HAWTHORN FOOTBALL CLUB LIMITED
(ACN 005 068 851)
122nd ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Notice is hereby given that the 122nd Annual General Meeting of the Hawthorn Football Club Limited (“Club”) will be held on Thursday 12 December 2024 at Bunjil Bagora (Waverley Park), 3/2 Stadium Circuit, Mulgrave VIC 3170. The meeting will commence at 6.15pm AEDT.
The Annual General Meeting will be an in-person meeting. Members who are unable to join the meeting in person can appoint a proxy by completing and returning a proxy form in accordance with the instructions included in this notice.
Nick Holland
Company Secretary
21 November 2024
BUSINESS
Ordinary Business
Item 1: To confirm the minutes of the 121st Annual General Meeting of the Club held on 12 December 2023.
Item 2: To receive and consider the 2024 Annual Financial Report, Directors’ Report, and Auditor’s Report for the year ending 31 October 2024.
Item 3: Announcement of 2024 Director Election Result and pass an ordinary resolution on the declaration of duly elected Directors.
Item 4: Presentation of Life Memberships.
Item 5: To consider any other business that may be brought before the meeting in accordance with the company’s constitution and the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth).
HOW TO ATTEND
Members entitled to attend the Annual General Meeting may attend in the following ways:
1. By attending the Annual General Meeting on the date, time and location specified in this Notice.
Due to limited seating, Members are required to pre-register their attendance. Registration can be made by visiting this link. Priority for attendance will be given to Voting Members. Members will need their Membership Number to register. Membership numbers can be found on the back of your membership card.
2. By appointing a proxy* to attend the Annual General Meeting on the date, time and location specified in this notice and by completing and returning a proxy form, together with any relevant power of attorney, to the Club by 5pm on Tuesday 10 December 2024.
*A proxy cannot vote on behalf of a member with regard to the election of a director. Voting will be provided electronically. A proxy form therefore allows a Voting Member to appoint a proxy to attend the AGM on a Voting Member’s behalf and vote on resolutions put forward at the AGM.
If you would like to attend and vote by proxy, please contact the Club to obtain a proxy form. Alternatively, you can download a proxy form via this link and lodge it via the details below.
Lodgement by mail: Hawthorn Football Club Limited, PO Box 829, Mt Waverley, Victoria 3149
Lodgement by fax: (03) 9535 3050
Lodgement by email: hawthorn@hawthornfc.com.au
A proxy need not be a member of the Hawthorn Football Club.
QUESTION TIME
A discussion will be held on all items to be considered at the Annual General Meeting. All members will have a reasonable opportunity to ask questions in advance of or during the Annual General Meeting (including an opportunity to ask questions of the Club's auditor).
Members are encouraged to submit questions prior to the meeting. This can be done via this link and must be submitted to the Club by 5:00pm, Tuesday 10 December 2024.
To ensure that as many members as possible have the opportunity to speak, members are requested to observe the following:
Relevant: All questions should be stated clearly and should be relevant to the business of the Annual General Meeting, including matters arising from the 2024 Annual Financial, Directors’ and Auditor’s Reports, and general questions about the performance, business, or management of the Club.
Multiple questions: In order to allow a reasonable opportunity for all members to ask questions in the time provided, there will be a maximum of two questions per member permitted.
Confidential: Members should not ask questions at the Annual General Meeting regarding personal matters or those that are commercial in confidence.
2024 DIRECTOR ELECTIONS
ELIGIBILITY AND HOW TO VOTE
Election
Following the nominations process, the Club received a greater number of nominations than the two (2) vacant positions on the Club's Board. In accordance with the rules of the Club, an election is required to determine these positions.
Eligibility
Eligibility to vote in the Club's 2024 Director Election is determined in accordance with the rules of the Club.
Voting
Members eligible to vote in the Club's 2024 Director Election will receive a separate email from Vero Voting containing voting information. Please look out for a Vero Voting email in your personal junk/spam mail folder.
Voting members may vote for candidates by either using the online voting system or by requesting and validly completing a postal ballot form. If you would like to request a postal pack, please contact returningofficer@verovoting.com.au
In order to be valid, a voting member must vote for two (2) candidates.
