CUSIP No. 013810150 13G Page 1 of 7 pages
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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 13G
UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
(AMENDMENT NO. __)*
James Hardie Industries NV
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(Name of Issuer)
Common Stock
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(Title of Class of Securities)
013810150
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(CUSIP Number)
February 28, 2005
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(Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)
Check the appropriate box to designate the rule pursuant to which this Schedule
is filed:
[ ] Rule 13d-1(b)
[X] Rule 13d-1(c)
[ ] Rule 13d-1(d)
*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and
for any subsequent amendment containing information which would alter the
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.
The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the
Notes).
CUSIP No. 013810150 13G Page 2 of 7 pages
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1. Names of Reporting Persons.
I.R.S. Identification Nos. of above persons (entities only).
Commonwealth Bank of Australia
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2. Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group (See Instructions)
(a) [ ]
(b) [ ]
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3. SEC Use Only
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4. Citizenship or Place of Organization Australia
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Number of 5. Sole Voting Power 0
Shares -----------------------------------------------------------
Beneficially 6. Shared Voting Power 75,268,867
Owned by -----------------------------------------------------------
Each Reporting 7. Sole Dispositive Power 0
Person With -----------------------------------------------------------
8. Shared Dispositive Power 75,268,867
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9. Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person
75,268,867
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10. Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes
Certain Shares (See Instructions)
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11. Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9)
16.4%
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12. Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions)
CO
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CUSIP No. 013810150 13G Page 3 of 7 pages
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ITEM 1.(A) NAME OF ISSUER
James Hardie Industries NV
ITEM 1.(B) ADDRESS OF ISSUER'S PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICES
Level 4, Atrium, Unit 04-07
Strawinskylaan 3077
Amsterdam, 1077 ZX
Netherlands
ITEM 2.(A) NAME OF PERSONS FILING
Commonwealth Bank of Australia
ITEM 2.(B) ADDRESS OF PRINCIPAL BUSINESS OFFICE OR, IF NONE, RESIDENCE
48 Martin Place, Level 2, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
ITEM 2.(C) CITIZENSHIP
Australia
ITEM 2.(D) TITLE OF CLASS OF SECURITIES
Common Stock, No Par.
ITEM 2.(E) CUSIP NUMBER
013810150
ITEM 3. IF THIS STATEMENT IS FILED PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 240.13D-1(B) OR
240.13D-2(B) OR (C), CHECK WHETHER THE PERSON FILING IS A:
N/A
CUSIP No. 013810150 13G Page 4 of 7 pages
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ITEM 4. OWNERSHIP.
Provide the following information regarding the aggregate number and
percentage of the class class of securities of the issuer identified in
Item 1.
(a) Amount beneficially owned:
75,268,867
(b) Percent of class:
16.4%
(c) Number of shares as to which the person has:
(i) Sole power to vote or to direct the vote :
0
(ii) Shared power to vote or to direct the vote:
75,268,867
(iii) Sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of :
0
(iv) Shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of :
75,268,867
The information contained in Items 5-11 of the cover page is incorporated
herein by reference. The reporting person ("CBA") may be deemed to
beneficially own 75,268,867 shares of Common Stock of James Hardie
Industries NV ("JHX") as a result of the aggregate holdings of certain of
its wholly owned subsidiaries. The shares of JHX are traded on the
Australian Stock Exchange (the "ASX"). The shares were acquired on the ASX
by Colonial First State Investment Group Limited ("Colonial First State"),
First State Investment Management (UK) Limited, all of which are wholly
owned subsidiaries of CBA (collectively, the "CBA Fund Managers"). The CBA
Fund Managers hold the shares for clients who have shared voting and
dispositive power with the CBA Fund Managers over the shares.
Additionally, Colonial First State Investments Limited, as the responsible
entity under Australian law of the "First Choice" funds, had outsourced,
to external managers unrelated to CBA, certain voting and dispositive
functions over securities acquired by these external managers and held in
these funds, including James Hardie Industries NV. Under these outsourcing
arrangements, external mangers unrelated to CBA have acquired 2,103,535 of
JHX, on behalf of Colonial First State.
CUSIP No. 013810150 13G Page 5 of 7 pages
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ITEM 5. OWNERSHIP OF FIVE PERCENT OR LESS OF A CLASS
N/A
ITEM 6. OWNERSHIP OF MORE THAN FIVE PERCENT ON BEHALF OF ANOTHER PERSON.
Clients of the CBA Fund Managers have the ultimate right to receive
any dividends from the common stock beneficially owned by the
Reporting Person and the proceeds from the sale of such securities.
ITEM 7. IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF THE SUBSIDIARY WHICH ACQUIRED THE
SECURITY BEING REPORTED ON BY THE PARENT HOLDING COMPANY
See Exhibit A.
ITEM 8. IDENTIFICATION AND CLASSIFICATION OF MEMBERS OF THE GROUP
N/A
ITEM 9. NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF GROUP
ITEM 10. CERTIFICATION
By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief,
the securities referred to above were not acquired and are not held for the
purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the
issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection
with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect.
CUSIP No. 013810150 13G Page 6 of 7 pages
SIGNATURE
After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify
that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.
March 8, 2005 COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA
By:
/s/ John Damien Hatton
Name: John Damien Hatton
Title: Company Secretary
COLONIAL FIRST STATE INVESTMENTS LIMITED
By:
/s/ Peter Sipek
Name: Peter Sipek
Title: Senior Manager,
Investment Management Support