DEPOSIT AGREEMENT

by and among

METCASH TRADING LIMITED
as Issuer

AND

DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS
as Depositary,

AND

THE HOLDERS AND BENEFICIAL OWNERS
OF AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES EVIDENCED BY
AMERICAN DEPOSITARY RECEIPTS ISSUED HEREUNDER

Dated as of October 4, 2004

DEPOSIT AGREEMENT

        DEPOSIT AGREEMENT, dated as of October 4, 2004, by and among (i) METCASH TRADING LIMITED, a company incorporated under the laws of New South Wales, Australia, and its successors (the "Company"), (ii) DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Deutsche Bank A.G., acting in its capacity as depositary, and any successor depositary hereunder (the "Depositary"), and (iii) all Holders and Beneficial Owners of American Depositary Shares evidenced by American Depositary Receipts issued hereunder (all such capitalized terms as hereinafter defined).

W I T N E S S E T H T H A T:

        WHEREAS, the Company desires to establish with the Depositary an ADR facility to provide for the deposit of the Shares and the creation of American Depositary Shares representing the Shares so deposited; and

        WHEREAS, the Depositary is willing to act as the Depositary for such ADR facility upon the terms set forth in this Deposit Agreement; and

        WHEREAS, the American Depositary Receipts evidencing the American Depositary Shares issued pursuant to the terms of this Deposit Agreement are to be substantially in the form of Exhibit A annexed hereto, with appropriate insertions, modifications and omissions, as hereinafter provided in this Deposit Agreement; and

        WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Company (or an authorized committee thereof) has duly approved the establishment of an ADR facility upon the terms set forth in this Deposit Agreement, the execution and delivery of this Deposit Agreement on behalf of the Company, and the actions of the Company and the transactions contemplated herein.

        NOW, THEREFORE, for good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS

        All capitalized terms used, but not otherwise defined, herein shall have the meanings set forth below, unless otherwise clearly indicated:

        SECTION 1.1 "Affiliate" shall have the meaning assigned to such term by the Commission under Regulation C promulgated under the Securities Act.

        SECTION 1.2 "American Depositary Share(s)" and "ADS(s)" American Depositary Share(s) shall mean the securities represented by the rights and interests in the Deposited Securities granted to the Holders and Beneficial Owners pursuant to the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement and evidenced by the American Depositary Receipts issued hereunder. Each American Depositary Share shall represent the right to receive six Shares, until there shall occur a distribution upon Deposited Securities referred to in Section 4.2 or a change in Deposited Securities referred to in Section 4.9 with respect to which additional American Depositary Receipts are not executed and delivered, and thereafter each American Depositary Share shall represent the Shares or Deposited Securities specified in such Sections.

        SECTION 1.3 "ADS Record Date" shall have the meaning given to such term in Section 4.7.

        SECTION 1.4 "ASX" shall refer to the Australian Stock Exchange.

        SECTION 1.5 "Australian Dollars" and "AUD" shall refer to the lawful currency of Australia.

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        SECTION 1.6 "Beneficial Owner" shall mean as to any ADS, any person or entity having a beneficial interest in any ADSs. A Beneficial Owner need not be the Holder of the ADR evidencing such ADSs. A Beneficial Owner may exercise any rights or receive any benefits hereunder solely through the Holder of the ADR(s) evidencing the ADSs in which such Beneficial Owner has an interest.

        SECTION 1.7 "Business Day" shall mean each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday which is not (a) a day on which banking institutions in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York are authorized or obligated by law or executive order to close and (b) a day on which the market(s) in which Receipts are traded are closed.

        SECTION 1.8 "Commission" shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission of the United States or any successor governmental agency in the United States.

        SECTION 1.9 "Company" shall mean Metcash Trading Limited, a company incorporated and existing under the laws of New South Wales, Australia, and its successors.

