltd.(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| SCP Investments (No. 1) Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| SCP Investments (No. 2) Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| SCP Investments (No. 3) Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| Sopic Pty. Ltd.(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| Southern Cross Pipelines (NPL) Australia Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| Southern Cross Pipelines Australia Pty Limited(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| Trans Australia Pipeline Pty Ltd(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| Votraint No. 1606 Pty Limited(2) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| Votraint No. 1613 Pty Limited(2) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| Western Australian Gas Transmission Company 1 Pty Ltd(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
| Wind Portfolio PtyLtd(2),(3) | Australia | 100 | 100 |
(1) APA Infrastructure Trust is the head entity within the APA tax-consolidated group.
(2) These entities are members of the APA tax-consolidated group.
(3) These wholly-owned subsidiaries have entered into a deed of cross guarantee with APA Infrastructure Limited pursuant to ASIC Corporations Instrument 2016/785 and are relieved from the requirement to prepare and lodge an audited financial report.
(4) These trusts are unincorporated and not required to be registered.
(5) This entity’s name was changed from N.T. Gas Easements Pty Limited on 27th April 2023.
153
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued)
Other items
26. Basslink asset acquisition
On 20 October 2022, APA Group acquired 100% of Basslink Pty Ltd and its subsidiary Basslink Telecoms Pty Ltd (together referred to as Basslink) for a total consideration of $783 million (inclusive of cash acquired). Basslink owns and operates the 370km high voltage direct current (HVDC) electricity interconnector between Victoria and Tasmania. Contracts are in place with Hydro Tasmania and the State of Tasmania. The contracts provide predictable revenues, facilitate the operations of the interconnector and institute operational improvements whilst APA works to convert Basslink to a regulated asset under an agreed consultation process. A revenue contract is in place with Hydro Tasmania until 30 June 2025, by which point the parties expect Basslink to become regulated.
The acquisition adds a third electricity interconnector to APA’s energy infrastructure portfolio and is consistent with APA’s strategy to increase its electricity transmission footprint and to play a leading role in the energy transition.
The Directors have elected to apply the optional concentration test allowed under AASB 3 Business Combinations to determine whether the transaction can be accounted for as an asset acquisition. As substantially all of the fair value of the gross assets acquired is concentrated in the interconnector assets within property, plant and equipment, the Directors have determined it is appropriate to account for the transaction as an asset acquisition.
Included in the consolidated net profit for the year ended 30 June 2023 is revenue of $60 million and underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation of $29 million, excluding the AEMC market compensation and integration costs, attributable to Basslink following acquisition.
Details of the purchase consideration and the consideration allocated to the individual identifiable assets and liabilities on the basis of their relative fair values at the date of the acquisition are set out below:
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2023
Net assets acquired $m
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| Current assets | |
|---|---|
| Cash and cash equivalents | 25 |
| Trade and other receivables | 9 |
| Other | 10 |
| Current assets | 44 |
| Non-current assets | |
| Property,plant and equipment(1) | 760 |
| Non-current assets | 760 |
| Total assets | 804 |
| Current liabilities | |
| Trade and other payables | 6 |
| Provisions | 3 |
| Current liabilities | 9 |
| Non-current liabilities | |
| Provisions | 12 |
| Non-current liabilities | 12 |
| Total liabilities | 21 |
| Net assets acquired | 783 |
| Cash balances acquired | (25) |
| Total consideration (2) | 758 |
(1) Transaction costs of $25 million including stamp duty and acquisition costs have been capitalised into the cost of the interconnector in accordance with AASB 116 Property, Plant & Equipment.
(2) The total consideration included the proceeds from the settlement of the loan receivable from Basslink of $648 million which was net settled as part of the acquisition process and hence has been excluded from the statement of cash flows. $110 million has been included within investing cash flows as part of the “Payments for property, plant and equipment” line item in the statement of cash flows.
154 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Other (continued)
27. Commitments and contingencies
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2023 2022
$m $m
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| Capital expenditure commitments | ||
|---|---|---|
| APA Group – plant and equipment | 213 | 549 |
| APA Group’s share ofjointlycontrolled operations –plant and equipment | 15 | 19 |
| 228 | 568 | |
| Contingent liabilities | ||
| Bankguarantees | 57 | 42 |
APA Group is subject to a range of operational matters, which can at times raise exposure to assets and liabilities that are uncertain and cannot be measured reliably. This includes our exposure to matters such as regulatory requirements, changes in law, climate change policy, changes to licencing and recognised practising codes including health, safety and environment, employee entitlements, environmental laws and regulations, occupational health and safety requirements, technical and safety standards and asset construction and operation compliance requirements. The preparation of the financial statements requires management to make judgements and estimates and form assumptions that affect the amounts of contingent assets and liabilities reported in the financial statements.
These judgements, estimates and assumptions are based on the most current facts and circumstances and are reassessed on an ongoing basis, the results of which form the basis of the reported amounts that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions and conditions. This may materially affect financial results and the financial position to be reported in future periods. APA Group continues to assess these judgements, estimates and assumptions relating to the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities.
Contingent assets and liabilities relate predominantly to possible benefits or obligations whose existence will only be confirmed by uncertain future events and present obligations where the transfer of economic resources is not probable or cannot be reliably estimated. Therefore such amounts are not recognised in the financial statements.
As at 30 June 2023 and 30 June 2022 APA Group had no material contingent liabilities, other than the bank guarantees disclosed above.
APA Group had nil contingent assets as at 30 June 2023 and 30 June 2022.
28. Director and Executive Key Management Personnel remuneration
Remuneration of Directors
The aggregate remuneration of Directors of APA Group is set out below:
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2023 2022
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| Short-term employment benefts | 1,673,901 | 1,749,069 |
|---|---|---|
| Post-employment benefts | 149,671 | 174,905 |
| Total remuneration: Non-Executive Directors | 1,823,572 | 1,923,974 |
| Short-term employment benefts | 4,112,061 | 2,653,667 |
| Post-employment benefts | 31,563 | 27,500 |
| Cash settled security-based payments | 138,770 | 229,988 |
| Equitysettled security-basedpayments | 2,575,647 | 1,077,997 |
| Total remuneration: Executive Directors | 6,858,041 | 3,989,152 |
| Total remuneration: Directors | 8,681,613 | 5,913,126 |
155
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued)
Other (continued)
28. Director and Executive Key Management Personnel remuneration (continued)
Remuneration of Executive Key Management Personnel
The aggregate remuneration of Executive Key Management Personnel of APA Group is set out below:
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2023 2022
$ $
Short-term employment benefits 6,528,421 8,126,785
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| Short-term employment benefts | 6,528,421 | 8,126,785 |
|---|---|---|
| Post-employment benefts | 72,854 | 187,427 |
| Cash settled security-based payments | 179,993 | 556,642 |
| Equitysettled security-basedpayments | 3,286,022 | 2,941,305 |
| Total remuneration: Executive Key Management Personnel (1), (2) | 10,067,289 | 11,812,159 |
(1) The remuneration for the former Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Rob Wheals up to 30 September 2022 and current Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Adam Watson from 1 October 2022 (previously Chief Financial Officer and Key Management Personnel), are included in both the remuneration disclosure for Directors and Executive Key Management Personnel.
(2) The remuneration for Group Executive Strategy & Commercial, Julian Peck to 25 August 2022 and Group Executive Commercial Development, Ross Gersbach to 22 August 2022 are included in the remuneration disclosure for Executive Key Management Personnel. All existing non-executive directors and executive management personnel served a term of at least 12 months in FY23.
29. Remuneration of external auditor
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| Amounts received or due and receivable by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu for: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audit or review of the fnancial reports: | ||
| Group | 1,165,300 | 1,058,900 |
| Subsidiaries | 138,500 | 8,500 |
| Total audit or review of the fnancial reports (1), (2) | 1,303,800 | 1,067,400 |
| Audit or review of the regulatory fnancial reporting to the | ||
| Australian Energy Regulator and Economic Regulation Authority | ||
| Subsidiaries | 597,800 | 564,000 |
| Total audit or review of the fnancial reports | 597,800 | 564,000 |
| Audit or review of the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (3) | ||
| Group | 124,650 | 78,773 |
| Subsidiaries | – | 30,000 |
| Total audit or review of the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting | 124,650 | 108,773 |
| Statutory assurance services required by legislation to be provided by the auditor | ||
| Agreed-upon procedures in relation to ASIC Regulatory Guide 231 requirements(4) | 12,300 | 11,500 |
| ASIC compliance plan audit | 23,000 | 21,500 |
| Financial services licence audit | 9,100 | 8,500 |
| Total statutory assurance services required by legislation to beprovided by the auditor | 44,400 | 41,500 |
| Other assurance services(5) | 335,525 | 216,285 |
| Total assurance services | 2,406,175 | 1,997,958 |
| Non-audit services (6) | 335,549 | 60,530 |
| Total remuneration of external auditor | 2,741,724 | 2,058,488 |
(1) Audit or review in the year ended 30 June 2023 included procedures over the payroll review for relevant periods up to 30 June 2023, together with procedures over the acquisition of Basslink and the audit of subsidiary financial statements for Basslink.
(2) Audit or Review in the year ended 30 June 2022 includes additional billings primarily in relation to the audit of payroll review.
(3) Service provided includes assurance procedures on the energy and emissions reports and submissions required under the relevant National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting legislations, and review of APA Group’s National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting systems and controls.
(4) Service provided includes agreed-upon procedures in relation to ASIC Regulatory Guide 231 requirements.
(5) Services provided were in accordance with the external auditor independence policy. These services include agreed-upon procedure engagements in relation to ASIC Regulatory Guide 231 requirements (FY2023 includes triennial procedures required under RG231) and limited assurance engagements relating to APA’s Climate Transition Plan and reported sustainability metrics.
(6) Services provided were in accordance with the external auditor independence policy. Non-audit services mainly comprise of: • The provision of technology licencing and related support services that are provided by an entity acquired by the external auditor during FY22, including the provision of support services to meet the data reporting requirements of the Wholesale Electricity Market (WEM) in Western Australia.
• The provision of services to determine assurance readiness for Scope 3 Emmissions Reporting.
156
APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued)
Other (continued)
30. Related party transactions
(a) Equity interest in related parties
Details of the percentage of ordinary securities held in subsidiaries are disclosed in note 25 and the details of the percentage held in joint operations, joint ventures and associates are disclosed in note 24.
(b) Responsible Entity – APA Group Limited
The Responsible Entity is wholly owned by APA Infrastructure Limited.
(c) Transactions with related parties within APA Group
Transactions between the entities that comprise APA Group during the financial year consisted of:
-
Dividends;
-
Asset lease rentals;
-
Loans advanced and payments received on long-term inter-entity loans;
-
Management fees;
-
Operational services provided between entities; and
-
Payments of distributions.
The above transactions were made on normal commercial terms and conditions. The Group charges interest on interentity loans from time to time.
All transactions between the entities that comprise APA Group have been eliminated on consolidation.
Refer to note 25 for details of the entities that comprise APA Group.
Management fees of $10 million (2022: $10 million) were paid to the Responsible Entity as reimbursement of costs incurred on behalf of APA Group. No amounts were paid directly by APA Group to the Directors of the Responsible Entity, except as disclosed at note 28.
APA Group Limited, in its capacity as trustee and Responsible Entity of the Trust, has guaranteed the payment of principal, interest and other amounts as provided in the senior debt facilities of APA Infrastructure Limited, the principal borrowing entity of APA Group.
(d) Transactions with other associates and joint ventures
The following transactions occurred with APA Group’s associates and joint ventures on normal market terms and conditions:
| 2023 SEA Gas Energy Infrastructure Investments EII 2 GDI(EII) |
Dividends from related parties $000 4,790 2,577 4,276 7,163 |
Sales to related parties $000 2,360 42,151 855 63,106 |
Purchases from related parties $000 – – – – |
Amount owed by related parties $000 – 6,152 369 5,786 |
Amount owed to related parties $000 30 – – – |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18,806 | 108,472 | – | 12,307 | 30 | |
| 2022 | |||||
| SEA Gas | 13,744 | 2,299 | – | 20 | – |
| Energy Infrastructure Investments | 3,185 | 30,674 | – | 8,128 | – |
| EII 2 | 4,176 | 838 | – | 360 | – |
| GDI(EII) | 5,816 | 59,602 | – | 6,589 | – |
| 26,921 | 93,413 | – | 15,097 | – |
157
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Other (continued)
31. Parent entity information
The accounting policies of the parent entity, which have been applied in determining the financial information below, are the same as those applied in the consolidated financial statements.
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2023 2022
$m $m
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| Financial position | ||
|---|---|---|
| Assets | ||
| Current assets | 1,436 | 1,605 |
| Non-current assets | 629 | 633 |
| Total assets | 2,065 | 2,238 |
| Liabilities | ||
| Current liabilities | 98 | 5 |
| Total liabilities | 98 | 5 |
| Net assets | 1,967 | 2,233 |
| Equity | ||
| Issued capital | 1,964 | 2,225 |
| Retained earnings | 3 | 8 |
| Total equity | 1,967 | 2,233 |
| Financial performance | ||
| Proft for theyear | 257 | 110 |
| Total comprehensive income | 257 | 110 |
Guarantees entered into by the parent entity in relation to the debts of its subsidiaries
APA Group Limited, in its capacity as Trustee and Responsible Entity of the Trust, has guaranteed the payment of principal, interest and other amounts as provided in the senior debt facilities of APA Infrastructure Limited, the principal borrowing entity of APA Group.
