Apologies for the delay in getting this typed up and posted- between the AGM and the travelling it was a very intense and hectic day!
For all those who couldn't attend the HML AGM personally -highlights to follow shortly. I'll needto break this up into several posts in order to make it easier to read and toseparate key points of discussion. This firstpost is just a general summary with more detailed posts to follow.
Please note that these posts have been transcribed from myhand written notes and my memory of the meeting.
Before the meeting commenced, Kevin M along withtwo hench-people confronted a shareholder seated a row ahead of me and lookedto be verbally threatening him. Icouldn't hear what was said but after the exchange, a 6.5" tall, 4"wide hulk seated himself immediately next to this shareholder. Considering that there were plenty of otherseats available, it's obvious that this move was intended to intimidate. It didn't work though because the shareholdergot up and moved to another seat. Thehulk, getting the message but still being persistent, waited a minute beforegetting up and moving to the row behind the shareholder.
The meeting was very tightly controlled and took a generaltone of "screw you all - we're not answering anything". There was no presentation as usually featured at thebeginning of a normal AGM. The chairjumped straight into reading out the resolutions, and then Kevin read out thequestions for the auditor. The auditorgot up and read out his response to the questions.
Throughout the meeting Stuart McAuliffe remainedreclined in his seat with a smug grin on his face. I found his general demeanour throughout theentire meeting to be very contemptuous and disrespectful to the shareholderspresent. I, along with many othershareholders present, found the general conduct of the entire board to be contemptuous. I think if the BHD and JBL meetings go the same way as the HML meeting did - it could end with the riot squad getting called in.
When the floor was open to questions from shareholders, thechair advised that each shareholder was limited to only 2 questions and that the board wouldn’t be answering any questions they weren’t legally obliged to answer. It was during this time that it became veryobvious that they had lawyers planted all around the room. One lawyer in the front row advising theboard, at least two seated midway and more standing at the back of the room.
Along with the lawyers lurking at the back of the room, was RachelWeeks giving hand signals to the board as to how to handle the questions(signals such as hand across the throat for "Don't answer that" andmaking circular motions for "Wind it up").
After every question the chair would attempt to close themeeting before the next shareholder could pose their questions. When the chair finally did close the meetinghe wished everyone a “Merry Christmas” - which was not very well received.
Onto the good stuff - question time:
