Meat & Livestock Australia members are being encouraged to return their Levy Notice to ensure they secure their full voting entitlement for any ballots and board elections held by MLA in 2018-19.
Beef, lamb or goatmeat producers who are MLA members across the country are currently receiving their MLA Levy Notice, which offers them an opportunity to secure their full voting entitlements at MLA’s 2018 Annual General Meeting, based on the levies they paid in 2017-18.
To ensure members receive their full voting entitlement, they must complete and return their personalised Levy Notice by 21 September.
MLA managing director Richard Norton encouraged all MLA members to get involved and take up their full voting entitlement.
“MLA invests producer levies in research and marketing programs that foster the prosperity of the red meat industry. It is therefore really important that producers are actively engaged in this process and take every opportunity to have their say around how their levy is invested,” he said.
“The Levy Notice is the first of two packs that MLA members will receive over the coming months. In October, members will also receive their ‘AGM pack’ which contains their voting entitlement, the notice of MLA’s 2018 AGM and a proxy form for use by those who cannot attend the meeting in person.”
Along with their MLA Levy Notices, MLA members are this week also receiving an invitation to attend Red Meat 2018, taking place in Canberra on 20-23 November.
Red Meat 2018 is the Australian red meat industry’s flagship event and has an expanded program over four days including producer tours, forums, the latest research, innovation and marketing insights and a trade show, with technology demonstrations and networking opportunities.
MLA’s 2018 AGM will be held on Wednesday, 21 November as part of the program.
The business of the MLA AGM may include questions or comments from members about the management of the company.
Red Meat 2018 is open to all members of the red meat and livestock industry. The event is free but registration is essential to assist with planning and catering requirements.
- For more information on the Red Meat 2018 program and to register, visit redmeat.mla.com.au
Source: MLA
Applying for your voting entitlements is an exercise in futility. The large processors and pastoral companies control the vote.
Warren Truss ordered the MLA to give automatic voting entitlements to levy payers. The MLA promised to do so, but nothing has happened (that was 12 years ago).
The Australian Beef Association asked MLA for a copy of the 2017 voting register to check its accuracy. MLA refused to hand it over. We also asked for the number of votes that the MLA Chair held – again we were refused.
The National Party has refused to implement the 7 recommendations from the senate inquiry and instead embarked on a witch-hunt against AWI.
AWI has a democratic structure with automated voting entitlements as a result the participation at the AWI AGM to set the levy runs at 38%. MLA participation rate is under 2%.
MLA has instigated legislation of which 2 pieces the (levy and NLIS) has cost beef producers, we estimate, 2 billion dollars over 20 years. We need that money returned to us to maintain our breeding stock during this relentless drought.