Due to the contingent nature of these financial guarantees no liability has been recorded (2022: $nil).
Contingent liabilities of the parent entity
Refer to note 27 for contingent liabilities. Bank guarantees are issued by the parent entity.
32. Adoption of new and revised Accounting Standards
Standards and Interpretations issued not yet adopted
At the date of authorisation of the financial statements, the Standards and Interpretations on issue but not yet effective are not expected to have material impact on APA Group’s accounting policies or any of the amounts recognised in the financial statements.
158 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Other (continued)
33. Events occurring after reporting date
Alinta Energy Pilbara acquisition
On 23 August 2023, APA entered into a Share Sale Agreement with Alinta Power Cat Pty Ltd and Alinta Energy Development Pty Ltd to acquire 100% of Alinta Energy Pilbara Holdings Pty Ltd and its subsidiaries and Alinta Energy (Newman Storage) Pty Ltd (together referred to as Alinta Energy Pilbara). Alinta Energy Pilbara is an energy infrastructure business underpinned by contracted operational assets (gas and solar power generation, gas transmission, battery energy storage systems (BESS) and electricity transmission), together with an extensive development pipeline of projects (wind, solar, gas reciprocating engines, BESS, and associated electricity transmission), located in Western Australia’s Pilbara region.
The enterprise value is $1,722 million excluding stamp duty and other transaction costs (currently estimated to be $86 million), and will be subject to post-completion adjustments for working capital, net debt and capex as at completion of the acquisition. Completion of the acquisition remains subject to meeting certain conditions precedent and is expected to occur in the fourth quarter of calendar year 2023.
Capital raise
APA also announced its plans to raise $675 million through a fully underwritten pro-rata institutional placement to partly fund the acquisition. The balance of the purchase price will be funded by new debt facilities established in connection with the acquisition of $993 million. In addition, a non-underwritten Security Purchase Plan will be undertaken for eligible securityholders to raise $75 million.
Final distribution declaration
On 23 August 2023, the Directors declared a final distribution of 29.0 cents per security ($342 million) for APA Group, an increase of 3.6%, or 1.0 cent per security over the previous corresponding period (2H22: 28.0 cents per security). This is comprised of a distribution of 21.66 cents per security from APA Infrastructure Trust and a distribution of 7.34 cents per security from APA Investment Trust. The APA Infrastructure Trust distribution represents a 6.64 cents per security unfranked profit distribution, and a 15.02 cents per security capital distribution. The APA Investment Trust distribution represents a 1.00 cent per security unfranked profit distribution and a 6.34 cents per security capital distribution. The distribution is expected to be paid on 13 September 2023.
Other than the events disclosed above, there have not been any events or transactions that have occurred subsequent to year end that would require adjustment to or disclosure in the financial statements.
159
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Declaration by the Directors of APA Group Limited
The Directors declare that:
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(a) in the Directors’ opinion, there are reasonable grounds to believe that APA Infrastructure Trust will be able to pay its debts as and when they become due and payable;
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(b) in the Directors’ opinion, the attached financial statements and notes thereto are in accordance with the Corporations Act 2001, including compliance with Accounting Standards and giving a true and fair view of the financial position and performance of APA Group;
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(c) in the Directors’ opinion, the financial statements and notes thereto are in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards issued by the International Accounting Standards Board; and
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(d) the Directors have been given the declarations by the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer required by section 295A of the Corporations Act 2001.
Signed in accordance with a resolution of the Directors of the Responsible Entity made pursuant to section 295(5) of the Corporations Act 2001.
On behalf of the Directors
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Michael Fraser Chairman
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Adam Watson CEO and Managing Director
SYDNEY, 23 August 2023
160 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Auditor’s Independence Declaration
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Deloitte Touché Tohmatsu ABN 74 490 121 060 Quay Quarter Tower 50 Bridge St Sydney, NSW, 2000 Australia Tel: +61 (0) 2 9322 7000 www.deloitte.com.au
23 August 2023
The Directors APA Group Limited as Responsible entity for APA Infrastructure Trust Level 25, 580 George Street Sydney NSW 2000
Dear Directors
Auditor’s Independence Declaration to APA Group Limited as Responsible Entity for APA Infrastructure Trust
In accordance with section 307C of the Corporations Act 2001 , I am pleased to provide the following declaration of independence to the directors of APA Group Limited as Responsible Entity for APA Infrastructure Trust.
As lead audit partner for the audit of the financial statements of APA Infrastructure Trust for the financial year ended 30 June 2023, I declare that to the best of my knowledge and belief, there have been no contraventions of:
(i) the auditor independence requirements of the Corporations Act 2001 in relation to the audit; and
(ii) any applicable code of professional conduct in relation to the audit.
Yours faithfully
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DELOITTE TOUCHE TOHMATSU
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Jamie Gatt Partner Chartered Accountants
Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation. Member of Deloitte Asia Pacific Limited and the Deloitte organisation.
161
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Independence Auditor’s Report
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Deloitte Touché Tohmatsu ABN 74 490 121 060 Quay Quarter Tower 50 Bridge St Sydney, NSW, 2000 Australia Tel: +61 (0) 2 9322 7000 www.deloitte.com.au
Independent Auditor’s Report to the Unitholders of APA Infrastructure Trust
Report on the Audit of the Financial Report
Opinion
We have audited the financial report of APA Infrastructure Trust (APA Infra) and its controlled interests (the “Group”) which comprises the consolidated statement of financial position as at 30 June 2023, the consolidated statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income, the consolidated statement of changes in equity and the consolidated statement of cash flows for the year then ended, and notes to the consolidated financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies, and the directors’ declaration.
In our opinion, the accompanying financial report of the Group is in accordance with the Corporations Act 2001 , including:
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Giving a true and fair view of the Group’s financial position as at 30 June 2023 and of its financial performance for the year then ended; and
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Complying with Australian Accounting Standards and the Corporations Regulations 2001 .
Basis for Opinion
We conducted our audit in accordance with Australian Auditing Standards. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Report section of our report. We are independent of the Group in accordance with the auditor independence requirements of the Corporations Act 2001 and the ethical requirements of the Accounting Professional & Ethical Standards Board’s APES 110 Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (including Independence Standards) (the Code) that are relevant to our audit of the financial report in Australia. We have also fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with the Code.
We confirm that the independence declaration required by the Corporations Act 2001 , which has been given to the directors of APA Group Limited (the “Responsible Entity”), would be in the same terms if given to the directors as at the time of this auditor’s report.
We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation. Member of Deloitte Asia Pacific Limited and the Deloitte organisation.
162
APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Independence Auditor’s Report (continued)
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Key Audit Matters
Key audit matters are those matters that, in our professional judgement, were of most significance in our audit of the financial report for the current period. These matters were addressed in the context of our audit of the financial report as a whole, and in forming our opinion thereon, and we do not provide a separate opinion on these matters.
| Key Audit Matter | How the scope of our audit responded to the Key Audit Matter |
|---|---|
| Carrying value of assets As at 30 June 2023, APA Group's balance sheet includes property, plant and equipment of $10.8 billion, goodwill of $1.2 billion allocated across several cash generating units (“CGUs”) and other intangible assets of $2.1 billion as disclosed in Note 14. Management conducts annual impairment tests (or more frequently if impairment indicators exist) to assess the recoverable amount of property, plant and equipment and intangible assets including Goodwill. This assessment is performed through the preparation of discounted cash flow Value in Use models. In conjunction with the impairment test, management also conducts a useful life review, which has been considered as part of the carrying value of assets assessment as outlined in Note 14. The impairment test and useful life assessment requires the exercise of significant judgement in respect of factors such as future supply and demand, impacts of climate change included on management’s assessed useful lives, discount rates, as well as economic assumptions such as inflation. |
Our procedures performed in conjunction with our valuation specialists, included but were not limited to: • obtaining an understanding of the process flows and key controls associated with the impairment models prepared by management and the carrying value paper approved by the Board used to estimate the recoverable amount of each CGU and impairment charges, where applicable; • evaluating management's methodologies and their documented basis for key assumptions utilised in the discounted cash flow impairment models, which are disclosed in Note 14; • assessing and challenging: - the identification of each CGU; - the identification and allocation of cash flows for the purposes of assessing the recoverable amount of each CGU; - the forecast price and volume assumptions used in the forecast cash flows, by comparing these assumptions to historical results, economic data and industry forecasts and considering the potential impact of climate change, where applicable; and - the discount rate applied by comparing to our independent estimate, third party evidence and broker consensus data; • checking the mathematical accuracy of the cash flow models; • agreeing forecast cash flows to the latest forecasts approved by the Board; • in conjunction with our climate specialists, assessing and challenging the useful lives adopted by management in particular in light of the potential impact of climate change by obtaining independent third party reports, contractual arrangements, regulatory returns and asset management plans; and • assessing and challenging the consideration by management of reasonably possible changes in key assumptions that would be required for each CGU to be impaired and considering the likelihood of such movement in those key assumptions arising. We have also assessed the appropriateness of the disclosures included in Note 14 to the financial statements. |
163
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Independence Auditor’s Report (continued)
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Key Audit Matter
Acquisition of Basslink
As disclosed in Note 26, APA Group entered into an agreement to acquire 100% interest in Basslink Pty Ltd and Basslink Telecoms Pty Ltd (together “Basslink”).
APA Group management have elected to apply the optional concentration test allowed under AASB 3 Business Combinations (“AASB 3”).
Given that substantially all of the fair value of gross assets acquired were in relation to the Basslink Interconnector the transaction has been accounted for as an asset acquisition.
We consider this to be a key audit matter due to the judgement in evaluating the accounting treatment in relation to this transaction including;
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choice of accounting method;
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• determination of the consideration amount;
How the scope of our audit responded to the Key Audit Matter
Our procedures performed in conjunction with our valuation specialists, included but were not limited to:
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obtaining the asset acquisition calculation performed by management and challenging management’s judgements utilised in determining the fair value of assets acquired and consideration paid;
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• independently recalculating the concentration test to confirm treatment as an asset acquisition;
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assessing management’s position paper on the treatment of the acquisition;
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• obtaining key acquisition agreements and assessing these in line with management’s judgements;
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in conjunction with our property, plant and equipment valuation specialists, assessing the valuation performed by management’s appointed valuation property, plant and equipment experts and challenged the assumptions utilised and methodology applied;
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• in conjunction with our treasury and capital markets specialists, assessing the classification and initial valuation of the key revenue contracts;
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assessing the accounting treatment for the settlement of debt; and
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• assessing the cash flow model supporting the business case.
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We have also assessed the appropriateness of the disclosures included in Note 26 to the financial statements.
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the repayment of debt; and
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the treatment of key revenue contracts.
Payroll remediation
As disclosed in Note 15, APA Group identified that certain team members were not paid in full compliance with APA Group's obligations under relevant industrial awards or Enterprise Agreements.
At 30 June 2023, the APA Group has estimated a provision to remediate payment shortfalls associated with current and prior years, including interest and other associated costs.
The estimated cost of remediation is based on a significant volume of historical data from a number of different sources, involves a high degree of complexity, interpretation, judgement, estimation and remains subject to further analysis. Given this, the payroll remediation provision is a key audit matter.
Our procedures performed in conjunction with our payroll specialists, included but were not limited to:
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developing an understanding of the basis for management's best estimate of the provision and the key areas of judgement applied in determining the provision;
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evaluating the competence, capabilities and objectivity of the management's external experts used to assist management in the calculation of the provision and the interpretation of the Enterprise Agreements;
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obtaining and critically evaluating the data and key assumptions used by management and their experts in developing the provision;
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assessing the appropriateness of the models used, including the key assumptions therein, and the statistical methods used; and
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on a sample basis, recalculating the remediation estimate for selected salaried and wage team members and evaluating the results.
We have also assessed the appropriateness of the disclosures included in Note 15 to the financial statements.
164
APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Independence Auditor’s Report (continued)
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How the scope of our audit responded to the
-
Key Audit Matter Key Audit Matter
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Information Technology (“IT”) systems Our procedures in conjunction with our IT specialists, included but were not limited to:
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The IT systems across APA Group are complex and there are varying levels of • developing an understanding of the IT environment and the integration. These systems are vital to identification of key financial systems and processes; the ongoing operations of the business • testing the design and implementation of the key IT controls of and to the integrity of the financial relevant financial reporting systems and processes of APA Group; reporting process and as a result, the and assessment of IT systems forms a key • where we identified matters relating to IT systems or application component of our external audit and is controls relevant to our audit we designed and performed additional considered a key audit matter. procedures, including the identification and testing of manual controls and performed alternative substantive procedures.
