The 2001 AGM season is almost upon us and this is the calendar of interesting AGMs that we know about so far. We’d love to find an army of volunteers to attending meetings, ask questions and report back so please get in touch at crikey@crikey.com.au.

News Corp: 10am, Ballroom of the Hyatt Regency, North Terrace, Adelaide. Have proxy and Virgin Blue ticket My nomination for the News Corp board was rejected without any correspondence and it is just amazing that the discredited former head of News Ltd in Australia, Ken Cowley, is lining up for another 3 year term. Philip Morris boss Geoffrey Bible is also up for re-election and the issue of 12,000 options to all the non-executive directors goes against corporate governance guidelines. The executives are sharing in 2.2 million options but at least they are $2 out of the money at $14.04.

GUD Holdings: Melbourne. Not a great performer with stodgy Rus Fynmore as the chairman of this car parts manufacturer.

Friday, October 12

Pacific Dunlop: 11am, John Batman Theatre, Melbourne Convention Centre. This once great conglomerate continues to shrink and die. Long time director Ian Webber is up for another 3 years and should be opposed. Crikey will be attending and is keen for your proxy.

Monday, October 15

Tuesday, October 16

AGL: 10.30am, Wesley Conference Centre, 220 Pitt Street, Sydney. The Crikey-backed gas industry veteran Ray Proudly is up against Macquarie Bank’s Mark Johnson and Carolyn Hewson for two spots. Ray is pushing for the company to immediately abolish the 5 per cent shareholder limit and also show some accountability for the disasters of the past year. Please vote for Ray as he got 58 per cent last year and is keen to improve on this.

Suncorp Metway: 2.30pm, Grand Ball Room, Sheraton Hotel, 249 Turbot Street, Brisbane. Bank greed is on full display here with CEO Steve Jones lining up for 2 million options over about $25 million worth of stock. We’re keen for a Banana Bender to speak out against this if anyone is available.

BHP-Billiton: 9.30am, John Batman Theatre, Melbourne Convention Centre. With the share price struggling and new CEO Brian Gilbertson up for another huge slab of share bonuses, there will be no shortage of issues to raise here. Crikey will be attending and is in the market for proxies.

Wednesday, October 17

Australian Infrastructure Group: 2.30pm, Stamford Hotel, 111 Little Collins Street, Melbourne. Mike Fitzpatrick’s group have been whipped by their rivals Macquarie Infrastructure Group and we’re keen to go if anyone has a proxy. They paid way over the odds for a stake in Vodafone and the stock price is wallowing back down around $1.30.

Thursday, October 18

Qantas: 2pm, Melbourne Concert Hall, Victorian Arts Centre. Chairman Margaret Jackson is up for re-election and given her performance on the audit committees of Pacific Dunlop and BHP we reckon she should not be chairman of Qantas. The airlines outrageous cash for comments deals with Laws and Jones should also be raised but sadly Crikey will be stuck in Sydney at a conference so we’re in the market for a proxy to attend.

Friday, October 19

Rural Press: 10.30am, 159 Bells Line of Road, North Richmond, NSW. Catherine Livingstone is a good addition to the board and wouldn’t it be great if the Fairfaxes decided to try and bid for John Fairfax whilst it struggles along with poor management. Depending on how long it takes to get from theABC studio to North Richmond, Crikey would like to attend if someone is kind enough to offer up a proxy.

Origin Energy: Sydney.

Monday, October 22

Foster’s Group: 11am, Melbourne. CEO Ted Kunkel is lining up for even more free shares and we’ll probably be attending as Foster’s is one of Australia’s biggest profiteers from sin with their 6000 poker machines and dominant position in the grog market.

Bendigo Bank: 11am, Bendigo Regional Arts Centre, View Street, Bendigo. Crikey is toying with going to this one if a shareholder is kind enough to offer a proxy. We love their community banking program although MD Rob Hunt is getting set with another 200,000 options worth more than $1 million this year.

Henry Walker Eltin: Adelaide.

Stockland Trust: Sydney. Unlike Lend Lease and Westfield, these shopping centre developers don’t separate out the management and ownership so the combined group has performed well over the year without the inherent conflict of interest which blackens the governance record of its rivals.

