Summary

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The majority voted against amendments introduced by Tasmanian Senator Nick McKim (Greens), which means they failed.

Senator McKim explained that:

This amendment would prevent listed companies from holding wholly virtual AGMs. It's been revised to align it with the amendments agreed to in the House to establish a review into these provisions of the bill. By their nature, listed companies have a public responsibility and the parliament should ensure that their AGMs are conducted in a publicly observable manner. Allowing listed companies to hold hybrid AGMs will provide an opportunity for all of the issues associated with virtual meetings to be sorted out and for there to be a real-world confirmation of their purported benefits. Until then, wholly virtual AGMs for listed companies should not be allowed and shareholders should retain the opportunity to sit in the same room as the executive and the board to bear witness to exactly what they are up to and have the capacity to hold them to account for their actions.

What does the bill do?

According to the bills digest, the bill was introduced in order to:

  • allow companies to use technology to execute company documents such as contracts and deeds and to also sign meetings-related documents and provide those to their members and
  • allow companies and registered schemes to hold hybrid meetings (which give members the option of either attending in person or remotely).

Votes Not passed by a modest majority

Nobody rebelled against their party.

Party Votes
Australian Greens (100% turnout) 9 Yes 0 No
Dorinda Cox WA Yes
Mehreen Faruqi NSW Yes
Sarah Hanson-Young SA Yes
Nick McKim Tasmania Yes
Janet Rice Victoria Yes
Jordon Steele-John WA Yes
Lidia Thorpe Victoria Yes
Larissa Waters Queensland Yes
Peter Whish-Wilson Tasmania Yes
Australian Labor Party (12% turnout) 0 Yes 3 No
Kim Carr Victoria No
Raff Ciccone Victoria No
Jenny McAllister NSW No
Tim Ayres NSW Absent
Catryna Bilyk Tasmania Absent
Carol Brown Tasmania Absent
Anthony Chisholm Queensland Absent
Patrick Dodson WA Absent
Don Farrell SA Absent
Katy Gallagher ACT Absent
Nita Green Queensland Absent
Karen Grogan SA Absent
Kristina Keneally NSW Absent
Kimberley Kitching Victoria Absent
Malarndirri McCarthy NT Absent
Deborah O'Neill NSW Absent
Helen Polley Tasmania Absent
Louise Pratt WA Absent
Tony Sheldon NSW Absent
Marielle Smith SA Absent
Glenn Sterle WA Absent
Anne Urquhart Tasmania Absent
Jess Walsh Victoria Absent
Murray Watt Queensland Absent
Penny Wong SA Absent
Stirling Griff SA Centre Alliance Absent
Sam McMahon NT Country Liberal Party No
Sue Lines WA Deputy President Absent
Rex Patrick SA Independent Yes
Jacqui Lambie Tasmania Jacqui Lambie Network No
Liberal National Party (100% turnout) 0 Yes 2 No
Matthew Canavan Queensland No
James McGrath Queensland No
Liberal Party (66% turnout) 0 Yes 19 No
Eric Abetz Tasmania No
Wendy Askew Tasmania No
Simon Birmingham SA No
Andrew Bragg NSW No
Claire Chandler Tasmania No
Richard Colbeck Tasmania No
Jonathon Duniam Tasmania No
Concetta Fierravanti-Wells NSW No
Sarah Henderson Victoria No
Hollie Hughes NSW No
Jane Hume Victoria No
Andrew McLachlan SA No
Greg Mirabella Victoria No
Jim Molan NSW No
Matt O'Sullivan WA No
James Paterson Victoria No
Dean Smith WA No
Amanda Stoker Queensland No
David Van Victoria No
Alex Antic SA Absent
Michaelia Cash WA Absent
David Fawcett SA Absent
Marise Payne NSW Absent
Gerard Rennick Queensland Absent
Linda Reynolds WA Absent
Anne Ruston SA Absent
Paul Scarr Queensland Absent
Zed Seselja ACT Absent
Ben Small WA Absent
National Party (67% turnout) 0 Yes 2 No
Perin Davey NSW No
Susan McDonald Queensland No
Bridget McKenzie Victoria Absent
Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party (50% turnout) 1 Yes 0 No
Malcolm Roberts Queensland Yes
Pauline Hanson Queensland Absent
Slade Brockman WA President Absent
Totals (51% turnout) 11 Yes – 28 No