        SECTION 1.10 "Custodian" shall mean, as of the date hereof, Australia and New Zealand Banking Group, Melbourne, having its principal office at 530 Collins Street, Melbourne 3000, Australia, as the custodian for the purposes of this Deposit Agreement, and any other firm or corporation which may hereinafter be appointed by the Depositary pursuant to the terms of Section 5.5 as a successor or an additional custodian or custodians hereunder, as the context shall require. The term "Custodian" shall mean all custodians, collectively.

        SECTION 1.11 "Deliver" and "Delivery" shall mean, when used in respect of American Depositary Shares, Receipts, Deposited Securities and Shares, the physical delivery of the certificate representing such security, or the electronic delivery of such security by means of book-entry transfer, as appropriate, including, without limitation, through DRS/Profile. With respect to DRS/Profile ADRs, the terms "execute", "issue", "register", "surrender", "transfer" or "cancel" refer to applicable entries or movements to or within DRS/Profile.

        SECTION 1.12 "Deposit Agreement" shall mean this Deposit Agreement and all exhibits hereto, as the same may from time to time be amended and supplemented in accordance with the terms hereof.

        SECTION 1.13 "Depositary" shall mean Deutsche Bank Trust Company Americas, an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Deutsche Bank A.G., in its capacity as depositary under the terms of this Deposit Agreement, and any successor depositary hereunder.

        SECTION 1.14 "Deposited Securities" as of any time shall mean Shares at such time deposited or deemed to be deposited under this Deposit Agreement and any and all other securities, property and cash received or deemed to be received by the Depositary or the Custodian in respect thereof and held hereunder, subject, in the case of cash, to the provisions of Section 4.6. The collateral delivered in connection with Pre-Release Transactions described in Section 2.10 hereof shall not constitute Deposited Securities.

        SECTION 1.15 "Dollars" and "$" shall refer to the lawful currency of the United States.

        SECTION 1.16 "DRS/Profile" means the system for the uncertificated registration of ownership of securities pursuant to which ownership of ADSs is maintained on the books of the Depositary without the issuance of a physical certificate and transfer instructions may be given to allow for the automated transfer of ownership between the books of DTC and the Depositary. Ownership of ADSs held in DRS/Profile are evidenced by periodic statements issued by the Depositary to the Holders entitled thereto.

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        SECTION 1.17 "DTC" shall mean The Depository Trust Company, the central book-entry clearinghouse and settlement system for securities traded in the United States, and any successor thereto.

        SECTION 1.18 "Exchange Act" shall mean the United States Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as from time to time amended.

        SECTION 1.19 "Foreign Currency" shall mean any currency other than Dollars.

        SECTION 1.20 "Foreign Registrar" shall mean the entity, if any, that carries out the duties of registrar for the Shares or any successor as registrar for the Shares and any other appointed agent of the Company for the transfer and registration of Shares.

        SECTION 1.21 "Holder" shall mean the person in whose name a Receipt is registered on the books of the Depositary (or the Registrar, if any) maintained for such purpose. A Holder may or may not be a Beneficial Owner. A Holder shall be deemed to have all requisite authority to act on behalf of those Beneficial Owners of the ADRs registered in such Holder's name.

        SECTION 1.22 "Indemnified Person" and "Indemnifying Person" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 5.8. hereof.

        SECTION 1.23 "Pre-Release" shall have the meaning set forth in Section 2.10 hereof.

        SECTION 1.24 "Principal Office" when used with respect to the Depositary, shall mean the principal office of the Depositary at which at any particular time its depositary receipts business shall be administered, which, at the date of this Deposit Agreement, is located at 60 Wall Street, New York, New York 10005, U.S.A.

        SECTION 1.25 "Receipt(s)"; "American Depositary Receipt(s)" and "ADR(s)" shall mean the certificate(s) or DRS/Profile statements issued by the Depositary evidencing the American Depositary Shares issued under the terms of this Deposit Agreement, as such Receipts may be amended from time to time in accordance with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement. References to Receipts shall include physical certificated Receipts as well as ADSs issued through DRS/Profile, unless the context otherwise requires.

