Securities and Exchange Commission Washington, D.C. 20549 SCHEDULE 13D Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Amendment No. 9) INFORMATION TO BE INCLUDED IN STATEMENTS FILED PURSUANT TO RULE 13d-1(a) AND AMENDMENTS THERETO FILED PURSUANT TO RULE 13d-2(a) Aberdeen Australia Equity Fund, Inc. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Name of Issuer) Common Stock, par value $.01 per share -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Title of Class of Securities) 318652104 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (CUSIP Number) Moritz Sell Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Alexanderplatz 2 D-10178 Berlin Germany +44.20.7572.6200 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications) February 2, 2004 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Date of Event which Requires Filing of this Statement) If the filing person has previously filed a statement on Schedule 13G to report the acquisition which is the subject of this Schedule 13D, and is filing this schedule because of Rule 13d-1(b)(3) or (4), check the following box. [ ] Page 1 of 8 Pages ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 NAME OF REPORTING PERSON S.S. OR I.R.S. ID NO. OF ABOVE PERSON Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2 CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP (a) [ ] (b) [ ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3 SEC USE ONLY ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 SOURCE OF FUNDS ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5 CHECK BOX IF DISCLOSURE OF LEGAL PROCEEDINGS IS REQUIRED PURSUANT [ ] TO ITEM 2(d) OR 2(e) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 6 CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION Federal Republic of Germany ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NUMBER OF SOLE VOTING POWER 4,972,950 SHARES ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BENEFICIALLY SHARED VOTING POWER OWNED ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BY EACH SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER 4,972,950 REPORTING ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PERSON SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER WITH ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11 AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON 4,972.950 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12 CHECK IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (11) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES [ ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 13 PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW (11) 29.64% ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14 TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON BK ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Page 2 of 8 Pages This Amendment No. 9 amends and supplements Items 4 and 5 and Annex A of the Statement on Schedule 13D of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG (the "Bank") with respect to the shares of Common Stock, par value $.01 per share (the "Common Stock"), of the Aberdeen Australia Equity Fund, Inc. (the "Fund"). Annex A sets forth the name, address and principal occupation of each director and executive officer of the Bank and the name, address, jurisdiction of incorporation and principal business of each shareholder of the Bank who may be deemed to be in control of the Bank. All of the individuals listed on Annex A are citizens of the Federal Republic of Germany. Items not included in this amendment are not amended and remain as previously reported. ITEM 4. PURPOSE OF TRANSACTION The sales enumerated in item 5(c) of this Amendment No. 9 were effected pursuant to rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933. The Bank may engage in further sales of its shares of Common Stock pursuant to rule 144 in the future, subject to the rule's limitations on the permitted volume of sales and the manner in which shares may be sold. Separately, representatives of the Bank have engaged in preliminary discussions with representatives of the Fund concerning the possibility that the Fund may be willing to assist the Bank by registering the Bank's remaining shares of Common Stock for sale in a public offering pursuant to the registration provisions of the Securities Act of 1933. Such registered sales, if effected, might be made either at the market price over a period of time, in one or more underwritten public offerings, or by both methods of sale. No agreement to effect such a registration has been reached, and it is anticipated that, prior to undertaking such a registration, it may be necessary for the Bank and the Fund to obtain an exemption from the Commission with respect to otherwise applicable restrictions on affiliated transactions contained in section 17(d) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 and rule 17d-1 thereunder. The Bank cannot determine at this time whether it would be necessary to obtain such an exemption, whether an exemption, if requested, would be forthcoming from the Commission or whether the Bank would consider market conditions to be favorable for such sales at the time when it was feasible to effect such a registration. ITEM 5. INTEREST IN SECURITIES OF THE ISSUER (a) According to the latest Annual Report of the Fund filed with the Commission on January 4, 2005, there were 16,777,298 shares of Common Stock outstanding