Tuesday, October 23

Amcor, 11am, John Batman Theatre, Melbourne Convention Centre. Stephen Mayne attending as Bill Holmes proxy. Company is travelling pretty well with Russell Jones at the helm but expect a few Greenies to protest.

Burswood: 10am, Burswood Ballroom, Perth. With colourful Perth entrepreneur Bill Wyllie and former Tattersalls CEO Peter Gilooly both up for re-election this should be fun. Packer and Lloyd Williams are also on the share register so the pressure is on Labor to allow real pokies in the place. We’re arriving in Perth for a conference the next day so would love a local to attend and ask a few questions.

Cochlear: 2pm, ASX auditorium, 18 Bridge Street, Sydney. This booming ear implant company is deservedly giving the directors a pay rise from $375,000 to $600,000 an new CEO Jack Mahoney is up for 75,000 options worth about $3 million. This is a good news story but we’d still love a volunteer to put their hand up.

Pacific Hydro: Melbourne.

Wednesday, October 24

Reece: Every person on this board is a member of the Wilson family but Crikey is unable to make it so we’re in the market for proxies to head out to Burwood in Melbourne’s east.

Smorgon Steel: Melbourne.

Southcorp: Adelaide. These guys should get some grief for paying Tom Park $7.8 million for 5 months work and also for having John Laws on the payroll through Rosemount. Any Crow Easters up for this one.

Thursday, October 25

Symex Holdings, 2pm, Key West Suites, 26 Southgate Ave, Melbourne. Chemical company chaired by former Victorian Treasurer Alan Stockdale who is lining up for 500,000 more options. Crikey is keen to go and has a proxy lined up.

Commonwealth Bank: 11am, Harbourside Auditorium, Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour. Crikey is unable to make the Sydney AGM this year and is not standing for the board after fearing it will be very difficult to repeat the 40 per cent primary vote of last year. But we’d love a proxy to go and raise a myriad of questions, including whether Paul Keating is still on the payroll and why they paid Johnny Farnham $800,000 to entertain 150 financial advisers in Paris. And what about CEO David Murray lining up for another 1.2 million shares and options over stock worth about $35 million? He’s already worth about $30 million.

Futuris Corp: 2.30pm, Hyatt Regency, Regency Ballroom, North Terrace, Adelaide. Alan Newman, the new Robert Holmes a Court, is lining up for some more options and they want to increase the directors fees from $530,000 to $800,000 so we’re keen for someone to attend and ask a few questions.

Orbital Engine Corporation: 2pm, Sheraton Perth, 207 Adelaide Terrace, Perth. Can you believe that Crikey is on a 2.45pm flight out of Perth so just misses this one. Founder Ralph Sarich was smart to sell out at the top and the stock has been crunched below 60c recently so we’re keen for someone to go along and put a bit of pressure on. The directors are even asking for a rise is maximum fees from $250,000 to $400,000.

Paperlinx: 10am, Wentworth Hotel, 61-101 Phillip Street, Sydney. There is only a few directors up for re-election and this former Amcor division is performing well but if anyone would like to turn up, especially if you’re interesting in green issues, then please get in touch.

Billabong International: Grand Mercure Hotel, Broadbeach, Gold Coast. Foster’s CEO Ted Kunkel is lining up for 22,727 free shares worth about $150,000. No doubt he’ll enjoy the 14 trips a year to visit his folks in Queensland. Any sun-loving Coasties available to attend this one?

Friday, October 26

Seven Network: 10.30am, Medallion Club, Colonial Stadium, Melbourne. With Seven losing the AFL rights it is ironic they are holding the AGM at Docklands. Crikey is keen to go so just needs a proxy. Kerry Stokes is up for re-election and CEO Maureen Plasvic is lining up for another 2 million options.

Vision Systems: 11am, 495 Blackburn Road, Mount Waverley, Melbourne. One of the few Australian tech success stories so of course the directors deserve their pay rise from $400,000 to $600,000. Shame about the clash with Seven, anyone keen to attend?

Coates Hire: 10am, Wentworth Hotel, 61-101 Phillip Street, Sydney. Share price has plunged post-Olympics with the slowdown in infrastructure work so the board will have a bit of explaining to do if anyone fancies attending.

