GrainCorp offers Hockey extra sugar
The American agribusiness group's takeover proposal has already been reviewed by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and cleared.
The Foreign Investment Review Board was about to give its verdict on the takeover when the election was called, and it, too, was expected to be a green light.
Treasurer Joe Hockey must also approve it, however, and there has been palpable tension in the new Coalition government about the takeover - tension that ADM tackled with its announcement on Wednesday.
It offered an additional $200 million of capital expenditure for GrainCorp, and three-year price caps on grain handling and storage charges at GrainCorp's silos and ports.
Commitments to run open-access regimes at silos and ports and maintain GrainCorp's head office and management in Sydney were renewed, and ADM said it would also maintain a local grain marketing team, and consult twice a year with grower organisations about the way GrainCorp was operating.
Those commitments make it harder for the government to block the takeover and cite commercial or economic "national interest" reasons.
They also create an opportunity for the government to approve the deal and show that it is not internally divided, of course, and it's an opportunity that needs to be taken: the risk if it isn't is that international investors will believe the new Treasurer got rolled, and that a government that says it is open for business has blocked one very big business deal mainly to ease political pressure within its own ranks.
ADM's bid was backed by GrainCorp's board in late April after the US group boosted it a second time, from $12.20 a share to $13.20 a share - 50 per cent above GrainCorp's price in October last year before ADM turned up.
Concerns that the bid would be blocked had however pushed GrainCorp's share price down from a high of $12.78 a share when the sweetened offer was recommended to $11.13 ahead of Wednesday's announcement. The shares closed at $11.33 and traded as high as $11.85 after ADM's announcement, on the theory that approval is now more likely.
Hockey announced in early October that he was extending the deadline for a decision until December 17 because of its "size and complexity", but it is the politics of the Coalition that are the main complication for him.
Liberal "dries" see no good reason for the Treasurer to intervene, but the Nationals are opposed to the sale, with Barnaby Joyce and Nationals leader Warren Truss leading the charge. According to some, Joyce has gone as far as putting his position in the Coalition on the line. Country Liberal MPs including Bill Heffernan and Sharman Stone are also opposed.
On the other side of the house, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten and shadow treasurer Chris Bowen have both supported the deal, reinforcing a view that the takeover would not have been a political problem for a Labor government. The Coalition was "at war with itself", Bowen observed earlier this month after Hockey declared that he would not be "bullied" over the decision.
Foreign takeovers of Australian grain handlers have swallowed two local groups in recent years. GrainCorp would be the third, and by volume would double foreign ownership of the industry to about 70 per cent.
As I have written before, this is an opportunity lost. Like mining, the grain industry is a core competence in this country. The mining sector has produced global players including BHP, and the grain sector has not.
Saying that is one thing. Blocking foreign takeovers on national interest grounds when Australia is an open economy and needs foreign investment is another, however. ADM's bid for GrainCorp does not appear to raise national interest concerns of the magnitude that led Wayne Swan to block Singapore Exchange's takeover of the ASX in 2011.
The decision is finally Joe Hockey's to make, and he is in a corner. If he lets the deal go through, the Coalition will be carrying some very unhappy country-based members. If he blocks it, the government risks being sanctioned by the markets, and its claim that it is "open for business" will be seriously compromised.
The only way through that I can see is for both sides in the Coalition to agree that ADM has actually done the government a favour, by serving up undertakings that everyone can acknowledge make the takeover acceptable, perhaps with a few final tweaks.
It might happen, and hopefully will - but you certainly wouldn't say at this stage that it is guaranteed.
mmaiden@fairfaxmedia.com.au
Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…
Archer Daniels Midland's $3.4 billion takeover bid for GrainCorp is currently under review. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has already cleared the proposal, and the Foreign Investment Review Board is expected to give its verdict soon. However, the final decision rests with Treasurer Joe Hockey, who has extended the deadline for a decision until December 17 due to the deal's size and complexity.
The political tension arises from differing views within the Coalition government. While some members, like the Liberal 'dries,' see no reason to block the takeover, others, particularly from the Nationals, oppose it. This internal division complicates the decision-making process for Treasurer Joe Hockey.
To ease concerns and facilitate the takeover, Archer Daniels Midland has committed to an additional $200 million in capital expenditure for GrainCorp, three-year price caps on grain handling and storage charges, maintaining GrainCorp's head office in Sydney, and consulting with grower organizations twice a year.
The market has shown mixed reactions. Initially, concerns about the bid being blocked pushed GrainCorp's share price down. However, following ADM's announcement of additional commitments, the share price rose, indicating increased optimism about the likelihood of approval.
If the takeover is blocked, it could signal to international investors that the Australian government is not as open for business as it claims, potentially affecting future foreign investments. It could also lead to political repercussions within the Coalition government.
As the Treasurer, Joe Hockey has the final say on whether the takeover proceeds. He must weigh the economic benefits against the political implications and has extended the decision deadline to ensure a thorough review.
The GrainCorp takeover would be the third major foreign acquisition in the Australian grain industry, potentially increasing foreign ownership to about 70%. This is significant compared to past takeovers and highlights the growing trend of foreign investment in the sector.
Proponents argue that the takeover aligns with Australia's open economy and need for foreign investment, while opponents fear it could undermine national interests by increasing foreign control over a key industry. The decision hinges on balancing these economic and political considerations.
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