Other Information
The directors of the Responsible Entity (the “Directors”) are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information included in the Group’s annual report for the year ended 30 June 2023 but does not include the financial report and our auditor’s report thereon.
Our opinion on the financial report does not cover the other information and we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.
In connection with our audit of the financial report, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial report or our knowledge obtained in the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated.
If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact. We have nothing to report in this regard.
Responsibilities of the Directors for the Financial Report
The directors of the Responsible Entity 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 gives a true and fair view and is free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
In preparing the financial report, the directors are responsible for assessing the ability of the Group to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the directors either intend to liquidate the Group or to cease operations, or has no realistic alternative but to do so.
165
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Independence Auditor’s Report (continued)
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Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Report
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial report as a whole is free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with the Australian Auditing Standards will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of this financial report.
As part of an audit in accordance with the Australian Auditing Standards, we exercise professional judgement and maintain professional scepticism throughout the audit. We also:
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Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial report, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.
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Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit 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 Group’s internal control.
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Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates and related disclosures made by the directors.
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Conclude on the appropriateness of the directors’ use of the going concern basis of accounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the Group’s ability to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw attention in our auditor’s report to the related disclosures in the financial report or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify our opinion. Our conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our auditor’s report. However, future events or conditions may cause the Group to cease to continue as a going concern.
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Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the financial report, including the disclosures, and whether the financial report represents the underlying transactions and events in a manner that achieves fair presentation.
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Obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence regarding the financial information of the entities or business activities within the Group to express an opinion on the financial report. We are responsible for the direction, supervision and performance of the Group’s audit. We remain solely responsible for our audit opinion.
We communicate with the directors regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit.
We also provide the directors with a statement that we have complied with relevant ethical requirements regarding independence, and to communicate with them all relationships and other matters that may reasonably be thought to bear on our independence, and where applicable, actions taken to eliminate threats or safeguards applied. From the matters communicated with the directors, we determine those matters that were of most significance in the audit of the financial report of the current period and are therefore the key audit matters. We describe these matters in our auditor’s report unless law or regulation precludes public disclosure about the matter or when, in extremely rare circumstances, we determine that a matter should not be communicated in our report because the adverse consequences of doing so would reasonably be expected to outweigh the public interest benefits of such communication.
166
APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Infrastructure Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Independence Auditor’s Report (continued)
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Report on the Remuneration Report
Opinion on the Remuneration Report
We have audited the Remuneration Report of APA Group Limited, as Responsible Entity for APA Infrastructure Trust, included on pages 74 to 91 of the Directors’ Report for the year ended 30 June 2023.
In our opinion, the Remuneration Report of APA Group Limited for the year ended 30 June 2023 has been prepared in accordance with section 300A of the Corporations Act 2001 .
Responsibilities
The directors have voluntarily presented the Remuneration Report of the APA Group Limited, as Responsible Entity for APA Infrastructure Trust, which has been prepared 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.
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DELOITTE TOUCHE TOHMATSU
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Jamie Gatt Partner Chartered Accountants Sydney, 23 August 2023
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Jimmy McGarty Partner Chartered Accountants Sydney, 23 August 2023
167
APA Investment Trust and its Controlled Entities Directors’ Report
Directors’ Report
The Directors of APA Group Limited (the Responsible Entity) submit their report and the annual financial report of APA Investment Trust (APA Invest) and its controlled entities (together the Consolidated Entity) for the financial year ended 30 June 2023. This report refers to the consolidated results of APA Invest, one of the two stapled entities of APA Group, with the other stapled entity being APA Infrastructure Trust (together APA).
Directors
The names of the Directors of the Responsible Entity during the year and since year end are:
| Current Directors | First Appointed |
|---|---|
| Michael Fraser | 1 September 2015 and appointed Chairman 27 October 2017 |
| Adam Watson | 30 September 2022 appointed Acting Chief Executive Ofcer and appointed permanent Chief Executive Ofcer and Managing Director 19 December 2022 |
| James Fazzino | 21 February 2019 |
| Debra (Debbie) Goodin | 1 September 2015 |
| Shirley In’t Veld | 19 March 2018 |
| Rhoda Phillippo | 1 June 2020 |
| Peter Wasow | 19 March 2018 |
| Steven (Steve) Crane | 1 January 2011. Retired 15 September 2022. |
| Robert(Rob) Wheals | 6 July2019 appointed Chief Executive Ofcer and ManagingDirector. Resigned 30 September 2022. |
Nino Ficca has been appointed a Director, effective 1 September 2023.
The Company Secretaries of the Responsible Entity during the year were Amanda Cheney and Bronwyn Weir (who was appointed 19 June 2023).
Principal activities
The Consolidated Entity operates as an investment and financing entity within the APA Group.
Executive Leadership changes:
-
On 30 September 2022, Rob Wheals resigned as Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
-
On 30 September 2022, Adam Watson was appointed as the Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
-
On 19 December 2022, Adam Watson was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director (CEO)
-
On 20 August 2022, Julian Peck resigned as Group Executive Strategy and Commercial
-
On 25 August 2022, Darren Rogers started secondment as the new Group Executive Strategy and Commercial;
-
On 17 October 2022, Darren Rogers was appointed as the new Group Executive Strategy and Commercial
-
On 1 November 2022, Liz McNamara was appointed to the newly created role of Group Executive Sustainability and Corporate Affairs
-
On 2 November 2022, Vin Vassallo was appointed to the newly created role of Group Executive Electricity Transmission Development.
With the internal promotion of Adam Watson and Darren Rogers, the following two appointments have been made commencing in FY24.
-
Chief Financial Officer (CFO) – Garrick Rollason appointed as CFO effective October 2023, Kynwynn Strong to remain as acting until Garrick’s commencement date.
-
Group Executive Operations – Petrea Bradford appointed as Group Executive of Operations effective 28 August 2023, Stuart Davis to remain as acting until Petrea’s commencement date.
168 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Investment Trust and its Controlled Entities Directors’ Report
Subsequent events
Alinta Energy Pilbara acquisition
On 23 August 2023, APA entered into a Share Sale Agreement with Alinta Power Cat Pty Ltd and Alinta Energy Development Pty Ltd to acquire 100% of Alinta Energy Pilbara Holdings Pty Ltd and its subsidiaries and Alinta Energy (Newman Storage) Pty Ltd (together referred to as Alinta Energy Pilbara). Alinta Energy Pilbara is an energy infrastructure business underpinned by contracted operational assets (gas and solar power generation, gas transmission, battery energy storage systems (BESS) and electricity transmission), together with an extensive development pipeline of projects (wind, solar, gas reciprocating engines, BESS, and associated electricity transmission), located in Western Australia’s Pilbara region.
The enterprise value is $1,722 million excluding stamp duty and other transaction costs (currently estimated to be $86 million), and will be subject to post-completion adjustments for working capital, net debt and capex as at completion of the acquisition. Completion of the acquisition remains subject to meeting certain conditions precedent and is expected to occur in the fourth quarter of calendar year 2023.
Capital raise
APA also announced its plans to raise $675 million through a fully underwritten pro-rata institutional placement to partly fund the acquisition. The balance of the purchase price will be funded by new debt facilities established in connection with the acquisition of $993 million. In addition, a non-underwritten Security Purchase Plan will be undertaken for eligible securityholders to raise $75 million.
Final distribution declaration
On 23 August 2023, the Directors declared a final distribution of 29.0 cents per security ($342,169,000) for APA Group, an increase of 3.6%, or 1.0 cent per security over the previous corresponding period (30 June 2022: 28.0 cents). This comprises a distribution of 21.66 cents per security from APA Infrastructure Trust and a distribution of 7.34 cents per security from APA Investment Trust.
The APA Infrastructure Trust distribution represents 6.64 cents per security unfranked profit distribution and 15.02 cents per security capital distribution. The APA Investment Trust distribution represents a 1.00 cent per security unfranked profit distribution and 6.34 cents capital distribution. The distribution is expected to be paid on 13 September 2023.
Other than noted above and as disclosed elsewhere in this report, in the interval between 30 June 2023 and the date of this report, no matter or circumstance has significantly affected, or may significantly affect, the Group’s operations, the results of those operations, or the Group’s state of affairs, in future financial years.
169
APA Investment Trust and its Controlled Entities Directors’ Report
Review and results of operations
The Consolidated Entity reported net profit after tax of $23,725,000 for the year ended 30 June 2023 and total revenue of $23,738,000.
Operating Financial Review
Information on the operations and financial position of the Group and its business strategies and prospects is set out on pages 9 to 58 of the Annual Report and forms part of this Directors’ Report.
Distributions
| Final FY22 distribution paid 14 September 2022 |
Interim FY23 distribution paid 16 March 2023 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Cents per security Total distribution $000 |
Cents per security Total distribution $000 |
|
| APA Investment Trust proft distribution APA Investment Trust capital distribution |
1.14 13,502 5.15 60,682 |
1.01 11,904 2.40 28,379 |
| Total | 6.29 74,184 |
3.41 40,283 |
| Final FY23 distribution payable 13 September 2023 |
||
| Cents per security Total distribution $000 |
||
| APA Investment Trust proft distribution APA Investment Trust capital distribution |
1.00 11,821 6.34 74,834 |
|
| Total | 7.34 86,655 |
Directors
Information on Directors and Company Secretaries
For information relating to the qualifications and experience of Directors and Company Secretary refer to pages 62 to 64.
Directorships of other listed companies
Directorships of other listed companies held by Directors at any time in the three years immediately before the end of the financial year:
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Name Company Period of directorship
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| Michael Fraser | Aurizon Holdings Limited | February 2016 to February 2022 |
|---|---|---|
| Orora Limited | Since April 2022 | |
| Adam Watson | – | – |
| James Fazzino | Tassal GroupLimited | May2020 to November 2022 |
| Debra Goodin | Senex Energy Limited | May 2014 to November 2020 |
| Atlas Arteria Limited | Since September 2017, Chair since November 2020 | |
| Ansell Limited | Since December 2022 | |
| Shirley In’t Veld | Northern Star Resources Limited | September 2016 to June 2021 |
| Alumina Limited | Since August 2020 | |
| Develop Global Limited | ||
| (formerly Venturex Resources Limited) | Since July 2021 | |
| Karora Resources Inc | Since December 2021 | |
| Rhoda Phillippo | Dexus Funds Management Limited | Since February2023 |
| Peter Wasow | Oz Minerals Limited | November 2017 to May2023 |
170 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
Directors Meetings
During year, the Board reviewed the roles and responsibilities of the Board and its Committees and made the following changes:
-
The Health, Safety, Environment and Heritage Committee was renamed the Safety and Sustainability Committee
-
The Audit and Risk Committee was divided into the Audit & Finance Committee and the Risk Management Committee
Further information on the Board and Committees can be found in APA’s Corporate Governance Statement which is available on our website.
During the year, 11 Board meetings, three Risk Management Committee meetings, three Audit and Finance Committee meetings, five People and Remuneration Committee meetings, four Safety and Sustainability Committee meetings, and four Nomination Committee meetings were held. The Committee previously known as the Audit and Risk Committee met once.
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People and Audit and Risk Audit and Risk Safety and
Board Remuneration Finance Management Management [1] Sustainability Nomination
Directors A B A B A B A B A B A B A B
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| Michael Fraser | 11 | 11 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adam Watson2 | 5 | 5 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Robert Wheals3 | 2 | 2 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Steven Crane4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | – | – | 1 | 1 |
| James Fazzino | 11 | 11 | – | – | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | – | – |
| Debra Goodin | 11 | 11 | – | – | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 |
| ShirleyIn’t Veld | 11 | 11 | 5 | 5 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 |
| Rhoda Phillippo | 11 | 11 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Peter Wasow | 11 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – |
A Number of meetings held during the time the Director held office or was a member of the committee during the financial year. B Number of meetings attended.
Directors’ security holdings
The aggregate number of APA securities held directly, indirectly or beneficially by Directors or their related entities at 30 June 2023 is 282,388.
Directors’ relevant interests in APA securities
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Fully paid securities at Fully paid securities at
Directors 1 July 2022 Securities acquired Securities disposed 30 June 2023
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| Michael Fraser | 102,942 | – | – | 102,942 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adam Watson5 | 55,556 | – | – | 55,556 |
| Debra Goodin | 24,179 | – | – | 24,179 |
| James Fazzino | 30,751 | – | – | 30,751 |
| Shirley In’t Veld | 25,000 | – | – | 25,000 |
| Peter Wasow | 26,000 | – | – | 26,000 |
| Rhoda Phillippo | 10,000 | 7,960 | – | 17,960 |
| Robert Wheals6 | 108,721 | 52,213 | 160,394 | |
| Steven Crane6 | 30,000 | 30,000 |
As at 30 June 2023, Adam Watson held 397,255 performance rights granted under APA Group’s long-term incentive plan. Each performance right is a right to receive one ordinary stapled security in APA subject to satisfaction of certain performance hurdles. Further information can be found in section 8 of APA’s Remuneration Report.