        SECTION 1.26 "Registrar" shall mean the Depositary or any bank or trust company having an office in the Borough of Manhattan, The City of New York, which shall be appointed by the Depositary to register ownership of Receipts and transfer of Receipts as herein provided, shall include any co-registrar appointed by the Depositary for such purposes. Registrars (other than the Depositary) may be removed and substitutes appointed by the Depositary.

        SECTION 1.27 "Restricted Securities" shall mean Shares, or American Depositary Shares representing such Shares, which (i) have been acquired directly or indirectly from the Company or any of its Affiliates in a transaction or chain of transactions not involving any public offering and subject to resale limitations under the Securities Act or the rules issued thereunder, or (ii) are held by an officer or director (or persons performing similar functions) or other Affiliate of the Company, or (iii) are subject to other restrictions on sale or deposit under the laws of the United States or Australia, or under a shareholders' agreement or the Company's Articles of Association or under the regulations of an applicable securities exchange unless, in each case, such Shares are being sold to persons other than an Affiliate of the Company in a transaction (x) covered by an effective resale registration statement or (y) exempt from the registration requirements of the Securities Act (as hereinafter defined), and the Shares are not, when held by such person, Restricted Securities.

        SECTION 1.28 "Securities Act" shall mean the United States Securities Act of 1933, as from time to time amended.

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        SECTION 1.29 "Shares" shall mean ordinary shares in registered form of the Company, heretofore validly issued and outstanding and fully paid or hereafter validly issued and outstanding and fully paid. References to Shares shall include evidence of rights to receive Shares, whether or not stated in the particular instance; provided, however, that in no event shall Shares include evidence of rights to receive Shares with respect to which the full purchase price has not been paid or Shares as to which pre-emptive rights have theretofore not been validly waived or exercised; provided further, however, that, if there shall occur any split-up, consolidation, reclassification, conversion or any other event described in Section 4.9, in respect of the Shares of the Company, the term "Shares" shall thereafter, to the extent permitted by law, represent the successor securities resulting from such split-up, consolidation, exchange, conversion, reclassification or event.

        SECTION 1.30 "United States" or "U.S." shall mean the United States of America.

ARTICLE II

APPOINTMENT OF DEPOSITARY; FORM OF RECEIPTS;
DEPOSIT OF SHARES; EXECUTION
AND DELIVERY, TRANSFER AND SURRENDER OF RECEIPTS

        SECTION 2.1    Appointment of Depositary.    The Company hereby appoints the Depositary as exclusive depositary for the Deposited Securities and hereby authorizes and directs the Depositary to act in accordance with the terms set forth in this Deposit Agreement. Each Holder and each Beneficial Owner, upon acceptance of any ADSs (or any interest therein) issued in accordance with the terms of this Deposit Agreement, shall be deemed for all purposes to (a) be a party to and bound by the terms of this Deposit Agreement and (b) appoint the Depositary its attorney-in-fact, with full power to delegate, to act on its behalf and to take any and all actions contemplated in this Deposit Agreement, to adopt any and all procedures necessary to comply with applicable law and to take such action as the Depositary in its sole discretion may deem necessary or appropriate to carry out the purposes of this Deposit Agreement (the taking of such actions to be the conclusive determinant of the necessity and appropriateness thereof).

        SECTION 2.2    Form and Transferability of Receipts.    

