Chapter 17 : Dividend Announcement

21 August 2009: Directors resolved to pay a final dividend of 18.0 cents per share, franked to 50%. This takes the full year dividend to 45 cents per share, representing a full year payout ratio of 63.7% of NPAT, excluding the impairment charge. The unfranked portion of the dividend is declared to be conduit foreign income. Australian dividend withholding tax is not payable by non-resident shareholders on the unfranked portion of the dividend sourced from conduit foreign income.

The record date (books closing date) for determining an entitlement to the dividend is 25 September 2009 and the dividend will be paid on 23 October 2009. Trading on an ex-dividend basis will commence on 21 September 2009 (four business days before the record date in accordance with the timetable laid out in Appendix 6A of the ASX Listing Rules).

The Dividend Reinvestment Plan (DRP) was approved by the Directors on 21 August 2008. In the financial year ended 30 June 2009, the DRP was offered to ordinary shareholders for the first time and provided the opportunity to acquire fully paid ordinary shares, without transaction costs, at the prevailing market value less 2.5%. For the final dividend to be paid on 23 October 2009, the DRP is optional and offers ordinary shareholders the opportunity to acquire fully paid ordinary shares which rank equally with all other shares issued, without transaction costs, at the prevailing market value. A shareholder can elect to participate in or terminate their involvement in the DRP in respect of the 2009 final dividend at any time prior to the record date of 25 September 2009.