Stephen Mayne, activist shareholder and founder of this esteemed publication, found himself in The Australian’s crosshairs this morning, after a super fund adviser recommended his appointment to the Harvey Norman board.
In a report, Ownership Matters encouraged its investor clients to vote against Katie Page, Harvey Norman’s chief executive and wife of co-founder Gerry Harvey, at the company’s upcoming AGM.
The news did not go down well with Harvey, who lashed out at Mayne in The Australian.
“I have never seen anything as bizarre as the fact that the best retail executive in Australia is to be replaced by a ratbag called Stephen Mayne who has been a proven failure,” he said.
Meanwhile, columnist Janet Albrechtsen labelled Mayne an “activist clown”, whose appointment marked “the moment wokeness lost its way”, warning that activists were trying to implement a “collectivist social agenda”.
Speaking to Crikey, Mayne hit back at Harvey and The Australian, dismissing the attacks as “unhinged ranting”.
“It’s the billionaire’s support club, Murdoch and Harvey,” Mayne said “Gerry’s [Harvey] called in a favour to commission an editorial hatchet-job.”
Mayne, who has notched up 49 unsuccessful runs for a spot on the board of a major company, told Crikey he’s running on a platform of transparency and good governance. He pointed to the company’s lack of independent directors, history of protest votes, and a recent capital raise that “deliberately ripped off their small shareholders” as issues influencing his decision to run.
The Australian characterised Mayne and Ownership Matters’ plea for greater diversity as hypocritical, given it would involve replacing a respected female executive with a man.
But Mayne reiterated his support for Page staying on, and argued the Oz’s diversity attacks were a “complete diversion”.
All this outrage is likely for naught. Given Gerry Harvey and the board control half the votes, Mayne believes his chances of getting elected are “remote”.
Ownership Matters agrees, and told the Oz he stood a “snowflake’s chance in hell of being elected”.
As honest and aware folk know, the Murdoch Maggotty Media Muckwipes are staffed by fellatio friendly frauds and fornicatory typists, slimy sluts, ambitious propaganda generators and perhaps a tea lady. The yankee owner, a pestilential poxed political pervert, has unlimited faith in the erection of his rotriddled ego.
Do you watch letterkenny?
Gee I thought some of my posts got a bit OTT at times. I’ve got some competition and will have to up my game !
Harvey has been an embarrassment for some years now and it’s time to retire just a little bit gracefully. I hate his decades of horrible ads and his stores are poor value. They’ve contributed nothing of value to Australian retail or our general betterment.
A few years ago I wanted an item I could get from Harvey Norman or online. To be fair, I thought I’d try Harvey Norman first and rang them. Their switch put me through to the appropriate department where the phone rang…and rang…and rang…until it rang out or I just gave up and put the phone down. Then I got on line and placed an order with someone who had the item in stock and got it to me in three days.
I have been back to the same store for the occasional well-priced item but Harvey Norman’s mark from me is “Needs to try harder.”
Well it looks like Gerry Harvey said it all. Nothing I can add.
Bizarre that the Oz thought a shreholder company encouraging a protest vote is in any way unusual. This sort of thing happens all the time with respect to listed companies’ Remuneration Report and such.
Harvey Norman’s board absolutely needs a kick up the arse due to its questionable governance. The fact that Mr Mayne has “no retail experience” doesnt mean he couldnt be the one to do it.
…. Does The Oz have any experience with objective, ethical journalism or a “right to know”? …. The way it ‘edits’ what it thinks is our right to know …….
Surely the fun is watching the dogs howling, barking and straining on their chains as Mayne clatters by on the picket fence?
If only their shit and piss stayed inside the fence…
Bless you Stephen Mayne for at least trying to infiltrate the rotted corpse of a place and for shining a light on the dark corridors of the corporate boys club.