at October 31, 2004. The percentage set forth in this Item 5(a) was derived using such number. The Bank is the beneficial owner of 4,972,950 shares of Common Stock, which constitute approximately 29.64% of the outstanding shares of Common Stock. (b) The Bank has sole power to vote and to dispose of the shares of Common Stock owned by it. (c) During the last sixty days, the Bank has effected the following sales in the shares of Common Stock in reliance upon Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended: Page 3 of 8 Pages DATE NUMBER OF SHARES PRICE PER SHARE December 16, 2004 22,500 $11.40 December 17, 2004 1,400 $11.39 December 20, 2004 23,100 $11.3505 December 21, 2004 5,000 $11.5 December 22, 2004 17,400 $11.559 December 23, 2004 12,000 $11.5673 January 19, 2005 3,300 $11.33 January 20, 2005 800 $11.2125 January 24, 2005 3,300 $11.2476 January 25, 2005 22,800 $11.2258 January 26, 2005 17,400 $11.3003 January 27, 2005 17,600 $11.40 January 31, 2005 10,500 $11.48 February 1, 2005 26,499 $11.4795 February 2, 2005 28,300 $11.497 (d) No person other than the Bank has the right to receive or the power to direct the receipt of dividends from, or the proceeds from the sale of, the shares of Common Stock owned by the Bank. (e) Inapplicable. Page 4 of 8 Pages SIGNATURE After reasonable inquiry and to the best of our knowledge and belief, we certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct. Date: February 7, 2005 BANKGESELLSCHAFT BERLIN AG By: /s/ Kirk Kipp ----------------------------------- Name: Dirk Kipp Title: Managing Director By: /s/ Moritz Sell ----------------------------------- Name: Moritz Sell Title: Director Page 5 of 8 Pages ANNEX A Unless otherwise indicated, the business address for all individuals listed in this Annex A is Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG, Alexanderplatz 2, D-10178 Berlin, Federal Republic of Germany. MEMBERS OF THE MANAGING BOARD NAME AND ADDRESS PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION Hans-Joerg Vetter Chairman of the Managing Board of Alexanderplatz 2 Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG D-10178 Berlin Serge Demoliere Member of the Managing Board of Alexanderplatz 2 Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG D-10178 Berlin Uwe Kruschinski Member of the Managing Board of Alexanderplatz 2 Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG D-10178 Berlin Dr. Thomas Veit Member of the Managing Board of Alexanderplatz 2 Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG D-10178 Berlin Martin Klaus Mueller Member of the Managing Board of Alexanderplatz 2 Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG D-10178 Berlin EXECUTIVE OFFICER NAME AND ADDRESS PRINCIPAL OCCUPATION Alt, Volker Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Recht Alexanderplatz 2 D-10178 Berlin Boehmer, Willi Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Finanzen Brunnenstra(beta)e 111 D-13355 Berlin Boenke, Frank-Michael Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Compliance Brunnenstrasse 111 D-13355 Berlin Page 6 of 8 Pages Brummel, Beate Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Kreditbereich Kapitalmarktgeschaft Alexanderplatz 2 D-10178 Berlin Burmester, Dr. Christian General Manager of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG London Branch London Branch 1 Crown Court Cheapside GB-London EC2V 6LR Butzer, Arnold Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Vertrieb Immobilienfinanzierung Corneliusstr, 7 D-10787 Berlin Ghassemi-Moghadam, Dariush Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Unternehmensentwicklung Alexanderplatz 2 D-10178 Berlin Gunther, Steffen Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Geschaftsfeldstab Immobilienfinanzierung Corneliusstr, 7 D-10787 Berlin Hirschhaeuser, Dr. Karl-Friedrich Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Risikocontrolling Alexanderplatz 2 D-178 Berlin Kipp, Dirk Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Eigenhandel Alexanderplatz 2 D-10178 Berlin and Treasury Alexanderplatz 2 D-10178 Berlin Lange, Axel Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Kreditbereich IBAG/IBG Hardenbergstr. 20 D-10623 Berlin Papesch, Uwe Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Equities Alexanderplatz 2 D-10178 Berlin Page 7 of 8 Pages Ramthun, Helmut Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Compliance Brunnenstrasse 111 D-13355 Berlin Reinhardt, Ludwig Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Zins-/Kreditprodukte Alexanderplatz 2 D-10178 Berlin Reutter, Dr. Georg Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Kredit Immobilien BG Corneliusstr, 7 D-10787 Berlin Roller, Gerhard Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Internationales Geschaft Alexanderplatz 2 D-10178 Berlin- Schoelper, Siegfried Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Controlling Brunnenstra(beta)e 111 D-13355 Berlin Schroeder, Bartho Managing Director of Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Bankgesellschaft Berlin AG Business Management Alexanderplantz 2 D-10178 Berlin SHAREHOLDERS WHO MAY BE DEEMED TO CONTROL THE BANK The following shareholders of the Bank may be deemed to control the Bank: The City of Berlin Norddeutsche Landesbank Girozentrale NORD/LB, a bank formed under the laws of Germany, whose principal address is Georgplatz 1, D-30159, Hannover, Germany. 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