ANZ chief executive Shayne Elliott acknowledges Cyclone Jasper victims after Indigenous Voice’s defeat

ANZ chief executive Shayne Elliott has started a keynote speech to shareholders by recognizing cyclone victims in far north Queensland over Indigenous Traditional Owners.

At previous annual general meetings, Mr Elliott and his chairman Paul O’Sullivan have routinely taken turns paying their respects to the traditional custodians of the land where the meeting was held in the capital.

But the 2023 AGM in Brisbane has marked a departure from that usual practice, following the crushing defeat of the Voice referendum, which saw the No vote receive 60 per cent support in October.

This was after ANZ gave $2.5 million to charities campaigning for the Yes cause.

This week’s AGM was the first in nine years in which neither the CEO nor the chairman began their speech by recognizing Indigenous Traditional Owners.

Mr Elliott started his speech on Thursday by recognizing those affected by Tropical Cyclone Jasper, which cut off Cairns, caused widespread flooding and led to 3,800 insurance claims from Cape York Peninsula to Mackay.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to be here in Brisbane today to meet with you,” he said.

“Before I begin, I would like to join the Chairman in recognizing those affected by Tropical Cyclone Jasper in far north Queensland.

“We have a customer assistance package in place and while staying safe is everyone’s first priority, I encourage customers who need financial assistance to get in touch.”

At Thursday’s AGM, Mr O’Sullivan acknowledged that the board had made a controversial decision to give more than $2.5 million to groups linked to The Voice’s failed Yes campaign.

“So, after careful consideration by both the management team and the board, we decided that providing financial support for constitutional recognition was consistent with both our purpose and our long-held support for reconciliation,” he said.

“As a result, ANZ donated $2.5 million to Australians for Constitutional Indigenous Recognition and $250,000 to the Uluru Dialogues.

“We understand that not everyone will agree with our approach, but we firmly believe that we have remained true to ANZ’s long track record and values ​​in addressing structural disadvantage for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.”

The admission was made a day before the Institute of Public Affairs, a libertarian think tank, released a new poll showing that 64 percent of respondents opposed big corporations getting involved in political issues, based on a survey of 3,500 people.

IPA senior John Roskam said: “Big business will not be forgiven if they try to divide Australians.”

Conservative voters were even more opposed to big business meddling in political issues, with 87 percent of Nationals voters agreeing it did not reflect their values, compared to 70 percent of Liberal Party voters, 58 percent of the Labor voters and 56 percent of the Greens. voters.

Baby boomers were more opposed to big business involvement in politics, with 78 percent of those over 65 saying it conflicted with their values, compared to 52 percent of those aged 18 to 24.

“Big business speaks for a small circle of wealthy elite CEOs who are more interested in trumpeting virtues than advocating for the interests of mainstream Australians,” Roskam said.

No recognition was given to Indigenous Traditional Owners in this year’s ANZ General Assembly keynote speeches, either by the CEO or the Chairman.

But in 2022, Mr O’Sullivan began his speech to the General Assembly with a reference to Aboriginal people in Adelaide.

“I wish to acknowledge the Kaurna people as the traditional custodians of the land from which we present ourselves and pay my respects to their elders, past, present and emerging,” he said.

“I pay that respect to the other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who join us today.”

In 2021, Mr O’Sullivan paid tribute to Melbourne’s Traditional Owners at a virtual General Meeting held shortly after the Victorian capital’s sixth lockdown.

“Before we begin, I would like to acknowledge the Wurundjeri people as the Traditional Custodians of the land from which we present ourselves, and pay my respects to their elders, past, present and future,” he said.

“I pay that respect to the other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who join us today.”

In 2020, it was Mr Elliott’s turn to celebrate traditional owners at a virtual AGM in Melbourne.

‘Thanks Paul and good morning. “I would also like to welcome you today and acknowledge the Wurundjeri and Boon Wurrung peoples as the Traditional Owners of the land from which we are broadcasting this morning,” he said.

The next line three years ago recognized victims of natural disasters.

“As Paul said, the thoughts of all our people are with those who suffered from the bushfires that started the year or the pandemic that defined that year,” he said.

On Thursday, the Insurance Council of Australia confirmed that more than 3,800 claims had already been made in areas stretching from the Cape York Peninsula to Mackay, 1,700km away in northern Queensland, as a result of Tropical Cyclone Jasper.

The category two cyclone is considered an ‘insurance catastrophe’.

At ANZ’s last AGM in Brisbane in December 2019, former chairman David Gonski acknowledged that Indigenous Traditional Owners had an advantage over those who fought the summer fires just weeks before the first case of Covid came to Australia.

“Your directors, including our CEO Shayne Elliott, are all here and join me in welcoming you,” he said.

“Before I commence the meeting, I acknowledge both the Jagera people and the Turrbul people, who are the traditional custodians of the land on which this meeting is taking place.

“We respect their spiritual relationship with their country and we pay respect to their elders, past, present and emerging.

“I pay that respect to the other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who join us today.

“On behalf of everyone at ANZ, I would also like to express our concern for all those affected by the fires here in Queensland, as well as those in other parts of the country.”

The 2017 AGM was the last where both the CEO and Chairman paid tribute by name to Indigenous Traditional Owners, with Mr Elliott and Mr Gonski both recognizing the Gadigal people of Sydney’s Eora Nation.

But 2014 was the last time neither the CEO nor the chairman acknowledged traditional owners at the start of a speech to the AGM, with Sydney’s Lindt cafe victims receiving special mention instead.