        (a)   Definitive Receipts shall be substantially in the form set forth in Exhibit A annexed to this Deposit Agreement, with appropriate insertions, modifications and omissions, as hereinafter provided. Receipts may be issued in denominations of any number of American Depositary Shares. No definitive Receipt shall be entitled to any benefits under this Deposit Agreement or be valid or obligatory for any purpose, unless such Receipt shall have been executed by the Depositary by the manual or facsimile signature of a duly authorized signatory of the Depositary. The Depositary shall maintain books on which each Receipt so executed and delivered, in the case of definitive Receipts, and each Receipt issued through the DRS/Profile, in either case as hereinafter provided and the transfer of each such Receipt shall be registered. Receipts in certificated form bearing the manual or facsimile signature of a duly authorized signatory of the Depositary who was at any time a proper signatory of the Depositary shall bind the Depositary, notwithstanding that such signatory has ceased to hold such office prior to the execution and delivery of such Receipts by the Registrar or did not hold such office on the date of issuance of such Receipts.

        In addition to the foregoing, the Receipts may be endorsed with or have incorporated in the text thereof such legends or recitals or modifications not inconsistent with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement as may be reasonably required by the Depositary in order to comply with any applicable law or regulations thereunder or with the rules and regulations of any securities exchange upon which American Depositary Shares may be listed or to conform with any usage with respect thereto, or to indicate any special limitations or restrictions to which any particular

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Receipts are subject by reason of the date of issuance of the underlying Deposited Securities or otherwise.

        Notwithstanding anything in this Deposit Agreement or in the Receipt to the contrary, to the extent available by the Depositary, American Depositary Shares shall be evidenced by Receipts issued through DRS/Profile unless certificated Receipts are specifically requested by the Holder. Holders and Beneficial Owners shall be bound by the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement and of the form of Receipt, regardless of whether their Receipts are certificated or issued through DRS/Profile.

        (b)   Subject to the limitations contained herein and in the form of Receipt, title to a Receipt (and to the American Depositary Shares evidenced thereby), when properly endorsed (in the case of certificated Receipts) or upon delivery to the Depositary of proper instruments of transfer, shall be transferable by delivery with the same effect as in the case of a negotiable instrument under the laws of the State of New York; provided, however, that the Depositary, notwithstanding any notice to the contrary, may treat the Holder thereof as the absolute owner thereof for the purpose of determining the person entitled to distribution of dividends or other distributions or to any notice provided for in this Deposit Agreement and for all other purposes and neither the Depositary nor the Company will have any obligation or be subject to any liability under the Deposit Agreement to any holder of a Receipt, unless such holder is the Holder thereof.

        SECTION 2.3    Deposits.    (a) Subject to the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement and applicable law, Shares or evidence of rights to receive Shares (other than Restricted Securities) may be deposited by any person (including the Depositary in its individual capacity but subject, however, in the case of the Company or any Affiliate of the Company, to Section 5.7 hereof) at any time, whether or not the transfer books of the Company or the Foreign Registrar, if any, are closed, by Delivery of the Shares to the Custodian. Every deposit of Shares shall be accompanied by the following: (A)(i) in the case of Shares issued in registered form, appropriate instruments of transfer or endorsement, in a form satisfactory to the Custodian, (ii) in the case of Shares issued in bearer form, such Shares or the certificates representing such Shares and (iii) in the case of Shares delivered by book-entry transfer, confirmation of such book-entry transfer to the Custodian or that irrevocable instructions have been given to cause such Shares to be so transferred, (B) such certifications and payments (including, without limitation, the Depositary's fees and related charges) and evidence of such payments (including, without limitation, stamping or otherwise marking such Shares by way of receipt) as may be required by the Depositary or the Custodian in accordance with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement, (C) if the Depositary so requires, a written order directing the Depositary to execute and deliver to, or upon the written order of, the person or persons stated in such order a Receipt or Receipts for the number of American Depositary Shares representing the Shares so deposited, (D) evidence satisfactory to the Depositary (which may include an opinion of counsel reasonably satisfactory to the Depositary provided at the cost of the person seeking to deposit Shares) that all conditions to such deposit have been met and all necessary approvals have been granted by, and there has been compliance with the rules and regulations of, any applicable governmental agency in Australia, and (E) if the Depositary so requires, (i) an agreement, assignment or instrument satisfactory to the Depositary or the Custodian which provides for the prompt transfer by any person in whose name the Shares are or have been recorded to the Custodian of any distribution, or right to subscribe for additional Shares or to receive other property in respect of any such deposited Shares or, in lieu thereof, such indemnity or other agreement as shall be satisfactory to the Depositary or the Custodian and (ii) if the Shares are registered in the name of the person on whose behalf they are presented for deposit, a proxy or proxies entitling the Custodian to exercise voting rights in respect of the Shares for any and all purposes until the Shares so deposited are registered in the name of the Depositary, the Custodian or any nominee. No Share shall be accepted for deposit unless accompanied by confirmation or such additional evidence, if any is required by the Depositary, that is reasonably satisfactory to the Depositary or the Custodian that all

