Top 12 2009 AGMs

December 31, 2018

We only attended 43 AGMs in 2009 including five board tilts without success. Below is a chronological list of the best 12 AGMs of 2009 based on the quality or mood of the debate.

AWB December 23 2009
The same group of hard core farmer supporters of the single desk were out in force at the AGM and this time we were on the same side in blasting the board, although none of my commentary blamed the directors for Labor's decision to introduce competition into Australia's wheat marketing system - listen to audio, see Mayne Report.

National Australia Bank December 17 2009
The NAB AGM in Brisbane was well worth attending even if the 5% support in the board tilt was still on the light side and chairman Michael Chaney received no meaningful opposition at all despite continuing to defend one of the worst cases of retail shareholders being shafted in a capital raising - watch video, see Mayne Report.

Ten Network December 10 2009
The hostilities ended up dragging on between me and the board for about 50 minutes of the 80 minute meeting, which is the first time Ten's AGM has lasted more than an hour since we last caught up at the 2000 AGM in Melbourne - listen to audio, see Mayne Report.

Woolworths November 26 2009
CEO Michael Luscombe brazenly declared that Woolies is the best operator when it comes to responsible gaming when, truth be known, it is the worst and the biggest.
So enraged with these statements, the prepared notes went out the window during the one and only visit to the microphone which finished up telling the board they were being misled by management, they were the worst operators, they preyed on problem gamblers and they ought to be ashamed of themselves - listen to audio, watch video, see Mayne Report.

Fairfax Media, November 10 2009
All up it was a good debate but disappointing to see Corbett re-elected with 98% in favour and none of the three challengers reach double figures, as if to suggest the current board has done a great job and three media professionals with a combined 70 years experience had little to offer - see package of highlights, see Mayne Report.

Seven Network November 9 2009
Kerry Stokes was surprisingly forthcoming in opening up on a range of issues. For instance, he said it was James Packer who suggested Ryan Stokes and Peter Gammell join the Consolidated Media Holdings board as Seven's representatives - listen to audio, see Mayne Report.

Crown October 28 2009
Despite an erudite James Packer being far more forthcoming this year, the usual hoards of security and officious rules requiring everyone to deposit bags in the cloak room were in force, but there were no strip searches, so the recorder made it into the meeting - listen to audio, see Mayne Report.

Asciano October 23 2009
The Asciano AGM was definitely the most cantankerous we attended in 2009, with plenty of gripes from small shareholders - listen to audio, see Mayne Report.

ASX Sept 30, 2009
The 2009 ASX AGM in Sydney was a lively affair at which we asked seven questions. The most pointed spray was the opening salvo about how ASX allowed Australia to develop a global reputation for being the Wild West of infrastructure funding, as evidenced by the Babcock implosion and the $345 million Macquarie Group fleeced from its airport fund - listen to audio, see Mayne Report.

GPT AGM May 25, 2009
The GPT AGM in Sydney was a pretty brutal affair but it did produce a quote from chairman Peter Joseph which we've included in our list of top 10 sledges from AGMs over the past decade - listen to audio, see Mayne Report.

"A healthy democracy must include the licence to offend and you've got that down to a fine art."
- Peter Joseph, GPT chairman, 2009 AGM

AMP AGM May 14, 2009
Leading off with the battle over whether Clarke and former James Hardie chair Meredith Hellicar should have been put up for re-election by AMP, before both later withdrew - listen to audio, watch video, see Mayne Report, read transcript.

QBE AGM April 8, 2009
Whilst the AGM produced some fascinating exchanges and it was very disappointing that the company's webcast was edited down to remove all of the debate - listen to audio, see Mayne Report.