The Directors hold no other rights or options over APA securities. There are no contracts to which a Director is a party or under which the Director is entitled to a benefit and that confer a right to call for or deliver APA securities.
1 The Audit and Risk Management Committee was dissolved on 14 October 2022 and replaced by the Audit and Finance Committee and the Risk Management Committee.
2 Adam Watson appointed as a Director on 19 December 2022.
3 Robert Wheals resigned as a Director on 30 September 2022.
4 Steven Crane retired as a Director on 15 September 2022.
5 Adam Watson was appointed as a Director effective 19 December 2022 at which time he held 55,556 securities.
6 Balance as at date of ceasing to be a Director.
171
APA Investment Trust and its Controlled Entities Directors’ Report
Options granted
No options over unissued APA securities were granted during or since the end of the financial year. No unissued APA securities were under option at the date of this report. No APA securities were issued during or since the end of the financial year as a result of an option being exercised over unissued APA securities.
Indemnification of Officers
During the year, the Responsible Entity paid a premium on a contract insuring the Directors and Officers of any APA Group entity against certain liability incurred in performing those roles. The contract of insurance prohibits disclosure of the specific nature of the liability and the amount of the premium.
APA Group Limited, in its own capacity and as responsible entity of APA Infrastructure Trust and APA Investment Trust, indemnifies each Director and Company Secretary, and certain other executives, former executives and officers of the Responsible Entity or any APA Group entity, under a range of deed polls and indemnity agreements, which have been in place since 1 July 2000. The indemnity operates to the full extent allowed by law but only to the extent not covered by insurance and is on terms the Board considers usual for arrangements of this type.
Under its constitution, APA Group Limited (in its personal capacity) indemnifies each person who is or has been a Director, Company Secretary or Executive Officer of that Company.
The Responsible Entity has not otherwise, during or since the end of the financial year, indemnified or agreed to indemnify an officer or external auditor of the Responsible Entity or any APA Group entity against a liability incurred by such an officer or auditor.
Information required for registered schemes
Fees paid to the Responsible Entity and its associates (including Directors and Secretaries of the Responsible Entity, related bodies corporate and Directors and Secretaries of related bodies corporate) out of APA scheme property during the financial year are disclosed in note 18 to the financial statements.
Except as disclosed in this report, neither the Responsible Entity nor any of its associates holds any APA Investment Trust units.
The number of APA Investment Trust units issued during the financial year, and the number of APA Investment Trust units
on issue at the end of the financial year, are disclosed in note 13 to the financial statements.
The value of the Consolidated Entity’s assets as at the end of the financial year is disclosed in the balance sheet in total assets, and the basis of valuation is disclosed in the notes to the financial statements.
Auditor’s independence declaration
A copy of the independence declaration of the auditor, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, as required under section 307C of the Corporations Act 2001, is included at page 191.
Rounding of amounts
The Consolidated Entity is an entity of the kind referred to in ASIC Corporations Instrument 2016/191. In accordance with that Class Order, amounts in the Directors’ report and the financial report are rounded to the nearest thousand dollars, unless otherwise indicated.
Authorisation
The Directors’ Report is signed in accordance with a resolution of the Directors of the Responsible Entity made pursuant to section 298(2) of the Corporations Act 2001.
On behalf of the Directors
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Michael Fraser Chairman
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Adam Watson CEO and Managing Director
Sydney, 23 August 2023
172 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Investment Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Consolidated Statement of Profit or Loss and Other Comprehensive Income
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2023 2022
Note $000 $000
Revenue 4 23,738 29,161
Expenses 4 (13) (12)
Profit before tax 23,725 29,149
Income tax expense 5 – –
Profit for the year 23,725 29,149
Other comprehensive income – –
Total comprehensive income for the year 23,725 29,149
Profit attributable to:
Unitholders of the parent 23,725 29,149
23,725 29,149
Total comprehensive income attributable to:
Unitholders of the parent 23,725 29,149
Earnings per unit 2023 2022
Basic and diluted (cents per unit) 6 2.0 2.5
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The above consolidated statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes.
173
APA Investment Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Consolidated Statement of Financial Position
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2023 2022
Note $000 $000
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| Current assets | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Receivables | 8 | 977 | 938 |
| Non-current assets | |||
| Receivables | 8 | 3,262 | 4,239 |
| Other fnancial assets | 11 | 562,963 | 652,759 |
| Non-current assets | 566,225 | 656,998 | |
| Total assets | 567,202 | 657,936 | |
| Current liabilities | |||
| Trade and otherpayables | 9 | 25 | 17 |
| Total liabilities | 25 | 17 | |
| Net assets | 567,177 | 657,919 | |
| Equity | |||
| Issued capital | 13 | 555,356 | 644,417 |
| Retained earnings | 11,821 | 13,502 | |
| Total equity | 567,177 | 657,919 |
The above consolidated statement of financial position should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes.
174 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Investment Trust and its Controlled Entities As at 30 June 2023
Consolidated Statement of Changes in Equity
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Retained
Issued capital earnings Total
Note $000 $000 $000
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| Balance at 1 July 2021 | 765,313 | 19,742 | 785,055 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Proft for theyear | – | 29,149 | 29,149 | |
| Total comprehensive income for the year | – | 29,149 | 29,149 | |
| Distributions to unitholders | 7 | (120,896) | (35,389) | (156,285) |
| Balance at 30 June 2022 | 644,417 | 13,502 | 657,919 | |
| Balance at 1 July 2022 | 644,417 | 13,502 | 657,919 | |
| Proft for theyear | – | 23,725 | 23,725 | |
| Total comprehensive income for the year | – | 23,725 | 23,725 | |
| Distributions to unitholders | 7 | (89,061) | (25,406) | (114,467) |
| Balance at 30 June 2023 | 555,356 | 11,821 | 567,177 |
The above consolidated statement of changes in equity should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes.
175
APA Investment Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows
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2023 2022
Note $000 $000
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| Cash fows from operating activities | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Trust distribution – related party | 19,704 | 19,540 | |
| Interest received – related parties | 3,298 | 8,938 | |
| Proceeds from fnance leases | 1,167 | 1,168 | |
| Receipts from customers | 507 | 410 | |
| Payments to suppliers | (7) | (6) | |
| Net cashprovided by operating activities | 24,669 | 30,050 | |
| Cash fows from investing activities | |||
| Receipts from relatedparties | 89,798 | 126,235 | |
| Net cashprovided by investing activities | 89,798 | 126,235 | |
| Cash fows from fnancing activities | |||
| Distributions to unitholders | 7 | (114,467) | (156,285) |
| Net cash used in fnancing activities | (114,467) | (156,285) | |
| Net movement in cash and cash equivalents | – | – | |
| Cash and cash equivalents at beginningof fnancialyear | – | – | |
| Cash and cash equivalents at end of fnancialyear | – | – |
The above consolidated statement of cash flows should be read in conjunction with the accompanying notes.
Cash flows are included in the statement of cash flows on a gross basis. The GST component of cash flows arising from investing and financing activities which is recoverable from, or payable to, the taxation authority is classified within operating cash flows.
176 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Investment Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements
Basis of Preparation
1. About this report
In the following financial statements, note disclosures are grouped into six sections being: Basis of Preparation; Financial Performance; Operating Assets and Liabilities; Capital Management; Group Structure; and Other. Each note sets out the accounting policies applied in producing the results along with any key judgements and estimates used.
| Basis of Preparation | 177 |
|---|---|
| 1. About this report | 177 |
| 2. General information | 178 |
| Financial Performance | 179 |
| 3. Segment information | 179 |
| 4. Proft from operations | 179 |
| 5. Income tax | 179 |
| 6. Earnings per unit | 180 |
| 7. Distributions | 180 |
| Operating Assets and Liabilities | 181 |
| 8. Receivables | 181 |
| 9. Payables | 181 |
| 10. Leases | 181 |
| Capital Management | 182 |
|---|---|
| 11. Other fnancial assets | 182 |
| 12. Financial risk management | 183 |
| 13. Issued capital | 184 |
| Group Structure | 185 |
| 14. Subsidiaries | 185 |
| Other | 185 |
| 15. Commitments and contingencies | 185 |
| 16. Director and Executive Key | |
| Management Personnel remuneration | 185 |
| 17. Remuneration of external auditor | 186 |
| 18. Related party transactions | 186 |
| 19. Parent entity information | 187 |
| 20. Adoption of new and revised | |
| Accounting Standards | 187 |
| 21. Events occurring after reporting date | 188 |
177
APA Investment Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Basis of Preparation (continued)
2. General information
APA Investment Trust (“APA Invest” or “Trust”) is one of the two stapled trusts of APA Group, the other stapled trust being APA Infrastructure Trust. Each of APA Infrastructure Trust and APA Investment Trust are registered managed investment schemes regulated by the Corporations Act 2001. APA Investment Trust units are “stapled” to APA Infrastructure Trust units on a one-to-one basis so that one APA Investment Trust unit and one APA Infrastructure Trust unit form a single stapled security which trades on the Australian Securities Exchange under the code “APA”.
This financial report represents the consolidated financial statements of APA Investment Trust and its controlled entities (together the “Consolidated Entity”). For the purposes of preparing the consolidated financial report, the Consolidated Entity is a for-profit entity.
All intragroup transactions and balances have been eliminated on consolidation. Where necessary, adjustments are made to the assets, liabilities, and results of subsidiaries, joint arrangements and associates to bring their accounting policies into line with those used by the Consolidated Entity.
APA Investment Trust’s registered office and principal place of business is as follows:
Level 25 580 George Street SYDNEY NSW 2000 Tel: (02) 9693 0000
APA Investment Trust holds APA Group’s investments.
The financial report for the year ended 30 June 2023 was authorised for issue in accordance with a resolution of the directors on 23 August 2023.
This general purpose financial report has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the Corporations Act 2001, Australian Accounting Standards and other authoritative pronouncements of the Australian Accounting Standards Board (AASB), and also complies with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board.
The financial report has been prepared on the basis of historical cost, except for the revaluation of financial instruments. The financial report is presented in Australian dollars and all values are rounded to the nearest thousand dollars ($000) in accordance with ASIC Corporations Instrument 2016/191, unless otherwise stated.
178 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Investment Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued)
Financial Performance
3. Segment information
The Consolidated Entity has one reportable segment being energy infrastructure investment.
The Consolidated Entity is an investing entity within the APA Infrastructure Trust stapled group. As the Trust only operates in one segment, it has not disclosed segment information separately.
4. Profit from operations
Profit before income tax includes the following items of income and expense:
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2023 2022
$000 $000
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| Revenue | ||
|---|---|---|
| Distributions | ||
| Trust distribution – relatedparty | 19,704 | 19,540 |
| 19,704 | 19,540 | |
| Finance income | ||
| Interest – related parties | 3,298 | 8,938 |
| Finance lease income – relatedparty | 229 | 273 |
| 3,527 | 9,211 | |
| Other revenue | ||
| Other | 507 | 410 |
| Total revenue | 23,738 | 29,161 |
| Expenses | ||
| Audit fees | (13) | (12) |
| Total expenses | (13) | (12) |
Revenue is recognised at an amount that reflects the consideration to which the Consolidated Entity expects to be entitled. Amounts disclosed as revenue are net of duties and taxes paid. Revenue is recognised for the major business activities as follows:
-
Interest revenue, which is recognised as it accrues and is determined using the effective interest method;
-
Distribution revenue, which is recognised when the right to receive a distribution has been established; and
-
Finance lease income, which is recognised when receivable.
5. Income tax
Income tax expense is not brought to account in respect of APA Investment Trust as, pursuant to Australian taxation laws, APA Investment Trust is not liable for income tax provided that its realised taxable income (including any assessable realised capital gains) is fully distributed to its unitholders each year.
179
APA Investment Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Financial Performance (continued)
6. Earnings per unit
| 2023 cents |
2022 cents |
|
|---|---|---|
| Basic and diluted earningsper unit | 2.0 | 2.5 |
The earnings and weighted average number of units used in the calculation of basic and diluted earnings per unit are as follows:
| 2023 $000 |
2022 $000 |
|
|---|---|---|
| Netproft attributable to unitholders for calculatingbasic and diluted earningsper unit | 23,725 | 29,149 |
| 2023 No. of units 000 |
2022 No. of units 000 |
|
| Adjusted weighted average number of ordinary units used in the calculation of: | ||
| Basic earnings per unit | 1,179,894 | 1,179,894 |
| Diluted earningsper unit(1) | 1,182,119 | 1,180,907 |
(1) Includes $3 million (2022: $2 million) performance rights granted under the long-term incentive plan. Each performance right is a right to receive one ordinary stapled security in APA Group subject to satisfaction of certain performance hurdles and board approval. Further information can be found in the most recent annual report. APA Group has historically instructed Link Market Services to acquire securities on-market to minimise dilution of existing securityholders.
