Questions asked at 2023 AGMs

1. Aristocrat Leisure (ALL): ran for the board at physical AGM in Sydney on February 24 at the company offices. See wrap of all the action.

2. AMP (AMP): 10am Sydney hybrid held on March 31 at the Wesley Centre which last almost 4 hours. See text of 13 questions asked complete with video of most answers . Was a big strike with 49% against and a 15% protest vote against chair Debra Hazelton. See voting results. Credit to AMP for publishing a full video archive of the AGM along with this transcript.

3. Bell Financial Group (BFG): 10am fully online meeting on Wednesday, April 19, which lasted just 26 minutes. See notice of meeting and summary of the 7 questions asked, 4 of which were ignored. Listen to webcast archive.

4. NZME (NZM): Hybrid at 3pm NZ time on April 26. Market cap $150m. See notice of meeting and text of 6 questions asked. No archive of AGM available.

5. Pepper Money (PPM): fully virtual AGM on April 27. See notice of meeting. See text of 9 questions asked. Proxies disclosed early and no material protests.

6. IRESS (IRE): See notice of meeting for May 4 hybrid starting at 11.30am with physical component on level 27 of the Pantscraper building at 447 Collins St. Proxies released early and biggest protest 12% against rem report. See text of 8 questions asked. Doesn't appear to be any archive available of the 2022 AGM webcast. Own.

7. Rio Tinto (RIO): two AGMs with the UK version wholly online and later May 4 Australian version a hybrid starting at 9.30am in Perth on May 4. See details of 2 questions asked. Australian meeting lasted 98 minutes. Watch full webcast. Biggest protest 6% against outgoing director Megan Clarke apart from usual 20% against buyback authority driven by UK shareholders.

8. Iluka Resources (ILU): a hybrid starting at 9.30am at the Pamelia Hilton in Perth on May 10. See notice of meeting and text of 12 questions asked. Biggest protest was 6% against director Susie Corlett and the chair explained this was an institution targeting members of the sustainability committee for not setting strong carbon reduction targets. No webcast archive available as yet.

9. MA Financial (MAF): physical only meeting at 11.30am on May 11 in Sydney on level 27 of Brookfield Tower at 10 Carrington St which attended in person, asking the maximum 10 questions allowed. Chair Jeffrey Browne refuses to publish an archive of the webcast. Last year was a fully online AGM. See transcript of that Q&A. Unlike the 22.7% protest vote against the rem report last year, all resolutions were well supported in 2023.

10. QBE Insurance (QBE): hybrid starting at 10am on May 12 with physical component at Sydney's Wesley Centre. Attended in person, raising AGM procedure, chair succession, capital raising, climate and the 5% drop in the share price that day. See notice of meeting. Biggest protest vote was 6% against chairman Mike Wilkins but he refused to explain what this was about. See 10 video packages of key action via Twitter and watch 75 minute AGM webcast archive. Transcript request declined again.

11. HT&E (HT1): 9am hybrid on May 17 with physical component requiring email registration to attend at Sydney office of King Wood Malleson. Was the only shareholder asking questions at 55 minute meeting. See text of 12 questions lodged, 4 of which were ignored.

12. Waypoint REIT (WPR): 10am hybrid on May 18 with the physical component in Sydney at the Dexus Auditorium. See notice of meeting. See text of 11 written questions asked. Biggest protest was 18% against rem report. Watch webcast of 62 minute meeting.

13. Regal Partners (RPL): 10am hybrid on May 23 with physical component at Customs House in Sydney. See notice of meeting and text of 9 written online questions lodged. Rich Lister activists David Kingston and Malcolm McComas tore strips off the board. No proxy disclosure with the formal addresses but all 6 resolutions supported by 99%+ of voted stock.

14. Ventia Services (VNT): see 2023 notice of meeting for 10am virtual meeting on May 23. Proxies disclosed with the formal addresses and only protest 9.7% against CEO's LTI grant. See text of 9 written questions lodged and webcast of 76 minute meeting. Last year's inaugural AGM was also fully virtual. They agreed to most pre-AGM requests last year, including publishing proxies early. See text of 6 questions asked, webcast of 67 minute meeting and transcript.

15. Viva Energy (VEA): 3pm hybrid on May 23 with physical component at King Wood Mallesons office at the Pantscraper building in Collins St. See notice of meeting and text of 6 questions lodged and answers provided during the meeting. Watch webcast of 72 minute meeting. Proxies were disclosed with the formal addresses and all resolutions were supported by more than 98% of voted stock. Last year was a hybrid meeting with physical component at Docklands Stadium in Melbourne. Asked 7 questions. Watch 81 minute webcast. Only protest was 12% against rem report. No transcript provided by the company, so we spent a few bob getting this partial transcript done.

16. Boart Longyear (BLY): 9am fully online AGM on May 25. See notice of meeting. See text of 4 questions asked at 42 minute meeting. Proxies disclosed with formal addresses and no material protest votes.

17. Costa Group (CGC): reverted to physical only meeting in 2023 at 11am on May 25 at King Wood Mallesons in Melbourne - see notice of meeting. Asked about 6 questions at 95 minute meeting where around 8 different elderly male shareholders spoke. No material protest votes. Company refused again to publish an archive of the webcast. Lodged these 9 questions but still don't know what answers were provided.

18. Atlas Alteria (ALX): 10am hybrid on May 30 with physical component at the RACV Club in Melbourne. See notice of meeting and text of 6 written questions at the 90 minute meeting.

19. Neuren Pharmaceutical (NEU): 2.30pm hybrid on May 30 with physical component at level 33 of 447 Collins St in Melbourne. See notice of meeting and text of 10 questions asked. Market cap $1.8 billion.

20. Stanmore Resources (SMR): 10am Brisbane time hybrid on May 31 with physical component at the offices of Norton Rose. See notice of meeting. Only 4 of my 8 questions were asked at the end of proceedings. Same as last year when most of my questions were ignored, particularly those directed at the directors up for election about the unfair capital raising. Watch webcast of 56 minute AGM.

21. Far Ltd: 11am hybrid on May 31 with physical component in Melbourne. Lobbed a quick 4 online questions, but didn't keep a copy. Watch this video grab via Twitter. Chair said only Glass Lewis produced a report but he hadn't seen it. Was all done in 23 minutes. See notice of meeting. Market cap $70m which is mainly Woodside royalties.

22. Yancoal: hybrid meeting at 11am on May 31 with physical component in Sydney. See notice of meeting. Market cap is $7.3 billion and landed these 7 questions. Meeting lasted 65 minutes and pleased they released the proxies early with the formals. Only protest was 18% against buyback resolution.

23. 29Metals (29M): 10.30am hybrid with physical component at The Windsor in Melbourne on June 1. See notice of meeting and text of 8 written questions asked. Was only person asking live questions. Only protests were 5% against CEO incentive grant but 42% shareholder EMR Capital arguably shouldn't have have voted on the rem items.

Copyright © 2023 The Mayne Report. All rights reserved

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