How AGMs were handled in 2020 during corona virus
November 28, 2020
This list tracks the 2020 AGM mini-season during the COVID-19 pandemic.
April 1: CIMIC in Sydney - see notice of meeting and voting results. Shareholders could attend but no questions on the day and no shareholders actually attended the meeting held at the company's Sydney head office.
REA t
April 3: Santos in Adelaide – see notice of
meeting. Big protest votes on climate resolutions. Physical attendance banned but 20 online questions asked on the day.
April 8: Scentre Group in Sydney – see notice of meeting plus this update statement on March 31. See results - almost a rem strike. Shareholders banned from attending, only pre-meeting questions asked in summary form. No live questions although the phone line was opened. Meeting only lasted half an hour.
April 9: Iluka Resources - original notice of meeting mentioned Perth Entertainment Centre. April 2 update banned attendance. See voting results - everything above 97% so no second strike on rem report. ASA submitted 2 written questions but no action during the meeting.
April 17: OZ Minerals in Adelaide at the Adelaide Oval - see notice of meeting plus this update on April 7 saying shareholders can no longer attend. Everything above 96%.
April 23: Bell Financial Group – notice of meeting plus update statement banning shareholders and moving location from Melbourne to Sydney with no debate. Everything above 96%.
April 30: Woodside in Perth – see notice of
meeting with shareholders first strongly discouraged from attending Perth Entertainment Centre but then banned on April 21. Wholly online meeting with chairman Goyder reading out questions from 22 shareholders. No transcript supplied despite a request. Big protests on rem and climate issues.
May 1: Oil Search in Sydney - see notice of meeting. Shareholders "strongly discouraged" but can attend if they like. Protests of 16% and 18% against the two directors up for election and 6% against rem items.
May 7: QBE Insurance: in Sydney - see notice of meeting. Cancelled the Fullerton Hotel and didn't tell shareholders where the meeting was held. No meaningful opposition against board proposed resolutions but 4 shareholder resolution on climate related issues received between 7% and 14% support. See results.
May 7: Rio Tinto in Brisbane – see notice of
meeting. See March 25 update on two shareholder resolutions as shareholders strongly urged not to attend. Delayed release of final results, presumably given embarrassed by 16% vote in favour of a climate change related constitutional change opposed by the board.
May 7: WPP Australia NZ – see notice of meeting. Shareholders initially strongly discouraged but then April 24 update advised they were banned and only written questions could be submitted during webcast. Biggest protest 5.36% against CEO's LTI grant.
May 7: Iress in Sydney at company offices - see notice of meeting. Shareholders initially "strongly discouraged" but then banned in April 30 update outlining that written question and live voting would be done online. No meaningful protest votes.
May 7: HT&E: 9am at KPMG in Sydney - see notice of meeting. Shareholders initially strongly discouraged then April 30 update moved to fully online. No meaningful protest votes.
May 8: AMP in Sydney – see notice of meeting. See update strongly discouraging attendance, then April 23 statement banning attendance but disclosing AGM will he held at Sydney head office. Huge strike with 67% against remuneration report and 9% opposed refreshing the placement capacity.
May 8: Invocare in Sydney – see notice of meeting. An online only meeting from the start with no venue disclosed. 20% protest vote against CEO's LTI grant. See results.
May 13: GPT at Sydney head office – see notice of meeting - initially strongly discouraged but said shareholders could attend. Then announced on May 4 that was online only. No meaningful protest votes.
May 14: Caltex at Sydney offices - see notice of meeting - shareholders initially encouraged not to attend then were banned in April 21 update. All 3 resolutions above 99% support.
May 19 – Atlas Alteria – initial date announcement flagged a meeting in Melbourne then notice of meeting went fully virtual. Biggest protest was 6.85% against old Macquarie Bermudan Jeffrey Conyers.
May 19 - Adelaide Brighton - see notice of meeting. First flagged a physical meeting in Sydney then May 6 update banned attendance and encouraged pre-AGM questions by email of fax, would you believe. Written questions could be lodged during online meeting. No meaningful protest votes and name changed to AdBri Ltd.
May 20 – Alumina in Melbourne – see date announcement. There was this update on May 11 shifting the meeting from Deloitte to company HQ with no attendance permitted. No protest votes.
May 22: Sydney Airport - see notice of meeting - no venue disclosed so online only AGM. An update on May 15 confirming online arrangements. All resolutions above 96%.
May 26: Coca Cola Amatil – see notice of meeting - no venue disclosed and fully virtual from the start. 7% vote against one of the Coke US board nominees but no other protest votes.
May 26: Moelis Australia - see date announcement. There was a May 18 update banning attendance. Biggest protest vote was 9% against pay rise for the directors.
May 27, Freelancer - see notice of meeting announcing a hybrid meeting. A massive 124 slides at the AGM. An 8% protest vote against director Darren Williams. See results.
May 29: ERA - initially flagged a May 6 meeting in Darwin then on April 29 released the notice of meeting shifting it to Perth and strongly discouraging attendance. Never announced a ban but chair address suggests it was fully online.
May 29: Appen - notice of meeting went with fully online meeting. 9% protest vote against rem report and 30% against CEO's LTI grant.
May 29, Costa Group - notice of meeting went straight to the fully online meeting. All resolutions supported by more than 98%.
STILL TO COME
June 4: oOH!media in Sydney - see delay announcement. The notice of meeting was finally released May 1 and provided no venue going with fully online format.
June 17: G8 Education - see delay announcement. Formal notice of meeting flagged running hybrid meeting allowing physical attendance.
Brisbane Broncos: flagged delay in this March 27 statement but still no date set.
July 16: Ausnet: used Lumi and shareholders could type in questions live which were read out by a company representative. Three shareholders took up this opportunity.
Submission
Copyright © 2022 The Mayne Report. All rights reserved
