We reported earlier that the Ardent Leisure annual general meeting (AGM) – unfortunately timed to only days after the tragedy at Dreamworld which killed four people – was going ahead. Many were concerned that a meeting in which business performance would be discussed and annual bonuses would be dished out should have been delayed or rescheduled.
As Senator David Leyonhjelm somewhat callously pointed out, AGMs are governed by the Corporations Act 2001.
You obviously don’t need to know anything about Corporations Law to comment on Twitter. https://t.co/69q2rHhPki
— David Leyonhjelm (@DavidLeyonhjelm) October 26, 2016
Sure, but he’s not correct in implying they can’t be delayed, rescheduled or pushed beyond the legislated window of time via an application to ASIC, but that’s neither here nor there. Either way: it happened, and the press conference afterwards wasn’t a particularly gratifying experience. 9 News Gold Coast livestreamed it:
Deborah Thomas, CEO of Ardent Leisure, immediately copped a grilling over the incident, the company’s response, and the fact that she had received a $860,000 bonus.
The bonus issue was addressed early: Thomas said that it was not an appropriate time to discuss it, and Ardent board director Neil Balnaves defended it on the grounds that it was a planned bonus based on earlier good performance prior to the incident on Tuesday.
After issuing her condolences and saying that Ardent had offered its support to the families of those affected, Thomas was interrogated by Channel 10 reporter Melinda Nucifor who claimed that the company had in fact not reached out and offered support at all. Nucifor said that the family of Kate Goodchild and Luke Dorsett had told her this directly.
They say that they’ve had no direct contact whatsoever, no one’s even reached out to them,” the journalist said. “They’ve even sent me [Luke Dorsett and Kate Goodchild’s mother’s] mobile phone number, saying, ‘Can someone please call her?’”
Thomas changed her tune slightly, suggesting that the chaos of the 24 hours after the fatal incident was spent trying to get in contact with the family via a police liaison officer, who would then be offered the company’s full support:
Yesterday was all about trying to get hold of the families so we could offer assistance, and we have it back from the police that they have made contact with them. And my understanding was that our people would be with them today.
She offered her condolences, clearly shaken by the exchange:
I would like to say to Mrs Dorsett that my sincere sympathies for what you must be going through. And on behalf of the staff and management at Ardent and Dreamworld, that our hearts and our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family at this difficult time. And I will be calling you to see what assistance we can offer you. Thank you.
The investigation into the accident continues.
Source: 9 News Gold Coast.
Photo: Facebook.