7. Distributions
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2023 2023 2022 2022
cents per Total cents per Total
unit $000 unit $000
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| Recognised amounts | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final FY22 distribution payable on 14 September 2022 | ||||
| (30 June 2021: Final FY21 distribution payable on 15 September 2021) | ||||
| Proft distribution(1) | 1.14 | 13,502 | 1.67 | 19,742 |
| Capital distribution | 5.15 | 60,682 | 6.70 | 79,010 |
| 6.29 | 74,184 | 8.37 | 98,752 | |
| Interim distribution payable on 16 March 2023 | ||||
| (31 December 2021: Interim FY22 distribution payable on 17 March 2022) | ||||
| Proft distribution(1) | 1.01 | 11,904 | 1.33 | 15,647 |
| Capital distribution | 2.40 | 28,379 | 3.55 | 41,886 |
| 3.41 | 40,283 | 4.88 | 57,533 | |
| Total distributions recognised | ||||
| Proft distribution(1) | 2.15 | 25,406 | 3.00 | 35,389 |
| Capital distributions(note 13) | 7.55 | 89,061 | 10.25 | 120,896 |
| 9.70 | 114,467 | 13.25 | 156,285 | |
| Unrecognised amounts | ||||
| Final FY23 distribution payable on 13 September 2023 (2) | ||||
| (30 June 2022: Final FY22 distribution paid on 14 September 2022) | ||||
| Proft distribution(1) | 1.00 | 11,821 | 1.14 | 13,502 |
| Capital distribution | 6.34 | 74,834 | 5.15 | 60,682 |
| 7.34 | 86,655 | 6.29 | 74,184 |
(1) Profit distributions unfranked (30 June 2021, 31 December 2021, 30 June 2022 and 31 December 2022: unfranked).
(2) Record date 30 June 2023.
The final distribution in respect of the financial year has not been recognised in this financial report because the final distribution was not declared, determined nor publicly confirmed prior to the end of the financial year.
180 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Investment Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued)
Operating Assets and Liabilities
8. Receivables
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2023 2022
$000 $000
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|||||
|---|---|---|---|
|Finance lease receivable – related party|(note 10)|977|938|
|Current|977|938|
|Finance lease receivable – related party|(note 10)|3,262|4,239|
|Non-current|3,262|4,239|
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In determining the recoverability of a receivable, the Consolidated Entity considers any change in the credit quality of the receivable from the date the credit was initially granted up to the reporting date. The directors have assessed that there is no expected credit loss for the finance lease receivable.
None of the above receivables are past due.
9. Payables
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||||
|---|---|---|
|2023|2022|
|$000|$000|
|Other payables|25|17|
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Trade and other payables are recognised when the Consolidated Entity becomes obliged to make future payments resulting from the purchase of goods and services. Trade and other payables are stated at amortised cost.
The net amount of GST recoverable from, or payable to, the taxation authority is included as part of receivables or payables. GST receivable or GST payable is only recognised once a tax invoice has been issued or received.
10. Leases
Consolidated Entity as lessor
Leases are classified as finance leases when the terms of the lease transfer substantially all of the risks and rewards incidental to ownership of the leased asset to the lessee. All other leases are classified as operating leases.
Finance lease receivables relate to the lease of a pipeline lateral.
There are no contingent rental payments due.
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Finance lease receivables 2023 2022
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|||||
|---|---|---|---|
|Not longer than 1 year|1,168|1,167|
|Longer than 1 year and not longer than 5 years|3,501|4,669|
|Longer than 5 years|–|–|
|Minimum future lease payments receivable|[ (1)]|4,669|5,836|
|Less: Future finance income|(430)|(659)|
|Present value of lease receivables|4,239|5,177|
|Included in the Consolidated Statement of Financial Position as part of:|
|Current receivables (note 8)|977|938|
|Non-current receivables (note 8)|3,262|4,239|
|4,239|5,177|
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(1) Minimum future lease payments receivable includes the aggregate of all lease payments receivable and any guaranteed residual.
The Consolidated Entity does not have any operating leases where it is the lessor.
Amounts due from a lessee under a finance lease are recorded as receivables. Finance lease receivables are initially recognised at the amount equal to the present value of the minimum lease payments receivable plus the present value of any unguaranteed residual value expected to accrue at the end of the lease term. Finance lease receipts are allocated between interest revenue and reduction of the lease receivable over the term of the lease in order to reflect a constant periodic rate of return on the net investment outstanding in respect of the lease.
181
APA Investment Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued)
Capital Management
11. Other financial assets
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2023 2022
$000 $000
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| Non-current | ||
|---|---|---|
| Loan to related party | 455,584 | 545,380 |
| Investment in relatedparty | 107,379 | 107,379 |
| 562,963 | 652,759 |
Investment in related party
The investment in related party reflects GasNet Australia Investments Trust’s (“GAIT”) investment in 100% of the B Class units in GasNet A Trust. The B Class units give GAIT preferred rights to the income and invested capital of GasNet A Trust, but hold no voting rights. The A Class unitholder may however suspend for a period or terminate all of the B Class unitholder rights to distributions of income and capital, with the exception of the initial investment. As such, GAIT neither controls nor has a significant influence over GasNet A Trust. GasNet Australia Trust, a related party wholly owned by APA Group, owns 100% of the A Class units in GasNet A Trust and, accordingly, GasNet A Trust is included in the consolidation of the APA Group.
The investment in B Class units is measured at fair value through profit or loss. The measurement of fair value takes into consideration the fact that the A Class unitholders have discretion over the return on the initial capital invested and the instrument can be called on demand. Therefore, fair value is measured based on the amount that can be called on demand, adjusted for the credit and liquidity risk of GasNet A Trust. As the impact of credit and liquidity risk is not significant, the fair value of the B Class units is not materially different to the amount of capital invested.
The Consolidated Entity does not intend to dispose of its interest in GasNet A Trust.
Classification of financial assets
Debt instruments that meet the following conditions are subsequently measured at amortised cost:
-
The financial asset is held within a business model whose objective is to hold financial assets in order to collect contractual cash flows; and
-
The contractual terms of the financial asset give rise on specified dates to cash flows that are solely payments of principal and interest on the principal amount outstanding.
Debt instruments that meet the following conditions are subsequently measured at fair value through other comprehensive income (FVTOCI):
-
The financial asset is held within a business model whose objective is achieved by both collecting contractual cash flows and selling the financial assets; and
-
The contractual terms of the financial asset give rise on specified dates to cash flows that are solely payments of principal and interest on the principal amount outstanding.
By default, all other financial assets are subsequently measured at fair value through profit or loss (FVTPL).
Financial assets at FVTPL are measured at fair value at the end of each reporting period, with any fair value gains or losses recognised in profit or loss to the extent they are not part of a designated hedging relationship.
Derivatives that the Consolidated Entity does not elect to apply hedge accounting or does not meet the hedge accounting criteria, are classified as ‘financial assets/liabilities’ for accounting purposes and accounted at FVTPL.
Effective interest method
The effective interest method is a method of calculating the amortised cost of a financial asset and of allocating interest income over the relevant period. The effective interest rate is the rate that exactly discounts estimated future cash receipts through the expected life of the financial asset, or where appropriate, a shorter period.
Receivables and loans
Trade receivables, loans, and other receivables that have fixed or determinable payments that are not quoted in an active market are classified as ‘loans and receivables’. Trade and other receivables are stated at their amortised cost less impairment.
182 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Investment Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Capital Management (continued) 11. Other financial assets (continued)
Impairment of financial assets
In relation to the impairment of financial assets, it is no longer necessary for a credit event to have occurred before credit losses are recognised. The Consolidated Entity applies an expected credit loss (ECL) model to account for ECL and changes in these ECL at each reporting date to reflect changes in credit risk since initial recognition of a financial asset.
The Consolidated Entity recognises a loss allowance for ECL on investments in debt instruments that are measured at amortised cost, for example, loans advanced to related parties and receivables. For finance lease receivables, the Consolidated Entity applies the simplified approach to assessing ECL, which is based on the Consolidated Entity’s historical credit losses and reasonable and supportable information that is available without undue cost.
The amount of ECL under either approach is updated at each reporting date to reflect changes in credit risk since initial recognition of the respective financial instrument.
The Consolidated Entity recognises an impairment gain or loss in profit or loss for all financial instruments with a corresponding adjustment to their carrying amount through a loss allowance account. Aside from the additional disclosure requirements, the history of collection rates and forward-looking information that is available without undue cost or effort shows that the Consolidated Entity does not have an expected loss on collection of debtors or loans.
12. Financial risk management
The Consolidated Entity’s Treasury team is responsible for the overall management of the Consolidated Entity’s capital raising activities, liquidity, lender relationships and engagement, debt portfolio management, interest rate and foreign exchange hedging, credit rating maintenance and third party indemnities (bank guarantees) within risk management parameters reviewed by the Board.
The Consolidated Entity’s activities generate financial instruments comprising of cash, receivables, payables and interest bearing liabilities which expose it to various risks as summarised below:
(a) Market risk including currency risk, interest rate risk and price risk;
-
(b) Credit risk; and
-
(c) Liquidity risk.
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Risk Sources Risk management framework Financial exposure
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| Market | Commercial transactions in foreign currency and funding activities |
The Audit and Finance Committee (“AFC”) approves written principles for overall risk management, as well as policies covering specifc areas such as liquidity risk, funding risk, foreign currency risk, interest rate risk and credit risk. The Consolidated Entity’s AFC ensures there is an appropriate Risk Management Policy for the management of treasury risk and compliance with the policy through the review of monthly reporting to the Board from the Treasury team. |
Refer to 12 (a) market risk. |
| Credit | Cash, receivables, interest bearing liabilities and hedging |
The carrying amount of fnancial assets recorded in the fnancial statements, net of any collateral held or bank guarantees held by the Consolidated Entity, represents the Consolidated Entity’s maximum exposure to credit risk in relation to those assets. |
|
| Liquidity | Payables | Refer to 12 (c) liquidity risk. |
183
APA Investment Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Capital Management (continued)
12. Financial risk management (continued)
(a) Market risk
The Consolidated Entity’s exposure is primarily to the financial risk of changes in interest rates. There has been no change to the Consolidated Entity’s exposure to market risk or the manner in which it manages and measures the risk from the previous year.
Interest rate sensitivity analysis
Sensitivity analysis has been determined based on the exposure to interest rates on loans with related parties. A 100 basis points increase or decrease is used and represents management’s assessment of the possible change in interest rates within a given period of time. At reporting date, if interest rates had been 100 basis points higher or lower and all other variables were constant, the Consolidated Entity’s net profit would increase by $733,000 or decrease by $724,000 (2022: increase by $2,150,000 or decrease by $1,839,000 respectively). This is mainly attributable to the Consolidated Entity’s exposure to interest rates on its variable rate inter-entity balances. The sensitivity has decreased due to lower inter-entity balances and a lower effective interest rate.
(b) Credit risk
Credit risk refers to the risk that a counterparty will default on its contractual obligations resulting in financial loss to the Consolidated Entity.
Credit risk management
The Consolidated Entity has adopted the policy of only dealing with creditworthy counterparties and obtaining sufficient collateral or bank guarantees where appropriate as a means of mitigating the risk of loss. For financial investments or market risk hedging, the Consolidated Entity’s policy is to only transact with counterparties that have a credit rating of A- (Standard & Poor’s)/A3 (Moody’s) or higher unless specifically approved by the Board. Where a counterparty’s rating falls below this threshold following a transaction, no other transactions can be executed with that counterparty until the exposure is sufficiently reduced or their credit rating is upgraded above the Consolidated Entity’s minimum threshold. The Consolidated Entity’s exposure to financial instrument and deposit credit risk is closely monitored against counterparty credit limits imposed by the Treasury Risk Management Policy approved by the AFC. These limits are regularly reviewed by the Board or AFC.
Overview of the Consolidated Entity’s exposure to credit risk
The carrying amount of financial assets recorded in the financial statements, net of any allowances, represents the Consolidated Entity’s maximum exposure to credit risk in relation to those assets.
(c) Liquidity risk
The Consolidated Entity’s exposure to liquidity risk is limited to other payables of $25,000 (2022: $17,000), all of which are due in less than 1 year (2022: less than 1 year).
13. Issued capital
| 2023 $000 |
2022 $000 |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Units | ||||
| 1,179,893,848 units, fully paid(2022: 1,179,893,848 units, fully paid)(1) | 555,356 | 644,417 | ||
| (1) Fully paid units carry one vote per unit and carry the right to distributions. |
||||
| 2023 No. of units 000 |
2023 $000 |
2022 No. of units 000 |
2022 $000 |
|
| Movements | ||||
| Balance at beginning of fnancial year | 1,179,894 | 644,417 | 1,179,894 | 765,313 |
| Capital distributionspaid(note 7) | – | (89,061) | – | (120,896) |
| Balance at end of fnancialyear | 1,179,894 | 555,356 | 1,179,894 | 644,417 |
The Trust does not have a limited amount of authorised capital.
