What is a ‘Councillor’?
Councillors play an important role within our governance framework. The eligibility criteria, term of office, along with the role and responsibilities are set out in the HCF Constitution and Councillor Charter. There are two types of Councillors:
- Elected Councillors – 16 individuals elected by policyholders eligible to vote
- Board Councillors – 8 individuals consisting of the Chair of the HCF Board and seven HCF Directors.
Role of Councillors
Councillors are members of HCF. Policyholders are not members of HCF and have no rights or entitlements under the Constitution, beyond the right:
- for those Policyholders who are Voting Policyholders, to participate in the election of Elected Councillors; and
- to vote on a scheme of arrangement.
As the Members of the Company for the purposes of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth), Councillors also exercise powers that either the Act or the Constitution require are reserved for a general meeting. These include:
- electing and/or removing directors
- appointing and/or removing the auditors
- approving amendments to the Constitution
- changing the company type
- setting the director remuneration pool and approving certain financial transactions (such as related party transactions).
Councillors must also attend information briefings convened by the Company.
As HCF is a company limited by guarantee, in the event it is wound up each Councillor undertakes to contribute up to $2 towards the property of the Company where required.
The Constitution prohibits the distribution of any property or profit of the Company to Councillors and requires that all surplus upon winding-up is given or transferred to a person or entity with similar objects to that of HCF.
List of Councillors
At the 2020 HCF Annual General Meeting held on 17 November 2020, Ms Cheryl Hayman, Ms Fiona Jolly, Prof Alan Pettigrew and Mr Russell Schneider were welcomed as newly Elected Councillors.
At the same meeting Ms Penelope A. Coombes, Mr David S. Reid and Mr Anthony E. Stephenson retired as Elected Councillors.
Elected Councillors
- Ronda A. Bramble
- Sonia J. Casanova
- John A.B. Dunlop
- Malcolm M. Fisher
- Cindy L. Hansen
- William H. Hardman
- Cheryl Hayman
- Fiona F. Jolly
- Susan L. Neill
- Anthony W. O’Hare
- Alan G. Pettigrew
- Richard K.S. Phoon
- Vivek Prabhu
- Denise M. Robinson
- Russell J. Schneider
- Juliet Seifert
Board Councillors
- Michael J. Bassingthwaighte
- John M. Barrington
- Catherine M. Hallinan
- Claire L. Jackson
- Mark G. Johnson
- Lisa M. McIntyre
- Chris E. Wright
- Terry T. Agnew
The next Elected Councillors election is scheduled to be held in 2023.