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conditions to such deposit have been satisfied by the person depositing such Shares under the laws and regulations of Australia and any necessary approval has been granted by any governmental body in Australia, if any, which is then performing the function of the regulator of currency exchange. The Depositary may issue Receipts against evidence of rights to receive Shares from the Company, any agent of the Company or any custodian, registrar, transfer agent, clearing agency or other entity involved in ownership or transaction records in respect of the Shares. Without limitation of the foregoing, the Depositary shall not knowingly accept for deposit under this Deposit Agreement any Shares required to be registered under the provisions of the Securities Act of 1933, unless a registration statement is in effect as to such Shares. The Depositary will use commercially reasonable efforts to comply with reasonable written instructions of the Company that the Depositary shall not accept for deposit hereunder any Shares specifically identified in such instructions at such times and under such circumstances as may reasonably be specified in such instructions in order to facilitate the Company's compliance with the securities laws in the United States.

        (b)   As soon as practicable after receipt of any permitted deposit hereunder and compliance with the provisions of this Deposit Agreement, the Custodian shall present the Shares so deposited, together with the appropriate instrument or instruments of transfer or endorsement, duly stamped, to the Foreign Registrar for transfer and registration of the Shares (as soon as transfer and registration can be accomplished and at the expense of the person for whom the deposit is made) in the name of the Depositary, the Custodian or a nominee of either. Deposited Securities shall be held by the Depositary or by a Custodian for the account and to the order of the Depositary or a nominee, in each case for the account of the Holders and Beneficial Owners, at such place or places as the Depositary or the Custodian shall determine.

        (c)   In the event any Shares are deposited which entitle the holders thereof to receive a per-share distribution or other entitlement in an amount different from the Shares then on deposit, the Depositary is authorized to take any and all actions as may be necessary (including, without limitation, making the necessary notations on Receipts) to give effect to the issuance of such ADSs and to ensure that such ADSs are not fungible with other ADSs issued hereunder until such time as the entitlement of the Shares represented by such non-fungible ADSs equals that of the Shares represented by ADSs prior to the original such deposit. The Company agrees to give timely written notice to the Depositary if any Shares issued or to be issued contain rights different from those of any other Shares theretofore issued and shall assist the Depositary with the establishment of procedures enabling the identification of such non-fungible Shares upon Delivery to the Custodian.

        SECTION 2.4    Execution and Delivery of Receipts.    After the deposit of any Shares pursuant to Section 2.3, the Custodian shall notify the Depositary of such deposit and the person or persons to whom or upon whose written order a Receipt or Receipts are deliverable in respect thereof and the number of American Depositary Shares to be evidenced thereby. Such notification shall be made by letter, first class airmail postage prepaid, or, at the request, risk and expense of the person making the deposit, by cable, SWIFT, facsimile or electronic transmission. After receiving such notice from the Custodian, the Depositary, subject to this Deposit Agreement (including, without limitation, the payment of the fees, expenses, taxes and other charges owing hereunder), shall issue the ADSs representing the Shares so deposited to or upon the order of the person or persons named in the notice delivered to the Depositary and shall execute and deliver a Receipt registered in the name or names requested by such person or persons evidencing in the aggregate the number of American Depositary Shares to which such person or persons are entitled. Nothing herein shall prohibit any Pre-Release Transaction upon the terms set forth in this Deposit Agreement.

