Asylum seeker resolution forced on to Qantas AGM agenda

Corporate activists are pushing for a vote on Qantas’s asylum seeker policies at its AGM.

Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce. Picture: AAP

A group that wants Qantas to stop flying asylum seekers out of the country on behalf of the federal government, will try again at the airline’s annual general meeting this year to force a vote on the issue.

Section 249N of the Corporations Act allows a group of at least 100 shareholders to list a “special resolution” they propose to move at a company’s AGM.

Other shareholders can then vote on whether the resolution should be heard. If they vote in favour the “contingent resolution” is put to a vote.

The Australasian Centre for Corporate Responsibility is behind the special resolution after trying unsuccessfully to move a similar motion at last year’s AGM.

On that occasion, 94 per cent of shareholders voted against the resolution which sought an undertaking from Qantas not to carry people who had been denied asylum in Australia.

This year’s resolution has been watered down somewhat, asking only that the Qantas board review the company’s policies and processes relating to “involuntary transportation undertaken as a service provider to the Department of Home Affairs”.

“A report describing the completed review should be prepared at reasonable cost and omitting confidential information, and made available to shareholders on the company website by June 30, 2020,” said the resolution.

ACCR director of human rights, Dhakshayini Sooriyakumaran, said they were not at all discouraged by last year’s overwhelming defeat of the resolution.

“In our view last year’s result of 6.43 per cent (in support) was actually quite reasonable. We saw that as a good start,” Ms Sooriyakumaran said.

“It’s very standard practice in other jurisdictions for the Centre for Corporate Responsibility to try year on year, and build support over time.”

She said forced deportations were on the increase and they wanted Qantas to articulate its position.

Asked if it should be the federal government rather than Qantas facing pressure over the treatment of asylum seekers, Ms Sooriyakumaran said they were not trying to tackle “the entire system”.

“We are looking for Qantas to uphold its commitment to the United Nations’ Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights,” she added.

“We think it’s a good opportunity to show corporate responsibility and leadership.”

Qantas will provide shareholders with recommendations of how to vote on all resolutions next Friday, ahead of the AGM on October 25.

A spokesman would not comment on the resolution today but directed The Australian to the comments of then chairman Leigh Clifford at last year’s AGM.

He said Qantas was “firm in its position that it’s the government that sets the immigration policy and assesses individual cases, and the courts which hear appeals, are best placed to make decisions on complex immigration matters”.

“We don’t believe the (ACCR’s) actions are really about Qantas at all. It’s about finding different ways to put pressure on the Australian Government and the federal opposition to change their immigration policy,” Mr Clifford said.

“We believe that these groups should take up their concerns with the politicians directly rather than use airlines or other businesses as part of the campaign.”