Monday, October 29

ASX AGM at 11am in the theatrette of 530 Collins St in Melbourne. Crikey is standing for the board and hoping to improve on the 11 per cent primary vote last year by running on a platform that the ASX should make 10 years worth of company announcements available for free to create a better informed market. The three other directors up are Clive Batrouney, Michael Shepherd and Jim Kennedy. The board is also hoping for an increase in directors fees form $900,000 to $1.5 million. We’d love your vote and your proxy.

Macquarie Infrastructure Group: 12.45pm, Heritage Ballroom, The Westin Hotel, 1 Martin Place, Sydney. Crikey will be running for the ASX board in Melbourne so we’re very keen to fine someone to give the millionaire factory grief for ripping out all those outrageous fees from the world’s biggest tollroad company.

Tuesday, October 30

MIM: 10am, Sheraton Brisbane Hotel, 249 Turbot Street, Brisbane. The perpetual struggler is back below $1 and weighed down by too much debt. The board is pretty uninspiring and has amazing connections with Crane Group. Keen for a Banana Bender to attend this one if anyone is interested.

Text Media: 2pm, Storey Hall, 342-348 Swanston Street, Melbourne. Stephen Mayne available to attend but needs a proxy. The non-executive directors are lining up for 20,000 options at $1.50 whereas CEO Eric Beecher and finance director Ian Horden are getting some at 90c which is well south of the $2 float price. However, this is the prevailing price and there is a hurdle requirement to beat budgeted profit by 5 per cent.

Wednesday, October 31

Ecorp: 9.30am, Grand Ballroom, Sheraton on the Park, 161 Elizabeth Street, Sydney. Peter Yates and James Packer are up for re-election and Packer’s struggiling tech stock is being pretty cheeky asking shareholders to cut the strike price of new CEO Alison Deans’ options from 70c to 51c. But with the stock at 22c it doesn’t really matter.

Publishing and Broadcasting Ltd: 11.30am, Sheraton on the Park, 161 Elizabeth Street, Sydney. Both Packers are up for re-election this year and new CEO Peter Yates is up for 1.923 million options which are currently slightly out of the money. Crikey is only allowed one night away at a time from the wife and child and with the NRMA AGM on November 2, I won’t be able to make PBL this year. Therefore, we’re looking for a proxy to take on the most formidable AGM of the season.

Strathfield Group: 10.30am, Ernst & Young Building, Level 20, 321 Kent Street, Sydney. Andrew Kelly’s Group has lost a bit on the tech wreck but its core business is holding up well.

Newcrest Mining: 2.30pm, Grand Hyatt Hotel, 123 Collins Street, Melbourne. Crikey is in the market for a proxy to attend this one as Newcrest have just sacked their latest CEO.

Toll Holdings: Melbourne. These guys have snapped up a range of competitors and seen their share price go through the roof like few other stocks.

Thursday, November 1

Tabcorp: 10am, Carlton Crest Hotel, 65 Queens Road, Melbourne. There is nothing controversial this year and Crikey is on a 10.15am Virgin flight to Sydney so we’re looking for someone to attend and this rapacious gambling outfit some grief for destroying so many lives.

Southern Cross Broadcasting: 11am, 60 Park St, South Melbourne. They’ve moved it away from 3AW this year and the board really have their hands out. There is a resolution to increase directors’ retirement payouts such that anyone serving more than 8 years gets a 5 year payout. The annual maximum in fees payable to directors is being lifted from $400,000 to $600,000 and managing director Tony Bell is lining up for another 200,000 options over $4 million worth of stock. Crikey is running for this board on an anti-cash for comment ticket given that they now own Alan Jones and John Laws having bought 2UE earlier this year. I’m competing with discredited former GIO director Marina Darling and Charles Clarke for the two spots and will be campaigning hard. If anyone out there owns shares we’re keen for your proxy.

Lend Lease, 7pm, Sydney Entertainment Centre, Haymarket, Sydney. Stephen Mayne to attend but still looking for a proxy. They’ve moved from Fox Studios after all those disastrous losses and there is nothing controversial like options packages which would struggle to get through after the share price has halved in a year.

