On Wednesday, Telstra director Maxine Brenner faced a humiliating 17 per cent protest vote against her re-election, after proxy firm Institutional Shareholder Services recommended against her because of her concurrent board role at embattled airline Qantas. That is, at another company altogether.

In comments to the floor, Brenner acknowledged her extensive board career had involved, “inevitably, some mistakes”. She didn’t elucidate these, and Telstra chairman John Mullen did all he could to shield her from questions about her role at the national carrier.