184 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Investment Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued)
Group Structure
14. Subsidiaries
Subsidiaries are entities controlled by APA Investment Trust. Control exists where APA Investment Trust has power over an entity, i.e. existing rights that give APA Investment Trust the current ability to direct the relevant activities of the entity (those that significantly affect the returns); exposure, or rights, to variable returns from its involvement with the entity; and the ability to use its power to affect those returns.
| Ownership interest | |
|---|---|
| Name of entity Country of registration |
2023 % 2022 % |
| Parent entity APA Investment Trust |
|
| Subsidiary GasNet Australia Investments Trust Australia |
100 100 |
Other
15. Commitments and contingencies
The Consolidated Entity had no material contingent assets, liabilities and commitments as at 30 June 2023 and 30 June 2022.
16. Director and Executive Key Management Personnel remuneration
Remuneration of Directors
The aggregate remuneration of Directors of the Consolidated Entity is set out below:
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2023 2022
$ $
Short-term employment benefits 1,673,901 1,749,069
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| Short-term employment benefts | 1,673,901 | 1,749,069 |
|---|---|---|
| Post-employment benefts | 149,671 | 174,905 |
| Total remuneration: Non-Executive Directors | 1,823,572 | 1,923,974 |
| Short-term employment benefts | 4,112,061 | 2,653,667 |
| Post-employment benefts | 31,563 | 27,500 |
| Cash settled security-based payments | 138,770 | 229,988 |
| Equitysettled security-basedpayments | 2,575,647 | 1,077,997 |
| Total remuneration: Executive Directors | 6,858,041 | 3,989,152 |
| Total remuneration: Directors | 8,681,613 | 5,913,126 |
Remuneration of Executive Key Management Personnel
The aggregate remuneration of Executive Key Management Personnel of the Consolidated Entity is set out below:
| Short-term employment benefts | 6,528,421 | 8,126,785 |
|---|---|---|
| Post-employment benefts | 72,854 | 187,427 |
| Cash settled security-based payments | 179,993 | 556,642 |
| Equitysettled security-basedpayments | 3,286,022 | 2,941,305 |
| Total remuneration: Executive Key Management Personnel (1),(2) | 10,067,289 | 11,812,159 |
(1) The remuneration disclosure includes remuneration of the former Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Rob Wheals up to 30 September 2022 and current Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Adam Watson from 1 October 2022 (previously Chief Financial Officer and Key Management Personnel).
(2) The remuneration for Group Executive Strategy & Commercial, Julian Peck to 28 October 2022 and Group Executive Commercial Development, Ross Gersbach to 22 August 2022 are included in the remuneration disclosure for Executive Key Management Personnel. All existing non-executive directors and executive management personnel served a term of at least 12 months in FY23.
185
APA Investment Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued) Other (continued)
17. Remuneration of external auditor
Amounts received or due and receivable by Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu for: Audit or review of the financial reports
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2023 2022
$ $
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| Group | 6,600 | 6,125 |
|---|---|---|
| Total audit or review of the fnancial reports | 6,600 | 6,125 |
| Statutory assurance services required by legislation to beprovided by the auditor | ||
| ASIC Complianceplan audit | 6,700 | 6,250 |
| Total statutory assurance services required by legislation to beprovided by the auditor | 6,700 | 6,250 |
| Total remuneration of external auditor | 13,300 | 12,375 |
18. Related party transactions
(a) Equity interest in related parties
Details of the percentage of ordinary securities held in subsidiaries are disclosed in note 14.
(b) Responsible Entity – APA Group Limited
The Responsible Entity is wholly owned by APA Infrastructure Limited (2022: 100% owned by APA Infrastructure Limited).
(c) Transactions with related parties within the Consolidated Entity
During the financial year, the following transactions occurred between the Trust and its other related parties:
-
loans advanced and payments received on long-term inter-entity loans; and
-
payments of distributions.
All transactions between the entities that comprise the Consolidated Entity have been eliminated on consolidation.
Refer to note 14 for details of the entities that comprise the Consolidated Entity.
(d) Transactions with other related parties
APA Investment Trust and its controlled entities have a loan receivable balance with another entity in APA Group. This loan is repayable on agreement between the parties. Interest is recognised by applying the effective interest method, agreed between the parties at the end of each month and is determined by reference to market rates.
The following balances arising from transactions between APA Investment Trust and its other related parties are outstanding at reporting date:
-
current receivables totalling $977,000 are owing from a subsidiary of APA Infrastructure Trust for amounts due under a finance lease arrangement (2022: $938,000);
-
non-current receivables totalling $3,262,000 are owing from a subsidiary of APA Infrastructure Trust for amounts due under a finance lease arrangement (2022: $4,239,000); and
-
non-current receivables totalling $455,584,000 (2022: $545,380,000) are owing from a subsidiary of APA Infrastructure Trust for amounts due under inter-entity loans.
APA Group Limited
Management fees of $2,470,000 (2022: $2,559,000) were paid to the Responsible Entity as reimbursement of costs incurred on behalf of APA Investment Trust. No amounts were paid directly by APA Investment Trust to the Directors of the Responsible Entity.
APA Infrastructure Trust
Management fees of $2,470,000 (2022: $2,559,000) were reimbursed by APA Infrastructure Trust.
186 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Investment Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Notes to the consolidated financial statements (continued)
Other (continued)
19. Parent entity information
The accounting policies of the parent entity, which have been applied in determining the financial information below, are the same as those applied in the consolidated financial statements.
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2023 2022
$000 $000
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| Financial position | ||
|---|---|---|
| Assets | ||
| Current assets | 977 | 938 |
| Non-current assets | 566,225 | 656,998 |
| Total assets | 567,202 | 657,936 |
| Liabilities | ||
| Current liabilities | 25 | 17 |
| Total liabilities | 25 | 17 |
| Net assets | 567,177 | 657,919 |
| Equity | ||
| Issued capital | 555,356 | 644,417 |
| Retained earnings | 11,821 | 13,502 |
| Total equity | 567,177 | 657,919 |
| Financial performance | ||
| Proft for theyear | 23,725 | 29,149 |
| Total comprehensive income | 23,725 | 29,149 |
Guarantees entered into by the parent entity in relation to the debts of its subsidiaries
No guarantees have been entered into by the parent entity in relation to the debts of its subsidiaries.
Contingent liabilities of the parent entity
No contingent liabilities have been identified in relation to the parent entity.
20. Adoption of new and revised Accounting Standards
Standards and Interpretations issued not yet adopted
At the date of authorisation of the financial statements, the Standards and Interpretations on issue but not yet effective are not expected to have material impact on the Consolidated Entity’s accounting policies or any of the amounts recognised in the financial statements.
187
APA Investment Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
21. Events occurring after reporting date
Alinta Energy Pilbara acquisition
On 23 August 2023, APA entered into a Share Sale Agreement with Alinta Power Cat Pty Ltd and Alinta Energy Development Pty Ltd to acquire 100% of Alinta Energy Pilbara Holdings Pty Ltd and its subsidiaries and Alinta Energy (Newman Storage) Pty Ltd (together referred to as Alinta Energy Pilbara). Alinta Energy Pilbara is an energy infrastructure business underpinned by contracted operational assets (gas and solar power generation, gas transmission, battery energy storage systems (BESS) and electricity transmission), together with an extensive development pipeline of projects (wind, solar, gas reciprocating engines, BESS, and associated electricity transmission), located in Western Australia’s Pilbara region.
The enterprise value is $1,722 million excluding stamp duty and other transaction costs (currently estimated to be $86 million), and will be subject to post-completion adjustments for working capital, net debt and capex as at completion of the acquisition. Completion of the acquisition remains subject to meeting certain conditions precedent and is expected to occur in the fourth quarter of calendar year 2023.
Capital raise
APA also announced its plans to raise $675 million through a fully underwritten pro-rata institutional placement to partly fund the acquisition. The balance of the purchase price will be funded by new debt facilities established in connection with the acquisition of $993 million. In addition, a non-underwritten Security Purchase Plan will be undertaken for eligible securityholders to raise $75 million.
Final distribution declaration
On 23 August 2023, the Directors declared a final distribution for the 2023 financial year of 7.34 cents per unit ($87 million). The distribution represents a 1.00 cents per security unfranked profit distribution and a 6.34 cents per security capital distribution. The distribution is expected to be paid on 14 September 2023.
Other than the events disclosed above, there have not been any events or transactions that have occurred subsequent to year end that would require adjustment to or disclosure in the financial statements.
188 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Investment Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Declaration by the Directors of APA Group Limited
The Directors declare that:
-
(a) in the Directors’ opinion, there are reasonable grounds to believe that APA Investment Trust will be able to pay its debts as and when they become due and payable;
-
(b) in the Directors’ opinion, the attached financial statements and notes thereto are in accordance with the Corporations Act 2001, including compliance with Accounting Standards and giving a true and fair view of the financial position and performance of the Consolidated Entity;
-
(c) in the Directors’ opinion, the financial statements and notes thereto are in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards issued by the International Accounting Standards Board; and
-
(d) the Directors have been given the declarations by the Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer required by section 295A of the Corporations Act 2001.
Signed in accordance with a resolution of the Directors of the Responsible Entity made pursuant to section 295(5) of the Corporations Act 2001.
On behalf of the Directors
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Michael Fraser Chairman
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Adam Watson CEO and Managing Director
SYDNEY, 23 August 2023
189
APA Investment Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Auditor’s Independence Declaration
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Deloitte Touché Tohmatsu ABN 74 490 121 060 Quay Quarter Tower 50 Bridge St Sydney, NSW, 2000 Australia Tel: +61 (0) 2 9322 7000 www.deloitte.com.au
23 August 2023 The Directors APA Group Limited as Responsible Entity for APA Investment Trust Level 25, 580 George Street Sydney NSW 2000
Dear Directors
Auditor’s Independence Declaration to APA Group Limited as Responsible Entity for APA Investment Trust
In accordance with section 307C of the Corporations Act 2001 , I am pleased to provide the following declaration of independence to the directors of APA Group Limited as Responsible Entity for APA Investment Trust.
As lead audit partner for the audit of the financial statements of APA Investment Trust for the financial year ended 30 June 2023, I declare that to the best of my knowledge and belief, there have been no contraventions of:
(i) the auditor independence requirements of the Corporations Act 2001 in relation to the audit; and
(ii) any applicable code of professional conduct in relation to the audit.
Yours faithfully
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DELOITTE TOUCHE TOHMATSU
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Jamie Gatt Partner Chartered Accountants
Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation. Member of Deloitte Asia Pacific Limited and the Deloitte organisation.
190
APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Investment Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Independent Auditor’s Report
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Deloitte Touché Tohmatsu ABN 74 490 121 060 Quay Quarter Tower 50 Bridge St Sydney, NSW, 2000 Australia Tel: +61 (0) 2 9322 7000 www.deloitte.com.au
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Independent Auditor’s Report to the Unitholders of
APA Investment Trust
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Report on the Audit of the Financial Report Opinion
We have audited the financial report of APA Investment Trust and its controlled interests (the “Consolidated Entity”) which comprises the consolidated statement of financial position as at 30 June 2023, the consolidated statement of profit or loss and other comprehensive income, the consolidated statement of changes in equity and the consolidated statement of cash flows for the year then ended, and notes to the financial statements, including a summary of significant accounting policies, and the directors’ declaration. In our opinion, the accompanying financial report of the Consolidated Entity is in accordance with the Corporations Act 2001 , including: • Giving a true and fair view of the Consolidated Entity’s financial position as at 30 June 2023 and of its financial performance for the year then ended; and
- Complying with Australian Accounting Standards and the Corporations Regulations 2001 .
Basis for Opinion
We conducted our audit in accordance with Australian Auditing Standards. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Report section of our report. We are independent of the Consolidated Entity in accordance with the auditor independence requirements of the Corporations Act 2001 and the ethical requirements of the Accounting Professional & Ethical Standards Board’s APES 110 Code of Ethics for Professional Accountants (including Independence Standards) (the Code) that are relevant to our audit of the financial report in Australia. We have also fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with the Code.
We confirm that the independence declaration required by the Corporations Act 2001 , which has been given to the directors of the Consolidated Entity, would be in the same terms if given to the directors as at the time of this auditor’s report.
We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
Other Information
The directors of the Responsible Entity (the “Directors”) are responsible for the other information. The other information comprises the information included in the Consolidated Entity’s annual report for the year ended 30 June 2023 but does not include the financial report and our auditor’s report thereon.
Our opinion on the financial report does not cover the other information and we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon.
Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.
Member of Deloitte Asia Pacific Limited and the Deloitte organisation.
191
APA Investment Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Independent Auditor’s Report (continued)
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In connection with our audit of the financial report, our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial report, or our knowledge obtained in the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated.
If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact. We have nothing to report in this regard.
Responsibilities of the Directors for the Financial Report
The Directors 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 gives a true and fair view and is free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error.
In preparing the financial report, the directors are responsible for assessing the ability of the Consolidated Entity to continue as a going concern, disclosing, as applicable, matters related to going concern and using the going concern basis of accounting unless the directors either intend to liquidate the Consolidated Entity or to cease operations, or has no realistic alternative but to do so.
Auditor’s Responsibilities for the Audit of the Financial Report
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial report as a whole is free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an auditor’s report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with the Australian Auditing Standards will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of this financial report.