Vero Voting have been appointed by the Club to independently conduct the voting process and appointed to act as the independent Returning Officer.
If you require assistance with the online voting process, please contact the Returning Officer by calling the support line on 1300 702 898 or by sending an email to returningofficer@verovoting.com.au
Timing
In order to be accepted:
- votes cast on the online voting system must be received between 9.00am (AEDT) on Tuesday 26 November 2024 and 5.00pm (AEDT) on Tuesday 10 December 2024; and
- votes cast by postal ballot forms must be received by the Returning Officer at Vero Voting, Reply Paid 85701 DAGLISH WA 6008 by 5.00pm (AEDT) on Tuesday 10 December 2024.
Election result
The two candidates with the highest number of votes cast are elected. The result will be formally announced at the Annual General Meeting.
Candidate Information
The order of candidates as they appear in this notice has been determined by lot by the Returning Officer. The Candidates photo, statement will appear on the Vero Voting site as well as the instructions on ‘How to Vote’.
CANDIDATES
Don Scott
Dear Members
I offer myself to this election process as a passionate 50-year Life Member and past player.
My involvement at Hawthorn first started as an 18-year-old in the Under 19’s. I was fortunate enough to have played 302 games during one of Hawthorn’s most successful eras and have held a variety of positions within the club, after my playing career ended.
Off field, I started my first business as a 23-year-old, and have run a variety of ventures since, and continue to do so until this day.
My reason for nominating for the board, is that I have had a near 60-year involvement with Hawthorn Football Club, which I am incredibly passionate about. I wish to see sustained success for the now, and the future, with a focus on an accountable, open and transparent governance across the whole football club to all members.
As a Hawthorn person, I find the current direction and on field success exciting, with the future looking prosperous.
The upcoming Dingley development is the single largest project undertaken by the football club, and I have the skills that could assist this come to fruition.
I believe with my football, and business experiences I can bring a direct, practical and assertive view to the board.
Thank you for your time
Tim Shearer
I’ve been a lifelong Hawks supporter and serving on the board is my opportunity to give back to the club that has given me – and all members and supporters - so much.
As a current HFC Director, I am also the HFC Foundation President, with a particular focus on the Kennedy Community Centre (KCC). This has involved chairing and guiding the KCC capital campaign to $22M in commitments to date. When it’s complete next year it will be a state-of-the-art facility that will underpin our drive for on and off field success.
In my term on the board I have overseen the establishment of the Hawks Community Foundation, enabling the club’s Community Programs to be funded through our generous community.
We are presently in a strong position. The Board has overseen a reset of our football program and is constantly looking at ways to build success. With much still to be done, I am committed to the club’s future.
Peter Hudson:
“I have worked closely with Tim for the past six years on the capital campaign committee and I passionately support Tim’s renomination to the Board. This is an important time for the club, and Tim’s leadership and fundraising experience is critical to its future.”
David Parkin OAM:
“I have known Tim for many years in various capacities and his integrity and work ethic are first class. We are fortunate to have someone like Tim giving of his time and expertise in the manner in which he does.”
Ian Silk
It’s been a great privilege to serve as a Director of the Hawthorn Football Club for the last 3 years, and I am seeking your support to elect me to the Board of your club for the next 3 years.
The hard decisions and bold planning over the last few years (including before my election) have positioned Hawthorn on the cusp of what we all hope will be the Club’s next golden era.
The achievements and excitement of the AFL team and the AFLW team in 2024 have created a sense of anticipation about the future, but of course nothing is guaranteed. We will need unity and to strive extraordinarily hard - on-field and off-field - to achieve the success we’re all aiming for.
I am committed to doing all I can to ensure the Club achieves a new era of sustained success.
I am currently the Chair of the Club’s Governance, Risk and Integrity Committee; a member of the Kennedy Community Centre (KCC) Project Control Group; a member of the People and Culture Committee; and the Club’s nominated Director on the Board of the Box Hill Hawks Football Club.
After resigning following 15 years as Australian Super’s Chief Executive, I currently have a number of Director and consulting roles, including independent Chairperson of Crown Melbourne, and providing advisory services to the Fiji Government.
With your support I would be delighted to continue to contribute - working with a talented Board and great leadership team - to the next era of brown and gold success.
