NOTICE OF 2024 ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING AND ELECTION OF BOARD DIRECTORS

Chair: Cath Glasson-Ashburn

Returning Officer: Liam Buckley

Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Ltd

Date: Saturday 7 December 2024
Time: Check-in begins at 8.00am, meeting begins at 9:00am (AEDT)

Venue: Level 2, Eastern Avenue Auditorium and Theatre Complex (F19), University of Sydney, Camperdown NSW 2050.
Room and building accessibility:
Accessibility: Hearing Augmentation, Wheelchair Accessible, Visual Impairment Accessible
Accessibility Building Features: Accessible Entrance, Accessible Lift
Accessibility Room Features: Luminance Contrast Entrance, Non-Automatic Door, Hearing Loop, Hearing Infrared Device, Accessible Stairs, Wheelchair Defined Space

If you have access needs, please let us know before the meeting by contacting Company.Secretary@mardigrasarts.org.au. Alternatively, make yourself known to our registration staff at the doors.

The venue is located near the University of Sydney Law Building and the Newtown entrance to Fair Day. 

Images of venue:

Attendance and RSVPs

The AGM will be held Saturday 7 December 2024 at Level 2, Eastern Avenue Auditorium and Theatre Complex (F19), University of Sydney, Camperdown NSW 2050.

Members can participate in the meeting in person, via Zoom or through the appointment of a proxy. Participants who attend the meeting are required to adhere to the Meeting Standing Orders and AGM Code of Conduct.

It is requested that members and proxy holders RSVP via the Vero Voting platform. All members have now received log-in and instructions from Vero Voting. If you have not received your Vero Voting log-in, please email Company.Secretary@mardigrasarts.org.au.

For more information, please read the Vero Voting Meeting Guide.

Proxies  

Proxy nominations are now closed.

A member who is entitled to attend and vote at the AGM has a right to appoint a proxy to attend and vote on their behalf. A proxy need not be a member. You may only allocate your proxy to a person who is attending the meeting. Proxies voting will be using the Vero Voting platform.

If a member submits a proxy and then attends the meeting, the proxy will not be permitted to vote on that member’s behalf.

Further Questions 

For other questions regarding the AGM, contact Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras: company.secretary@mardigrasarts.org.au

Nominations for the 2024 Election of Board Directors have now closed.

This year there are 10 candidates for 4 positions on the Board of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, so an election will take place.

In accordance with constitutional requirements, a meeting of the Company Secretary and Returning Officer was held to determine the random ballot order, which candidates are presented in below.

Note: Corey Trembath’s nomination has been withdrawn.

Candidate’s Statements are available to view here.

Voting for Directors  

Electronic voting for Election of Directors has now closed.

Members can still cast their vote in-person at the Annual General Meeting.

Members can still cast their vote for directors in-person at the Annual General Meeting if required. Members who have participated in Director elections online will be unable to vote in person for the election at the meeting.

The Constitution of Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras also allows for both the Board and Members to provide an Explanatory Memorandum explaining the purpose and effect of the resolution.

Items of Business (Resolutions) are available to view here.

To attend the AGM in-person, please RSVP in the Vero Voting platform and select “Yes, In-Person”.

What To Bring:

• Your internet-accessible device (smartphone, tablet or laptop).
• A charger for your device.
• Your Vero Voting link (which has been sent to your email).
• A photo ID or membership card to verify your membership status.
• Pre-distributed documents, such as the agenda, financial reports, or minutes from the previous meeting.
• A bottle of water.

How To Check-In

We encourage you to arrive early! Your friendly Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras team members will be on-site to help you check-in.

To assist us with checking you in, please follow these simple steps:

1. Bring your photo ID or Mardi Gras Membership Card.
2. Ensure you have access to your Vero Voting link sent to your email by support@verovoting.com.au). All voting during the AGM will be through the Vero Voting platform.
3. If you have not voted in the Election of Directors, please ask for the Returning Officer or Company Secretary.

Participating In The Meeting

Participants who attend the meeting are required to adhere to the Meeting Standing Orders and AGM Code of Conduct.

Voting on resolutions at the AGM will be conducted by poll through the VOTE tab in the Vero Voting platform. Poll results will be made available during the meeting by the Chair. Ample time will be provided to cast your vote and support will be available on site.

Ample opportunity will be provided to ask questions following the presentation of reports. Written questions from members are encouraged prior to the meeting through the Q&A section of the Vero Voting platform (see below) so that they can be provided to the Chair in advance of the meeting.

Depending on the volume of questions received, answers to questions received during the meeting may not be answered during the meeting. Questions not responded to will be responded to as soon as practicable following the meeting.

If you have any questions concerning to the running of the AGM or intend raise a query during the meeting, we ask that you please advise the Chair in advance to support the orderly running of the meeting. To do this, please email Company.Secretary@mardigrasarts.org.au.

IMPORTANT – If you have any questions regarding the below information, please email the Company.Secretary@mardigrasarts.org.au as soon as possible. Enquiries received after Friday, 6 December may not be responded to.