        SECTION 2.5    Transfer of Receipts; Combination and Split-up of Receipts.    

        (a)    Transfer.    The Depositary, or, if a Registrar (other than the Depositary) for the Receipts shall have been appointed, the Registrar, subject to the terms and conditions of this Deposit

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Agreement, shall register transfers of Receipts on its books, upon surrender at the Principal Office of the Depositary of a Receipt by the Holder thereof in person or by duly authorized attorney, properly endorsed in the case of a certificated Receipt or accompanied by, or in the case of DRS/Profile Receipts receipt by the Depositary of, proper instruments of transfer (including signature guarantees in accordance with standard industry practice) and duly stamped as may be required by the laws of the State of New York and of the United States and any other applicable law. Subject to the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement, including payment of the applicable fees and charges of the Depositary set forth in Section 5.9, the Depositary shall execute a new Receipt or Receipts and deliver the same to or upon the order of the person entitled thereto evidencing the same aggregate number of American Depositary Shares as those evidenced by the Receipts surrendered.

        (b)    Combination & Split Up.    The Depositary, subject to the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement shall, upon surrender of a Receipt or Receipts for the purpose of effecting a split-up or combination of such Receipt or Receipts and upon payment to the Depositary of the applicable fees and charges set forth in Section 5.9, execute and deliver a new Receipt or Receipts for any authorized number of American Depositary Shares requested, evidencing the same aggregate number of American Depositary Shares as the Receipt or Receipts surrendered.

        (c)    Co-Transfer Agents.    The Depositary may appoint one or more co-transfer agents for the purpose of effecting transfers, combinations and split-ups of Receipts at designated transfer offices on behalf of the Depositary. In carrying out its functions, a co-transfer agent may require evidence of authority and compliance with applicable laws and other requirements by Holders or persons entitled to such Receipts and will be entitled to protection and indemnity, in each case to the same extent as the Depositary. Such co-transfer agents may be removed and substitutes appointed by the Depositary. Each co-transfer agent appointed under this Section 2.5 (other than the Depositary) shall give notice in writing to the Depositary accepting such appointment and agreeing to be bound by the applicable terms of this Deposit Agreement.

        (d)   At the request of a Holder, the Depositary shall, for the purpose of substituting a certificated Receipt with a Receipt issued through DRS/Profile, or vice versa, execute and deliver a certificated Receipt or DRS/Profile statement, as the case may be, for any authorized number of American Depositary Shares requested, evidencing the same aggregate number of American Depositary Shares as those evidenced by the certificated Receipt or DRS/Profile statement, as the case may be, substituted.

        SECTION 2.6    Surrender of Receipts and Withdrawal of Deposited Securities.    Upon surrender, at the Principal Office of the Depositary, of American Depositary Shares for the purpose of withdrawal of the Deposited Securities represented thereby, and upon payment of (i) the fees and charges of the Depositary for the making of withdrawals of Deposited Securities and cancellation of Receipts (as set forth in Section 5.9) and (ii) all applicable taxes and governmental charges payable in connection with such surrender and withdrawal, and subject to the terms and conditions of this Deposit Agreement, the Company's Articles of Association, Section 7.8 hereof and any other provisions of or governing the Deposited Securities and other applicable laws, the Holder of such American Depositary Shares shall be entitled to Delivery, to him or upon his order, of the Deposited Securities at the time represented by the American Depositary Shares so surrendered. American Depositary Shares may be surrendered for the purpose of withdrawing Deposited Securities by delivery of a Receipt evidencing such American Depositary Shares (if held in certificated form) or by book-entry delivery of such American Depositary Shares to the Depositary.

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