2022 Annual General Meeting – 14 September
The 2022 Annual General Meeting will be held at The Mercure Ballarat Hotel & Convention Centre on Wednesday 14 September, commencing at 10am AEST. Details on how to register for the AGM have been emailed to all members or you can click on the link below.
Attending the AGM
To attend the 2022 AGM please register in advance at the Holstein Highlights 2022 website and registration portal. You can also register to attend the National Awards Dinner and other Holstein Highlights activities at this link.
AGM Documents
The following documents relating to the Annual General Meeting are available to download by clicking on the highlighted text:
- Notice of Annual General Meeting
- Proxy Form
- Minutes of the previous AGM
- 2021-2022 Annual Report
- Proposed Purpose and Committee Structure (see Special Resolutions below)
Special Resolutions
Members are being asked to vote on three Special Resolutions at the AGM relating to Board Committees, Company Secretary and Transitional Provisions.
Having sought independent expert advice, the Board is proposing these changes to streamline the organisation’s operations and meet both the demands of current organisation governance and Holstein Australia’s current and future operational needs.
Special Resolution 1 - Committees
This resolution relates specifically to the proposed new committee structure. The new structure means that the Breed Development and Conformation Committee (BDCC) would be split into two new committees, being Classification & Awards and Genetic Improvement. This will allow a greater focus on both areas of specialisation.
The Board has assessed that while the Strategic Directions Committee (SDC) played a vital role during the drafting of our 5 year business plan, subsequently the committee has had minimal work to do. The Board seeks to establish a more focussed and resourced committee which will deliver better value for members, the Member Engagement Committee. This committee will focus on engaging with the wider membership through the Sub-branch network and Youth.
The current Finance Committee and Audit & Risk Committee remain as is.
Thus, the proposed committees as part of this restructure are:
- Finance
- Audit & Risk
- Classification & Awards
- Genetic Improvement
- Member Engagement.
Special Resolution 2 - Company Secretary
This resolution relates to the appointment of Company Secretary. Under current rules the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), upon appointment, assumes the role of Company Secretary.
Under the proposed changes the Board will be able to appoint an appropriately qualified individual to the role of Company Secretary. It is considered good practice from a corporate Governance perspective that the role of CEO be separate to that of the Company Secretary.
Special Resolution 3 - Transitional Provisions
Should Special Resolutions 1 and 2, or any number thereof, be passed by a majority of not less than three-quarters of the members entitled to vote, the resolutions passed will be adopted with immediate effect thereby not requiring a transition period.
Member information sessions
Holstein Australia is hosting two information sessions for members on the Special Resolutions and Proposed Purpose and Committee Structure on Tuesday 30 August, 7pm and Monday 5 September, 12pm. Registration details will be published on the Holstein Australia website, emailed to members and posted on HA social media on Friday 26 August.
How to vote
Members can vote in person at the AGM. If you intend to participate and vote but cannot attend on the day please complete and sign the Proxy Form and return to the Holstein Australia office at AgriBio, 5 Ring Rd, Bundoora, VIC 3083 or via email to governance@holstein.com.au at least 24 hours before the scheduled start time of the AGM, being 10am on Wednesday 14th September 2022.
In order to vote at an AGM members are required to be financial at the day of the meeting, so if you intend to vote either at the meeting or by proxy please make sure your account is within normal credit terms.