This AGM will use Zoom for members who wish to attend online. Please ensure you have downloaded Zoom before the meeting. You can download Zoom here: https://zoom.us/

The ability to attend the AGM online via Zoom is provided primarily for accessibility for members who cannot attend in-person. If you intend to actively participate in the AGM, we strongly encourage you to attend in-person.

To attend the AGM online, members must RSVP in the Vero Voting platform and select “Yes, Online” by Friday, 6 December at 8:00pm (AEDT). Late registrations will not be accepted.

Registering for Zoom

Only members who have indicated via the Vero Voting platform they intend to attend the AGM online by Friday, 6 December at 8:00pm (AEDT) will be emailed a Zoom registration link.

When you receive your Zoom registration link, you will be asked to provide the following information to confirm your identity:

1. First Name
2. Last Name
3. Email Address
4. Membership Number

Once your registration has been received, it will be reviewed and approved by the Company Secretary. You will then receive a link to access the Zoom call.

Joining The Zoom

Members who wish to attend online are asked to join the Zoom call by 8.30am to ensure they are admitted into the AGM before the start of the meeting. Please ensure you have the following:

• Headphones or an appropriate audio system.
• A webcam and microphone.
• Your Vero Voting link (which has been sent to your email).
• Pre-distributed documents, such as the agenda, financial reports, or minutes from the previous meeting.
• A comfy chair and good lighting.

Please note that all online attendees will be muted, and cameras will be turned off to ensure internet bandwidth availability.

Participating In The Meeting

Participants who attend the meeting online are required to adhere to the Meeting Standing Orders and AGM Code of Conduct.

Voting on resolutions at the AGM will be conducted by poll through the VOTE tab in the Vero Voting platform. Poll results will be made available during the meeting by the Chair. Ample time will be available to cast your vote.

Ample opportunity will be provided to ask questions following the presentation of reports. For members attending online, we strongly encourage you submit written questions from members through the Q&A section of the Vero Voting platform (see below) so that they can be provided to the Chair in advance of the meeting.

If you have any questions relating to the running of the AGM or intend raise a query during the meeting, we ask that you please advise the Chair in advance to support the orderly running of the meeting. To do this, please email Company.Secretary@mardigrasarts.org.au.

Proxy nominations are now closed.

If a member who has submitted a proxy then attends the meeting, the proxy will be removed in the Vero platform and the proxy holder will not be permitted to vote on that member’s behalf.

Members who have been nominated as a proxy are able to see who has nominated them in the MY PROXIES tab in the Vero Voting platform.

Voting With Proxies for Items of Business (Resolutions)

There are two types of proxies:

• Directed: A member has directed the nominated proxy holder to vote a certain way.
• Undirected: A member has provided permission for the nominated proxy holder to vote however the holder chooses.

Proxy votes for Items of Business (Resolutions) will be automatically cast in Vero once the proxy holder votes on a specific resolution in their VOTE tab. Proxy holders do not need to individually cast a vote for each proxy they hold.

Voting With Proxies for Election of Directors

There are two types of proxies:

• Directed: A member has directed the nominated proxy holder to vote for candidates a certain way. All votes for Directed proxies will be automatically cast in Vero as per the nominating member’s direction.
• Undirected: A member has provided permission for the nominated proxy holder to vote however the holder chooses. All votes for Undirected proxies will be automatically cast in Vero as per the proxy holder’s vote.

Electronic voting for the Election of Board Directors is now closed. Proxy holders who have not yet cast their vote will be contacted by the Company Secretary and asked to see the Returning Officer before the start of the AGM.

Note: Please find below the outcomes of the Member voting on resolutions proposed at the 2024 Annual General Meeting. The outcome of the resolutions are non-binding recommendations for the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Board. 

The Board will meet within 10 days following the Annual General Meeting to discuss the recommendations and the Mardi Gras Membership will be notified of the outcomes when they become available.

Resolution 1: NSW Police Participation at Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade

For –  459

Against – 493

Abstain – 26

Resolution 2 – Mardi Gras Needs To Do More To Support Western Sydney & Regional NSW Queers

For – 477

Against – 445

Abstain – 49

Resolution 3 – Police Out Of Parade; Police Out Of Community

For – 425

Against – 522

Abstain – 29

Resolution 4 – Police in Parade

For – 419

Against – 482

Abstain – 36

Resolution 5 – Equality without Exceptions

For – 434

Against – 470

Abstain – 32

Resolution 6 – Encourage Partners, Sponsors and Adjacent Organisations to Support Palestine

For – 421

Against – 476

Abstain – 56

Resolution 7 – To Review Mardi Gras Partnerships, Investments and Procurement Relationships

For – 448

Against – 465

Abstain – 37

Resolution 8 – Amex Oppresses Sex Worker Income

For – 423

Against – 492

Abstain – 80

Resolution 9 – LGBTQIA+ Workers During Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras

For – 468

Against – 483

Abstain – 73

Resolution 10 – Safety Summit

For – 441

Against – 477

Abstain – 46

Resolution 11 – To Expand the Mardi Gras Ethics Charter

For – 370

Against – 460

Abstain – 37

Resolution 12 – Mardi Gras Supporting Freedoms and Dignity for Trans Women in Detention

For – 691

Against – 206

Abstain – 62