Friday, November 2

Abigroup: 11am, Club Rooms at Sydney SuperDome, Homebush. Given that former Brisbane Lord Mayor Sallyanne Atkinson and Nifty Neville Wran are both up for re-election Crikey will be attending to ask these political door-openers a few questions. However, we need a proxy so does anyone own some stock in this colourful developer.

NRMA Insurance Group: 2.30pm, Tumbalong Auditorium, Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre. Crikey is standing for the board along with 8 other candidates and would love your vote and your proxy. It’s time to boot out all the old political warriors such as Anne Keating, Mary Easson and Dominique Collins.

Monday, November 5

Burns Philp: 10.30am, Hotel Inter-Continental, 117 Macquarie Street, Sydney. Gary Hart and CEO Tom Degnum have brought the herbs and spices group back from the dead but there are still plenty of sexy issues if anyone from Sin City is up for it.

Wesfarmers: 2pm, Grand Ballroom, Hyatt Regency Perth, 99 Adelaide Terrace, Perth. After successfully bedding down the Howard Smith takeover, directors are asking to have their pay doubled to $1.5 million a year and they are also inserting a requirement that all directors own 1000 shares worth about $30,000 which makes it tough for impoverished outsiders to stand. The WA Farmers Co-operative own half the company – a tidy $4 billion stake – so there’s no chance of voting this down. Wed be keen to find a Sandgropers to front up and give the board some stick.

Tuesday, November 6

Wednesday, November 7

Thursday, November 8

Computershare: 10am, Park Hyatt Ballroom, Parliament Square, East Melbourne. Crikey is available to go and would love a proxy because the share price and growth profile of this outfit has been under pressure of late.

TAB Ltd: 10am, Randwick Pavilion, Royal Randwick Racecourse, Alison Road, Randwick, Sydney. The Crikey-backed candidate Peter Mair, a consumer guru on banking and racing matters, is up against 3 incumbents including former NSW Premier Barrie Unsworth. Peter will be attending and is keen for your proxy and votes.

Friday, November 9

Monday, November 12

Tuesday, November 13

Tempo Services: 4pm, Heritage Room, Hotel Inter-Continental, 117 Macquarie Street, Sydney. These guys have excellent Labor Party links with people such as former NSW Premier Barry Unsworth on the board and they get wonderful contracts such as the $100 million a year school cleaning gig which has helped send its share price surging in recent years. And now they’re all looking to cash in with the non-executive directors lining up to share in 2.5 million options over the next 3 years and managing director John Herman Schaeffer asking for 5 million options. Crikey went to this one last year and is keen for a Sydneysider to put their hand up.

Fox Entertainment Group AGM in LA so would love a Yank to head along as a proxy to ask Rupert a few curly questions.

Wednesday, November 14

Clough Ltd: 10am, Perth Parmelia Hilton Hotel, Mill Street, Perth. This one is a real family affair with the only directors up for re-election being members of the Clough family. There is founder Harold Clough who is over 75 and therefore needs to be re-elected every year. The other two lining up for another three years are John McRae Clough and William McRae Clough. The Cloughs are big Liberal Party supporters in the West and might be feeling the squeeze with the rampant construction unions under CFMEU heavyweight Kevin Reynolds.

Thursday, November 15

Normandy Mining: 9.30am, Enterprise House, 136 Greenhill Road, Unley, Adelaide. Could be the last ever AGM for Australia’s biggest gold miner with Anglo Gold in the midst of a takeover bid. Keen for a Crow eater to attend as our proxy.

Friday, November 16

Telstra: 11am, Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour. Stephen Mayne is one of 11 candidates running for 6 spots including 4 board endorsed candidates. If we can afford the airfare we’d love your vote and proxy.

Grand Hotel Group: Melbourne. This is the struggling hotel group that McIntosh Securities floated in 1995-96 and was almost sunk by the underwriting exposure, forcing it into negotiations with Merrill Lynch which took it over.

Monday, November 26

PMP Communications: Melbourne. Crikey is running for the board of this embattled printing and magazine group but we’re yet to see the notice of meeting.

McMahon Holdings: Adelaide.

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