As part of an audit in accordance with the Australian Auditing Standards, we exercise professional judgement and maintain professional scepticism throughout the audit. We also:
-
Identify and assess the risks of material misstatement of the financial report, whether due to fraud or error, design and perform audit procedures responsive to those risks, and obtain audit evidence that is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion. The risk of not detecting a material misstatement resulting from fraud is higher than for one resulting from error, as fraud may involve collusion, forgery, intentional omissions, misrepresentations, or the override of internal control.
-
Obtain an understanding of internal control relevant to the audit 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 Consolidated Entity’s internal control.
-
Evaluate the appropriateness of accounting policies used and the reasonableness of accounting estimates and related disclosures made by the directors.
-
Conclude on the appropriateness of the directors’ use of the going concern basis of accounting and, based on the audit evidence obtained, whether a material uncertainty exists related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the Consolidated Entity’s ability to continue as a going concern. If we conclude that a material uncertainty exists, we are required to draw attention in our auditor’s report to the related disclosures in the financial report or, if such disclosures are inadequate, to modify our opinion. Our conclusions are based on the audit evidence obtained up to the date of our auditor’s report. However, future events or conditions may cause the Consolidated Entity to cease to continue as a going concern.
-
Evaluate the overall presentation, structure and content of the financial report, including the disclosures, and whether the financial report represents the underlying transactions and events in a manner that achieves fair presentation.
-
Obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence regarding the financial information of the entities or business activities within the Consolidated Entity to express an opinion on the financial report. We are responsible for the direction, supervision and performance of the Consolidated Entity’s audit. We remain solely responsible for our audit opinion.
192
APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
APA Investment Trust and its Controlled Entities For the financial year ended 30 June 2023
Independent Auditor’s Report (continued)
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We communicate with the directors regarding, among other matters, the planned scope and timing of the audit and significant audit findings, including any significant deficiencies in internal control that we identify during our audit.
We also provide the directors with a statement that we have complied with relevant ethical requirements regarding independence, and to communicate with them all relationships and other matters that may reasonably be thought to bear on our independence, and where applicable, actions taken to eliminate threats or safeguards applied.
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DELOITTE TOUCHE TOHMATSU
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Jamie Gatt Partner Chartered Accountants Sydney, 23 August 2023
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Jimmy McGarty Partner Chartered Accountants Sydney, 23 August 2023
193
Additional information
Additional information required by the Listing Rules of the Australian Securities Exchange Limited and not provided elsewhere in this report (the information is applicable as at 30 June 2023).
Twenty largest securityholders
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No. of securities %
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| HSBC Custody Nominees (Australia) Limited | 331,374,356 | 28.09 |
|---|---|---|
| J P Morgan Nominees Australia Pty Limited | 133,782,307 | 11.34 |
| BNP Paribas Nominees Pty Ltd | 117,267,091 | 9.94 |
| Citicorp Nominees Pty Limited | 92,246,038 | 7.82 |
| Custodial Services Limited | 28,326,045 | 2.40 |
| BNP Paribas Noms Pty Ltd | 25,145,443 | 2.13 |
| National Nominees Limited | 25,042,258 | 2.12 |
| Argo Investments Limited | 12,382,525 | 1.05 |
| BKI Investment Company Limited | 8,775,389 | 0.74 |
| HSBC Custody Nominees (Australia) Limited | 8,046,513 | 0.68 |
| Netwealth Investments Limited | 5,880,350 | 0.50 |
| BNP Paribas Nominees Pty Ltd Hub24 Custodial Serv Ltd | 5,057,558 | 0.43 |
| Morgan Stanley Australia Securities (Nominee) Pty Limited | 4,846,172 | 0.41 |
| HSBC Custody Nominees (Australia) Limited | 3,802,469 | 0.32 |
| Citicorp Nominees Pty Limited | 3,259,584 | 0.28 |
| Netwealth Investments Limited | 1,824,571 | 0.15 |
| HSBC Custody Nominees (Australia) Limited - A/C 2 | 1,821,455 | 0.15 |
| HSBC Custody Nominees (Australia) Limited-Gsco Eca | 1,709,278 | 0.14 |
| PACIFIC CUSTODIANS PTY LIMITED | 1,600,853 | 0.14 |
| Woodross Nominees PtyLtd | 1,544,283 | 0.13 |
| Total | 813,734,538 | 68.97 |
Distribution of holders
| Ranges | No. of holders | % | No. of securities | % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100,001 and Over | 119 | 0.14 | 841,722,380 | 71.34 |
| 10,001 to 100,000 | 7,645 | 8.73 | 153,949,040 | 13.05 |
| 5,001 to 10,000 | 10,798 | 12.33 | 77,674,861 | 6.58 |
| 1,001 to 5,000 | 35,870 | 40.97 | 93,037,781 | 7.89 |
| 1 to 1,000 | 33,119 | 37.83 | 13,509,786 | 1.15 |
| Total | 87,551 | 100.00 | 1,179,893,848 | 100.00 |
| Interests of substantial securityholders | Date of notice Number of voting securities highlighted in notice Voting power highlighted in notice |
|||
| UniSuper Limited | 4 April 2023 | 117,678,377 | 9.97% | |
| State Street Corporation | 20 January 2022 | 85,157,130 | 7.22% | |
| Vanguard Group | 11 November 2021 | 59,430,048 | 5.04% | |
| Blackrock | 16 July2021 | 82,844,967 | 7.02% |
Voting rights
On a show hands, each holder has one vote.
On a poll, each holder has one vote for each dollar of the value of the total interests they have in the scheme.
On-market buy-back
There is no current on-market buy-back.
194 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
5 year summary
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Financial Performance (Statutory) FY23 FY22 FY21 FY20 FY19
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| Revenue | $m | 2,913 | 2,732 | 2,605 | 2,591 | 2,452 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue excluding pass-through1 | $m | 2,401 | 2,236 | 2,145 | 2,130 | 2,031 |
| Underlying EBITDA2 | $m | 1,725 | 1,692 | 1,629 | 1,650 | 1,570 |
| Total reported EBITDA3 | $m | 1,686 | 1,630 | 1,639 | 1,652 | 1,565 |
| Depreciation and amortisation expenses | $m | (750) | (735) | (674) | (651) | (611) |
| Reported EBIT3 | $m | 936 | 895 | 965 | 1,001 | 954 |
| Net interest expense3 | $m | (459) | (483) | (505) | (508) | (497) |
| Signifcant items – before income tax | $m | – | 28 | (397) | – | – |
| Income tax expense | $m | (190) | (180) | (62) | (184) | (175) |
| Statutory proft after tax including signifcant items | $m | 287 | 260 | 1 | 309 | 282 |
| Signifcant items – after income tax | $m | – | 20 | (278) | – | – |
| Proft after tax excludingsignifcant items | $m | 287 | 240 | 279 | 309 | 282 |
| Financial Position | ||||||
| Total assets | $m | 15,866 | 15,836 | 14,742 | 15,994 | 15,429 |
| Total drawn debt4 | $m | 11,240 | 11,146 | 9,666 | 9,984 | 9,352 |
| Total equity | $m | 1,910 | 2,629 | 2,951 | 3,200 | 3,584 |
| Cash Flow | ||||||
| Operating cash fow5 | $m | 1,206 | 1,197 | 1,051 | 1,088 | 1,007 |
| Free cash fow6 | $m | 1,070 | 1,081 | 902 | 957 | 894 |
| Key Financial Ratios | ||||||
| Earnings per security including signifcant items | cents | 24.3 | 22.1 | 0.1 | 26.2 | 23.9 |
| Earnings per security excluding signifcant items | cents | 24.3 | 20.4 | 23.7 | 26.2 | 23.9 |
| Free cash fow per security | cents | 90.7 | 91.6 | 76.4 | 81.1 | 75.7 |
| Distribution per security | cents | 55.0 | 53.0 | 51.0 | 50.0 | 47.0 |
| Funds From Operations to Net Debt | % | 10.6 | 11.1 | 11.0 | 12.1 | 10.7 |
| Funds From Operations to Interest | times | 3.3 | 3.6 | 3.1 | 3.2 | 3.0 |
| Weighted average number of securities | m | 1,180 | 1,180 | 1,180 | 1,180 | 1,180 |
| EBITDA by Segment (excluding Signifcant Items) | ||||||
| Underlying EBITDA | ||||||
| Energy Infrastructure | ||||||
| East Coast Gas | $m | 645 | 646 | 628 | 649 | 650 |
| West Coast Gas | $m | 305 | 289 | 271 | 272 | 236 |
| Wallumbilla Gladstone Pipeline | $m | 620 | 578 | 550 | 539 | 542 |
| Electricity Generation and Transmission | $m | 223 | 194 | 175 | 171 | 143 |
| Total Energy Infrastructure | $m | 1,793 | 1,707 | 1,624 | 1,630 | 1,570 |
| Asset Management | $m | 56 | 73 | 80 | 63 | 53 |
| Energy Investments | $m | 23 | 28 | 31 | 36 | 28 |
| Corporate costs | $m | (147) | (116) | (105) | (75) | (80) |
- 1 Pass-through revenue is offset by pass-through expense within EBITDA. Any management fee earned for the provision of these services is recognised as part of asset management revenues.
2 Underlying earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation ("EBITDA") excludes recurring items arising from other activities, transactions that are not directly attributable to the performance of APA Group's business operations and significant items. 3 Excludes significant items.
-
4 APA’s ability to repay debt at relevant due dates of the drawn facilities. This amount represents current and non-current borrowings as per balance sheet and is adjusted for deferred borrowing costs, the effect of unwinding of discount, unrealised foreign exchange differences reported in equity and deducting other financial liabilities that are reported as part of borrowings in the balance sheet.
-
5 Operating cash flow = net cash from operations after interest and tax payments.
-
6 Free cash flow is Operating Cash Flow adjusted for strategically significant transformation projects, less stay-in-business (SIB) capex. SIB capex includes operational assets lifecycle replacement costs and technology lifecycle costs.
195
Investor information
| Calendar of events | |
|---|---|
| Final distribution FY23 record date | 30 June 2023 |
| Final distribution FY23 payment date | 13 September 2023 |
| Annual meeting | 26 October 2023 |
| Interim distribution FY24 record date | 29 December 20231 |
| Interim results announcement | 22 February 20241 |
| Interim distribution FY24 payment date | 14 March 20241 |
1 Subject to change.
Annual meeting details
Date: Thursday, 26 October 2023 Time: 10.30am (AEDT)
Wesley Conference Centre, 220 Pitt Street, Sydney. Please refer to the APA Group Notice of Meeting or the APA Group website for more information.
ASX listing
In this report, the term ‘APA securities’ refers to stapled securities each comprising a unit in APA Infrastructure Trust stapled to a unit in APA Investment Trust and traded on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) under the code ‘APA’. APA Group Limited is the Responsible Entity of those trusts.
Securityholder details
Securityholders must notify the APA Group registry immediately of any changes to their address or banking arrangements. Securityholders with enquiries should also contact the APA Group registry.
Distribution payments
Distributions will be paid semi-annually in March and September. Securityholders will receive annual tax statements with the final distribution in September. Payment to securityholders residing in Australia and New Zealand will be made only by direct credit into an Australian or New Zealand bank account. Securityholders with enquiries should contact the APA Group registry.
Online information
APA group responsible entity and
registered office
APA Group Limited ACN 091 344 704
Level 25, 580 George Street Sydney NSW 2000
PO Box R41 Royal Exchange NSW 1225
Telephone: +61 2 9693 0000 Facsimile: +61 2 9693 0093 Website: apa.com.au
APA Group registry
Link Market Services Limited
Further information on APA is available at apa.com.au, including:
-
Results, market releases and news
-
Asset and business information
-
Corporate responsibility and sustainability reporting
-
Securityholder information, such as the current APA security price, distribution and tax information.
Electronic communication
Securityholders can elect to receive communication electronically by registering their email address with the APA Group registry.
