Five directors are seeking confirmation of their positions at the Murray Irrigation annual general meeting on Wednesday, November 27.
The hybrid meeting will enable shareholders to attend either in person at the Deniliquin RSL Club or online. It will start at 10am.
The meeting seeks support for the appointment of four member directors — Gabrielle Coupland, Noel Graham, Geoff McLeod and Leanne Small — who were appointed earlier this year to fill casual vacancies made available following a general meeting.
Shareholders will also be asked to vote on the appointment of non-member director Robert Burbury for another three-year term.
Mr Burbury has had a varied 40-year career, including running his own farming business, a decade as a councillor and deputy mayor in local government and about 20 years reporting to boards as a CEO or non-executive director
Ms Coupland has had a diverse career in agriculture including financial education in Queensland, grain protection in WA and as a wool area manager in SA.
Mr Graham has served previously as a Murray Irrigation director during the sign-off of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan and is the third generation farmer of a 115-year-old property in Caldwell.
Mr McLeod is a second generation cropping farmer from Finley and has had a successful career in agronomy, environmental management and water policy and has provided private consultancy services to government, government bodies and the professional sector.
Ms Small has had more than 40 years in the vocational education sector, culminating in a senior management position with TAFE NSW, and is business manager for her family’s four-generation cropping and livestock farm.
An additional resolution at the meeting seeks to increase the aggregate sum of remuneration to company directors from $400,000 to $500,000, and that from July 1, 2026 it be adjusted by annual CPI.
Chair Phil Snowden said the board unanimously supported all six resolutions that will be put to the vote.
He considers the appointment of the four member directors and the reappointment of Mr Burbury as crucial to maintaining stability at both board and company level.
“These five directors have all undertaken a rigorous recruitment process and have been appointed as Murray Irrigation directors due to their varied strengths and skills that complement the board,” Mr Snowden said.
"A strong, skilled board is paramount to supporting Murray Irrigation to navigating the range of external factors the industry and our community are currently facing, including water buybacks.
"For this reason, I cannot over-emphasise the importance of shareholders taking the opportunity to cast their votes at the upcoming AGM."
Shareholders attending the AGM in person or online will be able to vote directly during the meeting.
For more information, go to: https://www.murrayirrigation.com.au/AGM