Level 12, 680 George Street Sydney NSW 2000
Locked Bag A14 Sydney South NSW 1235
Telephone: +61 1800 992 312 Facsimile: +61 2 9287 0303 Email: [email protected] Website: linkmarketservices.com.au
196 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
Glossary
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Term Definition
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| AAGE | Australian Association of Graduate Employees |
|---|---|
| AEMO | Australian Energy Market Operator |
| AGN | Australian Gas Network |
| APA Infra | APA Infrastructure Trust |
| APA Invest | APA Investment Trust |
| APA | APA Group |
| APGA | Australian Pipelines and Gas Association |
| ARENA | Australian Renewable Energy Agency |
| ASX | Australian Stock Exchange |
| ATSI | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander |
| AUD | Australian dollar |
| AIFRS | Australian Accounting Standards |
| APAIL | APA Infrastructure Limited |
| BESS | Battery Energy Storage System |
| CCS | Carbon Capture and Storage |
| Clean Energy Regulator (CER) | Australian Government body responsible for accelerating carbon abatement for Australia. |
| http://www.cleanenergyregulator.gov.au/ | |
| CEO | Chief Executive Ofcer |
| CFO | Chief Financial Ofcer |
| CO2 equivalent (t-CO2e) | Measure used to compare the emissions from various types of greenhouse gas (GHG) based |
| on their global warming potential (GWP). The CO2equivalent for a gas is determined by | |
| multiplying the metric tonnes of the gas by the associated GWP. | |
| Collective bargaining | Obligations (often legally binding) that the organisation has undertaken. |
| agreements | They represent a form of joint decision making concerning the organisation’s operations. |
| Contingent Worker | Outsourced or borrowed labour pool that APA uses on a hired per-project basis to |
| complement its regular employees in managing service delivery. Includes working | |
| arrangements as: Contingent Worker, Labour Hire – Temporary Worker – RSP; Labour | |
| Hire – Temporary Worker – Non-RSP; Labour Hire – Contractor Management Services; | |
| Independent Contractor; External Secondment. | |
| Contractor | An individual, company or other legal entity that provides goods and services to APA, |
| carries out work or performs services pursuant to a contract for service. This includes | |
| sub-contractors and contingent workers. A person or company engaged to provide labour | |
| or skills and paid on invoice. | |
| COVID-19 | Coronavirus pandemic |
| CES | Customer Experience Score |
| CSP | Community and Social Performance |
| Dial-Before-You-Dig | https://www.1100.com.au/ |
| Distribution Payout Ratio | Total distribution applicable to the fnancial year as a percentage of free cash fow |
| DWGM | Declared Wholesale Gas Market. |
| https://aemo.com.au/en/energy-systems/gas/declared-wholesale-gas-market-dwgm | |
| EAP | Employee Assistance Program |
| EBIT | Earnings before interest and tax |
| EBITDA | Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) excludes recurring |
| items arising from other activities, transactions that are not directly attributable to the performance of APA Group’s business operations and signifcant items |
|
| EII | Energy Infrastructure Investments |
| EMP | Environmental Management Plan |
197
Glossary (continued)
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Term Definition
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| Employee | An individual who works for APA under a contract of employment. They are engaged |
|---|---|
| through the Company’s payroll (so subject to PAYG withholding tax and superannuation). | |
| Employee driven initiatives | Fund raising activities instigated by APA employees for which APA has matched funding |
| on at least a 1:1 ratio. | |
| Employee turnover | Employees who leave the organisation voluntarily or due to dismissal, retirement, |
| or death in service. | |
| Energy Charter | A national CEO-led collaboration that supports the energy sector towards a customer-centric |
| future.https://www.theenergycharter.com.au/ | |
| Energy Consumption | All energy consumed and produced by APA across all facilities. |
| EPA | Environment Protection Agency |
| ERC | Estimated Rehabilitation Cost |
| ESG | Environmental, Social, Governance |
| Executive Leadership Team | Portion of employees aligned to WGEA Management Category: Key Management Personnel/ |
| (ELT) | Head of Business; Key Management Personnel and internationally based ELT member |
| (Excludes CEO). | |
| Extended leadership | Refers to level 3 (L3) and level 4 (L4) workforce who have direct reports at APA (CEO is L1). |
| Fatality | Work-related Safety Incident that results in death to a person. |
| Free Cash Flow (FCF) | Free cash fow is Operating Cash Flow adjusted for strategically signifcant transformation |
| projects, less stay-in-business (SIB) capex. SIB capex includes operational assets lifecycle | |
| replacement costs and technology lifecycle costs. | |
| Fugitive emissions | Greenhouse gas emissions that are released in connection with, or a consequence of, |
| the extraction, processing, storage or delivery of fossil fuel. | |
| Future Fuels CRC | Industry focused Research, Development and Demonstration partnership enabling the |
| decarbonisation of Australia’s energy networks.https://www.futurefuelscrc.com/ | |
| FY | Financial Year (period between 1 July to 30 June). |
| GHG | Greenhouse Gas. Gas that contributes to the greenhouse efect by absorbing infrared |
| radiation (GRI Standards Glossary 2018). The greenhouse gases that are reported under the | |
| NGER Scheme include carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), sulphur hexafuoride (SF6) and specifed kinds of hydro fuorocarbons and perfuorocarbons. |
|
| GIS | Geographic Information System |
| GJ | Gigajoule |
| Goal (climate-related) | An ambition to seek an outcome for which there is no current pathway(s), but for which eforts will be pursued towards addressing that challenge, subject to certain assumptions |
| or conditions. | |
| GRI | Global Reporting Initiative.https://www.globalreporting.org/ |
| GTAP | Gender Targets Action Plan |
| GSOO | Gas Statement of Opportunities (GSOO) |
| Health and Safety hazard | Source of potential harm from which a risk to person’s health or safety arises. |
| Health and Safety incident | Any occurrence that has resulted in, or has the potential to result in (i.e. a near miss), adverse consequences to people, property, reputation or a combination of these. Signifcant |
| deviations from standard operating procedures are also classed as an ‘incident’. | |
| HPIFR | High Potential Incident Frequency Rate |
| HSEH | Health, Safety, Environment and Heritage |
| I&D | Inclusion and Diversity |
| ICAM | Incident Cause Analysis Method |
| IFRS | International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) |
| Internal environmental audits | Internal environmental audits are those audits required by, or committed to, in environmental |
| regulatory tools (i.e. Environmental Management Plans). |
198 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
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Term Definition
ISC Institute of Chemical Engineers. A not-for-profit multi-company, subscription-based, industry
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| ISC | Institute of Chemical Engineers. A not-for-proft multi-company, subscription-based, industry |
|---|---|
| consortium focused on improving process safety. | |
| ISO 31000 | International Organization for Standardization standard for Risk Management. |
| https://www.iso.org/iso-31000-risk-management.html | |
| LCP | Landholder Contact Program |
| LNG | Liquefed natural gas |
| Lost Time Injury (LTI) | Lost Time Injury is a work-related injury or illness that resulted in time lost from work of one day/shift or more. A Lost Time Injury must be certifed by advice from a qualifed medical |
| practitioner. | |
| LTIFR | Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate – Injury (LTI) count/per million hours |
| MOC | Management of Change Uplift Initiative |
| Management interactions | Structured interaction between a senior/operational manager and a frontline supervisor, |
| employee or contractor | |
| Pass-through revenue | Pass-through revenue is ofset by pass-through expense within EBITDA. Any management |
| fee earned for the provision of these services is recognised as part of asset management | |
| revenues. | |
| PGP | Parmelia Gas Pipeline |
| PSHIFR | Potential Serious Harm Incident Frequency Rate |
| PST | Pipeline Screening Tool |
| RAP | Reconciliation Action Plan |
| RAPWG | RAP Working Group |
| RRG | Regulatory Reference Group |
| SDG | Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) https://sdgs.org.au/ |
| SIB | Stay in Business |
| TRIFR | Total Recordable Injury Frequency Rate |
| VET | Vocational Education and Training |
| WHS | Work Health & Safety |
| WORM | Western Outer Ring Main (WORM) |
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Sustainability assurance
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Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu ABN 74 490 121 060 Quay Quarter Tower 50 Bridge Street Sydney, NSW, 2000 Australia Phone: +61 2 9322 7000 www.deloitte.com.au
Independent Limited Assurance Report to the Directors of APA Group Limited
Conclusion
We have undertaken a limited assurance engagement on APA Group Limited’s (“APA”) selected Safety Performance metrics disclosed in the APA FY23 Sustainability Data Book (Data Book), referenced in the APA FY23 Annual Report (“Annual Report”) for the period 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023.
Based on the procedures performed and the evidence obtained, nothing has come to our attention that causes us to believe, that the selected Safety Performance metrics for the period 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023 presented below (“Subject Matter Information”) and included in the Safety Performance table in section 7 - Health & Safety, in APA’s FY23 Sustainability Data Book referenced on page 45 of the Annual Report, have not been prepared, in all material respects, in accordance with APA’s Basis of Preparation (“Reporting Criteria”), as referenced in APA’s FY23 Sustainability Data Book.
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Subject Matter Information Unit of Measure
Fatalities
Total fatalities Count
Employees Count
Contractors Count
Safety Indicators
Health & Safety Hazard Frequency Rate Total Hazards Reported / per million hours
Health & Safety Near Miss Frequency Rate Total Near Miss Reported / per million hours
Total Recordable Injury Frequency Rate (TRIFR) Injury (LTI, MOTI, MITI) count / per million hours
TRIFR - Employees Injury (LTI, MOTI, MITI) count / per million hours
TRIFR - Contractors Injury (LTI, MOTI, MITI) count / per million hours
Lost Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR) Injury LTI count / per million hours
LTIFR - Employees Injury LTI count / per million hours
LTIFR - Contractors Injury LTI count / per million hours
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Basis for Conclusion
We conducted our limited assurance engagement in accordance with Australian Standard on Assurance Engagements ASAE 3000 Assurance Engagements Other than Audits or Reviews of Historical Financial Information (“ASAE 3000”), issued by the Australian Auditing and Assurance Standards Board.
We believe that the evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our conclusion.
Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation. Member of Deloitte Asia Pacific Limited and the Deloitte organisation.
200
APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
Responsibilities of APA
-
The Directors of APA are responsible for: a) ensuring that the Subject Matter Information is prepared in accordance with the Reporting Criteria; b) confirming the measurement or evaluation of the underlying subject matter against the Reporting Criteria, including that all relevant matters are reflected in the Subject Matter Information;
-
c) designing, establishing and maintaining an effective system of internal control over its operations and financial reporting, including, without limitation, systems designed to ensure achievement of its control objectives and its compliance with applicable laws and regulations; and
-
d) the electronic presentation of the Subject Matter Information, Basis of Preparation and our limited assurance report on the website.
Our Independence and Quality Management We have complied with the independence and other relevant ethical requirements relating to assurance engagements, and applied Auditing Standard ASQM 1 Quality Management for Firms that Perform Audits or Reviews of Financial Reports and Other Financial Information, or Other Assurance or Related Services Engagements in undertaking this assurance engagement.
Assurance Practitioner’s Responsibilities
Our responsibility is to express a limited assurance conclusion on APA’s Subject Matter Information as evaluated against the Reporting Criteria based on the procedures we have performed and the evidence we have obtained. ASAE 3000 requires that we plan and perform our procedures to obtain limited assurance about whether, anything has come to our attention that causes us to believe that the Subject Matter Information is not properly prepared, in all material respects, in accordance with the Reporting Criteria.
A limited assurance engagement in accordance with ASAE 3000 involves identifying areas where a material misstatement of the Subject Matter Information is likely to arise, addressing the areas identified and considering the process used to prepare the Subject Matter Information. A limited assurance engagement is substantially less in scope than a reasonable assurance engagement in relation to both the risk assessment procedures, including an understanding of internal control, and the procedures performed in response to the assessed risks.
The procedures performed in a limited assurance engagement vary in nature and timing from, and are less in extent than for, a reasonable assurance engagement. Consequently, the level of assurance obtained in a limited assurance engagement is substantially lower than the assurance that would have been obtained had a reasonable assurance engagement been performed. Accordingly, we do not express a reasonable assurance opinion about whether the Subject Matter Information has been prepared, in all material respects, in accordance with the Reporting Criteria.
-
Our procedures included: • Enquiries with management and staff responsible for the Subject Matter Information to understand the preparation and review processes;
-
• Inspection of documents as part of the walk throughs of key systems and processes for collating, calculating, and reporting the respective Subject Matter Information in the Data Book;
-
On a sample basis, inspection of underlying information to test the Subject Matter Information has been prepared and reported in line with APA’s policies, procedures and methodologies applicable to the Reporting Criteria;
-
Analytical reviews over material data streams to identify any material anomalies for the Subject Matter Information and investigate further where required; and
-
Agreeing overall data sets for the Subject Matter Information to the final data contained in the Data Book.
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Sustainability assurance (continued)
Inherent Limitations
Because of the inherent limitations of an assurance engagement, together with the inherent limitations of any system of internal control there is an unavoidable risk that it is possible that fraud, error, or non-compliance with laws and regulations, where there has been concealment through collusion, forgery and other illegal acts may occur and not be detected, even though the engagement is properly planned and performed in accordance with Standards on Assurance Engagements. Non-financial data may be subject to more inherent limitations given both its nature and the methods used for determining, calculating, and sampling or estimating such data.
Restricted use
The Reporting Criteria used for this engagement was designed for a specific purpose of the Directors reporting on selected Safety Performance metrics included in the Data Book. As a result, the Subject Matter Information may not be suitable for another purpose.
This report has been prepared for use by the Directors of APA for the purpose of providing assurance over selected Safety Performance metrics included in the Data Book. We disclaim any assumption of responsibility for any reliance on this report to any person other than the Directors of APA or for any purpose other than that for which it was prepared.
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DELOITTE TOUCHE TOHMATSU
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Chi Woo Partner Sydney, 23 August 2023
202 APA GROUP ANNUAL REPORT 2023
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ecoStar+ is an environmentally responsible paper made carbon neutral and is FSC® Recycled certified. ecoStar+ is manufactured from 100% post consumer recycled fibre in a process chlorine free environment under the ISO 14001 environmental management system.
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WWW.APA.COM.AU